Lizz Winstead wears myriad hats — comedian, television producer, political satirist, writer, activist — and is fusing them all for a national tour coming to Philly next week to support women’s reproductive rights.
Winstead’s “Planned Parenthood, I Am Here For You!” will be at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., at 7:30 p.m. July 20.
Among her roles, Winstead is also the co-creator of “The Daily Show,” produced “The Jon Stewart Show,” co-founded Air America Radio on which she co-hosted a program with Rachel Maddow, and has performed stand-up comedy for decades.
A perennial political satirist, Winstead said her new show grew out of worrisome political trends she’s observed in the past few months.
“Since this new Congress took over, they put Planned Parenthood at the top of the agenda pile over jobs and the economy and have been spreading so much disinformation on the services they provide. So I finally just said this is insane, I need to do something.”
In Pennsylvania, bills are moving through both chambers of the state legislature that seek to tighten standards at abortion clinics, but pro-choice advocates argue these measures could force the closure of numerous clinics.
Winstead’s show looks at the complex issues guiding the national discussion on women’s reproductive rights, using comedy to highlight the hypocrisies the comedian has noticed.
“The biggest problem I’ve always had with the anti-choice movement is that I don’t understand how they want to reduce abortion by removing access to birth control. That just doesn’t make sense to me and it says that, instead of being pro-women, they’re really anti-sex,” she said, noting the protestors who’ve shown up outside her tour thus far have themselves provided new fodder for her show. “If I ascribe to the belief system that abortion is murder, then I’m not going to be dancing around to rock music at a protest, which they were. I wouldn’t celebrate at a Darfur event or something like that. It all just goes back to their wanting to have this moral code in the country that just doesn’t exist in a secular society.”
While Winstead noted she is an “unabashed progressive,” she said she doesn’t discriminate when it comes to her routine.
“I think power is a gift and, if you abuse it through stupidity or abject greed or corruption, you’re my target. It doesn’t matter what political stripe you are,” she said. “But I’m sure Rush Limbaugh would hate it. And anyone on the slate of GOP contenders for 2012 would hate it. But anyone who feels frustrated about the political landscape and needs an evening to gather with likeminded people and have fun and laugh would really benefit. If I can use my voice to provide that catharsis, then I’ve done my job.”
Although the routine is essentially rooted in comedy, Winstead also uses the platform to tell of her own experiences with Planned Parenthood.
Winstead first visited the agency to have an abortion when she became pregnant at age 16 and has used Planned Parenthood services many times since, she said, experiences captured in an upcoming book from which she reads a passage during the show.
“I was only 16 and I really had to go through that pretty much on my own. So I wanted to put a face to the kinds of people who use these services and explain what can happen when young people don’t have enough information on how to make smart, healthy choices. That’s when they more often than not find themselves in trouble.”
She’s also trying to set the record straight about the innumerable healthcare options Planned Parenthood offers, Winstead said, noting that only about 3 percent of the agency’s work involves abortion.
Winstead said she’s long been a proponent of LGBT equality, a sentiment shared by Planned Parenthood.
“I’ve always been a big advocate of LGBT issues, from marriage equality to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ — I’m not a big fan of war or marriage, but I’ll fight to the death for people who want to participate in both. But the gay community has always been a big part of my life and I’ve wanted to support them and any other community that’s just trying to be treated like regular folks. And with Planned Parenthood, they do so much work for all types of people — Pap smears, STD screenings, HIV screenings — sexuality doesn’t matter to them; they just want to provide affordable healthcare to people who most need it.”
Tickets to “Planned Parenthood, I Am Here For You!” are $50 or $35 for students. VIP tickets that include a pre-show reception with Winstead are $150. Proceeds benefit the Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates and Political Action Committee.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://lizzwinsteadphilly.eventbrite.com.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].
