Justine Smith
{{short description|New Zealand comedian and actor}}
{{about||the Australian ophthalmic surgeon and vision researcher|Justine R. Smith}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Justine Smith
| image = Justine Smith The Cafe.png
| alt =
| caption = Smith in 2017
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|49|2017}}
| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| death_date =
| occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|actress|writer}}
| alma_mater =
| known_for = {{hlist|7 Days|Taskmaster NZ}}
| awards = Billy T Award (2003)
NZ Comedy Guild, Best Female Comedian (2008, 2015, 2017)
| website = {{URL|https://justinesmith.co.nz/}}
|module={{Infobox comedian|child=yes
| medium = {{hlist|Television|stand-up}}
| active = 1997{{endash}}present
| genre =
| subject =
}}
}}
Justine Smith is a New Zealand comedian, writer, and actress.
Early life
Smith was born in Auckland and adopted by and raised in a self-described "conservative" family in Wainoni in Christchurch, New Zealand.{{cite web |last1=Papesch |first1=Lynda |title=Justine Smith |url=https://metropol.co.nz/justine-smith/ |publisher=Metropol |access-date=2 September 2023 |date=12 October 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Sam |title=Justine Smith’s long road to Taskmaster glory |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/09-07-2022/justine-smiths-long-road-to-taskmaster-glory |publisher=The Spinoff |date=9 July 2022}}{{cite news |title=Taskmaster NZ comedian Justine Smith's favourite holiday memories |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/taskmaster-nz-comedian-justine-smiths-favourite-holiday-memories/H7E4TYSWC4WFT3UW7ANWLR5ZSA/ |work=NZ Herald |date=28 June 2022}} Smith has an older sister. Her grandfather, Bill Ramsay, had been a comedian. She attended Avonside Girls' High School until she was sixteen, when she moved to Auckland to attend art school.{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Vicki |title=Female comedian: 'I scare most people off' |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/christchurch-life/world-buskers-festival/9644474/Female-comedian-I-scare-most-people-off |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=24 January 2014}}{{cite web |last1=Easther |first1=Elisabeth |title=My Story: Justine Smith - 'Quite a lot of the hate towards women comes from other women' |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/my-story-justine-smith-quite-a-lot-of-the-hate-towards-women-comes-from-other-women/ZB7IOJO5K7GB6YTS2DDNTGWTTU/ |publisher=NZ Herald |date=31 August 2020}}
Smith has a degree in film and photography. After graduating, she worked in hospitality.{{cite journal |last1=Yates |first1=Siena |title=How Kiwi comedy queen Justine Smith is shaking up the stand-up scene for women |journal=Woman |date=May 2021 |issue=11 |pages=30–35 |url=https://womanmagazine.co.nz/how-kiwi-comedy-queen-justine-smith-is-shaking-up-the-stand-up-scene-for-women/ |issn=2703-6421}}
Career
Smith started her career in comedy after doing a stand-up gig in 1997.{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Verity |title=You do what for a living?! Justine Smith, comedian |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/03/you-do-what-for-a-living-justine-smith-comedian.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318170753/http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/03/you-do-what-for-a-living-justine-smith-comedian.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 18, 2017 |publisher=Newshub |date=16 March 2017}} She went on to win the Billy T Award in 2003 for her show The Justine Smith Hour.{{cite book |last1=Horan |first1=Paul |last2=Matthews |first2=Philip |title=Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy |date=2019 |publisher=Auckland University Press |location=Auckland |isbn=9781776710447}}{{cite web |title=Comedians in Conversation: Alice Snedden and Justine Smith |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/comedy/16-03-2017/comedians-in-conversation-alice-snedden-and-justine-smith |publisher=The Spinoff |access-date=2 September 2023 |date=16 March 2017}}{{cite web |title=Billy T’ Billy: Dai Henwood, Justine Smith and Irene Pink on NZ comedy in the 00s |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/billy-t-billy-dai-henwood-justine-smith-and-irene-pink-on-nz-comedy-in-the-00s/DVT3DSKKMFB2BMZTSKN2S2TWIM/ |publisher=NZ Herald |date=15 May 2023}} Smith briefly quit comedy in 2014.
