Today, we’d like to introduce you to J Smiles.
Hi J, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m J Smiles; standup comedy entered my life when daddy instantly died of a massive heart attack and mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few months later. Overnight, a strategically planned career went down the crapper. While struggling to balance being a new caregiver (I cannot keep a weed alive) and the chaos of my dad’s affairs, looking for a healthy way to release steam, I stumbled into a comedy class. I was madly in love after week one.
Writing and performing comedy unknowingly created a safe, healing space. It was March 2015 at the Punchline Comedy Club in Atlanta, GA with Josh Harris. Comedic Badass Katherine Blanford was there too! Reversing gears a bit, I am a graduate of Howard University (BS), Stanford University(MS), and Cumberland School of Law (JD). Ford Motor Co. hired a baby mechanical engineer and gave me the opportunity to supervise an international team for “KA” in Valencia, Spain. A huge thirst for global travel and cultural immersion started then.
After working on cars, I used my product design master’s degree to create toothbrushes and shaving stuff for Gillette, Oral B, and Braun. Lucky me, the job required time in the UK. The childhood itch of equality and justice under the law finally caught up with me and I went to law school with a “grand” mission of joining my father and Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr at their law firm.
Unfortunately, Uncle Johnnie died of brain cancer before I graduated. I worked high-profile cases involving the Rosa Parks Foundation, Martin Luther King, Jr’s family, and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. as well as representing The United States in Ghana, Kenya, and Liberia for legal conferences. Yep, a tri-contential engineering, designer, and lawyer on a mission to offer real-world solutions. Then all hell broke loose — comedy saved my soul.
Because I started comedy as a safer alternative than cognac and I was emotionally low then fear was not an issue. Josh shared the ropes of the local scene and I dug in as much as I could while caring for my mom. ShowUpGoUp at the Strand in Marietta and the Atlanta Comedy Theater were my primary spots initially. Attending Rodney Perry’s Improv classes was a massive addition to my growth. Rodney remains a friend and mentor.
I went to any and every open mic in metro Atlanta, sometimes driving 1 hour one way and not getting stage time. In those instances, I networked even harder. An important carryover from each step of my professional journey is to observe the players and powerbrokers in the room. In less than a year, promoters were asking me to feature or headline shows.
As travel to cities and countries continued for existing business, I researched comedy clubs and pitched and secured a spot. Multi-tasking is a life mantra. Every trip, event, and gathering heard about this new offering, I was a standup evangelical. Soon word was spreading through previous corporate and social circles: “J is serious about standup.” Then opportunities for private parties, reunions, conferences, etc. started rolling in.
The Universe and divine timing never fail. I was all tucked in for the traditional comedy circuit approach. I toured with Guy Torry and Faizon Love, opened for Donnell Rawlings in D.C., and performed multiple times on Tom Joyner’s Fantastic Voyage. I still pinch myself having shared the stage with George Wallace, Luenell, Kim Coles, Chris Spencer, Gary Owen, Tony Roberts, Kim Whitley, and Rodney Perry among others.
Serving silly soldiers in South Korea was an honor. The Bahamas, Italy, and coast-to-coast USA have caught these observational, conscious jokes. NBC Universal, American Heart Association, Howard University, Jack and Jill of America, Carnival Cruises, and a host of other entities have entrusted their clients with wit.
Screech. Next pivot. The COVID-19 pandemic forced zero live shows for J Smiles way longer than other comics. Thank goodness for YouTube University. People were hurting and asking for virtual private shows. I proudly produced countless 30 – to 90-minute LIVE virtual shows with talent in multiple states. When a show had audience members in Africa, Europe and the USA, my brain almost exploded.
During the height of the unknown lockdown of 2020, an inner voice said “J, family caregivers need to laugh more than anybody — make a podcast.” Of course, I ignore the voice. You see, caregiving content was not included in my routine. It was too painful. But the voice got indignant. YTU (YouTube U) to the rescue…. again.
Parenting UP! Caregiving Adventures with Comedian J Smiles is in season 4 with listeners on every continent and partnerships with the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, and HFC. Parenting UP! has been showcased by NPR, NBC, CBS, FOX, and AJC. The podcast allows my passion for advocacy, service, and humor to collide. I’ve been a panelist and performer with Seth Rogan and Lauren Miller Rogan’s HFC. But when they added me to HFC’s Care Board — wow wee. Catch the podcast on Apple and YouTube.
