I know. I know. Is Orange County comedian Sharon Barragan
Barragan acts, too, costarring in the 2004 award-winning short film Arc. She played a hooker named CeeCee. Not exactly a stretch for Barragan, so she says, but a fantastic performance nonetheless. Actually, every performance of hers is pretty much fantastic.
OC Weekly ( Ali Lerman): Did you always know you wanted to entertain people?
I didn't think about it, I just always did. When I was 3, I used to get naked and run into my front yard and shake my lil' booty while chanting, “bare bottom boo!” I'm just glad that's not the type of “entertainer” I became as an adult.
How do you find the courage to get on stage in front of people when you don't know if they'll respond with a laugh?
Courage is just having the ability to say “fuck it.” Whether the audience is going to laugh or not isn't always a concern. Comedy is so subjective that you aren't likely to please everyone every time. My confidence prevents me from being nervous, but sometimes those feelings creep in. Luckily, Jack Daniel's is always there to calm me down.
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How did you end up getting a role in the upcoming run of the Vagina Monologues at UCI? You seem a little, ah, old to be on campus. I mean, unless you're on the prowl–and I'm totally not judging.
Well, I do love Asian boys. Actually, I'm a lab rat for a friend who's in the PhD program there. I saw the flier for auditions and emailed the director to see if I had to be a student to audition. He said it was open to everyone so I went for it. Had I known I'd be the 35-year-old woman among 20somethings I may have thought twice but, such it's a good cause I couldn't resist!
Speaking of your love of Asian boys, do comedians have a groupies?
I've had a few men approach me after shows and, well, let's just say I let them see my “softer side.” And by “softer side” I mean I fucked them.
You're such a giver. Who have been your comedic influences that helped mold you into such a classy lady?
Gilda Radner, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, The Smothers Brothers, Lenny Bruce, Mitch Hedberg, Marilyn Martinez, umm, my family.
Where do you think you get your special sense of humor?
My grandmother sent me a note once that said, “I think you may have inherited my caustic wit.” After I looked up the word caustic, I knew exactly where I got my humor.
How did you land a cameo in Eric Schwartz's “Lean like a Gringo” video?
Ali Lerman knows much about comedy, basketball, and celebrating Wu-Tang Wednesday. She’s been writing for sixteen years and still calls her mom with grammatical questions.