NEWSMAKERS by Richard Burnett
Much comedy is timeless, unlike the comedy world’s homophobia and transphobia of yesteryear. While some comics still crack homophobic and transphobic jokes onstage, comedians and audiences are changing, thanks in part to such out comics as Matteo Lane and Todd Glass. I ing Montreal’s tweets last tank saw on tops Lane her Comedyworks like 70th – the the B-Day young one nightclub he were and wears mustachioed priceless! in on 2016. the cover His New impromptu of Yorker Fugues who reading this enjoys month of Cher’s wear- – at And ing about the in it 2012 old in his axiom comedy 2015 that bestseller veteran one is Glass TheToddGlassSituation:ABunchofLiesabout never publicly too old came to come out at out. the Then age he of 48, wrote prov- all MyPersonalLifeandaBunchofTrueStoriesaboutMy30-YearCareerin Stand-UpComedy. Both For Laughs comics Festival, are blazing which a trail runs to July Montreal 11 to 29. for the 36th edition of the Just As an out comic, how welcoming is the comedy world to queer comics? MATTEO LA NE: Ver y.IfeellikeI have been ac ce pted.I have encountered nothing but kindness and open arms. I am lucky being queer is not seen as a problem. People are increasingly interested in things we have to say and aren’t threatened by me talking about my life onstage. They may not know gay people personally, but by the end of my set, straight audiences realize we are more alike than they thought. This is the message I try to convey through humour. Todd, you are in a unique position: you’ve seen how the comedy world treats queer comics from both perspectives, closeted and out, especially behind the scenes. TODD GLASS : I think the comedy world is changing for the he better. better When I was younger, it could get overwhelming because some out comedians I saw only talked about being gay. But they broke a lot of ground for people like me. Although I have been out to my parents since the age of 30, I was unable to do what these out comics did because of the times. I publicly came out in 2012 because I had become too comfortable living that lie. I knew my life could be better. I saw a lot of young kids being pretty brave and I thought it was time. Everybody said it would get better. Everybody. Ellen (DeGeneres) said it. And it’s true – it is better now. Do you feel like you’ve blazed a trail for older queer comics? MATTEO LANE : I never thought of it that way. I just wanted to be onstage and tell jokes. It doesn’t matter if you’re green and from Mars, just work hard and tell funny jokes. As for queer trailblazers, I think Mario Cantone is a trailblazer and does not get the credit he deserves. He was unapologetically out not only at a time when gay people were hated, but also dieing (of AIDS). He really put himself out there. I also think Tom Glass is a trailblazer because coming out is different for everybody. Not everybody comes out at the same time and Tom Glass (publicly) coming out at age 48 is an inspiration for men his age who couldn’t do it before and now realize they can. It’s a whole different experience. TODD GLASS : No one comes out at the same time. Everybody comes out when they are ready. I can privately help LGBTQ people who are struggling, but nobody wants to be pushed. What I find shocking is straight parents who say they are open-minded but don’t think it may be their kids who are gay or transgender. These parents need to walk the talk and treat these issues in their own homes sensitively so that their children can feel that they can trust them.