Crazy Facts About Gilda Radner, Late Night’s Cursed Comedian
Gilda Radner was a riotous comedian and founding cast member of Saturday Night Live. But, throughout her life, there wasn’t much to laugh about. Whether it was her long list of ex-lovers or her heartbreaking fate, it seemed like Radner was cursed. Try laughing at these facts about Gilda Radner, late night’s tragic comedienne.
1. It All Began So Differently
Gilda Radner seemed to have come into the world at the right time. She grew up in Detroit, Michigan in the booming post-WWII years. And her parents, Henrietta and Herman Radner, were wealthy Jewish professionals.
In fact, Radner had it so easy in her childhood that she even grew up with a nanny, “Dibby”. Unfortunately, her sad fate would be a far cry from these early happy years.
2. She Was A Little Anxious
Despite her apparently easy childhood, Radner still had her struggles in life. Decades later, in her shocking tell-all It’s Always Something, Radner made a sad confession—one that stunned fans who were used to her cheerful characters. She admitted to having a severe anxiety disorder that she had struggled with since her youth.
Did she always have a bad feeling about what lay ahead?
3. She Had Eating Disorders
Throughout her life, Radner’s anxiety wreaked havoc on her health. In fact, she barely made it past the age of ten. In her autobiography, Radner wrote that she had struggled throughout her life with various eating disorders.
It’s too bad that she couldn’t find a witch doctor to break her curse before things turned really ugly.
4. She Had Unhealthy Habits
Before she found comedy as a coping mechanism for her anxiety, Radner turned to something less healthy. Food. And lots of it. At the age of just nine or ten, Radner tipped the scales at a whopping 160 pounds. Her mother was so concerned that she took little Radner to see a doctor right away—but they went to disturbing lengths to “help” her.
