Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse: My Life in Comedy

Los Angeles: J. P. Tarcher; Penguin, 2005. 266 pages, [16] pages of plates, illustrations, portraits; 24 cm. SIGNED by Phyllis Diller (1917-2012) on the title page, no dedication. First printing. Dust jacket protected in a mylar book cover. Diller is considered one of the greats in American standup comedy. "From housewife to humorist, Phyllis Diller has been making millions laugh for five decades with her groundbreaking comedy. Now the laughter continues with her uproarious autobiography. Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse recounts the story of how, against all odds, Phyllis Diller became America's first successful and best-loved female stand-up comic. She began her professional career at age thirty-seven, in spite of the fact that she was a housewife, mother of five, and working at a radio station due to her husband's chronic unemployment. Now, fifty years later, after two traumatic marriages; extensive cosmetic surgery; numerous film, television, and stage appearances; and separate careers as an artist and piano soloist with symphony orchestras, Phyllis Diller finally tells her story. With her trademark laugh, incredible wit, and self-deprecating humor, Phyllis Diller has etched her way into comedic history. And while her wild hair and outrageous clothes may make her look 'like a lampshade in a whorehouse,' her strength, self-belief, perseverance, and raucous sense of humor are what make her truly unforgettable. / Phyllis Diller, the world's first and foremost successful female stand-up comic, has been at the top of her game for five decades. Richard Buskin has written more than a dozen books, including biographies of Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe, and Sheryl Crow. He makes his home in Chicago." - Publisher.. SIGNED. 1st. Hardcover. Very Good/Fine. 8vo. Collectible.