By Eva Trieger
SAN DIEGO — Have you heard the one about the dancer who traded in her ballet barre to work in a bar? No? How about the one about the woman who slings one liners the way a cook in a greasy spoon slings hash? Rita Rudner happened upon the Comic World after realizing at the tender age of 27, that a dancer’s lifeline is finite but her punch lines are eternal.
Rita recalled growing up with her parents’ Jewish sensibilities and told me that her father’s cynicism helped to shape her brand of humor. Citing her dad as a “negative human being” Rudner used his glass-half-empty perspective as a springboard for her biting wit when observing everyday experiences. As a quiet person, Rita told me that she particularly looked to other understated comedic role models in Woody Allen and Jack Benny. As a budding comic, Rudner noted that there was not a surplus of women in the field and this propelled her to pursue comedy.
When I asked Ms. Rudner to recall her first stand up show, she told me that “it was awful. The audience laughed between my jokes” and this fueled her desire to rewrite her material to get laughs at the actual jokes…not the lag time. Today, Rudner appreciates past and present cast members of Saturday Night Live including Fred Armison, Amy Poehler and Kristin Wiig.
What other career might Rudner have pursued if not comedy? The funny lady told me that she is enamored of advertising because it, like comedy, incorporates appealing directly to people with clever one-liners. She feels it contains the “concise creativity” upon which she feels her humor has its foundation. Rita likes the 30-60 second quips that deliver a punch.
Rudner has performed in a multitude of venues and when asked if she was looking forward to her stint at the Belly Up in Solana Beach, replied that she prefers to “worry about things in the order in which they present themselves.” Prior to the October 13th show, the comedienne will do a benefit in Sedona, Arizona, and several shows in Las Vegas. Rudner told me that she recently did a show in the Catskills in a tent. Prior to the show she reported that she wasn’t so sure how that would be. However, once she set to work and met her audience, she saw that they were kind, appreciative people and she reported a “lovely experience.” This prompted me to ask Rita about her target audience: “Anyone who is alive,” she retorted.
Rudner and husband, Martin, with whom she has written books and screenplays, adopted a daughter, now aged 11. She is the center of their world, and this new window into Rudner’s life has given her more grist for the comedy mill. She writes about parenting, growing older and marriage. One of my favorite lines is “It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. ” When I mentioned that I found this so humorous, the comic told me that she recently learned this is being printed on napkins for weddings receptions!
Don’t miss this one night stand-up at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. It is sure to be sold out. Come out for a night of humor that stays out of the gutter, and will tickle your Jewish roots.
Tickets are available through the JCC (www.lfjcc.org) or at the Belly Up (www.bellyup.com)
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Trieger is a freelance writer who specializes in the arts. She may be contacted at eva. trieger@sdjewishworld.com