Let Fortune Feimster Tell You A Story

It’s confessional storytelling comedy at its finest. You can feel the Fortune.

Fortune Feimster — a writer as well as a charismatic actress and comedian who has appeared in such TV shows as Chelsea Lately, The Mindy Project and 2 Broke Girls as well as movies like Office Christmas Party and Father of the Year, among other projects — brings her warmth and confessional comedy to McDonald Theatre for two shows Jan. 5.

Fortune has built a uniquely innovative and inclusive career for the past 20 years, touching lives and highlighting the fact that no matter your age, background or sexual orientation, common ground is just a joke away.

A native of North Carolina — and she tells a wonderful story of her dog, her Southern grandma and Kentucky Fried Chicken — Fortune handles with care the ups and downs of life as a lesbian and a full-bodied woman in this society.

In a standup show in Netflix in 2023, she relates about her time as a kid on the swim team and how she was handed the team uniform, a green one-piece speedo. “Normally, I wear a XXXL t-shirt, with the sleeves cut off, and a pair of sweatpants. I still swim in that to this day. I call it my lesbian swimsuit.”

In a 2022 stand-up routine, Fortune ruefully notes that she’s “not butch.”

“If you saw me and your car was broken down, you might assume I can fix your car. I got that look about me ‘cause that is what a butch lady can do. She can literally put your car on her back and walk it to a service station… Magical, but that is not me.

“And men are the most mystified by this information. They come up to me constantly at, like, Home Depot, because they assume I work there. They’re like, ‘Uh, what’s up, dude? Um, where are the nails?’ I’m like, ‘Ooh, I’m here for a potted plant.’”

You can hear Fortune daily on Sirius XM with comedian-actor Tom Papa on Netflix’s “What a Joke with Papa and Fortune.” She also hosts a weekly podcast with her wife, Jax, called “Sincerely Fortune.”

Before that, though, catch her in Eugene. You will be fortunate.

Comedian Fortune Feimster performs two shows at 7 pm and 9:30 pm Friday, Jan. 5, at McDonald Theatre, 1010 Willamette Street. Tickets are $29.50 to $95.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!