1. Lea DeLaria was born on May 23,1958 and is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer.
26 Facts About Lea DeLaria
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Lea DeLaria portrayed Carrie "Big Boo" Black on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black and Psychic Madame Delphina on the ABC Daytime Drama One Life To Live from 1999 to 2011.
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Lea DeLaria starred in the Broadway productions POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive in 2022 and the 2000 revival of The Rocky Horror Show.
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Lea DeLaria was the first openly gay comic to appear on American television in a 1993 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show.
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Lea DeLaria attended kindergarten through eighth grade at St Mary's Elementary School in Belleville and has referenced her Catholic upbringing in her performances.
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In 1986, Lea DeLaria directed "Ten Percent Revue", a musical revue written by Tom Wilson Weinberg that celebrates gay and lesbian culture.
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From 1987 to 1989, Lea DeLaria starred in "Dos Lesbos", a musical comedy about two lesbians dealing with the issues of living together.
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Lea DeLaria conceived, wrote, directed and starred in Girl Friday: We're Funny That Way, a musical comedy, in 1989.
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When Lea DeLaria appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1993, she was the first openly gay comic to appear on a late-night talk show.
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In December 1993, Lea DeLaria hosted Comedy Central's Out There, the first all-gay stand-up comedy special.
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Lea DeLaria has written a humorous book entitled Lea's Book of Rules for the World.
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Lea DeLaria subsequently played Eddie and Dr Scott in the 2000 Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show, and can be heard on the cast recording.
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Lea DeLaria appeared in a number of films, including Edge of Seventeen and The First Wives Club.
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In 2001, Lea DeLaria was the voice of Helga Phugly on the short-lived animated sitcom The Oblongs.
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In 1996 Lea DeLaria played the part of a woman friend of Carol and Susan in the Friends episode The One with the Lesbian Wedding.
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In 1999 Lea DeLaria played the recurring role of Madame Delphina on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, returning in 2008 as both Delphina and Professor Delbert Fina.
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Lea DeLaria continued to portray Delphina on a recurring basis until 2011.
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In November 2008, Lea DeLaria completed a tour of Australia, playing Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
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Lea DeLaria performed in Prometheus Bound at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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In December 2014, Lea DeLaria voiced EJ Randell, the lesbian mother of Jeff in the Cartoon Network animated series Clarence.
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On February 14,2015, Lea DeLaria received the Equality Illinois Freedom Award for her work as "a cutting-edge performer who has used her talent to entertain and enlighten millions of Americans," said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois.
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In 2021, Lea DeLaria starred in Wes Hurley's autobiographical dramedy Potato Dreams of America earning rave reviews, praise from John Waters and the Outstanding Supporting Performance Award from Tallgrass Film Festival.
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In 2022, Lea DeLaria returned to Broadway in the comic play POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive where she received positive acclaim from critics.
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Lea DeLaria is the originator of the U-Haul Joke which she began performing at comedy shows in 1989.
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In January 2015, Lea DeLaria became engaged to fashion editor Chelsea Fairless after two and a half years of dating.
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In January 2017, Lea DeLaria confirmed she and Fairless had separated.