Loretta Mary Aiken (Jackie "Moms" Mabley) - March 19, 1894 - May 23, 1975)
A comedy pioneer credited with being the first female standup comedian. She was born in Brevard, North Carolina and was one of a family of 16 children. Her father owned and operated several successful businesses, while her mother kept house and took in boarders. While working as a volunteer fireman in 1909, her father died when a fire engine exploded. In 1910, after her mother took over their primary business, a general store, her mother was killed after being run over by a truck while returning home from church. By age 14, Loretta had been rapced twice (at age 11, by an elderly black man, and at age 13, by a white sheriff) and had two children who she was forced to give up for adoption. At the encouragement of her grandmother, Loretta ran away to Cleveland, Ohio, joining a traveling vaudeville-style minstrel show called Butterbeans and Susie, where she sang and entertained. She developed an onstage persona as an old woman with a frumpy housedress, funny hat, and toothless gums, years before she was old. It was an homage to her grandmother. In character, she was able to be edgy with her routine covering racism and sexual innuendo through double entendres without offending. Her "bit" was to pretend to be a dirty old lady, lusting after younger men. She came out as a lesbian at the age of twenty-seven, becoming one of the first openly gay comedians. During the 1920s and 1930s she appeared in androgynous clothing (as she did in the film version of The Emperor Jones with Paul Robeson) and recorded several of her early "lesbian stand-up" routines. It wasn't until the 1960s that Mabley was "discovered" by white audiences, even though she had been performing for several decades at that point. Loretta Aiken took her stage name, Jackie Mabley, from an early boyfriend, commenting to Ebony in a 1970s interview that he had taken so much from her, it was the least she could do to take his name. Later she became known as "Moms" because she was indeed a "Mom" to many other comedians on the circuit in the 1950s and 1960s. She is the subject of Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley, an HBO documentary film in 2013.
The Drink
Kir Royale 38
1 tsp cognac
1 tsp grand marnier
6-8oz champagne
1/2 orange slice for garnish
Drinkability: 4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 3
Accessibility: 3
Priority for Conservation: 5
Comments: Ratings are a little fuzzy - girls have gotten pretty hilarious themselves.
From "Women in Comedy" themed meeting, hosted by Ball Buster
NYC chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
March, 2017 - Fanny Brice - Whisky Sour
Fania Borache (October 29, 1891 - May 29, 1951)
Known professionally as Fanny Brice, Fania was born in New York City, the third child of a Hungarian Jewish woman and Alsatian immigrant. The Boraches were saloon owners. In 1908, Brice dropped out of school to work in a burlesque revue. Two years later she began her association with Florenz Ziegfeld, headlining his Ziegfeld Follies. Her hit songs included "My Man" and "Second Hand Rose." Her films include My Man (1928), Be Yourself! (1930) and Everybody Sing (1938) with Judy Garland. From the 1930s until her death in 1951, Fanny made a radio presence as a bratty toddler named Snooks, a role she premiered in a Follies skit co-written by playwright Moss Hart. Brice did not like to rehearse the roll ("I can't do a show until it's on the air, kid.") Thirteen years after her death, she was portrayed on the Broadway stage by Barbra Streisand in the musical Funny Girl and its 1968 film adaptation. Brice married a barber, Frank White, whom she met in 1910 when she was touring. The marriage lasted three years until she brought suit for divorce. Her second husband was professional gambler Julius W. "Nicky" Arnstein. Prior to their marriage, Arnstein served fourteen months in Sing Sing for wiretapping. Brice visited him in prison every week. In 1918 they were married after living together for six years. In 1924, Arnstein was charged in a Wall Street bond theft. Brice insisted on his innocence and funded his legal defense at great expense. Arnstein was convicted and sentenced to the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, where he served three years. Reluctantly, Brice divorced him on September 17, 1927, soon after his release, and Arnstein disappeared from Brice's life and that of their two children. Brice married songwriter and stage producer Billy Rose in 1929 and appeared in his revue Crazy Quilt, among others. Brice sued Rose for divorce in 1938.
The Drink
Whisky Sour
2 oz bourbon whisky
2 tsp sugar (or honey for one lady)
1 tbsp lemon juice
maraschino cherry and orange slice for garnish
Drinkability: 2.5
Drunkability: 5
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 5
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments:
From "Women in Comedy" themed meeting, hosted by Ball Buster.
Known professionally as Fanny Brice, Fania was born in New York City, the third child of a Hungarian Jewish woman and Alsatian immigrant. The Boraches were saloon owners. In 1908, Brice dropped out of school to work in a burlesque revue. Two years later she began her association with Florenz Ziegfeld, headlining his Ziegfeld Follies. Her hit songs included "My Man" and "Second Hand Rose." Her films include My Man (1928), Be Yourself! (1930) and Everybody Sing (1938) with Judy Garland. From the 1930s until her death in 1951, Fanny made a radio presence as a bratty toddler named Snooks, a role she premiered in a Follies skit co-written by playwright Moss Hart. Brice did not like to rehearse the roll ("I can't do a show until it's on the air, kid.") Thirteen years after her death, she was portrayed on the Broadway stage by Barbra Streisand in the musical Funny Girl and its 1968 film adaptation. Brice married a barber, Frank White, whom she met in 1910 when she was touring. The marriage lasted three years until she brought suit for divorce. Her second husband was professional gambler Julius W. "Nicky" Arnstein. Prior to their marriage, Arnstein served fourteen months in Sing Sing for wiretapping. Brice visited him in prison every week. In 1918 they were married after living together for six years. In 1924, Arnstein was charged in a Wall Street bond theft. Brice insisted on his innocence and funded his legal defense at great expense. Arnstein was convicted and sentenced to the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, where he served three years. Reluctantly, Brice divorced him on September 17, 1927, soon after his release, and Arnstein disappeared from Brice's life and that of their two children. Brice married songwriter and stage producer Billy Rose in 1929 and appeared in his revue Crazy Quilt, among others. Brice sued Rose for divorce in 1938.
The Drink
Whisky Sour
2 oz bourbon whisky
2 tsp sugar (or honey for one lady)
1 tbsp lemon juice
maraschino cherry and orange slice for garnish
Drinkability: 2.5
Drunkability: 5
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 5
Priority for Conservation: 4
Comments:
From "Women in Comedy" themed meeting, hosted by Ball Buster.
March, 2017 - Carol Burnett - Watermelon Champagne
Carol Burnett (April 26, 1933 - )
An American actress, comedienne, singer and writer, whose career spans six decades of television. She is best known for her long-running TV variety show, The Carol Burnett Show, originally aired on CBS. She has achieved success on stage, television, and film in varying genres including dramatic and comedy roles. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Burnett moved with her grandmother to Hollywood, where she attended Hollywood High School and eventually studied theater and musical comedy at UCLA. Later she performed in nightclubs in New York City and had a breakout success on Broadway in 1959 in Once Upon a Mattress, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She soon made her television debut, regularly appearing on The Garry Moore Show for the next three years, and won her first Emmy Award in 1962. In 1963, she was the star of the Dallas State Fair Musicals presentation of "Calamity Jane." Burnett moved to Los Angeles, California, and began an 11-year run as star of The Carol Burnett Show on CBS television from 1967 to 1978. With its vaudeville roots, The Carol Burnett Show was a variety show that combined comedy sketches with song and dance. The comedy sketches included film parodies and character pieces. Burnett created many memorable characters during the show's run, and both she and the show won numerous Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
The Drink
Watermelon Champagne
3 cubs cubed, seeded watermelon
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 bottle champagne
(makes 8)
Drinkability: 5
Drunkability: 2
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 5
Comments:
From "Women of Comedy" themed meeting, hosted by Ball Buster.
An American actress, comedienne, singer and writer, whose career spans six decades of television. She is best known for her long-running TV variety show, The Carol Burnett Show, originally aired on CBS. She has achieved success on stage, television, and film in varying genres including dramatic and comedy roles. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Burnett moved with her grandmother to Hollywood, where she attended Hollywood High School and eventually studied theater and musical comedy at UCLA. Later she performed in nightclubs in New York City and had a breakout success on Broadway in 1959 in Once Upon a Mattress, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She soon made her television debut, regularly appearing on The Garry Moore Show for the next three years, and won her first Emmy Award in 1962. In 1963, she was the star of the Dallas State Fair Musicals presentation of "Calamity Jane." Burnett moved to Los Angeles, California, and began an 11-year run as star of The Carol Burnett Show on CBS television from 1967 to 1978. With its vaudeville roots, The Carol Burnett Show was a variety show that combined comedy sketches with song and dance. The comedy sketches included film parodies and character pieces. Burnett created many memorable characters during the show's run, and both she and the show won numerous Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
The Drink
Watermelon Champagne
3 cubs cubed, seeded watermelon
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 bottle champagne
(makes 8)
Drinkability: 5
Drunkability: 2
Taxic Diversity: 2
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 5
Comments:
From "Women of Comedy" themed meeting, hosted by Ball Buster.
March, 2017 - Gracie Allen - The Old Cuban
Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie "Gracie" Allen (July 26, 1895 - August 27, 1964) was born in San Francisco to Irish Catholics. She began performing Irish folk dances with her three sisters, who were billed as "The Four Colleens". In 1909, Allen joined her sister, Bessie, as a vaudeville performer. At a performance in 1922, Allen met George Burns and the two formed a comedy act. They were married on January 7, 1926, in Cleveland, Ohio. They toured the country, eventually headlining in major vaudeville houses. Many of their famous routines were preserved in one-and two-reel short films, including Lambchops (1929). In the early 1930s, they started a radio show. Burns and Allen frequently used running gags as publicity stunts. During 1932-33, they pulled off one of the most successful in the business: a year-long search for Allen's supposedly missing brother. They would make unannounced cameo appearances on other shows, asking if anyone had seen Allen's brother. Gracie Allen's real-life brother was apparently the only person who did not find the gag funny, and he eventually asked them to stop. In 1940, the team launched a similar stunt when Allen announced she was running for President of the United States on the Surprise Party ticket. Burns and Allen did a cross-country whistlestop campaign tour on a private train, performing their live radio show in different cities. In one of her campaign speeches, Gracie said, "Everybody knows a woman is better than a man when it comes to introducing bills into the house." The Surprise Party mascot was the kangaroo; the motto was "It's in the bag." As a child, Allen had been scalded badly on one arm, and she was extremely sensitive about the scarring. Throughout her life, she wore either full or three-quarter length sleeves to hide the scars.
The Drink:
The Old Cuban
6 mint leaves, plus tip for garlish
3/4 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz amber rum
2 oz champagne
1-2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 lime slice
Drinkability: 4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 3
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 5+
Comments:
From "Ladies of Comedy" themed meeting, hosted by Ball Buster.
The Drink:
The Old Cuban
6 mint leaves, plus tip for garlish
3/4 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz amber rum
2 oz champagne
1-2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 lime slice
Drinkability: 4
Drunkability: 4
Taxic Diversity: 3
Accessibility: 4
Priority for Conservation: 5+
Comments:
From "Ladies of Comedy" themed meeting, hosted by Ball Buster.
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