Judy Tenuta: 5 Things On The ‘Love Goddess’ Comedian Who Died At 72

Judy Tenuta has died astatine the property of 72. The drama legend, champion known arsenic “The Love Goddess,” passed distant aft a conflict with signifier 4 ovarian crab astatine her Studio City home, her rep Harlan Boll confirmed. She is survived by her partner Vern Pan, arsenic good arsenic respective siblings — including brothers Daniel, John, Steven, Thomas and James, and her sister Barbara. Learn much astir Judy and her accomplishments here.

Judy Tenuta passed distant astatine the property of 72 aft a conflict with cancer. (Rob Latour/Shutterstock)

She was known arsenic ‘The Love Goddess’

During her first-ever stand-up performance, Judy drew contention by dressing up arsenic the Virgin Mary from the Bible. She added an accordion to her routine, which went connected to go a signature constituent done her vocation — peculiarly aft processing the quality into the raspy voiced and brash “Love Goddess.” Some of her champion costumes, on with her accordion, are connected show astatine the Hollywood Museum astatine Hollywood & Highland. She notably got her commencement successful drama astatine Chicago’s iconic The Second City.

“The Love Goddess” besides paved the mode for her different campy characters with unsocial costumes, including  “The Petite Flower,” “Queen of Candy-Pants,” “Fashion-Plate Saint,” “Princess of Panty Shields,” “Empress of Elvis Impersonators” and others.

After relocating to Los Angeles successful the ’80s, Judy went onto beforehand an HBO peculiar dubbed Women of the Night with Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone and Rita Rudner. She besides appeared successful advertisement campaigns for brands similar Diet Dr Pepper and MTV portion maintaining beingness successful the stand-up world.

She was from Chicago

Judy was calved into a Catholic Family arsenic 1 of 9 siblings successful Oak Park, Illinois connected Nov. 7, 1949 to parents Johanna and Ceasar. Her parent and begetter named her for the precocious Judy Garland. She lived successful Chicago astir of her young life, and pursued a station secondary grade astatine the University of Illinois astatine Chicago, majoring successful theater.

She was nominated for GRAMMYs

Judy had galore accolades successful her career, including respective GRAMMY nominations successful the Best Comedy Album class for Attention Butt-Pirates and Lesbetarians! and In Goddess We Trust.

She’s friends of Weird Al

Judy worked intimately with her person Weird Al — née Al Yankovic — and appeared arsenic insignificant characters connected both The Weird Al Show as good arsenic popped up successful his euphony videos and different shorts. Al took to societal media to retrieve her aft quality of her decease was confirmed.

Devastated to perceive of the passing of my dear, beloved friend, the beauteous Miss Judy Tenuta. I can’t judge she’s gone. Earth has genuinely mislaid a goddess. pic.twitter.com/TiRuWTARiB

— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) October 6, 2022

“Devastated to perceive of the passing of my dear, beloved friend, the beauteous Miss Judy Tenuta,” helium wrote via Twitter. “I can’t judge she’s gone. Earth has genuinely mislaid a goddess.”

She was an advocator for cheery rights

Judy was known passim her beingness for being a dependable and advocate for cheery rights. Outside of her activism, she regularly performed astatine cheery clubs and bars successful the Chicago area, arsenic good arsenic participated successful gay pridefulness festivals arsenic expansive marshal. She was besides ordained to officiated same-sex marriages.

Judy volition beryllium interred astatine the Hollywood Forever cemetery. Her household asks for donations to beryllium made to Make a Wish Foundation, St Jude Hospital oregon City of Hope successful lieu of flowers.