Tributes paid to comedy legend Ruth Buzzi, who called North Texas home before her death
Fans are paying tribute to Ruth Buzzi, the comedy legend who called North Texas home before her death on Thursday at age 88.
Buzzi, whose humor America first glimpsed on the late 1960s TV show "Laugh-In," turned her iconic characters from those classic skits into an enduring comedy franchise.
Ruth Buzzi during The 20th Anniversary William S. Paley Television Festival Presents "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" at Directors Guild Theatre Complex in West Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by Mike Guastella/WireImage)
Mike Guastella
American actress and comedian Ruth Buzzi, wearing a black hairnet and a brown cardigan, attends a Hollywood Fan Convention, in Los Angeles, California, 10th January 1996.
/ Getty Images
Throughout the 1970s, Buzzi appeared in everything from children's shows to celebrity roasts and variety programs. She shared the screen with the most famous entertainers of the 20th century and was always willing to play the foil or be the butt of the joke.
In the last decades of her life, Buzzi and her husband retired to a sprawling ranch in Erath County. Despite being a comedy legend, she became a familiar face to her neighbors and around the nearby towns, making occasional appearances.
She often shared her adventures and jokes on social media, even after a series of strokes in recent years. Alzheimer's disease finally took her life this week.
"It was just a great pleasure to meet her and call myself a fan and to call her a friend," said former DFW radio reporter Andrew Greenstein, who got to know Buzzi several years ago when he interviewed her.
Greenstein said she was just as funny off-screen as she was on-screen.
"She was absolutely hilarious," Greenstein said. "When her husband let me into the house, she had not come down yet, and as she was walking down the stairs, she was calling out to me, 'Andrew.' I had never met her in person in my entire life."
Under a photo of her ever-present smile, Buzzi's husband told fans to remember her by knowing that she had as much fun as they did while she was making them laugh.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
WWE monitoring US-Iran situation with two Saudi Arabia shows set for next weekend
The United States' recent bombings of Iran are leaving WWE's Night of Champions event in some question. The company is scheduled to have Friday and Saturday events in Saudi Arabia, with SmackDown and the Night of Champions premium live event on back-to-back days in Riyadh. WWE officials are closely evaluating upcoming events following the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to Fightful Select. Advertisement Randy Orton in action against Sami Zayn during SmackDown at Van Andel Arena on June 20, 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. WWE via Getty Images While neither event has been officially postponed or relocated, a WWE insider told Fightful that the situation is being 'monitored accordingly.' The overall concern stems largely from an official warning broadcast on Iranian state television saying 'every American citizen or military personnel in the Middle East is now on Tehran's target' following the strikes. Advertisement A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader added that any American in the region would be considered a target. Construction is underway in the Kingdom Arena, where production is proceeding 'full steam ahead,' a source told Fightful, anticipating no cancellation due to the significant investment and upcoming Royal Rumble taping also set for Saudi Arabia in January. Talent, as of now, is set to fly mid‑week by charter from the U.S. to Riyadh, with only around 10 names confirmed to travel so far, Fightful notes. John Cena speaks to CM Punk during SmackDown at Van Andel Arena on June 20, 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. WWE via Getty Images Advertisement As of now, only ten wrestlers are slated to compete on Night of Champions. Night of Champions is slated to be main evented by John Cena's Undisputed WWE championship defense against CM Punk. Also on the card, Jacob Fatu will defend his United States title match against Solo Sikoa, Dominik Mysterio will defend his Intercontinental championship against AJ Styles, and the King and Queen of the Ring finals are also set to take place. Randy Orton will take on RAW's winner, either Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso, in the King of the Ring final at and Asuka will face Monday's winner, between Jade Cargill and Roxanne Perez to decide who is Queen of the Ring Advertisement The winner earn world championship matches at SummerSlam at MetLife Stadium on Aug 2-3. Though decisions have yet to be made public, WWE anticipates assurances on protection and contingency options, Fightful reported WWE signed a 10-year deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2018, worth around $50 million per show and $100 million annually, according to Wrestlenomics. WWE did not immediatly return The Post's request for comment.
