October 11, 2022
"Judy Tenuta, the absurdist, accordion-playing 'Love Goddess' of stand-up, who broke into the male-dominated 1980s comedy world while wearing Grecian gowns, preaching the gospel of 'Judyism' and..."
"... derisively addressing men as 'pigs' and 'stud puppets,' died Oct. 6... She was 72.... A gum-snapping comedian with one of stand-up’s most distinctive voices — she might deliver the setup in a cooing falsetto, then use a husky growl for the punchline — Ms. Tenuta deployed a campy brew of insult comedy, physical humor and acerbic wit.... During her heyday in the late-1980s and early ’90s, Ms. Tenuta was sometimes carried onstage by a bodybuilder or borne aloft in a thronelike chair, raised on the shoulders of several muscle-bound men. Wearing gold lamé pants or a gauzy floor-length cape, she would introduce herself as 'a shy, innocent petite flower' before revealing another, brassier side of her personality. 'Hey pigs, let’s party,' she would shout. 'You know you’re begging for abuse from the Goddess of Love.'... Ms. Tenuta often performed with an accordion strapped to her chest.... [A 1990 NYT article said] 'Whether she’s taunting male members of the audience about their masturbation habits or referring to herself as a Goddess of Love, her greatest gift is her ability to take male fantasies and transmogrify them into the stuff of nightmare.'"
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31 comments:
Maybe she saves the good stuff until last.
Judy Tenuta died? It could happen.
I was a convert to Judyism in the 80s but it has been awhile since I've seen or thought of her.
RIP Judy
Wow...that takes me back. Once upon a time, I ran a restaurant in Michigan, a very nice place. And it had a comedy club downstairs. We'd actually get some good talent in there. Like Tim Allen (who...in his days of stand up was among the funniest around), Pat Paulsen, Bill Maher and others. And...we had Judy Tenuta a couple of times. She packed the place. People loved her. It was an acquired taste. I could take her for a few minutes, then the voice- that voice- grated on me. But that was part of her schtick. You either loved it, or were annoyed by it, and if she saw you were annoyed by it, she'd deal with you.
Interestingly, the property was an historic building. Apparently at one time, Carry Nation had come through and busted up the bar- pre-prohibition. And, in a coincidental prelude to Judy's untimely passing- the property just burned down a couple of months ago.
Well...both the restaurant and Judy Tenuta had a good run. RIP Judy.
She was funny.
she made me laugh
“Stud puppets”: sounds like “splooge stooges.” Common cultural milieu?
"Transmogrify" - definitely a journalist favorite. (Wouldn't "transform" do just as well?)
See also "quintessential," "exacerbated," and "preternatural."
The last two seem to be falling out of favor, but "quintessential" will never die.
Anyway, never heard of her, unfortunately.
I remember the name, but I don't remember if I liked her. Back then, 72 would have been a perfectly reasonable age to die. Now it seems a bit young.
Carol said..."Transmogrify" - definitely a journalist favorite. (Wouldn't "transform" do just as well?)
"Transmogrify" is a Calvin and Hobbes reference.
Squeezebox!
... thus proving my theory that all female comediennes cannot go 30 seconds into their act before talking about their vagina or periods.
And proving once again that women aren't funny. We laugh AT them, not WITH them, or BECAUSE of them.
I loved her in the 80s.
She didn't seem that old. But then she hasn't been in the public eye for some time, so we remember her as she was in her prime. David Letterman is 75 but if we didn't see recent photos of him looking like a grizzled sea captain or a skid row Santa, we'd picture him as he was 30 years ago.
I met her in Atlanta - at an Industrial. (late 80's early 90's) She was paid to be there. I got a signed photograph. (which i no longer have)
Judy was an original. She made femininity a threat, and made the 12-bass accordion the most famous comedy prop since Henny Youngman’s violin.
The clip shows how far from the current mainstream uber politically correct and woke comedy has become. She makes fun of a presumabley Sikh man (she didn't specify but made fun of his turban and accent) and a gay male flight attentdent. Interesting....
Lurker21 says "She didn't seem that old. But then she hasn't been in the public eye for some time, so we remember her as she was in her prime. David Letterman is 75 but if we didn't see recent photos of him looking like a grizzled sea captain or a skid row Santa, we'd picture him as he was 30 years ago."
I've noticed this, too. It gives me a really odd feeling when I see someone who was famous years ago and hadn't seen in awhile. John Stewart was one who recently resurfaced and I thought he really aged. BTW, "skid row Santa" for Letterman is perfect!
I had completely forgotten about her...
The declaration "I'm a delicate FLOWER!" is made with such vocal impact on the last word, like a word held out by Stevie Nicks and sung at high volume, that just that line would crack me up. The little woman I'm married to will still giggle if a call her a delicate flower.
RIP Judy.
I've always been curious and bewildered at her marriage to Emo Phillips
Wasn't she married briefly to Emo Philips?
Imagine that morning breakfast table.
That routine would get her banned today Also, the crack about the 'soft' sidewalks, today's LA has even softer sidewalks.
I saw her as a student at the University of Tennessee. We got there early and were front row. During the performance she pulled me up on stage had me get down on all fours and rode me like a horse. And then she sang. To me. It was mortifyingly embarrassing. And awesome.
For one brief moment there I was her stud puppet, or at least a contender -IT COULD HAPPEN.
I was sad when I saw this news.
'And proving once again that women aren't funny. We laugh AT them, not WITH them, or BECAUSE of them.'
Joe Biden counters with 3 words: 'Lucille Ball.'
Far as I can tell, Tenuta never married and had no children. She was also (unsurprisingly) good friends with fellow comedian/accordionist "Weird Al" Yankovic, and appeared in several of his videos.
Far as I can tell, Tenuta never married and had no children. She was also (unsurprisingly) good friends with fellow comedian/accordionist "Weird Al" Yankovic, and appeared in several of his videos.
I had heard her name, but what is an Emo Philips?
Never mind, I'll goog him.
I watched the whole eight minutes and laughed at least twice.
Saw her show by chance at a local comedy club in the '80's having no idea who she was. Probably the best show I have ever seen in person but extremely thankful I wasn't down front to be included as part of show.
Ah, yes, the 80s, a "magical" time when racist and homophobic humor was not just allowed, it was required.
On the plus side, comedians are still allowed to make jokes about the homeless and their bowel movements so long as it's done in good taste. Who knew that the homeless would still be staple comic fodder two generations later. I thought the homeless were a transient phenomenon caused by Reagan....Jokes about towel heads and gay flight attendants can no longer be said on stage or, for that matter, whispered to intimate confidants late at night in the bedroom. At least in America. In other parts of the world, Sikhs and gays can be murdered at will. And you can't make fun of their murderers either. Republicans and incontinent homeless people are the only permissible groups to single out for comic riffs.
I thought the purpose of a comedian was to make people laugh.
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