Julie Goldman Goes on Tour Before Heading Back to 'The People's Couch'

Mothers, hide your daughters! Hilariously talented lesbian comedian Julie Goldman is hitting the road for special performances fresh off her gig at the final Michigan Womyn's Musical Festival, including Straight Stand Up on August 14 with comedian Marga Gomez in Santa Cruz, plus gigs in Ohio, Pittsburgh, Long Island and New York City. She'll return in the fall to her gig on "The People's Couch."

"I've been doing this for a long time, and I love stand-up for sure," Goldman told EDGE.

After an amazing start in Brooklyn that included a turn on Logo's "Big Gay Sketch Show," Goldman moved to Los Angeles six years ago to further her career.

"There's more space here, and the weather is always good," said Goldman. "I loved living in New York City. It was fun and exciting, a great place to develop my skills, and I learned a lot comedywise. I toughened up there. I feel like there's nothing I can't handle after that."

In Los Angeles, said Goldman, everyone is immersed in the business of Hollywood all of the time, which can be overwhelming. But Goldman loves having some space to move around, driving a car, and finally being able to get a tan.

She's had some funny turns there, including a gig a few years ago at the LA LGBT Center's Renberg Theater. When organizers told her that someone special was coming to meet her, she said she'd rather be surprised. And she was.

"Before the show, there she is: Lily Tomlin," said Goldman. "I got to meet her, and after the show in the green room, she came up to meet me. I was shocked; I didn't know what to say. I couldn't get any words out. But she was nice and punched me in the arm, and said, 'Great job, kid!' She was more butchy than I thought she would be; very alpha. I liked that she punched me!"

She'll be on the West Coast on August 14 at 8 p.m. for Straight Stand-Up, with fellow former New Yorker and funny woman Marga Gomez. They'll do a set at the Veteran's Hall at 846 Front Street in Santa Cruz, part of the Santa Cruz Fringe Festival.

Then, she'll hit gigs at the Wall Street Club in Columbus, Ohio on August 27, followed by the Lesbian Eye Laugh event in Pittsburgh on August 28.

By August 29, she'll back back to her old stomping grounds, doing a comedy show at Stonewall. The next day, on August 30, you can catch her at the Brokerage Comedy Club in Long Island.

"It's going to be cool because Stonewall just became a historical landmark, so it's going full circle there," she said. "I'm planning a return in the fall because Gotham Comedy Club is shooting a live TV show. It's such a gay moment for me to pack it up; it's gay time USA. I'm doing a show with Jessica Kirson, which should be fun. I want to travel and do this double bill."

And for those couch potatoes, Goldman will return to television this fall with her writing partner Brandy Howard for Bravo's "The People's Couch," where 'ordinary' people make fun of popular television shows, for the enjoyment of others. It's like Mystery Science Theater 3000 -- except for TV. They'll begin shooting episodes on September 20.

"We only find out what show we're watching on the week we're seeing it," said Goldman of the show. "But I love working with Brandy Howard. We've been working on a script together. We worked on "Funny Girls" on Oxygen a few months ago, and the experience was great because I got to work. I like having a job to go to, and a paycheck every week. I want to try and cross over into something like that, so I don't have to travel every week."

Until then, she'll be an itinerant comedian, traveling between comedy clubs, halls and local bars to share laughs with her many fans.

"It's summertime, and I'm on the road, and coming to your town," said Goldman. "It's like one night in Bangkok. Hopefully, all my friends come out to party!"