#118 Judy Tenuta Stops By (It Could Happen!)

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Jeff Dwoskin 0:16

All right. Thank you so much for that amazing introduction, and you get the show going each and every week and this week was no exception. Welcome, everybody to Episode 118 of live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin show. As always, I'm your host, Jeff Dwoskin. Great to have you back for a fighting episode of the podcast. Prepare yourself for hilarity because Joining me today is comedian Judy Tenuta why it could happen. That's right. The self described love goddess and Aphrodite of the accordion is here to chat with me today. We discuss her amazing career and her fantastic movie desperation Boulevard and also Judy Collins with many words of inspiration and she's been kicking cancers ass throughout the pandemic. And she's here to share her journey from diagnosis, treatment and partial remission with us, inspire us and still make us laugh. I'm excited to share my conversation with Judy Tenuta with you in just a few minutes.

Jeff Dwoskin 1:28

I got tons of great feedback from people check out winning time on HBO. Last week episode 117 had the amazing opportunity to talk to Spencer Garrett who plays Chick Hearn and HBO show winning time the rise of the Lakers dynasty. Check out that interview if you haven't, especially if you're a Star Trek fan, lots of great Star Trek The Next Generation stories in there, including some duties on stuff he took from the set I say took and not stall because we don't do that. That's an amazing interview and Spencer Garrett, amazing person. Also some cool stories about Quentin Tarantino in there. As excited as I was to complete my Happy Days trilogy. I do want to mention, I'm about to complete the love bow trilogy as well coming up soon. Keep an eye out for that. Love. Oh fans, I love all the old shows. You know it can dig up the episodes with Isaac and go for and we got one more coming your way. I'm gonna keep it a secret and roll it out and surprise. Yeah. Speaking of happy surprises, there's 67 plus hours of crossing the streams waiting for you on the Jeff Dwoskin show YouTube channel, hours and hours of TV binge watching suggestions away you and here's the fun part. Join us live as we record them every Wednesday at 9:30pm Eastern time on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. You can chat along with us and have a good time while we discuss TV shows you should be binging and every now and then as you know a bonus episode of crossing the stream shows up on this podcast. So so many ways to feed your TV urges and needs. I'm here for you. I got you back. If you need even more proof of the power of crossing the streams, we suggested everyone watched CODA Academy Award winning movie of the year back in November of 2021. So boom, there you go. We got your hand in all this.

Jeff Dwoskin 3:29

I do want to take a minute to thank everyone who supports the sponsors. When you support the sponsors you're supporting us here live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin show and that's how we keep the lights on today's interview sponsor is me just talking about Judy Tenuta I got a two for two new to for you check out her YouTube channel. Tons of great Judy Tenuta all over her YouTube channel. We talk a lot about it during the interview. But also, I want to mention up front desperation Boulevard. As Judy renewed his movies kind of having a little bit of a resurgence. You can stream it on Amazon Prime. Judy plays a former child star who tries to get her career back in Hollywood as an adult. hilarity ensues. As you can imagine, we talk a lot about it during the interview, but I wanted to talk about it upfront. Just kind of put it in your head as you get ready for my conversation with Judy Tenuta which whether you believe it or not is coming up her right now.

Jeff Dwoskin 4:34

All right, everyone. I'm so excited to introduce you to my next guest comedian actor love goddess, daddy's little girl, Judy Tenuta , Judy, welcome to the show.

Judy Tenuta 4:47

How are you Jeff? Yes, as you can see, I am surrounded by flowers because the goddess loves flowers and they make people happy. So that's what I wanted to do.

Jeff Dwoskin 4:58

And it is it's making me very happy. It's a beautiful background. Okay, I haven't mastered the green screen background yet from my video.

Judy Tenuta 5:06

Oh, believe me and watch this watch. You see the flower in my hair on the side. Watch it it'll disappear if I see

Jeff Dwoskin 5:15

it's magic. Yeah, it is magic. It's got a lot to talk about want to talk about your movie that's having a resurgence, desperation Boulevard. Want to talk about your kicking cancers ass video, we could start there. How are you feeling?

Judy Tenuta 5:30

I'm feeling good. But I want all people to know that I am the love goddess Judy. And I have my own religion, Judaism. And so in my my religion, there is no wall there is no ban, and whether you are woman, man or trans, I will bake your wedding cake. So that's pretty exciting.

