After a pandemic-induced break, the 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival kicks off Thursday with a reliable mix of local favorites (Mary Mack, Maggie Faris, Ali Sultan) and national headliners (Bobcat Goldthwait, Jackie Kashian, "The Late Late Show" co-head writer Ian Karmel).
Perhaps the most intriguing talent on the invite list is Dulce Sloan, who has served as a correspondent on "The Daily Show" since 2017 and provides the voice of Honeybee Shaw on Fox's "The Great North," which just kicked off its third season.
Sloan, who performed at the Mall of America's House of Comedy in April, spoke by phone earlier this week from New York about her ambitions and why they don't include hosting her own late-night show.
Q: You've got a lot on your plate. How do you find time to get out on the road and perform?
A: I'm not a writer on "The Daily Show," so I have the time. It's all about scheduling. You plan ahead so you don't lose your mind. I mean, I have to keep doing stand-up. I have to pay the rent.
Q: Comedy festivals have been very good to you. Why are they important?
A: They're a lot like summer camps. In a lot of ways, it's the only way comics get to see each other. The stakes can be very low. You can just go out and hang with your friends.
Q: Does that mean you're more likely to use festivals to test out new material?
A: I'm always using new material. My goal is to get a joke out in front of an audience as fast as possible. I'm not one of those comedians that mulls over a joke over and over and over.
Q: You got some great reviews for your part in the film "Chick Fight." What kind of roles would you like to be cast in? Maybe something dramatic?
A: Sure. I did theater for a long time, so I did all kinds of different work. I played Tom Robinson's wife in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and a goose in "Jack and the Beanstalk." I had to express all my emotions through squawking.
Q: So, no dream role?
A: I would love to play a Klingon in "Star Trek." Not the new ones. Old-school Klingon with the long weave and peanut butter on the forehead.
Q: This is James Corden's last season on "The Late Late Show." Any interest in taking over that show?
A: Absolutely not. Why would people think I would want to do that? It's not my ministry. I'm a trained actor and if you host a show, you don't get to act. I'd rather be the guest than the host. Do you realize how hard it is to keep those shows afloat? It's a lot of heavy lifting and a lot of work. If it's not your passion, you're wasting everybody's time.
Q: How much longer do you want to be part of "The Daily Show"?
A: I'm not going to tell you! I don't know you.
Q: Sure, you do. We've been talking for 15 minutes.
A: That's a big business move. You're not going to get a scoop from me. If it's time for me to go, I'll go. If I stay, I stay.
Two days after this interview, Trevor Noah announced on air Thursday that he would be leaving "The Daily Show" after seven years as the host. He did not say when his final show will be. "I've loved hosting this show," he said. "It's been one of my greatest challenges and one my greatest joys."
10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival
When: 7 p.m.-midnight, Thu.-Sat.
Where: Various Minneapolis locations including the Southern Theater, Cedar Cultural Center, Parkway Theater and Palmer's Bar.
Tickets: $20-$30. 10000laughs.com
