Chelsea Handler

Comedian Chelsea Handler loves being on television, but hitting the road also means she gets to hit the bottle. “I can’t really drink on television,” says E!’s Chelsea Lately host, who recently released her second book, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea. She says one reason she was drawn to comedy was that it’s one of the only jobs you can do under the influence. “That and politics,” she says.

Her show may focus on celebrities, but onstage, Handler talks more about her friends, family and self. She puts a humorous spin on everything from growing up with a Mormon mother and Jewish father to hearing all her friends talk about their upcoming weddings. “They register for an $800 pillow sham and then act surprised when they open it, like, ‘How did you know?’”

She also talks about her life as a single gal, which she covered extensively in her first book My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands. For her second book, however, she says she decided to stick to her childhood for the sake of her love life. “I couldn’t write two books about one-night stands if I ever wanted someone to date me.”

Handler will sign copies of Are You There, Vodka? at 2 p.m. today. Barnes & Noble — Town and Country, 12850 Memorial. For information, call 713-465-5616 or visit www.barnesandnoble.com. Free. She performs today at 8 p.m. Verizon Wireless Theater, 520 Texas. For tickets and information, call 713-230-1600 or visit www.verizonwirelesstheater.com. $29.50.
Sat., May 3, 8 p.m., 2008