I first met Phyllis in the ‘80s when we did a Showtime comedy
special together. She held court in her dressing room, as she gave us “up and
coming” female comics tons of generous advice:
“The worst thing is the
amateur comic who opens with, ‘Are you having a good time?’ How do they know
they are having a good time? They’ve only just arrived. That’s a cheap way to
get a reaction, and it’s also the worst possible move, to create an opening for
the audience to talk. If they take control with that question, you’ll never get
them back.”
Later, when I wrote my first book, Stand-up Comedy: The Book, Phyllis agreed to an interview. She
revealed to me her motivation (and method) for becoming a stand-up comic at 40
years old: “My husband had left and my
kids were hungry. I had to make a
living. I was always funny, but I knew I
needed to get a persona.”
Phyllis invented her persona. She knew that she couldn’t be a
glamour girl, so she put on a crazy wig and created her imaginary
husband, “Fang.” Many of you who were
familiar with her act might be shocked to learn that Fang was invented – because
he became so real to us in her act.
“For Fang, getting out of bed
in the morning was a career move… Fang took the entire family out for coffee
and doughnuts the other night. The kids enjoyed it. It was the first time
they’d ever given blood!”
Thank you, Phyllis, for being a trailblazer for the rest of us
female comics. You left us smiling --
and left this world in that same way.
Phyllis died in her sleep, and was found by her son who said, “She
had a smile on her face.”
As Phyllis said, “A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”
You will never be forgotten.
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