Jess Hilarious (née Jessica Robin Moore) is here for the mess, and we love her for it. The Baltimore native has risen quickly to the top of the comedy world -- a male-dominated sphere with her jokes, roasts and outlandish entertainment commentary. Just a few years ago, she was studying mortuary science. Now, the Wild 'n Out comedian appears in HBO’s Def Comedy Jam reboot, All Def Comedy. Ahead of the series premiere, I chatted with Jess who is currently touring the country and performing her stand-up routines. Comedy has always been a significant part of the 25-year-old's life. “It was just something effortless for me because I've always been a humorous person --just socially humorous, “ she explained. “It started at family reunions and just general conversation with my family, friends, and boyfriend. One day I was just sitting, and I was like let me just start making videos. They went viral. I saw a response from that my following was growing. I started doing stand-up. I jumped into it, and it was good. It hasn't even been that long. I’ve only been doing stand-up for like 18 months. The comedy all-together, like two and half years."
With her hands in improv, stand-up and her Instagram segment, Jess with the Mess -- the comedy phenom feels most at home on the stage. “Honestly, I like stand-up better, “ she reflected, “I'm not a big fan of improv. I'm not a big fan of acting on the spot. I can on the spot roast somebody like on the Wild 'n Out shows and that type of stuff. But unless it's a person that I have to roast, it's not going down.
Jess' knack for roasting is what has helped propel her to the center of social media comedy. With spats with the likes of Azealia Banks, Hazel E and a major controversy surrounding an innocent photo with her son, Jess has remained unphased by it all. “I don’t regret anything. Not ever,” she said adamantly. “The problems I choose, I choose them wisely. I don't regret anything that I've done. I don't regret picking on anybody. It's a difference between bullying and roasting and if you need to be roasted you gonna get roasted. That's just how it is. That's just who I am. That's how I was brought up. I have an older brother -- all he did was crack on me. He made me real tough and got me together for the world. He just prepared me to be quick on my feet for when somebody comes at me. It's all fun and games until people get serious. Then when they get serious, I still be playing.”
The spot-on impressionist has obtained a massive following that topples over 2.5 million on Instagram alone by being engaging and talking directly to her fans. “I just talk about my everyday life,” she explained. “You know, relatable situations that people go through every day. I find a way to make it funny. It's gonna make you laugh not only because it's funny, but because you can relate to it. So that's what makes me likable. That's how I keep my audience’s attention -- that's how I build my set. That's how I build my material.”
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