Latest news with #LuluRoman
Wall Street Journal
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
Lulu Roman, ‘Hee Haw' Star and Gospel Singer, Dies at 78
Lulu Roman played at the Grand Ole Opry in 2012. Photo:'Hee Haw,' which premiered on CBS in 1969, was conceived as a kind of vaudeville revue for rural America: a parade of corny comedy sketches; buxom girls in pigtails, denim and gingham; and guest performances by country music A-listers—all hosted by the celebrated, cowboy-hat-wearing musicians Buck Owens and Roy Clark. It was spun up as a summer replacement, after the network abruptly fired the Smothers Brothers for refusing to tone down the antiwar, pro-civil-rights politics of their show. With President Richard Nixon taking the White House that January, 'Hee Haw' was a hasty play to entertain the silent majority.
New York Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Lulu Roman, Who Brought Big-Hearted Sass to ‘Hee Haw,' Is Dead at 78
Lulu Roman, who brought her big-hearted Texas sass and full-throated gospel vocals to the enduring variety show 'Hee Haw,' known for its corn-pone comedy sketches and musical interludes provided by a constellation of country stars, died on April 23 in Bellingham, Wash. She was 78. Her son and caretaker, Damon Roman, said she died of heart failure at his home, where she had been living. Ms. Roman's broad comedic skills and down-home persona proved a valuable asset to 'Hee Haw,' which debuted on CBS in 1969 as a folksy heartland answer to NBC's 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In,' a network take on contemporary mod culture known for its Day-Glo graphics and risqué one-liners delivered at Gatling-gun pace. It was originally a summer replacement for 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,' an even edgier variety show that had run afoul of censors for its pointed takes on race relations, drugs, religion and the Vietnam War. But 'Hee Haw' was the opposite of hip, and intentionally so. It was the television equivalent of a big country breakfast, heavy on the cheese grits. And it worked.
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Lulu Roman, gospel singer and longtime 'Hee Haw' castmember, dead at 78
Lulu Roman, gospel singer and longtime 'Hee Haw' castmember, dead at 78 Lulu Roman, a gospel singer and longtime star of country music variety show "Hee Haw," has died, a close friend confirmed to USA TODAY on April 24. She was 78. Roman died April 23, in Bellingham, Washington, where she had moved last year to be closer to him. The cause of death was not shared. Getting her start as a scrappy comedian and Go-Go dancer in the Texas nightclub scene, Roman's fame grew exponentially when she became a regular on "Hee Haw" − the long-running comedy sketch show that offered country music stars guest spots to perform. From 1969 well into the 1990s, Roman delighted "Hee Haw" audiences with wry humor and later a knack for gospel vocals. A bout with drug addiction sidelined her from the show briefly in the 1970s, after which she discovered Christianity and went on to record a dozen albums, including duets with Dolly Parton and George Jones. Roman performed at the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in the late 1990s. "Lulu Roman was a dear friend of 40 years and she will always be remembered as one who made people laugh and smile. What better tribute is there?" country music singer T. Graham Brown said of her death in a release. "I talked to her a few days ago. We shared one last laugh and I told her that I loved her. I will really miss her. May God bless her soul." Equal parts singer and actress, Roman appeared on "Hee Haw Honeys," a spin-off of the original show, as well as the movie "Corky" and an episode of "The Love Boat." Born Bertha Louise Hable in 1946, she was placed in an orphanage at two and a half years old, where she would live until she graduated high school. Battling a thyroid issue and struggling with her weight throughout her life, Roman later discussed how growing up overweight led to bullying and how a dramatic slim-down in later years helped her to understand how sugar had been a coping mechanism during a tough childhood. Roman is survived by her eldest son, Damon. Her youngest son, Justin, died in 2017.
Metro
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Hee Haw star Lulu Roman, gospel singer with 'voice of an angel', dies aged 78
Comedian and gospel singer Lulu Roman has died aged 78, with tributes pouring in for the artist who had the 'voice of an angel'. The star died in Bellingham, Washington, where she moved several months ago to be closer to her son, on April 23, 2025. The cause of death has not been confirmed at the time of writing. Lulu, real name Bertha Louise Hable, made her name on the comedy-music show Hee Haw, which aired from 1969 to 1993. In the 70s, however, while recovering from a bout of drug addiction, she reinvented herself as a gospel singer, releasing several albums and even recording with country music icons like Dolly Parton. Lulu's road to fame was not a traditional one. Born in Dallas, Texas, she was placed in an orphanage soon after her birth and suffered from a thyroid condition that caused her to be overweight. After graduating from high school in 1964 she started working as a dancer at a local nightclub to pay the bills. She'd perform under the name 'Lulu Roman, the World's Biggest Go-Go Dancer', and it was during one of these performances that she first met the country singer Buck Owens, who took her under his wing. 'He liked my sense of humour,' she told Florida Weekly in 2020. 'He told me once that he'd just sit and observe me. I said, 'Lord, have mercy!' He said it was really interesting: 'You're a master at quick wit.' I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but I got hold of it later.' Buck, who was set to star in Hee Haw, then introduced Lulu to the producers, and the rest is history. Sadly, in 1971, while performing on Hee Haw, Lulu was arrested for drug possession and was given a four-year prison sentence. After this, Lulu found religion, converting to Christianity, and became a gospel singer. When she came back to Hee Haw in 1973, she'd regularly sing on the show, and this led to her music career taking off. In 1999, Lulu was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and her autobiography, This is My Story; This Is My Song, was published in 2019. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Malcolm in the Middle fans 'crying' after Frankie Muniz reunites with 00s co-stars MORE: WWE star, 43, open to first match in 13 years after forced retirement MORE: Prison drama that's 'as good as the Godfather' has Netflix viewers hooked
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Lulu Roman dead: Hee Haw star who called herself 'the fat girl' dies as son pays tribute
Comedian and gospel singer Lulu Roman has died at the age of 78, her son has confirmed. The star of Hee Haw died seven months after moving to Washington to be with her son. No cause of death has been determined. Her publicist Ben Laurro shared a brief statement to confirm the sad news. It read: "Lulu Roman was unsung. She endured much adversity in her life that helped her become a joy to others." Lulu had starred on CBS show Hee Haw for a number of decades, appearing on over 150 episodes between 1969 and 1992. She previously claimed that she had been "hired to be the fat girl". She said in an interview with News Channel 5 in 2024: "They needed one boy next door, one fat dumb man, one fat dumb woman. Buck [Owens] said, "I got your girl! She's in Dallas!"' During her time on the show, Lulu reinvented herself as a gospel singer. She would later go on to release over a dozen albums while also performing regularly in concert. Among those she recorded with included Dolly Parton. Speaking to The 700 Club in 2010 she revealed how she lost 200 pounds after the show had ended.