Jeff Dwoskin 5:50

Well, let me let me ask you about Judaism. I'm also a member of the other Judaism.

Judy Tenuta 5:56

How can I be a member of Judaism?

Jeff Dwoskin 5:59

I'm thinking I'm thinking I could be

Judy Tenuta 6:03

you know, yeah, that's right. You don't have to lose your Judaism within a but I'm Judaism with a why. Yes.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:09

So are you an ordained minister?

Judy Tenuta 6:11

I am that. Yes. But you know, a lot of people couldn't do that, I guess online but I did. I do perform marriages. You know, I just performed one. Oh, I don't know six months ago. And but we have to do everything on Zoom. But it's fine.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:26

That's awesome. I'm an ordained minister. Also. It was

Judy Tenuta 6:29

good. I mean, anybody can do it, Jeff. anybody

Jeff Dwoskin 6:33

I know. But my you know, my favorite thing. Once I became ordained it was Judaic I called my rabbi and I'm like, you know, we do weddings, you know? I do I'm just like you

Jeff Dwoskin 6:48

man, okay, so your your video kicking cancers as I watch it, it's how are you feeling now? How are you doing? You seem great. You seem great.

Judy Tenuta 6:58

Did you enjoy it?

Jeff Dwoskin 6:59

I did. It's a great video. I love that. Not sure what the the the Hills Have Eyes kind of guy for the cancer.

Judy Tenuta 7:06

Yeah, they did a great job on on animating my who I'm finding it you know, if I could just give a little little intro to that, you know, my I recorded in first you have to record the song. So I wrote the words in music. And then I brought it to my friend, CJ Manson, who's a great musician and Maestro. And he's worked on Christopher Guest movies like Best in Show, oh, God, all of them, I can't even come. So I took it to him. And then we put in all the instrumentation. It was great. And once we got that done, it was done a little bit before Thanksgiving, I brought it to my friend, Mark and Craig. And they created the animation. And then filmed me behind a green screen at Craig's house and then also at my house. So we did it all the best way we could. And but it's I think it turned out really professionally and great. And, and you know, the main thing, the main reason I did it, I want I wanted people to know, first of all, there's a lot of people fighting cancer, or else you have a friend or family member or someone close to you, or even just people that you care about that, that you may not know them that well, but you're thinking of them that are going through this battle. My motivation was, of course, I'm going through it. I wanted people to know that I'm still alive. And then I'm kicking it, I'm fighting it. And I wanted people to know that you do have to put your gloves on and fight it. Do what your doctor say I have great doctors number one, and UCLA. I'm going to give a shout out to all my doctors Dr. Cohen, and now cantock. And all of my nurses, nurses, I love they do so much. You know, I don't know if you've ever had to be in the hospital. But let's give a shout out to them too. So I went through three rounds of chemo and then fill operation. And then in September, I was done with chemo. And so now I'm in partial remission. Yay, victory. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So you know, I'm, I'm glad about that. And of course, I want to encourage others who are not only going through it, but others who have family members that are going through it so that you know, you know, so many people say to me, Oh, God, I was going to contact you. But I didn't know what to say Don't be a coward. This is not about you. It's about the other person who's going through a tough, very tough health crisis. So text, or call text or call that person and say, Hey, I'm thinking of you at the bare minimum. I'm thinking of you. I'm rooting for you, whatever you want to say, just to let them know that you're in their corner. It's really important. It's really important to be surrounded. I have I have friends that you know, call me every day to see how I'm doing and I say well, I'm kicking cancers ass and do you have a copy? Ever by the way, the video? Yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 10:02

I saw it on YouTube, but you can't play it now. Right? Oh right now No, I can't but I'll link to it in the show notes. Make sure everyone can get to it. Yeah, Andrew. That's great.

