Comic Dana Goldberg Stands Up for LGBT Rights

Once again comedian Dana Goldberg has been tapped to host a star-studded fundraising gala, this time the Legacy Awards, a gala supporting the work of the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project.

Goweho sat down with the hilarious, personable and striking standup comedian, to find out more about her comedy roots and her new web series, “Out in Left Field.”

Click the video above to hear her talk about the web series, which she’s producing with The Advocate, how comedy “chose” her, and how tending bar can come in handy for a stand-up comic.

Suzanne Westenhoefer, left, is a guest on Dana Goldberg’s web series “Out in Left Field.”

In addition to doing standup, Goldberg is a sought-after emcee for high-profile events across the country, as well as local fundraising galas such as this year’s Legacy Awards the LA LGBT Center’s Evening With Women.

“I’ve figured out over the years that I have some strange gift for auctioneering,” Goldberg told Goweho. “I’ve helped raise over $10 million for LGBTQ issues, women’s rights, HIV/ AIDS education and prevention…. These organizations realized that when I make people laugh and they’re in a good mood, they make more money.”

Goldberg joins an impressive lineup at this weekend’s Legacy Awards, including honorees Rita Moreno and Laverne Cox, along with presenters including legendary writer-producer Norman Lear (“All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons”), actor Elizabeth Banks, producer Zackary Drucker (“Transparent”) and filmmakers Donna Dietch (“Desert Hearts”) and Eddie Rosenstein.

Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive partnered in 2005 to create the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, devoted to preserving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender moving images that are at risk of loss due to deterioration and neglect. With more than 36,000 items, Legacy Project has the largest publicly accessible and comprehensive collection of LGBT moving images in the world.

Click to see more about the Legacy Awards.