As Ms. Swan on “MADtv,” the voice of Lois Griffin on “Family Guy” and most recently as nurse Dawn Forchette on HBO’s “Getting On,” Alex Borstein has made us laugh via multiple comedic vehicles. On Oct. 28, she’s bringing that talent to a rare appearance as host of “What’s So Bloody Funny?” a stand-up showcase benefiting the National Hemophilia Foundation. Performers will include Judah Friedlander (“30 Rock”) and Rory Albanese (“The Daily Show”), and costumes are encouraged for everyone. We caught up with Borstein to talk about comedy, her personal connection to hemophilia and her favorite Halloween candy.
When did you first know you wanted to get into comedy?
A brother of mine had hemophilia, and there were constant hospital fees and crankiness. I started doing things to be funny; it was the role I inhabited. It was fun to make people laugh and change somebody’s mood. I thought, “This is kind of a neat superpower.” Do people ask you to do Lois Griffin’s voice?
Oh, all the time. People want me to, like, leave messages on their phones. In the street people will just walk up to me and shove their phone in my face, and it’s either Lois Griffin or Miss Swan. Tell me about “What’s So Bloody Funny?”.
My brother has hemophilia, and my little girl is a mild hemophiliac. I wanted to help raise awareness for this disease. There is a lot of misinformation out there and I like to get the word out. We do it around Halloween because we like the tie-in with blood. Are you a Halloween fan?
Yes, I’m obsessed with Halloween! My family and I do stuff together. Last year we were all Scooby Doo characters and, of course, I was Velma.
What’s your favorite candy?
I do love an Almond Joy, which makes me weird and old, but then the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and the Twix. That’s what’s so great about Halloween is that you don’t have to decide.
‘What’s So Bloody Funny?’
Oct. 28,8 p.m.
New World Stages
340 W. 50th St.$
65-$150,www.hemophilia.org/halloween
Laugh until you scream with Alex Borstein from ‘Family Guy’
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