Stand-up comedian, producer and actor Lisa Ann Walter’s life is an open book – quite literally when you consider her riotously humorous, best-selling memoir ‘The Best Thing About My Ass Is That It’s Behind Me’. But most know her from ABC’s Philadelphia-based ‘Abbott Elementary‘, where she plays second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti.
Walter will hit the stage at Helium Comedy Club on July 20, 21 and 22. She sat down with Metro ahead of this weekend’s performances.
You wrote your memoirs 13-years-ago and spoke to things that you believed women can and can’t change. Do you still feel that way? Would you write anything differently?
That book was my attempt, in a funny way, to lighten the load for women — to give ourselves a break over messaging that changes every day. I gave myself such a hard time about not being as skinny as the tinier girls in my class. The body type that I had, that I still have, is curvy with a butt. You don’t realize that when you’re trying to fit the mold that you’re told you must, that everything is temporary. That we have to stop being so hard and exacting on ourselves, and other people.
No more silent judging. I think if I had to do the book over, I would give myself more props. I would’ve better understood that so much that I did was pretty frigging wonderful. I created television shows that reflected the experience of women across the country doing the balancing act of being working moms, starred in movies and TV shows, hosted a radio show and raised four incredible children.
What do you believe led you to such a level of self-generated entrepreneurship?
I grew up in Maryland with a sister and two next door neighbors who were sisters, and together we did everything that we wanted to do – had a newsletter, built a clubhouse with no parents’ help, held Muscular Dystrophy carnivals and donated the money, marched for the ERA in Washington. We were fierce little girls who never had a thought of NOT doing whatever came into our minds to do. Now part of that comes from the lack of oversight of our parents in our generation – there were no car seats – but we were also brave and fearless. We didn’t really have money. … I made it all happen for myself, pushed 100% for myself to achieve every goal. I made all that happen too when I got to the television industry. I didn’t know any better.
So how does stand-up comedy figure into all this?
I’ve been a funny writer my whole life. I was also always the kid who made people laugh, do the joke first before anyone else could say things about me. I was the “fat kid” in every grade, and was teased relentlessly because that was perfectly acceptable then. If I was funny and made the joke first, it made me popular.
My mother got divorced and was destroyed over it. If I could make her laugh, that was great. I was not allowed to curse in my Catholic house, but I had learned all of Richard Pryor’s album routines and she would howl with laughter. All of that lead to me realizing that funny was powerful. Rather than being scared or weak, I lead with laughter.
At the time I started my-stand-up, I had kids. Nobody in my generation who went to college had kids or did material about being married, having babies and making that work. There really weren’t many women with that experience on the road doing comedy. There were like 25 women period doing stand-up then. I reflected people’s experiences… and said what I had to say. Because if I didn’t say so, about life, womanhood, politics, sex, kids, I was going to bust. And it’s still like that today. I like comics who are wordsmiths of finely-crafted jokes that share the deepest twists of their lives.
What people realize about you, whether as a comic or as an actor, is that you are real and authentic. That your personal experience cuts to the quick of who they are, too.
I think so. And Philly sees that in me. Some of the responses that I hear through Sheryl and Quinta (Philadelphians Sheryl Lee Ralph and Quinta Brunson) is how I am loved in South Philadelphia. And those who don’t think I’m saying certain words right can come and school me on the accent. I’m cool. They see the truth in the emotion of who I am as an actor.
How do you feel about the ongoing SAG-AFTRA writers strike?
I adore my work, my colleagues, every single person in every department, all put together by Quinta. These are all good people. Which is rare in this business. There’s no “why did this b*tch steal my yogurt again” with this show. And I miss seeing them all, the whole group of us together. I can’t wait to get back together, so that we can tell these stories. Because reflecting the lives of teachers, the experience of people who are the most under-appreciated of all professions… there’s nothing better. It’s a blessing.”
For information and tickets, visit philadelphia.
