Michelle Buteau talks saying goodbye to 'Survival of the Thickest' and her 'first true love' stand-up comedy
From her incredible success with the Netflix series Survival of the Thickest and history-making stand-up shows, including being the first woman to film a comedy special at Radio City Music Hall, Michelle Buteau is one of the most beloved talents in entertainment. So the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal is lucky to have her featured as a Gala star.
Whether she's acting, doing stand-up comedy, hosting, writing or producing a project, she excels at it all. But no matter how many hats she's worn in her career of more than 20 years, stand-up is her "first true love."
"I fell in love with stand-up and everything else is just cherries on the cake," Buteau told Yahoo Canada.
"When you get the Gala spot at JFL, it feels like you've won Formula One. ... When you start stand-up, there are a handful of things, especially New York comedians, always talk about getting. An SNL audition, or a Late Night spot, and JFL was right up there. So this is very exciting. I mean, it's been a long time, so very happy to be doing it."
As Buteau highlighted, there's nothing like experiencing the thrill of a live stand-up show. But through her comedy specials on streaming sites and leveraging online platforms, Buteau has really been able to make her work available to people around the world. It's that accessibility component that's important for her.
"There's a non-binary teenager in Kenya that's reaching out to me, a 62-year-old lesbian in Bulgaria, ... then there's cities in Brazil ... using my catchphrase," Buteau said. "It makes comedians feel like rock stars."
Michelle Buteau is 'tired' of people being told their 'not worthy'
With the success of Survival of the Thickest, the show has been praised for being particularly sex-positive, as the lead character Mavis (played by Buteau) works to thrive mentally, emotionally and sexually.
"When we talk about mental health and making people feel good, it isn't just about how you look. It's about how you feel. And it's about how you feel in all chapters of your life," Buteau said. "So whether it is a piece of clothing, whether it is food, whether it is attention, whether it is sex, all of it is meant to build you up, not tear you down."
"[I'm] sick and tired of the conversation, especially in and around the arts, film and TV, of bigger bodies always having to feel very grateful that someone finds them desirable, which is just plain bullshit. ... Since the beginning of time there has been thick people who have been loved on and dicked down. It's just like, excuse me, why is this such a wild concept that somebody would love their body? And honestly, it is what we are going through today and what we've been going through also since the beginning of time. It's control. It is a mental prison. If you tell people they are not worthy ... they're going to believe you, they're not going to feel good about themselves. And I'm so tired of that."
Buteau added that what's great about having Survival of the Thickest on Netflix, which is available in 190 countries, is how many people she can reach with the show's core messaging.
"I know that I can reach people of all gender expressions, of all sizes and shapes, and say, 'Hey boo, you look f—king good and you're worthy of whatever you want,'" she said. "That's why I made my character a stylist, because I think the platform of fashion can showcase the injustices. ... It's also a good excuse to be like, 'Hey, I need a lot of money for fashion.'"
While we already know that Season 3 of Survival of the Thickest will be the show's last, a tough hit for many fans, Buteau is ready to go out with impact.
"It feels earned and deserved," Buteau said. "I'm really lucky ... that I found something I love to do, and so I don't take the responsibility lightly. We're going to blow it up ... in the best possible way."
"I know people are bummed that it won't be coming back, but it's actually such a gift to know that it is the third and final. I don't think a lot of platforms and networks give you that information all the time."
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