WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.480 Welcome to the Deep Dive, the place where we 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:04.839 process the mountain of information you need 00:00:04.839 --> 00:00:07.860 and distill it into pure, actionable insight. 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:11.480 Glad to be here. Today, we are focusing on, well, 00:00:11.619 --> 00:00:16.280 an absolute icon of American comedy. A towering 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:18.859 figure, quite literally, who has successfully 00:00:18.859 --> 00:00:22.100 established residence in, like, multiple universes 00:00:22.100 --> 00:00:23.899 of entertainment. That's a great way to put it. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:26.440 We are doing a deep dive into the career of Judy 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:29.250 Gold. it's an essential subject really because 00:00:29.250 --> 00:00:31.589 when you first encounter judy goal yeah you see 00:00:31.589 --> 00:00:33.829 the stand -up comic right the six foot two presence 00:00:33.829 --> 00:00:36.490 the energy exactly that intense stage energy 00:00:36.490 --> 00:00:40.590 but um our sources reveal an artist who is so 00:00:40.590 --> 00:00:43.950 much more way more she's simultaneously an acclaimed 00:00:43.950 --> 00:00:47.649 actress a highly decorated uh emmy -winning writer 00:00:47.649 --> 00:00:49.929 and producer which is amazing for a comic right 00:00:49.929 --> 00:00:53.350 and a successful podcaster and this is crucial 00:00:53.350 --> 00:00:56.530 i think one of the nation's most dedicated really 00:00:56.649 --> 00:00:58.969 frontline advocates for free speech. Exactly. 00:00:58.969 --> 00:01:00.829 And that's our mission today, isn't it? To kind 00:01:00.829 --> 00:01:03.990 of synthesize all these seemingly disparate roles. 00:01:04.129 --> 00:01:06.310 Yeah. How do they all fit together? How does 00:01:06.310 --> 00:01:09.549 the same person thrive on the gritty floor of 00:01:09.549 --> 00:01:12.980 a comedy cellar? You know, win these prestigious 00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:15.480 awards behind the camera, write these really 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:18.519 political solo shows that premiere off Broadway 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:21.599 and still have the time to, like, compete on 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:23.400 the Food Network. It's kind of dizzying when 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:25.879 you list it all out. It really is. It requires 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:30.140 this. level of professional diversification and 00:01:30.140 --> 00:01:33.560 just resilience that honestly few artists achieve. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:36.159 Yeah. So the big question, the one that sort 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:40.000 of anchors her nearly four decade career, she's 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:42.700 been active since 1986, basically. Wow. Yeah. 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:45.140 How do you maintain that intense relevance and, 00:01:45.219 --> 00:01:47.500 you know, that comedic edge across such wildly 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:49.840 different artistic demands? That's the core of 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:51.959 it. And we think the answer lies in understanding 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:54.400 her willingness to take risks, a trait that really 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:56.439 started right at the very beginning. OK, so let's 00:01:56.439 --> 00:01:58.450 establish. the foundation before we jump into 00:01:58.450 --> 00:02:00.370 the emmys and the activism and all that good 00:02:00.370 --> 00:02:03.189 idea the basics judy gold was born november 15 00:02:03.189 --> 00:02:07.450 1962 she's 62 now born in clark new jersey grew 00:02:07.450 --> 00:02:11.409 up in a jewish household and interestingly this 00:02:11.409 --> 00:02:14.669 is fascinating she was initially a classically 00:02:14.669 --> 00:02:18.310 trained musician right studied piano yeah which 00:02:18.310 --> 00:02:20.909 suggests this kind of structured, disciplined, 00:02:21.030 --> 00:02:23.650 artistic approach. It's an interesting context 00:02:23.650 --> 00:02:27.389 for someone known for that chaotic, high -energy 00:02:27.389 --> 00:02:29.370 stage presence. It really changes the narrative, 00:02:29.490 --> 00:02:31.009 doesn't it? She wasn't like, I'm going to be 00:02:31.009 --> 00:02:33.990 a comedian from day one. Not at all. She was 00:02:33.990 --> 00:02:37.770 a music student at Rutgers University. And the 00:02:37.770 --> 00:02:40.449 career pivot, it wasn't some calculated choice. 00:02:40.550 --> 00:02:43.370 It was like pure chance. Which is amazing. She 00:02:43.370 --> 00:02:45.889 first performed stand -up in 1981. She was only 00:02:45.889 --> 00:02:48.340 19. And the only reason she did it was because 00:02:48.340 --> 00:02:50.599 someone dared her to. The power of the dare. 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.500 I love that. Yeah, yeah. And that initial decision, 00:02:53.620 --> 00:02:56.460 right, to take a spontaneous, really high stakes 00:02:56.460 --> 00:02:58.960 risk. Yeah. It kind of became the thematic foundation 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:00.860 for her whole career. You could even trace it 00:03:00.860 --> 00:03:03.780 to her arguments for free speech later on. That's 00:03:03.780 --> 00:03:05.879 a great point. She proved early on she was willing 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:08.560 to jump without a net, basically. And that risk, 00:03:08.620 --> 00:03:13.189 it paid off pretty quickly. By 1984, she made 00:03:13.189 --> 00:03:17.569 the leap from New Jersey college stages to the 00:03:17.569 --> 00:03:20.669 proving grounds of Manhattan. The big time. And 00:03:20.669 --> 00:03:22.789 this was the era of the comedy boom. You know, 00:03:22.810 --> 00:03:25.550 the stakes were incredibly high back then. Absolutely. 00:03:25.729 --> 00:03:28.810 Yeah. And within just a year, she hits this major 00:03:28.810 --> 00:03:31.150 milestone, something that really signaled her 00:03:31.150 --> 00:03:34.319 professional potential. She was passed. at catch 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:37.280 a rising star in 1985 right and we should maybe 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.300 pause on that for a second yeah because past 00:03:39.300 --> 00:03:41.479 today might just mean getting booked exactly 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:46.819 but back then 80s new york city venues like catch 00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:49.659 a rising star the improv they were essential 00:03:49.659 --> 00:03:52.879 gatekeepers to be passed meant you were like 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:55.340 professionally ratified The club was saying, 00:03:55.539 --> 00:03:57.979 okay, this person has the skill, the potential 00:03:57.979 --> 00:04:00.379 to be a headliner. It was a big deal. A huge 00:04:00.379 --> 00:04:02.259 deal. It wasn't just a booking. It was like an 00:04:02.259 --> 00:04:04.259 acknowledgment of professional standing, right? 