The Comedic Journey Of Phyllis Diller Began In Ypsilanti

Ypsilanti, Michigan once had a famous resident. She wasn't famous back then, early 40s, but through the years she gained comedic fame and became a household name. She was Phyllis Diller!

Born in Ohio, she and her husband lived in Ypsilanti for a few years, but eventually moved to California for his job, and her comedy began to percolate from there.

 👇 BELOW: FAMOUS COMEDIANS BORN IN MICHIGAN 👇

The famed standup comedian from the 60s to 2000s, not only performed in comedy clubs, but did movies, TV, The Tonight Show, Ed Sullivan, Laugh-In, The Muppet Show, Love Boat, and so many more.

Even though in real life she had three husbands, it was "Fang" that fans around the world grew to love.

I am so fortunate to have met Phyllis Diller. She was the nicest and kindness person you every wanted to meet. She was a super star of comedy, but humble in every way.

Actually, I got have have dinner with her. I was doing one of my radio station listener trips in the late 80s, a cruise, and she was the star attraction. I, along with my radio partner Dennis Sutton, and our wives, were invited to the captain's dinner. We, all along with other guests and ships officers, had cocktails in the captain's quarters and then went into dinner. As we descended the staircase into the grand dining room of NCL's Norway, applause rose to a small roar. It certainly wasn't for us. It was for the queen of comedy, Phyllis Diller. Quite a thrill!

It was Diller's self-deprecating humor that endeared her to fans world wide. In talking about her beginning in comedy, Wikipedia quoted her:

"It took two years of nagging by my husband to get me onto that stage. Finally, I sat down, called the Red Cross and said, 'I have an act. Where do you want it?' They sent me to the veterans hospital at the Presidio, where I pushed a piano into a room that had four guys in it. I played, sang, told jokes while they yelled, Leave us alone; we're already in pain!"

Phyllis Diller passed away in August of 2012. She was 95.