Paula Poundstone's brand of stand-up comedy is similar to a chat with your neighbor over coffee, except that your sides cramp from nonstop laughter at the incessantly relatable humor.
And Poundstone prefers Diet Pepsi.
Poundstone has been in the spotlight since her open-mic debut in 1979. She will be hitting the Tralf Thursday as part of her latest tour, entitled "The Big Picture."
The comic defines her current act as a search for perspective in today's world.
"In light of the fact that we could be blown up any minute, what's your next step? In my show, I try to find a balance between talking about cleaning up lizard poop and a nuclear threat from Iran. If you're always worrying about being blown up by Iran, you wouldn't bother with cleaning up the lizard poop, right?" Poundstone told The Spectrum.
Poundstone's three children make their presence known in the background, but her voice never strays from nonchalance when she discusses her peculiar views.
Throughout her 26-year career, Poundstone has garnered endless praise for discussing everyday subject matter with a down-to-earth, conversationalist stage presence. Her 1992 HBO special, "Cats, Cops, and Stuff," made her the first female comic to win a Cable ACE Award for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special.
Poundstone insists that sticking to the essence of stand-up is the best course of action.
"I can say anything I want and I don't have to clear it with anyone. I don't have people telling me what clothes I should wear or how I should look. Some people get hung up on those things, but that's not what (stand-up) is about for me. It's just this really pure form of communication. To me, stand-up is a relationship between the comic and the audience," Poundstone said.
She feeds on interaction with audience members, known for picking out anyone in the crowd and improvising hilarious bits. Poundstone considers this spontaneous, no-frills approach the most compatible with the way her mind works.
"Honestly, I think I could be locked in a room with no stimulation for 24 hours and still come up with 30 minutes of material. Most of my stuff comes right from a random thought process," Poundstone said.
Poundstone started out listening to her parents' comedy record collection, which featured George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball. She was inspired by the world of entertainment from the beginning, but has always maintained a sense of originality.
"My act is nothing like Bill Cosby's, but the fact that he did what he did influenced me. To learn, I would watch people that were terrible and I was able to see what I didn't want to do. It's easier to learn from other people's mistakes than it is to learn from their successes," Poundstone said.
After experimenting with open-mic nights, Poundstone began to form an act in Boston and then moved to San Francisco. There, she was able to develop as a comedian and cement her style. She went on to perform on television, and radio, and write for several national publications. Most recently, she performed at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Col., in February. She is currently working on a book that will feature comedic essays based on personal experiences.
"My act has always been autobiographical. When I started out in 1979, I would talk about public transportation and busing tables. Now that I'm 45, I find humor in talking about my kids and having a house full of animals," Poundstone said.
Poundstone will perform at 8 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
