 |
| Jendayi w/ Sherri Shepherd |
I recently had the opportunity to speak with up-and-coming
comedienne and Hartford native, Jendayi Covington, who was fresh from and excited over her
official (make or break) debut at Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, where
she’d just graduated. Jendayi, who was always keen at making
people laugh was prodded into taking the class after a friend (with the help
of a Groupon), paid for her to take a course at Gotham...
“I didn’t really take it seriously when she bought me the course and I also don’t really know my way around New York… I’m not familiar with it. It took me three months to take the course.” Jendayi explained. “Once I decided to call and take the course, I started commuting from Connecticut to New York every week.”
Reluctant at first, Jendayi decided to ease on down the road towards becoming a successful comedienne. It just happened that on her first day, instructor and prolific comedy writer and comedienne in her own right, Karen Bergreen was out sick. Jendayi hit a wall in the form of a dour substitute
instructor who probably had been heckled to death during their attempts at stand-up. Jendayi had entered her first day of class with a routine she hadw ritten on scraps
of paper- (still unfamiliar with the standard format for comedy writing) - and stood up to present her set, in hopes of receiving constructive criticism. Instead, Substoot Teecher and possible dream killer, bitingly told Jedayi how terrible her material was, causing her to become conflicted over
whether she should return to Gotham or not.
Having reached an impasse, Jendayi sent an impassioned email to Karen Bergreen, expressing the apprehension the first class had caused her...
“After Karen responded, I felt so much better!” Jendayi said. “She told me not to flood my mind watching other comedians… to be myself, because all comedians are not the same. That they’re telling stories about their lives. After that email discussion, my faith and passion was restored, because I LOVE to write. That first class and other people’s critiques were giving me writer’s block and I was nervous and in tears, I was so overwhelmed.”
Determined but still unsure how to redeem herself, Jendayi (who's also a hairstylist) - marched into her next class at Gotham, having decided to perform the very same
set that was initially shot down by the Substoot, for Karen
Bergreen.
“I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS!” Bergreen reportedly exclaimed. “Don’t change a thing!”
 |
| Jendayi w/ the incomparable Paul Mooney! |
Jendayi performed at her class’s graduation at Gotham Comedy Club. With encouragement from her husband to be herself and to “mentally shut down the noise from critics." Jendayi also recalled her class with fondness and a hint of WTF voice, when relaying some of the material her classmates had presented in class...
"Comedy comes with a certain maturity level... You have to have a thick skin and be a great writer and comedy class has a lot of freedom, of speech, so some people were just saying some random, crazy stuff... making inappropriate comments about natural catastrophes and saying things about other races... you gotta understand timing and flow. You either have it or don't."
She invited all of her family and friends to make the trip
to see her perform during graduation, chartering a bus just six days prior, selling out seats to family, friends, and her supporters, who rolled deep to her graduation and subsequent performance. Her set elicited major kudos from Gotham Comedy Club producer, Andy Engel... who was floored by Jendayi’s routine and spoke highly of her to The View co-host and comedienne Sherri Shepherd, who she later networked with ...
“The feedback was tremendous! I got a standing ovation that night! Not just from my supporters who came out to see me… but from the whole audience! Andy, who doesn’t co-sign someone’s unless they’re really good, gave me a hug at the end and so did Karen. It was awesome! I got introduced to Sherri Shepherd as the best student and I got to network with her… it was… just so cool.” Jendayi recalled, seemingly still overcome by the experience.
“My Facebook wall was filled with feedback from other comedians. DJ Big Man (from Hot 93.7) shouted me out on the radio the next morning and my phone was ringing off the hook. Promoters were calling me… People were Facebook messaging me, offering to be my manager... it was crazy!” she recalled.
Well-schooled and full of undeniably raw talent, Jendayi is definitely equipped with all the right tools to keep
people in stitches. Don't sleep on her...
Check her out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jendayi.scott
2 comments
I'm glad that Mrs Covington is happy in her new found profession. Hopefully now she can pay her younger cousin the money she stripped away from her on a car that she was supposed to sell and gave away even though she was paid for it. Got sued in small claims and owes money almost 3,000. So the new funny lady of CT should learn to not only tell jokes and be fully to the public eye but to also take care of the debt she owes before the last laugh is on her!
Anonymous, while I appreciate you taking the time to comment on my blog and I welcome most feedback (good or bad) as it pertains to the blog post's topic, I don't think this is the forum to hash out that very personal grievance. I'd like to suggest that you go ahead and perhaps contact Jendayi Covington and hash out the difference with her.
Regards,
Coffey
Post a Comment