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‘I wanted adulthood’: Comedian Chelsea Handler opens up on life-shaping experiences ahead of NZ tour

US comedian Chelsea Handler is set to bring her controversially-named tour to New Zealand shores this July.

Handler had a diverse, long-running entertainment history, having worked as an actress, writer and television host for over two decades. It’s been a long career, the result of big plans and ambition brought about by a complicated family dynamic.

“I was not satisfied at all with my family dynamic when I was born as the youngest of six children. I remember being very young and looking around like- who’s in charge? Because it wasn’t my mom, it wasn’t my dad, they were two hot messes. And my brothers and sisters were just doing what they wanted.”

She told ZB’s Francesca Rudkin she knew she wanted to turn her life around, and she started working as early as she could to ensure she didn’t get anything less than the best for herself.

“I wanted a big life, I wanted freedom and I wanted adulthood. And I wanted to cut ties with anyone who was going to hold me back- I thought childhood was insulting, I never felt like a child.”

Her upcoming comedy tour promises similar anecdotes and stories to the ones she shared with Francesca- Handler vividly recalls the day she was told she would never fly first class, and that moment stuck with her.

“I remember walking past the first class section and I was sniffing around- this is my group, you know? It smells like my group! And my mom’s like- keep going, keep going, we’re in the back, we’ll never be able to fly first class. Those people are rich and we’re not. And I was like- first of all, speak for yourself.”

Handler knew from an early age she could get away with being opinionated and assertive. Despite her ‘messy’ upbringing as the youngest in a family of eight, her five siblings eventually looked to Handler as a family leader. She told Francesca she was bold and opinionated- and she hopes to encourage other women to do the same.

“It's all about women knowing their own power and standing up for themselves and being loud and brave. I like to live my life in a very loud, brave way as an example to everyone. You don't have to get married, you don't have to have babies to have value, there are a million things you can don in this world."

She’s copped some backlash for her controversial moments, but she’s unbothered by the headlines and negative comments. She explained to Francesca that she doesn’t feel the need to be liked by everyone, and that’s never her intention.

“Also if everyone does like you- what does that say about you? It says that you have no opinions, that you don't stand for anything, because it's impossible to be liked by everybody. I started my career understanding that a lot of people would not like me, so anyone who likes me is a bonus."

Chelsea Handler’s still looking forward to touching down in New Zealand, it’ll be her first tour since 2019. And depending on how a certain presidential election turns out- she could come back again much sooner, as she explained to Francesca.

“I want my life to be one big adventure, and it has been. Getting to come to New Zealand and Australia and travelling the globe to make people laugh is a total, total privilege." 

Chelsea Handler’s two-stop New Zealand tour, Little Big B****, will play at the Auckland Town Hall on July 5th and Wellington’s St James Theatre on July 6th.

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