LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Judy Tenuta, a brash standup who cheekily styled herself as the 鈥淟ove Goddess鈥� and toured with George Carlin as she built her career in the 1980s golden age of comedy, died Thursday. She was 72.
Tenuta died Thursday afternoon at home in Los Angeles, with her family around her, publicist Roger Neal told The Associated Press. The cause of death was ovarian cancer.
鈥淪he was a very funny, amazing performer," Neal said, and it was always a 鈥渉appy time to be around her."
Tenuta had claimed her birthdate as Nov. 7, 1965, but she was born in 1949, Neal said. 鈥淪he was old school so she would never tell her real age, but now that she鈥檚 gone we can tell her real age,鈥� he added.
Her heart-shaped face, topped by bouffant hair with a flower accent, conveyed an impression of sweet innocence that was quickly shattered by her loud, gravelly delivery and acidic humor, expletives included. The accordion she made part of her act was 鈥渁n instrument of love and submission,鈥� as she fondly called it.
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鈥檚 in New York City. A typically male-dominated field found room for women, including Tenuta.
鈥淒evastated to hear of the passing of my dear, dear friend, the lovely Miss Judy Tenuta. I can鈥檛 believe she鈥檚 gone,鈥� , who worked with her on his 1990s TV series and a 2006 music video. 鈥淓arth has truly lost a goddess.鈥�
Michael McKean, of 鈥淪pinal Tap" fame, , 鈥淥ne of a kind. Damn.鈥�
Tenuta gained national attention in 1987 with 鈥淥n Location: Women of the Night,鈥� a HBO special in which she starred with Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone and Rita Rudner.
In 1988鈥瞫 鈥淎merican Comedy Awards鈥� TV special, Tenuta was named best female comedy club performer opposite male winner Jerry Seinfeld. Other honorees that year for their club or screen work included Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler.
鈥淚 would trade it in a minute, if I could just be a wife and mother,鈥� wisecracked the gold lam茅-wrapped, gum-chewing Tenuta, who accepted her award from Carlin.
She was a frequent guest on late-night talk shows and game shows and with radio shock jock Howard Stern. Her acting and voiceover credits were eclectic, including appearances on 鈥淭he Weird Al Show" and 鈥淪pace Ghost Coast to Coast.鈥� She appeared onstage in "The Vagina Monologues鈥� in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Tenuta was a two-time Grammy nominee, getting back-to-back nominations in 1995 and 1996 for best spoken word comedy album for 鈥淎ttention Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians鈥� and 鈥淚n Goddess We Trust.鈥�
She was a supporter of LGBTQ rights, took part in pride festivals and counted members of the queer community as enthusiastic fans. On her website, she said that as an ordained minister of Judyism she was 鈥渁vailable for same sex marriages!鈥�
Tenuta grew up in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, attending Catholic schools that included one she dubbed 鈥淪t. Obnoxious and Bondage.鈥� She said she was the 鈥渋solated, petite flower鈥� 鈥� Petite Flower becoming one of her stage nicknames 鈥� in a Catholic family that included six brothers.
After graduating college, she worked at odd jobs that included wrapping meat and taking inventory at an outlet for Catholic religious attire.
鈥淚 got fired because they caught me trying the stuff on,鈥� Tenuta said a 1989 interview with The Associated Press. 鈥淪o the boss came in, and I guess he got kind of upset. And I said, 鈥榃ell, I have to see if they look good, pig. I鈥檓 trying to make improvements for these broads.鈥濃��
Tenuta went on to join the Chicago comedy troupe Second City before starting her solo standup career. Despite her outlandish clothes and bizarre stage appearance, Tenuta said most people caught on immediately to her act, which included the self-centered 鈥淛udyism鈥� religion.
鈥淚n my religion, I鈥檓 the only one that gets to complain. The really nice thing about my religion is you can forget all about your problems and think about mine for a while,鈥� she told AP.
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Associated Press journalist Mallika Sen contributed to this report from New York.
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This story has been updated to correct Tenuta鈥檚 age to 72.
Lynn Elber, The Associated Press
