The first woman to have an hour-long comedy special on cable TV was Elayne Boosler. She self-produced her special titled Party of One in 1985, which aired on Showtime in 1986, making her the pioneer female comedian to have an hour-long comedy special on a cable network. Boosler financed the special herself after cable networks initially refused to fund it, believing no one would watch a woman perform an hour of comedy
. Elayne Boosler was known for her observational and frank style, discussing her life as a single woman and including political commentary, which set her apart from earlier female comedians who often used self-deprecating humor focused on traditional female roles
. Her groundbreaking work earned her recognition as "The First Lady of Stand- Up" by Rolling Stone and praise from peers as a trailblazer in comedy
