Lea DeLaria
DeLaria at the 2025Tribeca Festival
Born	(1958-05-23)May 23, 1958 (age 67) Belleville, Illinois, U.S.
Comedy career
Years active	1982–present
Medium	Stand-up comedy, television, film, jazz singing
Genres	Observational comedy satire
Subjects	LGBTQ culture everyday life pop culture human sexuality current events
Website	leadelaria.com

Lea DeLaria (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actress, andjazz singer. She portrayedCarrie "Big Boo" Black on theNetflix original seriesOrange Is the New Black (2013–2019) and PsychicMadame Delphina on theABCdaytime dramaOne Life to Live from 1999 to 2011. She also starred in theBroadway productionsPOTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive in 2022 and the 2000 revival ofThe Rocky Horror Show. She was the first openly gay comic to appear on American television in a 1993 appearance onThe Arsenio Hall Show.^[1]

DeLaria was born inBelleville, Illinois,^[2][3] the daughter of Jerry Jean (née Cox), a homemaker, and Robert George DeLaria, ajazz pianist and social worker.^[3][4] Her paternal grandparents were Italian.^[5] She attended kindergarten through eighth grade at St. Mary's Elementary School in Belleville^[6] and has referenced her Catholic upbringing in her performances.

DeLaria's stand-up career began in 1982 when she moved toSan Francisco and performed raunchy stand-up comedy in theMission District.^[7][8] Discussing her stand-up, Delaria says, "This is who I am, when I'm up there. This is it. I'm a bigbutchdyke. That's who I am. And I'm a friendly one. I'm a big butch dyke with a smile on my face."^[7]

In 1986, DeLaria directedTen Percent Revue, a musical revue written byTom Wilson Weinberg that celebrates gay and lesbian culture.^[9]Ten Percent Revue was performed inBoston, San Francisco,Provincetown,Philadelphia, andAtlanta.^[10] Many shows were sold out.^[10]

From 1987 to 1989, DeLaria starred inDos Lesbos, a musical comedy about two lesbians dealing with the issues of living together.^[11] The show received very favorable reviews nationwide.^[12]

DeLaria conceived, wrote, directed and starred inGirl Friday: We're Funny That Way, a musical comedy, in 1989.^[13][14] The show won the 1989 Golden Gull for Best Comedy Group in Provincetown, Massachusetts.^[15]

When DeLaria appeared onThe 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."^[16] DeLaria later said she had been told that she should not have used the term dyke on the air.^[6] Hall later defended her, saying, "If she wants to call herself a dyke, that's her business."^[6]

In December 1993, DeLaria hostedComedy Central'sOut There, the first all-gay stand-up comedy special.^[1]

DeLaria has released two CD recordings of her comedy,Bulldyke in a China Shop (1994) andBox Lunch (1997). She has also written a humorous book entitledLea's Book of Rules for the World.

DeLaria appeared as Jane in the 1998Off Broadway production ofPaul Rudnick'sThe Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, "a gay retelling of the Bible."^[17]Entertainment Weekly said "a star is born with Lea DeLaria" of her "showstopping" performance as Hildy Esterhazy in the 1998 Broadwayrevival ofOn the Town.^[18][19][20]

DeLaria subsequently played Eddie and Dr. Scott in the 2000 Broadway revival ofThe Rocky Horror Show, and can be heard on thecast recording.^[21] DeLaria appeared in a number of films, includingEdge of Seventeen andThe First Wives Club.

DeLaria integrates musical performance into her stand-up comedy, focusing on traditional and modernbe-bop jazz. In 2001 she released a CD of jazz standards calledPlay It Cool. This was followed by the albumDouble Standards in 2003,^[22][23] and byThe Very Best of Lea DeLaria in 2008.

In 2001, DeLaria was the voice of Helga Phugly on the short-lived animated sitcomThe Oblongs. In 1996 DeLaria played the part of a woman friend of Carol and Susan in theFriends episode The One with the Lesbian Wedding. In 1999 DeLaria played the recurring role ofMadame Delphina on theABC soap operaOne Life to Live, returning in 2008 as both Delphina andProfessor Delbert Fina. She continued to portray Delphina on a recurring basis until 2011.^[24]

In 2008, Warner Records releasedThe Live Smoke Sessions, DeLaria's first recording focused on "timeless pop standards" such as "Down With Love", "Night and Day", "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Come Rain or Come Shine." She noted, "I styled this CD on the old school live recordings ... It is my hope that this CD will take you back to 1948 and the Village Vanguard. So please let me invite you to mix a cocktail and enjoy a smoke while you sit back and soak up the swing."^[25]

In November 2008, DeLaria completed a tour of Australia, playingSydney,Melbourne,Adelaide andBrisbane. She also frequently collaborates with comedianMaggie Cassella, most notably on an annual Christmas cabaret show inToronto which also sometimes tours to several other North American cities. In July 2010, her version of "All That Jazz" was used onSo You Think You Can Dance. DeLaria performed inPrometheus Bound at theAmerican Repertory Theater inCambridge, Massachusetts. Since 2013, she has appeared in theNetflix OriginalOrange Is the New Black as the recurring character prison inmateCarrie 'Big Boo' Black.^[26][27][28]

In December 2014, DeLaria voiced EJ Randell, the lesbian mother of Jeff in theCartoon Network animated seriesClarence.^[29][30]

On February 14, 2015, DeLaria received theEquality Illinois Freedom Award for her work as "a cutting-edge performer who has used her talent to entertain and enlighten millions of Americans," said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois. On receiving the award at the 2015 Equality Illinois Gala in Chicago, DeLaria said, "As an out performer for over 33 years who has made it her life's work to change peoples perception of butch, queer and LGBT, it is an honor for me to receive such recognition from my home state. I feel I'm doing Belleville proud. Go Maroons!".^{[31][32][33][better source needed]}

In 2021, DeLaria starred inWes Hurley's autobiographical dramedyPotato Dreams of America earning rave reviews, praise fromJohn Waters and the Outstanding Supporting Performance Award fromTallgrass Film Festival.^[34]

In 2022, DeLaria returned toBroadway in the comic playPOTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive where she received positive acclaim from critics.

DeLaria is the originator of the U-Haul Joke^[35] (see alsoU-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 albumBox Lunch (1997).^[36]

In January 2015, DeLaria became engaged tofashion editorChelsea Fairless after two and a half years of dating. The two met through Fairless's friend, actressEmma Myles, who plays Leanne inOrange is the New Black.^[37] In January 2017, DeLaria confirmed she and Fairless had separated.^[38]

• 1992:Bulldyke in a Chinashop
• 1997:Box Lunch (Rising Star)

• 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)

• 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)

• 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"

• Official website
• Lea DeLaria atIMDb
• Lea DeLaria at theInternet Broadway Database
• Lea DeLaria at theInternet Off-Broadway Database (archived)

• 1958 births
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