Marga Gomez.

"There were only a handful of us in the '80s, and a lot of girls to sleep with," recalls Marga Gomez, talking about doing stand-up in the "B.E." (Before Ellen) era. "Honestly, we didn't even have to be that good," recalls the out Latina comedienne, laughing. "I remember this terrible mime, and she was noisy!" The pansexy performer has also toured the country with six solo autobiographical plays. Now she's back with her latest, Los Big Names, about her late showbiz parents and her misadventures in Hollywood, running at New York City's 47th Street Theatre April 1 through May 14.

What's it like to be channeling both your parents onstage?

I feel they are with me all the time now. The problem is when I'm on a date. I feel equal parts macho-Cuban comedian and femme, vain showgirl from Puerto Rico.

They have featured in your shows before. What's different this time?

I was writing like a child before--now I get it. Its about, what happens when performers come home. How could I be mad at them? They went into show business because they were hung w for something. But instead of trying to get applause, they should have worked on a relationship.

What about your Hollywood career?

I was poised to get the break my parents never did. The irony was that the movie Sphere was a big flop. Queen Latifah and I play Navy personnel, and we both die in the first half hour, because they always kill women of color first. In my mind we are lovers. That's not in the actual dialogue. You just see it in my eyes--because I'm an actress!