The Portia Show’s “Mama Said” theme allocated the entire episode to J Smiles’s monologue and comedic conversations with the host (FOX). J Smiles Comedy has also produced two successful, sold-out tours across twelve states and counting. My content is informed by life as I know it — Montgomery, AL childhood, HBCU, PWI, exPat living, single, childless, caregiver, corporate America, current affairs, boom. The current tour, OUTSIDE BEEN OPEN, is fueled by the viral “FreakNik Tales” Instagram series – where the storylines allow GenX, Millennials, and Gen Z to all agree for once.
J Smiles Comedy and the Parenting UP! The community is warming up. There are so many stories to tell, stages to touch, laughs to lend and caregivers to uplift. As Daddy and Uncle Johnnie would say, “The best is yet to come!” Er, hmmm, like I own the nation’s largest multi-sport memorabilia collection — more on that and my partnership with the Smithsonian next time.
For Inquires: Podcast: biz@parentingup.com. Comedy: bookings@jsmilescomedy.com and www.jsmilescomedy.com
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
J Smiles only exists because of calamity. Selecting basics such as brand, direction, themes, content, etc. was not easy. Remember, I had another plan for my life. Thus at every corner, there was a thorn creating friction and challenging if standup was right. The internal battles were heated.
Next, I was much older than the typical ‘new’ comic. If I got past the “old miss ma’am” vibes then the questions of what is your day job or what did you used to do arose. Fairly early on it appeared that describing 3 academic degrees and previous jobs made me even less relatable to other comics, newbie or not. As if, “J why are you here – go to court or go make a car.” I thrive in the community. Getting connected past open mics in a substantial way was tough.
Balancing time as a caregiver and responding to mom’s medical emergencies. I am all my mom has, period. Emotionally riding the clutch of how and when to schedule professional projects vs manage her care. Entertainment is energy and very momentum-based. Since I started comedy, Zetty, my mom, has had back surgery, gall bladder surgery, a stroke, two seizures, COVID hospitalization, and 8+ UTI hospitalizations.
Securing sponsors, brand deals and vendors remains challenging. Also, identifying where the other pieces of the puzzle are. For instance, to expand it is important to have capable creatives and organizational personnel in place. Identification takes time. The constant shift of algorithms within social media platforms is awful. Tweaking content to tease out the correct target audience is an ongoing exercise.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
I am LEADING with standup comedian, writer, producer, speaker, host, and podcaster in this phase of life. Intentionally. Wholly — even though I have extensive experience as an engineer, designer, and lawyer. My content is clean, conscious, and informative. The aim is a sweet pill of society awakening.
Audiences leave having heard a new solution to an old problem and laughed along the way. I’m addicted to getting diverse groups to laugh at topics that are historically divisive. For instance, I help men understand the menstrual cycle and rednecks understand the front of the Confederate Flag, all without causing crowd mayhem.
I specialize in customized material (as long as I have a foundation). My clients select the themes or topics to be included in my performance/set. I am very proud that I can adapt, and offer something unique. I’m most proud that 1.) I write my own material and 2.) J Smiles is thriving after such an unceremonious birth.
I am routinely booked for virtual, private, corporate, or club environments. I’m rare because code-switching runs deep in my veins: the benefits of attending Howard & Stanford, of working in corporate & clubs, of living in 7 states, 3 other countries/2 other continents are humungous. Drop me anywhere, I’m always at home.
The Caregiving & Comedy “combo” sets me apart from others. Delivering tough and touching dementia stories with humor is a J Smiles staple. Parenting UP! (my podcast) is specifically about being a comedian who is also a full-time caregiver. The conversations are gritty, silly, and palatable.
What are your plans for the future?
I will continue the Outside Been Open Tour throughout 2024. Live Parenting UP! Community events will begin in 2024. I am writing a screenplay. The Jock Michael Smith Sports Collection documentary will be produced. Brand deals with eyewear and caregiving resource companies. And take more quick naps…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jsmilescomedy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsmilescomedy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jsmilescomedy
- Other: https://www.parentingup.com
Image Credits
Shay Abrams, Michael Colyar, and Bee Fearless Studios
