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Biography
Infobox comedian| name = Janeane Garofalo| image = Janeane Garofalo Jan 15, 2008.jpg| imagesize = 225px| caption = Garofalo in January 2008| pseudonym =| birth_date = birth date and age|mf=yes|1964|9|28| birth_place = Newton, New Jersey , U.S.| death_date =| death_place =| medium = Stand up comedian|Stand-up , television, film, radio| nationality = American| active = 1988–present| genre = Alternative comedy | subject = American politics , celebrities, feminism , body image ,| influences =| influenced =| signature =| website =| footnotes = Janeane Garofalo (IPAc-en|icon|d?|?|'|n|i?|n|_|g|?|'|r|?|f|?l|o?; born September 28, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian , actress, progressive political activism|political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio 's The Majority Report . Garofalo continues to participate regularly in New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.
Early life
Garofalo was born in Newton, New Jersey , the daughter of Joan and Carmine Garofalo. Her mother was a secretary, in the petrochemical industry, who died of cancer when Janeane was 24. Her father is a former executive at Exxon .cite news |first=Bruce |last=Westbook |title=Garofalo talks politics, 'evil oil empire' and life in Houston |work= Houston Chronicle |date=June 22, 2007 cite news |accessdate=August 8, 2009 |url= http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl? id=2007_4371183 |title=The world according to Janeane Garofalo |work= Zest Magazine, Houston Chronicle |page=10 |date=June 24, 2007 |first=Bruce |last=Westbrook Garofalo was raised as a conservative Catholic Church|Catholic cite web|last=Span|first=Paula|url= http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/27/arts/27span.html|title=And Don't Even Get Her Started on the War|work= The New York Times |quote = |date=2005-04-27|accessdate=2011-01-08 and is of Italian and Irish descent. She grew up in various places, including Ontario, California , Madison, New Jersey and Katy, Texas . Garofalo is quoted as having disliked life in Houston because of the heat and humidity and the emphasis on prettiness and sports in high school.
While studying history at Providence College , Garofalo entered a comedy talent search sponsored by the Showtime (TV network)|Showtime cable network, winning the title of "Funniest Person in Rhode Island ." Her original gimmick was to read off her hand, which was not successful in subsequent performances. Dreaming of earning a slot on the writing staff of the TV show Late Night With David Letterman , she became a professional standup upon graduating from college with degrees in History and American Studies.cite web|url= http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018572/bio |title=Janeane Garofalo Biography – Yahoo& #33; Movies |publisher=Movies.yahoo.com |date= |accessdate=2010-05-09 She struggled for a number of years, working briefly as a bike messengers|bike messenger in Boston .cite web|url= http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/this_just_in/documents/02169474.htm |title=Funny Girl: The real Garofalo |publisher=The Boston Phoenix |author=NINA WILLDORF |date= |accessdate=2010-05-09
Garofalo has described herself thus: "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth."cite web|url= http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/janeanegar163727.html |title=Janeane Garofalo Quotes |publisher=Brainy Quote |date=1964-09-28 |accessdate=2010-05-09
Entertainment career
Stand-up comedy
Garofalo began her career in stand-up comedy in the late 1980s during the pre- grunge rock|grunge era.fact|date=September 2011 Her appearance was often in line with late 1980s style: disheveled with thick black glasses and unkempt hair.fact|date=September 2011 Her comedy is often self-deprecating ;fact|date=September 2011 she has made fun of popular culture and the pressures on women to conform to body image ideals promoted by the Mass media|media .fact|date=September 2011 Garofalo's comedy shows involve her and her notebook, which is filled with years' worth of article clippings and random observations she references for direct quotes during her act.fact|date=September 2011 Garofalo has said that she does not tell jokes as much as make observations designed to get laughs.fact|date=September 2011 She was part of the alternative comedy scene in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, appearing at Un-Cabaret and other venues and co-created the Eating It comedy series which ran at Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side of New York City between 1995 and 2005.fact|date=September 2011 She did a one-hour stand-up special, "If You Will," at Seattle's Moore Theatre, that aired on Epix in June 2010 and was released on DVD in September 2010.fact|date=September 2011 During her filmed stand-up show in Seattle, she brought up her ten-year asexuality|asexual relationship with her boyfriend, describing herself as having no interest in sex whatsoever. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/131684-janeane-garofalo-if-you-will/
Television
Garofalo's big break came in 1990 after meeting Ben Stiller at Canter's Deli in Los Angeles, where they were hanging out with stand-up friends. They bonded over their "love of SCTV, early Saturday Night Live and Albert Brooks."cite news | first = Christine | last = Muhlke | title = The Ben Stiller Show 'N' Tell | date = 1999-08 | work = PaperMag | accessdate = 2011-06-24
Her television series debut was on the short-lived The Ben Stiller Show|Ben Stiller Show on Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox in 1992, on which she was a cast member alongside longtime friends Bob Odenkirk , Andy Dick , and David Cross . A chance meeting on the set of that show led her to be offered the role of List of characters on The Larry Sanders Show#Paula|Paula on The Larry Sanders Show on HBO , earning her two Emmy Award http://www.emmys.com/celebrities/janeane-garofalo Janeane Garofalo Emmy Nominated nominations in 1996 and 1997.