00:04:04.360 --> 00:04:06.620 Absolutely. And that early success, it led her 00:04:06.620 --> 00:04:08.860 straight to becoming a regular fixture at the 00:04:08.860 --> 00:04:11.099 legendary comedy cellar. Still there, isn't she? 00:04:11.180 --> 00:04:13.520 Yeah. She's been performing there since the 1980s. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:16.339 Think about that longevity. In a venue known 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:18.939 for launching, I mean, the greatest careers, 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:23.360 Chris Rock, Seinfeld. chapelle everybody to still 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.759 be a regular there speaks volumes about her sustained 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:29.459 quality her consistency and it's interesting 00:04:29.459 --> 00:04:32.240 when you look at who she cites as her influences 00:04:33.269 --> 00:04:36.870 You see a direct connection to that fierce observational 00:04:36.870 --> 00:04:39.189 comedy style she has. Who does she name? She's 00:04:39.189 --> 00:04:42.250 named three towering female pioneers. Joan Rivers. 00:04:42.449 --> 00:04:44.990 Of course. Phyllis Diller. And Toadie Fields. 00:04:45.269 --> 00:04:47.569 Okay, yeah. That's a crucial insight into her 00:04:47.569 --> 00:04:49.689 comedic DNA right there. Totally is. Because 00:04:49.689 --> 00:04:51.850 these weren't just funny women. They were trailblazers. 00:04:52.050 --> 00:04:55.290 They used humor that was sharp, often self -deprecating, 00:04:55.290 --> 00:04:58.410 sure, but also fiercely candid about womanhood, 00:04:58.449 --> 00:05:00.430 family, social norms. They didn't hold back. 00:05:00.779 --> 00:05:03.480 Not at all. And gold is like a modern inheritor 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:06.339 of that tradition, using her persona, the tall, 00:05:06.420 --> 00:05:09.560 outspoken Jewish Lymbian mother, to deliver really 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:12.120 powerful, insightful material, just like her 00:05:12.120 --> 00:05:14.160 predecessors did. She really built her comedy 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:17.759 on an established lineage of truth tellers. Well 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:20.160 put. Yeah. So let's follow that lineage onto 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:22.060 the page then. Good transition because, yeah, 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:24.220 to really grasp her versatility, we need to look 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:26.019 away from the mic for a bit. Look at the script 00:05:26.019 --> 00:05:29.300 page. Exactly. We are entering section one, the 00:05:29.300 --> 00:05:32.620 power of the pen. Because while the public mostly 00:05:32.620 --> 00:05:37.100 sees her on stage, a huge part of her career 00:05:37.100 --> 00:05:40.379 success happened behind the camera. And here's 00:05:40.379 --> 00:05:42.839 where the resume starts to look genuinely unique, 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:46.220 especially for a stand -up comic. Judy Gold is 00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:50.240 a two -time daytime Emmy winner. Yeah. That right 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:52.899 there is the ultimate evident of her multi -hyphenate 00:05:52.899 --> 00:05:55.079 status, isn't it? It really is. And she didn't 00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:58.079 win an Emmy for a stand -up special or performing. 00:05:58.379 --> 00:06:01.139 Nope. She won for her work as a writer and producer 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:03.899 on The Rosie O'Donnell Show. That detail is so 00:06:03.899 --> 00:06:07.279 significant. It means this edgy, kind of alternative 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:11.040 -leaning comic successfully navigated the highly 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:14.160 mainstream, very tightly structured world of... 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:16.480 daytime talk show production think about that 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:18.779 transition from the cellar stage to a daytime 00:06:18.779 --> 00:06:21.540 writer's room it speaks volumes about her ability 00:06:21.540 --> 00:06:24.379 to structure comedy for a mass audience right 00:06:24.379 --> 00:06:26.819 and to work within a large creative team which 00:06:26.819 --> 00:06:29.610 isn't always easy for stand -ups right And Rosie 00:06:29.610 --> 00:06:31.889 O'Donnell, she was a comic herself. She needed 00:06:31.889 --> 00:06:34.069 writers who could deliver that specific brand, 00:06:34.269 --> 00:06:37.670 accessible, warm, but still sharp humor. Gold 00:06:37.670 --> 00:06:39.810 at the bill. Her success there just confirms 00:06:39.810 --> 00:06:42.149 she understands pacing, timing, mass appeal, 00:06:42.389 --> 00:06:45.069 skills that, frankly, are often lost on comics 00:06:45.069 --> 00:06:47.699 who only ever work solo. That professional flexibility 00:06:47.699 --> 00:06:50.800 is just so rare. And the writing credits didn't 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:53.180 stop in daytime, did they? Not at all. She successfully 00:06:53.180 --> 00:06:56.759 transitioned to prestige cable television. She 00:06:56.759 --> 00:06:59.139 served as a writer on the final season of Pamela 00:06:59.139 --> 00:07:01.660 Adlon's critically acclaimed FX series, Better 00:07:01.660 --> 00:07:04.319 Things. OK, now that is a tectonic shift. Right. 00:07:04.459 --> 00:07:06.319 Moving from the high volume, quick turnaround 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.480 of a daily talk show like Rosie's. Yeah, churning 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:11.279 out material constantly. To the intimate. deeply 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.259 character -driven and structurally really complex 00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:17.540 world, a prestige cable dramedy like Better Things. 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:20.379 It just confirms that her skill set is transferable. 00:07:20.699 --> 00:07:23.759 Across genres, across formats. She isn't just 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:25.759 relying on her stage persona. She's employing 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:27.879 genuine screenwriting and structural narrative 00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:30.500 abilities. Yeah, she clearly understands story. 