Star Apps: Chelsea Handler
Comedian Chelsea Handler spent seven years questioning celebrities about their latest projects on "Chelsea Lately." Now the retired talk show host is partnering with Netflix to create comedy special "Uganda Be Kidding Me Live" and four mockumentaries in which she gets answers to some of life's mysteries, like where apps come from.
Catch Chelsea Handler in Uganda Be Kidding Me Live on Netflix.
(Credit: Netflix)
What makes Uganda an untapped resource for good comedy material?
Well, I always figure anywhere I travel is an untapped resource for material. I always end up having a good time, and I like to give America the reputation that I've given it. So I like to show up unexpected and be your typical American. But it's been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to go to Africa. So when I found the time, I thought I should do this. I planned the trip in about two weeks. I just grabbed some of my girlfriends -- I said, "We have to get out there; we have to go on safari." We did it, and it ended up making me write another book, which I didn't go there with the intention of doing. It was a great trip for a million different reasons, but it's a place I would go back to time and time again. I mean, Africa is beautiful. It is literally like being in another world. So, you have good eyes on you when you're over there, and you're like, "Oh, gosh, this is really crazy."
Were you worried about your safety at all?
At the time, no. We weren't going anyplace very dangerous. But I think that you can't be stupid when you travel. You can be irresponsible to a degree, which I had tried to highlight in my special, because it's all about being irresponsibly eager to be abroad. But there was no situation there at the time, and you're going to places in Africa that are very safe or were safe at the time.
Have you ever been to Uganda?
"Uganda Be Kidding Me" was just a take on the phrase "you've got to be kidding me." No, I wouldn't go to a gay-hating nation. That's one thing I would be careful about.
What was the process for developing your material for the show?
I wrote the book, "Uganda Be Kidding Me," first, and then I was doing the tour in conjunction with the release of the book. I always do those things together, because it makes more sense. You want to make your publisher back the money that they spent on you, especially when it's an exorbitant amount, which I would like to mention that I've successfully done each time. It just was a natural selection type of situation. I just went out. I haven't done stand-up in a really long time, so I was very nervous for this tour. People think that I'm not scared of anything. I'm scared all the time. That's what feeds me: I'm really scared. For the first seven shows I had to take a beta-blocker. But then I get back. I like to kind of get over my fears, so that's my motivation. I'm like, "OK, in a week I'm not going to be scared anymore," and then you kind of hit your sweet spot. And I had never done a special. It had to be brand-new material for me to even be interested in doing stand-up, because you get really sick of your own voice, especially when you're on TV five nights a week, or seven with reruns. It's very hard to not be annoyed with everything you do, and I'm very self-effacing and self-deprecating, so I really am annoyed by myself. But I just tried to think of the most personal and the most humiliating situations that have happened to me, because there's always humor in that, if you're a comedian and you have a perverted perspective.
You made some jokes about advice from gay friends in the special. Do you get any good advice from gay folks?
The good thing that gay guys have is the sensitivity of women. I was in French Polynesia with a bunch of my friends and a gay couple of mine that I've been friends with forever. I say "of mine" because I own them. And they're just very sensitive. They always are like, "Oh, your hair looks pretty" or "Oh, are you cold?" And we talk about it. I go, "God, it's so amazing." Like my friend Kevin was explaining to me, he said, "Because gay guys are a little bit like women, Chelsea." Straight men don't have that sensitivity chip, where they can say "Oh, you look cold" or "Let me put something around you." We were sailing, and he goes, "Look, you have goose bumps. Do you want a little shawl or something?" I was like, "You're right. No straight guy would ever say that or notice that I had goose bumps." So there is a definite difference.
Do you make political statements in your acts to be taken seriously, or do you just address politics for laughs?
I think both. I want it to be entertaining. I want it to be whatever I bring to the table for anybody who is a fan of mine or who appreciates me. That's what you're going to get. There should be some seriousness, and there should be some comedy. But the comedy shouldn't be put on -- like it's not going to be a comedy show. It's just going to be my personality. So if you find that funny, then you should find the show funny.
What do you hope to accomplish with your upcoming Netflix specials?
I'm not a journalist, but I have a lot of questions. A lot of them are really interesting, and a lot of them are really stupid. I want to do some sort of show where I'm getting those questions answered, not just for me but also for the people that watch my show. I want it to be a show you go to where it's cool, and it's interesting, and it's different every time. I don't want to do a late-night show again the same way, like where you have a guest on and you're interviewing some stupid celebrity about a movie. I'm not interested in that. Some celebrities are interesting but not that many.
Handler wants to create shows that educate and entertain.
(Credit: Netflix)
Since "Uganda Be Kidding Me Live" is all about travel, I'm curious: When you're out traveling, which apps are you relying on?
Well, that's actually a special that I need to focus on for my next foray on Netflix. We're doing the four specials next year because I want to go to Silicon Valley and find out what the hell is an app and how you have one made. I talk about what streaming is, since now that I am on a streaming service, I should be a little bit more technologically sound or debriefed about what's happening. People seem kind of taken aback about "How could you not know that?" Or certain questions people are surprised that you don't know, and then you go away from the table, and three people will say to me, "I didn't know the answer to that question, too, but I was too embarrassed to ask it." And I think that's really important. Obviously, I don't have a problem making an ass out of myself. I've made a career out of it, so if I have to be out there asking stupid questions, I'm happy to do it.
My friend told me this morning that you can join terrorist groups via social media. I'm like, "What?" I'm such a Luddite. I just downloaded WhatsApp, and I'm emailing all my friends. First of all, I had my 13-year-old niece download it -- I should correct myself -- because that's how stupid I am with technology. So I was texting my friends. I'm like, "Hi guys, I'm on WhatsApp." And they're like, "We're not on that anymore, Chelsea." That was three weeks ago. I'm like, "What are you talking about? I just got on. Text me back." And it doesn't even make any sense. You're basically texting a person, so I don't know why I had to join an app to do it, but I'm sure there are other great, great features of it that I'll never find out about. But I don't use that.
I use my conversion app, Convert Everything Free, when I'm traveling, so when people talk about meters and when I weigh myself in kilograms, I use that. I use Google Maps, but that's not even an app.
It is.
It's good to find out where the hell you are and how to get back to your hotel, but I usually travel with people who have a very good sense of direction and a map.
If there was an app that you could develop that would make your life easier, what would that app do?
Oh, well, it would be great to punch in a dry-cleaning app or a laundry-service app, so you didn't have to wait overnight when you go to a hotel or you needed something cleaned right away. That would be convenient. If you could tell somebody your location and that the bag is there. I'll leave it outside my door, and they have it back in a certain amount of time. So I'll probably get on that after I end this phone call.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but there's an app called Washio that already does this. You recently broke the Internet with a revealing photo you posted to Twitter.
Yes, that was in Majorca. Oh, that's my specialty. I send photos like that to my friends all day. So I eventually just decided to start doing it to the regular world. It's not a surprising move for me. It's for comedy; it's not like I'm trying to show off my sexy body. Although in the special I do show my boobs a lot, too, just because that's my special pose whenever I'm traveling abroad. Not abroad even -- whenever I'm traveling, period. When my friends get together for a group picture, then I always just pull my boob out as my signature move, so that when they all get the picture back, they can't put it on their Facebook wall. No one ever knows I'm doing it. I mean they should know by now. It's been, like, 10 years.
Check out the "Uganda Be Kidding Me Live" trailer:
