Interview with Master of Satire Roy Zimmerman, who will bring "Wake Up Call" to San Geronimo July 13th

San Geronimo Valley Community Center Events Programmer Hannah Doress caught up with Roy Zimmerman, The HBO, Showtime and Warner/Reprise Records Tested Comic & Youtube Sensation ahead of his Saturday, July 13th national tour stop at San Geronimo Valley Community Center. Discount advance tickets are on sale now and seating is limited.

Hannah Doress: How did you get your start? 

Roy Zimmerman: I've been writing funny topical songs since Mrs. Hemphill's wig blew off in 7th grade. I've written a lot of songs in a lot of styles, Country songs, Folk songs, children's songs, theatre songs, but funny songs seems to come most naturally.

I didn't perform publicly until after college (San Jose State - Musical Composition).  I had a series of duos, trios and even a quartet, but after the '96 elections, I decided to get up there and sing these songs by myself.  I've been doing a solo act ever since.

Hannah: What does it take to be funny? Do you do funny exercises?

Roy: I do exercises funny.  That's different, I suppose.  Some people are naturally funny, but being consistently funny onstage involves a craft.  It extends from the writing of the material where you rely on your "inner audience" (the only time you hope for a small turnout) to performing the material in front of an actual audience, honing the things that work, rejecting the things that don't. 

So, if you're in an audience where someone is trying a new bit, or in my case, a new song, think of yourself as exercise equipment.

Hannah: What's new in your July 13th show in San Geronimo?

Roy: For quite a while, people have been asking me where's my fracking song.  So there's a new-ish song about fracking called "The Faucet's On Fire!"  It's on YouTube now.

Also, I'll be doing a song - too new for YouTube - about an advice column I plan to write where I offer people advice on romance, finance, etiquette, fashion, etc. which is 100% guaranteed to be "Bad Advice."

Hannah: You've shared the stage with some pretty impressive people - any fun stories from those experiences?

Roy: I did a benefit show in Long Beach - the ACLU was honoring George Carlin.  I was chatting with him backstage - and yes, he was an incredibly nice guy - when Paul Krassner showed up.  Paul has been doing stand-up satire since he was buddies with Lenny Bruce, and was one of the original Yippies.  (He coined the term, in fact.)  They'd never met, but they were having a riotous time reminiscing about New York in the 50's, and they hit on the subject of "ear worms," songs that get stuck in your head whether your want them there or, more likely, don't.  And each of them had a song they would sing to themselves to dislodge the ear worm song, and it turned out they used the same song, a goofy little novelty song called "Poor Little Rhode Island" released by the Guy Lombardo orchestra in 1945.  I got to be a fly on the wall while George Carlin and Paul Krassner gleefully sang, "Poor Little Rhode Island/Smallest of the forty-eight..."

Hannah: You tour all over the country - how do audiences respond? Any common threads?

Roy: Even in the Reddest cities in the Reddest of states, there's always a core of "Bright Blue Dots," people doing Progressive work where it most needs to be done.  Generally, it's the Blue Dots who come to my shows.  I get accused of preaching to the converted, but I don't think of it that way.  I think of it as entertaining the troops.

***

In thirteen albums over twenty years, Roy has brought the sting of satire to the struggle for Peace and Social Justice.  His songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime.  He has recorded for Warner/Reprise Records, and he’s been profiled on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”  His YouTube videos have amassed over seven million views, and he’s a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. Zimmerman has shared stages with George Carlin, Bill Maher, Kate Clinton, Bill Clinton, John Oliver, Dennis Miller, Sandra Tsing Loh, kd lang, Andy Borowitz and Paul Krassner. 

Zimmerman’s “Wake Up Call” is ninety minutes of these songs - funny songs like “Abstain With Me” and “I Want a Marriage Like They Had In the Bible,” heartfelt songs like “Hope, Struggle and Change” and impassioned comic commentary.

The event takes place on Saturday, July 13th, 8pm at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. San Geronimo CA  94963. The venue is 15 minutes from San Rafael and there is plentiful in lot and on street parking.

Discounted advance purchase tickets are $15; tickets are $20 at the door.

Partial proceeds support a food bank, youth center, senior programs and more. A nationally-touring personality, this event follows up the last sold out show with Roy Zimmerman at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center in 2011.  

The reviews are in:

“…contagious irreverence.” - Stephen Holden, New York Times

 “… a rare gift for songwriting.” - San Francisco Chronicle

“Bobby Kennedy meets Bobby Dylan” – Marin Independent Journal

“Just Brilliant” – Terry Jones, Monty Python

“…some of the smartest satirical songs that I’d ever heard” – Jeff Penalty, The Dead Kennedys

“…lyrical brilliance”- Weird Al Yankovic

“…a lacerating wit and keen awareness of society’s foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom Lehrer” – Los Angeles Times

"I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing literacy to comedy songs. And the rhymes actually rhyme, they don't just 'rhyne.'" – Tom Lehrer

"Roy's lyrics move beyond poetry and achieve perfection." – Joni Mitchell

*** 

Hannah Doress has been Events Programmer at San Geronimo Valley Community Center since 2005, known for her role on events such as The Wavy Gravy Summer of Love Revival, West Marin Himalayan Festival, The Yiddish Folk Festival and the Mexican Arts Festival and working with artists such as Kitka, Swami Beyondananda, New Monsoon, San Francisco Mime Troupe and others. She is director of Earth Day Marin and principal of Hannah Doress Events, well known for promotional and fund development efforts for the Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer. She lives in Fairfax with her wife, Soprano Emily Bender and their son, chicken farmer Abraham Bender-Doress.