Tonight Murray Hill, “the hardest working middle-aged man in show business,” will be recording his debut comedy album at Comix. We caught up with New York City’s favorite drag king before he performs in his 100% polyester three-piece suit and white patent-leathers shoes to find out what to expect from this monumental, Judy-at-Carnegie-Hall-type occasion.
What was the motivation behind compiling all of your jokes and one-liners into an album?
Comix approached me last year to do an album, so I thought after a decade on the stages of NYC it would be a great project to capture my act in one night! I do a lot of improv so I had a showgirl write down my jokes for me for a year...I paid her 20 bucks. I'm sure I'll go on a new improv tirade in front of the Comix audience too.
What kind of audience will the album and show at Comix appeal to?
I love performing in New York because of the mixed crowd who come to see me. I get a real under-the-kitchen-sink crowd. When I started, mostly East Village folks from the underground nightlife scene came to see me. The last few years the audience has grown more mainstream...but always with a twist! I take it as a personal challenge to represent "downtown" New York at all costs....even it if will still be light out during the first show.
You’ve been very involved with the downtown theater scene for many years, how have you seen it changing with many of the small theaters closing like the much-loved Zipper Factory?
I have a segment and a new song in the show dedicated to all the venues I've performed in that have closed...there are lots of 'em! The defunct Fez, Mo Pitkins, Florent, Zipper are all places where I honed my act and considered part of my dysfunctional nightlife family. The nightlife biz has certainly become more corporate over the years. At a recent gig I headlined, I was charged eight bucks for a soda after the show! It's a lot harder to do a show these days here, but I tell ya, clubs closing and gentrification won't stop me! I'll perform at Whole Foods if I have to.
Will you be changing your material at all for the crowd that frequents Comix?
No! So that might be worth it to come to the show just to see me roast the people in the front! I'm an equal opportunity offender. Not everybody will get the jokes or double entendres, but if they don't get it, the folks can look at my wonderful new polyester suit patterns while I'm talking. I haven't changed my act even though I'll be a few blocks uptown.
Should audiences expect any material about issues like gay marriage, “don’t as don’t tell”, etc…?
I don't get too political in the show. Show business for me is to make people laugh, forget about the hard times, and the fact they don't have a job. The gays have always been welcome at my shows...no judgments at a Murray show! Everyone is welcome and treated the same...and will get roasted if they sit close enough to the stage.
Any horror stories from some past performances?
Last year I had two complete power outages—all lights and sound went completely dead—during my opening monologue! Whatta a schmuck...I was standing there in the pitch black telling jokes. I've had someone start screaming "Phylicia Rashad" at me...never figured that out. One night at Mo Pitkins, a young lady was celebrating her bachelorette party at my show, and I said she reminded me of "Blossom," the TV character. She burst out into tears. She had her tiara on and everything. I meant it as a complement, I really did. New York is the best training ground for the biz.
Are there people you hope to see in the audience? Anyone, you don’t want to see?
I'd love to see my die-hards fans come out to this one and pals from the old East Village nightlife days...hopefully they can get out of rehab for the night! And of course, I enjoy heckling new people who spend the first 20 minutes of the show trying to figure out what's happening. I hope a certain "ex" doesn't make it...one of the songs is about her! I'm also worried that another ex may show up with a subpoena...she's taking me to court for the George Foreman Grill.
Hill has two shows at Comix (353 West 14th St. betw. 8th & 9th Aves.) tonight at 7:30. and 9:30. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 day of show and $15 advance through twitter.com/Murray_Hill
Hill has made a discount code for his fans for cheaper tickets. Check out http://www.mistershowbiz.com for the code.
