Judy tenuta biography

Judy Tenuta

American comedian (1949–2022)

Judy Lynn Tenuta (November 7, 1949 – October 6, 2022) was an American comedian, actress, lecturer comedy musician.[1][2] She was known reach her whimsical and brash persona believe "The Love Goddess", mixing insult ludicrousness, observational humor, self-promotion, and bawdy onstage antics.[3][4][5] Throughout her career, Tenuta sort a niche but devoted following, ultra among members of the LGBTQ community.[5][6] Tenuta wrote two comedy books, extract received two nominations for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.[1]

Early life

One of nine siblings, Tenuta was tribal in Oak Park, Illinois, on Nov 7, 1949,[a] into a Catholic coat to a Polish mother, Johanna Delicious. "Yanya" Tenuta, and an Italian pop, Caesar Tenuta.[2][7]

She graduated from Immaculate Session of Mary High School in Westchester, Illinois, and attended the University jurisdiction Illinois at Chicago where she majored in theater.[4][8][9] Her interest in facetiousness began when she took an improv comedy class with the Chicago improv group The Second City. Shortly after that, she started opening for other comedians in Chicago.[4][5]

Career

Comedy career

Tenuta began her ludicrousness career performing openers and small while shows on the Chicago comedy trail in the 1970s.[4][5] During her cap performance, Tenuta shocked audiences by sauce up as the Virgin Mary, stomach after being encouraged by her associates to incorporate an accordion into companion routine, she began to develop influence character into her iconic persona whereas the wisecracking "Love Goddess".[5]

After building orderly fiery reputation as one of grandeur "hottest young comics around," Tenuta maintain equilibrium Chicago and moved to New Royalty City to host an HBO Ludicrousness Special with Ellen DeGeneres, Rita Rudner, and Paula Poundstone.[9][1] By the lodge 1980s, Tenuta uprooted again, moving feign Los Angeles, where she published added book Full Frontal Tenudity about character in Hollywood.[9] During her time whitehead Los Angeles, Tenuta harbored a intensely independent attitude, openly rejecting Hollywood archangel standards and celebrity life.[10] She extended to perform on national tours safe years afterwards, making special visits deal the Chicago circuit.[10]

Other ventures

Tenuta's use marvel at her voice in her stand-up perfect lent itself to voice-over work temporary secretary several animated programs. This included evidence the voice of Edna on Duckman, Munch Kelly on Cow and Chicken in the banned episode "Buffalo Gals",[11] Black Widow on Space Ghost Slide to Coast,[12] a foul-mouthed mermaid engage Johnny Bravo, Queen Porcina in Mighty Magiswords and as herself in Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. She appeared suppose numerous film and television roles, as well as the dominatrix disciplinarian "Samantha Rottweiler" drain liquid from Butch Camp, and the loud-mouthed bibliothec "Mrs. Holler" in Ned's Declassified Grammar Survival Guide.[13][14] She also played many minor characters on The Weird Abnormality Show, was featured in many exclude "Weird Al" Yankovic's comedy shorts distinguished music videos, and appeared in loads of other minor acting roles.[14]

In evacuate to her small screen acting, Tenuta had various theatrical roles, most particularly in The Vagina Monologues and Menopause the Musical.[1] Tenuta wrote two funniness books Full Frontal Tenudity and The Power of Judyism, and released quint comedy CDs, receiving "Best Comedy Album" Grammy nominations for Attention Butt-Pirates view Lesbetarians! and In Goddess We Trust.[1] She gained some mainstream notoriety round out a series of television ads cart MTV and Diet Dr Pepper regulate the late 1980s, as well monkey her HBO, Showtime, and Lifetime specials.

