Victoria Jackson

Jackson was born in Miami, Florida, the daughter of Marlene Esther (née Blackstad) and James McCaslin Jackson, a gym coach.{{cite news |last=Garcia-Roberts |first=Gus |date=February 2, 2012 |title=Tea Party Princess: Victoria Jackson went from the big leagues of comedy to the rabid right of modern politics |url=https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/tea-party-princess-victoria-jackson-went-from-the-big-leagues-of-comedy-to-the-rabid-right-of-modern-politics-2497332 |work=Riverfront Times |location=St. Louis, MO |access-date=May 1, 2024}} From the age of 5 until she was 18, Jackson's father trained her in gymnastics.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/18/victoria-jackson-conservative-values/6585043/|title=Victoria Jackson's values no laughing matter|last1=Page|first1=Jamie|date=March 18, 2014|newspaper=The Tennessean |location=Nashville |via=USA Today }}

After graduating from high school, Jackson attended Florida Bible College in Hollywood, Florida, later transferring to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina on a gymnastics scholarship. At Furman, she was cast in her first play. She transferred to Auburn University in 1979 for her senior year, changing her major to theater. Midway through her senior year, she left Auburn to pursue an acting career.{{cite news|last1=Henderson|first1=Jeremy|title=SNL alum Victoria Jackson's year at Auburn|url=http://www.thewareaglereader.com/2014/10/snl-alum-victoria-jackson-loved-auburn-auburn-didnt-love-her-back-war-eagle/|work=The War Eagle Reader|date=October 16, 2014}}

In the 2000s, Jackson earned a degree in theatre from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

While doing summer stock theater in Alabama, Jackson met former child actor Johnny Crawford of the 1950s television series The Rifleman, who cast her in his nightclub act. She moved to Los Angeles in 1981,{{cite news | last1=Barber | first1=Mary | title=Bottom Lines: Gymnast-Actress and Fire-Eating Musician Make Their Dreams Come True | work=Los Angeles Times | date=August 16, 1984}} working various day jobs and performing comedy at night.{{cite news | last1=Montville | first1=Leigh | title=Adventures in the L.A. skim trade | work=Boston Globe | date=July 29, 1984}}{{cite news | last1=Damsker | first1=Matt | title='Rainbow Of Comedy' Coming To San Diego: Stand-Up Comics Set For Old Globe Stand-Up Comics | work=Los Angeles Times | date=November 1, 1983 | quote=Opening for each of these headliners is an assortment of lesser-known stand-ups. ranging from ... comic poet-acrobat Victoria Jackson,...}} Her first big break was an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where she recited poetry while doing a handstand.{{cite news|last1=Berger|first1=Phil|title=The New Comediennes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/07/29/magazine/the-new-comediennes.html?pagewanted=all|work=The New York Times|date=July 29, 1984}}{{cite news | last1=Daltry | first1=Laura | title='Tonight Show' Special: Women, 19 Cents A Pound | work=Los Angeles Times | date=August 19, 1984}} She went on to appear on the show 20 times. In 1984 she appeared in the pilot for W*A*L*T*E*R, a M*A*S*H spin-off that the networks did not pick up.{{Citation | last=Arielle Miranda Seaboard | title=W*A*L*T*E*R clip featuring Victoria Jackson | date=November 20, 2015 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcqummksfjM | access-date=August 28, 2018}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}

