'Queen of Mean' becomes 'Queen of Meaning'
Milford. Comedian-turned life coach and storyteller Lisa Lampanelli to appear at Milford Readers and Writers Festival
Milford /
| 13 Sep 2019 | 02:28
Lisa Lampanelli
Dr. Mary Frances Berry will be in conversation with Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-8th District) on the main stage on Sept. 22 to discuss “organizing for change” in the contemporary political climate.
On Sept. 21, Helen Zia will speak about her new book “Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese who Fled Mao’s Revolution” and how she discovered her mother’s harrowing long hidden past.
Lisa Lampanelli, formerly known as comedy's "Lovable Queen of Mean," will appear as a special guest at the Milford Readers and Writers Festival (Sept. 20-22).
At 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, at the Milford Theatre, she will talk about quitting stand-up and following her new path as "The Queen of Meaning."
“I was always one of those rapid-fire comics who didn't give the audience time to think," said Lampanelli, who is known for her biting insult comedy and bawdy humor. "What I found out is that storytelling can be just as funny, but I get to tell the whole story, with a beginning, middle and end."
She said this new form of performance style and writing allows her to continue to embrace her sense of humor, but use it in a more fulfilling combination of message-driven shows.
Lampanelli became famous for her Friars Club and Comedy Central roasts of celebrities like Chevy Chase, David Hasselhoff, and Larry the Cable Guy. She has starred in five one-hour comedy specials for HBO, Comedy Central and Epix, and received two Grammy nominations for Best Comedy Album. Lampanelli will appear at She will join in conversation with life coach and author Carol McManus.
The Milford Readers and Writers Festival is a project of Pike Artworks, a not-for-profit organized by a group of community volunteers from the Upper Delaware River Valley region.
“In an exquisite scenic enclave only a stone’s throw from New York, Milford’s increasingly popular Readers and Writers Festival has become one of America’s most stimulating literary venues – for first-rank authors, would-be authors, and the reading public," says John Berendt, author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
A limited number of festival passes valid for entry to all events are available for $200 per person at milfordreadersandwriters.com.
The main stage events happen at the Historic Milford Theater, 114 East Catharine St., Milford. In addition to these ticketed events, the festival offers a variety of free programs, including the fantasy-themed science fiction panel “The Wide Worlds of Fantasy,” “Moral Lessons through Children's Books," and “Fun for Kids” at the Pike County Public Library.
Saturday on the main stage:
Conversation with best-selling author of historical fiction mysteries Anne Perry, conducted by writer Victoria Zackheim.
Author and activist Helen Zia, whose book “Last Boat Out of Shanghai” covers a harrowing period in Chinese history and her mother’s life in the midst of it, will discuss the refugee experience with Princeton University professor Anne Anlin Cheng.
Jack Devine, former deputy director of the CIA, “spymaster,” and Pulitzer Prize-winner Tim Wiener, author of “Legacy of Ashes -- the History of the CIA,” will compare notes on “The Company” in a conversation moderated by Lucian Truscott IV
The panel “Life in the Afterlife” featuring internationally acclaimed psychic/medium George Anderson author of “We Don’t Die” in conversation with Dr. Eben Alexander, author of “Proof of Heaven” talking about his near death experience, following up on the huge interest in last year’s discussion of the paranormal.
Sunday on the main stage:
“Our Constitution Under Siege,” a discussion between Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano and constitutional scholar and author Jeffrey Rosen, moderated by Milford Mayor Sean Strub.
Following this will be the conversation “In the Company of Legends,” with authors and award-winning television producers Joan Kramer and David Heeley who will share film clips and behind-the-scenes stories of famous personalities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Fred Astaire and Katharine Hepburn, whose lives they documented for television. They will be interviewed by film historian John DiLeo.
A special main stage conversation, free to the community, features author Mary Frances Berry, a prominent activist in the cause of civil rights, gender equality and social justice in a conversation titled “Organizing for Change.” Berry is a professor of American Social Thought, History and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
All main stage programs will include an opportunity for conversation between the authors and the audience.
Free events around Milford:
“Seeing the Forest Through the Trees: Finding Deeper Meaning in the Woods,” Sunday, 1-3 p.m., at Grey Towers National Historic Site
“Triumph Over Trauma III: Far Beyond Survival," Sunday, 10 a.m.-noon, at the TriVersity Center, 201 West Harford Street
“Rhythm and Rhyme in Poetry,” Saturday, 2-3:30 p.m., St. Patrick’s Hall, East High Street
“Romance: Love is in the Air," Saturday at 1:30 p.m., St. Patrick’s Hall, East High Street
An open-mic event: “RAW After Dark,” Saturday, 9-11 p.m., under the tent behind the Hotel Fauchere, 401 Broad Street
Science fiction readings and beer tasting, Saturday, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the Dimmick Inn, 101 East Harford Street
For Pike County Public Library events see the article "Library sets the scene for free events at the Milford Readers and Writers Festival" at pikecountycourier.com.
For the full schedule, visit milfordreadersandwriters.com.