Author: Pamela Medley

Yamaneika Saunders is the quintessential comedienne for our time. She’s sharp, quick-witted, versatile… and of course, hilarious! Her brutally honest anecdotes and surprisingly candid delivery will have you rolling in the aisles asking the dreaded question, “Did she really go there?” In a review by Avalon UK, she is described as ‘one of the most talented, unique, and multifarious multi-hyphenate artists.’  No wonder too as the list of talents on her repertoire is as long as the trek from Cape to Cairo!  

You may recognize her as the panelist on the Meredith Viera Show or as the correspondent from the Jimmy Fallon Show, but she is a truly a classic Renaissance Comic. Her talents extend far and wide over the entertainment sector and include acting, writing, hosting and even voice-acting. As a stand-up comedienne, her humor is relatable and fitting; touching on topics as sensitive and relevant as race, family responsibility and gender roles.

She often takes the audience on a journey with her captivating storytelling and comedic timing. Her material is blunt, open and direct interwoven with a self-deprecation that is both charming and refreshing! Although her gift for the funny is unquestionable, her journey to the stars has been long, arduous and winding and is a true testament to her boldness and courage. 

Born Yamaneika Torae Saunders in Aberdeen, Maryland USA, she attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and moved to New York in pursuit of her dreams at the tender age of 21. She has cited her mother as her inspirational campaigner; a role model who raised and encouraged her to follow her dreams. Her first official win was working with Gladys Simone in the Comedy Room and the rest, as they say is history!

You may have seen her perform at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, or caught up with her on the NBC’s hit show Last Comic Standing in 2014, where she finished strong as a semi-finalist. Included in her portfolio are bouts of collaboration alongside other multi-talented stars such as Caroline Rhea and Amy Schumar.  However, if you’re prone to derive your comedy fix from audio platforms, then you may know her voice as the therapist in Flatbush Misdemeanors. Also critically acclaimed in that category is her provocative, relatable and funny weekly podcast Rantin’ and Ravin.’

She’s incredibly prolific. She has done a half hour special on Comedy Central and has also been featured in TruTV’s Comedy Knockout. Oh.. And she also does a web series with Kandi Buruss called Kandi Koated Nights, where she hilariously spills all the tea about love, sex, relationships and other “taboo” topics. If you’re a reality TV fan, a personal favorite will be her feature in 2015 on Oxygen’s Funny Girls, where she plays a lead role in this work of art that analyses the behind-the-scenes lives of female comedians.

In her appearances on TV Shows it is evident that she has a beautiful way with audiences across the divide from every walk of life. She’s made an appearance on The Jim Gaffigan Show as well as The Nightly with Larry Wilmore. Her versatility also has even seen her featured on the animated online series In Security. As if that’s all she does! Already mentioned she’s a writer? A darn good one. If you love the Eric Andre Show and That damn Michael Che, then chances are that you’ve already had a sumptuous taste of her humor in writing as she is one of the staff writers on both shows!

 Despite all the “meanderings” her true home is the stand-up comedy stage. If you sit in the audience at one of her shows, you’ll be confronted with an active outspoken and alluring comedienne. To your excitement (or dismay!) you‘ll notice that nothing is off limits- absolutely nothing! Expect a candid conversation about taking her wheelchair-ridden grandfather to the bathroom or about hating the fact that she has to attend her best friend’s wedding! Think that’s bad? Wait till you hear the public service announcement that she is on her periods! Her spunk and confidently appealing attitude has remarkable parallels to Tiffany Haddish, yet her uncensored honesty and refusal to be politically correct echo the sweet sentiments of Dave Chapelle- is this greatness in the making?

Some interesting fun facts to tickle your fancy. Many people are not aware that at some point, a career in the clergy was on the table for discussion and debate with her grandparents both being chapel priests. Her birthday in early November (3rd) makes her a Scorpio. Traits associated with this Sun sign include fearlessness, fierce loyalty, passion, creativity and even unending energy. This we certainly know to be true!

Many people are not aware that at some point in her career, she was booed off the stage at the Apollo. According to her own testimony, people booed her even as she climbed into her car to travel home! This is evidence of her true courage and fighting spirit, as she is now bookmarked as one of the top-rising comediennes of our time. If you visit any of her shows and performances, you’ll notice the crowd doing a lot of things: Rolling on the floor laughing or cocking heads back in delirious merriment. You may see them nudging one another with glee or leaning expectantly forward in anticipation of her next outrageous words. Booing is certainly one thing you will not hear!  If anything, Yem’s resilient spirit and effortless ability to laugh at herself inspires us to contemplate the words of the great Christopher Fry: “Comedy is an escape, not from truth but from despair; a narrow escape into faith.” And who doesn’t need a little bit of that?

Yameneika IMDB

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3347186/

Tweets by yamaneika

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 The Brilliant, Authentic, Jim Jefferies is a one-of-a-kind comedian in this modern era. He will either have you splitting your sides with laughter…or you may form part of a small group in the audience gritting their teeth and wishing they could punch his lights out. A 2017 Comedy Central Press Release hailed him as bringing ‘an inquisitive and international point of view’ to the world of comedy.

