Arts & Icons
I assume most of your audiences are predominantly straight. How do you break the news to them that you’re gay? MATTEo LANE : I use to come onstage and sing in a falsetto! It’s funny because people are confused and it breaks the ice. Now I just walk onstage and say, “I’m obviously gay” and then I just move on. But I have to address it. If you have a missing arm, for instance, if you go up onstage and not talk about it for 15 minutes, people are going to ask, “When is he going to mention the arm?” If I go onstage and start chatting, people will ask, “Is he going to mention it?” I also do because I am proud to be gay. ToDD GLASS : It’s like 35 years ago when you had a Saturday Night Live sketch of a black and white couple dating, the sketch had to be, “I’m black and your parents are visiting from out of town.” Then you reach a point where you have to have a sketch that gets past that, where race has nothing to do with the sketch. The couple is just a couple. That’s how I deal with my sexual orientation – I talk about it for 3 or 4 minutes and move on. One of my biggest fears was I didn’t want it to become my identity. I never thought it was the most interesting thing about me. Your thoughts about Montreal and Just For Laughs. ToDD GLASS : JFL is a joy! I always have a good time in your city. MATTEo LANE : I love the city because – this is so American – it’s Europe in North America. My family is from Italy, I love the European vibe in Montreal, and my French is very Italian. The food is very good and Montrealers are hot. Everybody is good-looking. I’m also friends with (Montreal comedian) Tranna Wintour, so I’ll get to hang out with her and enjoy your beautiful city. Montreal is famed for its amazing gay male stripper bars. Have you been yet?. MATTEo LANE : I went to one a couple years ago with (out comedian) James Adomian, and I hope to go again this summer!
ToDD GLASS :You just reminded mem me of when I was 18 working in comedy clubs. This place in Wildwood, New Neww Jersey, had male strippers in one room and a comedy club in the other. All A the straight comedians would go over to the male strip club because they the were comfortable with their sexuality, and then the male strippers would come over to watch our comedy shows. But I never went to the strip club, and I probably wanted to go more than anybody. I was scared shitless. I am so much happier since I came out. No more lies. MATTEo LANE : The first comedy record I bought was by Ellen DeGeneres. I was nine-years-old. I didn’t even know she was gay! She dealt with so many assholes across America when she came out of the closet. For me doing comedy in the straight world today feels normal, but for queer comics back in the day – I think “How the fuck did they do it?” I love Ellen. I am grateful for her and other out comics who have made a difference. 6 RICHAR BURNETT
MATTEO LANE co-stars in THE ETHNIC SHOW at Club Soda from July 11 to 26. / TODD GLASS stars in his self-titled solo show at Mainline Theatre from July 23 to 28. He also hosts THE TODD GLASS SHOW at the Hyatt Regency on July 27.
The JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL runs from July 11 to 29. For more information and tickets, visit www.hahaha.com.