Interview: Sandra Bernhard heads to Boston for a SPRING AFFAIR at City Winery

Sandra Bernhard is ready for what she’s calling her “Spring Affair” – a tour that will see her bring her patented blend of rock ’n’ roll, stand-up comedy, and spot-on social commentary to live audiences across the country – with stops including City Winery Boston on June 2 and Provincetown Town Hall on July 28.

The performer, actress, singer, and author – known for her breakout role as Masha in Martin Scorsese’s 1982 film “The King of Comedy,” in which she co-starred with Robert DeNiro and Jerry Lewis, and as Nancy Bartlett Thomas on ABC-TV’s “Roseanne” – hasn’t had much time lately for live gigs.

Instead, she’s been busy as a season three series regular on the FX television series “Pose,” where she played Nurse Judy Kubrak, and guest starring as Hannah on season eight of FX’s “American Horror Story: Apocalypse,” and as Fran on season 11 of “American Apocalypse: NYC.” Bernhard is also in her seventh year hosting the Gracie Award-winning “Sandyland” on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy.

By telephone from her home in New York recently, Bernhard talked about her “Spring Affair” tour, “Sandyland,” the recent passing of rock icon Tina Turner, and more.

Tell me about “Spring Affair”?

It’s an updated, post-pandemic version of my one-woman show. I’ll be doing songs, of course, interwoven with personal, anecdotal stories. It will be a mix of madcap comedy, social commentary, and great music.

With the political landscape so fraught today, do news and current events figure into your act?

I definitely address things that are going on today, but in a clever way and always with a sprinkle of good humor, because I care about people and what they think. People who know me know where I stand politically. I don’t go too deep, though, into political commentary. People can watch Rachel Maddow or Nicole Wallace if they’re looking for that.

Speaking of humor, what makes you laugh?

There are tons of comics I admire and like, but I don’t tend to watch comedy shows. I think I probably laugh the most when I’m hanging out with good friends and we have a shorthand of humor and communication.

Is that the mood you try to set on “Sandyland”?

Absolutely. My favorite guests are my friends Judy Gold, Isaac Mizrahi, and Lizz Winstead. We definitely have a shorthand between us and we hit on all cylinders. It’s a great experience to be with them and it also makes good radio. What's also good about "Sandyland" is that it serves as an incubator for new material.

What songs might you be doing in Boston?

I’m sure I will have updated Tina Turner music to pay tribute to my lovely Tina, who meant so much to me and to the whole world. And my music director Mitch Kaplan and I have other new material in the works, too.

What are some of your thoughts on Tina Turner?

I’ve been a fan of Tina Turner since I was a kid and she was with Ike, as lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Then, after years in an abusive relationship, she developed the tenacity and strength to break away from him and start her own career. She managed to find herself in the midst of loneliness and pain. And she took all her gorgeous beauty and talent and put it all out there to become one of the biggest stars on the planet. She was everything, from a performer and social justice activist to a warrior really.

Tina was in a league of her own. She was one of the greatest vocalists of all time. It was from Tina that I learned that you have to give it your all every time you walk on stage. So I always have and always will pay tribute to her. Too often, people jump on the bandwagon when somebody dies. I try not to do that, and I wouldn't if it wasn't somebody who really affected me. As a fellow artist, I only want to talk about people who really move the needle for me. Tina was at the top of that list.

What’s next for you?

I’ve been writing a TV project with Judy Gold for the two of us to star in. I would like to have creative control, and this project would give me that. It’s so far off now, though, because of the WGA writers’ strike, so I can’t really say too much more about it.

Photo credit: Brian Ziegler