00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:33.300 And what's fascinating here is how that ability 00:07:33.300 --> 00:07:36.500 to write and produce probably informed her stage 00:07:36.500 --> 00:07:39.040 work and vice versa. Oh, for sure. Her comedic 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:42.279 mind is clearly structured. She understands how 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:44.399 to craft a narrative, whether it's a single joke, 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:47.019 a talk show segment, or a whole season arc for 00:07:47.019 --> 00:07:49.180 TV. Which is probably why she's maintained such 00:07:49.180 --> 00:07:51.480 a steady stream. of output with her own recorded 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:54.759 stand -up. Exactly. She's had major network specials, 00:07:54.759 --> 00:07:59.199 Comedy Central, Logo, HBO, big platforms. And 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:01.519 she has three released comedy albums that kind 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:03.560 of document her evolution over time. Let's look 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:05.959 at those. The album titles themselves, they really 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:08.040 track her personal and professional journey, 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:11.339 you know? They do. We start with Judith's Roommate 00:08:11.339 --> 00:08:14.500 Had a Baby in 2004. Right. Which clearly focuses 00:08:14.500 --> 00:08:17.620 on the anxieties, the absurdities of early motherhood, 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:21.350 co -parenting. Very personal, observational humor, 00:08:21.529 --> 00:08:24.529 rooted in that specific time in her life. Then, 00:08:24.550 --> 00:08:28.310 jump forward to 2018. The album's titled Kill 00:08:28.310 --> 00:08:31.670 Me Now. Yeah, that reflects a shift, doesn't 00:08:31.670 --> 00:08:34.090 it? Towards perhaps more intense, maybe more 00:08:34.090 --> 00:08:36.409 political, or just generally frustrated humor 00:08:36.409 --> 00:08:38.889 as the world was changing around then. Feels 00:08:38.889 --> 00:08:41.860 like it. And then... Most recently, in 2020, 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:45.080 we get Conduct Unbecoming. Which launched right 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:47.480 as the whole free speech cancel culture debate 00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:50.240 was really exploding. Perfectly timed. It positions 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:52.779 her firmly in that role of cultural commentator, 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.840 which she's really embraced. So that's a, what, 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:57.399 16 -year evolution documented just through the 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:00.389 audio releases? Showing her ability to adapt 00:09:00.389 --> 00:09:02.690 her material to the changing societal atmosphere 00:09:02.690 --> 00:09:05.870 while always retaining her core identity. Absolutely. 00:09:06.409 --> 00:09:08.570 And speaking of commentary, her work extends 00:09:08.570 --> 00:09:10.490 way beyond the stage and the writer's room. She's 00:09:10.490 --> 00:09:12.090 got her own platform now, too. Right. If you 00:09:12.090 --> 00:09:13.990 want to hear her voice now, she hosts the podcast. 00:09:14.289 --> 00:09:17.250 It's Judy Show with Judy Gold. Which is great, 00:09:17.309 --> 00:09:19.769 by the way. Very her. And let's not forget, for 00:09:19.769 --> 00:09:22.970 more than a decade, like a long run, 1999 to 00:09:22.970 --> 00:09:27.120 2010, she hosted HBO's... at the Multiplex with 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:29.980 Judy Gold. I remember that, yeah. She truly has 00:09:29.980 --> 00:09:33.460 mastered the art of being this reliable, witty 00:09:33.460 --> 00:09:36.080 voice in pretty much every single available medium. 00:09:36.539 --> 00:09:41.340 Print, stage, TV, audio. And that media presence 00:09:41.340 --> 00:09:44.460 led directly to this kind of unexpected transition 00:09:44.460 --> 00:09:47.179 into being an expert commentator on cable television. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:49.720 Yeah, the True TV thing. Exactly. She appeared 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:53.399 on 114 episodes of True TV's World's Dumbest 00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:57.759 between 2008 and 2013. 114 episodes. That's not 00:09:57.759 --> 00:09:59.799 just a few guest spots. That's practically a 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:02.179 steady job. It really is. What the statistic 00:10:02.179 --> 00:10:04.860 tells you is that Gold is highly reliable, incredibly 00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:07.700 fast on her feet comedically. Quick -witted. 00:10:08.090 --> 00:10:10.529 and able to deliver witty, usable commentary 00:10:10.529 --> 00:10:13.769 consistently. Production teams value that reliability 00:10:13.769 --> 00:10:17.289 immensely. It positions her as this trusted source 00:10:17.289 --> 00:10:19.690 of instantaneous comedic analysis. And you see 00:10:19.690 --> 00:10:21.769 that trust reflected in her high -profile appearances 00:10:21.769 --> 00:10:23.750 across the board, right? She pops up everywhere. 00:10:24.009 --> 00:10:25.750 Everywhere. The Tonight Show, Colbert's Late 00:10:25.750 --> 00:10:28.190 Show, The View, The Today Show, even The Drew 00:10:28.190 --> 00:10:30.470 Barrymore Show. She's accepted in every corner 00:10:30.470 --> 00:10:32.710 of the talk show world. Late night, daytime, 00:10:33.129 --> 00:10:36.669 news commentary. She fits in. And then... Just 00:10:36.669 --> 00:10:39.370 when you think you've got her pegged, she decides 00:10:39.370 --> 00:10:42.509 to apply that high stakes competitive energy 00:10:42.509 --> 00:10:46.049 to the culinary world, which is just fantastic. 00:10:46.169 --> 00:10:48.850 It's kind of the ultimate expression of her willingness 00:10:48.850 --> 00:10:52.889 to just put her personality into new, completely 00:10:52.889 --> 00:10:55.389 unrelated formats. Right. She didn't just like 00:10:55.389 --> 00:10:58.509 attend a cooking class for fun. Nope. She competed. 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:01.620 In the high -stress, very technical environments 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:04.240 of Chopped All -Stars. Which is terrifying. And 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.559 Rachel vs. Guy, celebrity cook -off on the Food 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:09.080 Network. Imagine that. The professional comic, 00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:11.419 who's also an Emmy -winning writer, being told, 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.460 okay, make a three -course meal with squid ink 00:11:14.460 --> 00:11:16.879 and gummy bears under a 20 -minute clock. Huh. 00:11:17.100 --> 00:11:19.379 Yeah. It's just another example of that original 00:11:19.379 --> 00:11:21.960 dare principle at work, isn't it? Taking an intense 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:24.279 risk way outside her comfort zone. Absolutely. 