Nancy Pelosi was probably kidding when last night during the CNN-Politico Grill at the Democratic National Convention she said she’s “thinking about being a stand-up comedian.” But maybe not? She’s funny, she’s sharp, and she has an adoring fanbase. A Pelosi spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to our questions about her potential joke-telling future, so we decided to call a different informed source: Sean Joyce, owner of Hotbed Comedy Club in Adams Morgan.
Joyce is enthusiastic about her chances, at least from a commercial point of view. She’s already got a big fanbase, after all. “It wouldn’t even be that weird if she just went on a stand-up comedy tour and booked theaters and sold tickets just from being famous,” he says. But if she’s serious about her craft, she might want to try to work her way up through the clubs the way a rookie comic would, especially if she plans to pen her own material. Naturally, Jones says she’s invited to perform secret shows at Hotbed to work out jokes in front of audiences. But if she wanted to do this for real, it would means a 1 AM performance slot and a set that’s restricted to a tight five. Maybe, if she’s good, she could build her way up to a midnight slot, and then an emcee role, and eventually a headliner.
Joyce thinks she’d have a real shot of making it. “She’s charismatic, and you can tell she’s a little mean,” he says. “You can tell she likes talking shit and that’s perfect for a comic.”
But Joyce, who has 12 years of experience producing comedy in DC, is a bit skeptical that Pelosi would actually want to get into one demanding industry after mastering another. She’d have no trouble memorizing an hour-long set or traveling around the country—that’s par for the course for the former Speaker of the House. By nature, though, comedy is best for those who aren’t already happy and successful, Joyce says: “If you’re having a bad day and you do stand-up comedy, it’s probably going to make you feel better. But if you’re having a good day, there’s no need. Just enjoy the day. And she’s having a good day already.”
