It all took place at the famous Comedy Store on Sunset in West Hollywood, CA. One of the most prominent and astounding leading women in comedy, just finished ripping the stage. I am sitting backstage with a beautiful, black, female icon. It was a true honor for me to be face to face with a legend. Luenell has been on the silver screen, the TV screen, and she owns every stage that she steps on. She has been called the female Richard Pryor, why, because she takes risk . She is definitely not afraid to tell it like it is! Luenell will tell you in a minute that she does not give a fuck. What she does give is laughter and love. This funny queen with the golden hair and golden smile also has a golden heart.
Luenell shares her thoughts, her life and her world with Treazuremag.com in this exclusive interview.
Where are you from?
I was born in Tollette, Arkansas. Then I transferred to the bay area.
Were you a class clown?
I don’t think so until one day in class, they made a “class clown" hat out of a paper plate and gave it to me. So I guess so.
How and when did your career start in comedy?
Well I had moved to L.A. 3 times. This time it stuck. It was move to LA it doesn’t work so I go back. The 2nd time I came I was living with a friend of mine who was a beautiful, black, British girl, she looked like a thicker version of Sade. She was a call girl . One of her tricks was this comedian. He would call the house and always tell her that I was so funny. Then one day he called and said that if I ever wanted to do comedy that I should come down to my spot. He said he had a place called Bid Wiz in Long Beach so he said anytime I was ready to come on down. At the time, I did not want to do comedy. I wanted to sing back ground for Luther Vandross. One night I am sitting on the patio with my friends making homemade margaritas and I said let's go on down there. I got the courage and I had some stuff on my mind. The first night I went up there I killed it. Robin Harris and Reynaldo Rey were in the room. Robin Harris came up to me and gave me a card, which I have laminated now. He said you need to go down to the Comedy Act Theater. So I went down and I met D.L. . We were young when we started doing shows together. It just sort of snowballed from there.
Do you ever want to do both sing and comedy?
That’s where musical theater comes in. I did musical theater before I did comedy or anything. It has comedy, singing, and performance.
What are some of the issues and challenges you face as a female in this industry?
I am a mother of a pre-teen. I am single and a divorce’. I am the baby of 8 kids. I have the same issues that a lot of women have. It is just finding that balance. It is doing homework, going to the club, coming home, waking up and taking my child to school. Then there is the parent teacher meeting, then going to an audition, getting hair done, dealing with periods.. all that kind of stuff.
Do you feel that comedy is a man’s sport?
It’s a man’s world. Comedy is definitely a man’s sport. The women do not get the groupies that the men do. Male comics get the same groupies that male rock stars and male singers do. Then most men don’t want women who can put their lives, their sex lives even on tape and have people laugh at them. It depends on how you treat us as female comics. If you treat us great, we will tell the world that we have a man that treats us great. If you treat us like shit we will probably tell the world, I got a man that treat me like shit, How about you?
Who inspired you and what female do you think set the tone for female comediennes?
I have to say Moms Mabley and Lawanda Paige because they are black. However, I tend to go with slap stick and racier women such as Lucille Ball, Kathy Griffin, Carol Burnett, Elaine Bosworth, Sandra Bernhardt and Joan Rivers. Those were the women who were not afraid to speak up and speak out. They are not afraid to say “Fuck Everybody.” You know I am risky. Kathy Griffin is one of my idols. She has been banned from award shows for her comments. But who cares because she still has a million dollar house and still does her thing. Getting banned makes her more famous. I feel that if you are afraid of getting banned then go to church and get out the game.
Do you find that a lot with women? They are afraid of being risque’ and vocal?
Those are the women who are TRYING to be comics. Women comics know the deal. We don’t give a fuck ,we never gave a fuck and if we did we would never try to do this. There are women who want to be comics for several reasons. Some become comics because their husbands won’t let them talk, or they got a big ass and they want to get on stage, and some just want the attention. But they are not comics. A comic is my baby is sick but I have to do a show that is going to pay me $5000. So do you stay home with your sick baby or go make the 5K so you can be able to pay for medical attention for your sick baby. You decide to do the show. That is a comic. That is fucked up but that is what it is. How can I buy her medicine, if I don’t get the money?
What are you currently working on? I hear there is a movie, a radio show and some other exciting things in the works!
I have several irons in the fire. (LOL) I cannot really talk about them right now. God is a blessing. Every time I think that I hit my bottom, I go to church and give willingly my tithes and offerings. Then God shows me and tells me “See I told You,” I went to church on Sunday and I had 5 blessings..Three of them today, seven if you want to count waking up.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
I want to have my own show. I want to start directing and producing. I want to be a novel force in the industry. I like telling people what to do because I know what I am talking about 97% of the time. If I am wrong then you have to show me. I want to help other people who have a vision. All they need is a chance. Kat Williams, Sacha Baron Cohen, BET, and VH1 gave me a chance and I was able to deliver.
Tell us about the movie Spring Breakdown:
I have a cameo in the movie the Spring Breakdown starring Parker Posey and Amber Camblin. It was a blessing that I was in that. It was the first movie that I was in that was featured at Sundance Film Festival. I also did a new movie with Sandra Bullock entitled “All About Steve.”
Tell us about your charity work:
I have several charities/causes that I constantly contribute to. One is the Kierrah Foundation which helps young women who are emancipated out of the foster care system. I also participate in various charities dealing with pediatric aids and breast cancer. I have had my scare with breast cancer and it was a blessing that I don’t have it. I also like to help kids with arts. I was a part of the generation when Ronald Reagan and the confederates came in taking out the arts in schools and dropping down crack. Systematic genocide!
How do you maintain your inner strength?
You actually have to have a team around you to help you maintain your inner strength. I have my daughter, I have my stupid baby daddy, I have my publicist who is more than a publicist she is also a friend, and Bill is my manager and friend for life for almost 20 years. I keep a tight network and it seems like it gets tighter every week. I feel you can’t maintain your inner strength by yourself. You have to have people around you to tell you that you are the shit when you need to hear that. You need people to tell you that you ain’t shit when you need to hear that. My daughter is my main cheerleader of my team.
Luenell's Motto: LIVE , LAUGH, LOVE
WWW.HEYLUENELL.COM
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