Kevin Meaney still remembers sneaking downstairs as a child just in time to catch Johnny Carson's monologue on the Tonight Show. At the time, appearing alongside a comedy icon like Carson seemed like an out of reach fantasy. But in 1986, Meaney was launched into the national spotlight in what would be the first of several appearances on the Tonight Show stage.
Since then, the New York native has garnered an impressive resume, earning over a dozen appearances on the Tonight Show, the Late Show with David Letterman, Oprah, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and many, many more.
A five-year stint in Hairspray on Broadway would earn him rave reviews. But for Newporters, Meaney might be best known from his performances under the tent at the Newport Yachting Center for the Newport Summer Comedy Series.
This year, Meaney will be making a rare off-season appearance, headlining the 2012 Winter Festival with a show on Friday, Feb. 24 at the Hotel Viking at 8 p.m.
Newport This Week caught up with the venerable comic over the phone during a break from shooting his upcoming webisode series on Salon.com called “In the Middle,” which he says will debut online this summer.
While the Newport standup scene is on a much smaller scale than say, Carnegie Hall -- which Meaney has played -- he says all his destinations are memorable. “There are lots of moments in my career that stick out,” he says. “But whether it’s playing at Radio City or a small place in Chester, N.Y., like I was last week … it’s an adventure and the people love it.”
A fixture on the comedy circuit, Meaney said a true transformation in his standup career came about five years ago when he decided to come out as a gay man at 50 years old.
“My mother and father were totally supportive,” Meaney says. “My mom said: ‘We should’ve told you a long time ago.’”
According to Meaney, the admittance has changed his style of comedy for the better, calling it more truthful. “That’s the great thing about comedy," he said. "You can get up onstage and be totally honest. Being totally honest is funny because we all do stupid things. To be honest about it is wonderful. It’s refreshing.”
Meaney will be serving up his brand of refreshingly honest comedy on Friday, Feb. 24 at the Hotel Viking. For tickets, visit newportwinterfestival.com or call 847-7666.
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