by **** (out of 5)
Is it really all that silly for a little girl growing up in Greenwich, Conn., to want a modeling career or to become a pop star? Not necessarily.
Mary Beth Barone, the youngest of six, shares how she grew up privileged, but not so privileged that she could avoid the temptations of Barbizon and the trainwreck that followed, a modeling “agency” that promised a lot for $5,000 and delivered photos that Barone only could display now with trigger warnings. At 15, though, she did also manage to land her photo in Rolling Stone magazine, albeit not for modeling purposes. Those experiences may have derailed her plans and dissuaded her from the pursuit of fame and celebrity for a decade. It didn’t stop her from making questionable life choices, however. On the bright side, though, she has learned enough from it to not only warn female audience members out of sleeping with any comedians at the Fringe (or in general), but also to identify and deprogram f-boys. Which allows Barone a few minutes to promote another show she’s fronting at the Fringe: Drag His Ass with Mary Beth Barone.
During that decade when Barone had sworn off celebrity, she revealed she might’ve ended up as an English teacher. Why? Because she hoped gay teens would look up to her. Ironically, her comedy career has achieved that already.
Mary Beth Barone: Silly Little Girl runs through Aug. 28, 2022, at Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs).
