Leslie Jones took a six-year comedy break after bombing in front of Jamie Foxx, then skyrocketed to fame in a big comeback, according to her new memoir Leslie F*cking Jones.
Foxx, an up-and-coming comedian himself at the time, followed Jones onstage after the disastrous set and defended her to the tough crowd during his set. Afterwards, he suggested she get a little more living under her belt. Jones took that advice to heart and began developing more material.
Jones told People:
“If you want to be a good comic you’re going to get taken through the ringer. And no one is funny until after 10 years.”
The book is backed with deeply personal revelations about backstage drama at SNL, her health challenges, sexual abuse she survived, and her brother’s struggles that culminated in his early death.
Jones also gets very candid about the ill-fated Ghostbusters remake with Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Kate McKinnon. In addition to the huge racist and sexist backlash, Jones believes many of the best scenes ended up cut from the final film.
Jones is all over North America this month, so head to a venue near you to pick up this hilarious and inspiring memoir.
Image: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon (Jones)
