Catie Lazarus Twitter
Catie Lazarus, the prolific New York-based writer, podcast host, and comedian, has died, according to a tweet from her friend Miriam Gottfeid.
Gottfried tweeted on Monday night, “Devastated to learn of the death of my friend
@catielazarus, a brilliant interviewer and host of Employee of the Month show, who bore terminal cancer with incredible grace for the past six years. May her memory be a blessing.”
Gottfried added in a subsequent tweet, “The nights I attended her show were among the best I’ve spent in NYC, especially the after parties where all of the guests mingled at the Library bar at the Public. I desperately miss that kind of NYC night, and I will always associate it with Catie.”
A cousin of Lazarus’s provided a little bit more information on the timing around her death. He wrote, “My cousin @catielazarus departed this world last night. At the end of this brutal year, my heart is broken. She was a bright light. RIP 😢”
Lazarus Hosted the Employee of the Month Podcast
Lazarus is largely known for her presence in the comic scene in New York City, as well as her position as a podcast host for Employee of the Month, which has been running for 10 years, and featured Lazarus working as a bonafide talk show host, interviewing celebrities, politicians, and the like.
Her bio on the podcast website reads in part, “Between her insatiable curiosity and innate compassion, she may have been born, or, at least, bread to host a talk show and to interview folks. Her utterly unique background in psychology, journalism and comedy is why The New Yorker found that, ‘Lazarus gets people to open up in ways that others cannot.’”
Lazarus’s bio also reveals that her career as a comedian was literally determined by a chance run-in with Tina Fey.
The story goes:
“She was studying for her doctorate in clinical psychology— until she met Tina Fey. While researching Mean Girls, Tina Fey (alongside Jack McBrayer) taught a little improv to Catie and several others at an Empower Program event… Afterwards, Fey recommend Lazarus check out Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York… [Lazarus] dropped out of her doctoral studies, moved to New York, started taking improv classes, and hopped on a stage for the first time at Stand-Up New York, where she won a contest she hadn’t even entered. Lazarus landed on the cover page of a local paper and the rest is herstory. Lazarus lives in Brooklyn with her dog Lady Lazarus.”
Lazarus’ Last Photo on Instagram Was Taken the Day After the Presidential Election
Lazarus didn’t post publicly about her health struggles on social media. Her last Instagram post was on November 7, and showed her and a friend supporting the Biden/Harris presidential ticket.
Lazarus wrote, “In shock, I walked my dog and then saw a Rabbi blast the #shofar in honor of @repjohnlewis and #rbg, and @senschumer cheering “Go Home Donald Trump.” I am happy to send him masking tape for his move. bidenharris2020 #sanity”
In the wake of her death, the New York artist and comedian community in particular paid tribute to the loss of the comic at such a young age. Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted, “Catie was the funniest, kindest and sweetest. Grateful for every #EmployeeOfTheMonth show I got to see, she was never less than brilliant. Heartbroken for her friends and family and @offbookbeatbox & @arthurlewis, who played in her band and adored her. #RIP”
This is a developing post and will be updated.