Judy Tenuta, a brash standup who cheekily styled herself as the “Goddess of Love” and toured with George Carlin as she crafted her career in the 1980s golden age of comedy, died Thursday. She was 72.
Tenuta died Thursday afternoon at residence in Los Angeles, with her spouse and children close to her, publicist Roger Neal advised The Connected Press. The lead to of loss of life was ovarian cancer.
“She was a pretty humorous, remarkable performer,” Neal explained, and it was normally a “happy time to be all around her.”
Tenuta experienced claimed her birthdate as Nov. 7, 1965, but she was born in 1949, Neal explained. “She was aged university so she would never explain to her actual age, but now that she’s long gone we can convey to her real age,” he additional.
Her heart-shaped facial area, topped by bouffant hair with a flower accent, conveyed an perception of sweet innocence that was speedily shattered by her loud, gravelly shipping and acidic humor, expletives involved. The accordion she produced portion of her act was “an instrument of love and submission,” as she fondly called it.
She was amongst a era of performers who drove the popularity of dwell comedy in clubs nationwide like the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, Laff Stop in Houston and Caroline’s in New York Metropolis. A generally male-dominated field observed area for girls, which includes Tenuta.
“Devastated to listen to of the passing of my expensive, expensive good friend, the wonderful Miss out on Judy Tenuta. I can’t feel she’s long gone,” tweeted Odd Al Yankovic, who labored with her on his 1990s Tv set series and a 2006 songs video clip. “Earth has certainly dropped a goddess.”
Michael McKean, of “Spinal Tap” fame, tweeted, “One of a variety. Damn.”
Tenuta acquired countrywide notice in 1987 with “On Area: Females of the Night time,” a HBO unique in which she starred with Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone and Rita Rudner.
In 1988′s “American Comedy Awards” Tv special, Tenuta was named best female comedy club performer opposite male winner Jerry Seinfeld. Other honorees that year for their club or display work involved Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler.
“I would trade it in a moment, if I could just be a spouse and mother,” wisecracked the gold lamé-wrapped, gum-chewing Tenuta, who recognized her award from Carlin.
She was a frequent guest on late-night time talk shows and activity reveals and with radio shock jock Howard Stern. Her acting and voiceover credits ended up eclectic, including appearances on “The Odd Al Demonstrate” and “Space Ghost Coastline to Coastline.” She appeared onstage in “The Vagina Monologues” in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Tenuta was a two-time Grammy nominee, receiving back-to-back nominations in 1995 and 1996 for best spoken word comedy album for “Attention Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians” and “In Goddess We Have confidence in.”
She was a supporter of LGBTQ legal rights, took aspect in pride festivals and counted associates of the queer neighborhood as enthusiastic admirers. On her website, she stated that as an ordained minister of Judyism she was “available for identical sex marriages!”
Tenuta grew up in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, attending Catholic faculties that integrated a single she dubbed “St. Obnoxious and Bondage.” She stated she was the “isolated, petite flower” — Petite Flower starting to be one particular of her phase nicknames — in a Catholic loved ones that involved six brothers.
Right after graduating faculty, she labored at odd employment that incorporated wrapping meat and taking inventory at an outlet for Catholic religious apparel.
“I acquired fired due to the fact they caught me striving the stuff on,” Tenuta explained a 1989 job interview with The Affiliated Push. “So the manager arrived in, and I guess he obtained form of upset. And I reported, ‘Well, I have to see if they search great, pig. I’m attempting to make advancements for these broads.”’
Tenuta went on to be a part of the Chicago comedy troupe 2nd Metropolis before beginning her solo standup vocation. Despite her outlandish clothing and weird phase overall look, Tenuta explained most individuals caught on immediately to her act, which provided the self-centered “Judyism” religion.
“In my faith, I’m the only 1 that will get to complain. The genuinely nice matter about my faith is you can ignore all about your difficulties and feel about mine for a though,” she explained to AP.
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Involved Push journalist Mallika Sen contributed to this report from New York.
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This story has been up to date to appropriate Tenuta’s age to 72.
