Today I bring you a conversation with feminist, sex-positive, queer comedian/musicians Rachel Lark (Savage Love Podcast) and Kate Willett (Comedy Central, Viceland) of the “Dude Bra Tour.” Check the video to get a taste and read about their mission below. FULL DISCLOSURE: I’m opening for these broads this Saturday, June 18 at Curious Comedy, which incidentally is another great reason to catch the show!
BP: How did you two meet and start collaborating?
RL: Kate and I first met at an event in Oakland a few years ago. I instantly related to her comedy and her perspective, and had a major artist crush on her right off the bat. We shared bills a few more times before we finally decided to collaborate—and once we did, it quickly turned into a friendship where our “rehearsals” were about 10 minutes of creative work followed by several hours of drinking tea and diagnosing the patriarchy. It was love at first rant.
KW: Also every stand up comedian secretly wishes they could collaborate with a musician, because musicians are cool.
Why the name “the Dude Bra” tour?
KW: We kind of hope some actual dude bra guys come to the shows in addition to the normal crowd that’s into sex-positive-queer-feminist comedy and music. We’re trying to expand our fan base.
Both of you do comedy from a sex-positive, feminist perspective. Me, too! Do you ever feel weird when audience responds to the sexy material. then don’t get on board for the political message?
RL: Maybe Kate should take this one. I think I suffer from the delightful problem of getting booked mainly to preach to the choir. The Bay area is pretty full of critical social-justice-y types who also like to get laid, and that’s exactly what I’m all about, so I’ve been fairly spoiled with receptive audiences.
KW: I perform at regular comedy shows all the time which occasionally can have kind of a misogynistic vibe. Comedian men are usually lovely, thoughtful people, but that said, you get a lineup with six straight guys and one woman, and maybe things tend to get a little bit “dude bra.” Our shows create an environment that is positive and celebratory of sex and women in which I think people usually have a great time. That’s political whether people think they are onboard for politics or not.
There’s definitely an educational component to your comedy, why is that important to you?
KW: Comedy is a great way to get people to hear you out on ideas. People are way more open to new viewpoints when they’re having fun and not feeling defensive. Mostly, I write from a vulnerable place about my own experience of being a woman and a sexual person in a society that has a lot of hang ups about both of those things.
RL: Personally, all of my most “educational” songs have been written from a place of annoyance or confusion. I’m really just trying to describe something I don’t get about society or something I can’t believe other people don’t get. I think it’s important as an artist to just speak from a very personal place and not try to educate, because then you’ve already politicized what you’re doing and you risk sounding preachy or patronizing. So I guess my point is that being educational isn’t a specific goal of mine as an artist, but thinking critically about society is a big part of who I am as a person, so it just kind of comes out.
Kate Willett and Rachel Lark’s Dude Bra Tour is in Portland Saturday June 18, at 9:30 pm at Curious Comedy Theater (5225 NE MLK) – $10 online/$15 at the door – tickets are available at CuriousComedy.org
Nothing says “comedy” like “queer sex positive feminist”! Lord knows every time I’ve hung around with someone who identifies themselves as such it’s been a non-stop laugh riot.