Photo: Alan Mercer Lighting & Styling: Eric VenturoJudy Tenuta has always been this offbeat personality known as ‘The Love Goddess.’ She built a name for herself in the early 80’s while wearing Greco-Roman goddess gowns, holding an accordion, which she studied as a child, on New York stand-up stages. She became the first comic to win "Best Female Comedian" at the American Comedy Awards.
Her high profile came from a series of TV ads for MTV in the mid-1980s, which became popular and gained her a loyal following. She has appeared regularly on game shows like ‘Hollywood Squares’ and the 1998 revival of ‘Match Game.’ In 1991, she published her first book, ‘The Power Of Judyism.’
She keeps busy with voice-over work in several animated programs and touring all over the country in her stand-up act. One of nine siblings, she was born to an Italian father and Polish mother in Oak Park, Illinois. She credits growing up in a family with seven brothers and one sister, with giving her the ability to be funny.
I love Judy! She is GREAT fun to work with. She has an open spirit and lots of energy as you can see in the photos. I wanted to create a real glamorous look with Judy since she looks so amazing and appealing. We set about to capture her soulfulness as well as her high energy. Once again Eric Venturo styled and threw around the light for this session. We had a great time working with each other and got Judy the shots she needed.
She talked to me about her family, her gay fans, and her style of teen-age rebellion.
AM: How do you explain Judyism?
JT: Judyism is my religion. I’m Judy and my religion is JUDY-ism. In my religion only I get to whine. Everybody can keep their own religion and still worship me. It’s all about worshipping me!
AM: What possessed you to become an ordained minister?
JT: As you know Prop 8 passed so my Gay faction of Studcicles and female U-Haul drivers couldn’t legally get married. I wanted to make sure they could at least have a marriage in Judy-ism.
AM: What is your take on this Prop 8 problem?
JT: Eventually everything will go the way it should and Gays will be allowed to be married legally but until then you can be married by the Goddess in Judyism. They can tailor it to anything they want. If they need a disco wedding or whatever it is!
AM: Can you describe growing up with 8 siblings?
JT: My Mom was the original Octomom, except she had the decency to have us a month apart. I really enjoyed having a large family. There was a lot of chaos but at the same time it was really fun. Mostly I remember having a lot of fun and energy.
AM: Are you close?
JT: Yes, there was…kind of a rift, in my family recently. My sister and brothers decided to have a fight. Not good. They had to wait until they were fifty to disagree. Really sharp Poptarts! I don’t know what’s up with that. It is really stupid.
AM: When did you know you were funny enough to go pro?
JT: It was more like I decided…I have to do this. When you decide and put yourself into it full throttle, you find out. The audience tells you. Guess what? The audience told me they think I am funny!
AM: Did you do anything else before standup?
JT: Oh my God! Did I do anything else before!?! Excuse me I was a bouncer in a Nursing Home. I was a Butchers Assistant when I was eighteen. I used that money to go to Europe which was the smartest thing I have ever done.
AM: Why was that the smartest?
JT: I learned so much. You see all the beauty and the culture. There’s nothing like it. I would advise that for anybody.
AM: How much influence did your family life have on your act?
JT: I think a lot. I grew up in a large family where you had to scream to get heard and to get noticed. I think it had a lot to do with it.
AM: Did your family think you were funny?
JT: My Mom had so much stress. I had seven brothers who were as loud as you can possibly imagine. So it was like living in a locker room. To counter act that I was naturally quiet. I have always said I was a petite flower because I really was.
AM: When did you grow out of it?
JT: I rebelled after I got out of High School and decided to get into acting. I didn’t rebell like some kids who start smoking, drinking, and taking drugs. No, I decided I had to express myself, so I became ‘the Goddess.’
AM: What would you be doing if you hadn’t gone into comedy?
JT: This is so obvious. I would be a Fashion Designer. I love clothes. I would somehow work in fashion. I just love it. I was trying to do art but nobody praises you. You spend seventy hours on something and people go, ‘Nice.’ I need instant gratification.
AM: How has your audience changed over the last 20 years?
JT: I have to think about that. Of course unlike me, my audiences have gotten older. I have a very diverse audience because I do a lot of voice over for cartoons so kids know me too. I would say they have gotten a little older and a little crankier because of the economy, but you know what? I think they really appreciate whatever you can do to make them laugh and cheer them up. Forget we have a fifty trillion dollar deficit and no more Pontiacs. That’s a big sacrifice!
