Highlights from Phyllis Diller Laughs

Comedy recording of Phyllis Diller released in 1961. It was recorded in March 1961 at The Bon Soir in New York. The album contains highlights from the album Phyllis Diller Laughs (Catalog Number 2003.0289.31) and was distributed to disc jockeys for play on the radio. It includes: Side 1: "Old Age" (2:25); "Plastic Surgery" (2:45); "Lipstick" (1:30). Side 2: “Cosmetics” (1:10); “Women Drivers” (2:49); “Suki Yaki” (2:35).

Phyllis Diller (1917-2012) began her comedy career in the 1950s at the age of 37 and broke barriers in the comedy world to become the first solo female comic to be a household name. She developed a stage persona of a distraught housewife and dressed in outlandish outfits with wild hair. Her material focused on self-deprecating jokes that tackled the idealized image of American mothers and homemakers. She also created many mythical personas for her stage act including her “husband” Fang, her “neighbor” Mrs. Clean, and her “mother-in-law” Moby Dick.