That squealing persona may be a thing of the past for comedian Bobcat Goldthwait, but he has no problem returning to the scene of the crime: the stand-up stage.
After stepping away from stand-up in 2005, he’s spent the better part of the past decade primarily focusing on writing and directing his own string of darkly comedic films. His indie offerings such as 2011’s “God Bless America” tend to garner niche audiences and critical acclaim.
Up next he’s helming a Bigfoot flick and working on transforming a Kinks album into a movie musical. Yet, the Bobcat’s natural habitat arguably involves a mike and a spotlight, as seen in his recent Showtime special “You Don’t Look the Same Either.”
Q: The Laughing Skull Lounge is a tiny room. Do you like being up close and personal with an audience?
A: Yeah. The Laughing Skull is a great room. It's one of the best clubs in the country, really, because it's small and intimate. So I look forward to it. And I also like the scene in Atlanta. There are a lot of comedians who will come by and hang out and they're usually pretty supportive, so it's cool. … I'm not quite sure why there are so many (comics in Atlanta). It's a lot like the scene in L.A., which sounds weird. There are two scenes in L.A. There are the folks who play the Comedy Store and Laugh Factory, and there are folks who do alternative venues. And it reminds me of the folks playing the alternative venues.
Q: How does revisiting stand-up work for you as an artist?
A: When you're doing stand-up, it's pretty instantaneous. You get an idea immediately of what's working and what's not. When I make a movie, I find out a year later what's connecting with people or not. I like stand-up. I've done it since I was a teenager, so it's kind of my first job and first kind of creative way to express myself.
Q: With movies like “World’s Greatest Dad” and “God Bless America,” you’ve become known for tackling edgy material. What’s your main goal as a filmmaker?
A: I'm not really trying to reach a big mass of an audience. My movies are done for a tiny, tiny budget and that affords me to make them more personal. So all of the movies that I've been making are all about me kind of addressing stuff that I'm either thinking about or running around in my mind. It sounds obnoxious, but I think the first person I made the movies for was myself. Then when they find an audience that's surprising and awesome. But usually it's just me trying to amuse myself and my wife. …
When I get to make a movie, I really try to make it on my own terms. It’s different than going into a studio and getting their heads-up. That’s why it’s been taking a longer time for me to do this musical based on a Kinks album from the ’70s called “Schoolboys in Disgrace.” Because it’s not a small movie and it’s going to take a bigger budget, that one has been a little harder to get going. But I don’t really give up on that one and certain screenplays. But my approach to making movies is different than other people, because I just write a lot of screenplays. I’m constantly writing screenplays. And then when the right situation arises when I can get the money or a great cast, then I go out and make it.
Bobcat Goldthwait 8 p.m. Thursday; 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday. $20-$30. Laughing Skull Lounge, 878 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 877-523-3288, www.laughingskulllounge.com.
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