Judy Tenuta 10:12

Yeah, I can get to it. Either way, letting people know as long as we're talking about linking to things and watching things i Please subscribe to my YouTube channel because you're gonna for free see at least 50 videos that are so fun and entertaining. So do that for free on duty to YouTube. Yeah. So kicking cancers ass. I found out in the end of March, beginning of April, I was feeling a little pain on my left side. And I thought, Oh, well, you know, maybe it's my doctor. At first what she saw was a kidney stone, which I did have. But then as the, the MRI revealed I had something else. So then she said, Well, you're going to need see, to see the oncologist and I. So I went in, I saw the oncologist. I said, Doctor, I feel fine. He goes, I know, I know, Judy, but look at the x rays. And this is what's going on. And this is what we're going to and I had a cry, you know, it's normal, you know, you have to have a cry. But then I said, Doc, I'm gonna do whatever it takes. Let's kick cancers as he goes. Yeah. So that's why he they came up with a program very shortly after that two rounds of chemo operation. And then another round of chemo in August. That went till Yeah. So my last chemo was September 16. And now as I say, I'm in partial remission. So I just want to encourage everyone out there who's going through this, listen to your doctors, Okay, stay positive, you've got to have a positive attitude. Every morning, I wake up and I say I am healthy. I am loved and I am blessed. Yes, you have to have. I mean, I think you should say that every morning, whether you have a health challenge or not, because everybody's going through the pandemic. You know, that's a tough time. But on top of it, I happen to have this and there are others like it, so I just wanted to encourage them. And that's why I made this video.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:18

Well, you look great cancer definitely pick the wrong person to mess with. So

Judy Tenuta 12:24

I hope everybody is the wrong person to mess with with cancer. Yes.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:28

It's a great message, though, that you shared, it's so true, how important it is just to reach out. It doesn't have to be a long message. It doesn't have to be anything when people just hear from anyone whether they're going through cancer or any anything I am PDS anything, anything just especially now, where it's so easy, just a Facebook message or text or anything like that, where could just be a quick hit when those things come in. It just lights up anybody's day. So that's that's a great message in itself. Right there. Thank you, Judy.

Judy Tenuta 12:59

Well, no, thank you. I you know, I just want people to feel that I'm cheering them on that I'm rooting for them to you know, so it's very tough. I'm not gonna kid you. You know, when you start going through chemo. That was tough for me. I you know, I lost my appetite. I couldn't drink anything for the first couple of days. And the doctor said, Whatever you do, Judy, please try to drink water. Water is so important. So water is my best friend these days I drink at least what I do is I drink seven, eight ounce glasses a day plus a fruit juice or something of my choice. And our you know, you can have soda too. But it's you really want to have the pure water as well. You know, coffee doesn't count because it's caffeinated. But hey, you know what we should be? I didn't realize everybody needs to hydrate everybody needs to hydrate and we forget, you know, that's why I try to keep my bottle. You can't see it. Oh, in front of me. So I don't forget.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:04

I hear ya. I'm so bad at drinking water.

Judy Tenuta 14:07

I really do you drink Jeff.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:09

I have water here is this it's so boring. You know what I mean? It's like sometimes I buy that squirt stuff that goes in it, you know, like can give. It makes a little flavor. Flavor. Yeah. And then it's easier to drink. No, no, that's

Judy Tenuta 14:22

fine. You know, that's good. As long as you get some liquid like that. Minus the sugar though sugar. We want to stay away. I'm just saying for people in my condition. They say sugar is not good. But we can still have a little cookie here and there. You know things like that. So but the interesting thing is when you're going through chemo, you lose your sense of like, I wanted no sweets, I couldn't even eat them. So that was a first for me because I used to love now I do. I do like cookies and but you know, I don't crave it for anything. You know, it's just as for a treat If I want it

Jeff Dwoskin 15:00

so it's great. I drive people crazy because like when I went through Weight Watchers, I started watching what what I was eating. And one of the things they tell you it you know, there's the whole concept of the utility of the first bite and then you're really just chasing that first bite. The feeling that you got from the first bite. Yes,

Judy Tenuta 15:16

that's how they addict you, right? And you realize like, even today for lunch I had, my boyfriend knows that I love turkey dinner. So he got me that by the way, I have to give a shout out to all the people who look after me who pray for me, people who call me to see how I am so I want to give a shout out to certain people. Okay, so to be my caregiver, my people who pray for me, Shelly and Dr. Joe and my friend Bob, and you know, my friends Marsha, and Sandy who always check on me, I want to thank all of them, especially in everyone, by the way, who writes me lovely, beautiful, supportive messages on all social media, whether it be Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and zoom. You know, please Like I say, YouTube, go to the YouTube and you'll see everything but really I really thank you from the bottom of my heart for being supportive of the goddess going through my journey kicking cancers ass

Jeff Dwoskin 16:14

taking cancers ass everyone, definitely go to Judy's YouTube channel i'll put a link in the show notes so you can jump right there. Or you can search Judy Tenuta kicking cancers ass in YouTube comes right out, right? Yeah, there you go. I will be praying for you. God, I'll tell you all three in my prayers.

