Lotus Weinstock

Marlene Weinstock, (January 29, 1943[1] – August 31, 1997)[2] more commonly known by her stage name Lotus Weinstock, was an American stand-up comedian, author, musician, and actress.

Weinstock was born in Philadelphia.[3] Her parents were Robert and Lucille Weinstock.[4] She studied at the Philadelphia Dance Academy.[5]

Early in her career, she changed her name to Maurey Haydn.[6] Under this name, one of her songs was recorded by Richie Havens.[1] After moving to Los Angeles, she regularly performed at The Comedy Store and the LA location of The Improv. She performed on The Merv Griffin Show and The Tonight Show.[7] At The Comedy Store's Belly Room she was considered a "den mother" to the roster of female comics.[8] She often is cited along with Paul Mooney as a mentor to Sandra Bernhard, whom she met performing in Los Angeles at the Ye Little Club.[9] Bernhard and Weinstock would collaborate on an act where they would perform a catfight onstage.[8] She wrote a book titled The Lotus Position in 1982, which had sold over 60,000 copies at the time of her death (brain tumor) in 1997.[2] The LA Improv had a memorial for her a week after her death.[3]

She was the fiancée of comedian Lenny Bruce at the time of his death in 1966 and later married filmmaker David Jove, with whom she had a child, the violinist Lili Haydn.[3]