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Lester was increasingly well known nationally when she died in 2017. She had recently received critical praise for a high-profile performance with Marc Maron and was due to record her first special for the TV series
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In 2016, Lester won the prestigious annual "Funniest Person in Austin" competition at Austin's Cap City Comedy Club, becoming the first black comedian to win the award. Her win was captured in the 2016 documentary
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Lester was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease in 2015, and had been hospitalized prior to her death. She underwent dialysis four times a week, often using the time to write new material.
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Lester moved to Austin in 2004 to work in politics, and began performing stand-up in 2008. She became known for creating and starring in the darkly comic biography series
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called the album "superb" and praised Lester's "knack for storytelling" and ability to "turn a simple phrase with perfect timing and absolutely slay an audience."
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128:. As a child, she was a voiceover actress in local commercials. She developed an early interest in comedy, memorizing routines by
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called her a "funny, authentic, hard-working comic who had her own voice... That’s an honest comic. The best kind."
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magazine called her "a rare talent with a preternatural gift for razor-sharp storytelling."
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540:"In Memoriam: Lashonda Lester - Remembering the Queen of Austin Comedy, who died April 6"
391:"Lashonda Lester's Posthumous Shondee Superstar Documents A Comedy Genius Taken Too Soon"
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gave Lester a special award in its Best of 2016 issue, "Best
Unstoppable Comedy Dynamo".
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144:. She worked various jobs, including as a wrestling promoter and a madam.
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737:"The Half Hour: Comedy Central Series Renewed for Season Six; Renamed"
360:, "Lashonda Lester: The Kitten From Murder Mitten" (April 19, 2016)
156:, which ran for five seasons at Austin's Salvage Vanguard Theater.
820:"Best of 2016: Best Unstoppable Comedy Dynamo: Lashonda Lester"
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in 2017. She was one of the top 100 comics on season 9 of the
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195:, directed by Katie Pengra and Dustin Svehlak. In 2016, the
918:"Remembering Lashonda Lester, the Funniest Person in Austin"
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later that year. Several national publications, including
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in 2019, and was critically praised. John-Michael Bond of
854:"Comedian Lashonda Lester was Funniest Person in Austin"
366:, "A Conversation With Lashonda Lester" (Oct. 23, 2014)
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596:"A Guide to Austin Stand-Up Comics: Lashonda Lester"
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159:She performed frequently on television, including
948:"Lashonda Lester, Austin's Funniest, Passed Away"
795:"Interview with director/producer Dustin Svehlak"
634:"Lashonda Lester: Hustler First, Comedian Second"
480:"Lashonda Lester: The Kitten From Murder Mitten"
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217:, published lengthy obituaries after her death.
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423:Smith, Lara; Lopez, Valerie (April 19, 2019).
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976:Lashonda Lester at Stand Up! Records website
884:"Comedy Central Announces Talent Lineup For
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660:Joie Savage, S.B. Starbuck (2014-10-23).
339:was well received by critics. Writing in
225:Lester and her husband, Dana, had a son.
506:"A Day With the Queen of Austin Comedy"
374:
765:"Austin comedian Lashonda Lester dies"
662:"A Conversation With Lashonda Lester"
389:Bond, John-Michael (April 26, 2019).
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86:(died April 6, 2017) was an American
16:American stand-up comedian, died 2017
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1056:20th-century African-American women
1046:21st-century African-American women
1016:African-American stand-up comedians
886:Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents...
763:Perchick, Michael (April 6, 2017).
569:McCarthy, Sean L. (April 6, 2017).
632:Grant Davis, Lisa (June 1, 2016).
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735:Pena, Jessica (March 21, 2017).
504:Heilbron, Brently (2017-04-06).
478:Valerie Lopez (April 19, 2016).
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94:. Her posthumous debut album,
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916:Lies, Erica (April 7, 2017).
594:Moreno, Ashley (2017-03-31).
1026:Comedians from Austin, Texas
894:. 2017-03-20. Archived from
666:The Savage and Starbuck Show
364:The Savage and Starbuck Show
1021:American stand-up comedians
425:"Review: Shondee Superstar"
154:Weird! True Hollywood Tales
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448:Maron, Marc (2017-04-10).
1041:Stand Up! Records artists
859:Austin American-Statesman
852:Gross, Joe (2017-04-17).
511:Austin American-Statesman
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1011:American women comedians
711:"Stand Up Empire on PBS"
229:Health issues and death
1031:Comedians from Detroit
54:April 6, 2017 (age 41)
799:We Are Moving Stories
571:"RIP Lashonda Lester"
237:Professional ratings
32:1975 or 1976
454:WTF With Marc Maron
353:Podcast appearances
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184:Last Comic Standing
173:in 2016, and Fox's
124:Lester was born in
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98:, was released by
898:on March 24, 2017
715:Rob Gagnon Comedy
687:"Stand Up Empire"
575:The Comic’s Comic
450:"One of the Best"
337:Shondee Superstar
330:Stand Up! Records
326:Shondee Superstar
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162:NickMom Night Out
126:Detroit, Michigan
104:Stand Up! Records
96:Shondee Superstar
88:stand-up comedian
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74:Years active
69:Stand-up comedian
36:Detroit, Michigan
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954:. April 6, 2017
952:The Interrobang
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1001:1970s births
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896:the original
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801:. 2016-11-15
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1006:2017 deaths
484:Comedy Wham
429:Comedy Wham
358:Comedy Wham
347:Comedy Wham
320:Discography
995:Categories
958:2020-09-30
933:2020-09-30
902:2020-09-30
869:2020-09-30
835:2022-06-24
805:2020-09-30
780:2020-09-30
746:2020-09-30
721:2020-09-30
696:2020-09-30
691:Austin PBS
672:2020-09-30
643:2020-09-30
611:2020-09-30
580:2020-09-30
555:2020-09-30
521:2020-09-30
490:2020-09-30
459:2020-10-17
434:2020-09-30
406:2020-09-30
369:References
187:in 2015.
120:Early life
114:Marc Maron
66:Occupation
50:2017-04-06
668:(Podcast)
486:(Podcast)
130:Redd Foxx
77:2008–2017
638:Soulciti
193:Funniest
923:Vulture
770:KVUE-TV
332:, 2019)
215:Vulture
169:series
250:Rating
247:Source
175:Laughs
148:Career
140:, and
60:, U.S.
38:, U.S.
396:Paste
342:Paste
257:Paste
211:Paste
181:show
109:Paste
90:from
985:IMDb
213:and
44:Died
29:Born
983:at
179:NBC
167:PBS
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