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Phyllis Diller dies peacefully in her sleep
Phyllis Diller, the legendary wild-haired, self-deprecating queen of comedy, died Monday at her Los Angeles home. She was 95.
Suffering heart problems in recent years and reportedly in declining health from a fall, she died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her family.
“She was a true pioneer,” Diller’s longtime agent Fred Wostbrock tells Entertainment Weekly. “She was the first lady of stand-up comedy. She paved the way for everybody. And she conquered television, movies, Broadway, record albums, nightclubs, books, and radio. She did it all. A true pioneer.”
Diller – born Phyllis Driver, in Ohio – started her career n the 1950s, playing tiny clubs she affectionately called sewers.
Her jokes were mostly about her lousy housekeeping, and as she liked to say, “The only thing domestic about me is that I was born in this country.”
dude
August 20th, 2012
“The only thing domestic about me is that I was born in this country.”
I guess Barry is not domestic.
RIP Phyllis
LadyGun12
August 20th, 2012
Aw, I loved her! I loved when she talked about her husband, Fang. And that laugh! She was also an accomplished pianist.
hanoverfist
August 20th, 2012
RIP ‘ol girl.
You earned it.
Czar of Defenestration
August 20th, 2012
DAT
azzLAUGH!reddecaesari
August 20th, 2012
@ladygun
fang! i forgot all about her husband. wow..that took me back, way back, when i watched tv.
rip phyllis diller.
Moe Tom
August 20th, 2012
LadyGun12. Fang was the first thing that popped into my mind. She was a funny lady. RIP
Claudia
August 20th, 2012
RIP dear lady.
Richard654
August 20th, 2012
R.I.P.
Her early comedy was pure genius.
GW Bear
August 20th, 2012
The world will be a less funny place without her.
RIP Phyllis
CrustyB
August 20th, 2012
Diller = avowed atheist. All dressed up and no where to go.
Buck Ofama
August 20th, 2012
Too bad it wasn’t Roseanne Barr……or, Cher.
citizenjane
August 20th, 2012
Saw her at The Vapors in Hot Springs, 1974.
She was insanely funny. Will miss her. RIP.
norman einstein
August 20th, 2012
She was one of a kind, and truly funny.
RIP, Phyllis.
reddecaesari
August 20th, 2012
@crusty
really? too bad.
will pray for her soul.
Tim
August 20th, 2012
My mother told me the older I get the more dead people I’ll know.
I didn’t know her, but she was funny.
RIP
Team TEA
August 20th, 2012
In her sleep, surrounded by family. There are worse ways to go. RIP Funny Lady
Mimsey
August 20th, 2012
I loved her. Didn’t she have a cigerette burning in a cigarette holder when doing her monologue especially when it was about Fang?
Gone but not forgotten, ESPECIALLY your laugh.
reddecaesari
August 20th, 2012
@team tea
must have been a big bed.
cfm990
August 20th, 2012
Rip Dear Lady. The laughter you brought, the memories I have, will always be precious to me. Into the hands of the Lord, and HIS judgement alone, do I commend you.
Mary Jane Anklestraps
August 20th, 2012
She always made me laugh.
Trixie Bluebell
August 20th, 2012
Check out her appearance on Groucho Marx — I’m sure there’s a You Tube of it somewhere. I saw it on TVLand a few years ago. It was hilarious. RIP Phyllis.
scr_north
August 20th, 2012
Well, 95 years old is not a bad run and I gather that she had all her mental faculty’s intact right up to the end. Checking out in your sleep with family around is a pretty good way to go. I loved watching her on Carson. RIP Phyllis and thanks for making so many people laugh.
Piker
August 20th, 2012
Icon and Legend are words I use to describe this amazing talent. So long Phyilis, we hardly knew ye.
BILL
August 20th, 2012
Phyllis did it all with out using vulgarities.
Phyillis had more class and dressed better than our first wookie!
CrustyB
August 20th, 2012
@BILL
WOOKIEE!!
cfm990
August 20th, 2012
Phyllis dies. Rosie survives?
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20622755,00.html
Phyllis Diller Passes | therightplanet.com
August 20th, 2012
[...] Phyllis Diller dies peacefully in her sleep [...]
Debbie
August 20th, 2012
FreeMan - Sorry Sarah
August 20th, 2012
RIP Phillis
OT – Did you know that Rosie O had a heart attack last week. Yeah – who knew she had a heart to attack?
And OK – Lets do what they do to us.
“too bad OBysmalCare wasn’t fully in place for Rosie’s heart attack, we were almost rid of her”
http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/08/20/rosie-odonnell-had-heart-attack-last-week
99th Squad Leader
August 20th, 2012
Phyllis Diller was a genius and hilarious. Grew up watching her on Ed Sullivan and other shows. Pray she will rest in peace.
jclady
August 20th, 2012
Also grew up watching her on Ed Sullivan and then, later, on Johnny Carson. (Not forgetting the Bob Hope USO Chirstmas specials.)
Just like an old James Bond movie — she was so subtle that a child would laugh at her jokes as would an adult. But for different reasons.
A grand comediane — RIP.
Corona
August 20th, 2012
Aw, I liked Phyllis Diller a lot. On Ed Sullivan, Laugh In, and many variety shows. Very funny woman.
Billy Fuster
August 20th, 2012
A part of us goes with you and a part of you stays with us.
Plain Jane
August 20th, 2012
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
chiefillinicake
August 20th, 2012
Phyllis Diller and Erma Bombeck
RIP you funny freakin’ groundbreakers!
Better days…better days.
DebZeppelin
August 20th, 2012
She was a riot, and she didn’t need to resort to foul language and jokes about her bodily orifices. A class act and funnier than anyone out there now. You deserve your rest, Phyllis, may it be peaceful.
Stevo
August 20th, 2012
A class act all the way.
RIP Phyllis.
Friend of the family
August 20th, 2012
She was the kind of person that you could not dislike. Everyone knew her persona was a first-class act and the personal of her was thought to be as normal as they come. She was smart, crafty, and could really play the piano well.
Good-bye Phyllis, yet another person I never met personally, but know as part of my life. Darn, I hate to see them go one by one.
sablegsd
August 21st, 2012
I loved her. She was hilarious. Another of the old guard gone. *sigh*
Joe
August 21st, 2012
When she and Bob Hope played against each other, it was sheer delight. Have liked her for a very, very long time. She knew not to overexpose herself so when you saw her, you always wanted more of her humor.
Reiuxcat
August 21st, 2012
It was Groucho, while on a what’s my line show, that featured Phyllis the housewife said of her, “She’s a funny woman.”
Dave Woodman
August 23rd, 2012
She was a dear friend as well as a spectacular entertainer. One of a kind and I was very fortunate to know her. The main adjective to describe her is “FUN!”.
Tacky to place the following information here? She wouldn’t think so! http://www.ebay.com/itm/
phyllis-diller-original-caricature-portrait-logo-art-/190717570616?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item2c67a72e38
Dave Woodman
August 23rd, 2012
She was a dear friend as well as a spectacular entertainer. One of a kind and I was very fortunate to know her. The main adjective to describe her is “FUN!”.
Tacky to place the following information here? She wouldn’t think so! http://www.ebay.com/itm/phyllis-diller-original-caricature-portrait-logo-art-/190717570616?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item2c67a72e38
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September 1st, 2012
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