Gina Yashere
Esther Manito
I grew up loving Victoria Wood, and always believed she was the ultimate goddess of comedy. Then I came across Gina Yashere. I was in my 20’s when I first watched Gina Yashere’s stand-up and I fell in love with her comedy.
As an East Londoner with a parent from outside the UK I related to a lot of her material. I felt like finally there is a comic on T.V who is speaking to second generation immigrants, and she is a woman!! Gina’s hilarious impressions of her mum and her cutting put downs struck such a chord. I got everything Gina was describing on stage and it was brilliant to hear the loving mocking observation of her background and culture. Her discussion on parental expectations are so on point. I watch her and am nodding along “I hear you!”. The challenges of getting traditional families, with traditional values, on board with you doing stand-up is fantastic comedy material and it’s just so real. I felt that coming home to a Middle Eastern father and saying “I’m doing stand-up” was equivalent to coming home and saying “I’m going to entertain drunken sailors in bars for work now”.
Gina Yashere’s stage persona and powerful presence is so compelling and engaging. I found I had a huge girl crush on this woman! I got to watch Gina Yashere recently at Live at the Apollo and her observational roller coaster ride on current events were as brilliant as ever. Gina’s comedy hits my comedy nerve with a mallet, she covers topics that I love to hear about, observations of family life and current affairs.
That being said there is so much Gina Yashere talks about on stage which I have no personal reference to, yet she paints such a vivid picture the audience are completely onboard. I remember watching her set on TV with my Geordie mum and Lebanese dad both howling with laughter. She was describing visiting a friend in Jamaica and having to go to the morgue with her friend to collect the dead body of her deceased Grandfather; Mr Smith. “Is this you grandfather…..what about this one!?” became a catchphrase in our household.
Gina Yashere’s stand up has always looked at the multitude of ways she is seen by outsiders and addresses these issues of identity head on. This inspired me as it is an area I also face and my show ‘Crusade’ is committed to challenging my own identity politics. Comedy has forced me to become a lot more comfortable in my own identity as, as soon as you walk on stage the audience can’t help but make a lot of assumptions, forgetting the human element and Gina always reminds the audience of this.
I remember reading in an interview that Gina Yashere didn’t make any jokes about being a lesbian until she actually had some funny jokes to write about it. This was so relatable. You mention something in passing on stage to add context about you, and it’s picked up on “Why don’t you talk more about that one thing?”. I don’t have anything funny to say about it right now??! If I did I would? Gina Yashere never adheres to anyone’s expectations and it makes her iconic as a female stand up.
Gina also rocks an epic look. So she’s a bit of a style icon.
ESTHER MANITO DEBUT 14+
So You Think You're Funny – Finalist 2017
Asian Woman of Achievement Nat West – Finalist 2017
Bath Comedian of the Year - Finalist 2017
BBC New Comedy Award - Nominee 2016/2017/2018
Leicester Square Comedian of the year - Semi finalist 2017/18
Amused Moose New Act Competition - Semi finalist 2017/18
Title Of Show: Esther Manito: Crusade
Venue: Gilded Balloon - Turret
Time: 4.00pm
Dates: 3rd – 25th August (except 12TH)
Previews: 31st July – 2nd August