THE STANDOUT STAND-UP
MARGARET CHO
How do you characterize your stand-up act for someone who has never seen it?
Raunchy and political. Gaysian.
You’re on the current season of Dancing with the Stars. What were you most scared of heading into it?
I’m not really sure. There’s so much fear from everyone about every aspect of the show. It’s kind of like Fear Factor with rhinestones.
Speaking of dancing, what’s your most embarrassing high school dance story?
That I never went to a dance.
You were the opening act for Jerry Seinfeld for a time. What was the best piece of advice he ever gave you?
To quit school and pursue my dream.
Oct. 22, Massey Hall, 8 p.m.
THE MENTALIST
THE AMAZING KRESKIN
You’re a famous observer of body language. What is Toronto’s saying these days?
There’s a stronger inner peace compared to other cities and cultures.
Who is T.O.’s next mayor?
Boy, you know how to put me in trouble. If I predict who will win, I antagonize half the audience. If I’m wrong, I disappoint the other half.
Which of the late night shows is your favourite to appear on?
Jimmy Fallon has really impressed me. I find him extraordinarily talented and charismatic.
The Amazing Kreskin Glenn Gould Studios, Oct. 13 and 14
THE LITERARY LION
EMMA DONOGHUE
Room is about a mom and son held captive. What was the inspiration?
The Fritzl family in Austria was the spark, but I was ready for that spark because my kids were four and one at the time, so I was full of things to say about parenthood and childhood.
Was it a challenge to bring levity to such a dark topic?
Somehow I can never keep the levity out. Humour is a crucial sweetener when persuading readers to follow me through dark passages.
International Festival of Authors 235 Queen’s Quay, Oct. 22
THE HIGH-HEELED ONE
TONY SHELDON
Explain the plot of Priscilla in one compelling sentence.
If you’re going to get hopelessly lost driving a pink bus through the Australian Outback, make sure you’ve packed a ghetto blaster and your highest heels!
What kind of mental shift is needed to play Bernadette, a post-op transsexual?
Putting on makeup and seeing a different person in the mirror does a lot of the work. It helps that I socialized with a lot of transsexual people when I was younger.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Princess of Wales Theatre, Oct. 12–30
THE JOLLY JOKESTER
GERRY DEE
Your stand-up act centres on your days as a teacher. What’s the cheekiest thing a student ever said to you?
Let’s just say there was an “F” followed by a “U” followed by two more letters. Then he added the words “go” before and “yourself” after it. That’s pretty cheeky.
What was your reaction?
I swore back at him! Just kidding. I stood there like an idiot. I didn’t know what to do. I think I called his mom and she cursed at me, too.
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Oct. 8
