LEIGHANN LORD
I’ve been a stand-up comedian for 25 years (yes, I started when I was 10.) Comedy has literally taken me around the world and back again; from Baghdad to Brooklyn. It has opened the door to being an actor, author and keynote speaker. I believe that humor makes people happy. Happiness gives us hope and my hope is that if we can laugh together we can live together.
As a second generation American of Caribbean descent, I consider myself lucky (you don’t get to choose your parents). Now retired, my Mom was a pre-school teacher. She stayed home with me until I was four-years old, teaching me how to read, write and use my imagination. My Dad, a king masquerading as a civil servant, was the head of the New York City Fire Department’s print shop (which means I can have incredibly geeky conversations about kerning and fonts). The baby of the family and the only girl, I grew up with a lot of love and laughter, which is where my comedy comes from. I’m not the funniest person in my family; just the one who gets paid for it.
I had a busy childhood: dance classes, girl scout meetings and regular outings to see Broadway and Off Broadway shows, which laid the foundation for my love of theatre and my work as an actor.
A native New Yorker, I was raised in Jamaica, Queens. In high school (St. Francis Preparatory School – Go Terriers!) I was a member of the color guard, marching band and drum corps (of course I thought I was the next Sheila E!). I earned a place in the LEAD Program (Leadership Education and Development) and INROADS. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baruch College, City University of New York, with a degree in Journalism & Creative Writing. I was accepted into City University’s Creative Writing MFA program but chose instead to pursue a career in Stand-Up Comedy.
Well… I didn’t go straight into stand-up. I took a five-year detour into corporate America. I hated it. It was great! There’s nothing like having a job you don’t want to motivate you to find the career you do.
I love doing stand-up and infusing humor into my keynotes because of the effect it has on people. I love watching them laugh, know and grow. When someone comes up to me after a show or a talk and says, “I really needed that;” when they share a bit of their lives with me – anything from a job loss, to a death in the family or just a plain old bad day; and they say I made them laugh and feel better — that’s good stuff. That’s great stuff! It’s humbling and mutually uplifting. We need that.”
Life is hard. Laugh harder.
I’m a dog lover, believing that life is better with fur in it. I look forward to someday soon being a dog mom again. I’m an avid science fiction fan. Star Wars or Star Trek? Why do we have to choose? It’s all sci-fi big love. Live Long & Prosper!
10 Fun Facts About Me (In No Particular Order)
- My Favorite Golden Girl is Dorothy (And yes, I’ve been to the Golden Girls Café in New York City. It’s official name is Rue La Rue.)
- I’m a serious Science Fiction fan and have been to Dragon Con three times. (What’s Dragon Con? It’s Comic Con with dragons.)
- I have a black belt in mixed martial arts (kickboxing and submission grappling). It’s way rusty but I earned it.
- If given the opportunity I’m sure the Hogwarts sorting hat would put me in Ravenclaw.
- I was a member of my high school marching band and a member of the drum corps. I started on the base drum and moved up to the snare line. (That one time in band camp… Another fun sub-fact: I’ve never seen American Pie.)
- The quirkiest thing I do? I’m super organized so I fold my underwear, safety pin my socks and label my clear, Container Store shoe boxes according to color, heel height and season. Doesn’t everybody?
- My favorite sci-fi movie is T 2, followed closely by Serenity.
- On a scale from one to 10, how much of a nerd am I? 42.
- I still sleep with a Teddy Bear. His name is Bear.
- I’m not religious. I’d like to describe myself as a Humanist but human beings are a hard species to love, so … I guess that makes me a Dogist. (Life is better with fur in it. You too, cat people.)
Twitter: @LeighannLord
