Catie Lazarus, a comedian and longtime host of the “Employee of the Month” talk show and podcast, died Sunday after an extended bout with cancer, friends and family said. She was 44.
“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,” Miriam Gottfried of the Wall Street Journal tweeted. “May her memory be a blessing.”
Shortly after Lazarus’ cousin relayed the news on social media, “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda remembered Lazarus as “the funniest, kindest and sweetest.”
“Grateful for every #EmployeeOfTheMonth show I got to see, she was never less than brilliant,” he wrote on Twitter.
Lazarus hosted “Employee of the Month” from Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater in New York City for several years. Her interview subjects included Jon Stewart, Cynthia Nixon, Billy Crudup, Patti LuPone and John Turturro.
“If Stephen Colbert and Oprah had a baby, it would be Catie Lazarus,” Broadway.com once wrote of her show, according to her bio.
Lazarus said in a 2018 Build interview (watch it above) that she strived to provide a “fun, cathartic evening” for the audience.
Lazarus credited an encounter with Tina Fey for her entry into show business. The Wesleyan grad was studying to be a psychologist when Fey appeared at an anti-bullying event Lazarus attended. The “Mean Girls” creator conducted a quick improv class and recommended that Lazarus check out the comedy scene in New York City. Lazarus quit school and moved there.
In addition to doing gigs around town, the performer also wrote pieces for the Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine and others. She is survived by her parents and two brothers.
People mourned her passing and celebrated her life on Twitter: