Judy Tenuta, brash 'Goddess of Love' comedian, dies at 72

LOS ANGELES — Judy Tenuta, a brash standup 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.

Roger Neal, a publicist, said that Tenuta died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles with her family. Ovarian cancer was the cause of her death.

“She was a very funny, amazing performer,” Neal said, and it was always a “happy time to be around her.”

Neal stated that Tenuta claimed her birth date as Nov. 7, 1965. However, she was actually born in 1949. “She was old school so she would never tell her real age, but now that she’s gone we can tell her real age,” he added.

Bouffant hair and a flower accent topped her heart-shaped face gave off an impression of sweetness. However, this was quickly destroyed by her gravelly delivery and acidic humor. The accordion she made part of her act was “an instrument of love and submission,” 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’s in New York City. Tenuta is one example of a woman who found her place in a traditionally male-dominated field.

“Devastated to hear of the passing of my dear, dear friend, the lovely Miss Judy Tenuta. I can’t believe she’s gone,” tweeted Weird Al Yankovic, who worked with her on his 1990s TV series and a 2006 music video. “Earth has truly lost a goddess.”

Michael McKean, of “Spinal Tap” fame, tweeted, “One of a kind. Damn.”

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.

In 1988′s “American Comedy Awards” TV special, Tenuta was named best female comedy club performer opposite male winner Jerry Seinfeld. Other honorees for their club or screen work that year were Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin, and Bette Midler.

“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.

She was a regular guest on late-night talk and game shows, as well as radio shock jock Howard Stern. Her acting and voiceover credits were eclectic, including appearances on “The Weird Al Show” and “Space Ghost Coast to Coast.” She appeared onstage in “The Vagina Monologues” 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 “Attention Butt Pirates and Lesbetarians” and “In Goddess We Trust.”

She was a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights and participated in pride festivals, counting members of the queer community among her enthusiastic fans. On her website, she said that as an ordained minister of Judyism she was “available for same sex marriages!”

Tenuta grew up in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, attending Catholic schools that included one she dubbed “St. Obnoxious and Bondage.” She said she was the “isolated, petite flower” — Petite Flower becoming one of her stage nicknames — in a Catholic family that included six brothers.

After graduating from college, she worked odd jobs such as wrapping meat and taking inventory at a outlet for Catholic religious apparel.

“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.”’

Before she began her solo standup career, Tenuta joined the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago. Despite her outlandish clothes and bizarre stage appearance, Tenuta said most people caught on immediately to her act, which included the self-centered “Judyism” religion.

“In my religion, I’m 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,” she told AP.

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This report was contributed by Mallika Sen, an Associated Press journalist, from New York.

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This story has been updated to correct Tenuta’s age to 72.