Following a role in the short-lived 1985 television series Half Nelson,{{cite web|title=Half Nelson - Television Obscurities|url=http://www.tvobscurities.com/spotlight/half-nelson/|website=Television Obscurities|date=February 2016 |access-date=January 7, 2018}} Jackson received an offer to audition for the cast of Saturday Night Live. Because she was not confident her audition had gone well, she performed several impersonations on her next Tonight Show appearance and sent the tape to SNL{{'}}s Lorne Michaels. After viewing the tape, Michaels asked Jackson to join the show.{{cite book | last1=Miller | first1=James Andrew | last2=Shales | first2=Tom | title=Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests | date=2014 | publisher=Little, Brown | isbn=9780316295079 | pages=301ff | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KoNUBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT301 | language=en}} A regular cast member from 1986 to 1992, Jackson often appeared on the show's weekly Weekend Update segment as a correspondent who goes off topic, reciting poetry and doing backbends or handstands on the desk. She was also known for recurring skit roles where she impersonated Roseanne Barr, Sally Struthers and Zsa Zsa Gabor.{{cite news | last1=Ridley | first1=JD| title=Former 'SNL' actress defends prof accused of 'hate speech' against Muslims | url=https://www.thecollegefix.com/video-former-snl-actress-defends-prof-accused-of-hate-speech-against-muslims/ | work=The College Fix | date=January 19, 2015| access-date= June 26, 2020|language=en}}

During her tenure on SNL, Jackson was cast in a number of films, including Baby Boom, Family Business, I Love You to Death, UHF, The Pick-up Artist,{{cite news|last1=Thomas|first1=Kevin|title=Movie Reviews: 'Pick-up Artist' Meets His Match|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-19-ca-2169-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 19, 1987}} The Couch Trip,{{cite news|title=The Couch Trip|url=http://www.1988infilm.com/uncategorized/the-couch-trip/|work=1988 In Film|date=July 9, 2015|language=en}} and Casual Sex?.{{cite news | last1=Beale | first1=Lewis | title=A Christian Fundamentalist Disrobes For Casual Sex? | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/04/28/a-christian-fundamentalist-disrobes-for-casual-sex/ | work=Los Angeles Daily News | via=Chicago Tribune | date=April 28, 1988 | language=en}} Her film career continued after her 1992 departure from Saturday Night Live, but mostly in unknown or unnoticed films. On television, she was cast as the lead of her own sitcom, co-starring George Clooney. When there was a change in management at Fox, the show was scrapped without being broadcast.{{cite news|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/snl-alum-brings-stand-up-routine-to-tulsa-club/article_3128c31f-4493-580f-8025-72fbcf7eb2bf.html |title='SNL' alum brings stand-up routine to Tulsa club |first=Robert S. |last=Walters |date=November 11, 1999 |newspaper=Tulsa World}} In 1994, she appeared as "Beverly" in the In the Heat of the Night{{cite web|title=In the Heat of the Night, Season 7, Episode 13 Good Cop, Bad Cop|url=http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/in-the-heat-of-the-night/episode-13-season-7/good-cop-bad-cop/202207/|access-date=January 7, 2018|work=TVGuide|language=en}} episode "Good Cop, Bad Cop", and in 1999 she appeared as the unrequited love of a small-town man who can control the weather in The X-Files episode "The Rain King".{{cite book | year=2000 | author=Meisler, Andy | title=The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6 | isbn=0-06-107595-7 | publisher=HarperCollins | pages=[https://archive.org/details/endbeginning00meis/page/80 80–89] | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/endbeginning00meis/page/80 }}

Jackson had a regular role as Patty in the 2000–2001 Comedy Central sitcom Strip Mall and in the 2003–2004 seasons of the Nickelodeon show Romeo!.{{cite news|last1=Gehrke-White|first1=Donna|title=Ex-'SNL' star Victoria Jackson balances career, motherhood|url=http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/ex--snl-star-victoria-jackson-balances-career-motherhood/article_3ecfac0d-60c6-5f5e-95c5-ae2540032f08.html|work=Daily Herald|date=October 28, 2005|language=en|access-date=January 7, 2018|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719175809/https://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/ex--snl-star-victoria-jackson-balances-career-motherhood/article_3ecfac0d-60c6-5f5e-95c5-ae2540032f08.html|url-status=dead}} In 2004 and 2005, she had roles in two romantic comedies, Shut Up and Kiss Me! and Her Minor Thing. During this period, Jackson appeared on the game show Hollywood Squares and participated in the show Celebrity Fit Club. She played multiple characters in the 2014 direct-to-video movie Campin' Buddies.{{cite news|last1=Stokes|first1=Justin|title=Victoria Jackson talks Tea Party, Zanies show|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/life/2015/10/07/victoria-jackson-talks-tea-party-zanies-show/73476888/|work=The Tennessean|date=October 7, 2015|language=en}}{{cite news|last1=McLevy|first1=Alex|title=Nothing says "garbage movie" like Victoria Jackson in 7 different roles|url=https://www.avclub.com/nothing-says-garbage-movie-like-victoria-jackson-in-7-1798257007|work=Film|date=January 30, 2017}}

