Nina Budd, beloved patriarch and longtime Orlando’s “Mama’s Comedy Show” icon passed away earlier this month at the age of 78.
Fans of the weekly improvisation show will be delighted with occasional appearances from Bud, the “sakky” Italian mother who loved everything about the “child” she performed on stage.
“Mama’s Comedy Show” debuted in 2007 with the Sluth Mystery Dinner Show, and will entertain audiences with Ten 10 Brewing on Friday nights.
The show may sound family friendly, but it is actually only intended for a mature audience, with kids playing improvised games raising money by joking that “Mom” is back in prison.
Her son, Ed Budd, is one of the cast members, and I remember the first time his mom appeared on the show in person.
“She’ll be coming to a special event. The first event was one of our anniversary shows. The story was that she was out of prison,” he said. “Everyone gave her a standing ovation that must have lasted two solid minutes. People kept coming to her for autographs. My mother was over the moon.
Another cast member, Jaimz Dillman, said they feel like family, despite the performers not blood parents.
“Everyone on the show is family. We’re all cousins. It’s a family of “fun in the midst of dysfunction,” Dilman said. “When I joined ‘Mom’ and got to know Ed’s mom, it felt like another part of that family puzzle. When she first came to the show, she sat in front of the audience, shining with her “child” and pride on stage. ”
Nina Budd had a way of pulling people into her trajectory wherever she went – something obvious throughout her last year.
“She went into a nursing home and was worried that no one would know,” Ed Budd said. “A month after she began living there, she ran for president of the Resident Council. She eventually won with the Activity Director and became a close friend. After that, she only took two months to live there.”
After she passed away, the format of the show on Friday will not change much to keep Mama’s myth in prison. However, later this summer, the cast gather to remember their beloved icons.
“Mom’s ‘child’ and some audience members come together to share the story. She was our motivation and cheerleader. She loved comedy,” Ed Budd said. “She loved promoting people to make others laugh. She wanted to show you how funny you were.”
In addition to her son and “children” performing at the show, Nina Bad was survived by two daughters, Lucille Ogden and Terry “Terry” Rogzinski and seven grandchildren.
Dilman said the show must continue the “mama” spirit through comedy.
“She was cocky. She was an old-fashioned classic Italian mom. She personified not only her personality, but her ability to love those who attended our show,” she said. “We know she’s always around because making the crowd laugh so she keeps her alive. I think the best thing you can do for someone is to hold their memories with joy.”
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Original issue: 6am EDT, June 20, 2025
