Grace Under Pressure

Kimberley McGee

Friday, July 27, 2001 | 4:52 a.m.

In a lilting Southern drawl, Brett Butler rails against life's absurdities in a manner laced with humor, candor and a bit of vulnerability.

The stand-up comedian, novelist and television star's delivery is fast-paced, extremely literate and unapologetic.

She blends her acerbic wit and southern charm in a new comedy routine onstage Friday and Saturday at the Riviera's Top of the Riv.

Butler has learned much in her 43 years.

At 22 she struck out on her own after spending three years married to a man she later described as "Mr. Right Hook." She found work at a Houston diner, where her witty retorts caught the attention of a local comedy-club owner.

She honed her stand-up routine in comedy clubs until 1992, when she landed a sitcom on ABC, "Grace Under Fire." The half-hour show garnered critical acclaim and awards, but rumors of Butler's erratic behavior fueled the show's demise in 1997.

After a self-imposed sabbatical two years ago, Butler returned to comedy -- wiser. Today she is calmer, reflective and, well, happy.

On a recent afternoon from her home in the Hollywood Hills, Butler reflected via telephone with the Sun about life lessons, politics and her past:

Las Vegas Sun: How do you feel about the media's portrayal of you on the "Grace Under Fire" set?

Brett Butler: I'm not excusing any behavior I did that was less than stellar, but I don't think it was that terrible. If it was, then why would people have worked for me the whole time? There are other jobs in L.A. The people I alienated happened to be the ones that are writers and producers, pretty much.

Sun: Why did you take time off from work for yourself?

BB: I took two years off so I wouldn't have a Robert Downey Jr. thing happen to me. My life is more important than other people's opinion of me. And I'm lucky I could afford it. I'm here today and looking forward. That's not in denial. I just don't think I have to explain that to people I don't know.

Sun: You are well-read and seem upset by the recent death of Washington Post Publisher Katherine Graham?

BB: I just loved her. I didn't agree with everything she did but I have a secret admiration for women who can be elegant and (tough) at the same time.

(News) is such a tough business, top to bottom. I'm just real romantic about newspapers. I believe in the First Amendment, no matter what.

Sun: Even after what was printed about you?

BB: It's freedom of speech. That's fine.

For instance, I'm somebody who is against the amendment that would prohibit flag burning. Not that I'd like to see it burn, I'm just delighted that we live in a place where people have the right to do that.

Sun: The Confederate flag has come under fire recently as inappropriate and politically incorrect. How do you feel about the traditional southern symbol?

BB: It's one of the most racist things that's ever existed in this country. For anyone to assume it is about anything else is just one of the many great lies woven into the fabric of our country.

And I'm just staggered by the Phillip Morris announcement (last week). This is so appalling. They have written papers saying when people die from cigarette smoking it saves money on things like retirement pensions.

I quit smoking April 7. If I hadn't, I would have done it today just for spite.

Sun: How did you quit?

BB: This sounds really corny. I did it the same way I stopped using and drinking. I pretty much asked God for help and then I tried to step up to the plate. Damn if I didn't. But once I quit the (nicotine) patch, after like eight weeks, I really got big. I'm not really an ad for quitting smoking and not gaining weight.

Sun: What did you do during your time off?

BB: I've gotten into horses lately. I see people with whips and spurs. But there's no point in me going up to them and going, "Hey! Why are you doing that to your horse?" There's nothing I can do by confrontation that will change their minds.

Sun: Is that something you've learned recently?

BB: Yeah, probably so. It finally occurred to me that I've never changed anyone's mind via confrontation. Another reason (why) I'm not a glisteny-eyed celebrity confessional onstage: I call it "touched by a chicken-angel-soup-crap" -- this ersatz spirituality that runs rampant in the country. I just figure, to paraphrase Emerson, what I am is much louder than what I could explain.

Sun: What projects are you working on?

BB: I'd love to do another sitcom. There was one script that ABC was going to shoot, and then the producer fired the other writer on it. Then we got another one, but the script wasn't good.

Otherwise, I am writing another book. No one is asking me to write it, I'm just writing it. And no, it's not a tell-all. It's basically a culmination of everything I know. That sounds very broad and overly generous. It's a nonacademic presentation of world history that tells a lot about me in the process. My publisher at Hyperion would probably go, "You're kidding. Couldn't you do something about recovery?" There are lots of tools for recovery out there and I'm not sure I can add to any of that.

Sun: How would you describe your life now?

BB: Gosh, I'm really happy. I was telling my sister, "Gosh if it weren't for blubber, I would be so ..."

I'm real happy. My boyfriend and I have been together going on three years. We just have a ball. I don't know it's ... just quality of daily life seems to be more in the moment. God knows I learned it the hard way.