Gilda Radner "Honey Touch Me"

Gilda Susan Radner (June 28, 1946 May 20, 1989) was an American comedienne and actress, best known for her five years as part of the original cast of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award. Radner's death at 42 of ovarian cancer helped increase public awareness of the disease and the need for earlier detection and treatment.

Radner gained name recognition as one of the original "Not Ready For Prime Time Players", a member of the freshman group on the first season of Saturday Night Live. She was the first actor cast for the show. Between 1975 and 1980, she created such characters as Roseanne Roseannadanna, an obnoxious woman with wild black hair who would tell stories about the gross habits of celebrities on the show's "Weekend Update" news segment, inspired in name and appearance by Rose Ann Scamardella, a news anchor at WABC-TV in New York City. Other SNL characters included "Baba Wawa," a spoof of Barbara Walters, and Emily Litella, an elderly woman who gave angry and misinformed editorial replies on "Weekend Update" on topics such as "violins on television," the "Eagle Rights Amendment," "presidential erections," and "protecting endangered feces." Once corrected on her misunderstanding, Litella would end her segment with a polite "Never mind." Later on, she would answer Jane Curtin's frustration with a simple "Bitch!" Radner parodied such celebrities as Lucille Ball, Patti Smith, and Olga Korbut in SNL sketches. Radner won an Emmy Award in 1978 for her work on SNL.

In 1979, Radner appeared on Broadway in a successful one-woman show entitled Gilda Radner - Live From New York. The show featured racier material, such as the song Let's Talk Dirty to the Animals. In 1981, the show was filmed as Gilda Live!, co-starring Paul Shaffer and Don Novello, and was released as a film and an album recording.

R.I.P. Gilda

• Category

  Comedy

[Alice Trillian]

This song means so much to me. We were so young and innocent and wanting to grow up and when we got there we wanted to go back. Thanks Gilda and thank you for uploading this wonderful tribute to our special girl, Gilda Radner.

[XOtericate]

I'm happy that so many people remember and appreciate Gilda. Thank you!

[Lynn Wilkinson]

I can't believe I found this, I have loved this since I first heard her preform it!!! thank you for the upload.

[XOtericate]

This is the nicest comment I've recieved on a video all day. From one Gilda fan to another Thank You!

[Sharon Ihrer Hansen]

Wow great song ; great artist; wonderful! Thanks for uploading!

[XOtericate]

Thank you!

[Brooke Dooley]

I think we feel deep down that we're friends with Gilda, that we all hold her so close to our hearts. I'm only 18 years old, but I appreciate everything she has done for me. I've experienced a lot for a girl my age but it was Gilda who got me laughing again. She really made me happy, she made me feel that nothing was too powerful to hurt me as long as I had her. I love this song, it reminds us that Gilda wasn't just laughter, she was full of life. And I believe that she is still so full of life.

[XOtericate]

I've seen a lot of overhyped and prefabricated enternainers, but Gilda was the real deal! She deserves to be remembered. Thank you!

[johnny huggins]

I love this. It brings tears to my eyes to see how many still think about her. this is the best she ever did. Rest In Peace Gilda.

[Romain Morin]

Awesome stage presence, impeccable timing, I like how smoothly she changed outfit, and the band all took place and you wind up caught in this great song. I like that she turns to the sax player during his solo, You feel her...

[Romain Morin]

It goes to show goodness and talent are eternal...Being a fan of originals, and evolving constantly in my musical tastes, I was led to this gem, and this fabulous woman, by scratch-DJ Kid Koala who sampled the intro of this song on his "Vacation Island" record, and although I actually like Kid, the best part of the record really IS that 30-something seconds intro, when she talks... she emotes with utter simplicity and sincerity. There's also something kind in her voice, Love it, R.I.P Gilda

[dena martin]

I haven't heard this in so long....it brought tears to my eyes. Gilda was awesome!

[Donald Koelper]

Has it been 24 years already since Gilda left us? I had a total crush on her when she was on SNL in the late '70s. Okay, so she wasn't the prom queen. She was the girl who was perfectly happy to be with you, just as you are -- and she could make you laugh.

[lavaman2000]

That's Howard Shore on saxaphone who would go on two Win 3 Academy Awards for his music scores to LORD OF THE RINGS THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING AND LORD OF THE RINGS THE RETURN OF THE KING.

[whatehvah2U2]

It's posted on vimeo.com. Search Steve Martin Gilda Radner Tribute.

[ThreeRunPictures]

I'd gladly trade Chelsea Handler, Whitney Cummings, and even Sarah Silverman for more Gilda Radner.