Vanessa Hollingshead
Encyclopedia
Vanessa Hollingshead is an American
actress and stand-up comedian who has performed on many comedy programs including Comedy Central Presents
, Live At Jongleurs
and The Jim Breuer Show
. She has also acted in a number of films, including a small role in the 1999 film, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
.
. Her father was Michael Hollingshead
, a British-born researcher into psychedelic drugs and hallucinogens, who introduced Timothy Leary
and Paul McCartney
to LSD
. At the age of five years old, Hollingshead accidentally consumed LSD
after eating a sugar
cube that was laced
with the drug
. After this event she returned to live with her mother, Sophie, having lived with her father for a year. Hollingshead would later live for two years on a commune, and a further two years in London
with her father.
, in 1994 Hollingshead performed in an open mic night at the end of a four-hour long night, claiming at the time "Even Richard Pryor
wouldn't be funny at this point". Nine months later Hollingshead performed a twelve minute slot at the Comedy Strip on Second Avenue
, New York
. As a result of this performance she was offered a number of development deals and an offer to appear on The Drew Carey Show
, which she turned down.
In 1996 she appeared on the Tompkins Square show hosted by Jeffrey Ross
in her first television
appearance. Further television appearances followed in 1997 and 1998, on Live At Jongleurs
and The Jim Breuer Show
.
Whilst continuing with both live stand-up and television appearances (most notably when writing and appearing in Comedy Central Presents
in 2004), Hollingshead also appeared in several films. As well as appearing in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
, she appeared with ventriloquist act Otto & George
and Breuer
again in the 2002 film American Dummy, and opposite Greg Fitzsimmons
and Pete Correale in the 2003 film The Gynecologists.
Hollingshead also runs comedy workshops for aspiring comedians.
of The Comedy Strip in New York, who she had first met when she played there in 1995. Hold died in 2004 from complications arising from Scleroderma
. This led to Hollingshead becoming an active member of The Scleroderma Foundation, an organization which campaigns for stem-cell research to find a cure.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and stand-up comedian who has performed on many comedy programs including Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents is a half-hour long stand-up show that features various stand-up comedians in each episode.-DVDs:Starting in 2008, Comedy Central started releasing "Best of" compilation DVDs, with uncensored audio...
, Live At Jongleurs
Jongleurs
Jongleurs is a chain of comedy clubs in the United Kingdom. Maria Kempinska MBE established and opened the first Jongleurs club in 1983 in Battersea, London. In 1985 Maria then met her business partner John Davy, and together they built the Jongleurs brand. The company evolved into a corporate...
and The Jim Breuer Show
Jim Breuer
Jim Breuer is an American stand-up comedian, actor and radio host. He is most noted for his time as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and starring in the 1998 cult "stoner comedy" Half Baked, alongside Dave Chappelle....
. She has also acted in a number of films, including a small role in the 1999 film, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is a 1999 American crime action film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. Forest Whitaker stars as the title character, the mysterious "Ghost Dog", a hitman in the employ of the Mafia, who follows the ancient code of the samurai as outlined in the book of Yamamoto...
.
Early life
Hollingshead was born in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Her father was Michael Hollingshead
Michael Hollingshead
Michael Hollingshead was a British-born researcher in psychedelic drugs and hallucinogens including psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide, among others, at Harvard University in the mid-twentieth century. He is the father of comedian Vanessa Hollingshead....
, a British-born researcher into psychedelic drugs and hallucinogens, who introduced Timothy Leary
Timothy Leary
Timothy Francis Leary was an American psychologist and writer, known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs. During a time when drugs like LSD and psilocybin were legal, Leary conducted experiments at Harvard University under the Harvard Psilocybin Project, resulting in the Concord Prison...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
to LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
. At the age of five years old, Hollingshead accidentally consumed LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
after eating a sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
cube that was laced
Lacing (drugs)
Lacing is the act of secretly adding one or more substances to another. Some street drugs are commonly laced with other chemicals for various reasons, but it is most commonly done so as to bulk up the original product or to sell other, cheaper drugs in the place of something more expensive.-Reasons...
with the drug
Psychoactive drug
A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that crosses the blood–brain barrier and acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it affects brain function, resulting in changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior...
