Virtually every big name in comedy, from Richard Pryor to Jay Leno to Roseanne Barr, had to first pass Mitzi Shore’s sniff test.
A giant in the world of standup, tributes from comedians started streaming in on Wednesday after news of Shore’s death at the age of 87 broke.
Shore’s son, Pauly Shore, was among the first to pay tribute. The actor-comedian, known for roles in ’90s-era comedies including “Encino Man,” said, “My heart lays heavy,” when he shared the news of Shore’s passing on Twitter.
Later in the day, Jim Carrey — who came up through Shore’s Comedy Store in Hollywood early in his career — offered his sentiments, which included a piece of his original art, on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JimCarrey/status/984157020424028160
Other comedy stars, including Whitney Cummings, Patton Oswalt, Marc Maron and more shared their condolences on Twitter. Andrew Dice Clay shared a lengthy tribute on Instagram, saying, in part: “She did so much for so many.”
Here is a collection of the many tributes Shore on social media:
Mom/Mitzi passed Early in the morning at 4.42 am she was 87 years old my heart lays heavy
— Pauly Shore (@PaulyShore) April 11, 2018
#RIPMitziShore Sending all my love and thoughts and prayers with the Shore family. @PaulyShore ❤️
— Ken Jeong (@kenjeong) April 11, 2018
Mitzi Shore was a pioneer who gave more comics their start than I can count…I did my first legit comedy gig at the Store. She was a woman in a male dominated business who pulled no punches, something I always admired. My heart goes out to @paulyshore and the entire Shore family pic.twitter.com/kabGgWMVuR
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) April 11, 2018
This amazing lady helped shape the American comedy landscape for decades. Mitzi Shore was, and will remain, an absolute legend. My condolences to @PaulyShore on the loss of his Mom and to the @TheComedyStore for the loss of a friend. https://t.co/slVgKMPgck
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) April 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/WhitneyCummings/status/982861775396679680
https://twitter.com/WhitneyCummings/status/984094721667547136
Mitzi Shore made an indelible mark on comedy and my brain. ‘You’re a poet. You should wear a scarf on stage.’ RIP
— marc maron (@marcmaron) April 11, 2018
RIP Mitzi Shore. I should’ve taken the doorman job when you offered it to me.
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 11, 2018
RIP Mitzi @TheComedyStore Thanks for being the first person to ever believe in me. I love you. My thoughts and prayers are with the Shore family. Scott, Sandy, Peter, and Pauly. Love you all. Mike. #thecomedystore #mitzishore pic.twitter.com/T2KHNX4sx0
— Mike Binder (@MikeBinderjokes) April 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/chadzumock/status/984087454557884416
Sad to hear of the passing of Mitzi Shore. The Comedy Store on Sunset was the "Cape Canaveral" of comedy launching upcoming comics into orbit. My condolences to @PaulyShore and his family. https://t.co/qFbIRxqwwK
— Brian O'Halloran 💙 (@BrianCOHalloran) April 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/fortunefunny/status/984103234078892032
https://twitter.com/iliza/status/984109966926729216
RIP to the mother of all comedy Mitzi Shore. The laughs won't be the same, but the legacy will live on forever.
— stu stone (@stustone) April 11, 2018
We lost a pioneer, visionary, mom, and all-around bad ass person today.
Thank you for everything you did for comedy, your legacy will continue on forever.
Rest In Peace Mitzi Shore.
I’m sorry for your loss @PaulyShore
— bert kreischer (@bertkreischer) April 11, 2018
RIP Mitzi Shore. Thank you for changing all of our lives for the better.
— Josh Wolf (@joshwolfcomedy) April 11, 2018
RIP Mitzi Shore. Thanks for all you’ve done for so many comedians.
— Adam Hunter (@AdamComedian) April 11, 2018
Rest In Peace, Mitzi Shore.
— Johnny Taylor, Jr. (@hipsterocracy) April 11, 2018
Mitzi Shore died today. She was a titan in the world of comedy. Though my comedy path has kept me in NYC, what Mitzi did at the Comedy Store in LA changed modern standup. The room she built and the talent she fostered helped make standup what it is today. Thank you Mitzi.
— Dan LaMorte (@DanLaMorte) April 11, 2018
In the early 80’s I dated actor/comedian Gabe Kaplan, and he introduced me to a very talented comedian by the name of Roseanne Barr @therealroseanne 😊 while she was performing at the ‘Comedy Store.’
😇 #ComedyStore Owner #MitziShore R.I.P. 😇https://t.co/6sOqDVYury
— Robbin Young (@Robbin_Young) April 11, 2018
RIP Mitzi Shore, the only person I ever met who could make you feel like being declared an "unpaid regular" was an accomplishment.
— J. Elvis Weinstein (@JElvisWeinstein) April 11, 2018
RIP Mitzi Shore – She was and will forever be the most innovative and influential person in stand up comedy. The Comedy Store is not just a club, but a community where I've met friends that I will have for the rest of my life. Mitzi – Love you, you're impossible to follow.
— Al Madrigal (@almadrigal) April 11, 2018
RIP Mitzi Shore. @thecomedystore is such a special place. There's no other place like it. I have such respect and admiration for what she built.
— Luis J. Gomez (@luisjgomez) April 11, 2018