DJ, television personality, actress, screenwriter. Those are just a few of the words fit to describe the 50 shades of Amanda Seales, a self-made entrepreneur since 12 years old. And now, the California-born Renaissance woman can add trending comedian to her resume. Not one to shy away from the spotlight since her big screen debut as Katy in Universal Pictures’ Cop and ½ alongside Burt Reynolds and Norman D. Golden II in 1993, Amanda has continually found ways to deepen her relationship with her first love – entertainment – through the years. From her first television role as Deonne Wilburn on Nickelodeon’s My Brother and Me to her boisterous personality reigning on Vh1’s Best Week Ever, Seales has channeled her inner Puffy circa 1999 and been on a can’t stop, won’t stop hustle. And for this go-getter, things have certainly paid off.
Her most recent venture: stand-up comedy and slew of laugh-so-hard-it-makes-you-cry one-woman shows. Ranging in content and delivery—relationships to rap remakes—fans aren’t the only ones sitting back and taking note of Seales’ comedic act.
This week marks the start of New York City’s 2014 Comedy Festival, and the 33-year-old multitalented entertainer has landed an envious slot on the docket. Taking place around America’s most-populated city, Amanda sits on a five-day line up with a number of comedians fans just can’t get enough of including Amy Schumer and Dane Cook. But her most notable accolade of all is she’s one of the three African-American female comedians asked to participate this year’s festivities. In the words of rapper Maino, “Get ‘em tiger!”
Giving a special rendition of her relationship-based, self-help comedy, “It’s Complicated,” Amanda is ready to take the stage this Thursday night (Nov. 6) at 10PM at The Stand. But while the theme of this particular show is standard, Seales holds no boundaries when it comes to putting dating issues on the table. “[When people leave] they should be walking away with stronger abs from laughing so hard, and a sense of relief [because] everybody is having a sucky time with this s—t. It’s not just you, so keep hope alive.”
“‘It’s Complicated’ is about relationships and their current climate,” says Seales. “[It’s about] looking at [them] through a comedic lens and also an intellectual lens. It’s not just a crapshoot.”
Knowing relationships aren’t easy, the Los Angeles native admits that finding her calling, as a comedian, has been a long time coming. But, her life an only child was all the inspiration she needed. “I’m a weirdo, and an only child. That comes together to create one woman shows. It’s like at the end of When Harry Met Sally when Harry wins Sally, and she’s like, ‘What are you doing here?’ And he’s like, ‘You know, when you love somebody and you want to spend the rest of your life with them you want to spend as much of your life next to [him/her] as possible!’ That’s basically what this is. Now that I know what I want to do and how I want to do it, it’s like how many places can I do this?”
Simply responding to the people responsible for booking talent for the New York Comedy Show with an uncomplicated, “Hell, yeah m——–a!,” Amanda is to solidfy her new title with a stage, a mic and a group of drunkards looking for a good laugh. So it’s not the death of a diva, it’s just the beginning.
Get tickets for Amanda’s show here
