Rebecca O'Neal
{{Short description|American comedian and writer}}
Rebecca O'Neal (born 1987){{Cite news|last=Garcia|first=Sandra E.|date=2021-03-05|title=Yes, You Should Get Vaccinated, Even if You Think B.M.I. Is Nonsense|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/style/self-care/bmi-covid-vaccine.html|access-date=2021-10-13|issn=0362-4331}} is an American comedian and writer. She gained prominence performing stand-up comedy in her hometown of Chicago. O'Neal was featured on an episode of Comedy Central Stand-Up Featuring, 2 Dope Queens, and Easy.
Life and career
O'Neal was born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago.{{Cite web|last=Steinkopf-Frank|first=Hannah|date=2019-04-12|title=Comedy Queen Rebecca O'Neal Returns To Chicago For Tax Day Show — And Hopefully Some L'Patron Tacos|url=https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/04/12/chicago-comedian-rebecca-oneal-comes-home-for-tax-day-hideout-show/|access-date=2021-10-11|website=Block Club Chicago|language=en}} She was raised in an Evangelical Christian household.{{Cite web|date=2017-03-04|title=Chi-Town Comedy Chat: Rebecca O'Neal is the Host with the Most|url=https://rebelliousmagazine.com/chi-town-comedy-chat-rebecca-oneal-host/|access-date=2021-10-13|website=Rebellious Magazine|language=en-US}}
After high school she enrolled at Columbia College Chicago and later dropped out, after which she worked as an event promoter for local rappers and music artists.
She started her comedy career as a writer for outlets such as Splitsider, Gawker, Vanity Fair, and BuzzFeed. In 2012, she transitioned to performing stand-up and began performing at open mic night at Cole's in Chicago. After she became a steady performer, she hosted shows at Cole's, the Laugh Factory, and a comedy special on WCIU.{{Cite web|title=Overcoming a Stalker Helped This Woman Thrive as a Comedian|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/overcoming-her-stalker-helped-rebecca-oneal-thrive-as-a-comedian/|access-date=2021-10-11|website=Vice.com|date=14 February 2018 |language=en}} Her sets span a range of topics such as fashion, pop culture, sex, and quantum particle theories.{{Cite web|last=Chee|first=Karen|date=2018-11-09|title=Rebecca O'Neal Uses Twitter to Diagram Her Jokes|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/follow-friday-twitter-interview-rebecca-oneal.html|access-date=2021-10-13|website=Vulture|language=en-us}} She also tests material out on her Twitter account.
O'Neal opened shows for and toured with Maria Bamford, Janeane Garofalo, Arsenio Hall, Hannibal Buress, Roy Wood Jr., Michael Che, and W. Kamau Bell, and also performed at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival.{{Cite web|last=Prado|first=Emily|date=2014-05-13|title=Six Hilarious Female Comedians You Don't Know Yet—But Should|url=https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/six-hilarious-female-comedians-you-dont-know-yet—but-should|access-date=2021-10-12|website=Bitch Media|language=en}} In 2016, she quit her day job to pursue comedy full-time.{{Cite web|last=Freeman|first=Zach|title=Pomp and circumstance for Chicago comic Rebecca O'Neal|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-rebecca-oneal-comedy-profile-chicago-story.html|access-date=2021-10-12|website=chicagotribune.com|date=9 September 2016 }} That year, she headlined a show at the Laugh Factory where she hosted several shows a week.
In 2017, O'Neal relocated to Brooklyn, New York. She was on an episode of Netflix's Easy performing as herself, and she was also featured on the HBO series 2 Dope Queens. In 2020 and 2022, O'Neal was a featured comic on Comedy Central Stand-Up Featuring.{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=Interrobang|date=2020-10-27|title=We're So Excited About Comedy Central Stand Up Featuring Some of Our Favorite Comics!|url=https://theinterrobang.com/were-so-excited-about-comedy-central-stand-up-featuring-some-of-our-favorite-comics/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=The Interrobang|language=en-US}}
Personal life
O'Neal is queer. She resides in Brooklyn.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=nm7272358}}
- [https://twitter.com/becca_oneal Rebecca O'Neal] on Twitter
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Category:African-American female comedians
Category:African-American comedians
Category:American women comedians
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:Comedians from Illinois
Category:21st-century African-American women