00:11:24.419 --> 00:11:26.200 It really shows that her brand isn't tied to 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:28.879 a specific medium like just stand -up. It's tied 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:31.600 to the delivery mechanism. Her personality, her 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:34.100 voice, her perspective, and that unwavering confidence. 00:11:34.440 --> 00:11:36.159 Okay, so we've established her success across 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.419 stand -up, TV writing, producing, commentary, 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:42.049 even cooking. Quite the list. Now we need to 00:11:42.049 --> 00:11:44.190 address the area that has really defined her 00:11:44.190 --> 00:11:46.169 public persona, especially in the last, say, 00:11:46.190 --> 00:11:49.289 half decade or so. Her role as an author and 00:11:49.289 --> 00:11:52.350 a really fierce activist for free expression. 00:11:52.529 --> 00:11:54.830 This moves us squarely into section two, focusing 00:11:54.830 --> 00:11:58.090 on free speech, family and the stage. Yeah. And 00:11:58.090 --> 00:12:00.990 this shift from primarily stand up material to 00:12:00.990 --> 00:12:04.389 being a vocal policy advocate. It's perhaps the 00:12:04.389 --> 00:12:06.309 most significant evolution of her career recently. 00:12:06.509 --> 00:12:09.549 The central text defining this era is definitely 00:12:09.549 --> 00:12:12.330 her 2020 book. Yes, I can say that. When they 00:12:12.330 --> 00:12:14.330 come for the comedians, we are all in trouble. 00:12:15.009 --> 00:12:17.370 Published by HarperCollins. And that title alone. 00:12:18.269 --> 00:12:21.460 It's a direct. pretty confrontational response 00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:23.600 to the whole atmosphere comedians found themselves 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.940 in and still find themselves in, really. No kidding. 00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:28.840 The book serves as a serious literary argument. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:31.340 It's not just a collection of jokes or anecdotes. 00:12:31.379 --> 00:12:34.159 Right. It's a defense. It's a defense of what 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:37.899 she sees as the core purpose of comedy. To challenge, 00:12:37.940 --> 00:12:41.480 sometimes to offend, and to act as society's, 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:44.059 you know, canary in the coal mine. It directly 00:12:44.059 --> 00:12:46.679 addresses the rising debates around cancel culture, 00:12:46.940 --> 00:12:50.100 the policing of speech. And it got serious attention. 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.240 It was featured in the New York Times book review. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:55.279 Which is major for a book by a comedian on this 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:57.820 topic. Definitely. And the power of the book, 00:12:57.820 --> 00:13:00.200 I think, is that she connects the theory of free 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:03.519 speech, the First Amendment arguments, the philosophical 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:06.539 stuff, with the practical day -to -day necessary 00:13:06.539 --> 00:13:10.259 reality of the stand -up stage. Yeah, she argues 00:13:10.259 --> 00:13:12.480 that comedians must be afforded the freedom to 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:15.399 test boundaries. Because without testing, how 00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:17.620 do you even know where the line is? or where 00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:19.440 it should be. That's her core point. And what 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.720 elevates her from just being a commentator to 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:25.159 like a legitimate policy advocate is her willingness 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:28.000 to back up that literary statement with actual 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.299 institutional action. She's not just tweeting 00:13:30.299 --> 00:13:32.779 about it or talking on TV. Exactly. She's not 00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:35.139 just appearing on The View to debate it. She 00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:37.539 is. actively serving on the board of directors 00:13:37.539 --> 00:13:40.200 of the National Coalition Against Censorship, 00:13:40.340 --> 00:13:43.419 NCAC. OK, that is crucial. That transition from 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:46.759 conic to board member shows she's genuinely dedicated 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:49.059 to the structural fight for free expression. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:52.139 It's a serious commitment. And she appears regularly 00:13:52.139 --> 00:13:55.559 as an advocate on major news networks, MSNBC, 00:13:55.700 --> 00:13:59.519 CNN, News Nation. Arguing the case that restricting 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:02.480 a comedian's voice today basically means restricting 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.559 everyone's voice tomorrow. That's the slippery 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:06.980 slope argument. Right. And this fusion of the 00:14:06.980 --> 00:14:10.700 personal and the political. It's maybe best expressed 00:14:10.700 --> 00:14:13.840 in her really prolific career writing and starring 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:16.179 in her off -Broadway solo shows. The solo shows. 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:18.539 Yeah. These works are where she takes the raw 00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:21.580 material of her life. her identity, her family, 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:24.480 and constructs it into a specific political or 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:26.879 cultural statement. She has this remarkable trilogy 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:29.440 of one -woman shows, often co -written with Kate 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:31.860 Moira Ryan, that really serve as a kind of chronological 00:14:31.860 --> 00:14:33.899 roadmap of her evolution. Let's start with the 00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:36.279 first big one. 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother. 