Groundbreaking comedian Totie Fields was a master of the one-liner: in her presence, no one was too sacred for a laugh.
is a new weekly column highlighting some of the funniest and most unforgettable comedy from late night, talk shows, and variety shows of the 20th century that’s currently streaming on YouTube. This week we look at a clip of the great comedian Totie Fields roasting another legend, Lucille Ball.
Few comics could command a stage like Totie Fields. While not a household name to most today, Fields was aLike many female comics of the period , Fields layered her humor in self-deprecation. Jokes about her height and weight became a key facet of her act.Fields, who had diabetes, had her left leg amputated above the knee after an unsuccessful surgery in 1976. She continued to perform on stage in a wheelchair, including for the 1977 special “series.
On February 7, 1975, a group of stars gathered to pay tribute to the “Woman of the Hour,” Lucille Ball. The dais included Hope, Diller, Henry Fonda, Vivian Vance, and Jack Benny in one of his final public appearances. Fields was there too, seated between comedy greats Nipsey Russell and Don Rickles. From the moment she takes the stage, Fields turns to Martin and delivers the best opening line of the roast. In Totie Fields’s presence, no one is safe.
Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic and researcher, who first contributed to Paste in 2022. He is an assistant editor at Cineaste, a GALECA member, and since 2019 has hostedMay 31, 2024 | 3:13pmMay 30, 2024 | 12:30pm
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