Lea DeLaria (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer. She portrayed Carrie "Big Boo" Black on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019) and Psychic Madame Delphina on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live from 1999 to 2011. She also starred in the Broadway productions POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive in 2022 and the 2000 revival of The Rocky Horror Show. She was the first openly gay comic to appear on American television in a 1993 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show.
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Early life
DeLaria was born in Belleville, Illinois, the daughter of Jerry Jean (née Cox), a homemaker, and Robert George DeLaria, a jazz pianist and social worker. Her paternal grandparents were Italian. She attended kindergarten through eighth grade at St. Mary's Elementary School in Belleville and has referenced her Catholic upbringing in her performances.
Career
DeLaria's stand-up career began in 1982 when she moved to San Francisco and performed raunchy stand-up comedy in the Mission District. Discussing her stand-up, Delaria says, "This is who I am, when I'm up there. This is it. I'm a big butch dyke. That's who I am. And I'm a friendly one. I'm a big butch dyke with a smile on my face."
In 1986, DeLaria directed Ten Percent Revue, a musical revue written by Tom Wilson Weinberg that celebrates gay and lesbian culture. Ten Percent Revue was performed in Boston, San Francisco, Provincetown, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. Many shows were sold out.
From 1987 to 1989, DeLaria starred in Dos Lesbos, a musical comedy about two lesbians dealing with the issues of living together. The show received very favorable reviews nationwide.
DeLaria conceived, wrote, directed and starred in Girl Friday: We're Funny That Way, a musical comedy, in 1989. The show won the 1989 Golden Gull for Best Comedy Group in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
When DeLaria appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1993, she was the first openly gay comic to appear on a late-night talk show. While appearing on the show, DeLaria said, "Hello everybody, my name is Lea DeLaria, and it's great to be here, because it's the 1990s! It's hip to be queer! I'm a big dyke." DeLaria later said she had been told that she should not have used the term dyke on the air. Hall later defended her, saying, "If she wants to call herself a dyke, that's her business."
In December 1993, DeLaria hosted Comedy Central's Out There, the first all-gay stand-up comedy special.
DeLaria has released two CD recordings of her comedy, Bulldyke in a China Shop (1994) and Box Lunch (1997). She has also written a humorous book entitled Lea's Book of Rules for the World.
DeLaria appeared as Jane in the 1998 Off Broadway production of Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, "a gay retelling of the Bible." Entertainment Weekly said "a star is born with Lea DeLaria" of her "showstopping" performance as Hildy Esterhazy in the 1998 Broadway revival of On the Town.
The U-Haul Joke
DeLaria is the originator of the U-Haul Joke (see also U-Haul lesbian) which she began performing at comedy shows in 1989.
Question: "What does a lesbian bring on a second date?"
Answer: "A U-Haul."
She performs the joke on her album Box Lunch (1997).
Personal life
In January 2015, DeLaria became engaged to fashion editor Chelsea Fairless after two and a half years of dating. The two met through Fairless's friend, actress Emma Myles, who plays Leanne in Orange is the New Black. In January 2017, DeLaria confirmed she and Fairless had separated.
Discography
Comedy albums
1992: Bulldyke in a Chinashop
1997: Box Lunch (Rising Star)
Jazz albums
2001: Play It Cool (Warner/WEA)
2005: Double Standards (Telarc)
2006: The Very Best of Lea DeLaria (Rhino/WEA UK)
2008: Lea DeLaria – The Live Smoke Sessions (Ghostlight Records)
2015: House of David (Ghostlight Records)
Guest vocalist
2005: Din and Tonic – Janette Mason (Fireball Records)
2006: Drawn to All Things – Ian Shaw Sings the Songs of Joni Mitchell – Ian Shaw (Linn Records)
2009: Alien Left Hand – Janette Mason (Fireball Records)
Theatre and film
1998: On the Town – Broadway Revival Cast
1999: Edge of Seventeen – Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack – Blue Skies (Razor and Tie)
2001: The Rocky Horror Show – 2000 Broadway Revival Cast (RCA Victor Broadway)
2005: Hair – Actors' Fund of America Benefit Recording (Ghostlight)
2017: Cars 3 – "Freeway of Love"
