Book Excerpt: For Laughing Out Loud

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on September 20th, 2004


For Laughing Out Loud My Life and Good Times
Ed Mcmahon with David Fisher
Copyright 1998
Warner Books
Page 283-284

Listen, an appearance on Star Search changed a lot of lives. Rosie O’Donnell was performing in a Long Island comedy club when Claudia discovered her. Her routine was based on her experiences in Catholic school, which wasn’t right for our show, but Claudia felt she had something special. So she offered her a second audition. But before that audition she worked with her, helping her select the right outfit, the most flattering hairstyle, and her best material. For Rosie, this really was a last chance. It was just a few months before her twenty-fourth birthday and she had decided to quit show business if she wasn’t successful by that day. Her second audtition was much better and she was picked for the show. Ironically, the first person she competed against was the owner of the Long Island comedy club where Claudia had found her. Rosie won five weeks.

And this, from Page 285:

We missed a few good ones too. Tim Allen audtioned for Claudia five different times and never got on the show. She felt he was much better as a comedic actor than as a stand-up comedian. Finally he asked her, “What’s the problem, why aren’t I getting on?”

“You’re material is too male-oriented,” she told him. “Car jokes and home tool jokes just don’t make me laugh.” Years later, after his great success on Home Improvement, she saw him in a restaurant and sent him a note reading, “Well, at least I was right about your ability as a comic actor.”

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