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:39.320 back in 2006 yeah the show was extraordinary 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:43.240 it was this blend of memoir and uh almost ethnography 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:45.559 how so well it wasn't just about her mother it 00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:47.539 was based on interviews she conducted with over 00:14:47.539 --> 00:14:50.100 50 jewish mothers across the united states wow 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:52.460 so she used these outside voices to establish 00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:54.759 this kind of universal context for jewish motherhood 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:57.519 and then she wove her own story in exactly she 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:59.720 expertly interspersed those external stories 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:02.519 with deep personal anecdotes about her own mother 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:05.659 and crucially about her life as a lesbian mother 00:15:05.659 --> 00:15:08.450 raising two sons. The brilliance of that show 00:15:08.450 --> 00:15:10.929 was how she made the intensely specific details 00:15:10.929 --> 00:15:13.490 of her heritage and her identity immediately 00:15:13.490 --> 00:15:15.889 relatable to a wider audience. It proved that, 00:15:15.909 --> 00:15:17.429 you know, the core experiences of motherhood 00:15:17.429 --> 00:15:19.470 sort of transcend cultural boundaries. It was 00:15:19.470 --> 00:15:22.570 a huge success. Ran at Ars Nova, then moved to 00:15:22.570 --> 00:15:24.710 St. Luke's Theater for a long run. Okay, then 00:15:24.710 --> 00:15:27.190 five years later, 2011, the second installment 00:15:27.190 --> 00:15:29.809 comes out. The Judy Show My Life is a sitcom. 00:15:30.029 --> 00:15:32.049 Right. And this represents a thematic pivot, 00:15:32.169 --> 00:15:34.450 doesn't it? Seems like it. She moves from analyzing 00:15:34.450 --> 00:15:37.629 her heritage, her roots, to analyzing her cultural 00:15:37.629 --> 00:15:41.340 upbringing. Specifically, using the classic American 00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:43.980 sitcoms of her youth, the ones she grew up watching, 00:15:44.139 --> 00:15:47.259 as the frame for her personal anxieties and experiences. 00:15:47.740 --> 00:15:49.559 That shows incredible cultural fluency, right? 00:15:49.620 --> 00:15:52.039 To take these deeply personal, maybe even painful 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:55.120 memoir moments. Yeah, real life stuff. And filter 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:57.820 them through the light. Often kind of cheesy, 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:00.899 nostalgic lens of the Brady Bunch or the Mary 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:03.860 Tyler Moore show. That requires serious writing 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:06.139 skill. It's a really clever device. The New York 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:08.580 Post called it gleefully self -deprecating. Which 00:16:08.580 --> 00:16:11.120 sounds right. Yeah. And the New York Times called 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:13.500 it highly entertaining. It's just a masterclass 00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:16.820 in using pop culture as a narrative vehicle for 00:16:16.820 --> 00:16:20.000 autobiography. OK, so heritage, then pop culture. 00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:23.340 What's the culmination? The trilogy culminates, 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:26.120 fittingly, with the most directly political work. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.460 Yes, I can say that. Which premiered on stage 00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:31.389 in 2023. Based directly on the book. Exactly. 00:16:31.450 --> 00:16:34.529 She's moved from personal heritage to cultural 00:16:34.529 --> 00:16:37.690 commentary to now a direct defense of the right 00:16:37.690 --> 00:16:39.549 to perform all that material. It brings everything 00:16:39.549 --> 00:16:41.730 full circle. And it was directed by B .D. Wong. 00:16:41.970 --> 00:16:44.629 Right. Which, again, it just confirms the seriousness 00:16:44.629 --> 00:16:46.929 and the theatrical weight behind the political 00:16:46.929 --> 00:16:48.830 message. It's not just stand up with a point. 00:16:48.970 --> 00:16:51.509 It's a crafted piece of theater. So this shows 00:16:51.509 --> 00:16:54.370 an artist leveraging literally all her platforms, 00:16:54.529 --> 00:16:57.370 the book, the news appearances, the theatrical 00:16:57.370 --> 00:17:01.799 stage to push. This single powerful message about 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:04.819 freedom of expression. And that focus on the 00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:07.319 deeply personal, it brings us directly to her 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:09.720 identity, which is really the engine for so much 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:11.700 of her best material. Let's talk about that. 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:15.960 Gold is openly lesbian. She has two sons, Henry 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:18.400 and Ben, from her nearly 20 -year relationship 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.839 with her former partner, Sharon Callahan. And 00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:23.200 her willingness to bring her family life, her 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:26.660 specific family life, into her comedy. That was 00:17:26.660 --> 00:17:29.539 pretty pioneering for a mainstream comic of her 00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:31.200 generation. Absolutely. You didn't hear that 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:33.359 kind of open discussion much back then. Right. 00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:36.359 She famously referenced her children, her parenting 00:17:36.359 --> 00:17:39.380 extensively on that sharp, really combative Comedy 00:17:39.380 --> 00:17:41.599 Central series Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn. 00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:43.460 Which was not a warm, fuzzy kind of show. Not 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:46.480 at all. But that open discussion of being a lesbian 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:48.339 mother and navigating everyday life, the ups 00:17:48.339 --> 00:17:50.880 and downs, it helped demystify those identities 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:53.579 for a much wider audience. Made it normal. Yeah, 00:17:53.619 --> 00:17:55.880 normalized it through humor. And her personal 00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:57.900 life continues to be this kind of fun thread. 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:00.980 She's currently with her partner, Elisa Halpern. 00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:03.119 And how they met is kind of funny, right? Yeah. 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:07.180 They met in 2007 on a blind date that was actually 00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:09.940 set up by Time Out New York Magazine as like 00:18:09.940 --> 00:18:12.559 a feature. That's hilarious. Talk about pressure. 