Megan Mullally returns to Oklahoma for a July 30 performance. (Eric Schwabel / Provided)
The first half of this year has been a busy one for Oklahoma City-raised Megan Mullally. The Emmy-winning actress finished shooting a film called Why Him? that hits theaters Christmas day. She recorded a new album and hits the road with her husband, actor Nick Offerman, for their Summer of 69: No Apostrophe tour.
The couple performs 8 p.m. July 30 at Norman’s Riverwind Casino, 1544 W. State Highway 9.
“I always love coming home to Oklahoma City,” Mullally said in a recent phone interview with Oklahoma Gazette. “I was actually just there a few weeks ago. I shot an indie film in Austin, so when it wrapped, I headed on up for a few days. When Nick and I do our show in Norman in July, we will come a few days early and spend some time in the city.”
The new show features adult humor and is not for young audiences.
“I certainly would advise people to not bring their 7-year-olds,” she said. “About half of the show is material Nick and I wrote, and then the other half comes from a couple of friends of ours who are comedy writers.”
Adult humor is nothing new to Mullally. A couple years ago, she and actress Stephanie Hunt brought their Nancy and Beth act to Lyric on the Plaza. One of their big numbers was a song called “Pussy and Weed.”
“Some of the songs we did at Lyric had people rolling in the aisles,” Mullally said. “That is such a cool venue. But I have to admit I was nervous doing that show at home because we hadn’t played Oklahoma City yet and I thought, ‘Oh my God. Are people going to leave because we have a couple of dirty rap songs?’ I think two people left, and I was sort of expecting maybe 84 percent to walk out, so that was good.”
Mullally and Hunt recorded a new comedy album, which will be released later this year.
“It’s taking a while because we wanted to put it out on vinyl and it’s very hard to get a record pressed,” she said. “Nobody wanted vinyl for 30 years, and now everybody wants vinyl and there’s only like three places left that will press a record. We have the cover art done and are getting ready to shoot a video, but much like Summer of 69, it is also not for children.”
Megan Mullally’s husband and fellow comedian Nick Offerman joins her for the Summer of 69 tour, which hits Norman’s Riverwind Casino July 30. (Dan Winters / Provided)
Music education
Mullally said her musical tastes run the gamut, and she credits growing up in OKC for much of her eclectic style.
“I listened to WKY, which was the big station when I was growing up,” she said. “It was really the only game in town. They had to play a little something for everyone. For example they would play ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,’ and then they would play Frank Sinatra singing ‘Strangers in the Night,’ and after that, it would be some country song like ‘I’ll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle.’ So that really influences what I do in my shows now.”
After all these years away, the Casady School graduate is still proud to call the city home.
“I was just thinking last time I was there that it’s my favorite city to drive a car in,” she said. “I just feel so comfortable driving there. I guess because I know it so well. If I’m over at mom’s and I quickly want to pop over to my friend Rhonda’s, it’s not a big deal. I can be anywhere in about 10 minutes.”
Home politics
But Mullally said what surprises her most about Oklahoma these days is its politics.
“I am embarrassed by some of the things coming out of my home state. I’m not going to lie,” she said. “I love Oklahoma City. I was raised there, I love going back to visit and I love all my friends there, but I see things in the news coming out of Oklahoma City and I’m like, ‘That doesn’t sound like any of the people I know.’ And I don’t endure what you guys go through there on a daily basis.”
Mullally said she was stunned when she heard recent news of the Oklahoma Legislature trying to make it a felony for doctors to perform abortions.
“My first instinct was, ‘You’re kidding me! What? What about Roe v. Wade?’” she said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all changing and it’s going to change no matter how hard people try to go back to the Dark Ages. I guess they can give it the old college try, like one last-ditch effort.”
One of the most groundbreaking sitcoms that helped shape today’s society was Will & Grace. For eight seasons, she played gin-soaked socialite Karen Walker. The show has been off the air for a decade, but this year’s presidential election makes Mullally wonder who her former alter ego would support.
“In many ways, Karen really is the future Mrs. Trump, don’t you think?” Mullally said. “I think Trump seems like Stanley Walker a little bit, right? I think Trump has the big money Karen would need, so unfortunately, I think that would be her choice. And like Karen, Donald Trump is very vocal about the money he says he has.”
Politics aside, Mullally said this summer is all about touring and seeing the country.
“Nick and I will rent a nice vehicle and just travel,” she said. “For us, it’s the summer of ’69. We’ll do a show every day or so and just have fun. Oklahoma City is our first stop, and we are looking so forward to coming home.”
Summer of 69: No Apostrophe
8 p.m. July 30
Riverwind Casino, Norman
1544 W. State Highway 9
405-322-6000
$46-$66
(Cover by Erin DeMoss / Oklahoma Gazette)
Print headline: Summer roads, Oklahoman Megan Mullally returns home with a new comedy show.