Paula Poundstone

By Joel Stein

Paula Poundstone is playing Carnegie Hall on Wednesday as part of a women in comedy festival.

Q: Sorry to call you so early.

A: This is not early. I have three kids. Actually we slept late. I let them go to school late because we went to see the premiere of [the new video] Lion King II last night.

Q: You let them go to school late because they stayed up late for a premiere? I may have to call the foster-parent people.

A: No, they're not foster. They're adopted. Then I have a foster son. He didn't go.

Q: That's the difference between adopted and foster, huh?

A: He's five months, and I didn't think he would be able to handle it. The floor show was amazing, and I felt that it bore equal importance to education.

Q: How come women aren't funny?

A: I actually hate women. But this is probably not the forum to say that in.

Q: What's that about?

A: Sometimes when women are looking for parity with men they mistake that goal for doing the same boneheaded things men do.

Q: How come Rosie O'Donnell's all famous and you're still doing colleges?

A: Rosie told me one time, "There's nothing wrong with mainstream." I was a little hurt. Because it suggested that I was trying desperately to be offbeat and accepted by only two or three people.

Q: Your show--which I loved and watched both episodes of--was canceled by ABC, yet it's sticking with this new Fantasy Island show. How does that make you feel?

A: There's a new Fantasy Island show? Wow.

Q: Was this a dream of yours, to play Carnegie Hall?

A: I never really thought about it. It's my dream to have a show stay on for more than two episodes.

--By Joel Stein