00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:15.380 Right. But it worked out. And that delightful 00:18:15.380 --> 00:18:18.220 detail, it kind of grounds her, you know, shows 00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:20.660 that even amidst the high stakes world of activism 00:18:20.660 --> 00:18:23.039 and performing, she maintains a sense of humor 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:25.259 about the ordinary struggles of dating and building 00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:28.039 a relationship. Yeah. Makes her relatable. Beyond 00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:30.180 her own family, though, she's incredibly active 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:32.799 within her specific community. Mm hmm. Both the 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:35.380 LGBT community and the Jewish community. And 00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:37.970 this isn't just like. Identity politics checkbox 00:18:37.970 --> 00:18:40.470 ticking. Yeah. It seems like genuine connection 00:18:40.470 --> 00:18:43.829 and advocacy. It does. Politically, she was active 00:18:43.829 --> 00:18:46.029 in support of the Democratic presidential campaigns 00:18:46.029 --> 00:18:49.430 back in 2004 and 2008. She consistently connects 00:18:49.430 --> 00:18:51.509 her personal platform to her broader political 00:18:51.509 --> 00:18:53.869 beliefs. She understands that her voice carries 00:18:53.869 --> 00:18:55.630 weight within those communities, right? Yeah. 00:18:55.890 --> 00:18:58.650 And she uses the visibility she gained from stand 00:18:58.650 --> 00:19:01.150 -up and acting to try and serve a higher purpose, 00:19:01.250 --> 00:19:03.809 it seems. Yeah, I think that's fair to say. Okay, 00:19:03.869 --> 00:19:06.980 let's pivot now. Because if the first two sections 00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:10.359 really established her as this powerhouse writer, 00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:14.559 producer, advocate, this final section, section 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:17.319 three, focuses on the remarkable range required 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:19.640 for her straight -up acting career, separate 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:22.099 from her solo shows. Right. This is where that 00:19:22.099 --> 00:19:24.619 concept of duality we talked about. becomes maybe 00:19:24.619 --> 00:19:27.019 most visible. Totally. Because she is not just 00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:29.880 performing her own material here. She is a working 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:32.900 professional actor who moves pretty seamlessly 00:19:32.900 --> 00:19:36.440 between comedy, drama, and even classical theater. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:39.079 Her television history started early. Her first 00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:42.940 TV role was way back in 1991 on Roseanne. Played 00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:45.119 a character named Amy for one episode. But the 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:47.240 big career moment... the one that really established 00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:50.039 her as a reliable ensemble player early on, was 00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:53.259 securing a series regular role. On Margaret Cho's 00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:55.960 sitcom. Exactly. Margaret Cho's 1994 sitcom, 00:19:56.259 --> 00:19:58.279 All -American Girl. She played Gloria Schechter 00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:01.039 for 18 episodes. Now, All -American Girl, it 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:02.940 only ran for one season, unfortunately. Right. 00:20:02.940 --> 00:20:06.480 Short -lived, but kind of iconic now. Yeah. But 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:09.799 being a series regular on a network sitcom, especially 00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:11.819 one that was trying to tackle complex cultural 00:20:11.819 --> 00:20:15.099 identity issues back then. It confirmed her ability 00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:17.920 to deliver consistent performances, develop a 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:20.500 character week after week, all within the structure 00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:23.200 of a major studio production. It proved she could 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:26.519 play well with others, basically. Yeah. And her 00:20:26.519 --> 00:20:29.180 guest and recurring roles since then demonstrate 00:20:29.180 --> 00:20:33.720 this phenomenal, almost jarring range. This is 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:36.099 the duality we have to analyze. Okay, like what? 00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:38.950 Look at her work just... Within the Law & Order 00:20:38.950 --> 00:20:41.769 universe. She didn't just pop up once. She played 00:20:41.769 --> 00:20:44.970 two completely separate serious procedural roles. 00:20:45.029 --> 00:20:46.589 Oh, wow. I didn't realize it was two different 00:20:46.589 --> 00:20:48.809 ones. Yeah. That's the essential insight into 00:20:48.809 --> 00:20:51.230 her acting skill, I think. In 2000, she played 00:20:51.230 --> 00:20:53.029 a character named Deborah Patterson on the original 00:20:53.029 --> 00:20:55.750 Law & Order. Okay, fine. Then, just two years 00:20:55.750 --> 00:20:57.890 later, she returns to the franchise, but this 00:20:57.890 --> 00:21:00.950 time on SVU, playing a forensic gynecologist. 00:21:01.230 --> 00:21:03.799 A forensic gynecologist. Right. This means she 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:06.140 was able to completely disappear into the serious, 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:09.059 technical, often grim world of procedural drama, 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:12.480 separating herself entirely from her loud, brash 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:14.559 stand -up persona. That's incredible. The same 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:17.259 person doing high -energy, observational stand 00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:20.240 -up about her kids and her mother is convincingly 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:23.640 playing this impartial, technical expert in a 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:27.220 police drama about horrific crimes. That ability 00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:30.640 to shed the recognizable self. That's the hallmark 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:33.380 of a true actor. Exactly. But then flip the coin. 00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:36.259 She's equally capable of slipping into the heightened, 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:38.940 often surreal environments of modern comedy. 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:41.299 Like what shows? Well, she appears as Leslie 00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:43.640 on The Drew Carey Show. She plays herself on 00:21:43.640 --> 00:21:46.559 30 Rock, which is perfect metacasting, playing 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:48.920 the comic who knows everyone in that world. Right. 