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 Views,
Reviews, and Interviews
by Dianne R. Davis
diannerd@aol.com
Photos by Burt and Dianne Davis
Up Close
and Personal with Rita Rudner
On Monday evening March 17 at 9:00 p.m. Rita Rudners special will air on
PBS Channel 10 in Las Vegas. Rudner is one of the country’s top
comedians and a New York Times bestselling author. She is also an
award-winning television personality, comedy writer, Broadway dancer,
and actress. A house-filling favorite in Las Vegas since she opened as
one of the hottest tickets in town in June 2000, Rudner is known for her
hilarious wit and clever one-liners. She performs nightly at Harrah’s
Las Vegas
Rita Rudner has written four books, including her bestselling
non-fiction titles, Naked Beneath My Clothes and Rita Rudner’s Guide to
Men and the novels Tickled Pink and Turning the Tables. Her collection
of essays, I Still Have It…I Just Can’t Remember Where I Put It, will be
published by Harmony Books in May 2008.
Rudner is a frequent collaborator with her writer/producer husband of
twenty years, Martin Bergman. Rita lives in Las Vegas and California
with her husband and daughter Molly. She is proud of her new PBS
specials and agreed to discuss it with us.
DD: Rita, professionally, you are a comedian, an author, a dancer, an
actor, a playwright. How do you rank them?
RR: I am a comedian first and foremost. That’s my main career. I have
done that for the past 25 years with great consistency. In Las Vegas,
PBS will broadcast your special, Rita Rudner, Live from Las Vegas. We
understand this is the first PBS Standup Comedy Special Ever.
RR: I think so. Especially on a pledge drive. They have done political,
but never straight stand-up. I’m fortunate. There aren’t a lot of
outlets for more mature comedians and sophisticated humor. Lot of them
are geared to 18 to 39year olds and are run by advertisers. PBS is not
dictated by advertisers. That is why it is so important to support PBS.
DD: Why do you consider PBS to be important.
RR: I believe it is important for people to have the opportunity to see
programming that isn’t controlled by advertisers.
DD: How did this marriage of PBS and Rudner come about?
RR: I did a pledge drive for PBS and Tom Axtell, [the General Manager of
Vegas PBS] suggested it. Also, Las Vegas is a good location because it
has so many entertainers. It is a good match for TV specials.
DD: Is this performance different from your regular show?
RR: There is lots of new material about being a mother. All my
experiences in life that I have had. My husband Martin edited the show.
The PBS special will be 40 minutes and I did 80 minutes.
DD: PBS often offers incentives. Will there be any in conjunction with
your appearance?
RR: They will have two in connection with my appearance. This is first
time I have ever had a DVD. I specifically have not done one until now.
People are always asking me if I have one. I thought this was the right
time. And I have a new book coming out. It is entitled I Still Have It,
I Just don’t Know Where I Put it. There will also be incentives such as
weekends at Harrah’s.
DD: How do you categorize your act? What type of humor do you do?
RR: I try to make it funny and relatable to my life experience. I tell
my husband he can marry a different woman. She will do the same thing.
DD: There seem to be many more female comics than there were in the
beginning. What makes your act work?
RR: There still aren’t a lot. I don’t think it ever became the boom
people thought it would be.. We are all so different. Like snowflakes.
Roseanne and me for instance.
DD: Did you have idols in the world of comedy?
RR: Woody Allen and Jack Benny. I have show business idols such as Mike
Nichols. He directs movies, writes, directs plays.
DD: Speaking of plays, what is happening with the play you were working
on?
RR: We are excited. Our first stage production will be in June at the
Little Theater in Las Vegas.
DD: I know that Bobby Slayton did a reading with you. Will he be in the
show?
RR: No, he is busy doing his own show in Las Vegas.
DD: What did you think of this year’s Oscars?
RR: I thought Jon Stuart did great job. And I loved the dresses.
DD: How long would you like to continue performing in Las Vegas?
RR: Permanently I hope.
DD: Is Vegas your permanent home?
RR: This is home. It has the best climate for my hair. Everything is
close. It’s like a mini New York. We can walk everywhere. We walk to the
mall, hotels, our daughter’s school. It’s fantastic. We have a vacation
house now.
DD: How do you unwind?
RR: We go to our vacation house in Laguna.
DD: Are you a shopaholic?
RR: I used to do more. Now, I don’t have time. Every once in while I go
shopping. Maybe 2-3 times year. I have too much to do.
DD: Where do you like to shop in Vegas? Lets give them a plug.
RR: I do air-conditioned hunting. The Fashion Show Mall. Nothing better.
DD: How many gowns do you have?
RR: Oh, I don’t know. Maybe 20 or so at this point.
DD: You joke a lot about marriage. What is your recipe for a long
successful marriage? 20 years .
RR: Well, my joke would be accept a person for who they are and pretend
they are someone else. But really, marry someone you are compatible
with. . My husband and I are still working together 20 years later.
DD: What have you learned from your daughter Molly?
RR: I’ve learned patience. Didn’t have to have it before. Everything is
fun and surprise. I am so impressed with her and the things she comes up
with. Chinese. She answered in Chinese.
RR: I know that you began your career as a dancer. Does she dance?
RR: No, she tried, but she doesn’t love it. She likes tennis and piano.
DD: Pets? We have a new puppy. Bonkers died last year at the age of 15.
We decided on a smaller dog. She looks like Bonkers in a washer shrunk
down. She is a 9 month old Chinese Crested Powder Puff and we named her
“Twinkle.”
Quickies:
Pet peeve - People on the phone while driving
Favorite places to eat in Vegas- Harrah’s steak house The Range It’s
wonderful. So much room
favorite food- steak with pepper sauce and creamed spinach and red wine.
Favorite movie - Annie Hall
Favorite movie line - I will not be ignored. Glen close to Michael
Douglass in Fatal Attraction.
DD: When you are out and about, do you want people to speak to you or
respect your right to a private life?
RR: People are so nice to me everyone can say hi. People say they
enjoyed my act. Not many people recognize me without a gown and makeup.
DD: Thanks for speaking with us. Continued Success.
RR: Thank you.
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