Lashonda Lester facts for kids

Lashonda Lester was an American stand-up comedian from Austin, Texas. She was known for her sharp humor and great storytelling. She sadly passed away on April 6, 2017.

After she passed, her first album, Shondee Superstar, was released in 2019. It was put out by Dan Schlissel's Stand Up! Records. Many people praised the album. John-Michael Bond from Paste magazine called her "a rare talent." Comedian Marc Maron said she was a "funny, authentic, hard-working comic."

Early Life and Beginnings

Lashonda Lester was born in Detroit, Michigan. When she was a child, she did voiceovers for local commercials. She loved comedy from a young age. She would learn comedy routines by famous comedians like Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor. Before becoming a comedian, she worked in different jobs, including as a wrestling promoter.

Comedy Career Highlights

Lester moved to Austin in 2004 to work in politics. She started doing stand-up comedy in 2008. She became well-known for a funny biography series she created. It was called Weird! True Hollywood Tales and ran for five seasons.

She often performed on television. In 2013, she was on NickMom Night Out. She also appeared on the PBS series Stand Up Empire in 2016. In 2017, she was on Fox's Laughs. She was even chosen as one of the top 100 comedians on the NBC show Last Comic Standing in 2015.

Winning "Funniest Person in Austin"

In 2016, Lashonda Lester won a big award. She was named the "Funniest Person in Austin" at Cap City Comedy Club. She was the first Black comedian to win this award. Her win was shown in a 2016 movie called Funniest. The Austin Chronicle also gave her a special award in 2016. They called her the "Best Unstoppable Comedy Dynamo."

Lester was becoming very famous across the country when she passed away in 2017. She had recently performed with Marc Maron, which brought her more attention. She was also planning to record her first TV special for Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents. After her death, many national magazines, like Paste and Vulture, wrote about her amazing career.

Her Family Life

Lashonda Lester was married to her husband, Dana. Together, they had a son.

Her Album: Shondee Superstar

• Shondee Superstar (Stand Up! Records, 2019)

Her album, Shondee Superstar, was very popular with critics. John-Michael Bond from Paste magazine said the album was "a lovely introduction." He also said her voice was "purely unique and universally relatable." Valerie Lopez and Lara Smith from Comedy Wham called the album "superb." They loved Lester's "knack for storytelling." They also said she could "turn a simple phrase with perfect timing."

Podcast Appearances

• Comedy Wham, "Lashonda Lester: The Kitten From Murder Mitten" (April 19, 2016)
• The Savage and Starbuck Show, "A Conversation With Lashonda Lester" (Oct. 23, 2014)