After The Ben Stiller Show was cancelled, Garofalo joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL) for its Saturday Night Live (Season 20)|1994–95 season . She left SNL in March 1995 (mid-season) after only six months, saying that the experience left her "anxious and depressed" and that a sexist attitude pervaded the show and she called many of the sketches "juvenile and homophobic". According to New York Magazine , Garofalo was "largely stuck in dull, secondary wife and girlfriend roles" and her friends said that she considered the stint "the most miserable experience of her life."cite news | first=Chris | last=Smith | coauthors= |authorlink= | title=Comedy Isn't Funny: How Saturday Night Live Became a Grim Joke | date=1995-03-13 | publisher= | url = http://nymag.com/arts/tv/features/47548/index1.html | work =New York Magazine | pages = | accessdate = 2009-08-19 | language =
Following SNL , Garofalo appeared in a plethora of guest star roles: the grown-up daughter of the Buchmans on the final episode of Mad About You ; Jerry Seinfeld (character)|Jerry Seinfeld 's female counterpart (and, briefly, fiancée) Jeannie Steinman on Seinfeld ; a correspondent on Michael Moore 's TV Nation and a former girlfriend of Dave Foley 's character on Newsradio . Two television pilots starring Garofalo, the 2003 American Broadcasting Company|ABC show ''Slice O'Life about a reporter consigned to sappy human interest stories appearing at the end of news broadcasts, and the 2005 NBC program All In , based on the life of poker star Annie Duke , were not picked up by their respective networks.
Throughout the 2005–2006 television season, Garofalo appeared on The West Wing (TV series)|The West Wing as Louise Thornton , a controversial campaign adviser to the fictional U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic presidential nominee. Garofalo participated in the series' first live episode, most of which was a debate televised live on the East Coast of the United States|East Coast and then reshot live for the West Coast of the United States|West . Garofalo's character can be seen walking backstage advising before the start of each debate. In 2006, she provided the voice for the animated character "Bearded Clam" on Comedy Central's Freak Show (TV series)|Freak Show . In 2007, she wrote a dedication for the mini-book included in the six-DVD box-set of the 1994 cult following|cult series My So-Called Life .
In 2009, Garofalo joined the cast of 24 (TV series)|24 , where she starred as Janis Gold .
Garofalo was a cast member of the Criminal Minds short-lived spinoff TV series Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior .Episode of Sam Seder 's political podcast The Majority Report
In 2010, Garofalo joined the cast of Ideal (TV series)|Ideal as Tilly.
Films
Garofalo's breakthrough into film came in 1994's Reality Bites as Winona Ryder 's Gap (clothing retailer)|Gap -managing best friend Vickie. The role helped solidify Garofalo's status as a Generation X icon. In 1996, Garofalo earned a starring role in the critically acclaimed The Truth About Cats & Dogs , a variation on Cyrano de Bergerac (play)|Cyrano de Bergerac which featured Uma Thurman in the lead role as a beautiful but dim-witted model, while Garofalo played Abby, a highly intelligent radio host. Initially an independent film , it became a studio movie when Thurman was signed. The film was a modest hit, but Garofalo disparages it to this day, saying:cite news | first=Tasha | last=Robinson | coauthors= |authorlink= | title=Janeane Garofalo | date=2003-12-24 | publisher= The A.V. Club | url = http://www.avclub.com/content/node/22585 | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2009-08-19 | language = cquote|I think it's soft and corny, and the soundtrack makes you want to puke, and everybody's dressed in Banana Republic (clothing retailer)|Banana Republic clothing. The original script and the original intent was very different than what it wound up being when it became a studio commercial film. It was originally supposed to be a small-budget independent film where there would be much more complexity to all the characters, and Abby and the guy don't wind up together at the end. Based on the success of this film, director Cameron Crowe then offered her the leading lady role in Jerry Maguire with Tom Cruise if she could lose weight; after trimming down, however, she learned that Renée Zellweger had won the part instead.cite news | first=Alison Prato | last= | coauthors= |authorlink= | title=Q & A With Janeane Garofalo | date=2009-01 | publisher= | url = http://www.inkedmag.com/article/q-janeane-garofalo/ | work =Inked Magazine | pages = | accessdate = 2010-02-12 | language = Garofalo turned down the role of Gale Weathers in Wes Craven 's Scream (film)|Scream because she thought the film would be too violent: "I said I didn't want to be in a movie where a teen girl was disemboweled. I didn't know it turned out so good, and it was a funny movie."cite news | title = 'Matchmaker' helps Garofalo fall for Ireland | date = 1997-09-30 | work = Boston Herald | accessdate = 2010-05-29 Garofalo had also been David Fincher 's first choice for the role of Marla Singer in the film Fight Club (film)|Fight Club , but she turned it down, uncomfortable with the film's sexual content.cite web | title=The Story Behind Fight Club | author= | work=Total Film | url= http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-story-behind-fight-club | quote=The studio wanted Winona Ryder. Fincher wanted Janeane Garofalo, but she was "uncomfortable with the idea of all this sex”. | date=2009-11-20 | accessdate=2010-05-11
Before The Truth About Cats & Dogs , she was visible from television work and supporting roles in films such as Reality Bites , Bye Bye Love (film)|Bye Bye Love and Now and Then (film)|Now and Then , and a leading role in I Shot a Man in Vegas . Garofalo has had a variety of leading, supporting and cameo role s in Cop Land , Wet Hot American Summer , '' Romy and Michele's High School Reunion , Dogma (film)|Dogma , The Cable Guy , Half-Baked , Mystery Men , The Wild , and Clay Pigeons .