New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
Kevin Durant-Rockets trade news breaks while he's on stage at Fanatics Fest
Kevin Durant didn't say much in the immediate aftermath. But perhaps his smile — the grin that slowly spread across his face — said it all. Durant was on stage at Fanatics Fest in New York City on Sunday when the news broke that the Suns planned to trade him to the Rockets, and the audience roared once the deal was announced. When asked for his initial reaction, though, Durant just said, 'We're gonna see, man. We're gonna see.' Kevin Durant is pictured at Fanatics Fest on June 22. Getty Images He later expanded on his thoughts during a separate interview with FanDuel TV's Kay Adams, saying that he had an idea about the trade but he didn't know 'exactly when it was gonna happen.' 'Being a part of the Houston Rockets, I'm looking forward to it,' Durant told Adams. 'Crazy, crazy last couple of weeks, and I'm glad it's over with.' Durant called it 'fitting' that the trade happened while he was at Fanatics Fest because of the atmosphere to celebrate sports, and he also revealed that he 'most definitely' played a role in helping select his destination. He reportedly preferred a deal to either the Rockets, the Heat or the Spurs after his second full season with the Suns ended with a missed playoff appearance — despite Durant averaging 26.6 points per game and playing alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to form, on paper, a Big 3 entering the season. 'I just felt like they wanted me to go,' Durant told Adams when asked what he'd say to heartbroken Phoenix fans. '… They got what they wanted, and I got what I wanted.' Kevin Durant drives with the ball during the Suns' game against the Timberwolves on March 28. AP And he'll now get to join a Rockets team that secured the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference during the 2024-25 campaign before falling to the Warriors, and while they parted with Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in this week's draft and five second-round picks to land the 36-year-old, they still return promising core players and now add one of the league's superstars who told Adams he felt like he'd be a good fit with Houston. 'When people can just hang your career in your balance like that and just choose what they want to do with your career, it's a nerve-wracking feeling,' Durant told Adams. 'But being able to kinda dictate when you want to do and being with a team that values you, I'm looking forward to it.'
New York Post
9 hours ago
- New York Post
J.K. Rowling gives an honest opinion about upcoming ‘Harry Potter' series
J.K. Rowling is raving about the upcoming 'Harry Potter' TV series. 'I read the first two episodes of the forthcoming HBO Harry Potter series and they are SO, SO, SO GOOD!' the 59-year-old author wrote on X on Saturday. In a separate tweet, Rowling responded to a fan asking if she's writing on the show. 'No, but I've worked closely with the extremely talented writers,' Rowling replied. 10 J.K. Rowling at the 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald' premiere in London in 2018. Samir Hussein/WireImage 10 J.K. Rowling with one of her 'Harry Potter' books Edinburgh, Scotland in 2005. Getty Images The 'Harry Potter' series is expected to premiere in 2026 or 2027 on HBO Max, with each season following one of Rowling's seven books. The confirmed cast members include Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, and more. 10 Actors Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout will star in the 'Harry Potter' series. AP 10 Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.' ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Co Rowling is serving as an executive producer on the show, which has sparked backlash from fans due to her controversial views on the transgender community. 'She's been fairly involved — she was very involved in the process of selecting the writer and the director,' HBO CEO Casey Bloys told reporters in November. But Bloys has since insisted that the series won't be 'secretly infused' with Rowling's anti-transgender views. 10 J.K. Rowling in a selfie. jK Rowling/Twitter 'The decision to be in business with J.K. Rowling is not new for us. We've been in business for 25 years,' the exec explained on Matthew Belloni's 'The Town' podcast in April. ''Harry Potter' is not being secretly infused with anything,' Bloys added. 'I think it's pretty clear that those are her personal political views. She's entitled to them.' 'And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter,' he also stated. 10 Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.' ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection John Lithgow, who is playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming show, has found himself being dragged into the controversy surrounding Rowling's views. The 79-year-old actor the Times of London in April that he didn't expect to face backlash for agreeing to take on the role. 10 John Lithgow at The Olivier Awards 2025 in London. WireImage 'I thought, 'Why is this a factor at all?'' said Lithgow. 'I wonder how J.K. Rowling has absorbed it. I suppose at a certain point I'll meet her, and I'm curious to talk to her.' When asked if the backlash has made him reconsider joining the cast, Lithgow replied, 'Oh, heavens no.' 10 J.K. Rowling at Kings Cross Station in central London in 2001. REUTERS Earlier this year, Rowling celebrated the UK Supreme Court's ruling that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' refer strictly to a biological woman and biological sex. In response, over 400 actors — including Essiedu — signed an open letter that called for the entertainment industry to protect the trans community. Rowling later took to social media to say she wouldn't fire Essiedu from the 'Harry Potter' series despite their different views. 10 Paapa Essiedu attends The Olivier Awards 2025 in London. Max Cisotti/10 J.K. Rowling celebrates a UK Supreme Court ruling about trans rights. jk_rowling/X 'I don't have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn't exercise it if I did,' she wrote on X. 'I don't believe in taking away people's jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine,' Rowling added.
