Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Osborne.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started performing stand-up comedy in Atlanta in 2011.. Against the advice of others I started hosting and producing Comedy shows for the LGBT community. I was told I did not have enough experience to host my own comedy show. With the support of some wonderful people the first comedy show had over 100 people in attendance. I immediately knew I created something special. I wanted to create a space where people from the LGBT community could perform or see a comedy show in a safe environment. My comedy shows had a six year run and it was time to move on. I continued performing locally and noticed that comedy was a male dominated industry.
In 2017 I created Atlanta’s first all female Comedy festival “Femm Fest at the Relapse Theatre. All the performers were female comics. The first turnout was so packed some of the male comics helped direct the flow of traffic in the parking lot. In 2018 I hosted the 2nd “Femm Fest”. My plans were to have an annual comedy festival but I relocated to Florida.
In 2019 I was working remote in Kissimmee, Florida, Three months after relocating I was laid off. I took some time to help my mom recover from knee surgery, Once Mom recovered I started traveling and performing in different cities. In March 2020 I was booked to perform as a feature at the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville, Georgia. That happened to be the last weekend before the world shut down for Covid. I was stuck in Atlanta.
During Covid I took time to get in the best shape of my life a loss over 60 pounds. I took the opportunity to work on my spirituality, heal and my mental health wellness. 2020 was also the year I turned 50. Sweet Jesus, 50 years passed by so quickly. I immediately made a list of things I wanted to do the very first thing on the list was “my purpose”. I wanted my life to be completely different than it was before turning 50. I want to tell my story with hopes that it will resonate with someone who needs to know that they are not alone. I’m laughing when I say this, but “I’m weird.”. I’m a black woman with a white woman’s name and I have a gay man’s haircut. I’m a part of multiple communities by default. I have a tomboy appearance, but internally, I am very gentle, sensitive and emotional. I am a woman and I love that for me. I am loving my experience as a woman. Something about turning 50 that has made me lean into who I am as a woman. And that something is “Menopause”. She is a beautiful demon!!!!
My greatest desire is a quote from “Erma Boombeck” when I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I use everything you gave me’. Part of my purpose is to tell my story and comedy is the vehicle. My perimenopause journey started when I turned 40. It was horrible. The doctors put me on antidepressant and anxiety meds. I gained weight and I thought I was going crazy. Perimenopause affected my relationships, my professional life and at times I didn’t recognize myself. Despite going to the gym, working with a trainer, seeing a therapist I could not seem to pull it together. I spent years suffering, trying to push pass the symptoms of menopause.. it wasn’t until last year. I decided to start talking about my menopause journey on TikTok my first video had over 680,000 views. The comment section exploded with women who could relate. It was crazy how many women shared similar stories. But sadly, there was an overwhelming number of women who was unaware that they were in a stage of menopause.. I immediately knew that I would become a menopause advocate. I don’t want women to feel alone during this part of life.. so I use humor to discuss my experiences with hopes that it will educate women and help them feel supported.
I have been working with other women to create events to bring awareness about menopause. In September 2024, I cohosted screening of The M Factor with Dr. Daniela Peel (The Heal We’ll Collective) & Kara Norman (Feminine Compass). The screening was a documentary about perimenopause & menopause. We decided to do something different for the ladies during the screening. I performed a 20 minute set about my menopause journey. Then we viewed the documentary and we had Q&A after. It was one of the best events I had ever attended. It felt incredible to perform stand-up for an event that meant so much to me. This gave me an opportunity to use my talent for my purpose.. I’m looking forward to creating events for people to relate, laugh, and learn. I still perform standup but my focus is corporate events, conferences, and private events. I love performing. I’m focused on serving my purpose on this planet as I am driven by passion.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course there were times where I knew I was not wanted or supported in certain venues and spaces. There were times where I made things more difficult than they needed to be because I was focused on something that was a distraction to my dreams and goals. It has not been a smooth journey as life is an ebb and flow.
However, my journey has been incredible every person and every experience has been necessary for my growth and I’m grateful. At the age of 54, I am well equipped to face any obstacles that come my way. I’m in the middle stages of this book called life. The remaining chapters will be my best chapters. My life. My Story. My book.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an entertainer. I perform stand-up comedy. I am a motivational speaker and I host & MC events. If you book me for your event, I will show up bearing gifts of laughter and positive energy. I want people to laugh, learn and relate. I specialize in creating a comedy set or event specifically for your occasion. I am most proud of my ability to be authentic. I’m also proud of my ability to be a student of life. I am here to learn and serve my purpose. What sets me apart is my story. There’s only one Julie Osborne that looks like me that talks like me. I genuinely choose to use My Power for good.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I am motivated by people who overcome adversities. I surround myself with people who are very in tune with serving their purpose in life. I am intrigued with the spiritual aspect of life. I love nature.. i’m a student of life and I enjoy learning from others.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: itsjustmejulieosborne
- Facebook: Julie Osborne
- Other: TikTok itsjustmejulieosborne
Image Credits
MadLife Stage & Studios
Atlanta Comedy Theater