Garofalo played the leading role in the The MatchMaker , a 1997 film about the misadventures of a cynical American woman who reluctantly visits Ireland. In 1998 Garofalo starred in her first voice-acting job playing Ursula the Artist in The Walt Disney Company|Disney 's English dub of Studio Ghibli 's Kiki's Delivery Service . In 2002, she played Catherine Connolly in The Laramie Project (film)|The Laramie Project . A puppet version of Garofalo appeared (and was graphically killed off) in the movie Team America: World Police ; while Garofalo was irritated by the parody, she was more upset by the filmmaker's lack of correspondence. "I ran into them in the street, Trey and the other guy, and I said to them, 'The least you could do is send me a puppet.' And they said OK, took my address down ... and never sent me a puppet& #33; So while Team America bothered me, the fact they didn't send me my puppet, that bothered me even more."cite news | first = James | last = Kettle | title = Seriously funny | date = 2009-08-01 | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/aug/01/janeane-garofalo-edinburgh-fringe | work = The Guardian | accessdate = 2010-05-29
Garofalo had a segment in several episodes of the 2007 season of The Henry Rollins Show . These took place in her apartment, much in the same way Henry Rollins|Rollins' take place at his house. In 2007, she provided the voice of Colette, a chef in the Pixar / Disney feature film Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille . Garofalo affected a pronounced French accent in the role, highlighted by her character's soliloquy about being the only female chef in the all-male kitchen.
She made cameo appearances in The Guitar (film)|The Guitar in 2008 and Labor Pains in 2009.
Political views
Garofalo has been open and outspoken regarding her Liberalism|liberal political views. In an interview for Geek Monthly magazine, she stated that she grew up conservative in a conservative family.cite web|url= http://geekmonthly.com/blog/? p=191 |title=Janeane Garofalo |publisher=Geekmonthly.com |date=2009-01-13 |accessdate=2010-05-09
She has appeared with political figures such as Ralph Nader (whom she supported in United States presidential election, 2000|the 2000 election , but opposed in U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004 Citation needed|date=April 2009) and Jello Biafra at various events. Garofalo now describes herself as an atheism|atheist ,cite web|author=Michael Janusonis |url= http://www.projo.com/movies/content/ratstars_07-06-07_A964DOQ.25e3ad5.html |title=Just the right spice |publisher=projo.com |date=2007-07-06 |accessdate=2010-05-09 and has participated in a radio interview by Freethought Radio, a show by the Freedom From Religion Foundation .cite web|url= http://ffrf.libsyn.com/index.php? post_id=219697 |title=Freethought Radio |publisher=Ffrf.libsyn.com |date=26 May 2007 |accessdate=2010-05-09
She became more prominent as an activist when she voiced opposition to what became the 2003 Iraq War , appearing on CNN and Fox News to discuss it. She said that she was approached by groups such as MoveOn|MoveOn.org and Win Without War to go on TV, because these organizations say that the networks were not allowing antiwar voices to be heard. Garofalo and the other celebrities who appeared at the time said they thought their fame could lend attention to that side of the debate. Her appearances on cable news prior to the war garnered her praise from the left and spots on the cover of Ms. magazine|Ms. and Venus Zine . Garofalo has had frequent on-air political disputes with Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly , Brian Kilmeade , and Jonah Goldberg .cite web|url= http://www.nationalreview.com/goldberg/goldberg022803.asp |title=Garofalo’s World |author=Jonah Goldberg |publisher=Nationalreview.com |date=2003-02-28 |accessdate=2010-05-09
Prior to the 2003 Iraq War, she took a position on the threat posed by Saddam Hussein . For example, in an interview with Tony Snow on a February 23, 2003 episode of Fox News Sunday ,cite web|url= http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,79351,00.html |title=Transcript: Janeane Garofalo on Fox News Sunday |publisher=FOXNews.com |date=2003-02-24 |accessdate=2010-05-09 Garofalo said of the Iraqi dictator : quote|Yes, I think lots of people are eager to obtain weapons of mass destruction . But there's no evidence that he (Hussein) has weapons of mass destruction. There's been no evidence of him testing nuclear weapon s. We have people that are in our face with nuclear weapons. We've got Iran and North Korea. We've got a problem with Pakistan. You know, I don't know what to say about that. There's a whole lot of people that are going nuclear. And I think that Saddam Hussein is actually, with the evidence, the least able to use nuclear weapons and the least obvious offender in that area at this moment. In March 2003, she took part in the Code Pink anti-war march in Washington, D.C. That fall, she served as emcee at several stops on the Tell Us the Truth tour, a political-themed concert series featuring Steve Earle , Billy Bragg , Tom Morello , and others. Throughout the year, Garofalo also actively campaigned for Howard Dean .
