Following in the footsteps of Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Cho and Sandra Bernhard, comedian-actress Erica Watson explores and challenges racial and gender stereotypes, in particular those faced by plus-size African-American women, in her one-woman show, Fat Bitch! STM caught up with the Precious actress to discuss her personal journey to self-acceptance.
What is the inspiration behind your show? Why did you decide to call it Fat Bitch?
Well, my life has been the inspiration for the show. It basically wrote itself. All I had to do was live! Fat Bitch! is about the way in which women, especially full-figured black women are stereotyped in society. I’ve been called a fat bitch on more than one occasion. When you stick up for yourself, and walk around with confidence, that can rub some people the wrong way. Fat girls are not supposed to be sexy..we are not supposed to have self esteem…we are not supposed to be smart. All plus-sized black women are supposed to do is walk around, sing loud church/Broadway songs and live to support other people. We are here to entertain or be the side kick for the skinny white girl. But in my life, I am the leading lady…I am the star of my life…and it ain’t a gospel stage play!
How would you describe the process of writing and producing your show? What obstacles did you overcome to bring the show to life?
For me, writing it was the easy part. Once again, when you have been discriminated against, or judged most of your life, because of what you look like, you have too many stories to tell! So, the writing process was fun and therapeutic.
Producing the show brought about many challenges because some people judged the show by the title, and did not know what to expect from it. I’ve been told to change the title of the show, and there have been some press that refuse to write about it…because they assume that it is trashy.
My friend Nazr Mohammed, who is an NBA player, flew in town to see the show last spring and he loved it! He offered to give me the money to take the show on tour, and it has been such a blessing! Also, finding the perfect venue for it was quite a challenge as well. I’ve workshopped it at The Tank in NYC and that was awesome because it was small and intimate. But when I went to Chicago, the audience grew to 300, which meant using a larger space, and that was amazing as well. Now, I am at the Laurie Beechman in Times Square, which is a cabaret space, and it gives the show a more sophisticated feel. All of these spaces bring a different vibe to the show, and allow me to experiment in many ways.
How is performing a one-person show different than stand-up?
For me, stand-up is more challenging because I talk too much…and self editing has always been a problem. To me, stand-up is more about the pay-off…it’s about the set-up and the punch line. But in my one- person show, I get to take my time with my stories, and expose the audience to elements of my life that would not do well simplified as a punch line. Many of the things I say need time to resonate and make people think about the way in which we judge others. My one-person show is more about an emotional journey than anything else.
What do you want the audience to take away from your show?
I want people to forget about their own problems for a while, and totally concentrate on mine! (laugh out loud) Seriously, I want everyone to have a great time, but also to think about the world in a different light than they normally would. I want women to leave, feeling empowered to love their bodies, no matter what size. I want men to leave feeling empowered to love my body, no matter what size! (laugh out loud).
In doing the show, what have you learned about yourself? In what ways, have you grown personally and creatively?
I’ve learned that I am fearless, and that I feel happiest when I am onstage performing. I always knew I had something creative to offer the world, but it was not until I started to get hundreds of emails from women that have seen my show, who said they never laughed so hard and felt liberated at the same time. I have a story to tell, that many people can relate to because we have all been judged. I am so thankful that God has allowed me to do my thing! After writing and producing this show, and selling out audiences in NYC and Chicago, I feel that I can meet any challenge. I feel strong!
Who are your comedy influences and heroes?
I love Sandra Bernhard, Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes, Chris Rock, Whoopi Goldberg and of course Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy. I’ve also learned a lot from Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller and Moms Mabley.
Locally here in NYC, I must say that I love Marina Franklin, Leighann Lord, Dean Edwards, Ray Ellin, Dan Naturman, Wali Collins, Linda Smith, Mike Yard and Darrell Hammond. They have all pulled me to the side at various times and offered amazing advice. They have been very supportive to me as a new jack in the game, and I love them.
What advice can you offer to comedians who would like to produce a one-person show?
I say just do it! Go for it! Be honest…expose yourself and ignore the haters! People that have time to criticize you or your work are not working themselves, so who cares what they say! Do it and have a ball! Find a theater space, no matter how small it is, and start creating your work.
What would you like to achieve next in comedy?
I want to tour around the country and expose as many people to Fat Bitch! that I can and see what opportunities come out of it. I just finished a hilarious book on dating and I’m in talks with publishers now, which is exciting and I plan on acting in more films and doing more TV work. That small role in Precious has opened up so many doors for me, and I feel so blessed! If comedy does not work out, I hope to find a rich, old white man and live off the land!
– Tasha Harris
Fat Bitch! runs through Thursday, February 25 at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City.
For more information on Erica, visit her website http://ericawatson.com. Join Erica on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
