"Love, Gilda" Movie Is a Must See

The new Gilda Radner documentary, Love, Gilda, is just out. Anyone who is into comedy MUST see this hilarious and moving film about SNL's beloved original cast member.

Gilda Radner

Source: By Solters and Roskin (ebay) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

She was not only an incredible talent, but also, an extraordinary person. My story, when I met her, takes place at the height of her success in 1979 on a cold, snowy NYC night.

I was the opening act at New York’s Bottom Line for the Roches, a band that was on "Saturday Night Live" a lot. The audience was full of showbiz VIPs who schmoozed and talked loudly while I was onstage. I made some jokes about it to the civilians in the first row, but the big-shot studio execs continued to talk during my act. And if that wasn’t bad enough, when I got offstage I found out that the club owners had let these VIPs in and kept my 75-year-old aunt Edith and her family standing in the snow outside. I went backstage in a fury. A woman asked me, “What’s the matter, honey?” I burst out crying. She pulled me into a small backstage bathroom. This complete stranger sat on the toilet in this tiny New York cockroach-infested bathroom, holding me on her lap while I sobbed on her shoulder. “That’s OK, honey. I know how hard it can be.” When I looked up I realized, "Oh my God, you’re Gilda Radner.” At that time, Gilda was a big star on "Saturday Night Live." She was there to introduce the band, but took the time to care for a complete stranger. Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer in 1989.

How do you want to be remembered? Sometimes it’s in the little moments, when we take the time to recognize others, that we truly are a superstar.