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:51.440 And then taking distinct character roles like 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:54.220 Jerry and Two Broke Girls or playing a rabbi 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:56.660 in The Big C. She can do broad comedy. She can 00:21:56.660 --> 00:21:59.470 do cringe comedy. She can do meta comedy. transition 00:21:59.470 --> 00:22:01.430 into the modern streaming landscape shows her 00:22:01.430 --> 00:22:03.829 longevity too, doesn't it? Absolutely. She played 00:22:03.829 --> 00:22:06.089 Chaya in five episodes of Better Things between 00:22:06.089 --> 00:22:08.990 2020 and 2022. Which brings her writing credit 00:22:08.990 --> 00:22:11.829 full circle. Right. Fitting naturally into that 00:22:11.829 --> 00:22:15.150 sophisticated, semi -improvised, dramatic environment. 00:22:15.650 --> 00:22:19.289 And she's the librarian in two episodes of Awkwafina 00:22:19.289 --> 00:22:23.009 is Nora from Queens. Another very specific comedic 00:22:23.009 --> 00:22:25.130 tone. We also see her pop up in all those New 00:22:25.130 --> 00:22:27.670 York comedy staples over the years. Oh, yeah. 00:22:28.029 --> 00:22:30.450 Like a Barnes and Noble clerk in Sex and the 00:22:30.450 --> 00:22:34.390 City. Dr. Madden in Girls 5 Eva. Angela in Broad 00:22:34.390 --> 00:22:36.849 City. She's like the quintessential New York 00:22:36.849 --> 00:22:39.150 utility player, isn't she? That's a great description. 00:22:39.410 --> 00:22:41.930 The reliable character actor that New York casting 00:22:41.930 --> 00:22:43.809 directors call when they need someone who can 00:22:43.809 --> 00:22:46.109 definitely land a joke, but who can also deliver 00:22:46.109 --> 00:22:49.230 some sharp, dramatic context if needed. She brings 00:22:49.230 --> 00:22:52.089 authenticity. But the acting depth, it doesn't 00:22:52.089 --> 00:22:54.509 stop with television and film. She has tackled 00:22:54.509 --> 00:22:58.089 serious classical stage work, stuff that isn't 00:22:58.089 --> 00:23:00.730 her own solo material. Yeah, the transition from 00:23:00.730 --> 00:23:03.809 comedy clubs to Shakespeare in the Park is kind 00:23:03.809 --> 00:23:05.589 of astonishing when you think about it. It really 00:23:05.589 --> 00:23:07.930 is. Truly. She was a featured player playing 00:23:07.930 --> 00:23:10.470 the role of Gremio in the public theater's all 00:23:10.470 --> 00:23:12.529 -female production of The Taming of the Shrew. 00:23:12.589 --> 00:23:15.660 In Central Park. In Central Park. This proves 00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:17.900 she possesses the physical and vocal command 00:23:17.900 --> 00:23:20.819 required for classical theater. It's not just 00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:23.819 about the rapid -fire wit of stand -up. Gremio 00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:25.859 is a substantial comedic role in Shakespeare, 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:29.259 and it demonstrates that her 6 '2 presence is 00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:32.720 a genuine theatrical asset in any context. Okay, 00:23:32.759 --> 00:23:35.190 so Shakespeare. What else? And if Shakespeare 00:23:35.190 --> 00:23:37.369 wasn't enough of a stretch, she also moved into 00:23:37.369 --> 00:23:40.609 musical theater. She co -starred in off -Broadway's 00:23:40.609 --> 00:23:43.529 disaster, The Musical. It's like a parody of 00:23:43.529 --> 00:23:47.450 disaster movies. Exactly. And then, for perhaps 00:23:47.450 --> 00:23:49.849 the most inspired piece of satirical casting 00:23:49.849 --> 00:23:53.490 imaginable, she played Eleanor Roosevelt in Clinton, 00:23:53.769 --> 00:23:56.609 The Musical. Get out, Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor 00:23:56.609 --> 00:23:59.349 Roosevelt. Playing a historical figure, even 00:23:59.349 --> 00:24:02.150 in a comedic parody musical, it requires research, 00:24:02.230 --> 00:24:04.569 conviction, and a commanding stage presence. 00:24:04.829 --> 00:24:07.269 You have to sell it. Wow. And if you connect 00:24:07.269 --> 00:24:09.109 this back to her activism, it's interesting, 00:24:09.190 --> 00:24:10.710 right? She's using her performance skills not 00:24:10.710 --> 00:24:12.869 just to entertain, but to inhabit figures of 00:24:12.869 --> 00:24:15.190 power and influence, which is kind of what her 00:24:15.190 --> 00:24:17.529 free speech arguments require her to do intellectually 00:24:17.529 --> 00:24:20.529 as well. That's a fascinating connection. Finally, 00:24:20.609 --> 00:24:23.730 we see her being recognized and documented as 00:24:23.730 --> 00:24:26.849 a cultural figure whose presence is kind of required 00:24:26.849 --> 00:24:30.029 in the historical records of comedy. Yeah, she's 00:24:30.029 --> 00:24:32.309 consistently included in documentaries focusing 00:24:32.309 --> 00:24:34.589 on her communities, her fields. Like which ones? 00:24:34.869 --> 00:24:37.460 Well, her inclusion. in these films really confirms 00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:39.960 her status as a kind of cultural historian for 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:44.430 both Jewish and LGBTQ plus comedy. She was featured 00:24:44.430 --> 00:24:47.910 way back in the 2007 documentary Making Trouble. 00:24:47.970 --> 00:24:51.509 What was that about? It paid tribute to pioneering 00:24:51.509 --> 00:24:54.309 female Jewish comedians, so it linked her directly 00:24:54.309 --> 00:24:56.809 back to the influences she cited earlier. Rivers, 00:24:57.029 --> 00:24:59.450 Diller, Fields. Put her in that lineage officially. 00:24:59.690 --> 00:25:01.809 I got it. And then more recently, she was a central 00:25:01.809 --> 00:25:05.009 subject of the 2021 Hulu documentary Hysterical. 00:25:05.150 --> 00:25:06.950 Right, I saw that. That focused more broadly 00:25:06.950 --> 00:25:09.150 on women in comedy, right? Exactly. Highlighting 00:25:09.150 --> 00:25:11.250 her resilience, her longevity, the challenges 00:25:11.250 --> 00:25:13.069 women face, and furthermore, her political... 00:25:19.220 --> 00:25:23.599 So that really solidifies her role as like the 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:26.119 face of the comedian's free speech argument in 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:28.420 that context. Pretty much. And she is clearly 00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:32.259 seen as a pillar in the LGBTQ plus comedy community. 