Suzanne Westenhoeffer: A Bottom on Top

Ariztical

"There are as many lesbians in the middle of the country as there are on the edges," observes comedian Suzanne Westenhoeffer before taking the stage in Indianapolis. "The ones here are just quieter and nicer." Westenhoeffer should know. The pioneering lesbian comic has done her share of traveling, crisscrossing the country to headline comedy clubs in every state. And geography is a recurrent theme in this set that sees Westenhoeffer at the top of her game, as she offers observations on Fort Meyers ("It's where we keep the old people,") Provincetown ("Where we keep the gay people,") Jacksonville ("I got invited to Jacksonville Pride and I thought it was a trick," and life in Los Angeles. With her animated face, expressive voice and crack comic timing, she can even get a laugh out of a moldy oldie like "I just turned 40...five years ago." And there's nothing musty about her sharp observations of gay life, from The L Word to lesbians with children to the differences between men's and women's cruises. Westenhoeffer has a brash energetic presence and a willingness to say unpopular things - she rants about kids and laughs at the idea of gay marriage - that make her unexpected shyness when talking about sex all the funnier. Extras on the disc include an interesting interview with Westenhoeffer and her girlfriend discussing the comic lifestyle.