Paul Rudnick (b.1957) is an American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and essayist known for his sharp wit and satirical humor. His works span theater, film, and literature, earning him recognition as a leading humorist.
Born in Piscataway, New Jersey, he studied at Yale University before moving to New York City to pursue writing. His first play, Poor Little Lambs (1982,) was a comedy about Yale’s all-male singing group. His breakthrough came with I Hate Hamlet (1991,) a Broadway comedy about an actor haunted by John Barrymore’s ghost.
Rudnick gained acclaim for Jeffrey (1993,) a comedy about the AIDS crisis that won an Obie Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and John Gassner Playwriting Award. His later plays include The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told (1998,) Valhalla (2004,) Regrets Only (2006,) and The New Century (2008.)
His novels include Social Disease (1986,) I’ll Take It (1990,) Playing the Palace (2021,) and Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style (2023.) His essay collections I Shudder (2009) and If You Ask Me (2014) showcase his humorous reflections on life and pop culture. His screenplays include Sister Act (1992,) Addams Family Values (1993,) In & Out (1997,) and Coastal Elites (2020.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Paul Rudnick
There is only one blasphemy, and that is the refusal to experience joy.
—Paul Rudnick
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