Janeane Garofalo, Greg Behrendt

Janeane Garofalo is an actor, writer, broadcaster and fierce advocate for a number of progressive causes in the US, but she's coming our way with Greg Behrendt for a week-long run of stand up comedy at the Opera House. While she was a public supporter of Barack Obama's presidential campaign, she laughs heartily at the suggestion that she can nip off to Australia because everything's sorted in the US these days.

"I would be delighted if the left had won, but no," she laughs. "There is no truly left-leaning voice in the halls of power. It would be a very nice thing if there was, but I'd say Obama is moderate - compared to George Bush, certainly. I'm thrilled that Obama is president, but I'm not thrilled at how it has caused the ugly face of racism to rear its head in the Republican Party and other sectors of American society. It's not pleasing to see that revealed in the year 2010."

That would have to hurt, especially after the hopefulness that surrounded the election.

"Absolutely: it makes me soulsick. If you're a thoughtful person who cares about such things, it's sickening - but that's part of the human condition, isn't it?" she sighs. "In any era, in any society, there has always been this tension between people who have very conservative mindsets and people who are more enlightened and progressive. One hopes these things would evolve and get better, but there'll always be a loud group that will stand in the way of progress. That's just the nature of the beast." She laughs suddenly. "Isn't this hilarious? I'm sure people will be bounding to come see the comedy!"

Good point: Garofalo might be an astute political commentator, but first and foremost she is a stand-up comedian - although I confess to finding the pairing of her sharp observational comedy with that of the man who co-wrote self-help bestseller He's Just Not That into You somewhat... well, incongruous.

"But that's not indicative of his whole stand-up, or his outlook on things," she immediately counters. "He's been doing stand-up for many, many years before getting involved with Sex and the City or working on that book. It's just one part of who he is, and on any given night he can talk about a million things that have nothing to do with that. He's got many things to say, it's just that one thing was what took off."

So his routine isn't all "hey, women and men sure do see things slightly differently, am I right?"

"No, no. And actually it really irks him when people think that's what he's gonna do. I'm sure at certain times [the book] is an albatross around his neck, even though it's been quite a blessing in a lot of other areas."

It's not hard to imagine that Garofalo's had similar experiences in the past, where audiences appeared expecting that quirky gal from Reality Bites or The Truth about Cats & Dogs.

"Yeah: and it was wonderful that happened for me, and opened a lot of doors for me, but I would assume at this point many people wouldn't even remember I was in those films. That was a long time ago, though there was a while early on where people only knew me from that and they'd see my stand up and wonder why I wasn't that very nice young woman who played the violin from The Truth about Cats & Dogs."

So there's very little violin playing in the current show?

"No. Not as much as you'd like."

Well, the show's at the Opera House: it would certainly be appropriate.

"True. I may pick up a string instrument, if they have one lying around. But I'm not bringing a cello or anything. I like to travel light. It's a long flight." Andrew P Street