SHE4ME and... Cathy DeBuono

Cathy and Comet;
photo by Kerry Krenzin.

We spoke to Cathy De Buono, actor, qualified therapist and host of weekly LA Talk radio show "Cathy Is In", about her supporting role in the SHE4ME campaign, upcoming comedy horror film Crazy B*tches and her new documentary.

For Cathy, marriage equality is an "evolution of the consciousness of human being" and it fills "every ounce" of her being that evolution can't stop equality happening. Cathy argues that on a global level there is a collective consciousness of fighting injustice for humankind, and lack of marriage equality is one of the many ways humans beat each other down.

Cathy's involvement in SHE4ME is through her established friendship with Nicole Conn and Jen Foster. As a wedding guest, more of an "ancilliary supportive presence", Cathy had the opportunity to stand back and watch the production create Nicole Conn's "beautiful, dreamy vision".

The experience of walking into a grand room full of friends and members of the community all getting together and supporting the film makers, and knowing that behind the beauty is a grander message to the world that "Love should prevail". The tone of the day was one of "coming together, being a team" of mutual support and creating something beautiful together - about something beautiful - love.

Cathy appreciates that much of our challenges are that many people in the world are just afraid of gay people, and have struggled with acceptance of us because they associate the community with only sex and deviant behaviour. However, as late to the table as they are, things are changing and people now want to understand and listen, about what they are getting wrong, and realising they were judging the wrong thing and it's a relief to find out there's nothing to be afraid of. It is about two people falling in love, equal marriage, and wanting the same thing that everyone else has. Now they are listening we can't "uninvite them to the table" instead we have to make the table a welcome space to demonstrate what love means to all of us.

The campaign has been on a journey to get the message out there, beyond the LGBT community. Cathy's ideal celebrity tweeting supporter would be Oprah, and she is "honoured to be part of this campaign, even in a small way". She's grateful for all the hard work and tenacity in getting the message out there in a beautiful and creative way.

Also upcoming for Cathy is horror flick Crazy B*tches which was an "amazing" and fun time to film, alongside long time friend and the film's director Jane Clark, with whom she had been waiting for a project to work together on. It was a period of great transition in Cathy's life during the filming and she found it very "healing" to be on set and feel "safe and loved" as well as take on a "different kind of movie". Cathy indicates the film will be out in 2014, so hopefully it won't be too long to wait. The aim is to show to film at festivals around the world - mainstream, horror and LGBT themed.

Cathy is also finding time to work on a new documentary, Untitled, which follows her as she retraces her steps from young, working actress in Hollywood approached by a man, who went onto lure other women and in case commit murder, with promises of a key role in a new James Bond film at the Century City Mall to taking the witness stand on Johnson’s behalf years after she met the same man at that same mall. The documentary covers many of his victims, who individually stepped up and took the witness stand that led to his conviction. It's in early days, so it's not clear yet exactly what the story will uncover. 

Catch a glimpse of what to expect in this short intro from Cathy...
 

By Katie

"This Lady’s Not for Turning Either": Interview with Susan Calman

Scottish BAFTA winning, Funny Woman finalist, Stand up Comedian Susan Calman took some time out of rehearsals to talk to Planet London about mixing politics with comedy, reactions to her often deeply personal stand up routines, and not Googling herself. 

Calman, who is also known for excellent turns as a panellist on a number of TV and Radio quiz shows (you might have heard or seen her on Radio 4’s New Quiz, or QI and Have I Got News For You on BBC1), has been full time entertaining since 2005 when she quit her legal career and changed paths towards something she loved and ‘had always wanted to do’. She says that ‘Stand Up comedian’ was not a valid career option for women leaving school in the early 90s, and as such she followed the more traditional route of university and life in the legal profession. Eventually she decided it was time to give comedy a go, and she hasn’t looked back.

Calman’s comedy is often political in nature, and her new show is no exception – dubbed as the most political, and personal, set yet. Fans will no doubt expect, and receive, a routine that is built upon an idiosyncratic story telling style of universally identifiable themes, juxtaposed with strong political beliefs . This show also unashamedly has its cause in mind: the case of equal marriage for gay couples.  It’s also an opportunity to raise the profile of women’s, specifically lesbian, visibility in the comedy market. There’s still a need to normalise and mainstream these issues that are seen as alternative by some.

Perhaps it’s because she grew to love comedy in the 80s, following the then ‘alternative comedians’ that Calman came to be interested in politics and lay foundations towards her unique comedy style. She finds comedy a perfect platform for politics because it provides an opportunity to get ideas across in a way people will listen to. Indeed, political satire has always been one of the foundations of British humour.

However, Calman warns, it’s not just about making point and having something funny to say. Political comedy needs to be funny, make a relevant point, and also be backed up by genuine knowledge, understanding and belief.  Calman further takes the risk of creating an on stage persona of herself that talks through personal, and real, stories in her life to demonstrate her points. It could be tricky to take on board critical reviews and reactions to a show that is essentially ‘Who I am’ – how does one draw the line between the personal and the performance in these circumstances? 

Susan Calman for President

Calman assures me she plays very much into the hands of the audience on the night and pays little attention to reviews (good or bad). She protects herself from the negativity, those who might not ‘personally’ like her work, and concentrates on delivering to the audience. She doesn’t Google herself. She does have an active presence on Twitter, which is mostly more enjoyable than not, but is exposure to the tweeps who comment negatively just for the sake of it. But, she won’t be put off saying what she thinks. She just might be more choosy in what outlets she uses. 

I asked what she’ll do when gay marriage is equal in law to heterosexual marriage. “Get married,” she responds. She wasn’t allowed a Humanist ceremony for her recent civil partnership, so she’ll make sure she gets the ceremony, and recognition in law, that she wanted all along. And “have a wonderful day”. 

For Calman, the pleasure of comedy is in the process. Developing an idea of a joke- something that might be funny – into a routine that is delivered well, and makes people laugh. Lucky us; I cannot wait to see this put into practice next month.

Susan Calman is currently preparing to bring her successful stand up show ‘This Lady’s Not For Turning Either” from the Edinburgh Festival to London. Selling out in Edinburgh, and receiving glowing reviews, it plays at Soho Downstairs, Soho Theatre, from November 13 – 24.  For more information and to book tickets (£10 - £17.50) visit www.sohotheatre.co.uk.

Read the review from PLanet London contributor Laura

Interview by Katie