Judy Tenuta 16:35

Thank you I really appreciate and everything and in return i i pray for everyone going through anything you know, just even people that don't you know that are feel, you know, any kind of conflict. We all have problems, you know, so I want to lift their spirits to

Jeff Dwoskin 16:53

do our All right, so what else we got going on your movies having a big resurgence from the late 90s movie desperation Boulevard from 1998. I watched it. I watched it last night actually in prep. I want to die. It's a great movie. But yeah, I'm gonna let you kind of give the premise of it in a second. But I also watched Yes, promoting it on Donny and Marie show.

Judy Tenuta 17:16

Oh, my God, I could you see what how much fun I had on this show.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:22

Can I say you are people talk about Robin Williams. I watched a few of your like, I saw you on the Joan Rivers show to watch an old clip. You are so funny. On those shows. I mean, you're funny in general, but I mean, but to work it like you work it were like, I mean, I don't it was so funny. I've never seen i i could tell Johnny Johnny didn't know what to do when you were doing the duck mouth thing. And it was I mean, yeah, I mean,

Judy Tenuta 17:50

that's why people have to look at YouTube and find all this stuff. But the thing is, what I do is I really go on kinda like a machine gun. I don't give up I just keep I just keep throwing jokes out and they can't, or observations, things that happen and they crack up, you know. So the idea is to enjoy yourself, number one, and make the host enjoy themselves. And so yeah, that was oh my god, I had so much fun with them. They're great. I love them. I love let's talk about all these wonderful people like Donny and Marie Joan Rivers. Oh my god. She was a mentor to me. And she was fantastic. She would invite me out all her shows, you know, starting with the fox show her her first. You know, she was kind of she was kind of like she thought she would be taking over for Johnny Carson. Right? No, which was weird because she was always subbing for him. And then But then she took a deal with Fox and got her own evening show. And I was lucky to be on there and she was so wonderful and supportive and I had a great set and ever since then that was back in 1986. Just as I was starting to hit a little then I got on Letterman then I got on 87 I did women of the night my first HBO special with those other wonderful women. You know Paula Poundstone, Rita Rudner and Ellen DeGeneres Yep. And you know, it was a real it was just a wonderful, just a wonderful blessing. And it really helped me and then right after that, I became the spokes goddess for Diet Dr. Pepper commercials and what I loved were the these commercials were so well produced they don't do anything like that anymore. Again, you can see those on my YouTube channel so you can

Jeff Dwoskin 19:41

crack around a whole reel of them I found the entire reel I think I watched all of them. They are how did that come about? Did they come they come? Because that's all Judy Tenuta. I mean, that was your that was right. I mean, that was why they went all in with you on those commercials. Hey,

Judy Tenuta 19:57

well, here's what happened. A gentleman By the name of Chris, who worked at young and room account saw my HBO special with the other women, it was called Woman of the night. And I really stood out like, wow, we need someone like that, to promote you who's going to really jump out at you and be memorable like that. So I was very lucky. I get my he called my manager. And I want to thank my manager Winston Simone who who went into, you know, who really really sold them. They wanted me anyway, but you know, you have to still sell somebody. And and then we started filming them in. I want to say, ah, what was it? In the summer? Of 8088? Maybe? Yeah, right after I did my HBO special maybe it was the summer of 87. But and oh my God, when those came out, I remember the they premiered the first one on the 19th it was either the 87 or 88 Super Bowl, and oh, God, it's just it was just great. It you know, so I am really thankful.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:03

Oh, one of those was like a Superbowl ad. Yeah. Wow. Oh, yes. So let me ask you from the HBO specials are that when people recognize your when you started to be recognized in the street? Was it from the Dr. Pepper commercial? Because only so many people HBOs huge, but only millions maybe saw that but multiples of that probably?

Judy Tenuta 21:24

was more of the Yeah, a lot of people did but more even more. So from the Diet Dr. Pepper, because you have to remember that commercial comes on every when it's in rotation. You know how often it comes on. And people look at that girl. I mean, she's like, Yeah, you can't get a body like mine in a bottle. Unless you push real hard, you know, all these little catchphrases I had and so I was and I have to say they spared no expense on the that's why I really want people to go to my YouTube channel and see how beautifully they made the sets my costumes and makeup. It was wonderful. They did they made each one like a mini movie. It was fantastic.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:07

Their high production value I wrote down that way you just quoted I wrote that down. Because when I was watching it, you deliver the line. But it's so funny, because you don't it took a second for me to realize, oh my god, that was the funniest thing I ever heard. They.

