You love The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but how much do you really know about the true stories behind the characters? The show dazzles with its humor, style, and drama, but there’s more to the story than what you see on screen. From real-life inspirations to surprising behind-the-scenes facts, the truth might just shock you! Were Midge and Susie based on real people? And how accurate is the show’s take on comedy in the 1950s? Credit:
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel / Amazon Studios and co-producers
Manufacturing Intellect / YouTube
The Carol Burnett Show Official / YouTube
ClassicComedyCuts / YouTube
CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/:
Amy Sherman-Palladino: by iDominick, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amy_Sherman-Palladino.jpg, https://flic.kr/p/wswFXm
Wanda Sykes: by Greg Hernandez, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wanda_Sykes_2010_GLAAD_Media_Awards.jpg, https://flic.kr/p/7Ujbk3
Rachel Brosnahan: by Mingle Media TV, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rachel_Brosnahan_July_9,_2014_(cropped).jpg, https://flic.kr/p/nZQgHM
CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/:
Joan Rivers: by David Shankbone, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joan_Rivers_3_Musto_Party_2010_Shankbone.jpg
Alex Borstein: by Gage Skidmore, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alex_Borstein_by_Gage_Skidmore_4_(retouched).jpg
Phyllis Diller: by Allan warren, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phyllis_Diller_by_Allan_Warren.jpg
Barbara Walters: by Lynn Gilbert, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barbara_Walters_Lynn_Gilbert.jpg
Sue Mengers: by unknown photographer, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sue_Mengers.jpg
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For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel / Amazon Studios and co-producers
Manufacturing Intellect / YouTube
The Carol Burnett Show Official / YouTube
ClassicComedyCuts / YouTube
CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/:
Amy Sherman-Palladino: by iDominick, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amy_Sherman-Palladino.jpg, https://flic.kr/p/wswFXm
Wanda Sykes: by Greg Hernandez, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wanda_Sykes_2010_GLAAD_Media_Awards.jpg, https://flic.kr/p/7Ujbk3
Rachel Brosnahan: by Mingle Media TV, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rachel_Brosnahan_July_9,_2014_(cropped).jpg, https://flic.kr/p/nZQgHM
CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/:
Joan Rivers: by David Shankbone, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joan_Rivers_3_Musto_Party_2010_Shankbone.jpg
Alex Borstein: by Gage Skidmore, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alex_Borstein_by_Gage_Skidmore_4_(retouched).jpg
Phyllis Diller: by Allan warren, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phyllis_Diller_by_Allan_Warren.jpg
Barbara Walters: by Lynn Gilbert, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barbara_Walters_Lynn_Gilbert.jpg
Sue Mengers: by unknown photographer, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sue_Mengers.jpg
Animation is created by Bright Side.
#brightside
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Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/
Listen to Bright Side on:
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/idhttps-podcasts-apple-com-podcast-bright-side/id1554898078
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FunTranscript
00:00It's a TV show with a comedic universe like no other.
00:04No wonder it snatched a bunch of Emmys and Golden Globes.
00:07It's called The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and it whisks us back to the late 50s and early
00:1360s, a time when the world of entertainment was going through loads of changes.
00:18The protagonist, Miriam Midge Maisel, is like no other woman of her time.
00:24After discovering her talent for stand-up comedy, she embarks on an incredible journey.
00:29Over the course of five seasons, it takes her from a dutiful Manhattan housewife to
00:34a trailblazing comedian.
00:37This amazing protagonist isn't just a fiction of someone's imagination, though.
00:42As the show's creators have admitted themselves, Midge Maisel is actually inspired by real-life
00:47comics.
00:48Let's look at the character's interesting life journey for a bit.
00:53Midge starts as a happy housewife in the comfortable Upper West Side of New York.
00:57She's living with her husband, Joel, who is a businessman by day and a struggling comedian
01:02by night.
01:04Things take a wild turn when Joel's comedy routine doesn't exactly go as planned and
01:09their marriage is shaken up.
01:11But Midge, not one to stay down, decides to give comedy a try herself.
01:16Obviously, she nails it.
01:19This show, masterminded by Amy Sherman Palladino, who also brought us Gilmore Girls, has several
01:25characters inspired by real people.
01:28But the most interesting of all is Midge, who is molded after the legendary Joan Rivers.
01:34Both were born in New York to parents who weren't exactly thrilled with their daughters
01:38choosing comedy as a career.
01:40They also both attended prestigious schools and later found themselves on the stage of
01:45the Gaslight Café, a famous comedy club in New York.
01:50But the most fascinating parallel between Midge and Joan is their fearless approach
01:54to comedy.
01:55They both defied the expected norms of their time and their comedy style wasn't typically
02:01associated with women.
02:03However, there's also a difference.
02:06Midge has a lot of confidence and knows her worth, while Joan's comedy was born from a
02:10place of insecurity.
02:12Rivers left an undeniable mark on the world of comedy from 1957 until her passing, and
02:18she opened doors for many women in the entertainment industry.
02:21So seeing Midge's journey in a show that has won many awards feels like a fitting salute
02:26to Joan Rivers.
02:28Now there's another interesting connection.
02:32In the show, a comic named Lenny Bruce gives Midge a boost, helping her when she faces
02:37a career setback.
02:39In real life, Lenny also played a key role in Joan's life when he saw her perform and
02:44gave her a confidence-boosting note.
02:47In the series, Lenny and Midge share an unexpected friendship, one that even blooms into a romantic
02:53episode that fans totally saw coming.
