Latest news with #Buteau
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michelle Buteau talks saying goodbye to 'Survival of the Thickest' and her 'first true love' stand-up comedy
Buteau celebrates stand-up as a Gala star at the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal From her incredible success with the Netflix series Survival of the Thickest and history-making stand-up shows, including being the first woman to film a comedy special at Radio City Music Hall, Michelle Buteau is one of the most beloved talents in entertainment. So the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal is lucky to have her featured as a Gala star. Whether she's acting, doing stand-up comedy, hosting, writing or producing a project, she excels at it all. But no matter how many hats she's worn in her career of more than 20 years, stand-up is her "first true love." "I fell in love with stand-up and everything else is just cherries on the cake," Buteau told Yahoo Canada. "When you get the Gala spot at JFL, it feels like you've won Formula One. ... When you start stand-up, there are a handful of things, especially New York comedians, always talk about getting. An SNL audition, or a Late Night spot, and JFL was right up there. So this is very exciting. I mean, it's been a long time, so very happy to be doing it." As Buteau highlighted, there's nothing like experiencing the thrill of a live stand-up show. But through her comedy specials on streaming sites and leveraging online platforms, Buteau has really been able to make her work available to people around the world. It's that accessibility component that's important for her. "There's a non-binary teenager in Kenya that's reaching out to me, a 62-year-old lesbian in Bulgaria, ... then there's cities in Brazil ... using my catchphrase," Buteau said. "It makes comedians feel like rock stars." Michelle Buteau is 'tired' of people being told their 'not worthy' With the success of Survival of the Thickest, the show has been praised for being particularly sex-positive, as the lead character Mavis (played by Buteau) works to thrive mentally, emotionally and sexually. "When we talk about mental health and making people feel good, it isn't just about how you look. It's about how you feel. And it's about how you feel in all chapters of your life," Buteau said. "So whether it is a piece of clothing, whether it is food, whether it is attention, whether it is sex, all of it is meant to build you up, not tear you down." "[I'm] sick and tired of the conversation, especially in and around the arts, film and TV, of bigger bodies always having to feel very grateful that someone finds them desirable, which is just plain bullshit. ... Since the beginning of time there has been thick people who have been loved on and dicked down. It's just like, excuse me, why is this such a wild concept that somebody would love their body? And honestly, it is what we are going through today and what we've been going through also since the beginning of time. It's control. It is a mental prison. If you tell people they are not worthy ... they're going to believe you, they're not going to feel good about themselves. And I'm so tired of that." Buteau added that what's great about having Survival of the Thickest on Netflix, which is available in 190 countries, is how many people she can reach with the show's core messaging. "I know that I can reach people of all gender expressions, of all sizes and shapes, and say, 'Hey boo, you look f—king good and you're worthy of whatever you want,'" she said. "That's why I made my character a stylist, because I think the platform of fashion can showcase the injustices. ... It's also a good excuse to be like, 'Hey, I need a lot of money for fashion.'" While we already know that Season 3 of Survival of the Thickest will be the show's last, a tough hit for many fans, Buteau is ready to go out with impact. "It feels earned and deserved," Buteau said. "I'm really lucky ... that I found something I love to do, and so I don't take the responsibility lightly. We're going to blow it up ... in the best possible way." "I know people are bummed that it won't be coming back, but it's actually such a gift to know that it is the third and final. I don't think a lot of platforms and networks give you that information all the time."
