2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Comedian Leighann Lord headlines Club Carson
Steve Scharf
Issue date: 1/25/08 Section: Features
Growing up in Queens, New York, comedian Leighann Lord didn't consider herself the funniest person in her family.
"I'm so not the funniest person in my family," she said. "I'm just the only one trying to get paid for it."
Lord, in conjunction with Club Carson, will take the stage tonight at the Lied Center's Johnny Carson Theater, 12th and R streets.
The quick, witty, accomplished comedian has opened for big name stars such as Chris Rock and Margaret Chow.
Growing up in Queens was an experience for Lord, who was the only daughter in a family of three children.
Lord said her mother was "bitterly sarcastic," while her father loved to embarrass her in front of her dates.
"He would say to my date 'are you sure you want to go out with her? She's got problems.'"
Lord's husband of six years, Jim Mendrinos, is also a comedian and author of the book, "The Complete Idiots Guide to Comedy Writing."
With Lord and Medrinos both having successful touring stand up careers, it makes it difficult to schedule time together.
When possible, the couple tries to book stand up routines at the same comedy club.
While recording her CD, Lord's husband performed a skit after her. Medrinos jokingly asked the audience, "She's pretty isn't she. Do you think I have a shot?" The audience responded, "no," not knowing the two were married.
Lord has several memorable experiences from her stand up career.
While on the United Service Organizations (USO) tour, Lord performed her act on the deck of a aircraft carrier in the Middle East. The ship was moving, and the wind was blowing, Lord said.
While performing on the deck of the warship, Lord said she asked herself: "Is war going to break out right now, and if it does, do I keep telling jokes?"
Her USO tour, which took place just after Sept. 11th, 2001, included stops in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"I couldn't see not going (on the USO tour)," Lord said.
Lord said much of her job as a comic is never seen by the public.
"People only see the lights and the glamour," she said. "The dollars and cents side is the work people don't see."
Lord feels for stand up comedians, performing on stage is a way for some to deal with adversity in their lives. Because of that she sees her stand up routine as building a relationship with the audience.
"I always try to look for what will relate best to the audience," she said.
Leighann Lord
Where: Lied Center's Johnny Carson Theater, 12th and R streets
When: Tonight at 7 and 9:30
How Much: $15 general admission, $10 students and youth
"I'm so not the funniest person in my family," she said. "I'm just the only one trying to get paid for it."
Lord, in conjunction with Club Carson, will take the stage tonight at the Lied Center's Johnny Carson Theater, 12th and R streets.
The quick, witty, accomplished comedian has opened for big name stars such as Chris Rock and Margaret Chow.
Growing up in Queens was an experience for Lord, who was the only daughter in a family of three children.
Lord said her mother was "bitterly sarcastic," while her father loved to embarrass her in front of her dates.
"He would say to my date 'are you sure you want to go out with her? She's got problems.'"
Lord's husband of six years, Jim Mendrinos, is also a comedian and author of the book, "The Complete Idiots Guide to Comedy Writing."
With Lord and Medrinos both having successful touring stand up careers, it makes it difficult to schedule time together.
When possible, the couple tries to book stand up routines at the same comedy club.
While recording her CD, Lord's husband performed a skit after her. Medrinos jokingly asked the audience, "She's pretty isn't she. Do you think I have a shot?" The audience responded, "no," not knowing the two were married.
Lord has several memorable experiences from her stand up career.
While on the United Service Organizations (USO) tour, Lord performed her act on the deck of a aircraft carrier in the Middle East. The ship was moving, and the wind was blowing, Lord said.
While performing on the deck of the warship, Lord said she asked herself: "Is war going to break out right now, and if it does, do I keep telling jokes?"
Her USO tour, which took place just after Sept. 11th, 2001, included stops in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"I couldn't see not going (on the USO tour)," Lord said.
Lord said much of her job as a comic is never seen by the public.
"People only see the lights and the glamour," she said. "The dollars and cents side is the work people don't see."
Lord feels for stand up comedians, performing on stage is a way for some to deal with adversity in their lives. Because of that she sees her stand up routine as building a relationship with the audience.
"I always try to look for what will relate best to the audience," she said.
Leighann Lord
Where: Lied Center's Johnny Carson Theater, 12th and R streets
When: Tonight at 7 and 9:30
How Much: $15 general admission, $10 students and youth
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