Judy Tenuta obit

Judy Tenuta Dies: “Love Goddess” Comic & Actress Was 72

 

She was not on the list.

Judy Tenuta, an unconventional, often brash stand-up comic who guested on numerous TV shows and appeared in two “Weird” Al Yankovic videos, died October 6 of ovarian cancer in Studio City, CA. She was 72.

Known to fans as “The Love Goddess,” Tenuta’s stage act was delivered in a shrill, loud, sometimes gravelly voice and often included an accordion. Her style sometimes veered toward shock; one bit had an audience member near the stage open their mouth so she could drop her chewed gum in it.

During her first solo stand-up performance, Tenuta shocked the audiences by dressing up as the Virgin Mary, and after being encouraged by her friends to incorporate an accordion into her routine, she began to develop the character into her iconic persona as the wisecracking “Love Goddess.” She regularly dressed in wild costumes made up of Aphrodite dresses, feather boots, egg bras, nippy cup necklace and gauzy capes, and used a variety of props.

Along with dozens of guest roles on TV and some movies, she hosted a popular HBO special that featured contemporaries Ellen DeGeneres, Rita Rudner, Martin Short and Paula Poundstone.

Born on November 7, 1949, in Oak Park, IL, Tenuta took an improv comedy class with the Chicago improv group The Second City and shortly after began opening for other comedians in Chicago throughout the ’70s.

By the late 1980s — around the start of the “golden age” of stand-up — Tenuta was sharing stages with the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser, Sinbad, Jay Leno, DeGeneres, Rudner and Poundstone. She also had several specials on HBO, Showtime and Lifetime and performed stand-up on such TV shows as Late Night with David Letterman, One Night Stand, The Sunday Comics, The Pat Sajak Show, Comics Unleashed, The Dennis Miller Show, Gotham Comedy Live, An Evening at the Improv and others.

Elsewhere on the small screen, she appeared on Hollywood Squares, Comedy Central Roasts, Celebrity Wife Swap, Who Wants to Date a Comedian? and Match Game, and in the documentaries I Am Sam Kinison, Stage Door Divas, Why We Laugh: Funny Women, When Stand-Up Comics Rules the World and the upcoming Stalking Emo.

Her distinctive voice led to roles in such toon fare as Duckman, Bruno the Kid, Space Ghosts Coast to Coast, Johnny Bravo and Mighty Magiswords.

Tenuta appeared in about a half-dozen episodes of CBS’ short-lived Saturday-morning series The Weird Al Show in 1997 and was in the veteran song parodist’s videos for and “White & Nerdy” and “Headline News.”

Yankovic, subject of Roku’s upcoming Weird: The Al Yankovic Story starring Daniel Radcliffe, tweeted today: “Devastated to hear of the passing of my dear, dear friend, the lovely Miss Judy Tenuta. I can’t believe she’s gone. Earth has truly lost a goddess.”

Tenuta scored back-to-back Grammy nominations for Best Spoken Comedy Album — Attention Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians (1994) and In Goddess We Trust (1995) — and also had a career onstage, appearing in The Vagina Monologues and Menopause The Musical in Los Angeles and Chicago.

 

She was an outspoken advocate for gay rights and has amassed a following in the LGBTQ community. During the early years of her career, Tenuta frequently performed at gay bars and clubs around Chicago, performed at and appeared as a grand marshal for numerous gay pride festivals, and even became ordained as a minister to officiate same-sex marriages.

During the past couple of years, while the world dealt with the Covid pandemic, Tenuta had been battling Stage 4 ovarian cancer. Late last year she released “Kicking Cancer’s Ass,” a video shot entirely during isolation and quarantine at home (watch it below). It become an inspiration to others and an unexpected battle cry for those who are experiencing not only cancer but other health issues, including Covid.

Tenuta is survived by her life partner, Vern Pang; brothers Daniel, John, Steven, Thomas and James; a sister, Barbara; and two nephews, four nieces and a grand-niece.

Actress (56 credits)

 2021 In the Position

Caroline

 2020 There's No Such Thing as Vampires

Barbecue Becky

 2020 Dean McDermott: Working Actor (TV Series)

Judy

- Pilot (2020) ... Judy

 2020 Big Dog (TV Series)

Eliza

- The Dame (2020) ... Eliza

 2015-2019 Child of the '70s (TV Series)

Theater Usher / Detective Emily Litella / Det. Emily Litella / ...