02:56Outside their special bond, Lenny's run-ins with the law, and his sharp-tongued humor
03:02on the show, they all have roots in real life.
03:06Alright, you're probably thinking, who exactly is this Lenny Bruce fellow?
03:12He wasn't just a TV show character, he was as real as he could be.
03:17Born Leonard Alfred Schneider in Long Island in 1925, Lenny was the son of an actress and
03:23a shoe salesman.
03:25Luckily, he ended up following in his mom's footsteps, chasing the glitz and glam of showbiz.
03:32Right from the start, Lenny was pretty mischievous.
03:35In one of his first acts, he donned an unusual outfit and performed for his buddies.
03:40Then, in 1945, he packed his bags and made his way to New York City to chase his dreams
03:46of being a comedian.
03:48Lenny Bruce became his stage name, and he spent years perfecting his craft.
03:53He soon got the label of a problematic comedian, mainly because he didn't back down from
03:57talking about big, sensitive subjects.
04:00Whether it was, Lenny had something to say on the matter.
04:04Despite the resemblance with Joan Rivers, some say that the character Midge was somehow
04:09also molded from the life of Jean Carroll.
04:12Jean was a comedian known for her quick wit, striking looks, and hearty sense of humor.
04:19Just like Midge, Jean wasn't afraid to shine a spotlight on her beauty while cracking jokes
04:23on stage.
04:25Back then, it was almost like an unspoken rule for women comedians to downplay their
04:30looks.
04:31But Jean, like our favorite fictitious hero Midge, was also pretty good at making jokes
04:36about life during the mid-20th century.
04:39On the other hand, that's where the similarities between Midge and Jean end.
04:44Unlike Midge's privileged upbringing, Jean started earning for her family at an early
04:49age.
04:50Her husband was also totally cool with her career, unlike Midge's hubby, Joel Maisel.
04:56However, at one point, Joan chose to drop the mic to focus more on her family.
05:03Even the feisty character Susie Meyerson isn't just a figment of the writer's imagination.
05:08As it turns out, she's partially inspired by a real-life woman named Sue Mengers, a
05:14legendary talent agent from the golden days of Hollywood.
05:18Many fans figured this out just from their shared initials.
05:21It couldn't have been just a coincidence.
05:23The show's creator confirmed too.
05:26So, who was Sue Mengers?
05:29A titan in the entertainment industry, that's for sure.
05:33From the swinging sixties to the dazzling eighties, everyone who was anyone wanted to
05:38be on her list.
05:40TV journalism icon Barbara Walters, in her memoir, recounted Sue as an absolute legend
05:46– smart, tough, super funny, and refreshingly honest.
05:52This honesty is what made Sue stand out.
05:55She was among the first, and undoubtedly the most famous, female agents in Hollywood who
06:01dared to speak her mind.
06:03Her refreshing attitude was truly a breath of fresh air in a business often shrouded
06:08in smoke and mirrors.
06:10While Susie Meyerson and Sue Mengers share many things, like their first names and career
06:15stories, they're also unique in their own ways.
06:19For example, there's no known record of Sue Mengers ever running a comedy club in
06:24the West Village or representing a female comedian.
06:27Furthermore, the show's creator also disclosed that Susie's spirit isn't solely based
06:33on Sue Mengers.
06:34She also drew heavily from the person who plays Susie, the actress named Alex Borstein.
06:40At the time, Alex had recently relocated to Barcelona, but the role of Susie was simply
06:46too good to pass up.
06:48The actress was drawn to the character, describing it as a rare opportunity for a person of her
06:53age and appearance.
06:55Sophie Lennon is another interesting character in the series, which Jane Lynch brings to
07:00life.
07:01You know, Sophie is kind of the competition to our hero Midge.
07:05She's the lady with a talent for silly jokes and catchy lines that always seem to have
07:10the crowd entertained.
07:12Although behind the stage lights, Sophie is a very different person, very sophisticated
07:18and classy.
07:20She's quite the fussy celebrity.
07:23Although Sophie is not based on a real person, you could say that she's a mishmash of some
07:28important comedians from the past too.
07:31There's even some chatter that Sophie might take a little inspiration from the legendary
07:35Phyllis Diller.
07:36You might have heard about Diller.
07:38She had this unique style where she would intentionally tone down her appearance just
07:42to make her act even more hilarious.
07:45In the show, you'll see Sophie rocking an exaggerated costume and bold makeup.
07:50This is quite reminiscent of how Diller used to wear loose dresses to cover her lean frame.
07:56Another amazing character in the series, Moms Mobley.
08:01In a particular season finale, we're introduced to Moms, played by the incredibly talented
08:07Wanda Sykes.
08:09Moms is portrayed as an established comedian who gets her moment to shine at the Apollo.
08:14Now, here's a fun fact.
08:18Moms Mobley's character is actually inspired after a real person, Loretta Mary Aiken, who
08:23performed under the name Jackie Moms Mabley.
08:27In the real world, Moms Mabley appeared on popular shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and
08:32The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
08:35She was affectionately called Mom because she was like a nurturing mother figure to
08:39her fellow comics.
08:41Moms had a bold, edgy comedy style and wasn't afraid to joke about her romantic life, much
08:46like how Sykes portrayed her character in the show.
08:50Many consider Moms Mabley to be one of the most hilarious women in comedy.
08:54Although Moms only pops up for a brief moment in the series, her appearance is incredible
08:59and adds a new dimension to the storyline.