'Those were big years': Comedian Kathe Farris wrings laughs out of Quincy upbringing
Quincy native Kathe Farris had a longtime interest in becoming a standup comic. The self-described stay-at-home mom in a happy marriage took her time, however, and made sure she was ready before pursuing a career in comedy.
Farris completed her first adult education class in comedy when she was 23 and then waited 20 years to take her second one at ImprovBoston, where she now teaches.
With her devout love of snack cakes and vast knowledge of home cleaning products, Farris – who will appear at the Marriott Boston Quincy on Saturday, March 18 – has put her own brand of humor to work building a fan base in greater Boston and beyond.
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After becoming a comic-in-residence at the Comedy Studio in Somerville, and a finalist in the Boston Comedy Festival, Farris has recorded her first, as-yet-unnamed comedy album, for release later this year, and made her national debut with a Dry Bar Comedy Special.
By telephone recently from her home in Medfield, Farris talked about her career and family, her Quincy upbringing, the comics who inspire her and her favorite snack cakes.
Q: What kinds of jobs did you have before you embraced standup on a full-time basis?
A: I worked in the call center of a bank, and I was also a justice of the peace in Medfield for a number of years. I presided over weddings in people’s living rooms, public parks and function halls. I showed up wherever couples wanted to get married. I liked doing that very much.
Q: What motivated you to make the career transition to standup comedy?
A: It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. I took the classes and after that I started doing short sets at open mikes. I knew that I wanted to do standup comedy and I could, especially when I learned how to write a joke. It was then that I started putting an act together. In those days, it was always terrifyingly wonderful to be onstage. Now, it’s just wonderful.
Q: How would you describe your comedic style?
A: It’s not self-deprecating, it just reflects who I am. I’m 54 and I’m not high energy. For me, my comedy is not about getting famous, it’s just about doing what I love to do.
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Q: Who are the comics who inspire you?
A: One of my favorite comedians is Elayne Boosler, who was one of a small handful of women working in standup in the late 1970s and 1980s. I love her – she’s a great writer and a great businessperson. Her comedy is both clever and very smart.
I’m also a big Bob Newhart fan. He is one of the best ever, with an energy level all his own. He operates in a different gear from just about everyone else. His material is very much grounded in reality, and his conversational style brings his audience in beautifully.
Q: Do you write your material with a particular audience in mind?
A: No, I write about what interests me – from household cleaners, allergies and cheese to marriage and motherhood. The things I talk about onstage are the things I talk about in my everyday life. I’m happy if people leave my show thinking, “If she’s doing OK, then I must be too.”
Q: You grew up in Quincy as one of five children of the late William B. and Jean M. Feeney, and you have five sisters. Is your family fodder for your act?
A: Definitely. I talk about them and what it was like growing up first in Squantum and then Wollaston. Those were big years for me. I was a Girl Scout and later a cheerleader and student government president at North Quincy High School, where I graduated in 1987. And my sisters – Lynda Feeney, of Quincy; Patty Donatiello and Kara Patchin, of Braintree; Marybeth Shea, of Weymouth; and Maureen Feeney, of Brockton – are all funny, funnier than me, really.
When I first started playing comedy clubs, my sister Marybeth would bring quarters to feed the parking meters so we wouldn’t get tickets. They’re all very supportive and great sounding boards too. They will probably all be at my show in Quincy.
Q: What are some of your fondest memories of growing up in Quincy?
A: I have many. One is of the summers I spent as a coordinator for Quincy Parks and Recreation at Merrymount Park. It was a lot fun working with kids, doing arts and crafts.
One of my proudest memories, though, involves my mother. We lived on Sachem Street, which runs alongside the Clam Box. There’s always a lot of traffic on the street in the summer when the kids are outside. Back then, Sachem was a two-way street and my mother was concerned about possible accidents, so she went to city hall and made her case. I’m proud to say that the city made Sachem a one-way street because of my mother.
Q: I understand that you’ve been married to Lexington native Jeff Farris for 30 years and that you have two children together. Are either of your two daughters following in your footsteps?
A: My 24-year-old daughter, Jesse Farris, started doing standup at 17. Her material is very different from mine, but her cadence is similar. Jesse is pursuing a graduate degree in English at UMass-Amherst after earning her bachelor’s degree in secondary education at Stonehill College. She has a real passion for teaching, but I’d love to see her be a comic.
My older daughter, Kendra Farris, is 27, and she does all my social media, my press kits and my merchandise. Kendra’s always on me to update my photos and change this or that. She’s terrific at everything. Kendra will be relocating to Portugal soon, however, so I’ll be on my own to keep things current.
Q: I’ve left the most probing question for last. What is it with you and snack cakes?
A: I genuinely like them. I mean, what’s not to like about snack cakes? My all-time favorite is Entenmann’s cupcakes, but I also really love Little Debbie, especially their seasonal items.
A couple of years ago, I did a 30-day snack-cake challenge. And during March Madness, there’s a snack-cake ranking that I follow closely.
Boston Comedy Festival
Who: Kathe Ferris, Joe Flynn and Kristin O’Brien
When: 7:30 p.m. March 18
Where: Marriott Boston Quincy, 1000 Marriott Drive, Quincy
Tickets: $25 per person in advance; $30 at the door
Info: www.eventbrite.com
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Comedian Kathe Farris returns to her roots for Quincy show
