Rita Rudner
Overview
Rita Rudner is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 comedienne
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....

 and actress.
Rudner was born in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, the daughter of Frances, a homemaker, and Abe Rudner, a lawyer. Her mother died when she was 13. After graduating from high school at 15, Rudner left Miami and headed to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 to embark on a career as a dancer. She appeared in several Broadway shows, including the now-legendary original productions of Follies
Follies
Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The story concerns a reunion in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition, of the past performers of the "Weismann's Follies," a musical revue , that played in that theatre between the World Wars...

and Mack & Mabel
Mack & Mabel
Mack & Mabel is a musical with a book by Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The plot involves the tumultuous romantic relationship between Hollywood director Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand , who became one of his biggest stars...

.

Rudner did not turn to comedy until she was 25, after observing how few female comedians there were compared to the number of female dancers.
Quotations

We did long for the pitter-patter of little feet, so we decided to buy a dog. Cheaper, and… get more feet.

When Dr. Katz asks whether she and her husband have discussed children

I love being married, I do. It's so great to find that one special person that you want to annoy for the rest of your life.

Best of the Improv, Vol. 3 (2003)

Well, the old theory was "marry a older man because they're more mature". But the new theory is "men don't mature — marry a young one".

Best of the Improv, Vol. 3 (2003)

To me, life is tough enough without having someone kick you from the inside.

On pregnancy

[One of my friends] was in labor for 36 hours. (I don't even want to do anything that feels good for 36 hours.)

On childbirth

Envy the kangaroo. That pouch setup is extraordinary; the baby crawls out of the womb when it is about two inches long, gets into the pouch, and proceeds to mature. I'd have a baby if it would develop in my handbag.

On pregnancy and childbirth

I don't even know how this word came into being: "aerobics". I guess gym instructors got together and said, "If we're going to charge ten dollars an hour, we can't call it 'jumping up and down'."

Essay 4: "Survival of the Fattest", p. 18

Nobody is really happy with what's on their head. People with straight hair want curly, people with curly want straight, and bald people want everyone to be blind.

Essay 7: "Should I Get My Head Analyzed or Just My Hair?", p. 24

Why are women wearing perfumes that smell like flowers to attract men? Men don't like flowers. I have a great idea for a scent that will attract men — how about "New Car Interior"?

Essay 16: "Flirting with Success", p. 61

I had teeth that stuck out so far, I used to eat other kids' candy bars by accident.

Essay 42: "Fillings Nothing ... More Than Fillings", p. 151

 
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