Comedian Paula Poundstone will be back at the Ellen Theatre this month, grabbing jokes from the money blowing machine that encapsulates her 38-year stand-up career. She claims to have the best job ever, doing 90 shows a year around the country as part of the “endorphin production industry.” If you’ve been to one of the handful of nights Paula has performed at the Ellen in downtown Bozeman, you probably already have your tickets to this upcoming event; if you haven’t seen her yet, get on it! “On Friday, August 11th, I’ll be telling my little jokes at The Ellen Theatre in Bozeman, MT, and asking Congressman Gianforte questions from a distance,” says Poundstone of her upcoming performance.

Not only is Paula a hilarious comedian, she is also an author and podcaster. In May 2017, she released her second book, The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness, where each chapter is an experiment seeking a get-happy hypothesis and a data-driven search. Of writing books she says, “I keep writing memoirs because I’m not dead yet.” Lily Tomlin calls Human Happiness “a remarkable journey. I laughed. I cried. I got another cat.” Follow the research as Poundstone gets in shape with taekwondo, drives fast behind the wheel of a Lamborghini, communes with nature while camping with her daughter, and commits to getting her house organized (twice!). Will any of it bring her happiness? You may be laughing too hard to care.

While you’re waiting for your book to arrive from Amazon or to become available at the Bozeman Public Library, you can check out Paula’s new weekly podcast – LIVE FROM THE POUNDSTONE INSTITUTE. Paula and her Chief of Research and fellow Wait Wait Panelist, Adam Felber, take on scientific research studies that are so odd they just beg for someone to stand up and say “wait, what?!” The podcast teaser includes an interview with a scientist seeking to identify the reason people who walk and drink coffee always spill their coffee; the reason is identified scientifically, a solution is not reached. 20 minutes after listening, I indeed spilled my own coffee. Paula doesn’t drink coffee but has spilled her fair share of diet soda. The third installment of Live from the Poundstone Institute taped the day before we spoke; 2 episodes plus the teasers are available now wherever you get your podcasts.

On stage, Poundstone is known for her casual style, smart, observational humor, and a razor sharp spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. Garrison Keillor described her as “The bravest and best improv comic of our time.”

For everything you ever wanted to know about Paula, and some stuff you don’t, check out www.paulapoundstone.com