Comedian Paula Poundstone Returns to the Southern March 29
Posted: February 21, 2019
Heralded as one of the country’s foremost comics, Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and spontaneous wit. Her quick-thinking, unscripted approach to comedy makes for a perfect fit as a regular panelist on NPR’s #1 show, the screwball weekly news quiz show “Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!” where she holds the record for game losses.
CAPA presents Paula Poundstone at the Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.) on Friday, March 29, at 8 pm. Tickets are $30.50-$40.50 and can be purchased in-person at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), online at www.capa.com, or by phone at (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000.
Poundstone is also an author, lecturer, host, and actress. In her second book, The Totally Unscientific Study of The Search for Human Happiness, she asks the question, “Is there a secret to human happiness?” She offers herself up as a guinea pig in a series of “totally scientific” experiments, recording her data for all mankind. Kirkus Reviews calls it, "A deeply revealing memoir in which the pathos doesn’t kill the humor—delivers more than it promises." The book debuted at #1 on Amazon best sellers lists in Humor in Hardcover, Audible, Kindle and CD within its first 10 days of release and is now out in paperback. The audio book, read by Poundstone, was one of five finalists for the 2018 Audio Book of the Year.
A popular panelist on NPR's # 1 show, the weekly comedy news quiz “Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!,” she also has her own new weekly podcast for Maximum Fun, “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone,” a comedy field guide to life. Each week, Poundstone and co-host Adam Felber, a friend and fellow panelist on “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!,” bring on leading expert guests and use their unique comedic sensibility to help us navigate life in the 21st century. Along the way, Poundstone attempts to explain existence through her kaleidoscopic perspective, and Felber tries to interject some rationality.
Poundstone’s guest appearances include “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert, “Star Talk” with Neil deGrasse Tyson, “Late Night” with Carson Daly, “Nerdist” with Chris Hardwick, and she was a clue in a New York Times crossword puzzle. She's filed commentaries for CBS’ “Sunday Morning,” and “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” for NPR. She voices the character Paulette in Cartoon Network’s new animated series “Summer Camp Island.” An avid Disney movie fan, Poundstone had a dream come true when she was cast to voice the character Forgetter Paula in Disney/Pixar's Inside Out, winner of the 2017 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
Poundstone has had numerous HBO specials and starred in her own series on HBO and ABC. Her second special for HBO, “Paula Poundstone Goes to Harvard,” marked the first time the elite university allowed its name to be used in the title of a television show.
Paula was the first woman, in its then 73rd year, to perform standup comedy at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. She won an American Comedy Award for Best Female Standup Comic and is recognized in innumerable lists, documentaries, and literary compendiums noting influential standup comedians of our time.
