Paula Poundstone brings post-election standup comedy to The Birchmere

Hear our full conversation on my podcast “Beyond the Fame.”

Voters are heading to the polls within the midterm elections to find out Democratic or Republican management of Congress — and to mercifully finish these political assault adverts.

When you want some levity after the heated campaigns, comic Paula Poundstone is the ticket after turning into a family identify reporting dwell from the Republican and Democratic conventions for George H.W. Bush and Invoice Clinton on “The Tonight Present” in 1992.

---

---

Thirty years later, Poundstone is able to deliver some post-election standup comedy to the historic Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, on Friday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov. 12.

“I view my journey to The Birchmere as one of the vital therapeutic experiences,” Poundstone instructed WTOP. “It was the primary place I performed after Trump was elected. The laughter was explosive and therapeutic within the room. … It was so good to be with folks and have the ability to snort. … Assume again to what a relatively harmless time that was. We had no thought what we have been in for.”

Poundstone is, in fact, referring to then-President Trump refusing to just accept the outcomes of the 2020 election and launching a “Cease the Steal” marketing campaign that culminated with the Jan. 6 rebel, sparking months of congressional hearings into a possible coup d’état.

“It was like ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” Poundstone mentioned. “A man goes to the Capitol and sees somebody on the facet of the highway who says, ‘I’m so lonely. Hey, I’m going to overturn the federal government, include me!’…They go someone else, who says, ‘I’d prefer to poke somebody with a flagpole.’ Off they go! They go another person, who says, ‘I accumulate podiums!’ ‘Include us!’ Then they go another person who says, ‘I’ve to poop!’”

After the Jan. 6 rioters constructed a gallows and shouted “Dangle Mike Pence,” Poundstone is fascinated by potential Pence versus Trump debates for the 2024 Republican nomination.

“The concept Pence thinks that he would possibly have the ability to draw back some Trump supporters after they have been attempting to cling him … that’s a blind spot,” Poundstone mentioned.

Poundstone admits that it’s “exhausting to maintain up” with the deluge of present occasions when writing standup materials, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the FBI raiding Mar-a-Lago to retrieve stolen categorized paperwork to Russian President Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine.

“I would not have any Conflict in Ukraine jokes — though I’ve been making a marketing campaign as a result of [Ambassador] Michael McFaul mentioned on Twitter that he’s open to anyone that would speak to Putin, and I’ve nominated myself for that place,” Poundstone mentioned. “I really feel that I might speak to him. I believe I might break by means of among the psychological challenges.”

After all the psychological stress and emotional pressure, Poundstone thinks that People deserve some compensation after the previous six years of social and political turmoil.

“If we’re on the lookout for a silver lining, loads of People, myself included, could have a class-action lawsuit on our fingers for the injury finished to our digestive programs,” Poundstone mentioned. “Mine is in shambles. It could actually barely be used anymore. … It’s a really traumatic time.”

Hear our full conversation on my podcast “Beyond the Fame.”