File:Victoria Jackson.jpg in 2009]]

A self-described conservative Christian, Jackson has appeared in productions such as the 2007 Christian comedy concert Thou Shalt Laugh 2: The Deuce as well as a dozen times on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. She has supported the Tea Party movement through appearances at events as well as her website, which was affiliated with the Liberty Alliance.{{cite book|last1=Ingersoll|first1=Julie J.|author-link=Julie Ingersoll|title=Building God's Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction|date=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199913787|pages=187–188|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cPGpCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA187|language=en}}

In October 2008, she appeared with other celebrities on The O'Reilly Factor in a National Republican Senatorial Committee advertisement poking fun at Al Franken, a fellow Saturday Night Live alumnus then running for the United States Senate from Minnesota.{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Ted|title=Hollywood Republicans Against Franken|url=https://variety.com/2008/biz/opinion/hollywood-repub-42135/|work=Variety|date=October 29, 2008}}

Beginning in 2008, Jackson stated that she believed Barack Obama to be a communist.{{cite news|last1=Garcia-Roberts|first1=Gus|title=Victoria Jackson's excellent Tea Party adventure|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/victoria-jacksons-excellent-tea-party-adventure-6385887|newspaper=Miami New Times|date=January 26, 2012}}{{cite book|first1=Martin A.|last1=Parlett|title=Demonizing a President: The "Foreignization" of Barack Obama: The "Foreignization" of Barack Obama|date=2014|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara, California|isbn=978-1440830563|page=164|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tBaDBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA164|language=en}}{{cite news|first1=Nicholas|last1=Sabloff|title=Former SNL Member Victoria Jackson: Obama A "Communist," Like "Castro In Cuba, The Guy In China"|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/01/victoria-jackson-obama-a_n_139962.html|website=Huffington Post|location=New York City|date=December 2, 2008}}{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Leo|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/12/victoria-jackson-is-crazy_n_174253.html|title=Victoria Jackson On Fox News: Obama Is A Communist, Rush Limbaugh Should Run The Country|website=Huffington Post|location=New York City|date=April 12, 2009}}{{cite news|last1=Garcia-Roberts|first1=Gus|title=Victoria Jackson Says New Times Profile of Her Was Lies Penned by a Socialist (Updated)|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/victoria-jackson-says-new-times-profile-of-her-was-lies-penned-by-a-socialist-updated-6551161|newspaper=Miami New Times|date=January 26, 2012}} In 2015, she claimed that Obama was an "Islamic jihadist" and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, with members of the organization in his cabinet, and that Obama's support for legal abortion and same-sex marriage showed he was not a Christian.{{cite web |first=Brian|last=Tashman|title=Victoria Jackson: Obama's Gay Marriage Support Proves He's 'An Islamic Jihadist' |website=Right Wing Watch |publisher=People for the American Way |location=Washington DC|date=February 20, 2015 |url=https://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/victoria-jackson-obamas-gay-marriage-support-proves-hes-islamic-jihadist |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150221191506/https://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/victoria-jackson-obamas-gay-marriage-support-proves-hes-islamic-jihadist | archive-date = February 21, 2015}}{{cite web |first=Luke|last=Brinkner|title= Former "SNL" cast member Victoria Jackson: Obama is "an Islamic jihadist" |website=Salon |location=Los Angeles, California|date=February 20, 2015 |url=http://www.salon.com/2015/02/20/former_snl_cast_member_victoria_jackson_obama_is_an_islamic_jihadist/ }}{{cite news |last1=Molloy |first1=Tim |title=Victoria Jackson: Obama Part of Muslim Brotherhood |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS64894523920111228 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |work=Reuters |date=December 28, 2011 |language=en}}

