IN THE AVERAGE American newsroom, one frequently hears words and phrases that would make a pay-cable subscriber blush.
So, the telephone conversation with Madame, the aging puppet diva whose favorite colors and words are the same shades of blue, didn’t seem all that shocking. Of course, on the phone, one was merely laughing, with no regard to the subsequent story one would have to produce.
But Madame, who appears at San Francisco’s Empire Plush Room for a 10-day run beginning Thursday, has been written about before, so one must try.
Madame, the wild and funny creation of Wayland Flowers, stormed through the ’70s and ’80s as something of a lascivious little pop culture icon who could find double and even triple meanings in the most innocent of comments. However, she was silenced for a time following the death of actor/puppeteer Flowers in 1988. She had starred in her own series, “Madame’s Place,” appeared as a guest star on a number of TV shows, including “Solid Gold,” and “Hollywood Squares,” where she and Flowers were often found in the center square. Over the years, Flowers and Madame won two Emmy Awards for their comedy performances.
Now, she has returned to pop culture’s center square at the end of the arm of puppeteer Joe Kovacs, who has helped Madame regain her knack for azure bons mots. And it’s been a success; she has appeared on VH1’s “I Love the ’70s,” and was immortalized in animated form on “Family Guy.”
Which is where one starts with Madame:
Q: Have there been other tributes?
A: Debbie Reynolds had a mask of me made and impersonates me in her show. She has the mask, with the gown and summer diamonds. You know, summer diamonds — summer diamonds, summer not.
Q: Uh, yes. Are those masks available commercially?
A: God, no. It scares me enough looking in a mirror, let alone looking out and seeing a whole audience like that.
Q: You were in San Francisco fairly recently, so does coming back so soon mean you like the city?
A: God, I love the Bay Area. I love everything about San Francisco. I love the Plush Room, I love the people.
Q: So, do you have favorite places to go and things to see out here?
A: I don’t get out much. I like late-night parties and drinking in my room, so I keep close to the hotel most of the time. And really, I’m usually too drunk to remember anything, anyway.
Q: But you’ve managed such a successful career. Who are some of the stars you’ve shared the spotlight with?
A: Oh, so many. Robin Williams, Marilyn McCoo, Dionne Warwick, so many others on “Solid Gold,” and all those people on “Madame’s Place.” And, of course, on “Hollywood Squares,” Paul Lynde, Wally Cox, Charo, all the big ones.
Q: Have you ever appeared with our governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger?
A: No, I haven’t. But I’d love to. I’d climb him like a jungle gym.
Q: I know you have an interest in puppets, so have you seen “Avenue Q”?
A: I’ve seen it many, many times in New York. I just love a little dirty puppet fun. But there are no puppeteers in the show any more, just actors, doing what they’ve been taught.
Q: Are you familiar with the work of Dame Edna? Some say she has been influenced by you.
A: I know who she is, but I haven’t seen her. People have come up to me and said, ‘Oh, Madame, you remind me of Dame Edna.’ She’s from Australia, but I’ve never been down under. I’d like to; though, I love to go down under.
Q: I know you don’t get out much, but certainly there must be things you enjoy doing in your free time.
A: Well, I like to caramelize onions and make creme brulee, but those are the only things I make. I’m not very crafty. I don’t knit or crochet or do any of those things old Southern women are supposed to do, except drink. And I like to lie down in the snow and make snow angels … (the rest of the quote can’t be printed in a family newspaper).
Q: You have performed onstage, in the movies and on television over the years, but is there one you like better than the others?
A: Well, with movies, once you do the cast and crew, that’s it. With TV there are always new guest stars. But in live performance, every night there are different boys to come up to the room afterwards. I’d have to say I do like live performances.
Pat Craig is the Times theater critic. Reach him at 925-945-4736 or pcraig@cctimes.com.
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