The Unsinkable Mollie Heckerling
Interview By Ginger Coyote
I first “met” on Instagram last year and I had a deep connection with her. She was funny, a killer comedian, and an all-around cool woman So I decided to ask her another set of questions to find out what she has been up to..
Punk Globe: Thanks for the interview, Mollie. How are you doing in this cold winter weather?
Mollie: This winter wasn’t so bad. I actually moved to Burlington, Vermont recently and thought it would be like The Shining, but thanks to climate change even winter in Vermont was pretty mild.
Punk Globe: Tell the readers what you have been doing since our last interview.
Mollie: I’ve actually managed to keep myself hopping between a few things. Our puppet show, “Ratso”, has been picked up by Troma’s streaming service. We were really proud of that because Troma is an amazing studio that has always had its finger on the pulse of what’s cool. They produced Toxic Avenger, Surf Nazis Must Die, Nuke ‘Em High, and Trey Parker’s movie Cannibal the Musical. Lloyd Kaufman is a visionary and a very sweet man, so we’re grateful to be a part of his world. I’ve also been doing stand-up here and there. I participated in the Vermont Comedy Festival which was started by these two comedians, Collen Doyle, and Matt Vita. That was a lot of fun. I’ve also been writing a lot. I self-published a book during the pandemic called, “Metanoia” which is really just a psychotic romp through a field of nightmares. I also released an EP in 2020 under the name Blank Slate.
Punk Globe: How is your wonderful and talented Mother Amy Heckerling doing?
Mollie: Mom is good. She’s working on a few things and still kicking around NYC.
Punk Globe: Has the inflation with the banks going under affected the comedy clubs in New York City?
Mollie: The comedy clubs, for the most part, seem to be doing alright. Granted some shows wind up bouncing around between venues. But the clubs I used to hit up most frequently are still there.
Punk Globe: Are you happy with the number of clubs that host Comedy shows in NYC? Is Caroline’s still a mainstay venue? I used to hear Joy Behar mention Caroline’s a lot on The View but not this season.
Mollie: We lost Carolines. That was a major blow. That room was a major staple of the city and a lot of comedians had a lot of happy memories there. I saw a lot of amazing comics perform there. I even had the privilege of playing there a couple of times. So that was sad.
Punk Globe: Are there people in the news that are fodder for your material? I am sure you have some fun inspirations
Mollie: I had some fun with the Kanye West thing. When he came out in the face mask with the net and bottle of Yoo-Hoo and was making “Netanyahu” puns I said he was like the Carrot Top of antisemitism. Really, prop comedy is the loudest cry for help.
Punk Globe: What do you think of George Santos aka KITARA?
Mollie: Hahaha, she’s not my favorite.
Punk Globe: Your thoughts on Twitter and Elon Musk? I was under the assumption that Twitter was going to be a pay-to-post and pay-to-be-certified. I have not been asked for payment yet. Knock on Musk.
Mollie: I think Elon Musk is great at acquiring things of tremendous value, but he himself is not a genius. He tries to exploit people and situations to the point where they are no longer tenable, and then loses control of his own assets. He is a liability to himself because his desire to save face in front of the world leads him to make bad decisions that only further his own personal humiliation. He’s a fascinating character, to say the least. Anyway, I’m not paying for that shit.
Punk Globe: Were you holding down the Fort in NYC, after the Orange Blob called on his followers to protest when he was arrested? I heard a bunch of folks come out demanding the Blob be arrested immediately
Mollie: I was in NYC when orange blob incited his blob mob. It was awful. I had just had a baby during the pandemic and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I was even trying to figure out a way to get a permanent residency in Canada. But immigrating is fucking hard. I cannot even begin to express my respect for anyone who has the guts to do it.
Punk Globe: Your thoughts on Chris Rock’s Hulu special?
Mollie: I didn’t watch it, but I love Chris Rock. I heard it was really good. I know he did a bit about the slap. That was a wild moment in television history.
Punk Globe: Did you watch The Oscars? If so thoughts on Kimmel as the host?
Mollie: I don’t really watch The Oscars anymore. I think the pageantry and self-congratulatory nature of Hollywood annoy me on some level – as an introvert and a misanthrope, I take great pleasure in not giving crap about things.
Punk Globe: I was angry the Academy completely ignored Judy Tenuta’s passing. She was in the fabulous ‘Shakes The Clown’
Mollie: Judy Tenuta was a brilliant comedian. I loved her in Shakes the Clown. The first time I ever saw her was on an episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast and I fell in love with her comedy immediately. I mean, who can resist a woman who plays the accordion?
Punk Globe: What does the future hold in store for Mollie Heckerling?
Mollie: I’m working on a couple of scripts at the moment. I’m feverishly trying to wrap one up before the inevitable writers’ strike in May. It needs to happen because the streaming services are screwing everyone, but now there’s sort of this massive rush to get things out.
Punk Globe: Los Angeles misses you and your comedy. Any plans for a visit to play some shows?
Mollie: I don’t have any immediate plans to do shows in LA, but hopefully I will someday soon.
Punk Globe: Have you ever appeared on the Stephanie Miller Show? My friend Jody Hamilton is on the show.
Mollie: I haven’t appeared on her show, but I would totally be down!
Punk Globe: Any Internet addresses you would like to share with the readers so they can be in touch and find out about shows?
Mollie: All the Mollie Heckerling-related news that’s fit to print is on my Twitter: @mollieschmollie and instagram: @mollieheckerling. But if anyone wants to check out my videos and music they can go to my YouTube channel: https:// www.youtube.com/channel/UCe0wj8iZJPkuY9otZeXlDyg
Punk Globe: Now the real challenge Describe yourself in Three words.
Mollie: Existential Crisis Incarnate
Punk Globe: Any final words for Punk Globe readers?
Mollie: “Give yourself a tumble. You’ll make the grave. Your ups are coming.” – Wallace Ford as Phroso the clown, Todd Browning’s “Freaks”