Known as a somewhat choleric and disturbing standup comic, writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait is an ’80s-Hollywood survivor, as well as the man behind the legendary Shakes the Clown, the extended prankumentary Windy City Heat, and the films Sleeping Dogs Lie and World’s Greatest Dad (which screened at the 2009 Maryland Film Festival). Goldthwait talked to us by phone in advance of his appearance at Baltimore’s Comedy Factory, shortly after finishing post-production work on his latest film, the dark comedy God Bless America.

City Paper : Baltimore needs as much comedy as it can get, and you’re gonna be here for three nights, a serious commitment to helping Baltimore.

Bobcat Goldthwait: When I was at the Maryland Film Festival, I think it was two years ago, I stayed for a while there, not just when my movie was playing. I really enjoyed that festival. It really is a great festival. A lot of the film festivals you go to, you don’t actually see movies, and when I was there my daughter and I saw a bunch of movies and we had a great time. I just came from the Toronto Film Festival and that’s like that too, with the regular jerk going out to the movie. Sure, the big high-profile premieres have some pretentious twats going to it, but the rest of it is just a lot of regular films, which I like.

CP : And they’re super nice in Toronto, the Canadians.

BG: Well, don’t fall for it. As soon as you leave, they say stuff about you—they’re just nice to your face. It’s an act, it’s the sleeping giant, they might come down and take over.

CP : So you were in Toronto with your new movie.

BG: Yeah, God Bless America.

CP : So the film got bought. The function of a film festival is for somebody like you to sell the film to somebody?

BG: Lots of movies play festivals and they already have distributors, but when I go to the festivals, usually at the beginning I don’t have a distributor.

CP : So, you’re good now?

BG: (laughs) Yeah, the folks who put the money up are good. That’s the very least, because I don’t want people to lose money because they believe in me and let me keep making movies.

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