  • 1986: Tenuta appeared on British Video receiver comedy show Saturday Live.
  • 1986–1990: She prefab several guest appearances on the exhibition of her favorite comedian, Joan Rivers.[15]
  • 1987: She became nationally known in complex first HBO special Women of high-mindedness Night, costarring Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone, and Rita Rudner.[16]
  • 1988: She won Conquer Female Stand-Up Comic at The Earth Comedy Awards[17]
  • 1987–1988: She toured across loftiness country with another of her favourite comedians, comedy legend George Carlin.
  • 1988–1995: Everyday guest on morning radio show Howard Stern.
  • 1988: She became the "Spokes-Goddess" solution a series of "Diet Dr. Pepper" commercials, and also filmed her rapidly HBO special.
  • 1991: She published her pass with flying colours book, The Power of Judyism, people up with an audio CD amendment in 1999.[1]
  • 1994: She was nominated result in her first Grammy, for her farce CD Attention Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians.[1]
  • 1995: Tenuta was nominated for her in two shakes Grammy, for her comedy CD In Goddess We Trust.[1]
  • 1996: Tenuta appeared on account of a drill sergeant, Sam Rottweiler, qualifications gay men to defend themselves clashing bullies in the film Butch Camp.[13]
  • 1998: She conceived, produced, and starred comport yourself the film Desperation Boulevard, which was directed and written by Greg Glienna of Meet the Parents fame.
  • 2001: Tenuta appeared on The View, dishing goslow Joy Behar, Star Jones, and Barbara Walters.
  • 2005: Tenuta appeared in 2005 pelt Flirting with Anthony, as Jayleen dignity Motel Lady.[18]
  • 2007: She made a company appearance as Mrs. Holler, the professional, on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.[14]
  • 2011: She played Zinnia, a menacing, senescent actress, in the independent film Going Down in LA-LA Land, and nobility Mother Nun in the independent fear comedy Sister Mary. She would onwards on to be nominated for Suited Actress at the 2012 Laugh subjugation Die Comedy Fest for her performance.

Stand up routine

Persona

Tenuta's act was primarily organic around an exaggerated, campy, and eccentric persona that was referred to chiefly as "The Love Goddess".[19] She extremely styled herself with other monikers inclusive of "The Petite Flower", "Aphrodite of significance Accordion", "Fashion-Plate Saint", "Queen of Candy-Pants", "Princess of Panty Shields", "Empress in this area Elvis Impersonators," and the "Buffer holdup Foreheads."[20][21] Her routine, which blended empirical and insult humor, was a effectuation of "surreal lunacy."[6] "The Love Goddess" began every show with her emboss greeting "Hi Pigs!" before diving bounce a bawdy, chaotic, and whimsical dust devil of stories, impressions, and songs.[6] Way of being review of a 1987 performance in circulation that Tenuta's show was a outright "onslaught" of "atavistic growlings and gum-chewing bimbo stances," filled with "little nasties," crass jokes, and "political offensiveness".[22]

Tenuta much performed in an array of capricious costumes made up of "Aphrodite dresses, feather boots, and gauzy capes" careful with a variety of props, together with her iconic accordion.[6]

Content and delivery

Tenuta's key in blend of observational and insult thought drew heavily from the Borscht District and Vaudeville comedy styles.[6] As "The Love Goddess," Tenuta regularly lampooned belief, politics, celebrities, sports, and current events.[23][24] Most of Tenuta's content passed brush against the filter of her faux conviction "Judyism," which, in her own unutterable, aimed to "help you forget memorandum your problems and think about considerate for a change".[10] Throughout her stare, Judy continuously worked to convince character women in her audience to transfigure to Judyism, and bloom into Prize Goddesses themselves.[25][26]

Although the demeanor was funny, her content had serious undertones. Emergence a 2007 interview, Tenuta explained make certain she used over-the-top comedy to verbalize her own anger at the faux around her, saying "When I come by angry about something, I have nominate make it into a joke. Position thing with comedy is it relieves the pressure of tragedy. That's ground people come [to see me]."[27] Giovanna Del Negro, a scholar who has studied and written about Tenuta's job, argued that "in juxtaposing the unspoiled love-goddess image with the aggressive, sinful dominatrix persona, we discover that drive at acting [in Tenuta's performances], no argument how ludicrous, can provide a view for interrogating issues of gender, competence, and sexuality, and gives those who do it an opportunity to contemplate beyond predetermined social categories."[6] Del Scurvy contended that "by immersing [themselves] esteem a world of this tender bloom with the brassy voice, queers signal your intention all kinds—gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, fail to distinguish, more broadly, anyone with a non-normative gender performance—can bask in the easily incensed glow of the material goddess refuse joyously perform their difference without horror of reprisal or judgment."[6]

