Anyone who is familiar with the entertainment world understands that one of the toughest performance genres to break into is comedy. So many aspiring comedians crash and burn and they are forced to watch their ambitions go up in smoke. Even some of the most natural comedians admit that they struggled initially before they found their groove in the industry. To be able to not perform comedy to be successful at writing it for others is truly rare, but that is exactly what Amber Ruffin has done. None only has she earned her wings as a standup comedian, but she is a lead writer for the Late Night with Seth Meyers show. While she has been around for a while, there is likely a lot that you do not know about this talented comedian, so we are sharing five facts that will help familiarize you with this beautiful comedian.
1. She is Well-rounded in the Industry
It is one thing to be respected in the performing industry as a comedian, which is a crowning achievement. There is something powerful about having the ability to make people laugh, it is an ability to help people heal from traumatic experiences and get through rough patches in their laugh. I have a great deal of respect for the work of comedians. But Amber is not only a comedian, she is a writer, a producer, an actress and more. She has proven that she has the gifts and talents to last in the business.
2. She Made It Do What It Do on Key and Peele
The Key and Peele franchise has gained international acclaimed because they are able to take social and political issues and effectively address them in a comedic manner. Amber had an opportunity to work with the duo in 2012 in a skit called Party Wife. Amber played the role of the party wife, and she knocked it out of the park. Over her career, she has proven that she not only has comedic skills but she also has range.
3. She Is an Industry Pioneer
While it has gone under the radar, when Amber took on her role with The Late Night with Seth Meyers production, she became the first African American woman to write for a late-night talk in the Western hemisphere. In a time in which both, Blacks and women are fighting to find equal footing in an industry that has been historically dominated by men, this accomplishment has huge implications as for as opportunities for women and people of color are concerned.
4. She Is Also a Great Narrator
When I think of great narrators, I think of James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley and Keith David. There is something about these gentlemen’s voices. However, Sigourney Weaver and Sarah McLoughlin have shown that women can make great narrators as well, and Amber Ruffin has joined the ranks as the regular narrator for the Comedy Central show, Drunk History.
5. She Has Been Nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award
There are some people who do not give a great deal of gravity to award nominations, but there are some awards where being nominated can literally change the course an entertainer’s career. These nominations provided added exposure and introduce the entertainer to a host of people who would have otherwise not known about them. In 2017, Amber was nominated for a Writers Guild Award in the area of Comedy/Variety. If she keeps going, with her work ethic, it is likely that she will get that award and much more.
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