SAN DIEGO – The last time Paula Poundstone was in town promoting one of her gigs, she was about to go on the air at a local news station when she and her children noticed a couple of cat carriers on set, for an animal rescue segment that immediately followed hers.

The family became smitten with the two homeless felines and brought them home, adding to a clan that is reported to be as many as 13, although she does not confirm this.

On Tuesday, San Diego Gay & Lesbian News spoke with legendary comic.

Her love of cats was the first question; motivated in part by a recent Facebook post:

Just finished a California One Care benefit. I had so much fun, but these litter boxes will bring me back to reality.

She went from rubbing elbows with the likes of her contemporary Bill Maher at the fun, star-studded event, to sifting kitty poop; and if she does indeed have 13 cats, that is quite a job to come home to.

"You can’t get too heady with power when you have cats," she said grimly. "But they are nice to snuggle with for a movie."

Poundstone is back in town this Saturday for two shows, at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., at the popular restaurant/nightclub Anthology, located in Little Italy.

Spending an hour interviewing Poundstone is like buying a ticket to her show – you just better hold on to your seat. It is a non-stop adventure of anecdotes, humor and storytelling; pre-planned questions or talking points be damned.

“I love it in San Diego,” she quipped, “with all that is going on in the world, San Diego only has this Floatopia crisis.”

A decades-long staple on the comedy club circuit, Poundstone doesn’t do clubs anymore, opting for larger, performing arts venues, although she really appreciates the intimacy that Anthology offers. She recognizes that the people who come to see her these days are coming because they have seen her act in person before, or caught it on television, or she was highly recommended by someone who has.

There are generally no surprises, and she likes that.

“I’m not a blind date anymore. My shows feel more like a reunion than a cold call these days. It’s much more comfortable.”

After initially having to provide some maternal guidance to her children, the comic was ready to settle in and chat. Cats and kids are -- without a doubt -- her priority these days, and that is apparent not only from the first few minutes of the phone call, but also after a quick navigation of her website, where photos of her cats abound.

When asked where her unique sense of style had come from, she was eager to answer but quick to point out that she is not fond of it being described as “masculine,” as a local morning news anchor had done just a few hours before.

"Yes they are suits, but they are women’s suits," she scoffed. "As an office manager, I’d be wearing the same thing. With a suit it is just much easier to get dressed, I’m not sure why men have complained all these years.”

She first began wearing suits and ties at a time when great fabrics were becoming all the rage and popular designers like Nicole Miller were releasing unique, brightly colored ties. A series by Miller featuring “snack foods” caught her eye one day and she was hooked.

On the road, with endless gigs scattered across multiple cities for weeks in a row, it became a no-brainer to have what she now refers to as her "uniform," so the style stuck. It has become her signature on stage, along with a simple stool and a microphone.

Outside of the stand-up routine

In 2009 she published a book, “There’s Nothing In This Book That I Meant To Say,” that took her nine years to write. The book’s concept is so unique, Mary Tyler Moore – who eventually wrote the book’s forward – told her to keep it a secret.

"I have OCD and I just can’t stop talking about myself," she revealed. "It’s not a bad attribute, unless you are the one stuck doing a bun-shift at one of my shows, and of course, socially it's not good.

"I thought it was very presumptuous to write a book about myself so I decided to write a series of biographies of towering figures, and [by doing so] I tell my own.”

Each chapter starts out with the historical context of a different famous person, such as Abraham Lincoln, Beethoven, Helen Keller and Joan of Arc; but even in the midst of their larger-than-life stories, Poundstone always finds a way to shift the focus to herself, her non-stop humor not withstanding.

"The book was just so much fun to do. I had the playground of these lives," she continued. "Even the research [for the book] was fun, although Beethoven was a little dry."

For those wishing to indulge in a little history and comedic satire, she will have the book available for purchase at Anthology.

Poundstone is also now a regular panelist on NPR’s news quiz show called "Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me." The weekly radio broadcast is based on the week’s news but Poundstone doesn’t prepare for her stints on the show.

“It has to be organic. My No. 1 job is to entertain, and the funny part is the spontaneity.”

A native of Massachusetts, Poundstone currently makes her home in Santa Monica, where she lives with her three children and that clan of cats. Aside from her extensive travel schedule, life is pretty normal.

Like many Americans, she worries about the environment and has the same concerns as other mothers about her children’s safety and education, including the frustration of overpriced classroom gadgets in the days of shrinking cultural programs. In fact, she'd rather her children have a chalkboard and art and physical education over some of the pricey contraptions that are now mandatory educational expenses.

She is thankful that in her neighborhood (and anywhere), she and her kids can walk into the local Walgreens for the necessities of life without having to close it down for a private visit. That’s not to say she isn’t often approached. It would be hard to imagine that she go unrecognized, no matter what she was wearing. There just isn't anyone else like her.

“I have really intelligent fans,” she gushed. “They recognize me and do approach me, but it is always uplifting.”

She’s been a regular on Leno, Letterman and even Carson over the years, but has always remained true to her craft and more importantly, her audience and fans.

The topic of her run-in with the law several years back did not come up during the interview, but she doesn’t side-step that period of her life in her comedy act; in fact, she often addresses it head-on, effectively shooting that elephant in the room.

Poundstone is also known for incorporating members of her audience into her act at each gig, a successful gimmick that has never gotten her into trouble; although it came very close on one particular – and quite memorable -- occasion.

She was performing for then-President Bill Clinton and his wife at the Presidential Gala, held at Ford’s Theater in Washington. That very same day, Clinton had returned from a trip to Syria and shots had been fired at the White House. That shooting incident would change public access to the White House forever, and accordingly, security at the theater that night was tighter than ever.

“There was this feeling in the air – the whole notion of assassination was prevalent - and of course Ford’s Theater has a bad track record,” she ribbed.

The president and first lady were seated front and center. At some point during her set, Poundstone realized there was a camera fixated on them, recording their every move and reaction. Sensing the camera was mounted just below the stage, she quite spontaneously decided to make it part of her act.

Without prior notice or explanation, Poundstone laid down on her stomach. She then hung her head over the edge of the stage and put her face in front of the camera, just feet from the president of the United States. The audience erupted in laughter as she expected, but just as quickly, the carelessness of her actions overcame her.

"Suddenly the back of my head began to itch and I realized with all those Secret Service in the room, this was probably a very bad idea.”

She feels lucky to have entertained Clinton a few times (“I’m a huge fan,” she said) as well as other presidents.

"That is just a horrible job," she sympathized. "I am so proud to ease [the president's] burden, even for just a few minutes, and make him laugh."

Poundstone also looks forward to easing your burden with a few laughs this Saturday at Anthology, and on the heels of Comic-Con, she will surely bring out her own alter-ego superhero, "Wrong Mom."

If you go

Anthology, the "fine tuned music and cuisine" venue, is located at 1337 India St., between Ash and A streets. Parking can be found in various lots surrounding the venue or on the street.

Tickets range from $20 to $59, depending upon viewing level and seat selection. There is an additional $15 food and beverage minimum per person. For tickets, call the box office at (619) 595-0300.

For more information about the venue, its award-winning menu or the performance, visit the Anthology website.

Morgan M. Hurley is the Copy Editor for SDGLN. She can be reached at (877) 727-5446, ext. 710, or via e-mail at morgan@sdgln.com.