Her high profile came from a series of TV ads for MTV in the mid-1980s, which became popular and gained her a loyal following. She has appeared regularly on game shows like ‘Hollywood Squares’ and the 1998 revival of ‘Match Game.’ In 1991, she published her first book, ‘The Power Of Judyism.’
She keeps busy with voice-over work in several animated programs and touring all over the country in her stand-up act. One of nine siblings, she was born to an Italian father and Polish mother in Oak Park, Illinois. She credits growing up in a family with seven brothers and one sister, with giving her the ability to be funny.
I love Judy! She is GREAT fun to work with. She has an open spirit and lots of energy as you can see in the photos. I wanted to create a real glamorous look with Judy since she looks so amazing and appealing. We set about to capture her soulfulness as well as her high energy. Once again Eric Venturo styled and threw around the light for this session. We had a great time working with each other and got Judy the shots she needed.
She talked to me about her family, her gay fans, and her style of teen-age rebellion.
AM: How do you explain Judyism?
JT: Judyism is my religion. I’m Judy and my religion is JUDY-ism. In my religion only I get to whine. Everybody can keep their own religion and still worship me. It’s all about worshipping me!
AM: What possessed you to become an ordained minister?
JT: As you know Prop 8 passed so my Gay faction of Studcicles and female U-Haul drivers couldn’t legally get married. I wanted to make sure they could at least have a marriage in Judy-ism.
AM: What is your take on this Prop 8 problem?
JT: Eventually everything will go the way it should and Gays will be allowed to be married legally but until then you can be married by the Goddess in Judyism. They can tailor it to anything they want. If they need a disco wedding or whatever it is!
AM: Can you describe growing up with 8 siblings?
JT: My Mom was the original Octomom, except she had the decency to have us a month apart. I really enjoyed having a large family. There was a lot of chaos but at the same time it was really fun. Mostly I remember having a lot of fun and energy.
AM: Are you close?
JT: Yes, there was…kind of a rift, in my family recently. My sister and brothers decided to have a fight. Not good. They had to wait until they were fifty to disagree. Really sharp Poptarts! I don’t know what’s up with that. It is really stupid.
AM: When did you know you were funny enough to go pro?
JT: It was more like I decided…I have to do this. When you decide and put yourself into it full throttle, you find out. The audience tells you. Guess what? The audience told me they think I am funny!
AM: Did you do anything else before standup?
JT: Oh my God! Did I do anything else before!?! Excuse me I was a bouncer in a Nursing Home. I was a Butchers Assistant when I was eighteen. I used that money to go to Europe which was the smartest thing I have ever done.
AM: Why was that the smartest?
JT: I learned so much. You see all the beauty and the culture. There’s nothing like it. I would advise that for anybody.
AM: How much influence did your family life have on your act?
JT: I think a lot. I grew up in a large family where you had to scream to get heard and to get noticed. I think it had a lot to do with it.
AM: Did your family think you were funny?
JT: My Mom had so much stress. I had seven brothers who were as loud as you can possibly imagine. So it was like living in a locker room. To counter act that I was naturally quiet. I have always said I was a petite flower because I really was.
AM: When did you grow out of it?
JT: I rebelled after I got out of High School and decided to get into acting. I didn’t rebell like some kids who start smoking, drinking, and taking drugs. No, I decided I had to express myself, so I became ‘the Goddess.’
AM: What would you be doing if you hadn’t gone into comedy?
JT: This is so obvious. I would be a Fashion Designer. I love clothes. I would somehow work in fashion. I just love it. I was trying to do art but nobody praises you. You spend seventy hours on something and people go, ‘Nice.’ I need instant gratification.
AM: How has your audience changed over the last 20 years?
JT: I have to think about that. Of course unlike me, my audiences have gotten older. I have a very diverse audience because I do a lot of voice over for cartoons so kids know me too. I would say they have gotten a little older and a little crankier because of the economy, but you know what? I think they really appreciate whatever you can do to make them laugh and cheer them up. Forget we have a fifty trillion dollar deficit and no more Pontiacs. That’s a big sacrifice!
Photo: Alan Mercer Lighting & Styling: Eric VenturoTo learn more about Judy visit her website http://judytenuta.com/
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