Laura Solon, an English comedienne, actress, writer, and winner of the 2005 Perrier Comedy Award shares her excitement at meeting Jennifer Coolidge in her daily column for ‘The Guardian’.
As I’m performing at Edinburgh, it would be weird to say watching comedy is ‘better’ than doing it, but last night I saw Jennifer Coolidge aka Stifler’s mom in American Pie at the Assembly Rooms
“It is better to watch stuff than to do stuff.” So Homer told Bart in a tennis-themed episode of The Simpsons. I used to “do” sport all the time as a child, and back then could never imagine a time when I would prefer to watch it. But then I also thought the road to happiness was paved with hamsters, Skips crisps and calligraphy. Now I realise it’s actually paved with 30 Rock, Hula Hoops and pictures of cats dressed in historical costume.
As I’m performing at Edinburgh, it would be weird to say watching comedy is “better” than doing it, but I do find it more relaxing and a lot less sweaty. Last night, I saw Jennifer Coolidge (above, on left) at the Assembly Rooms. She’s known to many thanks to her role as Stifler’s mom in American Pie, and she also starred in Legally Blonde. I first became a superfan after watching her in Christopher Guest’s amazing film Best in Show. It’s an impressive career. I definitely wouldn’t want her CV to stand next to mine at a party.
It’s always strange watching somebody in person who you’ve only ever seen on screen. There was a palpable sense of “oooh” before she came on. And when she did, I kept marvelling, “She looks exactly the same in the flesh!” even though I don’t know why or how she would look different. I played the same venue last year, so kept sub-marvelling, “Look! She’s standing where I was standing 12 months ago!” as if that made us some sort of identical stage twins.
Coolidge brings full Hollywood glamour to proceedings: great hair, dress, tan, heels, more hair and she swears really, really well. Afterwards she kindly agreed to have her photo taken with me, but within seconds she’d drawn a crowd of nervy men all shouting, “Oh my God! It’s STIFLER’S MOM!” with their eyes.
We got our photo in the end though. Beneath a sign for the ladies. I shall treasure it.
EdCom Productions 