'MO - June 2008 - (Page 23)

’mo: Homophobia in particular seems to show its ugly head every election cycle as of late—and it deﬁnitely affects you as a gay woman. [Bernhard’s partner is Angela Loy.] Sandra: Everything affects me as an individual. I don’t isolate myself or identify myself in any particular way. If someone else is being threatened in some way, I see that as being a threat to me as well. I want everyone to be able to be free and independent and have the same rights that I do as a white person. Sexuality is the least of my concerns, for me individually. I feel everyone needs to be protected. Period. ’mo: Are you able to ﬁnd humor in the current political situation? Sandra: Of course. It’s all laced in irony. ’mo: You mentioned earlier that you’re working on another show. What can we expect from it and when can we expect to see it? Sandra: For starters, I’m always doing ‘new’ shows. I got up in Baltimore recently and did 40 minutes of improvisation. I do that all the time—I get up and write a show on the spot. The other “show” that I’m doing, though, is a combination of music and a few set pieces and around all of that I’m going to riff on what’s going on right now. It’s kind of like blogging, only it’s entertaining. People used to get up [on stage] and riff on current events, but now they’re trying to do it while sitting at their computer. The difference is that getting up in front of people is much more captivating and effective and engaging—or at least I hope it is. ’mo: So you won’t be giving up performing live anytime soon? Sandra: Oh, no. I’m always going to perform. It’s the basis of everything I do. For more about the It’s About Life Expo, go to www.itsaboutlifexpo.com/seattle/expo.html. For more on Sandra Bernhard, go to www.sandrabernhard.com. Bryan Ochalla has written for DiversityInc, GayWired, Seattle Sound and The Advocate. Sandra Bernhard is the latest gay icon he’s interviewed— with Taylor Dayne being his most memorable. Sexuality is the least of my concerns, for me individually. I feel everyone needs to be protected. Period. I didn’t know it would turn into such a big deal, but the Internet turns everything into a big deal these days, doesn’t it? ’mo: Speaking of politics, another election is just around the corner—if you couldn’t tell. What is your view of the current situation, especially as it relates to the Democrats? Sandra: I’m throwing the dice on [Barack] Obama. I think people need to lay back on the whole religious aspect of his identity—actually, I wish people would lay back on religion in general. I wish people wouldn’t be so dependent on their religious leaders to tell them what to do. To be on a spiritual path is to be on your own unique path, in my opinion, and you have to come up with the answers as to what’s right or wrong by yourself. Religion has destroyed mankind over and over again and it’s time people developed some faith in themselves, stood on their own two feet and said what they truly feel. I think Obama does that. Also, I think what [Obama’s former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright] had to say about racism in this country was absolutely right on. But it pisses people off and they don’t want to deal with it. They don’t want to hear about it. We’re racist, sexist, homophobic—everything across the board. We’re threatened by everything. It’s the way our culture is—it’s all ingrained in our culture. moseattle.com come taste our new small plates menu a capitol hill wine bar open nightly 5pm, closed sundays happy hour till 6:30pm pocowineroom.com 23 206.322.9463 1408 east pine street, seattle issue #16 | june 2008 http://www.itsaboutlifexpo.com/seattle/expo.html http://www.sandrabernhard.com http://www.sandrabernhard.com http://www.pocowineroom.com http://moseattle.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 'MO - June 2008

'MO Seattle - June 2008 Contents Letter From The Editor Voices Instant Activist Pet Project: Do You Dream About Your Pet? ’mo-BIZ: Anne Levison, Co-owner of the Seattle Storm Legally Speaking: Real Estate Buying Basics The Things We Do: Getting “Out”doors this Summer Seattle Pride Events Calendar ’mo Magazine Interview with Sandra Bernhard Anatomy of a Myth Form & Function: Turn Up the Heat on Your Triceps Gay City: National HIV Testing Day San Francisco: If Gay Had a Headquarters Book Review: Chronicle of a Plague, Revisited by Andrew Holleran Augusten Burroughs Coming to Showtime Network Sex and the City Romances the Big Screen SceneOut: People@Places Capitol Hill Guide

'MO - June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.