Judy Tenuta, a brash standup comic who cheekily styled herself as the 'Goddess of Love' and toured with George Carlin as she built her career in the 1980s golden age of comedy, died Thursday. She was 72.
Tenuta gained national attention in 1987 with “On Location: Women of the Night,” a HBO special in which she starred with Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone and Rita Rudner.
“I would trade it in a minute, if I could just be a wife and mother,” wisecracked the gold lamé-wrapped, gum-chewing Tenuta, who accepted her award from Carlin. Tenuta was a two-time Grammy nominee, getting back-to-back nominations in 1995 and 1996 for best spoken word comedy album for “Attention Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians” and “In Goddess We Trust.”She was a supporter of LGBTQ rights, took part in pride festivals and counted members of the queer community as enthusiastic fans.
After graduating college, she worked at odd jobs that included wrapping meat and taking inventory at an outlet for Catholic religious attire.“I got fired because they caught me trying the stuff on,” Tenuta said a 1989 interview with The Associated Press. “So the boss came in, and I guess he got kind of upset. And I said, ‘Well, I have to see if they look good, pig. I’m trying to make improvements for these broads.
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