Tiffany Haddish

Will Heath/NBC via AP – Tiffany Haddish
Cover of Pollstar Jan. 22, 2018

Tiffany Haddish has taken the entertainment world by storm with a slightly different path to get there. 

The comedian, actress and best-selling author of “The Last Black Unicorn” grew up in foster care in South Central Los Angeles. Making people laugh is how she got through the struggle to follow her dreams. 

Many people may know her from her roles on TV series such as OWN’s “If Loving You Is Wrong” and NBC’s “The Carmichael Show” as well as feature films including “Keanu” and recent hit comedy “Girls Trip” with Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah and Regina Hall.

But comedy has been with Haddish all along her journey. Her skills started developing when she attended a Laugh Factory Comedy Camp as a teenager and learned from mentors including Charles Fleischer, the voice of Roger Rabbit in the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” 

“It was the most wonderful thing in the world that could have happened to me,” she told BuzzFeed. “It’s the first time a man sat me down and showed me how to construct a joke, gave me confidence and communication skills [and] showed me how to command a room and how to properly receive attention.”    

A helping hand from Kevin Hart was there when Haddish was angling for a shot at the Laugh Factory while homeless. Hart helped her find the focus she needed to get settled and reach her goals, and it’s been full speed ahead ever since. 

Haddish’s first comedy special, “Tiffany Haddish: She Ready! From The Hood To Hollywood,” was broadcast on Showtime last August and in November Haddish became the first black female comedian to host “Saturday Night Live.” 

The entertainer also hit the road in early December performing shows at Carolines On Broadway in New York, Comedy Off Broadway in Kentucky and Peoria Civic Center Theater and Arie Crown Theater At McCormick Place in Illinois.

Haddish is touring the States through late April when she’ll play the Terry Fator Theatre in Las Vegas.