Judy Tenuta 22:22

Also, you're watching me and if I can give you the scenario of that particular commercial, I'm in a gym outfit, but like a goddess, you know, as my goddess curl sir, a Grecian kind of Goddess. And I you know, those weights that you that are on a machine and you know, you,

Jeff Dwoskin 22:41

right, they go up and down as you're doing down, I

Judy Tenuta 22:43

say, oh my god, yeah, I have to pump up to say, petite. And then and then I let go. And I say that's why I drink data. And so you see that I wasn't really pumping. And that's what I drink Diet Dr. Pepper and I shall show it and I go because you can't get and then I say that say you can't get a body like mine in a bottle. Unless you push real hard. So I would have people coming up to me industry Judy, Judy, are you pushing real hard? Funny? Yeah, just cute.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:20

Oh, that is that is awesome. You know,

Judy Tenuta 23:23

it's it's so funny. The i You don't I'm you know, when you're filming these things, you're kind of you're in an enclosed area. So you don't think about people, all the hundreds or millions of people that are going to see it. I mean, you sort of do but it's kind of an abstract concept. But you realize that when you go out and yeah, you can't get about the quarter to you or they say it can happen. You know, whatever they say.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:50

It's awesome. It's awesome. So what did it feel like when people started recognizing you? Like, what?

Judy Tenuta 23:58

Oh, my God, you know, there's nothing more. I mean, it just puts you in a hole. Oh my god, people actually, you know, they obviously enjoyed it. That's what I care about, is that they enjoyed it and laughed. And I mean, oh my god, I had to unlist my number because I was getting caught. I don't know how they found my number, but I had to unlist it because they were calling people got ahold of my number somehow. And they'd get on the phone. Yeah, you're in the diet. Dr. Pepper commercials. It could happen. Yeah, I had to go okay. Well, thank you, you know, but I don't want you know, I can't have like hundreds of people.

Jeff Dwoskin 24:39

That goes even beyond just being recognized though. That's that also represents the impact you had on pop culture, because for them to quote, it's one thing to be recognized. It's another thing for them to start quoting you. And saying things back to you that you said that's like a whole different level of Oh, that's a couple of notches up.

Judy Tenuta 24:57

I didn't even think of it. I just got off My goodness. I mean, I didn't know what to think because I'd never gotten famous before. No. So it but it's a wonderful thing. And I'm very grateful and thank you.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:12

But speaking of the Joan Rivers show, which I encourage everyone should this one was, I think from 1990. Though it was funny, because when I read it, I was reading the comments. And in the count one of the comments said, Never seen Joan laugh so hard. Oh, yeah, as a comic, right. That's the ultimate if you can really, really, really, really make another comic. Sincerely roll. That's what

Judy Tenuta 25:35

I mean about her. She was so supportive, and but I think it was really from her heart. She wasn't just doing that. Yeah. So and we had a great time. By the way, can I just give so many kudos to her. She really treated all of her guests like royalty, like backstage she had not just craft services she had it was a morning show. She had a chef making omelets. Okay, I go. I'm coming on your show is Judy to note about by the time I leave with all this food I'm gonna turn to Roseanne. What it was like yeah, I Yeah, lost weight and crime. I still got a ball. You know, I Yeah, it was just hysterical.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:21

No, man. You doing Roseanne? His voice is the funniest thing. Yeah.

Judy Tenuta 26:27

I have a lot of wisdom and crap. Oh my god. She cracked me up. But yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 26:34

that is so funny. So yeah, everyone go look at that. You know, there's hilarious bits on Sonny Bono. Oh, Bob Costis. That was hilarious. So, so many funny things. You guys can check out there's a reason to go to Judy's YouTube channel right there just for all that and that and subscribe. Yeah, subscribe. Hit the bell hit the bell. Yeah.

Judy Tenuta 27:00

Yeah. So for you too. Yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 27:03

absolutely. Alright, so desperation Boulevard, how did this come about? This was written by the same person that wrote Meet the Parents.

