Meet Gina Yashere, rising comic and British expat, born in London to Nigerian parents. Gina is perhaps best known to US audiences as Madame Yashere, the Surly as Psychic on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
Sunshine! I’ve travelled all over the world doing what I do, and I took a lot of shows in certain places just so I could get to sunbathe! Some not such great ideas…Kuwait for instance.
So I wanted to live somewhere, where I could get a great quality of life, sunshine, and still be able to do comedy. LA was perfect!
What one thing do you miss from home?
Good chocolate! American chocolate is so greasy and unnatural!
And Shreddies…
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus the UK?
I’m from London, so the pace of life seems much slower and more relaxed. And we do a lot more outdoor stuff here, because we can! People are a lot more positive and ambitious here, as this is the city of dreams. I’ve never stockpiled so many business cards in my life!
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
The M bar on Vine St, Hollywood. Beautiful restaurant and cabaret space, where they do lots of great live shows. In fact, myself and another Brit, DJ Asha, host a show there called Crazy Crumpets, which is a night of music, comedy and games.
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here ?
DO IT! But if you’re an entertainer not coming out on a promise, be prepared to take a substantial cut in income, so have some money behind you before you make the move. The streets aren’t paved with gold…but with bars and restaurants with lots of actors working in them!
She is launching a new trivia night this weekend. For tickets visit her website.
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