Maryellen Hooper strives for 'Dignity Under Duress'

by Rodney Bengston

Nov. 25, 1999

Maryellen Hooper may be a woman living in the '90s, but much of her life is a blast from the past.

"I study the old school," Hooper says. "Not what is popular today. I like Buster Keaton, Fanny Brice, Carol Burnett, Jerry Lewis and Lucille Ball."

Hooper, who headlines through Sunday at the Cleveland Improv, appreciates the physical skills those comedic legends brought to their work.

"They performed with what I like to call 'Dignity Under Duress,' " Hooper says, "which coincidentally is the name of my new CD. I have to slip that in."

But Hooper's connection to the past goes further than comedic influences. She and her boyfriend, Mark, share a passion for antiques, collectibles and vintage clothes. They have a small business selling their finds at the South Pasadena Antiques and Collectibles Mall.

Hooper has been comfortable on the stand-up stage since she first tried it in 1985.

"I was the big drama geek in school," Hooper says. "And I always got the funny parts."

Then one night she was out with some friends at a local comedy club's open-mike night in Florida. "They looked at me and said . . . 'You're not thinking . . .' "

Even that first stab at stand-up went well. "It probably was because of my stage background. I knew how to present myself."

Hooper entered contests at local clubs and eventually headed to New York City.

While working the club scene at night, her day jobs included cutting hair at an upscale Manhattan salon, working as a "rolling billboard" complete with orange jumpsuit, helmet and skates advertising a variety of products near Wall Street, and cutting kids' hair at the FAO Schwartz salon.

What was going through Hooper's mind as she performed these tasks?

"I thought it would be great fodder for when I was on the couch on 'The Tonight Show.' "

Her years of touring the clubs and college circuit have paid off. In 1998, she got the call from "The Tonight Show." She also was named 1998 Best Female Stand-up Comic at the 12th annual American Comedy Awards.

Hooper says there were few women on the stand-up stage when she started. "Most women don't feel the need to get up in front of people and humiliate themselves."

Her act has evolved, Hooper adds, from being just a set of jokes.

"It's much more personal now. And that's so revealing.

"After my shows, women will come up to me and say 'Hey, I thought I was the only one.' Things that happen to everyone, like women with that single black hair that grows out of your chin."

But while she connects with women, Hooper adds men have nothing to fear. "There's no man bashing in my shows. I don't like comedy that is mean."

Most comics can point to best and worst nights in their careers, but for Hooper that was wrapped up into one night in Vegas.

At the same time she was in Vegas, the adult film industry was in town to hand out its awards and some made it to her show.

"I came out and saw this woman down front. I looked at her chest and then at mine, and said, 'Hey, where's mine?' She stood up, pulled down her top and said, 'You can get these for $3,000.' That could have been the worst night. But I had a great comeback. I said, 'I don't have time to window shop right now.' I started the show with a standing ovation."

Hooper is hoping the next step is a TV show. "I think a lot of the stories I tell are very suited to a sitcom. They would translate well."

Hooper says her management team is always pitching ideas. "They're doing the business end of things and then at the end they bring me in and I tap dance on the table."

ON STAGE: Mark Eddie, who has appeared on Showtime, headlines through Saturday at Hilarities in Cuyhoga Falls.

Lily Tomlin brings "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" Friday and Saturday to the Palace Theatre in Cleveland.

Rodney Bengston, an editor in Sun Newspapers' Metro office, covers northeastern Ohio's comedy scene.