Comments on: Gilda Who?

By: Liz B

Liz B — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:30:41 +0000

Jessica, yes — and one positive from this, I think, is finding out just how many people do know who Gilda is, and how important she is to them.

By: Jessica S.

Jessica S. — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 04:48:27 +0000

I adore Gilda. She is my favorite person of all time that I wish I could have had the chance to meet. I read her memoir and I have seen so many clips of her on SNL. She was an amazing person. Her journey was amazing. She should be remembered and changing the name is a ridiculous thing to do. More people NEED to know about her and how wonderful she was. She’s still in our hearts and we should never let that go. <3

By: Liz B

Liz B — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:04:34 +0000

Chris, it is just ridiculous logic to say, basically, that person has been dead so long no one remember.

Jean, I don’t know about a petition.

Laura, thanks for the links.

rockinlibrarian, i think there is also a rant here about a name disappearing when its done partly in memory, as here, and all the buildings etc named after big-money-donors who people may not know but hey, they have the $ so change the name. Not what you do but how much $ you have.

annie, yes, exactly!

lauren, I was wondering about how Gene Wilder felt about this, also.

Maria, it’s insulting to Gilda’s memory, it’s insulting to those of us who remember her, and it’s insulting to 20somethings.

wendy, I just checked and the name change for that particular location is still on. the good news is gilda’s clubs in many other locations have clearly said they are NOT changing their name.

violet, and yet another another that doesn’t involve getting rid of Gilda’s name.

By: Violet

Violet — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 04:14:23 +0000

If the question “Gilda who?” is so disturbing that people feel the need to change the name, it seems changing it to “Gilda Radnor’s Club” is the more obvious and respectful and simple solution. Duh. Gilda was such an incredible person, a brilliant comedienne, and she fought her cancer so bravely and ferociously. Anyone who wants to know not only who she was, but the stuff she was made of, just needs to get a copy of her memoir, It’s Always Something. It’s all there. And even in the face of writing about her battle with cancer, she’ll make you laugh. And cry. I still miss and think about her so often. She made the world a brighter place.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 03:11:53 +0000

I think changing the name is horrible and their reasoning ridiculous. Countless schools, libraries etc. are named after people that made a difference yet have passed on. Rather than educate the younger generation about Gilda, I am appalled that they think changing the name is the solution. If they go ahead and change the name, I think that is sad in many ways.

By: Maria

Maria — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:00:40 +0000

I loved Gilda Radner, and I definitely know who she is. I remember where I was when I heard that she had died.
Gilda was probably one of the greatest comedic talents of the 20th century. She was a part of the first SNL group that gave it a place in TV history. Sadly, she lived with alot of personal self-doubt, low self-esteem, and bulimia. She made some mediocre movies after leaving SNL, and then apparently spent a very long time getting properly diagnosed, which mihgt have saved her life.
But Gilda was very, very funny and very, very talented, and the idea that we should blow off her name because she’s dead and the 20-somethings don’t remember her is insulting and absurd.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 19:53:07 +0000

Isn’t the point of naming something after someone so they aren’t forgotten? It is part of Gilda’s Club’s heritage to instruct people on who that talented woman was. I don’t know who Susan G. Komen was, but that doesn’t stop me from knowing what the organization represents. It’s laziness on the part of the organization and it is insulting to the younger generation because they are fully capable of using Google.

I can only wonder how Gene Wilder is feeling about the whole thing. His beautiful wife’s legacy should not be marred by the lazy and the ignorant.

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:17:01 +0000

Oh my gosh, that’s so sad. I was five when Gilda passed and I’m still in awe of her comic talent. And I think it’s especially important to associate her name with organizations supporting those suffering from cancer and their friends/family. She wasn’t just someone who had cancer–she was immensely talented and cool, and people remember her for that. Just like everyone with cancer is a full human being, not just a disease. I really hope they keep her name. Gilda forever.

By: rockinlibrarian

rockinlibrarian — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:52:58 +0000

Exactly. What you said.

I mean, I know OF Gilda. I’ve seen clips, but I really don’t know much beyond that. But when something is named after someone in their memory, it makes NO SENSE to change it! Surely it’s easier to find out who Gilda Radner was if you want to know than it is to find out who many obscure benefactors who’ve have their names on schools and buildings and playgrounds for even longer ANYWAY.

By: Laura Pearle

Laura Pearle — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:02 +0000

What was that about people not knowing who Gilda was? Well, maybe not Gilda, but Emily lives on: http://www.bobkrumm.com/blog/2012/11/emily-litella-rice/ !