Standup comedy has resulted in legends like Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock; thus, it did not take long before women also saw it as a career choice. Sabrina Jalees only knew she wanted to make people laugh, but turning professional never crossed her mind until she went to a comedy club on one amateur night. She may have taken a long time to come out of the closet, but she is now glad that she did considering how her career has been on an upward trajectory since that brave decision. Check out a few more details about how she ended up as a standup comedian and what stumbling blocks she had to overcome.
1. She had a writer’s block before coming out
Unless you are comfortable in your own skin, then nothing you do will give you the satisfaction you crave. Sabrina was determined to be a comedian, and she even began writing her jokes. However, the secret she kept from her parents and everyone else prevented her from making anything of her creative efforts. Eventually, she dared to admit she was gay, and that was she needed to clear her writer’s block.
2. Her first gig was in Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club
With her discovery of comedy, Sabrina also came to know about standup comedy. Despite their young age, Sabrina and her friends were allowed in comedy clubs, which they preferred since movies were way more expensive. Besides, sitting in the front row gave her chances of being spotted and having the comedians speak to her. During one of her frequent visits, she decided to go to Yuk Yuk’s Comedy club, and the urge to be on stage overwhelmed her. Since it was amateur night, Sabrina reasoned that it was better to be laughed at by strangers than her schoolmates, so she went on stage.
3. Her need for attention led her to comedy
While her classmates concentrated on getting better grades, all Sabrina focused on was how to draw more attention to herself. She admitted to Pride Source that she craved so much attention that all she wanted was to get children to look in her direction. Unfortunately, she also got detention a few times, although the teachers still loved her.
4. She knew she wanted to be a standup comedian the first time she went on stage
People have claimed to fall in love at first sight, but who knew such a feeling could be found even in careers. When Sabrina went on stage for the first time, she did not care that she had only performed in front of her classmates. To the comedian, performing for strangers gave her a euphoric feeling like she was on drugs; hence, she knew from that moment that she wanted to be a comedian. The minute Sabrina went home, she rushed to tell her parents about her newfound calling.
5. She was afraid coming out would affect her work
Many celebrities have gone on record to claim that coming out ruined their careers. Singer Lance Bass claimed that he had to pretend to be straight since NSYNC was driving girls crazy. The group did so well, but when he came out hoping to launch a solo career, it was a regrettable decision. Sabrina feared that she would also go down that road if she dared to reveal her sexuality. However, she realized that her strength was in her daily struggles, and coming out only led to bigger opportunities.
6. She thought standup comedy was for children
When Sabrina made her way to comedy clubs, she never expected to see adults on stage. In her thinking, standup was an extracurricular activity that was not meant for thirty-year-olds, yet they are all she could see on stage. However, with time, Sabrina appreciated it as a career and even admitted to Chatelaine that it is what pays her bills. Sabrina added that she has embraced it as a broader thing, so besides being a writer, she is a performer too.
7. She has never conformed to society’s expectations
It was challenging for Sabrina to claim her gay identity, but she credits her upbringing for helping her become who she is today. Her background facilitated in her appreciation of other cultures. For instance, she is half Pakistani from her father’s side while her mother is Swiss, which makes her identify neither as brown or white. Her mother refused to convert to Islam. Contrastingly, her extended family is Islam, but she insists her mother showed her she does not have to be Muslim to be a good person.
8. Her first jokes were about the 9/11 attacks
One day that remains etched in the memories of every American is that of September 9, 2001, when the terrorist attack happened. It made every person from the Middle East look suspicious, something that goes on even today, especially in the airports. Still, to Sabrina, that was an opportunity to make light of the situation despite being half-Pakistani and with every reason not to even attempt to joke about it. She was embarrassed that her race could be associated with such a despicable thing but used it as a platform to empower herself.
9. She met her son’s father in Mexico
When Sabrina went on a surfing lesson in Mexico, motherhood may not have been the first thing on her mind. However, she met Ricky, a surfer whose generous heart attracted Sabrina; therefore, when she approached him and asked him to be Sabrina’s and her wife’s sperm donor, he was more than glad to do it. What is interesting is that Ricky’s mother also became interested in Sabrina’s son, and she feels blessed that Wolfie has a biological grandmother who loves him too. Ricky has also remained in the picture; Sabrina revealed that he texted her on her birthday about how happy he was that he agreed to go on the parenthood journey.
10. She was not set on settling in Los Angeles
Sabrina got her first staffing job on “Crowded,” an NBC multi-cam, so she told her wife that she would be gone for a few months to write on the show and then go back to Brooklyn, where they lived. However, after arriving in Los Angeles, the environment was so conducive that it did not take long before they both decided to move out of New York.
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