April 17th, 2012 
Angie Frissore 
Stand-Up Tuesdays is a weekly comedy spotlight written by the wonderfully talented Angie Frissore. Covering both known and unknown comics, Stand-up Tuesdays is your new source for all things funny.
This week, Angie puts a spotlight on Lisa Lampanelli. If you or your comedy troupe would like to be featured on Stand-Up Tuesdays, please email utgjames@gmail.com.
I don’t know about you, but I just can’t get enough of the Queen of Mean, Lisa Lampanelli – there’s truly no other comedian performing today that could not only get away with doling out racially-charged insults, but be absolutely adored in the process. Thankfully, the loveable veteran comedian releases her first greatest hits compilation today, Equal Opportunity Offender: The Best of Lisa Lampanelli. The album collects all-time favorite riffs from the woman Howard Stern calls “a true original and a brilliant comedy mind.” Lampanelli, who is starring alongside Adam Carolla, Arsenio Hall and others on the current season of The Celebrity Apprentice, will also be on tour across the country beginning this weekend and continuing through the summer.
Equal Opportunity Offender gives fans Lampanelli at her very best, sampling the comedienne’s most laughable and risqué jokes from her specials Long Live the Queen, Dirty Girl, Tough Love and Take it Like a Man – all exceptionally put together to create an almost seamless, individual-show feeling overall. Unlike a lot of other best-of collections (I’m looking at you, Dane Cook), one could easily mistake Equal Opportunity Offender as simply a brand-new special in itself.
As fans of Lampanelli will attest to, the Queen of Mean is not just another insult comic. Finding yourself fitting into the social demographic Lampanelli is lampooning has evolved into a badge of honor – if Lisa insults you, you feel grateful and complimented rather than singled out and made fun of.
“I love that you’re a Spic in the front row,” Lampanelli states to an audience member early on, in a bit taken from Long Live the Queen. “Now, are you a border hopper or a river swimmer? I’ll get back to you when you can speak English. Yaaaaaaaaay!”
It’s that last little ‘yay’ which epitomizes Lampanelli ability to get away with just about anything and be loved for it, as the crowd erupts with delight at her perfect illegal-immigration. Her insult style works so well, not only because she’s insanely clever about it, but because overall, Lampanelli is a gracious class-act. In one breathe she can reduce you to a racial stereotype, and in the next, have you hugging it out with her and smiling. It’s that balance of wit and empathy that affords Lampanelli such freedom in her comedy.
Heralded as “more than a standup — a standout” by comedy legend Jim Carrey, Lampanelli is a cross between Don Rickles, Archie Bunker, and a vial of estrogen. Her raunchy, gut-busting performances are wildly popular at theaters across the U.S. and Canada, and her roasts of Donald Trump, David Hasselhoff, Flavor Flav, and Gene Simmons (among others) are the stuff legends are made of. A regular on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Howard Stern’s Sirius satellite radio shows, Lampanelli entered the ranks of comic greats in 2009 with the premiere of her first ever one-hour HBO comedy special, Long Live the Queen. That same year, her autobiography, Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat and Freaks, hit bookstores to critical acclaim. This fall, Lampanelli will bring her talents to Broadway and the big screen, when she mounts her one-woman show, Bring Back the Fat Chick and stars alongside James Gandolfini in the upcoming feature film Not Fade Away, from “The Sopranos” creator David Chase, scheduled for release October 19th.
- STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Ari Shaffir - January 13, 2015
- STAND-UP WEDNESDAYS: Robert Kelly (Interview) - January 7, 2015
- STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Best of 2014 - December 30, 2014
Posted in 
Tags: 
When there are 10 year olds committing suicide because of bullying, I think we need to stop being so mean and realize it’s NOT funny to make fun of and treat people so horribly. I see no comic value in it whatsoever.
Yikes, this fat cow is really disgusting… I went through plenty of bullying in high school, this is a NO NO on treating people. Her attittude towards Dayane in the apprentice is very deplorable. I applaude Dayana’s class, way to go gurl!!!
When someone cannot differentiate their life from their performance, they’ve gone too far. Lisa Lampanelli is one of those people. I was indifferent to her comedic performances and was actually looking forward to seeing “Not Fade Away” but after seeing her outbursts and her lack of sensitivity on Celebrity Apprentice all I can think is she has issues and adopts her stage persona in an effort to act them out. If Celebrity Apprentice has captured anything of the true Lampanelli, then I have no need to support her career in any way, shape, or form.
I didn’t realize 10 year olds got into Lampanelli shows.
Have you heard any of her audiences’ responses? They LOVE HER. They are not being bullied and routinely pay to see her perform and yes, insult them. This is not your war to fight, folks…head on over to anti-bullying websites instead. This is Stand Up Comedy. Stop taking yourselves so seriously.
HAHAHA! Genius answer!!
Also, what a great way to stop a bully – call them a fat cow.
Also, this is not an Apprentice column.
Learned from the Celebrity Apprentice that Lisa Lampanelli really is the queen of mean. Her act is not an act. Her onstage presentation is her real personality. Illuminating. Not a fan of her comedy style. Definitely not a fan of her perspective on day to day working with humans.
Yeah I’ve seen Lisa twice in person and you can tell she has nothing but love for the people she makes fun of. She is amazingly quick on her feet and has one of the funniest shows I’ve ever witnessed. I also enjoy her on the Apprentice, she makes the show.
No, he meant our society as a whole needs to look at ourself and what message we are sending. In case you didn’t realize it, Lampanelli shows are strewn all over the internet where ten year olds can have access to her bullying, obnoxious, and offensive behavior. Angie stop being an idiot.
The 2 blacks that are always in her crowd she always has on her show that she likely paid a fortune to laugh at her abuse are not representive of the black community’s feelings about this ogre in any way. As a black person myself, I have no respect for this piece of trash. LOVE HER my ass! Stop trying to speak for minorities. Ur probably a friend of hers
Shut up Angie! No one wants to here a person probably related in some way to Lisa Lampanelli, be it friend, family member, or otherwise. Fuck off bitch
Angie you are my hero!
Nice job perpetuating hate and judgement by insulting her intelligence by calling her an “idiot.”. Your argument is invalid. It is comedy, an artform, allowing acceptance through laughing at each other and the stereotypes that cause us all pain. No minority is ever left out. But it is the internet, so of course everyone has to rant and rage over every little thing because it is always easy to do so virtually.
You are a grotesque person.
Riiight… cause a reality tv show it’s suposse to represent who we are “really”, by showing our most outrageous moments on a very tense environment XD…. come on, i would’ve snapped the same on everyone or even worst LOL, it’s a fucking TV show, who cares, enjoy XD!
Whateveeer..
LOL, i know right!
She is a Cow
iloveshopper.com