. After this event she returned to live with her mother, Sophie, having lived with her father for a year. Hollingshead would later live for two years on a commune, and a further two years in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with her father.
Career
After years working as an office tempTemporary work
Temporary work or temporary employment refers to a situation where the employee is expected to leave the employer within a certain period of time. Temporary employees are sometimes called "contractual", "seasonal", "interim", "casual staff", "freelance", or "part-time"; or the word may be shortened...
, in 1994 Hollingshead performed in an open mic night at the end of a four-hour long night, claiming at the time "Even Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets...
wouldn't be funny at this point". Nine months later Hollingshead performed a twelve minute slot at the Comedy Strip on Second Avenue
Second Avenue (Manhattan)
Second Avenue is an avenue on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan extending from Houston Street at its south end to the Harlem River Drive at 128th Street at its north end. A one-way street, vehicular traffic runs only downtown. A bicycle lane in the left hand portion from 55th...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. As a result of this performance she was offered a number of development deals and an offer to appear on The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in Cleveland, Ohio, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the actor....
, which she turned down.
In 1996 she appeared on the Tompkins Square show hosted by Jeffrey Ross
Jeffrey Ross
Jeff Ross is an American stand-up comedian, insult comic, actor, director and author.-Early life:...
in her first television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
appearance. Further television appearances followed in 1997 and 1998, on Live At Jongleurs
Jongleurs
Jongleurs is a chain of comedy clubs in the United Kingdom. Maria Kempinska MBE established and opened the first Jongleurs club in 1983 in Battersea, London. In 1985 Maria then met her business partner John Davy, and together they built the Jongleurs brand. The company evolved into a corporate...
and The Jim Breuer Show
Jim Breuer
Jim Breuer is an American stand-up comedian, actor and radio host. He is most noted for his time as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and starring in the 1998 cult "stoner comedy" Half Baked, alongside Dave Chappelle....
.
Whilst continuing with both live stand-up and television appearances (most notably when writing and appearing in Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
in 2004), Hollingshead also appeared in several films. As well as appearing in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is a 1999 American crime action film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. Forest Whitaker stars as the title character, the mysterious "Ghost Dog", a hitman in the employ of the Mafia, who follows the ancient code of the samurai as outlined in the book of Yamamoto...
, she appeared with ventriloquist act Otto & George
Otto & George
Otto & George is an adult-themed ventriloquist comedy team composed of comedian Otto Petersen and his dummy George Dudley. Petersen began performing with George as a street act in Manhattan and Brooklyn in the early 1970s...
and Breuer
Jim Breuer
Jim Breuer is an American stand-up comedian, actor and radio host. He is most noted for his time as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and starring in the 1998 cult "stoner comedy" Half Baked, alongside Dave Chappelle....
again in the 2002 film American Dummy, and opposite Greg Fitzsimmons
Greg Fitzsimmons
Greg Fitzsimmons is an American stand-up comedian, television writer/producer and radio host.-Life and career:Fitzsimmons has performed his comedy on numerous programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Chelsea Lately and Comedy...
and Pete Correale in the 2003 film The Gynecologists.
Hollingshead also runs comedy workshops for aspiring comedians.
Personal life
Hollingshead was married to Lucien Hold, the Artistic DirectorArtistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of The Comedy Strip in New York, who she had first met when she played there in 1995. Hold died in 2004 from complications arising from Scleroderma
Scleroderma
Systemic sclerosis or systemic scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease or systemic connective tissue disease that is a subtype of scleroderma.-Skin symptoms:...
. This led to Hollingshead becoming an active member of The Scleroderma Foundation, an organization which campaigns for stem-cell research to find a cure.
External links
- www.vanessahollingshead.com - Official website
- www.hollingsheadproductions.com