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michelle Buteau Reveals The 1 Reason She Doesn't Want To Go Back To Australia — And It's Hilarious
Michelle Buteau isn't too eager to return to Australia, where the wildlife doesn't just look dangerous, it auditions for the role. The 'Survival of the Thickest' star recently wrapped up seven weeks of filming in Australia for her upcoming comedy film, 'Spa Weekend,' and she realized her trip was less about rest and relaxation, but more about running for her life. 'I'm good on it. It was nice for what it was,' Buteau jokingly said of her time Down Under, during a March 28 appearance on 'The Late Show.' 'I didn't know, when you go there you're just like in a Safari.' Host Stephen Colbert comedically added, 'Everything there wants you dead.' But the real shock came when Buteau had a 'little visitor' make an unexpected cameo in her trailer. Colbert then held up a photo of the spider Buteau encountered — though it was far from the likes of which Americans were used to encountering. 'I was getting dressed, and I said, 'Wardrobe lady, is that a bat?'' she recalled. Her assistant, ever the calm voice of reason, reassured the comedian that it is in fact a 'little spider.' But, given the spider's sheer magnitude, roughly the size of a tax-paying citizen, Buteau responded, 'What's a big spider, sis?' She admitted avoiding her trailer for the remainder of the day and joked that they 'had to walk it out on a leash' due to its stature. 'That spider was so big, it was like everything you own in the box to the left,' she said, paying homage to Beyoncé's hit song 'Irreplacable.' Still haunted by the encounter, Buteau likened the arachnid to something with its own political agenda. 'I'm a Democrat, but that spider was independent,' she confidently stated. 'I named it Jill Stein. I'm like, 'Where did you come from out of nowhere?'' Michelle Buteau Calls Out Dave Chappelle's Anti-Trans Jokes Michelle Buteau's New Show Redefines The Rom-Com Heroine's Journey Stephen Colbert Gleefully Burns Elon Musk With 'Terrible News' About His Influence
CBC
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Michelle Buteau's plus-size comedy is sexy, joyful and real
In a Q interview, the actor and comedian discusses her Netflix comedy-drama Survival of the Thickest Image | Michelle Buteau Caption: Survival of the Thickest is a Netflix series co-created by Michelle Buteau and Danielle Sanchez Witzel, based on Buteau's book of the same name. (Netflix) Open Image in New Tab Media Audio | Michelle Buteau's plus-size comedy is sexy, joyful and real Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Women are often made to think that once their 20s are over, they're past their prime — stuck in the same unfulfilling career or mediocre relationship for the rest of their lives. But comedian Michelle Buteau thinks it's never too late to start over. In an interview with Q 's Tom Power, Buteau says her Netflix series Survival of the Thickest, which is now in Season 2, is a testament to anyone who feels like a bit of a "hot mess." Based on her book of the same name, the show follows Mavis (Buteau), a stylist navigating single life in New York City after finding out her boyfriend is cheating on her. According to Buteau, every woman in her family, including herself, has been cheated on. She's become all too familiar with what it looks like to rebuild your life, and the show is her way of helping other women make peace with change, no matter what stage of life they're in. "You figure out your voice, figure out who you are and keep it moving," she says. Survival of the Thickest also centres body positivity in a way that Buteau never got to see when she was growing up. Mavis is unapologetically sexy and proud of her body, curves and all. "When I was growing up, plus-size women were shunned, they were made fun of, they were the butt of the joke," Buteau tells Power. "Just because you gain some weight or you're a bigger person doesn't mean you're unhealthy, doesn't mean you're useless, doesn't mean that you're not sexy. And if we're not showing that, how do we know?" While representation matters to the people seeing themselves on-screen, it's also important for people who don't necessarily relate to the characters. "That's what diversity is," Buteau says. "That's what comedy should do. It should reel you in and teach you and make you want to hang out with us." Survival of the Thickest is all about highlighting the joys of being a plus-size woman, but Buteau points out that she often finds herself having to work through some painful memories before being able to write jokes about them. Before going into stand-up comedy, she worked in a New York newsroom — she had wanted to go into entertainment reporting, but a professor told her she was too fat to be on camera. "I believed him because I was raised not to question authority and I didn't see anyone like me [on-screen]," she says. Instead, she decided to work behind the scenes, editing video footage. Buteau managed to bring a lighter energy to the workplace, and people were telling her to seriously consider pursuing stand-up comedy as a career. It wasn't until she was working in the newsroom during the Sept. 11 attacks, combing through horrific footage and thinking about what the coming weeks at this job could mean for her, that she decided to take a leap of faith. Three days later, she did her first stand-up set. "It was like group therapy," she says. "I just remember thinking, 'Oh man, I feel good, I feel happy, I feel alive … I'm sharing a warm connection with people. We don't know what the hell we're doing, but we're just trying to get through it." The world of comedy came with its own set of standards, as female comedians are often treated like an anomaly. Over time, Buteau taught herself that it was OK to take up space, learning to be sure of her own worth and letting go of people who weren't able to see it too. "I do think comedy has saved me in more ways than one," she says. "It forces you to work through your pain…. I started advocating for myself, asking for things [and] calling people out by their name. I've got the microphone. I'm doing my thing."
