Lisa Lampanelli — From Mean To Lean

Comedian, writer and actor Lisa Lampanelli is best-known as “Comedy’s Lovable Queen of Mean.” On Saturday, October 19 at 8 p.m., Lampanelli returns to the Bay Street Theater stage with “Fat Chance: An Evening of Conversation and Story.”

“Fat Chance” showcases the former insult comic at her new best. From her humorous storytelling to her lively Q&A with the audience, the no-holds-barred entertainer is truthful, vulnerable and, most importantly, hilarious. From her food obsession to her physical transformation with the help of bariatric surgery more than six years ago, to her compulsion to date the "junk food of men," Lampanelli — with the help of fellow comedian and actor Frank Liotti — will tell all in a way she’s never done before.

“I can’t wait to get this show in front of the audience at Bay Street,” said Lampanelli, who workshopped “Stuffed,” her off-Broadway show about weight and food issues, at the theater in 2016. “I love having the chance to tell stories about one of the most common struggles people have, while still keeping the laughs flowing.

“Hey, if Oprah — the most powerful woman in the world — still has challenges with her weight, what hope does Pam from accounting, Joyce the security guard, or Lisa Lampanelli have? When you think about it, we have no choice but to laugh.”

With a career spanning more than 30 years, Lampanelli was a constant presence on the comedy scene. With numerous tours, Grammy nominations, and national TV guest appearances and specials under her belt, Lampanelli made national headlines in 2012 when she lost more than 100 pounds with the help of bariatric surgery. The comedian went on to speak with unflinching honesty about her lifelong food and body-image issues, and has since gone from insulter to inspirer.

She is now curating and performing humorous and heartfelt shows featuring herself and other storytellers, actors, and special guests coming clean about their food and body-image struggles.

“Stuffed,” which had two off-Broadway runs in 2016 and 2017, was intended to motivate her fans to work on themselves and embrace a healthier life through self-love and self-acceptance. In turn, those same fans inspired Lampanelli to shed her old title of insult comic and dedicate herself to helping others through storytelling events, workshops, and one-on-one coaching.

Having become known to U.S. audiences from appearances on the Comedy Central Roasts, “The Howard Stern Show,” and the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” Lampanelli raised $130,000 for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis during season five of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice.” After having hit every possible career high in her stand-up career — including sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall — Lampanelli is thrilled to take on this new challenge for herself and others.

Tickets are $40 to $75 at baystreet.org or 631-725-9500. Bay Street Theater is on Long Wharf in Sag Harbor.