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Asha Ward

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Asha Ward
Alma materColumbia College Chicago
Occupation(s)Comedian, writer
EmployerSaturday Night Live

Asha Ward is an American comedian and writer. In 2022, she became the youngest-ever writer on the staff of Saturday Night Live.[1][2]

Ward, whose family is from Trinidad,[3] was raised in Maryland.[4] Her parents divorced when she was young.[4]

Ward became interested in performing comedy after taking an improv class at the age of 17.[3] She graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in comedy writing and performance.[5] As many comedy venues in Chicago had shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, she left the city soon afterward, staying with relatives in Baltimore and Queens until she could afford to rent a room of her own in Brooklyn.[1]

Ward was working a day job as a receptionist and nights as a stand-up comedian when she got a meeting with Saturday Night Live cast member Ego Nwodim. Ward was hired to write for SNL in December 2022.[1][2] In 2023, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.[5][6]

In 2023, Ward was featured by the Just For Laughs comedy festival as one of their "New Faces of Comedy".[4][7]

In March 2024, Ward appeared in a Netflix comedy special, Gender Agenda, hosted by Hannah Gadsby and also featuring fellow genderqueer comedians Jes Tom, Alok, Chloe Petts, DeAnne Smith, Krishna Istha, and Mx. Dahlia Belle.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Yeah, That's Just Where Asha Ward's At". Vulture. October 5, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Williams, Albert (October 8, 2023). "Emmy Award-Nominated Columbia College Chicago Theatre Dept. Alum Named One of the 'Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2023' by Vulture". Columbia College Chicago. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Garron, Taylor (June 3, 2022). "9 Out of 10 Dentists Recommend Asha Ward". Vulture. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Asha Ward". Just for Laughs. September 29, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Williams, Albert (July 20, 2023). "Columbia College Chicago Theatre Dept. Alums Nominated for 2023 Emmy Awards in Writing and Production Design". Columbia College Chicago. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "Asha Ward". Emmys. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Vlessing, Etan (July 24, 2023). "Just For Laughs Reveals New Faces Of Comedy Talent Lineup (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  8. ^ Hailu, Selome (February 12, 2024). "Hannah Gadsby's Netflix Special 'Gender Agenda' Sets Lineup of Genderqueer Comedians: Jes Tom, Alok and More (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
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