The Wacky, Loveable Bruce Vilanch

There is no doubt that Bruce Vilanch has lived a colorful life. In addition to being a queer icon, he is one of the most recognizable figures within the entertainment industry. Known for his eclectic eyewear and collection of unique T-shirts, Bruce is an Emmy Award-winning comedic writer and actor whose career began when he was an entertainment writer for The Chicago Tribune.

Mingling with celebrities would lead him to writing material for legendary comics including Lily Tomlin, Rosie O’Donnell, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams. Later, he would become head writer for the Academy Awards and Hollywood Squares, as well as be a celebrity participant. As far as acting, Bruce has appeared in films, television shows, and even graced Broadway with his presence. One of his favorite roles was playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray’s first national stage tour.

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today, Bruce. We look forward to featuring you.

Wonderful, thank you. I love Denver. I like to go out there and just breathe.

So, tell me, what’s new in the world of Bruce Vilanch?

I don’t have much to plug right now. I finished doing The Drowsy Chaperone a couple months ago in Sacramento. It was wonderful to come out on stage for an hour-and-a-half while a show unfolds around me. I had a great time. Now, I am back at my Hollywood mancave writing and carrying on.

Will you be appearing in any upcoming shows soon?

I have a couple benefits and shows lined up, but I don’t want to give away too much just yet. In Denver, I remember being in a cabaret, and it was great fun, because I got to hang out backstage with all the burlesque people, and I did Hairspray in Denver. It’s hysterical to go backstage at a Denver theatre. It looks like an ER. They have all this emergency equipment because people evidently pass out constantly, and ballerinas do faceplants from the altitude. I finished a gig in Denver, and I think we were there for three weeks. The next stop on the tour was Phoenix, which of course is below sea level. Everybody was holding every note 16 bars too long, because they all had the air. Thank you, Denver.

If you could reprise your role of Edna in Hairspray, would you?

Sure! Absolutely. It’s a great part, and it’s so much fun. It involves a lot of physical labor, but it’s worth it.

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What is your opinion on Trump’s attacks on the media and the whole fake news hysteria?

It’s a typical fascist move. The moment you get into power, you say that the media is against you, and your followers want to believe that, because your followers are basically unhappy people, and that’s why they voted for you, because you are going to bring back what they think is great. It’s a classic fascist ploy, and it’s horsesh*t.

Also, the media is complicit in the creation of Trump. No question about it, and the proof of that is when Michelle Wolf hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. She spoke truth to power, and it pissed them off, because she was the first person to say to them, ‘You are a part of this. You have facilitated him.’I have been saying, if the New York Times would stop putting him on the front page and wait until at least page three, we could have nipped it in the bud, but they said in some weird idea of fair and balance that we have to cover him like he’s for real. Therefore, they made him for real.

Throughout your career, you have collaborated and provided material for several comedians. What makes a great comic?

Well, they must be funny! People forget that’s a major component! They must be funny, and a great comic serves several different degrees. They are speaking to a certain truth that people recognize. It’s a thing of beauty.

Is there a celebrity you would like to work with whom you haven’t gotten to collaborate with so far in your career?

Yeah, there are some funny people out there. Tiffany Haddish had some funny stuff; I’ve never worked with her. There are some friends that I know I’d love to collaborate with.

This year was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. How did you first hear about the riots, and what were your thoughts on them?

Well, first off, I am impressed by how Stonewall has become essentially the Mayflower of the community. I mean, we all know there were people here before the pilgrims. Same with Stonewall; the year before, there was a Black Cat riot in Los Angeles which doesn’t get the publicity like Stonewall gets, and there was also a thing in San Francisco a couple years before with a small but active community of gay activists.

Stonewall was another one of those things at the time. It was part of a growing trend that was happening. Then it coincided with Judy Garland’s death and got put in the media, because obviously Judy was associated with gay people, her hysterical, gay fan base. So, the media had some fun and ran with it. I was in Detroit at the time writing for the Detroit Free Press. I was a summer intern, so I was out of the fray, but it was inspiring. It was an inspiring thing to see people say enough; we’re not going to be bullied; we’re not going to be taken advantage of by the cops and mob.

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Were you out at the time of the riots?

There was no such thing. I mean, there was no concept of being out. That didn’t start until after Stonewall. That idea was created. Everybody was in; it was an outlaw society. I was known to my family and everybody, and I was also in a complicated bisexual situation where I had girlfriends, so it was not black or white. I never came out, because I didn’t have to. By the time that was in fashion, everybody knew. It would look kind of stupid for me to say, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m out.’

What does the LGBTQ community need to do in order to continue progress?

We just have to keep everybody’s feet to the fire, which is an ugly metaphor unless you’re a foot fetishist. Unfortunately, when we thought we were finally ahead, we get dragged back in by the right wing, and it’s all fueled by bigotry. I used to say trumps everything, but that was before I started using trump as a verb. We must stick together. When we decide to work together for something; we’re unstoppable.

Photo provided by Bruce Vilanch