By Frank O’Donnell
Comedian Rob Bartlett will be taking the stage this Saturday night at the Ocean State Theatre in Warwick. I sent him a list of questions to get reacquainted with him, and he answered in typical Rob Bartlett fashion.
Imus in the Morning is no longer simulcast on television. Is that really the end, or is someone trying to set up a new deal somewhere?
It is nowhere near the end. There may be other TV Opportunities in the future, but for now, you won’t be seeing the old cranky cowboy, just hearing him complain…and gasping for breath.
While there’s no TV, is it safe to assume you no longer have to try to resemble the characters you’re portraying on the show?
I am a method actor. So when I do a character, I like to ‘inhabit’ it. So even when I’m on the radio, I will change my appearance to help me ‘become’ the person I am impersonating. I will say that I was identifying as black long before Rachel Dolezal, which is why I was able to do OJ Simpson.
Do you have a favorite new character you’re working on?
My favorite new character is the newest of all of them. It’s ‘Pierre the Radio Mime’. He performs pantomime on the radio. He’s amazing.
Do you have a favorite all-time character?
Yes.
Is there a lot of difference between the characters you use on Imus and the ones you use in concert?
I used to bring my characters from the Imus Show onstage with me, but as over the 28 years on the program, I have portrayed nearly a hundred of them, it was becoming cost prohibitive. They don’t work cheap. Plus, too few theaters have reinforced stages any more.
What can we expect to see/ hear you do at this concert in Rhode Island?
You can expect to see and hear almost an hour of unrelenting hilarity. It will be a transcendent experience. You will wonder how you ever were able to live before seeing my life-changing performance, and immediately rededicate your life to following me on the road like I’m the Grateful Dead.
Any new thoughts on Rhode Island, by the way? This is three times in three years, right?
I love Rhode Island. Lil’ Rhody, I like to call her. (Like most beautiful things, exotic cars, boats and Caitlyn Jenner, I consider, and refer to, Rhode Island as a ‘she.’) She’s quite a fine, little lady. Who misses her best boyfriend, Buddy Cianci.
How about live theatrical performances? Any recent ones? Any coming up?
Yes, there will be a live theatrical performance. On Saturday June 27th. At the Ocean State Theatre…remember? That’s what we’re promoting here, isn’t it? Oh. You mean like…on Broadway. Well, I am in talks with some Broadway producers of me coming back to the Great White Way where I would play the title role in a revival of ‘Oklahoma’.
Rob Bartlett appears at Ocean State Theatre on Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick on Saturday, June 27 at 7:30 PM. For tickets and information, log onto www.oceanstatetheatre.org, or call the box office at 401.921.6800. You can follow Rob on his website – robshow.com – or on Twitter @TheRobio.
