Victoria Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Victoria Jackson
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Jackson in 2011
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| Born | August 2, 1959 Miami, Florida, U.S.
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| Education | Florida College Furman University Auburn University Palm Beach Atlantic University (BA) |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
| Spouse(s) | Paul Wessel |
| Children | 2 |
Victoria Jackson (born August 2, 1959) is a talented American actress and comedian. Many people know her from the popular TV show Saturday Night Live, where she was a cast member from 1986 to 1992. She is known for her unique comedy style, which often includes gymnastics and poetry.
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Early Life and Education
Victoria Jackson was born in Miami, Florida. Her father, James McCaslin Jackson, was a gym coach. From the age of 5 until she was 18, her father trained her in gymnastics. This early training helped her develop skills she would later use in her comedy acts.
After high school, Victoria attended Florida Bible College. She later transferred to Furman University on a gymnastics scholarship. It was at Furman that she got her first acting role in a play. In 1979, she moved to Auburn University to study theater. She left college early to start her acting career. Later, in the 2000s, she earned a degree in theater from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Acting and Comedy Career
Victoria Jackson began her comedy career by performing at night while working day jobs. Her big break came when she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She impressed audiences by reciting poetry while doing a handstand! She appeared on the show 20 times after that.
Joining Saturday Night Live
In 1986, Victoria got the chance to audition for Saturday Night Live (SNL). She became a regular cast member and stayed on the show until 1992. On SNL, she was famous for her appearances on the Weekend Update segment. She would often go off-topic, share poems, and do backbends or handstands on the desk. She also played funny characters and impersonated famous people like Roseanne Barr and Sally Struthers.
Other TV Shows and Movies
After leaving SNL, Victoria continued her acting career. She appeared in many films and TV shows. She had a lead role in a sitcom that was not broadcast. In 1994, she was in an episode of In the Heat of the Night. She also appeared in The X-Files in 1999.
From 2000 to 2001, Victoria had a regular role as Patty in the sitcom Strip Mall. She also appeared in the Nickelodeon show Romeo! from 2003 to 2004. She was a guest on the game show Hollywood Squares and participated in Celebrity Fit Club. In 2014, she played multiple characters in the movie Campin' Buddies.
Political Views and Activities
Victoria Jackson describes herself as a conservative Christian. She has appeared in Christian comedy shows and on the TV show Politically Incorrect. She has also supported the Tea Party movement, which is a political movement in the United States. She attended events and had a website linked to the Liberty Alliance.
In 2008, she appeared in an advertisement with other celebrities for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. In 2011, Victoria started writing and video blogging for Patriot Update. She also hosted a talk show called Politichicks. In 2012, she released her autobiography titled Is My Bow Too Big? How I Went from Saturday Night Live to the Tea Party. In 2014, she ran as an independent candidate for a local government seat in Williamson County, Tennessee, but she did not win.
Personal Life
Victoria Jackson married Nisan Mark Eventoff in 1984, and they had a daughter. They later divorced in 1991. She then reconnected with her high school sweetheart, Paul Wessel, who was a police officer. They got married and had another daughter. In 2013, when her husband retired, they moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
In 2015, Victoria was diagnosed with breast cancer. In August 2024, she shared that her cancer had spread and she had an inoperable tumor in her windpipe.
Filmography
- Double Exposure (1982)
- Bizarre (1985)
- Stoogemania (1986) as Nurse Grabatit
- Baby Boom (1987) as Eve
- The Pick-up Artist (1987) as Lulu
- The Couch Trip (1988) as Robin
- Dream a Little Dream (1989) as Kit
- UHF (1989) as Teri Campbell
- Family Business (1989) as Christine
- I Love You to Death (1990) as Lacey
- Sesame Street (1991) as Sid
- The Undercover Kid (1993) as Cat
- In the Heat of the Night (1994) as Beverly
- The Weird Al Show (1997) as Herself
- Nightmare Ned (1997) as Sarah Needlemeyer (voice)
- No More Baths (1998) as Charlotte
- Touched by an Angel (1998) as Waitress
- The X-Files (1999) as Shelia Fontaine
- Sabrina the Teenage Witch (2000) as Annabelle Saberhagen
- Elmo Aardvark: Outer Space Detective (2000) as Vava LaVoom (voice)
- The Wheels on the Bus (2000s) as Moon Mouse
- Strip Mall (2000–2001) as Patti
- Romeo! (2003–2004) as Marie Rogers
- Shut Up and Kiss Me (2004) as Harriet Ballister
- Brother White (2012) as Victoria
- Fat Chance (2015) as Nancy
- The Matchbreaker (2016) as Mrs. Taylor
- Altar Egos (2017) as Barbara
- Heaven Bound (2017) as Miss Thompson
- Jingle Smells (2023) as Enchantress Kale
Books
- Is My Bow Too Big? How I Went from Saturday Night Live to the Tea Party, 2012, ISBN: 978-1-4675-0256-6
- Lavender Hair: 21 Devotions for Women with Breast Cancer, 2017, ISBN: 978-1-4245-5562-8
See also
- List of people from Miami