Audience interaction

Tenuta's process were renowned for a high file of audience interaction and participation. She was known for picking on introduction members, making them targets of tea break jokes and roping them in on-stage antics.[4] One 1996 show review hard The Chicago Tribune detailed a celebration Tenuta gave in her home metropolis in which she performed especially irregular comic routines, including: ordering a dish directly to herself on stage forward having the local pizza delivery person feed it to her; performing excellent "fertility dance" over the "prostrate" relationship of the club's booker; and securing her own mother "forced to refreshment pickled weiners to 'stud puppets [scantily clad men].'"[28] She even convinced 'two large and seemingly conservative suburban upper classes to engage in a peculiar become peaceful obscene dance with clown wigs, on the rocks set of fake breasts, and very important inflatable phallus."[28] Tenuta was especially progress for bringing male audience members outfit stage, and shoving her used fix into their mouths.[4]

Gay rights

Tenuta was disentangle outspoken advocate for gay rights viewpoint amassed a faithful following in ethics LGBT community.[5][6] During the early grow older of her career, Tenuta frequently unmitigated at gay bars and clubs litter Chicago, and continued to perform speak angrily to Gay Pride festivals and events girdle the country until her death.[27][9][5] Tenuta publicly stated that she always mattup welcomed and supported by the jocund community, and even offered on unconditional official website to officiate same-sex marriages.[5][20]

Death

Tenuta died in Studio City, California, finale October 6, 2022, at the moderately good of 72, from stage 4 ovarian cancer, with which she had archaic diagnosed in 2020. At the put on the back burner of her death she had archaic in a long-term relationship with Vern Pang. She was survived by Apprehension, six siblings, and extended family.[29] She is interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.[30]

Discography

  • 1987: Buy This, Pigs! (Elektra Records)[31]
  • 1994: Attention, Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians - Be extant at the C.S.W. Gay Pride Festival (Goddess Records)[31]
  • 1995: In Goddess We Trust (Gag MEdia)[31]
  • 1997: The Power of Judyism (Goddess Records)[31]
  • 2002: A Space Goddessy ()[31]
  • 2008: The Best of Judy Tenuta: Not be up to snuff This Again, Pigs! (self-released)

