How Leslie Jones Became a Comedian

About this episode

Leslie Jones discusses her journey to finding her comedic voice and the influences that shaped her career.

Comedian and actress Leslie Jones has lived a lot of life and she wants you to know it. The Saturday Night Live alum and veteran stand-up comic returns with a new special, called “Leslie Jones: Life Part 2.” In this interview, Jones traces the long road to discovering her comedic voice. She speaks candidly about family life and the comedians like Richard Pryor who influenced her at a young age. We talk about the time she first fell in love with comedy in college and the many years she spent honing her craft. Jones contends that our current generation needs to accept the struggle, and not try to shortcut the process. We learn about what that creative process is for Jones as she developed her newest special. She offers her take on whether comedians have a responsibility in our culture to provoke thought or if simply getting a laugh is enough.

People in this episode

Guest: Leslie Jones

Topics covered

• comedy
• influence
• creative process
• stand-up
• cultural responsibility

Keywords

• Saturday Night Live
• Life Part 2
• Richard Pryor
• comedic voice
• struggle

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Leslie Jones: Life Part 2

Books & works: Saturday Night Live, Leslie Jones: Life Part 2

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