Why Everyone Loves Gilda

For anyone who was a little too young to completely understand the humor of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players when they premiered on Saturday Night Live, Gilda Radner was still able to reach out and touch you. She was wacky but never too wild. She would tease, yet never be cruel. As you got older, you were able to see how her characters worked on different levels. They were always hilarious, of course- Gilda was a brilliant comedian and actress. But beyond that, her characters were human. That was what set Gilda apart and allowed her spirit to affect a kid as well as an adult.

Who wouldn’t be immediately drawn to Gilda? She was adorable, energetic, feisty and unique (not to mention hysterical). The boys were loud and a little scary. Many of the other girls seemed interchangeable. But Gilda had an energy and a light that set her apart. Besides being funny as hell, her characters were so easy to relate to and understand. You knew these people. Miss Emily Litella, the sweet old lady who showed up on Weekend Update, was the kooky aunt that you had to sit next to at Thanksgiving every year.  Roseanne Rosannadanna was the obnoxious lady you would see whenever your mother would drag you to the Beauty Parlor. Gilda had fun with, but never made fun of, the people she played- no matter how absurd their behavior.

Gilda showed us people we knew in our lives, but from an angle we had never seen before. She showed us the humor in people and situations that usually made us irritated or annoyed. Gilda cared about them, so they were real, both for her and for us. It made us connect to her instantly. And because Gilda never judged her characters, we might actually see those people in our lives a little differently the next time Thanksgiving rolled around.

Then there was Judy Miller. Judy was a little girl who was stuck in her room and created The Judy Miller Show. Little girls who were creating scenarios with their stuffed animals and making costumes out of bed sheets may have felt like they were the only ones who were “strange”. But along came Judy/Gilda to teach them differently. Judy sang her own theme song, for crying out loud. She was a kindred spirit and a mirror for so many girls up late on Saturday night. It was suddenly okay to be silly and crazy and nerdy and “weird”. Gilda said so.

Even some Gilda fans may be surprised to find out about Gilda Live. A filmed version of a one-woman show that Gilda created and performed on Broadway, Gilda Live is an incredible mix of music and comedy. She plays some of the characters we know from SNL, but it’s fun to see them in a different setting, with the reins off. Watching Gilda Live is kinda like hanging out with some favorite relatives who live far away, but you’re always really happy to see them and you have the best time when they’re around. Rhonda and the Rhondettes perform their hit “Saccharin”. Candy Slice, Patti Smith’s doppelganger, sings her tribute to Mick Jagger, “Gimme Mick”. When Candy Slice is on stage, Gilda is gone. Gilda nails it so perfectly but never gets so into it that she forgets to be funny.  One half of the nerd duo, Lisa Loopner, also makes an appearance. Lisa sings a very funny and actually very sweet version of “The Way We Were”. Again, when Lisa gets overwhelmed by the beauty of the song and cries, Gilda doesn’t wink at the audience. It’s both funny and heartbreaking, because Gilda told us that Lisa and her feelings were real.

Although she was always an electric performer while in character, Gilda shines the brightest when she is on stage as Gilda, singing her funny, charming and beautiful song, “Honey Touch Me”. Anyone who wasn’t already in love with Gilda doesn’t stand a chance after watching her perform “Honey Touch Me”. She allows her vulnerability to burn clear through and touch that part of you that makes you want to take care of her. She didn’t need anyone to take care of her while she was on stage, though. Although she could appear so fragile, Gilda was a fearless performer.

From Emily Litella to Lisa Loopner and everyone in between, Gilda made you want to laugh and be friends with all of her characters. But really, she made you want to laugh and be friends with her. She made you love her. That was the genius of Gilda.

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Watch some of these great videos of Gilda’s many performances, and fall in love with her all over again.