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Another of America\u2019s most prolific comedians, Chelsea Handler has had quite the extensive career.\xa0

She not only hosted her own late-night comedy show on E!, she\u2019s also had a couple of Netflix shows, performed countless standup shows, hosted her own podcast, and written a number of books.\xa0

She\u2019s bringing her comedy tour \u2018Little Big B****\u2019 to New Zealand shores for a couple of days this coming July, the show already on the road.\xa0

\u201cIt\u2019s going pretty well,\u201d Handler told Newstalk ZB\u2019s Mike Hosking.\xa0

\u201cSo, I\u2019m coming to New Zealand.\u201d\xa0

The act will eventually be filmed and turned into a Netflix special, but Handler says she doesn\u2019t have to fulfil that obligation until the end of the year.\xa0

\u201cI was like, oh, let me take this on the road because it\u2019s, I\u2019ve got this whole year and, you know, I love to visit these places and come back and see people, and meet people up close and personal.\u201d\xa0

\u201cIt\u2019s a different, you know, different level of travel fun.\u201d\xa0

Comedians often try to tailor their acts to their locations to at least a small degree, localising certain jokes and leaving out others that just wouldn\u2019t land, but for the most part Handler say\u2019s her act goes down the same.\xa0

\u201cIf you\u2019re coming to see me, you probably know me, so you know what to expect, you know?\u201d\xa0

\u201cIt\u2019s not like I\u2019m introducing myself to people all the time.\u201d\xa0

Although it is definitely motivated by her love of travel, Handler admits that her international tours are in part motivated by her desire to get out of the United States, telling Hosking that \u201cAmerica\u2019s pretty rough\u201d.\xa0

\u201cThese days it\u2019s a pretty hard pill to swallow,\u201d she told him.\xa0

\u201cSo, I choose to smoke a lot of cannabis and travel as much as I can out of the country.\u201d\xa0

Her upcoming travel plans included a month in Spain, a visit to Australia, and one to New Zealand.\xa0

\u201cAnything to get out of this country.\u201d\xa0

Comedy serves a variety of purposes, some using it for commentary, others for escapism and levity. Handler falls into the latter category.\xa0\xa0

"I wanna like, pass high vibes around,\u201d Handler told Hosking.\xa0

\u201cI want people to come to my show, leave having forgotten whatever that was annoying them that day in their life.\u201d\xa0

Many comedians chafe against the idea that there could be boundaries to their art, holding the opinion that as long as it\u2019s a joke, it\u2019s free game. Handler doesn\u2019t agree.\xa0

\u201cI\u2019m not against having people set parameters about what you\u2019re about to say, what you\u2019re allowed to say, or what\u2019s going to be frowned upon,\u201d she said.\xa0

\u201cIf you want to say I can\u2019t make fun of, you know, different cultures because that\u2019s insensitive, okay, that\u2019s fair!\u201d\xa0

Art is often about breaking boundaries but when it comes to entertainment, there\u2019s also value in working within a framework. Handler told Hosking that working within boundaries is a good challenge for any comedian or artist, as it challenges them to focus on something beyond the lowest common denominator.\xa0\xa0

\u201cPerhaps focus that energy back on yourself and make a joke about yourself first,\u201d she said.\xa0

\u201cLike with everything, start within. It\u2019s the same in comedy.\u201d\xa0

Over the years Handler has created a wide variety of content, allowing her to really nail down the type of art she likes to create and the means with which she creates it.\xa0

\u201cI don\u2019t like to be, having to be in the same place every day,\u201d she told Hosking.\xa0

\u201cI like to be around the world and like, you know, I do my podcast from Majorca, I can do my podcast in London, I could do my podcast wherever.\u201d\xa0

"I kind of feel like I found the best thing to live my life to the fullest.\u201d\xa0

Chelsea Handler\u2019s \u2018Little Big B**** Tour\u2019 is coming to Wellington\u2019s St James Theatre on July 5th, and Auckland Town Hall on July 6th.\xa0

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