 

With his charm and brutal honesty, he pushes the boundaries with every show. Audiences all over the world love his authenticity while some are offended. That’s just the effect he has on audiences all over the world. Jim is not afraid to put sacred cows on the altar of brutal comedic honesty. Be it political, cultural, gender, or religious, nothing escapes his brilliant mind and sharp, wicked wit.

 

Jim owns his natural flair – or gift – for funny story-telling with a depth that surprises his audience, forcing them to own who they are and take a stand.  But, whether you adore every Jim Jefferies show or never want to hear his name mentioned in front of the kids, grandma, and pets, no one can argue with the fact that he brings a raw, fresh dimension to stand-up comedy.

Born Geoff James Nugent, in Sydney, Australia in 1977, he moved to Perth to study musical theatre and classical music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts but dropped out a few months before graduating.  He returned to his native Sydney to start a career in stand-up comedy before relocating to the United Kingdom soon afterward.  He at first decided to take on a stage name, ‘Jim Jeffries’ but added the extra ‘e’ to spell Jefferies when he realized there was already an American performer with a similar name. In entertainment and the performing arts, it’s common for artists to assume a stage name.

In his eighteen years in the world of comedy, he recorded eight stand-up comedy specials (four with Netflix); four movies, six sitcoms, and several special guest appearances. Most often he creates, writes, and produces his own shows. Jim reminds me of the great names in stand-up comedy who refused to have their art watered down and pigeon-holed by the so-called ‘cultural police.’His boldness to say whatever he wants and face the heat is synonymous with great names like Richard Pryor, who wasn’t afraid to change the rules. The legendary  Ricky Gervais, Dave Chapelle, Joan Rivers, George Carlin, Bill Burr, Bill Maher come to mind, and many more – artists who unapologetically paved the way for candid, open-minded comedy and satire

 

Jeff’s star rose rapidly in the comedy arena due to his ability to include complex, controversial topics into his jokes that most other comedians wouldn’t touch. However, it’s Jim’s unique double-edged approach of charm and brutal honesty that wows the crowds, inasmuch as he offends in equal measure.

 One of my favorite quotes in this regard is by George Carlin.

 “I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn, and cross it deliberately!”

 This quote so succinctly sums up comedy in the new millennium; there is no turning back!

Jefferies did a wide range of blockbuster stand-up comedy specials between 2005 and 2013. But if you are a supremely Netflix fan, Jim Jefferies may only have come up on your radar in 2014 in ‘Bare‘ filmed at the Wilbur Theater where he targeted the US gun laws with his signature style of depth and wicked wit.

Jim became a household name as a comedian in the US with his sitcom ‘Legit,’ which he created, wrote, and co-produced. The series ran for 26 episodes between 2013 and 2014 and was highly acclaimed, especially by the differently-abled community. The show’s success was atrributed to it featuring artists with various physical and neuromuscular conditions, including dwarfism. In an interview, Jim matter-of-factly stated that they simply cast the best artist who auditioned for a specific role, with no fuss or strings attached.

 Then, in 2017, came his major break on Comedy Central, with ‘The Jim Jefferies Show‘ that ran from 2017 to 2019. In his announcement of the half-hour series that was to be executive-produced by Jim and a team of co-producers, Kent Alterman, the President of Comedy Central, stated;

 “Jim has a huge comedic voice on the global stage. During development, we also learned his talent is only surpassed by his incredible work ethic.”

The UK Guardian, in a 2010 review of Jefferies’ stand-up comedy show in London, launched a ‘scathing attack’ on the comedian in response to Jim’s statement, “A big proportion of the world is as thick as s***!” The journalist, who was clearly antagonized, poured out his contempt for Jim’s brand of comedy, citing him as a “bland phrase-maker, and a so-so joke-writer, unable to attract intellectuals.”

In a 2019 review of the late-night show, the journalist for the Guardian cited the show as ‘wallowing in feces’ as Jim delivered an in-depth anecdote of his severe reaction to lactose intolerance while on a date with a germophobe. The journalist, who referred to Jefferies as having made his name by misogynistic, bad-boy stand-up comedy, added that there were moments during his performance when he ‘managed to ‘raise a smile.’  It sounds to me as if  Jefferies has gone up in the ratings of the Guardian during the past 9 years.

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Bibliography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jefferieshttps://www.dead-rog.com/comedians/comic/jim-jefferies

 

https://press.cc.com/press-release/2017/03/03/press-jim-jefferies-brings-inquisitive-and-international-point-of-view-to-comedy-central-in-new-weekly-late-night-series 

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2010/dec/20/jim-jefferies-review

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/nov/29/jim-jefferies-funniest-things

https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/comedy/jim-jefferies-gun-control-full-transcript/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jim-jefferies-star-nbc-comedy-1272409/

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