LAFF Interviews….ManiPedi!

 

LAFF interviewed the lovely lasses of ManiPedi and got some serious deets on Cheese Steaks, drunk hands, sketch wonderment and a desire to see the bats.  Spa-medy indeed. These fallopianly empowered gals will be taking the stage on Friday, May 11th at 8 pm. Get tickets, here!

 

LAFF: So, if you had to choose would you pick a Mani or a Pedi?

Madonna: Pedi – Guys can deal with looking at gross hands; but everybody hates gross feet.

Shannon: Pedi. They always last longer than manicures. Plus I absolutely hate my feet, so getting pedicures makes them slightly less loathesome.

Kaitlin: I am partial to $.99 nail buffers from drug stores. Treat yourself and get two (one for the mani one for the pedi). Call it “the works.”

Briana: A Mani. I’m a smoker- my beautifully manicured fingers give me something nice to look at and momentarily distract me from the fact that the cigarette nestled between them is slowly killing me.

Aubrie: I always ruin my manicures shortly after I get them, so I’d say pedicures. They are also more relaxing.

LAFF: What’s the genesis of your name?

Madonna: When I get drunk–not exactly black-out drunk but like almost there–I start to lose feeling in my hands and feet which is what I like to call a ManiPedi.

Shannon: When Madonna and a few of the girls  get drunk, their hands and feet go numb. They call that a ManiPedi.

Kaitlin: It is based on a circulation problem Madonna has in her hands and feet that she attributes to drinking alcohol.

Briana: I honestly had no idea why we were called ManiPedi until earlier today. Now that I know it only makes me that much happier to be part of this group.

Aubrie: Me neither! I would’ve joined whatever the name cause these ladies are awesome, but it also makes me really happy that this is why we’re called ManiPedi.

LAFF: Tell us about how you all got started?

Madonna:I was asked to do an all-female night at Camp Tabu and I needed a sketch group. I knew Shannon from working with Brendan Kennedy in Camp Woods and I met Kait at a Sketch Up. So I forced them to be in a group with me. From there it was just a matter of finding more people to work with.

Shannon: I met Madonna at a Camp Woods show. I had an interest in sketch, but the group I was with wasn’t really working out, so I said “FINE! I’ll be in your group! Just stop begging me and telling me how wonderful I am all the time!” She still tells me how fierce I am from time to time. Madonna had Kait and Briana in mind, and then one night (while drinking what I still believe were free beers) Madonna and I stared down Aubrie and politely asked her to join. Since then we’ve been pretty happy.

Kaitlin: Madonna asked me to read one of her sketches at Sketch up or shut up, a free open mic for sketch groups. A few weeks later, we met at Madonna’s place and started writing.

Briana: I had seen ManiPedi perform at Sketch Up or Shut Up, the local sketch open mic, last fall and thought they were awesome. I knew Madonna and Aubrie through sketch writing classes and thought Shannon and Kait were terrific just from seeing them perform.  Madonna asked if I was interested in joining, I said yes, and then did an internal happy dance for getting to work with such talented people. The internal happy danced I performed was the running man, in case you were wondering.

Aubrie: I was asked by Madonna and Shannon. I had seen all of the girls do improv and sketch and loved them all, so it was a no-brainer. And if they didn’t ask that night, I probably would’ve begged. I’m glad it didn’t have to come to that though!

LAFF: What are you looking forward to seeing while you are down here in Austin?

Shannon: Everything! LAFF shows, Barton Springs, Mount Bonnell, 6th Street, all of the awesome places to eat, and the Bat Bridge. I really hope the Bat Bridge is a real thing and not some joke Texans play on visitors.

Madonna: Your faces lighting up when we make our fart jokes. Gourmet donuts going into my mouth. The farts coming out of me after said donuts. (I hear you guys have a cool music scene. I’d love to be a part of it.)

Kaitlin: LAFF shows, food trucks, bats. Everyone is saying to check out Barton Springs. I’m excited for that.

Briana: Bats.

Aubrie: I hear there is a sweet Stevie Ray Vaughn statue…that is what Trip Advisor tells me at least! Everything mentioned above, thrift stores, and also, my dad is sending me on a mission to go to Willie Nelson’s restaurant. I hope it’s called “Willie Nelson’s Restaurant”, cause that’s what he kept calling it. My dad also told me Willie Nelson plays dominos in gas stations outisde of Austin.

LAFF: We have lots of competition here in Austin for Best Breakfast Taco, if
we were up in Philly, where should we get our first Cheese Steak?

Madonna: Pat’s – get the Provy wit and tell your bowels to hold on tight!

Shannon: Jim’s. On top of having good food, they’re super nice and have indoor seating.

Kaitlin: Steak & Hoagie Factory for Prov or American. Steve’s Prince of Steaks for wiz. It is a regal sandwich.

Briana: Clearly your first Cheese Steak on this hypothetical trip will not be your last one while visiting the Philly area. You will want to save the best Cheese Steak for last, so let your first (as well as your second, third, fourth and fifth) Cheese steak be a warm up for the main event. Eat your first Cheese Steak in the suburbs where they’re ok (I recommend Pepper Mill). Then, work your way closer to Philly, Cheese Steak establishment by Cheese Steak establishment, with each delicious Cheese Steak topping the one that came before it, until you end your visit deciding between Pat’s or Geno’s.

Aubrie: I’m a Tony Luke’s fan, wiz wit. So good.

LAFF: If I were to start a troupe called Sea Salt Scrub (with Lavender) could
we go on tour together? What should my format be??

Kaitlin: Yes! It would be misleading. We would draw a crowd of
disappointed moms. Including my own mom. Format: Sketch, lady!

Aubrie: We could call it Spa-medy!! Not to be confused with Spam-edy. The latter comes in a tiny can and has less scented oils.