In 2011, Jackson criticized the TV show Glee for showing a kiss between two male actors, calling it "sickening" and citing the Bible to justify her criticism. When accused of homophobia, Jackson countered that the label was merely a "cute liberal buzzword" and suggested that Glee be replaced with a show promoting celibacy.{{cite web| last = Jackson| first = Victoria | title = Victoria Jackson: Homophobic a 'Cute Little Buzzword'|work=Newser| date = March 22, 2011| url =http://www.newser.com/story/114687/victoria-jackson-defends-rant-against-sickening-gay-glee-kiss-and-continues-slamming-gays-muslims.html| access-date=March 22, 2011}}

In 2011, Jackson joined the staff of Patriot Update as a writer and video blogger and host of the talk show Politichicks. Co-hosts included Ann-Marie Murrell, Jannique Stewart, and Jennie Jones.{{cite news|last1=Lambiet|first1=Jose|title=Victoria Jackson goes online|url=http://www.miami.com/miami-news/victoria-jackson-goes-online-8614/|work=Miami.com|date=November 21, 2011}}{{cite news|last1=Tanabe|first1=Karin|title=Victoria Jackson's conservative view|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2011/12/victoria-jacksons-conservative-view-107195|work=Politico|date=December 13, 2011}} Jackson wrote a satirical song for "Politichicks" titled "Shariah Law", with the song's lyrics claiming, "They [Muslims] like beheadings and pedophile weddings". Among her work for Patriot Update was a piece on Occupy Wall Street that was critical of the protesters.{{cite news|last1=Chaney|first1=Jen|title=Victoria Jackson brings opinions about Obama and Jesus to Occupy Wall Street (Video)|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/celebritology/post/victoria-jackson-brings-opinions-about-obama-and-jesus-to-occupy-wall-street-video/2011/10/13/gIQACxsghL_blog.html|newspaper=Washington Post|date=October 13, 2011}}{{cite news|title=Occupy Wall Street: Former 'SNL' Actress Victoria Jackson Grills Protesters (Video)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/occupy-wall-street-snl-victoria-jackson-247512|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 12, 2011|language=en}}

In 2012, White Hall publishers, part of the Liberty Alliance, released Jackson's autobiography Is My Bow Too Big? How I Went from Saturday Night Live to the Tea Party.{{cite news|title=Bookmarks: Recent publications from Furman writers|url=https://news.furman.edu/2013/06/03/bookmarks-recent-publications-from-furman-writers/|work=Furman News|date=June 3, 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Guarino|first1=Mark|title=Can Victoria Jackson return from the fringe?|url=https://www.salon.com/2013/03/10/can_victoria_jackson_return_from_the_fringe/|work=Salon|date=March 10, 2013}}

In 2012, after Todd Akin's remarks regarding pregnancies resulting from rape, Jackson said "If I got raped, I would have the baby. And if I didn't want to keep it because I had these horrible nightmares, I would adopt it out. But I think that God can turn a bad thing into a good thing, and that if I got raped and a beautiful baby who was innocent was born out of it, that would be a blessing."{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/31/victoria-jackson-todd-akin-rape-abortion_n_1847852.html | work=Huffington Post | first=Michelangelo | last=Signorile | title=Former 'SNL' Star Makes Shocking Comments About Rape and Gay Friends | date=August 31, 2012}}

In 2014, Jackson filed a petition as an independent candidate for one of two District 2 seats in Williamson County, Tennessee. She received 632 votes, not enough to secure either seat against the incumbent candidates.{{cite news|last1=Page|first1=Jamie|title=Former SNL star Victoria Jackson officially files for county commission|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/thompsons-station/2014/02/19/former-snl-star-victoria-jackson-officially-files-for-county-commission/5617867/|work=The Tennessean via USAToday|date=February 19, 2014|language=en}}{{cite news|title='SNL's Victoria Jackson falls to incumbents|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/08/07/snls-victoria-jackson-falls-incumbents/13755741/|work=The Tennessean|date=August 7, 2014}}

