A Scottish performer, she said she believed there were “funny sides” to terrible experiences, including some that she drew from her own times of loss and hardship.
Janey Godley, a Scottish comedian, actor and writer whose hard-hitting, candid wit established her as a comedy star and who became widely known for her parody voice-overs of elected leaders during the coronavirus pandemic, died on Saturday in Glasgow. She was 63.
Her death, at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, was caused by ovarian cancer, according to her manager, Chris Davis. Ms. Godley announced in September that she had exhausted her treatment options and had entered palliative care.
She gained a following during the coronavirus pandemic performing parodies that reimagined what officials were saying — or perhaps secretly thinking — during their public addresses. One favorite subject was Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s leader at the time.
Ms. Sturgeon seemed to appreciate the humor, calling Ms. Godley her “alter ego.” Ms. Godley’s videos, some observers said, led her to become a distinctive voice helping to spread public health messages during the pandemic.
Other world leaders were not spared Ms. Godley’s voice-over treatment. Her targets also included Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Theresa May of Britain, President Donald J. Trump and Queen Elizabeth II.
“Here’s the thing: Women my age are constantly being told we don’t know how to work the internet — but I nailed it,” she joked in an interview. “I showed these 22-year-olds how it’s done.”
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Source: Television - nytimes.com
