Dee LaDuke works with her best friends and gets paid to laugh
Dee LaDuke is a consulting producer for the UPN series Girlfriends. She has co-created and produced numerous pilots and was the supervising producer for Designing Women. She lives in New York City, has authored multiple books about TV writing, and teaches at multiple New York-based Universities.
What were you like as a teen?
Depressed and funny. Probably funniest when I was both at the same time, but not from my POV.
Did you have an un-sexy starter job?
Receptionist at Nickelodeon. I got my first and second “created by” series credits.
What do you consider to be your biggest comedy achievement to date?
I helped make women heroes. Which is what I set out to do. The women I wrote were powerful because they were funny. Humor is the ultimate superpower.
When you were coming up in comedy, what helped you stick with it?
Getting laughs. It’s addictive.
On your deathbed, what transcendent advice would you croak at a young comedian?
Come back as a man next time.
Best comedy advice you ever got?
Life at any level is better than no life at all. This is the comic hero’s credo.
Worst comedy advice you ever got?
I’m a writer of sitcoms, remember. All the advice the studios and networks gave was terrible.
How has being funny helped you in your life?
It greased wheels, opened doors, and made me not care if my hair was frizzy.
What specific things should a novice comedy writer do to shape their voice?
Listen to people. Take notes. Eavesdrop. People are nuts!
Was there one person who inspired you to go into comedy?
No. There was nothing else that interested me. I couldn’t do anything else. However, my High School freshman English teacher said my writing was funny in one essay. If it took anything, that’s all it took.
Do you have a writing routine?
Write every day. Anything. It’s my religion.
What is your go-to show when you’ve had a bad day?
Hmm. Reruns depress me even though they pay a huge portion of my bills. Instead, I think of my favorite lines that laid me and my writing partner out. They’re not funny out of context though.
What single word always cracks you up?
No, you cannot limit me. There are too many. Though I love “vex.”
Final thoughts?
The greatest thing about writing sitcoms is you go to work every day with your best friends, get paid to laugh and the studio buys you lunch.
