Where’s the tea party?
Apparently not in Davis Square.
Outspoken comedian Janeane Garofalo performed a 45-minute set without interruption inside or outside the Somerville Theatre last night despite threats of a protest from angry tea party activists.
Garofalo, in town for the Alternative Comedy Festival, caused a stir among conservatives last month when she called tax protestors, also known as tea baggers, racists on MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.”
Despite nasty e-mails and blog posts vowing to wreak havoc during her appearance, the New Jersey-born actress (“24”) played to a nearly full audience that eagerly awaited her trademark glib observations and frankness.
“If there are any tea baggers here, welcome, and white power,” she said to laughs, before darting into a commentary on thongs, Spanx and a 22-hour flight to Australia.
The pint-sized Providence College graduate paired heartfelt confessions with jabs at pop culture.
At one moment she would share her fear of having children to her love of melodramatic cop shows such as “CSI: Miami.”
“When is he (David Caruso) going to get his Emmy?” said the one-time Allston resident as she mimicked Caruso’s dramatic poses from the CBS program.
While Garofalo isn’t shy about her politics, she didn’t delve into a diatribe on her liberal views. She told the audience she stands behind what she says, but admitted she gets upset by hateful comments directed towards her.
She must have been relieved to have dodged hecklers in Somerville, but she did have a run-in. Garofalo recalled for the audience her “diarrhea stomach” moment when two cameramen approached her in Starbucks and told her Fox pundit Bill O’Reilly demanded an apology.
The most suprising part of Garofalo’s show was her vulnerability. The alt comedy darling, a confessed Catholic-turned-atheist, said she joined CYO in high school because she was with other kids “that said no to life.”
As for her wild 20s, Garofalo explained: “When I was 21 I was literally 14 because I didnt grow up when I should have.” Her admissions were part side-splitting hilarity, part melancholy.
The pointed political commentary was left to the opening acts.