Smith is the first female head writer and a regular panelist on 7 Days,{{cite web |last1=Nealon |first1=Sarah |title=NZ comedian Justine Smith: 'I always thought I was pretty funny' |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/tv-guide/98294583/nz-comedian-justine-smith-i-always-thought-i-was-pretty-funny |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=31 October 2017}} and she has appeared on The Project. In 2022, Smith appeared on the third series of Taskmaster NZ. She has also been on Pulp Comedy, Have You Been Paying Attention?, and hosted the New Zealand International Comedy Festival Comedy Gala in 2021.{{cite web |title=Justine Smith - Funny As Interview |url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/interviews/justine-smith |publisher=NZ on Screen |access-date=2 September 2023 |date=2019}}{{cite web |last1=Nealon |first1=Sarah |title=Justine Smith hosting this year's Comedy Gala |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/124903080/justine-smith-hosting-this-years-comedy-gala |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=22 April 2021}} Smith also appeared in an advertisement, produced by the New Zealand government for its "Keep It Real Online" campaign, that went viral.{{cite news |last1=Graham-McLay |first1=Charlotte |title=New Zealand government deploys nude 'porn actors' in web safety ad |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/15/new-zealand-government-deploys-nude-porn-actors-in-web-safety-ad |work=The Guardian |date=15 June 2020}} In 2023, she appeared on the New Zealand version of The Traitors.{{cite web |last1=Casey |first1=Alex |title=The Traitors NZ power rankings, week one: Gather round, chickadees |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/08-08-2023/the-traitors-nz-power-rankings-week-one-gather-round-chickadees |publisher=The Spinoff |date=8 August 2023}} Smith was a contestant on Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee in 2024. She hosted the Wellington Raw Comedy Quest final in August 2024.{{cite news |last1=Walker Ahwa |first1=Zoe |title=Comedian Justine Smith's stylish must-haves |url=https://www.thepost.co.nz/style/350377099/comedian-justine-smiths-stylish-must-haves |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=The Post |date=17 August 2024}}
She also won the NZ Comedy Guild's Best Female Comedian award three times, in 2008, 2015, and 2017.
Shows performed by Smith include Actually I'm a Cat Person, The Justine Smith Hour (2003), Return of the Jussi (2008),{{cite web |title=Justine Smith: The Return of the Jussi |url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/production/justine-smith-the-return-of-the-jussi/ |publisher=Theatreview |access-date=3 September 2023}} and Jussi Town (2010).{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Zoe |title=Favourite things: Funny business |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/favourite-things-funny-business/SWQPERUOEQ5LUPMDDCOC6T6TUI/ |publisher=NZ Herald |access-date=2 September 2023 |date=2 May 2010}} She and Irene Pink have performed two shows together, I'm Sorry I Said That and The Pitch.{{cite web |title=Justine Smith |url=https://www.standup.com.au/comedian/justine-smith |publisher=The Sit Down Comedy Club |access-date=2 September 2023}}
She has cited Bill Bailey as an inspiration, as well as Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Bette Midler, and Betty White.
Personal life
Smith lived in Japan for a year in her 20s.{{cite web |title=7 Days comedian Justine Smith loves Disneyland so much she got engaged there |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300592579/7-days-comedian-justine-smith-loves-disneyland-so-much-she-got-engaged-there |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=21 May 2022}}{{cite web |title=Advice to my 22 year old self: Justine Smith |url=https://thebigidea.nz/stories/advice-to-my-22-year-old-self-justine-smith |publisher=The Big Idea |access-date=2 September 2023 |date=31 July 2018}}
Smith married her husband Dan Crozier in 2015.{{cite web |last1=Hebenton |first1=Rebekah |title=Comedian Justine Smith's Disney proposal |url=https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/celebrity/entertainment/justine-smiths-disney-proposal-46890 |publisher=New Zealand Women's Weekly |date=14 April 2023}} They live in Te Atatū Peninsula with their two cats.{{cite web |last1=Mann |first1=Britt |title=At home with Auckland comedian Justine Smith |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/98085694/at-home-with-auckland-comedian-justine-smith |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=12 November 2017}} She collects toys and enjoys decorating for Christmas.{{cite web |last1=Hebenton |first1=Rebekah |title=Justine Smith loves everything about Christmas |url=https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/celebrity/celeb-news/justine-smith-what-brings-her-joy-46347 |publisher=Woman's Weekly |access-date=2 September 2023 |date=9 December 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{URL|https://www.justinesmith.co.nz/|justinesmith.co.nz}}
{{Billy T Award}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Justine}}
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:New Zealand women comedians
Category:Entertainers from Christchurch
Category:Contestants on New Zealand game shows