Phyllis Diller

My friend Phyllis Diller, who died on Aug. 20 at 95, had a gift as a pianist but was just not quite good enough. She had a gift as a visual artist but was just not quite good enough. And she had a gift as a comic storyteller, and boy, at that she was just damned good enough. She could look at any situation, find the humor in it and make an audience see it too. She mined not so much her own life (which is what we comedians do today) but the life of the average woman and became the...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!