# Judy Tenuta has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [October 6, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857 "2022-10-06T23:24:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/1 "2022-10-06T23:24:33Z")
She was only 65. > **[Judy Tenuta, brash 'Love Goddess' comedian, dies at 72](https://apnews.com/article/judy-tenuta-obituary-comedian-dcc89453f6d79f27c73287045978de0d?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_07)** > > LOS ANGELES (AP) — Judy Tenuta, a brash standup who cheekily styled herself as the “Love Goddess” and toured with George Carlin as she built her career in the 1980s golden age of comedy, died Thursday. In case you’ve forgotten her: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/j8YTXQgYaX8/hqdefault.jpg "Stand Up Comedy "Judy Tenuta" Women of the Night - Part One") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8YTXQgYaX8) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/2 "2022-10-06T23:29:33Z")
The only joke of hers that I recall was one about creating her own religion, where people would worship her. She called it “Judy-ism”. Dying in your 50’s is way too young! I hope it was a peaceful death. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/3 "2022-10-06T23:33:29Z")
“It can happen!” ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/4 "2022-10-06T23:37:30Z")
oh wow i remember shed have an accordion too and was on MTV a lot ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/5 "2022-10-06T23:47:05Z")
I saw one routine she did that included the word “towelhead” and “He wanted to borrow my lipstick- I guess so he could touch up the dot on his forehead”. With that big exception, I loved her work. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/6 "2022-10-06T23:49:42Z")
A lot of her stuff would be unacceptable today, like much of the comedy from the 80s and 90s. This is one of my favorites. Evidently, Joan Rivers told her to just go wild. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/R6TvuPnd1ec/hqdefault.jpg "Judy Tenuta - The Joan Rivers Show (1990)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6TvuPnd1ec) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/7 "2022-10-06T23:53:09Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Dying in your 50’s She was 65 ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/8 "2022-10-07T00:04:02Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > She was 65 Which doesn’t change my claim. (Makes it irrelevant? Yes, it does do that. I apologize for misreading) Anyway, dying in your 60’s is way too young. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/9 "2022-10-07T00:07:08Z")
Apparently, her age was misreported. Seems that she was 72. AP has updated their article with the correct age. ETA: According to Wiki, she died of ovarian cancer. Such a shame. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/10 "2022-10-07T00:11:37Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > “It can happen!” I’ve linked to that bit of hers in response to bizarre claims on the Dope and elsewhere. R.I.P., Judy. Although come to think of it, that’d be contrary to her style. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/11 "2022-10-07T00:22:51Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > ETA: According to Wiki, she died of ovarian cancer. Such a shame. Indeed. She had some funny stuff; she came out of that late-80s craze for “character” comics, who had gimmicky voices and/or props and personas. Of them all, Gilbert Gottfried probably had the longest-term career success, and Andrew Dice Clay likely had the biggest short-term haul, what with his brief movie career. I liked Judy Tenuta’s adopted guise; she managed to be both aggressive and feminine and made it work. Condolences to her family and friends. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/12 "2022-10-07T00:37:21Z")
I totally remember her. I always thought she was really weird but very funny. She was very popular for a short time in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/13 "2022-10-07T00:39:01Z")
I have a long rambling, Bill Burr type story about women comedians in the 80’s-90’s…I’ll just say that part of the punchline is “Judy Tenuta, of all people, did not tell jokes about her period or her boyfriend”\* \*If she did i dont remember. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/14 "2022-10-07T00:50:45Z")
Did she ever tell jokes about her ex-husband Emo Phillips? If he’s even 1% as irritating in real life as he is on stage she could have done a complete mini series on it. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/15 "2022-10-07T00:51:46Z")
Emo Phillips said “People come up to me, afraid that I’ll reproduce.” I really identified with that. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/16 "2022-10-07T01:18:41Z")
Damn. The Mrs. and I saw her perform in person once. We loved her routine. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/17 "2022-10-07T01:35:56Z")
Don’t be ragging on Zeno Philips! I rediscovered him during lockdown and I didn’t realize how damned funny he was. That Steven Wright or Mitch Herbert type of one line comedy, but with a bizarre persona. Anyway, back to Judy. She was one of my introductions to stand up comedy. She will be missed. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/18 "2022-10-07T02:52:11Z")
I hadn’t seen her since she appeared in the video for [“White and Nerdy”](https://youtu.be/N9qYF9DZPdw) by Weird Al. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/19 "2022-10-07T02:58:58Z")
When I heard she had been married to him I just felt sorry for her. She did some interesting oddball comedy. I remember Judyism and 'It could happen '. Another light goes out. Goodnight Judy. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857/20 "2022-10-07T03:14:07Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I hadn’t seen her since she appeared in the video for [“White and Nerdy”](https://youtu.be/N9qYF9DZPdw) by Weird Al. - > [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judy-tenuta-has-died/972857.md?page=2)