Judy Tenuta 27:11

Yeah. Greg Leanna. Thank you, Greg. Greg, and I worked very closely together. And he did a great job. And I you know, I did a little improvisation in there too, which is great. And we had a fantastic cast as you could see. Now if I could just give the premise desperation. Bulevar is based on I play a former child star who will stop at nothing to make a comeback. And I am brutally encouraged by my relentless manager played brilliantly by Academy Award nominee Michael Lerner. I mean, he just he keeps chasing press press. That's what you need press and he would get me to do all these crazy Pibil publicity stunts, hire a stalker come out as a lesbian, do a commercial for calling cleanser, Rama convenient star, you name it. You see all these things? They are hilarious, but the movie also has a lot of heart as well, because it's really hard to make a transition from a child star. I've spoken to many, but I think the ones that I've spoken to I really relish the scene in that film where we have a card game between myself and some really legendary child stars like Ken Osmond who was on the Leave It to Beaver show Eddie Haskell Eddie Haskell. Yeah, yeah, Mrs. Cleaver. Yeah, he was great. By the way, he, he of the other, all four of them all together, was the only one that's still living. So I Bless all, and pray for all those who are in it, who are no longer with us. And I want to name them. Ken Osmond is no longer with us. Erin Moran, who was wonderful, she I worked with her the most because we had scenes together. And of course, they played out and God bless them all. And the only ones still living is Burt Ward, who as you know, played Robin in Batman.

Jeff Dwoskin 29:09

Yeah, I had him on the podcast. He was he was he was wonderful to talk to Yeah,

Judy Tenuta 29:13

he's a sweetheart. Yeah, he's great. He was great. And they were all great. That's a really wonderful scene. I'm so happy that it's in there for desperation Boulevard.

Jeff Dwoskin 29:23

It's a hilarious scene, because you're all sort of while you're playing poker, kind of bragging about things you might have done. And then and that by then keeping a close, like Dana mentions that she's part of this. I think a Comic Con or some show. Yeah. And then it was like, Oh, how'd you book that? And she's like, I don't know. You actually, I don't even know me. I don't know. I don't know.

Judy Tenuta 29:45

The funny part is they protect their own. They're afraid that the other child actors are going to take their work, so that's why she died. I have no clue. You know?

Jeff Dwoskin 29:56

That's the rads with Aaron Moran throughout the movie. Our Hello Yes,

Judy Tenuta 30:00

yes. Yeah, I love working with her. She was a sweetheart and God bless her so happy that that I was the executive producer, which means I also put my own money into it because I really believed in it and you know, I am not if you look at me, I am not really easily typecast I have to become. But I think a great actor becomes that like Jared Leto to me as a great actor. When I first saw him in House of Gucci, I didn't know it was him. It took me I go, Oh my God. That's Jared Leto. That's a great actor. When you don't know I like I said,

Jeff Dwoskin 30:35

I agree. He's amazing. And no,

Judy Tenuta 30:37

I No offense, it's I can I if I can just talk about the Academy Awards for a minute. They were all great who are nominated, but I thought it was a big omission that they did not nominate Jennifer Hudson, who was who else could have played Aretha who can sing like that, who has the emotional range to play all those emotional, she was fantastic. And to get left out. I don't I don't get it.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:01

I have to see that movie. So it's on my last cut. I read that because, you know, Detroit, so, oh

Judy Tenuta 31:07

my God, you've got to see so many things that I didn't know about her. But starting as a child, you know, she was a she could play the piano and just, you know, the music, the music really just like, like comedy with us heals you because she had a very tough childhood. Very, oh my God. You know, I don't even know how to get into it. But I don't want to give away what she went through. And then to come out like Aretha Franklin. Oh, my God. And Jennifer Hudson just did it perfectly. She was great. I think I wish it would have been nominated. It was

Jeff Dwoskin 31:41

great and dream curls that she did when they asked her.

Judy Tenuta 31:44

Ask her Oh, my God, when she said and I when she's saying and I'm telling you to this day, I cannot watch that without crying. I mean, what? Oh, my God, she is just a power house of emotion. And just a what a voice. You know,

Jeff Dwoskin 32:01

Eddie Murphy got robbed on that one. He said one day, he said,

Judy Tenuta 32:06

I agree. I agree. You know, and then sometimes they get like, this time, no offense to Olivia Coleman. She's a great actress. But

Jeff Dwoskin 32:13

I mean, I think Jennifer Hudson should have been there. I'm just saying. No, really, because that movie. No, I hear you I hear you know, comparison thinking a great acting Judy Chinua in desperation Boulevard. It's it's not the onstage persona. So it was a completely different.