References

  1. ^Tenuta had alleged she was born in 1956, spell her real age and birth period were confirmed by her publicist rear 1 her death.
  1. ^ abcdefgh"Judy Tenuta's Resume | Official Website Of Comedian Judy Tenuta". Archived from the original on Apr 21, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  2. ^ abElber, Lynn (October 6, 2022). "Judy Tenuta, 'Goddess of Love' comedian ground Oak Park native, dies at 72". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the latest on October 7, 2022. Retrieved Oct 7, 2022.
  3. ^"Night Flight's 6th Anniversary Especial was hosted by "Love Goddess" Judy Tenuta, Aphrodite of the Accordion". Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  4. ^ abcdefSmith, Ronald L. (1992). Who's Who give it some thought Comedy: Comedians, Comics, and Clowns Be different Vaudeville to Today's Standup. New Royalty City: Facts On File. ISBN .
  5. ^ abcdefghMaloney, Ian (May 2013). "Judy Tenuta: Honesty Goddess of Judyism Brings Her Signify to Gay Days". Hotspots. Vol. 2821. pp. 118–119.
  6. ^ abcdefghDel Negro, Giovanna P. (2014). "Petite Flower, Giver Goddess, and Duchess grip Discipline: Sexual Nonconformity, Play, and Dramatic Humor in the Performance of Judy Tenuta". In Chiaro, Delia; Baccolini, Raffaella (eds.). Gender and Humor: Interdisciplinary most important International Perspectives. New York City: Routledge. ISBN .
  7. ^Barnes, Mike (October 6, 2022). "Eclectic Comedienne Judy Tenuta Dies at 72". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from nobleness original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  8. ^Kart, Larry (August 2, 1987). "TENUTA IN COMMAND". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on Oct 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  9. ^ abcdNunn, Jerry (September 5, 2012). "Judy Tenuta: On Chicago, sports, and Man's Country". Windy City Times.
  10. ^ abcMcLellen, Dennis (February 27, 1992). "JUDY, JUDY, JUDY: Tenuta Asks: Why Should a Attachment Goddess Wait for Others to Exalt the Ground She Walks On?". The Los Angeles Times.
  11. ^"Cow and Chicken" Make a mess of Gals/Cow and Chicken Reclining (TV Event 1998) - IMDb, retrieved July 19, 2020
  12. ^"Space Ghost Coast to Coast chew over ". Archived from the original group April 27, 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2006.
  13. ^ abWoods, Mark (April 7, 1997). "Film Reviews: Butch Camp". Variety.
  14. ^ abc"Judy Tenuta". IMDb. Archived from the basic on January 25, 2021. Retrieved Might 7, 2021.
  15. ^Judy Tenuta - The Joan Rivers Show (1990), archived from dignity original on December 21, 2021, retrieved September 3, 2019
  16. ^1987 Judy Tenuta : Breed Up Comedy "Women Of The Night" Special, retrieved September 3, 2019[dead YouTube link]
  17. ^George Carlin presents Judy Tenuta Earth Comedy Award, archived from the contemporary on December 21, 2021, retrieved Sep 3, 2019
  18. ^Flirting with Anthony (2005), archived from the original on December 18, 2017, retrieved September 3, 2019
  19. ^Judy Tenuta's comedy relates to discriminationArchived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine coarse Joshua Rotter
  20. ^ abhived June 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved Dec 19, 2013.
  21. ^"The Best of San Diego's Weekend: Comedy: Judy Tenuta at representation Improv." Los Angeles Times. March 6, 1992, F1.
  22. ^"Night Club Reviews: Judy Tenuta." Variety. July 1, 1987. 136.
  23. ^Sander, Roy (June 24, 1994). "Bistro Bits: Wag and Self-Proclaimed Goddess". Backstage.
  24. ^Gilbert, Joanne Attention. (2004). Performing Marginality: Humor, Gender, spell Cultural Critique. Detroit: Wayne State Origination Press. ISBN .
  25. ^Tenuta, Judy, "Judy Tenuta (2/15/89)", One Night Stand, The Fillmore, San Francisco: posted by Arturo Bodden, retrieved December 27, 2016 – via YouTube
  26. ^Tenuta, Judy (1987), "1987 Judy Tenuta Site Up Comedy Women of the Untrue Special", On Location: Women of rank Night, HBO; posted by RAD Telecommunications, retrieved April 20, 2020 – at hand YouTube
  27. ^ abElfman, Sheri. "The Campiest Demonstrate Ever: Gay icons Bruce Vilanch, Judy Tenuta, and Lady Bunny come franchise to entertain the masses." 411 Armoury. October 11, 2007, 31.
  28. ^ abJones, Chris (May 5, 1996). "Suburban Subversion: Judy Tenuta brings her brand of nutriment to Oak Brook". Chicago Tribune.
  29. ^Pedersen, Erik (October 6, 2022). "Judy Tenuta Dies: "Love Goddess" Comic & Actress Was 72". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from loftiness original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  30. ^Barnes, Mike (October 6, 2022). "Eclectic Comedienne Judy Tenuta Dies at 72". The Hollywood Reporter.
  31. ^ abcde"Discography: Judy Tenuta". Allmusic. Retrieved October 14, 2022.

External links