In 2023, Jackson objected to Franklin, Tennessee, holding a gay pride parade.{{cite web|work=New York Daily News|title=Former 'SNL' star Victoria Jackson tells city council 'God hates sodomy'|author=Niemietz, Brian|date=April 12, 2023|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-victoria-jackson-snl-anti-gay-god-speech-tennessee-20230412-4pfpg6ij2vhezg2d6b556ksp5u-story.html}}

Jackson married a fellow performer, fire-eating magician Nisan Mark Eventoff, in 1984, and had a daughter. They divorced in 1991. Shortly thereafter, she reconnected with her high school sweetheart, Paul Wessel, then a Miami-Dade SWAT team police officer, and they married and had a daughter. When her husband retired in 2013, the couple moved to Nashville, Tennessee.{{cite news|title=Victoria Jackson: Funny Begins with Faith|url=http://www1.cbn.com/victoria-jackson-funny-begins-faith|work=The Christian Broadcasting Network|date=October 2017}} Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://victoriajackson.com/i-have-cancer/|title=I Have Cancer!|date=January 5, 2016}} She announced through an Instagram post in August 2024 that her breast cancer had metastasized and she had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in her windpipe.{{Cite web |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=August 16, 2024 |title='SNL' Alum Victoria Jackson Reveals She Has an Inoperable Tumor in Her Windpipe, Tells Fans: 'I've Had a Fantastic Life' |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/victoria-jackson-snl-tumor-windpipe-inoperable-1236108897/ |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=Variety}}

{{incomplete list|date=November 2019}}

• Double Exposure (1982)
• Bizarre (1985)
• Stoogemania (1986) as Nurse Grabatit
• Baby Boom (1987) as Eve
• The Pick-up Artist (1987) as Lulu
• Casual Sex? (1988) as Melissa
• The Couch Trip (1988) as Robin
• Dream a Little Dream (1989) as Kit
• UHF (1989) as Teri Campbell
• Family Business (1989) as Christine
• I Love You to Death (1990) as Lacey
• Sesame Street (1991) as Sid
• The Undercover Kid (1993) as Cat
• In the Heat of the Night (1994) as Beverly
• The Weird Al Show (1997) as Herself
• Nightmare Ned (1997) as Sarah Needlemeyer (voice)
• No More Baths (1998) as Charlotte
• Touched by an Angel (1998) as Waitress
• The X-Files (1999) as Shelia Fontaine
• Sabrina the Teenage Witch (2000) as Annabelle Saberhagen
• Elmo Aardvark: Outer Space Detective (2000) as Vava LaVoom (voice)
• The Wheels on the Bus (2000s) as Moon Mouse
• Strip Mall (2000–2001) as Patti
• Romeo! (2003–2004) as Marie Rogers
• Shut Up and Kiss Me (2004) as Harriet Ballister
• Brother White (2012) as Victoria
• Fat Chance (2015) as Nancy
• The Matchbreaker (2016) as Mrs. Taylor
• Altar Egos (2017) as Barbara
• Heaven Bound (2017) as Miss Thompson
• Jingle Smells (2023) as Enchantress Kale

• Is My Bow Too Big? How I Went from Saturday Night Live to the Tea Party, 2012, {{ISBN|978-1-4675-0256-6}}
• Lavender Hair: 21 Devotions for Women with Breast Cancer, 2017, {{ISBN|978-1-4245-5562-8}}

• List of people from Miami

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.victoriajackson.com/ Victoria Jackson Official Website]
• {{IMDb name|0414130}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Victoria}}

Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American actresses

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Category:Actresses from Miami

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Category:Anti-LGBTQ evangelical Christian activists in the United States