As a leader among LGBT comedians, the California native makes his way to the Seaport tonight to celebrate Pride month in Boston
Guy Branum is looking forward to lobster rolls and hanging with an intelligent comedy crowds when he hits up Laugh Boston tonight, and that’s pretty cool, since we’re looking forward to hanging with him, too.
Presented by Pride Boston, Branum makes his way to the Seaport to not only bring his newest batch of material to the stage, but to celebrate Pride month and the evolution of the acceptance of gay comedians that he’s experienced over the course of his nearly 20 years in the comedy game.
“The world has changed in so many ways, for what it means to be gay,” Branum tells Vanyaland. “When I started out, there were straight people crossing their arms and they didn’t want to listen, and gay comedy was considered shocking and dirty if you even mentioned going on a date with a dude. So, it’s nice to live in a world now where we’re able to be a whole lot more honest. I just have to remind myself sometimes that it’s possible, and remember that it’s not 2008.”
While Branum is an undeniable leader among gay comedians, and has found his stride as such over the course of his 16-year stand-up career, he wants to stress that while he truly loves performing for gay audiences, he’s truly a comedian for everyone, regardless of who you are.
“My job is to be a performer first, and to give people a great show, no matter who they are,” says Branum. “So, it’s nice when I have a gay audience or an audience in a progressive city like Boston, but when I don’t, I always try to do my best [to do a show for everyone].”
Aside from his book, My Life As a Goddess, making its way to paperback on June 18, Branum has a few other things a-brewin’ — but he can’t let us in on those happenings just yet.
So, while we wait for what’s to come from Branum, we’ve also had to say goodbye to his hit podcast, Pop Rocket, which naturally has the comedy veteran feeling the feels of putting a project of that magnitude to bed. He’s sad to see it go, but he’s also appreciative of the time he had to share with his co-hosts – Wynter Mitchell, Karen Tongson and Margaret Wappler — and their listeners.
“When you put that much of yourself into something, it’s hard to have fresh things to say every week,” says Branum. “It’ll always be my baby, and I’ll always miss it, and I’ll miss the interaction I’ve had with listeners, and hearing what they’re perspectives were.”
BOSTON PRIDE PRESENTS: GUY BRANUM :: Wednesday, June 5 at Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St. in Boston, MA :: 8 p.m., $27 :: Ticket and event info