Happy Birthday Janeane Garofalo

More an observer rather than a typical stand-up comedian (she has no shtick, for instance, and often refers to notes while performing), despite a pronounced downcast point of view, when her puppet was brutally murdered in the 2004 film Team America: World Police she claims she was able to see the humour in it. I mean, I laughed at it too, but if it had been me I doubt I would have.

Once named the Funniest Person in Rhode Island - an honour almost as dubious as the Gratuitous Brunette which I've spared her today - Janeane Garofalo's humour comes from pessimism, which is likely what makes her so appealing to me; also, despite the fact that she is often in hot water for being an outspoken liberal, she's refreshingly un-bitchy.

Her latest gig, co-hosting The Majority Report on Air America Radio ended somewhat acrimoniously, although the rift has reportedly been healed. She has made similar waves as both a guest and co-host on The View. Surely that's the kind of controversy that comes from speaking one's mind, especially a woman.

Garofalo's movie career has suffered from the influence of her integrity but she's had better luck on television; despite a difficult half season on Saturday Night Live (1994-5) she was great on The Larry Sanders Show, and most recent gig was a recurring role as an FBI agent on the seventh season of 24.
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