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In 'Survival of the Thickest,' queer joy and activism are one and the same
This week, Survival of the Thickest returns for its sophomore season on Netflix, and the show, which already felt like a much-needed and joyful escape, is even more poignant now. For the unfamiliar, the series follows the exploits and experiences of Mavis Beaumont (as played by Michelle Buteau and based loosely on her book of essays), and her friends as they navigate both career challenges and (queer) romantic ones. Mavis has dreams of becoming both a famed stylist to the stars and of making the world — by way of the fashion industry — a more welcoming and accessible place for people with larger bodies (or, as she puts it, folks with oddy bodies and fatty baddies. Season two picks up with Mavis quickly finding herself single again but ready to pour herself into growing her brand, and creating more space and acceptance for everybody beginning with her own brick-and-mortar store. Netflix It's aspirational to be sure, but much has changed in the real world since season one made its way to Netflix in July 2023. So while the show is as funny and charming as ever, Mavis' quest to take on the system just hits a little different this time. And that's a very good thing. It's not lost on Buteau who is excited to use her platform to elevate the voices and stories of marginalized people and is unapologetically an ally to the queer community. 'Everybody is our brother and sister — we're all family. So can we just do that?' she asks PRIDE. She has high hopes that LGBTQ+ people will feel uplifted by this season which sees multiple queer love stories unfold. Buteau says her desire is one that the queer audience knows. 'That' they are worthy and important and that they matter and that they should have happy endings and a community to go through stuff with.' For the actor, creator, and producer of the show, Buteau sees the show as, 'such a love letter to my friends and I always say the oddy bodies and fatty baddies in the queer community to be like we got this let's keep going. While I have this moment on this platform to do this show I'm gonna do what I can to make us shine, bitch.' Netflix While she is serious about her allyship, Buteau can't help but joke about the pleasures and pitfalls of bringing her love stories to the screen this season. Fresh off of a heartbreak, Mavis is ready to embrace her 'hoe' side in season two, which sees her set out on a spree of dates: some that go well and some that go hilariously wrong. But there's a method to all the madness, says Buteau. 'I had a lot more intimate scenes than I had in season one. I think trying to figure out how to tell that story in the most beautiful way, but also honest way, so it's like maybe less makeup because I think it's very important to tell women that they don't need a beat face in order to be loved or dicked down, or however you enjoy your sex,' she explains. Adding, 'But I'm not gonna lie… being on set having cooked meals for you all the time and then trying on a bunch of lingerie in between lunch, it's just like, 'What is this gonna be? That was a little challenging, but it was also really fun. It's also an honor, but it's also really hard not to fart on them sometimes.' Netflix That quote perfectly encapsulates the ethos and balancing act that Survival embodies. It's activism and humor, sexiness, and humanity all rolled into one utterly watchable series. Fart jokes? You bet, but it also presents a world that suggests what our real one could be if we just led with love and acceptance. It's also why the inclusion of drag legend Peppermint, playing a version of herself, adds so much depth — and hope — to the proceedings. The drag superstar, broadway actress, and trans activist doesn't mince words when it comes to seeing how this show can serve as a powerful tool of empathy building in a time when we truly need it most. Netflix 'In the day and age where we're hearing people who weren't elected to be very close to certain high offices in the country, talking about how empathy is the enemy and the death of this country, which is not true, but that is what has been said because they know that empathy is the one thing that will defend people against this type of dehumanization,' Peppermint tells PRIDE. 'You cannot dehumanize who you empathize with, and that is key.' She continues. 'We need each other, and I can impact you, and you can impact me. It's inevitable, if we're sharing space, we will impact each other and improve on each other's lives,' she tells PRIDE. 'That's one of the things that Michelle and the writers do so well [in season two.]' Netflix Like the best of entertainment, Survival of the Thickest manages to do both things, entertain first and foremost, but it also invites us to open up our hearts to characters, some of whom are like us, some of us whose lived experiences are totally unlike ours and to love them both. That's not just a recipe for queer joy, it's one for survival. Survival of the Thickest season two is streaming now on Netflix. Watch the trailer below. Tell a friend to tell a friend Mavis Beaumont and crew are back! Survival of the Thickest Season 2 premieres March 27. Only on ... - YouTube \
Boston Globe
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Michelle Buteau's ‘Survival of the Thickest' returns, with trademark heart
One of the show's more charming elements is Buteau's idyllic vision of New York. In the world of 'Survival of the Thickest,' it's somehow always summertime, there's a fun, hip drag bar with a hot bartender where you can always get a table with your friends, and an artist like Khalil can afford a stylish loft by himself. Spending time there makes it seem like there's a fundamental optimism in the world that feels in short supply right now. She's also crafted a universe full of queer, gender-non-conforming people of color, whose bodies don't conform to societal standards of thinness. Mavis's entire business model is built around the idea that these communities are not served by much existing fashion, so she's filling both a practical and spiritual need for them. If the show has an underlying ethos, it might be that looking and feeling beautiful and welcomed in the world where you live is as fundamental as any other right. Advertisement Hence the show's deep warm-heartedness. If there's a downside, it's that in season 2 Mavis is doing so well that the story stalls out at times, and it's overall not quite as funny as season 1. Watching Mavis get into humiliating situations sounds like a cruel thing to hope for, but Buteau is an especially skilled physical comedian, and Mavis is someone who is both prone to embarrassment but infinitely capable of getting past it. She can get into cringey situations without the skin-crawling horror that underlies awkward moments for shows like 'The Office.' As someone who watched a lot of ' Lisa Weidenfeld can be reached at
