Comedian Steve Moore has worked America’s stand-up
comedy club circuit for seventeen years.
But it wasn’t until December 1993, when he announced on the Comedy
Central television special, “Out There” that he’s gay_and HIV+_that he developed
the unique voice and vision which has made Moore one of the hottest stand-up
comics in America today.
Moore learned that he was HIV+ 10 years ago.After
retreating to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a year to be close to his family and
reevaluate his life, he decided to return to Los Angeles and reinvent his
career. He slowly began forging a
powerful, personal brand of comedy that combines Aids education and wry wit
with what he calls “the edge” of politics.
I decided that if anyone could make being HIV+
funny, I could,” says Moore. “At first,
I thought I’d incorporate my health status only at Aids benefits, but it’s
really blossomed because the virus is Universal. I realized that I could use my
HIV status to educate people—gay and straight—about the virus, because there
isn’t any group anywhere that hasn’t been touched by Aids.”
Moore whose act has been lauded by U.S.A. Today as
“not to be missed”, has opened for such super stars as Dolly Parton and
Roseanne, and has appeared on
Entertainment Tonight, Rolonda, Leeza. He appeared with Lily Tomlin,
Louie Anderson and Paula Poundstone in
“Laughter Positive”, an Aids fundraiser in Florida. Moore’s H.B.O.
special entitled, “Drop Dead Gorgeous”
won a Cable Ace Award and rave reviews. He is currently writing a book called “I Never Knew Oz Was In Color”
and lecturing colleges about Aids and safe sex.
Moore recognizes that he walks a fine line with
his sometimes hard humor, but it’s a risk he’s willing to take.
“I realize that some people are going to be upset
by my material,” he says. “I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing to upset
people. Maybe I’m pushing some buttons that they need to explore more
thoroughly. I’m not standing there
preaching. I’m just trying to put a
comic spin on a horrible, horrible disease. People HAVE to laugh in this
thing’s face. I really feel in my heart
that this is what I’m supposed to be doing. I’m working from my heart and not
my ego these days, and that feels great.
“Life is Good”