- Carlo Runs Away (2019) ... Theater Usher

- The Big Bang (2016) ... Detective Emily Litella

- Bonita's Back, Bitches! (2016) ... Det. Emily Litella

- Krystle (2015) ... Anna Perdente

 2018 Hollywood Studio Kitchen (TV Movie)

 2018 Deadly Crush

Claire Voyant

 2018 Celluloid Soul

Doctor Mulavey

 2017 Sharlie's Angels

Slutvinka

 2017 Scales: Mermaids Are Rea

Shopkeeper

 2017 Garlic & Gunpowder

Evelyn 'Evvy' Hancock

 2016 Mighty Magiswords (TV Series short)

Queen Porcina

- The Mystery of Loch Mess (2016) ... Queen Porcina (voice)

 2015 Doctor Spine

Mother Spine

 2014 Stage Door Divas (Documentary)

Ghost of Musical Theatre past

 2014 Monsters on Main Street

 2013/II The Executive

Judith the Advice Supervisor

 2013 Slutvinka: With Love, from Russia! (Short)

Slutvinka

 2013 Schoooled (TV Series)

Barbara

 2013 TMI Hollywood (TV Series)

Host / Various

- Twerking with Tenuta (2013) ... Host / Various

 2013 First Period

Madame Mulva

 2013 Gibsonburg

Pinkus' Mother

 2012 Sketchy (TV Series)

Drive Thru Customer

- Rabbi Burger (2012) ... Drive Thru Customer

 2011 Spike It (Short)

Various

 2011 Sister Mary

Older Nun

 2011 Going Down in LA-LA Land

Zinnea

 2008 Hanging in Hedo

Mrs. Weinberg

 2008 Cory in the House (TV Series)

Renee Dijon

- Making the Braid (2008) ... Renee Dijon

 2007 Chowder (TV Series short)

Empanada

- Mahjongg Night/Stinky Love (2007) ... Empanada (voice)

 2007 Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (TV Series)

Mrs. Holler

- Volunteering & the Library (2007) ... Mrs. Holler

 2006 'Weird Al' Yankovic: White & Nerdy (Music Video)

Woman Who Gets a Surge Protector

 2006 Material Girls

Margo Thorness

 2005 Flirting with Anthony

Jayleen the Motel Lady

 1999-2004 Johnny Bravo (TV Series short)

Black Widow / Waitress / Mermaid / ...

- Some Walk by Night/Adam West Date-O-Rama (2004) ... Black Widow / Waitress (voice)

- Bikini Space Planet/Moby Jerk/A Gel for Johnny (1999) ... Mermaid / Waterskiing Babe (voice)

 2003 'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection (Video)

Lorena Bobbitt (Headline News) (uncredited)

 2001 10 Attitudes

Glenda

 1998 Desperation Boulevard

Joan

 1998 Cow and Chicken (TV Series)

Kelly

- Buffalo Gals/Cow and Chicken Reclining (1998) ... Kelly (voice)

 1995-1997 Space Ghost Coast to Coast (TV Series)

Black Widow

- Telethon (1997) ... Black Widow (voice)

- Cookout (1996) ... Black Widow (voice)

- President's Day Nightmare (1995) ... Black Widow (voice)

 1997 The Weird Al Show (TV Series)

Madame Judy / Madame Judy the Psychic

- The Obligatory Holiday Episode (1997) ... Madame Judy

- The Competition (1997) ... Madame Judy

- Talent Show (1997) ... Madame Judy

- Time Machine (1997) ... Madame Judy

- Promises, Promises (1997) ... Madame Judy the Psychic

 1997 Nightmare Ned (TV Series)

Tooth Fairy

- Tooth or Consequence (1997) ... Tooth Fairy (voice)

 1997 Plump Fiction

Rhonda

 1997 Bruno the Kid (TV Series)

- The Unfriendly Skies (1997) ... (voice)

 1996 Goosebumps: Escape from Horrorland (Video Game)

Hannah Black

 1996 Butch Camp

Samantha Rottweiler

 1994-1996 Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (TV Series)

Edna

- The Longest Weekend (1996) ... Edna (voice)

- Color of Naught (1996) ... Edna (voice)

- Cellar Beware (1994) ... Edna (voice)

 1996 Bad Hair Day: The Videos (Video short)

Lorena Bobbitt (Headline News) (uncredited)

 1996 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (TV Series)

Judy

- Sticky Notes (1996) ... Judy (voice)

 1995 The Fan (Video short)

Fan

 1995 Sherman Oaks (TV Series)

Heddy

- Golf, Dating, and the Devil (1995) ... Heddy

 1994 'Weird Al' Yankovic: Headline News (Music Video)

Lorena Bobbitt

 1994 Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man II

Transportation Officer

 1993 Love Bites

Sgt. Farfalloni

 1991 The Sunday Comics (TV Series)

Performer - Stand Up

- Episode #1.7 (1991) ... Performer - Stand Up

 1990 Nothing Upstairs (TV Movie)

Judy

 1989 White Hot

Singer 1

 1974 Deep Throat Part II

Office Girl

Hide Hide Writer (8 credits)

 2013 Slutvinka: With Love, from Russia! (Short) (creator)

 2013 TMI Hollywood (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- Twerking with Tenuta (2013) ... (writer)

 2011 Spike It (Short)

 2010 Hot Bra Cones (Video short)

 2010 The Bob & Tom Show (TV Series) (1 episode)

- Episode dated 9 July 2010 (2010)

 1996 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (TV Series) (additional material - 1 episode)

- Sticky Notes (1996) ... (additional material)

 1995 The Fan (Video short)

 1987 On Location: Women of the Night (TV Special) (writer)