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Luisa Omielan
Born (1982-09-07) 7 September 1982 (age 42)
Birmingham, England, U.K.
NationalityBritish
Alma materSalford University
EmployerBBC
Notable works and roles"What Would Beyoncé Do?!", "Am I Right Ladies", "Politics for Bitches", "God Is a Woman", "Ten"
Websiteluisaomielan.com

Luisa Omielan (born 7 September 1982)[citation needed] is a British comedian based in Birmingham.

Early life

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Born in Birmingham to parents of Polish descent, she is the middle of five children.[citation needed] Luisa lived in Farnborough, Hampshire where she went to St Patricks Catholic School and then onto a Catholic secondary school in Aldershot called All Hallows. In 2005, she graduated from Salford University with a first class BA Hons in Performing Arts.[1] In 2011 Luisa attended training at Second City in Chicago where she specialised in Clowning, Improvisation and Sketch Writing.[2]

Career

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Omielan first started stand up comedy in 2008 performing at the Brighton Fringe Festival. In 2012, Omielan performed her debut stand up solo show, What Would Beyoncé Do?! as part of the Brighton Fringe, later followed by the free fringe at the Edinburgh Festival.[3] What Would Beyoncé Do?! has since had ten sell out runs at London's Soho Theatre.[4] Omielan was later nominated at Melbourne International Comedy Festival for best Comedy show. The show went on to tour 12 countries and recorded as a BBC special.[5] It was named “one of the biggest stand up hits of the decade’ by The Guardian.[6]

In 2014, Omielan was invited to perform for ten nights as part of the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival. The show then continued to have a week run in the London West End at the Leicester Square Theatre. Omielan is known for her empowering 'party' atmosphere genre of comedy.[7] Her follow-up show Am I Right Ladies?! has had a UK tour, received critical acclaim and five star reviews.[8] In July 2015, Omielan used crowd funding website Indiegogo to self fund a DVD recording of Am I Right Ladies?! at the Bloomsbury Theatre,[9] which she later uploaded to her YouTube channel, in February 2018.[10]

On 20 November 2014, she appeared on the 99th episode of The Comedian's Comedian Podcast with Stuart Goldsmith.[11]

In 2015, she toured Australia and performed as part of the Comedy Gala. A 4-minute clip where Omielan discuses the 'thigh gap' went viral and has since amassed over 43 million views on Facebook.[12]

In 2017 the BBC produced a TV version of her What Would Beyoncé Do?! show, shown as a special on BBC Three, and later on BBC One.[13][14][15]

In 2018 Luisa was named a Bafta Breakthrough Brit, she is the first comedian to ever be nominated and supported by the scheme.[16]

Autumn 2018 she adapted her live Edinburgh Fringe stage show,[17] Politics for Bitches, into six 30 minute episodes for the BBC. Via a part documentary, part stand-up gig format, Omielan explores a few of the socioeconomic and political issues facing young adults in the UK today.[18][19][20]

She appeared as a panelist in Series 22, Episodes 1 and 4, of the Radio 4 show The Unbelievable Truth. Following her mother's death from bowel cancer, Omielan launched Helena's Hospice Foundation.[21]

She currently lives in Birmingham and is supported on tour with her dog Bernie, a Bernese mountain dog.[22]

Television appearances

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Books

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On 14 July 2016, Omielan's book What Would Beyonce Do?! was published by Century. ISBN 9781780894454.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Beyoncé-inspired graduate is latest comedy talent | | University of Salford, Manchester". Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  2. ^ Logan, Brian (29 July 2013). "Luisa Omielan: destiny's comic". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  3. ^ Logan, Brian (24 June 2014). "Edinburgh festival 2014: the unmissable standups". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Luisa Omielan: What Would Beyonce Do?! – Book Q&A". Soho Theatre. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  5. ^ BBC (16 February 2017), Independent Women - Luisa Omielan's What Would Beyoncé Do?! - BBC Three, retrieved 13 June 2019
  6. ^ Logan, Brian (24 June 2014). "Edinburgh festival 2014: the unmissable standups". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  7. ^ Dessau, Bruce (18 June 2015). "Comedian Luisa Omielan: 'Weaker sex? My body makes life — men can't even make a sandwich'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Luisa Omielan". Chortle. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  9. ^ "'Am I Right Ladies?!' Live Stand Up Recording". indiegogo.com. Indiegogo. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  10. ^ Luisa Omielan (14 February 2018). Luisa Omielan, Am I Right Ladies?! (Video). Luisa Omielan via YouTube. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  11. ^ "Episode 99 - Luisa Omielan - The Comedian's Comedian Podcast with Stuart Goldsmith - British Comedy Guide". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  12. ^ "Thigh Gap". Facebook. 2015.
  13. ^ "BBC Three to publish Luisa Omielan stand-up show". British Comedy Guide. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Luisa Omielan's What Would Beyoncé Do?! comes to BBC Three on Valentine's Day". BBC. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Friday's best TV: What Would Beyoncé Do; Count Arthur Strong". The Guardian. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Breakthrough Brits 2018". www.bafta.org. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  17. ^ Guide (22 August 2018). "Luisa Omielan: Politics for Bitches review: one of the most powerful and provocative hours on the Fringe". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  18. ^ "Luisa Omielan's Politics for Bitches". BBC. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  19. ^ "Luisa Omielan's Politics for Bitches review – a truly refreshing voice". The Guardian. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  20. ^ "Luisa Omielan's Politics for Bitches, review: 'Righteous and necessary, but less would be more'". i News The Essential Daily Briefing. i. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  21. ^ "Luisa Omielan: 'Mum's hospice care was a gift'". BBC News. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  22. ^ "Comedian Luisa Omielan: 'My Emotional Support Dog Bernie Saved My Life'". HuffPost UK. 14 October 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  23. ^ Fleckney, Paul. "Luisa Omielan: Go out with a comedian? Only if they stopped being so needy". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  24. ^ Staff writer (27 June 2015). "The John Bishop Show (episode 5)". BBC. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  25. ^ Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "What Would Beyonce Do?! by Luisa Omielan : Book Reviews 2016 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 5 November 2016. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
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