Hard-working. Hilarious. Fabulous. These are just a few words that describe Janelle James, whose performance as the principal on Abbott Elementary has garnered international attention. She has been nominated for an Emmy twice— last year and this year.
The actress, who enjoys dipping french fries in ice cream, has been doing comedy for twelve years. She admits she doesn’t have a calendar, and isn’t the best with time management. But the U.S. Virgin Islands native has great tips for early career professionals in the entertainment industry.
James took the time to speak with Forbes about her career, and how she uses comedy to make the world a better place.
Maya Richard-Craven: What did you do before you started acting?
Janelle James: Lots of things. I’ve been a: zumba teacher, fashion stylist, fashion publicist, executive assistant, personal chef. I’ve done everything.
Richard-Craven: Do you have any advice for young comedians or actors?
James: This is the best time for anyone to do anything. The internet exists, and everything is at your fingertips. I remember when I wanted to start touring for comedy. That’s when podcasts were just kicking off. So I listened to every comedy podcast and took notes about what other people did.
Richard-Craven: Do you have any advice about building your personal brand as a comedian?
James: Your fan base is your bread and butter
No matter what happens with acting, the fans who follow me because of comedy, or because of acting, those are the people that will be with me forever. I’m just trying to build an organic fan base. A lot of the people who follow me have been following me since I started stand-up. If you want to be a social media figure the numbers are important. If you want to have a fan base that follows you for the rest of your career, then you want to represent yourself authentically.
Richard-Craven: If you weren’t an actor or comedian what would you do?
James: I’m a smart person. Artists are smart. I have so many skills that I’ve gained just from doing comedy. I have people skills. I would probably go into sales. If I can make people laugh, I can sell things. Real estate. I love Selling Sunset. Motivational speaker. I might drop out of this and do something else— bed and breakfast in Scotland.
Richard-Craven: How do you practice self-care?
James: I love a spa. I love to listen to music. I play bass and guitar. I like hanging out with my friends. I love house parties. I just had a party. It makes me happy to host.
Richard-Craven: The past three years have been difficult due to the pandemic. People need something to laugh at even more now. Do you think the pandemic gave your work more meaning?
James: Yes. People are acknowledging that it even happened. I feel like that’s what’s happening. The pandemic was rough, and we need healing. Comedy is always needed. It’s a free gift that we’ve gotten as human beings— the gift of laughter. I feel like I have a superpower— making people laugh. That’s not something that everyone can do. It’s free entertainment. It doesn’t cost anything to laugh. We all need laughter. It’s such a gift.
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