Sandra Bernhard takes over the JCC
A week ago, Hearsay spent the evening with Sandra "I'm Still Still Here" Bernhard and a hundred or so gay Jews. Mama would be so proud! The occasion was one of Bernhard's last performances at the DC JCC's Theater J of Without You I'm Nothing, her landmark 20-year-old off-Broadway one-woman show. Bernhard came out singing "And I'm Telling You (I'm Not Going)," teasing out even more drama than usual, all for comedic effect. Don't forget to breathe, Sandra! Oh, don't call on Hearsay — just walk on by, down the steps please. Hearsay was feeling a little shy — if Bernhard picks on you, you might never get picked on again by anyone, ever, at any time. Fortunately, there wasn't audience participation in the reincarnated show, she simply fed off the crowd's reactions to her barbs at pop culture and politics. Bernhard's singing voice was in better condition than it was 20 years ago, and she put her sarcastic stamp on a bevy of pop songs, both classic ("Little Red Corvette") and forgettable ("Every Rose Has Its Thorn"). She talked about being a mother and her lesbian lover, her yin — or is it yang? And no one else would segue from Madonna to Cindy "Candy Perfume Girl" McCain. "We only got four minutes to save the world!" After the show, Bernhard signed autographs and shared cocktails in the DC JCC's grand entrance hall as part of a reception hosted by GLOE, the JCC's nebulous and nebbishy Gay and Lesbian Outreach and Engagement program. Just offer free booze and snacks — that'll engage the gay Jews! Hearsay enjoyed itself so much, it decided to go kosher for the night and marveled that nowhere was there a foreskin in sight….
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