Chelsea Handler has never played it safe, but her latest creation is risky even for a potty-mouthed, sex- and booze- obsessed comedian.
Handler is betting that “The Comedians of Chelsea Lately,” a tour featuring stand-ups and writers from Handler’s popular talk show on E!, will draw thousands of fans of the program — even though Handler herself won’t be appearing.
“We’re all really good at writing for her voice,” said Jen Kirkman, one of the comedians playing the tour’s Denver stop tonight — a rare seated show at the Fillmore Auditorium. “Some of the people on the show have been friends with her for 15 years. Or with someone like me, it was just a good match. But I think we all kind of have the same sense of humor.”
In addition to Kirkman, the Denver stop features “Chelsea Lately” regulars Jo Koy and the Sklar Brothers.
All are national-quality stand-ups in their own right, but here they’re united under the banner of Handler, who in the past few years has become something of a brand as she’s churned out sold-out tours, New York Times best-selling books and the kind of fan loyalty most celebrities would kill for.
We chatted with Kirkman about the E! show — which recently taped its 500th episode and was renewed through 2012 — and why Handler is unique among the late-night crowd.
Q: Have you ever done a big national tour like this?
A: This is the first package thing. Before I would just open for people and stuff like that, but we did some test versions of “Comedians of Chelsea Lately” in 2009. Now it’s kind of like a three-month, four-month tour with all different kinds of people.
Q: What did you learn from those test shows?
A: Don’t be married to your material. The crowds here want to come see us and are familiar with the show, but they scream stuff out. They don’t want to be rude, they’re just excited. It’s like supportive heckling.
Q: “Supportive heckling” sounds like an oxymoron.
A: You’ll come out and they’ll be like, “Where’s . . . whoever?” So you kind of have to address their things in a joking way. And then knowing when to go back to what you’re doing so that they don’t get too wound up is good. It’s almost like babysitting. I’m not trying to be mean, but it is a skill that I’m sure we’ll all get better at.
Q: How long have you been writing for and appearing on “Chelsea Lately”?
A: It was really kind of a quick process where I met Chelsea and the other producers. It was a bizarre interview. Chelsea asked me right off if I was gay, and one of the producers was like “Uh . . .” But I’m kind of glad she asked, because I forget when I’m a comedian that I’m supposed to walk into a room and be funny. So by her saying really weird stuff, I was able to give a funny answer.
Q: “Chelsea Lately” doesn’t get huge ratings (about 900,000 viewers nightly), but it’s got a devoted following — especially among young women. What is it that works for people? Is it a shared sensibility and voice?
A: Yes and no. It’s not like we’re leaving our normal sense of humor at home, but I can say the writers on the show are together almost 24 hours a day. And with the roundtable discussions, it’s a huge mix of people from all different comedy styles and scenes, from Greg Proops and Natasha Leggero to Heather McDonald and George Wallace. And the common denominator is that they’re all good. It’s pretty incredible and it’s the only show that’s doing that, with three comedians a night and all from different scenes.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com
THE COMEDIANS OF CHELSEA LATERLY.
Stand-up comedy. Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St. Featuring Jen Kirkman, Jo Koy, the Sklar Brothers and Chuy. Today. 8 p.m. $30-$35. 800-745-3000 or
