Here’s a little tip for interviewing comedians: Stay on your toes and don’t get cute unless you’re prepared to get roasted. A great example is a recent conversation I had with rising comedian Annie Lederman about her upcoming shows at Quezada’s Comedy Club & Cantina on March 8 and 9. I thought I’d be clever and ask Lederman whether anyone has ever suggested that she go by a more grown up version of her name, as several people have suggested I do. My big mistake though was suggesting that our names rhyme. Before even answering my question though, she fired back with, “I cannot believe you think Andy and Annie rhyme.” Oof.
It also turns out that her given name is actually Annie, so it’s just me that goes by a childish name. Double oof.
I was already familiar with Lederman’s stand-up and her podcast AnnieWood, so I wasn’t expecting too many surprises, except a news release promoting her shows noted that she considers Santa Fe her second home. My first thought: So does every celebrity. But after I did a little more digging, it turns out she really did spend nearly a decade living in New Mexico during the early aughts, and she’s got stories to prove it. Before she left for fame and fortune and before she quit drinking, she went to the now defunct College of Santa Fe. Just after she left, the college folded.
“Was it me keeping them afloat? Might have been,” she says.
Lederman would go on to start her stand-up career in New York City before landing in Los Angeles. Now she’ll regale New Mexico audiences with her often dark and racy takes on life that—fingers crossed—will include some good old fashioned Santa Fe yarns.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
I first saw this press release about your show that said you consider Santa Fe your second home. I would normally roll my eyes because everyone says that these days. But I have watched your podcast so I know that you actually do spend a lot of time in Santa Fe. Can you talk about your early days there?
Annie Lederman: I went to the College of Santa Fe, which went out of business—RIP. I went there in 2001. I started right on September 11. I left when I was 25, in 2008. But I just worked at a bunch of different restaurants and stuff. I wanted to do comedy, but there wasn’t any comedy in Santa Fe. I did do stand-up one night. My first time was at the Cowgirl when they were doing karaoke.
So on the topic of Santa Fe, I actually did a little reporting stint up there for the Santa Fe Reporter, but I’ve also lived most of my life in Albuquerque. I feel like there’s this sort of rivalry. But I think that any sort of rivalry or animosity is sort of one-sided and mostly on the Santa Fe side. When you were going to school at the College of Santa Fe, what was your impression of the fleabag City of Albuquerque?
Well, you know, I love the show “Cops.” No, I would go to Albuquerque to party sometimes. But, yeah, Santa Fe was the kind of small, little snobby area. But I did a hot air balloon ride at the balloon festival. It took me over just the mall, I didn’t go over any mountains. It really did give me just the most gorgeous view, just straight over the top of the mall—all the vents and the ducts, it was amazing. I do wish I’d spent a little more time in Albuquerque. I really just have enjoyed that beautiful airport. It’s a gorgeous airport, ooh, I love that airport, it’s a great flight in. I can’t believe you’re saying it’s hacky to say that New Mexico’s your second home. I just love New Mexico, I just fucking love it. I love going back, I love being there. It was a hard place to leave, you know how they call it the Land of Entrapment. Everytime I go back, I’m like, “How do I live here and still have my career? How do I make this work?”
You’re playing at Stephen Michael Quezada’s club, aptly named Quezada’s, which is not technically in Albuquerque. But it’s not exactly close to Santa Fe either. So, while you’re here, are you going to head up north to visit friends in your second home? Or are you going to slum it up in Albuquerque?
I am going to do both, I believe. The College of Santa Fe is out of business, but it’s just there still. I was in Santa Fe a couple of months ago and I drove by and it’s wild. It’s just there and it’s just kind of overgrown and weird, so I want to go do shoots and stuff over there.
They made part of it a homeless shelter.
Well, I feel like I’m the first one that started that. I was the first one that brought homeless men into the dorms.
You’re pretty open about your use of hallucinogens. Any plans to take a spiritual retreat while you’re in New Mexico?
That was my last retreat. It was ketamine at Ten Thousand Waves. But I don’t know, if my calendar allows it, I want to stay a little bit longer. But I mean, I’ve never worked in New Mexico, so it is different. It’s a different hat, so I’ll be focusing on the shows.
I assume it was BYOK
Yeah, I came a little pre-Ked up.
What else should people know before they get tickets to your show?
I feel like my formative years were in Santa Fe. A lot of my material, I definitely hit some New Mexico stuff. I had a crazy scooter accident in Santa Fe that is a part of my set. Let’s just say I had so much fun in New Mexico that I had to quit drinking at 25. The minute I left New Mexico, I quit drinking. I got it all done there. I grew up in Philadelphia, and I feel like I don’t really like performing there. It’s not a fun place for me to go back to. I feel like with New Mexico, that was the place where I really decided I wanted to do this. I just have so many crazy stories about New Mexico.
Annie Lederman
Quezada’s Comedy Club & Cantina
54 Jemez Canyon Dam Road, Santa Ana Pueblo
March 8, 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM
March 9, 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM
Tickets: $20-$25
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