Janeane Garofalo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Janeane Garofalo
Garofalo in August 2008
Born	(1964-09-28) September 28, 1964 (age 60) Newton, New Jersey, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up film television radio
Years active	1985–present
Genres	Alternative comedy
Subject(s)	American politics films feminism celebrities body image
Spouse	Robert Cohen ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 2012)​

Janeane Garofalo (born September 28, 1964) is an American comedian and actress. She is known for her stand-up comedy and for appearing in many movies and TV shows. She has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for her acting.

Garofalo started her career as a stand-up comedian. She became a cast member on popular TV shows like The Ben Stiller Show, The Larry Sanders Show, and Saturday Night Live. She has acted in over 50 movies, including The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Wet Hot American Summer, Mystery Men, and the Pixar movie Ratatouille.

Early Life and Education

Garofalo was born in Newton, New Jersey. Her mother, Joan, was a secretary, and her father, Carmine, was an executive for the oil company Exxon. Because of her father's job, her family moved around a lot. She grew up in places like Ontario, California, and Houston, Texas.

While studying history at Providence College, Garofalo entered a comedy contest run by the Showtime TV network. She won the title of "Funniest Person in Rhode Island." After graduating from college, she decided to become a professional stand-up comedian. She hoped to one day write for the TV show Late Night with David Letterman.

Career in Entertainment

Stand-up Comedy

Garofalo performing comedy in 2008

Garofalo began her comedy career in the mid-1980s. Her comedy style is often self-deprecating, meaning she makes fun of herself. She also talks about pop culture and the pressure on women to look a certain way.

When she performs, Garofalo often uses a notebook filled with notes and ideas. She has said that she doesn't tell traditional jokes. Instead, she makes funny observations about the world. She was a key part of the alternative comedy scene in the 1990s.

Film Career

Garofalo has acted in more than 50 movies. Her first big role was in the 1994 film Reality Bites, where she played the best friend of Winona Ryder's character.

In 1996, she starred in the romantic comedy The Truth About Cats & Dogs. In the movie, she played a smart radio host. The film was a big success. After this film, she was offered a role in Jerry Maguire with Tom Cruise. However, the part ended up going to actress Renée Zellweger.

She turned down a role in the movie Scream because she thought it would be too scary. She later said she didn't realize it was also a funny movie.

Some of her other well-known films include:

• The Matchmaker (1997), where she played the main character.
• Cop Land (1997), a police drama with Sylvester Stallone.
• Mystery Men (1999), where she played a superhero called "The Bowler."
• Wet Hot American Summer (2001), a cult comedy film about a summer camp.
• Ratatouille (2007), a popular Pixar animated movie. She voiced the character Colette Tatou, a talented French chef.

Television Career

Garofalo's career in television took off after she met Ben Stiller in 1990. She became a cast member on his show, The Ben Stiller Show, in 1992.

From 1992 to 1998, she played Paula on the HBO series The Larry Sanders Show. This role earned her two Emmy Award nominations. For a short time, she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL) during the 1994–95 season. She left the show after six months because she did not enjoy the experience.

She has also appeared as a guest star on many shows, including Seinfeld, Mad About You, and The West Wing. In 2009, she played the character Janis Gold in the action series 24. More recently, she has appeared in shows like Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce and the prequel to Wet Hot American Summer.

Political Views

Garofalo on the cover of Ms. in 2003

Garofalo is known for being outspoken about her political views. She is a feminist and has described herself as a liberal. She has often appeared on news programs on channels like CNN and Fox News to share her opinions.

In 2003, she spoke out against the 2003 Iraq War. She believed it was important for voices that were against the war to be heard on television. Her strong stance earned her both praise and criticism. She has had many on-air debates with commentators like Bill O'Reilly.

In 2004, she became a co-host on the radio show The Majority Report on Air America Radio. The show focused on political topics from a liberal point of view.

Personal Life

In 1991, Garofalo married Robert Cohen, who was a writer for The Ben Stiller Show. They were married in Las Vegas. They later found out that their marriage was legally binding. They officially ended their marriage in 2012.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Janeane Garofalo para niños

• Saturday Night Live parodies of Hillary Clinton