Judy Tenuta 32:34

Yes, yes. But like I say, it's very funny. And it's really does hit on what child actors go through. And at the same time, it's it's got a lot of heart too. You know what I mean? It's not just

Jeff Dwoskin 32:48

Yeah, no, I love that. It's it has all the fields and it's it's definitely it's on Amazon Prime. Yeah, you can rent it. It's $1.99 I think SD and then, but you know, go for that extra buck and get it in HD. Go for. It remind me reminded me of a time with a Halloween party for work. And I had to dress up and I thought it reminded me of it. When I was watching the movies. I took my kids Hogwarts costumes that they had. So I put it on. So it was clearly too small. I went as a concept. I went as Harry Potter at my age as a guy who couldn't let go of being the young Harry Potter, if you can picture.

Judy Tenuta 33:30

That's great. That's great. By the way, I love all that stuff, too. But yeah, yeah, honestly, if you go rent desperation Boulevard, but also if let's say you don't even have $2 or whatever, just please subscribe to my YouTube channel. You'll have hours of fun, right?

Jeff Dwoskin 33:46

Absolutely. I still say go rent desperation Boulevard. I mean, the whole price of admission is worth it for that when your manager convinces you to become a lesbian or come out as lesbian. And then you have to convince two women that you are a lesbian. Yeah, then they go We don't believe you. That scene alone is worth the price of admission.

Judy Tenuta 34:07

Because you see, I really start to panic, right? I mean, me as the character like, oh my god, do you know so then you see, I don't want to give away anything, but you gotta

Jeff Dwoskin 34:17

cry. Right? It's hilarious. So one of the things in the movie is you pitch calling cleanser and Weird Al Yankovic is in that Oh,

Judy Tenuta 34:25

I love word owl. Thank you, Al. And I want to give an owl also, I did his very first TV show The weird also and I got to play his I didn't at least seven or eight episodes as Madame Judy, his psychic friend. And my gift as a psychic was that I could only predict the present. So I would look at him and say, Oh, so many revelations. Oh, you are wearing a green shirt, you know, so I would just tell what's happening right there. So it was really On a great, great experience that is

Jeff Dwoskin 35:02

so fine. So are you to the only people that use accordions in there? Are there more. I mean outside of Polk. I mean like in

Judy Tenuta 35:09

what? That's a whole separate thing. See people? Well, no, no, no, because people tend to confuse me as an actual real person that goes out and plays the accordion for No, I don't do that. I am a comedian and the accordion is my it's like my little it's like my suit of armor honor that I punctuate things with also I'm very musical. So I make up my songs the Pope's on my dad, I have a lot of songs kicking cancers ass, you know, just I think you could see them on YouTube again. And so I was very grateful that when I was a child, I was eight years old. And my parents said, you know, when you're eight years old, and I saw the accordion, and I say, Mom, I want that. Well, the kid doesn't understand what that will I thought of it as a toy. And my mom said, Okay, Judy, but every day you must practice now I didn't really know what that I mean, I knew what she meant. But I didn't think she was gonna hold me to it. Are you kidding me? I was ready to play with my friends. She goes Judy lion. That's when really God let get in the house. You've got to play your accordion set. And you know, you don't say no, when you're seven and a half or eight years old. So I go in and go mom, you know, and then she put me in a room and I practice and I want to thank you so much for making me do

Jeff Dwoskin 36:32

you know, so funny. So I know you got a wrap up. But one last question. How cool is it for you to be the first female stand up to win best female comedian?

Judy Tenuta 36:44

Oh, well, that was at the American Comedy Awards in 1988. I want to say I was so beyond thrilled and honored. And the big honor it was presented to me by the great George Carlin, comedy icon legend. You know, and I was lucky enough that summer, just before the awards to tour with him, I opened for him. Oh my god, he requested me he called my manager and said I'd really like to, you know, have Judy open for me if I go hell yeah. So you know, the grip. Oh, come on, what an honor. Wow, what an honor. And he was so much fun as well in the limo, when we would go to the various venues, he would we would joke around, we both love to do voices, you know, I love to do voices, because you know, I can talk like Roseanne and crap, or you know, or I can do some accent or I am from somewhere else, you know, or I can be snooty or whatever. And George to we would do that in the car so much we would go back and forth with these crazy voices, his manager turned around and said, Would you to behave? And George says, No, we're comedians, this is our job. So it was great.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:58

That's awesome. That is awesome. You have so many great stories. I maybe I'll come back one day, we could talk even more. But I appreciate you swinging by. It was such an honor to talk to you.

