Lisa Lampanelli, famous for stealing the show at Comedy Central roasts, celebrated the premiere of her first HBO special, Long Live the Queen, Saturday night with a viewing party at New York City’s Friars Club. After the couple hundred guests gave her a standing ovation — and a cake — PopWatch grabbed a minute with her highness and asked her to give us a quote that, unlike 99.9 percent of the special, we could actually print. "Hmmm, what can I say that’s clean? I’m called the Queen of Mean. I make fun of every race, creed, and color, no matter how lowly they are. Or smelly. Or [something we can't print]. So I feel that my show brings all people together," she told us. "And if you don’t believe me, just watch HBO, ’cause trust me, they’ll run it so many times. ‘Cause [something we can't print]." Well, she tried.
Lampanelli said she wasn’t nervous about how the special would be received. "I know it was all great. That’s not out of conceit, it’s just when you know you’re taping HBO, you can’t screw around. You have to only bring your best stuff," she said. "But the Sarah Palin stuff was the harshest, and it went over the best in this room. Now that may be because my family and friends are the sickest people on the planet, but I just think it’s because it’s a funny joke. The special alone is worth watching just for that joke." (We won’t attempt to make "the warning shot of the reproductive system" translate in print. Watch a fan-shot video of Lampanelli’s TV-MA Barack Obama and Palin material from a different performance here.)
Borrowing a line from her act, Lampanelli summarized her feelings on the evening’s accomplishment thusly: "I now feel that with this HBO special, I’m up there with George Carlin or Chris Rock… but I’m not dead or black, so I’m better. That’s quotable! I didn’t even say [something we can't print]!"
So what did you think of Long Live the Queen? I’d give it a B+. I thought she was even funnier than she is on roasts. Would I want her brand of humor to be the only comedy out there? No. But I like knowing that in today’s world, people can be in on the joke and laugh along. I did, consistently.
Honestly, I thought it was funny at first, but it became a little one note. It was basically the same stuff over and over again, and then it became boring.
This just in
-She swears a bunch
-She likes black guys.
Yep, that about covers it.
This woman is NOT funny.
OMG!!!!! The Best EVER!!
she’s nowhere near as funny as Rock or Carlin and never will be. she just says the most obscene things. anyone off the street can do that. please, can we get Dave Chappelle back?!
She is not funny. I watched the first 20 minutes and didn’t laugh one time so I turned the channel—maybe she saved all of her funny material for the last half of the special.
I think she’s hilarious in a “I can’t believe she said that!” kind of way. Out of all the great female comics working today (Griffin, Cho, Handler, Sykes etc.) she’s certainly the most unique. But I also think it helps to know that she doesn’t really mean any of the potentially hateful things she says lol.
Her material would be funny in a time when language like that was risque, but by today’s standards her routine is just dated, worn and unfunny. Just yelling racist slurs and talking about interracial sexual relationships is no longer shocking. I’m not offended, I’m just not entertained.
I howl with laughter when she’s on. I saw her on an interview along with Simon Cowell and I fell in love with her; she had him speechless and squirming. Lisa rocks. I wish I got HBO (but not for the current cable prices!)
I’ve loved her for a long time and think that she’s “pee your pants” funny. I can see what some people don’t like her, but I’ll watch anything that she’s on.
This woman IS funny! She cracks me up every time she’s on the Howard Stern show. She’s quick witted and smart. I missed her special, but I’ll make sure to watch it again when it repeats.
I’m a huge Stern fan. I like it when she’s on the show. But her special just SUCKED.
I think her act is better live. Maybe it’s being in the room when she’s ragging on someone three seats away (and possibly at your table) that is unsettling, uncomfortable, but hilarious.
Lisa Lampanelli’s HBO special was to comedy what snuff-flicks are to porn.
She was not on her A game I love Lisa and I have seen all of her specials and this was by far her worse one.
Lisa is hilarious, anyone who says she isn’t funny, is either easily offended(boring), or does’nt understand COMEDY.
LONG LIVE LISA!!!