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Elayne Boosler
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Elayne Boosler
Elayne Boosler (born August 18, 1952) is an American comedian, writer, and actress.
She was one of the few women working in stand-up comedy in the 1970s and 80s, and she broke ground by adopting an observational style that included frank discussions about her life as a single woman, as well as political commentary. Her 1985, self-produced comedy special Party of One was the first hour-long comedy special by a female comedian to appear on a cable television network.
Comedian Richard Lewis told The New York Times in 1984: "She is the Jackie Robinson of my generation. She is the strongest female working. She broke the mold for most female comics." Rolling Stone referred to her as "The First Lady of Stand-Up" in 1988 and included Boosler in their list of the "50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time" in 2017. In 2018, CNN included Boosler in their list of "Groundbreaking women in American comedy" and critic Jason Zinoman of The New York Times referred to Boosler as "The Comedy Master Who Hasn't Gotten Her Due."
Born into a Jewish family and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Boosler was the youngest child of seven with six older brothers. Her father was a Russian acrobat who later worked in the tool and die industry. Her mother was a Romanian ballerina. Boosler took singing lessons as a child as well as dance classes with the Joffrey Ballet for several years.
Her first exposure to stand-up comedy was during her family's frequent travels to Las Vegas in her early teens. She was too young to be allowed on the gambling floor of the hotel, so she often watched the comics performing at the lounge. It was this experience that first generated her interest in stand-up comedy.
She graduated from Sheepshead Bay High School in 1969, and was enrolled at the University of South Florida, but she dropped out after two years and traveled to the Bahamas where she worked for six months as a singer and dancer in a musical revue, before returning to New York.
Boosler started performing stand-up comedy at The Improv in New York City in 1973. She had been working at the club as a singing waitress, whose job was to sing between the comedic performances. On a night when one of the scheduled comedians failed to show up, Boosler took to the stage to try some comedy and spent an hour telling jokes. Afterward, Andy Kaufman suggested that she quit her singing job and try comedy instead.
Her talent for comedy was recognized early by comedians and the media alike. By 1976, comic Jimmie Walker was her manager, she was the subject of a multi-page article in New York Magazine and had appeared on Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell and The Merv Griffin Show. She moved to Los Angeles in 1977 and was featured in a Los Angeles Times article about women in comedy. That same year she made her first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, with Helen Reddy sitting in as guest host. Boosler credits Totie Fields for having suggested her to Reddy.
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Elayne Boosler
Elayne Boosler (born August 18, 1952) is an American comedian, writer, and actress.
She was one of the few women working in stand-up comedy in the 1970s and 80s, and she broke ground by adopting an observational style that included frank discussions about her life as a single woman, as well as political commentary. Her 1985, self-produced comedy special Party of One was the first hour-long comedy special by a female comedian to appear on a cable television network.
Comedian Richard Lewis told The New York Times in 1984: "She is the Jackie Robinson of my generation. She is the strongest female working. She broke the mold for most female comics." Rolling Stone referred to her as "The First Lady of Stand-Up" in 1988 and included Boosler in their list of the "50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time" in 2017. In 2018, CNN included Boosler in their list of "Groundbreaking women in American comedy" and critic Jason Zinoman of The New York Times referred to Boosler as "The Comedy Master Who Hasn't Gotten Her Due."
Born into a Jewish family and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Boosler was the youngest child of seven with six older brothers. Her father was a Russian acrobat who later worked in the tool and die industry. Her mother was a Romanian ballerina. Boosler took singing lessons as a child as well as dance classes with the Joffrey Ballet for several years.
Her first exposure to stand-up comedy was during her family's frequent travels to Las Vegas in her early teens. She was too young to be allowed on the gambling floor of the hotel, so she often watched the comics performing at the lounge. It was this experience that first generated her interest in stand-up comedy.
She graduated from Sheepshead Bay High School in 1969, and was enrolled at the University of South Florida, but she dropped out after two years and traveled to the Bahamas where she worked for six months as a singer and dancer in a musical revue, before returning to New York.
Boosler started performing stand-up comedy at The Improv in New York City in 1973. She had been working at the club as a singing waitress, whose job was to sing between the comedic performances. On a night when one of the scheduled comedians failed to show up, Boosler took to the stage to try some comedy and spent an hour telling jokes. Afterward, Andy Kaufman suggested that she quit her singing job and try comedy instead.
Her talent for comedy was recognized early by comedians and the media alike. By 1976, comic Jimmie Walker was her manager, she was the subject of a multi-page article in New York Magazine and had appeared on Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell and The Merv Griffin Show. She moved to Los Angeles in 1977 and was featured in a Los Angeles Times article about women in comedy. That same year she made her first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, with Helen Reddy sitting in as guest host. Boosler credits Totie Fields for having suggested her to Reddy.
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