Leighann Lord brings a fresh perspective to the raucous world of comedy. Equal parts intelligent and witty, this self-proclaimed “very funny lady” utilizes both of those attributes to create her own unique brand of stand-up comedy. A native New Yorker, Lord is a contributing writer to the Huffington Post and the creator of The Urban Erma, a weekly humor column featured on StageTimeMag.com. Rolling out sat down to delve into the mind of this rising comedic star. –wesley brown
You’ve described your stand-up style as ‘urbane’ rather than ‘urban.’ What’s the difference?
‘Urbane’ literally means to be well traveled — you’ve been out in the world and you’re not just limited to the viewpoint of your neighborhood or block. I’m a well-rounded person and don’t want to be pigeonholed into one category. Many often relate a black comedian with ‘Def Comedy Jam’ or ‘Comic View.’ I try to communicate to people that you cannot judge a book by its cover.
In your everyday life, do you have a hard time being taken seriously?
Sometimes, yes. Most times, if people don’t know I’m a comic, I won’t tell them because they tend to second-guess everything I say. Many [people] automatically think I’m supposed to be funny all of the time.
Who inspires you?
Paul Mooney, George Carlin, [and] Marsha Warfield [of ‘Night Court’ fame] just to name a few. Aside from Moms Mabley, Marsha had a huge influence on me. To see a black woman [at that time] doing stand-up was crazy! She spoke of ‘grown folks’ business’ and just didn’t care what came out of her mouth. Her style was carefree, very smooth and confident.
