Leighann Lord

Smart, sexy, savvy, and funny, Leighann Lord’s “heads up humor” is stand-up comedy at it’s finest. Inspired by the brilliance of George Carlin, the smooth jazz style of Franklyn Ajaye, and the elegance of Rita Rudner, Leighann has crafted her own unique brand of Thinking Cap Comedy. It’s no wonder she received the NYC Black Comedy Award for “The Most Thought Provoking Black Female Comic.” And for two consecutive years, Leighann was Harlem Week’s official comedian. (The only other comedian in Harlem Week’s history to earn that distinction was Richard Pryor.) Leighann has been a favorite on college campuses across the country. The most memorable for her is Harvard University. “I did a show for the Black Student’s Association at Harvard. Dr. Cornel West (Harvard professor and author of “Race Matters”) was in the audience.” After receiving a standing ovation, “He complimented me with words I’d never heard before, and I’m an English major! I wanted to say, ‘Wait, let me get my dictionary.’” One of the hottest comics in the country and usually dressed to impress, Leighann brings the funny and the sexy. Audiences are consistently enlightened, uplifted, and entertained. You’ll laugh during the show and long after. Leighann has performed around the world. In London she appeared at The Comedy Store, and on the BBC show Blouse and Skirt (think Politically Incorrect meets BET). In The Netherlands, she was a guest on the popular late night talk show Raymann is Late and The Comedy Factory. A festival favorite, Leighann has been featured in the Trinidad, Montreal, Winnipeg, Halifax, Boston, Detroit, and NYC Underground Comedy Festivals. She also entertained U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia during Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as troops helping the Haitian earthquake relief effort during Operation Unified Response. As an actress, Leighann has appeared in the George Lucas film Radioland Murders and on several TV shows including Charlie Rose and That Money Show (PBS). She has also been seen in commercials for Lean Cuisine, US Cellular, ESPN, Bank of America, and Cox Cable. Her theater work includes Raft of the Medusa (The New Jersey Repertoire Theatre); Theatre Dreams and The Punch and Judy Show (The Creative Acting Company). Her one-woman show, which she wrote and produced, The Full Swanky, debuted in The Riant Theatre Women’s Play Festival, where it was nominated for Best Play and Best Director. Leighann won the festival award for Best Actress. She was also nominated for an AUDELCO Recognition Award for Best Solo Performance. Her short play, This is It debuted at the Writers in Performance Program at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. As a comedic commentator Leighann has pulled pundit duty on Arise360, VH1, Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC giving her informed and funny take on current events. She is a co-host on NiteShift (WBAI Radio, NYC) and the Emmy-nominated StarTalk (Radio & NatGeo) with astrophysicist Dr. Neil de Grasse Tyson. As a writer Leighann’s weekly humor blog, The Urban Erma, is the longest running column on StageTimeMag.com. It is the observations and ruminations of a freethinking, globetrotting, African-American, female stand-up comedian. The readers’ theater-style podcast can be heard on iTunes and Stitcher Radio. Leighann has contributed to Medium, The Huffington Post, and she wrote for the pilot of The Chris Rock Show. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America, East. A native New Yorker, Leighann was raised in South Jamaica Queens. She attended St. Francis Preparatory High School playing in drum corps and marching band. Go Terriers! She earned a place in the prestigious and completive LEAD and INROADS Programs. Leighann won a scholarship to Baruch College, City University of New York, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA degree in Journalism and Creative Writing. Leighann is the author of "Dict Jokes: Alternate Definitions for Words You’ve Probably Never Heard of But Will Definitely Never Forget." It’s based on the idea that words would be a lot more fun if they meant what they sound like. Indeed “grammatology” sounds like the study of grandmothers, doesn’t it? Her latest book, “Real Women Do It Standing Up: Stories From the Career of a Very Funny Lady” has been called “Witty and unexpectedly vulnerable. Guaranteed laughs and wistful smiles. Perfection.” Both titles and more are available on Amazon. Leighann’s stand-up album, "I’ve Got Connections" (available on iTunes) is frequently heard on Sirius Satellite Radio and she has appeared on many stand-up comedy shows including Girls Night Out (Lifetime), The Original Def Comedy All Star Jam (HBO), Premium Blend (Comedy Central), The World Stands Up (Comedy Central), Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, VH1's 40 Most Shocking Celebrity Hair Moments, The View (ABC), Comic Quickies (SiTV), HA! Comedy (Gospel Music Channel), and We Got Next (AspireTV). Named one of New York’s 10 Hot Comics by Improper Magazine her web site, VeryFunnyLady.com, says it all!