Judy Gold, nice Jewish girl, mother, Emmy winner, and lesbian, brings her outrageous brand of Yiddish dyke humor to Feinstein's at the Hotel Nikko. The comedy legend will perform one show only, at 8pm on July 30.
Like many, Gold is still bathing in the afterglow of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling which legalized same sex marriage nationwide.
"It was an incredible day," Gold said in an interview. "My mom had passed away the week before, so I had gone to Temple to say Kaddish, then went home and went back to sleep. My partner Lisa woke me up when the news broke. I had talked about being a gay parent long before it was fashionable to do so. I can't believe it. I'm thrilled!"
It was a rare serious moment for a woman who is best known for leaving audiences in stitches.
"The fight has not ended," she said. "It's a continual fight. It's important that we not forget all the battles that we fought."
Gold looked back upon the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, when an entire generation was decimated.
"When a community can come together to fight that disease, it shows the strength of the community," Gold said. "We should be proud of what we accomplished by coming out of the closet."
Gold also spoke about one of her personal heroes and inspirations.
"I love Eleanor Roosevelt," she said. "She changed the role of the First Lady. She was fearless in voicing her opinions, truly a transformative figure for women. She broke down barriers."
Gold again spoke of her late mom, who was perhaps her biggest fan, and fodder for much of her comedy. "She used to ask me for residuals," Gold recalled.
Her teenaged son is also a member of her fan club, though he rarely admits to it. Gold told us that NBC's Law and Order , a series she guest-starred on, is her son's favorite show.
"He won't say if he thought it was good, but he shows it to people," Gold said. "That's how I know he likes it."
Gold promises that her show at Feinstein's will offer a lot of laughs, and that there will be new material.
"Your act changes as you go through life," she said. "Though my opinions on erectile dysfunction ads are very clear. How can I sit with my 13-year-old and hear about a 60-year-old who can't get it up? No one gives a shit. Go to your doctor."
She warned that she might try to talk about dry vaginas. Then there's social media.
"I have a love/hate relationship with social media," she said. "Everyone's on the fucking phone all the time."
She complained that current technology makes it impossible to make crank calls these days.
"I'll talk about my family and my relationships," Gold said. "The show will be hilarious."
As our chat ended, Gold revealed that she and her partner Lisa were planning on getting married. "We hope to find a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment in New York City for under $25 million."
Judy Gold performs at Feinstein's at the Nikko, Thursday, July 30. $25-$40. 8pm. ($20 food/drink min.). Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (866) 663-1063. www.judygold.com www.ticketweb.com