Interview with Glenda Jaxson

What inspired you to become a Stand up Comedian?

Several years ago, I moved into a new street and a friend who lived up the road who does, hair, cake etc, saw an advert to be a comedian and said let’s go? I wasn’t going to go, as I felt no-one could tell me how to tell jokes as I knew I was naturally funny, and especially as the fee was £60. Anyway I went to support my friend (who paid the entrance for us both). It was somewhere in Battersea and was really good. My friend went on stage but because she fancied the compeer, she got nervous and was unable to perform. I kept prompting her.

Rudy Lickwood, who overheard said; well if you can do it then why don’t you try.

What was your first stand up gig like?

My first real gig (after obtaining my certificate) was at Willesden Library. I had bumped into a contact on the comedy circuit and said ‘I’ve got my certificate now.  Who said that he had a show with                 Geoff Schumann, if I was interested?    I went along with my friends and family and sat in the audience with them, but didn’t tell them anything.    After some time, I said I was going to the toilet. Shortly afterwards, my name was announced, my friend’s face was a picture. ‘I killed it, I had a great time, I had the whole 500 people dying with laughter, and I got paid, even though it was an unpaid gig’.  I was on before Angie Lemar, Felix Dexter and Geoff.

Are  there so many Black female comedians now it’s difficult for people to stand out?

No. I actually enjoy it sometimes when I do a gig; I’m often the only woman. There are a lot of young female comedians, but definitely more men.

What lessons has the industry taught you so far in your career?

To be yourself.  You can’t go round stealing people’s jokes, you will be pulled up, severely.  I think it’s very disrespectful for one comic to take another’s joke and run with it.  Do your own stuff and hold your own ground and people will respect you for that.  There are comics who write their stuff beforehand and work from a script.   I don’t I now ensure I know the audience demographic beforehand and have a set in mind for that age group/type of people, but I don’t write it down.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions?

I have won 5 awards, if I was in America and had even one award I would have had a comedy show.  I would love to have done that.