COMEDY Q&A: Chelsea Lately's Brad Wollack

Chelsea Lately's Brad Wollack chats about his newfound celebrity, an awkward moment with Jennifer Aniston and whether or not Chelsea's as much of a lush as she lets on. He's opening for Handler tonight at Tower Theatre.

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COMEDY Q&A: Chelsea Lately's Brad Wollack

POSTED: Friday, May 20, 2011, 1:30 PM

Filed Under: Comedy Stand-up

As we mention in this week's Kaleidoscope, Chelsea Handler's coming to Tower Theatre tonight for the Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me Tour (8 p.m., $75-$85). One of her opening acts, Brad Wollack, chatted with me recently about his newfound celebrity, an awkward moment with Jennifer Aniston and whether or not Chelsea is as much of a lush as she lets on.

City Paper: Are you excited to come to Philly?

Brad Wollack: I’ve always wanted to get the ultimate cheese steak. That’s really why I’m looking forward to it. This whole comedy thing is just kind of secondary. Just an excuse for me to get there.

CP: What kinds of things do you talk about in your act?

BW: I touch on a bunch of things. I touch upon marriage, sex, drinking and driving, and Jesus Christ. I run the gamut on that one.

CP: Will you talk about Philly?

BW: I try to always do something local. I won’t talk about Stallone running up those stairs.

CP: What were you doing before Chelsea Lately?

BW: I was doing a lot of other stuff, like awards shows and specials. I worked for the Wayne Brady daytime show years ago … Nothing great. Working with Chelsea was the first time I realized, “Oh, this is fun.”

CP: How does it feel being a celebrity?

BW: I don’t consider myself a celebrity, just a person that some people recognize. When I think of a celebrity I think of someone like Chelsea or even bigger like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who get recognized wherever they go. I’m a celebrity to a small circle of people who watch Chelsea, but regardless, it’s nice to be recognized for anything you do.

CP: Do you have fun around the office? Is it really as silly as it seems?

BW: Yes. All we do is laugh around the office. When Chelsea’s not beating me up I’m basically laughing.

CP: Yea, she makes fun of you a lot. Do you take offense to that?

BW: I laugh it off but at the end of the day I still get my paycheck and I still get to be on the show and I come home to a beautiful wife, so you know, I guess I’m doing ok. We’re good friends. People always think, "Oh, she hates you," but if she hated me I wouldn’t be on the show or writing for her and hanging out with her. If she hates me then it’s a weird way to show it. That’s what she does. Sometimes it gets tiring, I’m like, "Really, you think I’m that ugly?" But for the most part you know it’s a joke. She only really teases the ones she loves — either the ones she loves or the ones she really hates. Its either one or the other.

CP: Do you get to meet a lot of celebrities on the show? Do you have favorites?

BW: Jen Aniston. She gave me a big hug. I didn’t want to let go. Security had to pry me off. It was a little awkward, but it was fun.

CP: Any least favorites?

BW: No, I don’t have any least favorites.

CP: Don’t lie!

BW: (laughs) I really don’t. I mean, some of the reality stars I could care less about — The Tilla Tequilas of the world. But, you know, everyone’s doing their thing. What do I care?

CP: I hear you guys have margarita Thursdays. Are you always drunk on the show?

BW: No. That’s the big misconception. We’re never drunk on the show. We’re drunk basically every other moment of the day. Right after the taping ends, we drink and enjoy ourselves but never on the show. Sometimes it seems that sloppy but we’re really not. Chelsea just plays it up. Everyone thinks she’s always drunk and wasted but it’s not really true. She can hold her liquor better than most people. Truthfully, I've seen her drink a lot before and you’d never know. Meanwhile the rest of us are falling down and acting really stupid.

Tonight, 8 p.m., $75-$85, Tower Theater, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby, 610- 352-2887, livenation.com.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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