While on Fox News ' program The Pulse , O'Reilly asked Garofalo what she would do if her predictions that the Iraq war would be a disaster were to turn out wrong. Garofalo stated: quote|I would be so willing to say, "I'm sorry". I hope to God that I can be made a buffoon of, that people will say, "You were wrong. You were a fatalist". And I will go to the White House on my knees on cut glass and say, "Hey, you and Thomas Friedman were right… I shouldn't have doubted you"…cite web|url= http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,83365,00.html |title=Hollywood Celebrities Pull Out the Punches on Iraq – The Pulse |publisher=FOXNews.com |date=2003-04-09 |accessdate=2010-05-09 In April 2009, Garofalo drew criticism when she denounced the Tea Party protests .cite web|last=Carpenter |first=Amanda |url= http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/back-story/2009/apr/17/liberal-actress-says-tea-parties-were-racist/ |title=Liberal actress says tea parties were racist – Hot Button Blog |publisher=Washington Times |date=2009-04-17 |author=Amanda Carpenter |accessdate=2010-05-09 In response to the controversy Garofalo has continued to criticize Tea Party protesters.cite web|url= http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519923,00.html |title=Garofalo Stands By 'Racist' Remarks – Hannity |publisher=FOXNews.com |date=2009-05-12 |accessdate=2010-05-09
Air America Radio
In late March 2004, Garofalo became a co-host for Air America Radio 's new show The Majority Report alongside Sam Seder .The early days of Air America Radio are chronicled in the documentary film|documentary Left of the Dial , which includes a debate between Garofalo and her conservative father Carmine, who was initially a regular guest on The Majority Report .
Garofalo commented on her April 28, 2006 show supporting the Scientology -linked Downtown Medical|New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project , a controversial treatment for workers suffering ailments from 9/11 clean-up efforts in New York City.cite news|url= http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12583654|title=Garofalo gushes over Scientology-linked project|last=Walls|first=Jeannette|date=2006-05-02|work= MSNBC |publisher=NBC|accessdate=2009-04-08
Feel This Book: An Essential Guide to Self-Empowerment, Spiritual Supremacy, and Sexual Satisfaction ISBN 0-694-52146-9 (with Ben Stiller )
References
reflist|2
External links
Commons category|Janeane Garofalowikiquote
http://www.janeanegarofalo.com Official website
IMDb name|0000413|Janeane Garofalo
iobdb|Janeane|Garofalo
http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Janeane_Garofalo.php Janeane Garofalo's political donations
http://www.emmys.com/celebrities/janeane-garofalo Janeane Garofalo at Emmys.com
s-startsuccession box|before= Courteney Cox and Jon Lovitz | title= MTV Movie Awards host| years= 1996 MTV Movie Awards|1996 (with Ben Stiller )| after= Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers s-end AAR
Persondata|NAME= Garofalo, Janeane |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION=comedian, actress, political activist, writer |DATE OF BIRTH= September 28, 1964 |PLACE OF BIRTH= Newton, New Jersey |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= DEFAULTSORT:Garofalo, Janeane Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:American activists Category:American atheists Category:American film actors Category:American political pundits Category:American talk radio hosts Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:Asexual people Category:Feminist artists Category:The Groundlings Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Actors from New Jersey Category:People from Katy, Texas Category:People from Madison, New Jersey Category:People from Sussex County, New Jersey Category:Providence College alumni Category:Women comedians Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:American feminists
