Elayne Boosler Tales & Tails of Joy.

I’ve known comedian/writer/animal activist Elayne Boosler for a couple of decades, but there’s so much I didn’t know! We got loads of juicy bits from the woman who pioneered stand-up comedy for all who followed in her wake. From her earliest days at The Improv in New York, a waitress/hostess, who needed Andy Kaufman’s help to differentiate the brown drinks, to her love/hate relationship with proprietor, Bud Friedman, swooning over 20-year-old Richard Lewis, MC’ing without an act or a net, singing and then not thanks to now partner Andy, who Elayne credits with teaching her “everything.” Tom Waits? Who knew! We got a great story there. Robin Williams, to Bill Siddons, her husband of 30 years, with whom she shares a home in Italy, and a great line to sum up the current state of their union. We got lots on Italy, the when, where, why, and how. Elayne was always a must-see for me whenever she appeared on TV, and hugely impactful when I tried my hands and feet at standup. I could never be as smart, but she gave me permission to let my sass shine. A fan for decades, it was a pinch-me moment when we met on the Facebook and became instant friends. It translated to the reals not long after, over pizza in New York, and sometime after that, with Elayne gracing my living room for Women Who Write. It’s taken 10 years to get this sit down, she was well worth the wait. Despite a couple of tech glitches, I adored every moment, and I’m so grateful for all the laughs, so needed now. I’m about to do a YouTube Elayne deep dive and continue to lose myself in her brilliant shine. Elayne Boosler Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson Wed, April 8th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

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