Jessica Hail – Comedian
Reading B1
Jessica Hail – Comedian
I’ve always enjoyed performing and making people laugh. When I was at school, I used to annoy some of my teachers as I was always telling jokes in class. All my classmates used to laugh a lot and I had a great time.
When I left school, I got a job in a fast food restaurant during the day and took acting classes in the evening. I also started performing in theatres at the weekends. Sometimes the audience loved me, but other times nobody laughed at my jokes. That was the worst feeling in the world.
After two or three years, I appeared on TV a few times and became better known. I finally got a part in a TV comedy show and I’ve worked on TV ever since. I still do theatre work, and although it’s harder than being on TV, I enjoy it much more. During those years when I performed in theatres, I learned so much. It was great to start performing while I was still young. It gave me a lot of experience and it helped me become confident on stage.
It isn’t easy to keep on being successful because it’s so difficult trying to think of new ideas all the time. When I can’t think of anything to write about, I get very miserable. Then I usually go for a walk. Walking is a great way to relax and it also helps you to think. I can go out for a walk in the morning with no ideas in my head. When I return, my head is full of them and I can’t wait to write them down!
As well as walking, mountain climbing and diving help me to relax, too. I’m planning a climbing trip to Nepal soon, which I’m really looking forward to! I’m sure I’ll come back with a lot of new jokes and ideas. Inspiration is very important in my profession. If I’m inspired, I can create new performances and make people laugh out loud! It’s fantastic. I think comedy is the cure for many things. It can take away your worries and help you relax.