Kip Addotta

Francis Kip Addotta (June 16, 1944 – August 13, 2019) was an American stand up comedian. He made several appearances on television during the 1970s including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Mike Douglas Show, Dinah!, American Bandstand, The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, and the game shows The Hollywood Squares and Make Me Laugh. Addotta was also featured on the Dr. Demento radio show. He is probably best known for his comedy recording "Wet Dream". Other recordings include "Big Cock Roach" and "Life in the Slaw Lane."[1]

Kip Addotta
Born
Kip Francis Addotta

(1944-06-16)June 16, 1944
Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 13, 2019(2019-08-13) (aged 75)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeWestwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupation(s)Comedian, singer, songwriter, actor
Children3

Addotta appeared as the opening act for several superstars like Diana Ross, Paul Anka and Liza Minnelli, among others.[2] He also hosted the game show Everything Goes on the Playboy Channel, and has appeared in a number of films, including the Woody Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory (1976), and TV acting appearances, including The Larry Sanders Show. His early recordings were with Laff Records.[3]

Personal life

Addotta was born in Rockford, Illinois to Frank and Josephine Addotta (née Bucalo). He had an older half-sister named Kathie from his mother's previous marriage. His mother left when Addotta was two years old and took Kathy with her. His father abused him both emotionally and physically, and eventually placed him in an orphanage when he was four years old. His paternal grandmother Francesca Addotta then took him in to live with her.[4] His grandmother and his grandfather Jesper ("Gaspare") had both come to the US from Sicily. In his autobiography, Confessions Of A Comedian, Addotta describes his grandmother as an associate of the Bonanno crime family.[5] She died when he was 15. His grandmother had wanted him to become a priest, but he became a barber instead and managed a salon. He married his first wife, Mary, in 1962. Mary died in 1966; the couple had two children.[6][2] Addotta had another child with his second wife, Lynn. Aged 27, he moved with his family to Los Angeles to try his luck at comedy. After performing several months at The Comedy Store, his career as a stand-up comedian took off.[7]

Addotta was the father of three children: Victor, Katheryn and Frank.[8] He has one grandchild by his daughter Katheryn, and two grandchildren by his son Frank.

Addotta died on August 13, 2019, aged 75.[1][9]

Releases
DVD
  • 1995 – Live From Maximum Security!
CD
  • 1979 – I Hope I'm Not Out Of Line
  • 1985 – The Comedian Of The United States
  • 1985 – Life In The Slaw Lane
  • 1989 – I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus
  • 1994 – The Trouble Hole
  • 2002 - Jokes To Go[10]
  • 2013 – Portable Kip
  • 2014 – Ears to You
Vinyl
  • 1984 – White Boy Rapp[11]
Books
  • 2018 – Confessions of a Comedian – An Autobiography[12]

References
  1. Haring, Bruce (August 17, 2019). "Kip Addotta Dies: Comedian Appeared On 'The Tonight Show', Was 75". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  2. ""Life in the Slaw Lane": Comedian Kip Addotta talks about veggies but he's just arugula guy". Archived from the original on 2019-08-23. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  3. Alexander, Donnell (February 22, 2018). "In the 1970s, comedy fans found the dirty truth in the grooves of Laff Records". Medium.
  4. "Legendary comedian Kip Addotta offers career confessions! VIDEO INTERVIEW". Mr. Media® Interviews. 2018-07-17. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  5. "Writers in Their Own Words: Kip Addotta". 2018-05-18. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  6. "Mr. Media Interviews by Bob Andelman – Kip Addotta, comedian, author, "Kip Addotta: Confessions of a Comedian" – 48:42". radiopublic.com. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  7. "Kip Addotta Sings About Veggies, but He's Just Arugula Guy". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  8. ""Confessions of a Comedian" by Kip Addotta In Audiobook Format". beaconaudiobooks.com. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  9. Kip Addotta Obituary
  10. "Jokes to Go - YouTube". YouTube.
  11. "White Boy Rapp - Kip Addotta - White Boy Rapp". Discogs.
  12. "Beacon Publishing Group Releases "Confessions of a Comedian" by Kip Addotta". beaconpublishing.com. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 2019-08-18.

Sources
  • Addotta, Kip (2018). Confessions of a Comedian – An Autobiography. New York: Beacon Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0998593241.
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