Matteo Lane Brings the Laughs Out East September 7 in Westhampton Beach

UPDATE: This show has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 7.

On Saturday, August 3, Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center welcomes America’s favorite gay comedian Matteo Lane for an evening of hilarious standup.

The multitalented comic who has shared the stage with Chelsea Handler, Aziz Ansari, Hasan Minhaj, and Bob the Drag Queen, among many other greats, is also an illustrator who worked on fashion and national ad campaigns and painted a mural at the Obamas’ headquarters in Chicago. Lane has trained as an opera singer in Rome, he speaks several languages, and he knows his way around a kitchen — especially when it comes to pasta. He was named one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch in 2022 and his 2023 special Hair Plugs & Heartache has more than 3 million views on YouTube.

Lane also released two “Advice Specials” featuring crowd interaction that have garnered nearly 5 million views combined, and he recently married his impossibly beautiful Mexican husband, dancer Rodrigo Aburto, last August. Already beloved by comedy fans for his fantastic standup and his many podcast appearances where he happily illuminates the gay world for his straight comedian friends, Lane stands on the precipice of even bigger things to come, which he will likely reveal in the not-so-distant future.

Here, we got to speak with Lane about his upcoming show at WHBPAC, being queer in comedy, his new life of being recognized on the street, and why he needs a friend in the Hamptons.

A Conversation with Matteo Lane

Tell us about this show at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Will this be new material or is there stuff from Hair Plugs & Heartache? Do you try to do the type of crowd work we see in your Advice Specials when in big theaters like this?

This is new material. It’ll be an hour of my workout material that will be different than Hair Plugs & Heartache, and it will not be any crowd work. I do the crowd work Advice Specials just a couple of times a year for fun videos to do, but I do not do them on the road. So when you come see me at a show, it’s always prepared material that I work out.

Have you spent any time in the Hamptons? I know you would love it here. You and your gorgeous husband Rodrigo would enjoy the beach and all the restaurants.

I’ve actually never been to the Hamptons. I’m somehow the only homosexual in Manhattan who has not found a friend who has a home in the Hamptons. So I’ve never been to the Hamptons. My only relationship with the Hamptons is watching Barefoot Contessa.

When you’re on podcasts or being interviewed, do you get tired of having so many questions focused on your sexuality or do you embrace it as just being in line with your brand?

Well, I’m not ashamed of being gay. And I think if people have questions that feel genuine, then we’ll chat about it. But no, I don’t think about it either way. I’m sure people watching could think, oh, I’m so tired of people asking you gay questions, or people think, oh, I’m so tired of hearing you only talking about being gay. But, you know, I think when there’s an equal amount of gay comics, or queer comics as there are straight comics, then those questions probably won’t be asked, but we’re not there yet, so I’m happy to field the answers to the best of my ability.

Do you have a lot of straight fans at your shows?

Yeah. A lot of straight women and their boyfriends. … I do a lot of comedian podcasts, which are predominantly straight, like a lot of the comic podcasts I go on — not all of them but a lot of them. And then people recognize me from those podcasts and they’ll be like, “What’s up Matteo” (speaking in deep, straight bro voice). So I’ve not had any pushback from the straight community or the gay community. Everyone’s been pretty nice.

I’ve noticed that all sudden we’re hearing the word “fag_ot” and “gay” as a pejorative, more and more, like people are more comfortable with it, like in The Roast of Tom Brady on Netflix and on certain comedy podcasts. Is that something you’ve noticed, and does that concern you at all?

Well, I just try and mind my own business. Really, when I’m on stage, I’m not getting involved with other comics, and the choices they make are their choices. Not to bring back the Barefoot Contessa, but I kind of mind my own business. I’m like, you’re going to see me doing jokes and I’ll wear a tiny shirt, and it’s going to be the same roasted chicken every Friday, which is a little different but for Jeffrey. It would be too overwhelming if I felt that I had to control or feel that I had to be offended by all the things that everyone is saying all around me. That would be a full-time job, and my job is hard enough. I just kind of mind my own business and surround myself with people who are my friends and who I feel good about, and that’s pretty much it.

By the way, I love your I love your new tattoos. I didn’t realize that you made such amazing art.

Yeah, I used to be a professional storyboard artist for years. I moved to New York as a fashion illustrator, I did commercials for Lexus, 7UP, DSW, fashion campaigns, it was my whole job.

It feels like your fame has risen over the last couple of years. What’s that been like for you?

Well, you know, I could afford my hair surgery, so that was great. But I’ve been doing standup now for 16 years. If anything, I feel nice that I popped at a time when I felt really ready to be on stage and I felt in command, and I felt like I was in control of my jokes and my writing process. That stuff takes years and years and years to get adjusted to, so to become famous very quickly when you don’t have much experience can kind of hurt you. I feel I was overprepared. Not that I’m famous. I’m certainly not famous. But you know, I get recognized in the streets, but I feel happy now that when people come to my show, they get a good show. They don’t feel that they’ve wasted their ticket.

You’re famous to me. I think you’re famous to a lot of people who enjoy your work.

Yeah, I don’t know, when I think of fame, I think Nicole Kidman.

All right, well, you’re not that. OK. So has your husband and your new married life made its way into your act yet?

Yes, I have jokes about him. But I don’t want to give anything away.

Is he coming with you to Westhampton Beach?

No, he’s got work, so he can’t come with. When I’m on the road, it’s like, I’m working. I’m kind of boring to be around.

Sure. And here’s not too much of a trip. It’s just back and forth, I suppose.

That’s the benefit of the Hamptons. I don’t have to go to LaGuardia. I can just get in a car and go and come back.

Well, you should definitely find yourself a friend out here. I was hoping to dish with you a little bit about the Hamptons, but I’m sort of surprised you haven’t been here. So you’ve got to do that.

I know! Well, I’m kind of a comedy nerd. My life is just comedy. Every single night or weekend when I’m not on the road, I’m at the Comedy Cellar working out new jokes, hanging out with comedians. So I’ve not had the sort of typical New York experience of Fire Island or P Town or the Hamptons. I have to start really getting out of my comfort zone and do something fun, but I just really love comedy and being around comedians. So that’s kind of what my life has become.

Well, it’s paid off, clearly. Are you working on a new special or any other new projects?

I’m currently working on a book. … I’ve got some stuff coming down the line. … The hour of standup material and jokes that I’m doing in the Hamptons is the hour of material that you’ll see in my next special.

Anything you want to add?

I don’t think so. But yeah, it’s definitely all new material. I hope people come out and have a good time. It’ll be my first time in the Hamptons, and I’m very excited to go.

To get tickets to see Matteo Lane at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, call 631-288-1500 or visit whbpac.org.