00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:34.920 She appeared prominently in both the big Netflix 00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:39.500 special Standout and LGBTQ plus celebration and 00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:42.660 the documentary Outstanding, a comedy. revolution 00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:45.819 her presence and all these projects taken together 00:25:45.819 --> 00:25:48.019 it just confirms that she isn't just a comic 00:25:48.019 --> 00:25:51.579 anymore she's a recognized essential voice for 00:25:51.579 --> 00:25:54.720 multiple communities that rely on comedy for 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:57.220 identity for validation for pushing boundaries 00:25:57.220 --> 00:25:59.619 she really is the living embodiment of that idea 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:02.859 that the personal is the political and the political 00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:05.619 can also be hilarious and sometimes has to be 00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:08.519 perfectly said yeah wow what an incredible synthesis 00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:10.980 of careers we've just walked through As we wrap 00:26:10.980 --> 00:26:13.859 up this deep dive, let's try to distill the unique 00:26:13.859 --> 00:26:16.299 knowledge nuggets, the key takeaways that really 00:26:16.299 --> 00:26:18.680 define Judy Gold's story. Okay. We definitely 00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:20.599 saw the unique trajectory, right? Starting as 00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:22.420 a music student who just took a dare. Maybe origin 00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:25.500 story. Transforming into a two -time Daytime 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:28.359 Emmy winner for production work, which is just 00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:30.740 a testament to her behind -the -scenes professionalism 00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:33.019 and skill. And we deeply explored the analytical 00:26:33.019 --> 00:26:35.859 depth revealed in her off -Broadway trilogy of 00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:39.359 solo shows, moving structurally from that external 00:26:39.630 --> 00:26:42.950 observation of Jewish mothers to the internal 00:26:42.950 --> 00:26:45.849 cultural commentary using sitcom life as a lens 00:26:45.849 --> 00:26:49.150 and culminating in that fierce, direct political 00:26:49.150 --> 00:26:51.730 defense of her right to speak about censorship. 00:26:52.150 --> 00:26:54.869 It's a remarkable arc just in those three shows. 00:26:55.049 --> 00:26:56.849 It really is. And yeah, we have to mention it 00:26:56.849 --> 00:26:59.190 again, the fact that her six foot two physical 00:26:59.190 --> 00:27:02.009 stature is just perfectly mirrored by the sheer 00:27:02.009 --> 00:27:04.210 imposing impact of her professional footprint 00:27:04.210 --> 00:27:07.640 across so many areas. It fits, doesn't it? So 00:27:07.640 --> 00:27:09.359 what does this all mean for you, the learner, 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:11.279 listening to this? Yeah, what's the big picture? 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:14.519 Gold's career, I think, is a masterclass in utilizing 00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:16.539 comedy, not just as entertainment, though it 00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:19.019 certainly is entertaining, but explicitly as 00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:22.450 a vehicle for advocacy. She manages to balance 00:27:22.450 --> 00:27:25.450 the vulnerability of the personal, her motherhood, 00:27:25.509 --> 00:27:28.369 her relationships, her specific Jewish and lesbian 00:27:28.369 --> 00:27:31.369 identities with the unwavering commitment of 00:27:31.369 --> 00:27:34.250 the political, exemplified by her very public 00:27:34.250 --> 00:27:36.869 fight against censorship. Her success really 00:27:36.869 --> 00:27:39.029 demonstrates that versatility and conviction 00:27:39.029 --> 00:27:41.450 are not mutually exclusive. You can do both. 00:27:41.549 --> 00:27:44.549 Absolutely. She takes the deeply observed, often 00:27:44.549 --> 00:27:46.910 sensitive details of life, the kind of stuff 00:27:46.910 --> 00:27:49.329 a character actor draws on and uses the stage, 00:27:49.349 --> 00:27:51.970 the page, the podcast. Mike, to argue for the 00:27:51.970 --> 00:27:53.869 freedom required to share those observations 00:27:53.869 --> 00:27:55.869 honestly, even if they make people uncomfortable. 00:27:56.130 --> 00:27:58.450 And that confidence, maybe it stems directly 00:27:58.450 --> 00:28:01.170 from that original act of bravery that Dare she 00:28:01.170 --> 00:28:04.089 accepted way back in 1981 at Repters. Could be. 00:28:04.130 --> 00:28:07.269 It set a precedent for her own career. So we 00:28:07.269 --> 00:28:09.289 leave you with this final provocative thought 00:28:09.289 --> 00:28:12.509 to mull over. Considering her massive four decade 00:28:12.509 --> 00:28:15.190 history. Successfully transitioning from the 00:28:15.190 --> 00:28:18.049 1990s network sitcom era of All -American Girl. 00:28:18.150 --> 00:28:20.450 A very different time. All the way through the 00:28:20.450 --> 00:28:23.210 current fiercely opinionated landscape of cancel 00:28:23.210 --> 00:28:24.930 culture debates and peace streaming content. 00:28:25.190 --> 00:28:27.890 We ask you to consider the profound duality in 00:28:27.890 --> 00:28:30.450 her career that we've kept coming back to. How 00:28:30.450 --> 00:28:33.650 does the same artist successfully voice her free 00:28:33.650 --> 00:28:36.390 speech arguments, serve on a censorship board, 00:28:36.609 --> 00:28:39.049 taking on the role of the ideological fighter? 00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:41.759 Right, the advocate. While simultaneously playing 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:44.720 a beloved, reliable character actor in supporting 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:47.279 roles, often playing characters quite different 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:50.319 from her own outspoken persona. What does it 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:53.180 take internally to embody the role of Eleanor 00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:56.500 Roosevelt on stage one night and then convincingly 00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:59.359 play the neutral, unbiased forensic gynecologist 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:02.299 in the Law & Order universe the next? Those require 00:29:02.299 --> 00:29:04.720 such different parts of yourself. Her career 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:08.099 really shows that true artistic freedom might 00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:11.019 lie in that variability. The ability to fight 00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:12.920 fiercely for your own perspective, absolutely, 00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:16.240 but also to possess the empathy, the craft, and 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:18.700 the skill required to convincingly inhabit the 00:29:18.700 --> 00:29:21.359 perspectives of others, even those vastly different 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:23.740 from your own. And maybe that ultimately is the 00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:26.339 power of comedy at its best. And certainly, it's 00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:27.900 the enduring genius of Judy Gold.