Jackie Kashian
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
Jackie Kashian
Born Date: July 20, 1965
Born Place: South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actress, pioneering podcaster
Brief Biography: Jackie Kashian is best known for her observational sociopolitical humor and deep immersion in nerd and "dork" culture. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she has released top-charting comedy albums and built a massive footprint in the alternative comedy circuit.
Early Life and Education:
Upbringing: Raised by her father, Elliot, and stepmother, Nancy, alongside five older siblings.
College Roots: Discovered stand-up comedy while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Career Beginnings:
The Heckle: Her comedy path famously started in 1985 when she got drunk and heckled comedian Sam Kinison mid-set.
The Open Mic: Club security informed her that open mic nights were on Sundays; she tried it three weeks later and fell in love with performance.
Early Stages: Bill Kinison (Sam’s brother) gave her regular stage time five nights a week at his club before it burned down.
Relocation: She briefly honed her material in Minneapolis before moving to Los Angeles to pursue show business full-time.
Comedy Albums and Specials:
It Is Never Going to Be Bread (2010): Named one of the top comedy albums of the year by Amazon.
I Am Not The Hero Of This Story: Debuted at #3 on Billboard, hitting #1 on iTunes and Amazon.
Alter-Kashian (2026): Her latest self-produced comedy hour special and companion album.
Television and Media Appearances:
Late Night & Stand-up: Has performed sets on Conan, The Late Late Show with James Corden, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Last Comic Standing, and Comedy Central Presents.
Acting Credits: Appeared on the classic TV series Murphy Brown (1988) and in films like Bam Bam and Celeste (2005).
Voice Acting: Provided voice talent for popular animated shows like Bob's Burgers and Strange Planet.
Troop Entertainment: Toured internationally for roughly 25 weeks a year, including multiple deployments entertaining U.S. troops in Africa and the Middle East.
Prolific Podcasting:
The Dork Forest: Launched in 2006, this solo podcast features long-form interviews where guests unpack their hyper-specific, dorky obsessions.
The Jackie and Laurie Show: Co-hosted with fellow comic Laurie Kilmartin since December 2015. The weekly show breaks down the mechanics of stand-up comedy and champions up-and-coming female comedians as a counterweight to male-dominated industry talk.
Born Date: July 20, 1965
Born Place: South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actress, pioneering podcaster
Brief Biography: Jackie Kashian is best known for her observational sociopolitical humor and deep immersion in nerd and "dork" culture. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she has released top-charting comedy albums and built a massive footprint in the alternative comedy circuit.
Early Life and Education:
Upbringing: Raised by her father, Elliot, and stepmother, Nancy, alongside five older siblings.
College Roots: Discovered stand-up comedy while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Career Beginnings:
The Heckle: Her comedy path famously started in 1985 when she got drunk and heckled comedian Sam Kinison mid-set.
The Open Mic: Club security informed her that open mic nights were on Sundays; she tried it three weeks later and fell in love with performance.
Early Stages: Bill Kinison (Sam’s brother) gave her regular stage time five nights a week at his club before it burned down.
Relocation: She briefly honed her material in Minneapolis before moving to Los Angeles to pursue show business full-time.
Comedy Albums and Specials:
It Is Never Going to Be Bread (2010): Named one of the top comedy albums of the year by Amazon.
I Am Not The Hero Of This Story: Debuted at #3 on Billboard, hitting #1 on iTunes and Amazon.
Alter-Kashian (2026): Her latest self-produced comedy hour special and companion album.
Television and Media Appearances:
Late Night & Stand-up: Has performed sets on Conan, The Late Late Show with James Corden, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Last Comic Standing, and Comedy Central Presents.
Acting Credits: Appeared on the classic TV series Murphy Brown (1988) and in films like Bam Bam and Celeste (2005).
Voice Acting: Provided voice talent for popular animated shows like Bob's Burgers and Strange Planet.
Troop Entertainment: Toured internationally for roughly 25 weeks a year, including multiple deployments entertaining U.S. troops in Africa and the Middle East.
Prolific Podcasting:
The Dork Forest: Launched in 2006, this solo podcast features long-form interviews where guests unpack their hyper-specific, dorky obsessions.
The Jackie and Laurie Show: Co-hosted with fellow comic Laurie Kilmartin since December 2015. The weekly show breaks down the mechanics of stand-up comedy and champions up-and-coming female comedians as a counterweight to male-dominated industry talk.