Judy Tenuta 38:10

Thank you so much, Jeff. This was fun. Thank you. I appreciate you and everyone out there who watches Jeff and you know, I showcased my various projects, but also most importantly, it comes from love. You know, you have to really love one another Be kind, be good to yourself. Right? And be try to stay positive every morning. I don't know what your mantra is, but I wake up I am I am healthy, I am loved. I am blessed you know and you start with that whatever your mantra and then you just start the day like that and then my friends start calling me Judy you know you're doing today and I go what I'm still sleeping and they go no, you are kicking cancers ass. So you know it really helps. Really helps.

Jeff Dwoskin 38:58

Well keep kicking cancers ass. We're all praying for you, God. Oh, God. Have you back. You'll come back. We'll have fun.

Judy Tenuta 39:05

Yes. Thank you so much, everybody. It can happen.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:11

Thanks, Judy. Thanks, Jeff. Oh my goodness. If I could tell young Jeff Dwoskin that one day you'd be talking with Judy Tenuta I would have been so happy she has cracked me up so much throughout the years. I'm so happy she came on the show to share her current journey with us. I'm so happy she's in partial remission and feeling great and doing well and I wish her continued continued success and kicking cancers ass and staying healthy many more laughs lay ahead from Judy Tenuta I am sure definitely check out our movie desperation Boulevard you can stream that on Amazon Prime and please check out her YouTube channel. That's one great way to support Judy right now. I personally was pretty excited about the Diet Dr. Pepper deep dive we did. I was pretty. I was pretty happy. with that part of the interview that was very interesting to me, I hope you enjoyed it as well. Also, I have to say I'm drinking a lot more water now, I consciously go out of my way to drink more water. So thank you, Judy.

Jeff Dwoskin 40:13

Well with the interview over can only mean one thing. That's right. It's time for a trending hashtag. In the family of hashtags that hashtag are around up I'll hashtag roundup on Twitter at hashtag Roundup, download the free always free doesn't cost a penny hashtag roundup app from the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store, download the app, receive a notification and play along and one day one of your tweets may show up on a future episode of live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin, show fame and fortune awaits you. Today's hashtag is #ItsMyMantra from healing with hashtags. We all have to have a phrase that guides us and Twitter took to the hashtag #ItsMyMantra. And here are some to inspire you. Don't worry, be happy and play hashtag games. I told you to whine to others as you'd want them to do unto you. Never for money always for love. A little mischief now and then never hurts. Is there some great #ItsMyMantra. Hopefully you're getting inspired along the way. Here's some more less barking more wagging serenity now. Music is life. A strong spirit transcends rules. Life is too short for boring sacks. So true. So true. I'm happy and I know it say that's yourself every day. Just keep swimming. Great advice. You're not the boss of me. And our final hashtag. It's my mantra. I'm going to make them smile till I leave this rock on the lake. Great. shanz Oh, all right. Well, that wraps up the hashtag game for this episode. Tweet your own #ItsMyMantra. Look for all the ones I read at Jeff Dwoskin show on Twitter, retweet them like them. show him some love tweet your own #ItsMyMantra tag at Jeff Dwoskin show I'll show you some Twitter love

Jeff Dwoskin 42:11

This is where I'd normally start my sign off but I first want to play a little bit of duty to notice kicking cancers ass for you. As you listen put out good vibes to Judy and anyone in your life that needs some healing find the whole song and video on YouTube on Judy Tenuta's YouTube channel subscribe listen and check out the cool video we talked about in the interview here's a little snippet and then I'll say my goodbyes

Judy Tenuta 42:43

cancers ass I'm kicking cancers as everyone who's got is kicking cancers cancers and kicking cancers as we're weapon it we're kicking cancers ass

Jeff Dwoskin 42:59

Alright, I hope everyone who needs to be is kicking cancers ass. I do want to thank once again, my amazing guests, Judy Tenuda for joining me today. And of course I want to thank all of you for coming back week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

Announcer 43:17

Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Jeff Dwoskin show with your host Jeff Dwoskin. Now go repeat everything you've heard and sound like a genius. Catch us online at the Jeff Dwoskin show.com or follow us on Twitter at Jeff Dwoskin show and we'll see you next time

Transcribed by https://otter.ai