Sunda Croonquist Sued by Mother-in-law, Ruth Zafrin, After Making Her the Butt of Too Many of Her Jokes

Comedienne Sunda Croonquist has been sued by her mother-in-law, Ruth Zafrin, for using her as the butt of jokes in her comedy routines. Well, I guess "take my mother-in-law" is off limits for her. Ms. Zafrin is accusing Croonquist of spreading false, defamatory and racist lies with her in-law jokes that have become a staple part of her routine in nightclubs and on television channels such as Comedy Central. Croonquist is half-black, half-Swedish, grew up Roman Catholic and married into a Jewish family. Well, guess who's not welcome at any family functions her in-laws are having? In addition to Ms. Zafrin, her daughter, Shelley Edelman, and Shelley's husband, Neil. Neither Zafrin are plaintiffs on the lawsuit.

Take the one about her mother-in-law's reaction to news she was pregnant with her first child: "OK, now that we know you're having a little girl I want to know what you're naming that little tchotchke. Now we don't want a name that's difficult to pronounce like Shaniqua. We're thinking a name short but delicious. Like Hadassah or Goldie."

Or her first visit to her mother-in-law's house: "I walk in, I say, 'Thank you so much for having me here, Ruthie.' She says, 'The pleasure's all mine, have a seat.'" Then, in a loud aside, 'Harriet, put my pocketbook away.'" Croonquist said there was a time when her in-laws would laugh with everyone else at the black-member-of-a-Jewish-family jokes. "They played my tape at Passover one year, and they loved it!" she said. Source: Google News

Things went sour when she posted information on her web site that, according to her in-laws, allowed pretty much anyone to figure out their identities. She was sued in April in the U.S. District Court in New Jersey, where they currently reside.  The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and demands that Croonquist remove any offensive statements from her Web site, routines and recordings. In response, Croonquist said she would
drop any language her family finds offensive, but refuses to pay any settlement. Her lawyer has filed a motion to have the suit dismissed, and a judge is scheduled to hear it on Sept. 8. It's amazing how money can literally divide families. If the mother-in-law wants to stop being the butt of her jokes, why does she need a monetary settlement to make it right? This woman is the mother of her son's children. Surely an amicable and peaceful resolution outside of the legal system can be attained. The love of money is the root of all evil.