Comedian Mo Nique Analysis

Comedians Mo’Nique and Tina Fey.
Due to Tina Fey’s versatile style of humor, she has a much larger fan base than Mo’Nique, and her countless roles on the “big screen” has led her to be more successful. Even though Fey and Mo’Nique are both female and both comedians, their lifestyles were very different while growing up. Since Fey had a picture-perfect childhood, it was much easier for her stay focused on her desired career than Mo’Nique. While Mo’Nique is also wildly popular, her beginnings in comedy were hard and she performed stand up for quite some time before finally making it big. Mo’Nique was brought up in a two parent household, however her family struggled with addictions and abuse. Fey also was brought up in a two parent household, hers however was an easy childhood filled with laughter.
Although Mo’Nique had hard-working honest parents, her siblings needed most of
their attention in order to overcome their substance abuse issues. Mo’Nique got her start in comedy when her brother dared her to perform at an open mic night at a comedy factory in Baltimore. Because Fey has such a strong educational background and family support she had an easier time getting into comedy. Fey began her career at the prestigious improvisational theater troupe, The Second City. Mo’Nique spent several years preforming stand up before finally landing her first TV role on “Moesha.” While Fey was already writing scripts for the hit sketch TV show “Saturday Night Live.” While Mo’Nique had a small walk on part in “Moesha” Fey quickly became SNL's first female head writer in 1999.
Not long after both women’s careers took off, Mo’Nique soon landed her own TV series “The Parkers” while Fey was writing and appearing in SNL’s most remembered sketches. Rolling Stones listed her as the third most important cast member behind such legends as John Belushi and Eddie Murphy.
Kelley pg.2 Fey wrote and starred in many feature films, the first in 2002 called “Martin and Orloff.” Mo’Nique appeared in several films, but never a starring role. In 2009 Mo’Nique appeared in the film, “Precious” which she won several awards for including an Academy Award for best supporting actress. Fey received an Emmy award in 2008 for the hit TV show “30 Rock.” Mo’Nique’s typical “off-color” humor and jokes about her sister who was a former crack addict and her brother who abused her, both sexually and physically, nothing is off limits.
Which is why her audiences have always been much smaller whether it be on stage, TV or film. Her audience usually consists of those who prefer the more “real” comedian and can relate to them. Tina Fey is much more popular, her type of humor is seen and enjoyed by so many more audiences, because it is comedy that almost every person can enjoy.
Since winning her Academy Award Mo’Nique has claimed that due to her success in “Precious” the director of the film told others that she was extremely hard to deal with, an accusation Mo’Nique adamantly denies, and because of it she had been blackballed by the industry and hasn’t appeared in anything since. However, Fey is doing very well, she has just written a book that has been on The New York Times Best Seller list and has recently starred in a new Netflix comedy called “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”. She also has several new movies that she is currently filming or
planning.
I found that even though these two women have come from two very different backgrounds, they both love to make people laugh. Mo’Nique has always entertained with her sharp tongue often at the expense of her own family, she talks openly about sex and genitalia. Fey uses light humor and referencing the famous. She will always be remembered as Sarah Palin more than any other person is an example of her popularity.