Judy Tenuta is the author. stand-up comedienneShe was 72. She was 72.
Roger Neal, Tenuta’s publicist, confirmed that she had died from ovarian cancer at her Los Angeles home. She was surrounded by loved ones.
Neal said that she was a funny and amazing performer, and it was always a joy to be with her.
Judy Tenuta, the stand-up comedian and actress known as the ‘Love Goddess’, died on Thursday at the age of 72.
(Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images).
Reports of her death earlier stated that Tenuta died at 65. This was despite her having claimed she was born Nov. 7, 1967, but her actual birth year was 1949.
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“She was old school so she would never tell her real age but now that she’s gone we can tell her real age,” Neal explained.
Tenuta was known for her gravelly, shrill delivery, exacerbating humor, and accordion playing. Friends suggested to Tenuta that she include an accordion in her act when she created her whimsical, wisecracking personality, the “Love Goddess.”
After being taught by her mother, a Lawrence Welk fan, Tenuta learned how to play the accordion. The Hollywood Museum currently has Tenuta’s accordion on display. She described it as “an instrument that loves and submits”.
Born in Chicago, IllinoisOak Park suburb, Tenuda was born to Johanna, a Polish mother and Caesar, an Italian father. She was one of nine brothers and sisters in a Catholic family. Tenuta was the first of her siblings to graduate from college and majored in Theatre at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Tenuta’s friends suggested she include an accordion to her act when she was developing her whimsical, wisecracking persona of the “Love Goddess”.
(Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Tenuta joined the Chicago comedy troupe Second City, and she opened for other comedians in Chicago before she started her solo standup career.
Tenuta, dressed as the Virgin Mary for her first solo performance, shocked everyone. In addition to the “Love Goddess,” she developed other oddball, campy personas including the “Aphrodite of the Accordion,” “The Petite Flower,” “Fashion-Plate Saint,” “Queen of Candy-Pants,” “Princess of Panty Shields,” “Empress of Elvis Impersonators,” and the “Buffer of Foreheads”, all of whom wore whimsical costumes and used a variety of props.
Tenuta claimed that most people understood her show despite her outrageous clothes and bizarre stage presence.
“In my religion, I’m the only one that gets to complain. The best thing about my religion, she said to The Associated Press.
After starring in the 1980s TV series, Tenuta became a national star. Ellen DeGeneresRita Rudner, Paula Poundstone and Paula Poundstone in the 1987 HBO Special “Women of the Night.”
She was one of the many performers who helped to make live comedy a popular form of entertainment in clubs all over the country.
(Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage).
From 1987 to 1988 she toured across America with George Carlin. In 1988′s “American Comedy Awards” TV special, Tenuta was named best female comedy club performer opposite male winner Jerry Seinfeld. Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin were among the other honorees for their club or screen work.
Later, she moved to Los Angeles and continued performing on national tours for many years. She also made special visits to Chicago’s comedy circuit.
Tenuta was nominated in the 1990s for two awards Grammy Awardsfor her comedy CDs, “Attention Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians!” “In Goddess We Trust”
She was among a generation of performers who drove the popularity of live comedy in clubs nationwide including the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, Laff Stop in Houston and Caroline’s in New York City. Tenuta was able to find work in an otherwise male-dominated industry.
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She was a regular on late-night talk show and radio shock jock Howard Stern’s game shows. She starred alongside Bruce Vilanch in the 2011 independent film “Sister Mary” and appeared in Hillary and Haley Duff’s 2006 comedy “Material Girls,” and the 2013 movie “Gibsonburg.” She also took on roles in television shows including “General Hospital,” “Corey in the House” and “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.”
I was devastated to learn about the loss of my dear, close friend, Miss Judy Tenuta. I can’t believe she’s gone. Earth has really lost a goddess. pic.twitter.com/TiRuWTARiB
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) October 6, 2022
She has also voiced characters on “Duckham,” in “Cow and Chicken”, and in “Space Ghost Coast to Coast.” Tenuta appeared onstage in “The Vagina Monologues” and “Menopause the Musical” in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Tenuta played several characters on “The Weird Al Yankovic Show.” and was featured in many of Yankovic’s comedy shorts and music videos.
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Yankovic wrote, “Devastated” after learning about her death. I can’t believe she’s gone. Earth has really lost a goddess.”
Tenuta is survived by her life partner, Vern Pang, five brothers (Daniel, John, Steven, Thomas and James) and sister (Barbara).
This report was contributed by The Associated Press.
