20 People to Watch - Mia Jackson
From local open mic to TV’s bright lights, this local comedian is on the come up
Thousands of comedy fans filled Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood Oct. 4 to watch some of comedy’s biggest names at Funny Or Die’s Oddball Fest. One of the most talked about artists of the year, Amy Schumer, took the stage to thunderous cheers. At the top of her set, Schumer gave a shout-out to an Atlanta mainstay. Not a neighborhood, not a restaurant, but a comedian.
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“You guys know Mia Jackson? Isn’t she great?”
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Jackson had opened for Schumer in the past and clearly made an impression. “My heart was beating so fast when she said my name,” Jackson says. “I was hanging out backstage watching the show and my mouth just dropped.”
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Like Schumer, Jackson had a big year. After more than a decade of performing, Jackson became a full-time comic in April 2014. Her comedy career started in 2002 after college in Athens. She moved and starting working the Atlanta comedy scene that was blossoming.
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“There were so many great places, but a big one that stands out is Twisted Taco in Midtown,” Jackson says. “It was a great spot on Sunday nights.”
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Former ATLien Drew Thomas hosted the Sunday shows. Both Thomas and Jackson enjoyed a national stage this summer on the ninth season of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” After a few rounds of auditions, Jackson made it into the Top 100 and moved on to the semi-finals before being eliminated. (The title went to New York-based Atlantan Clayton English.) “Overall, it was great to be exposed to millions of people on network television and I picked up some new fans along the way and you really can’t beat that.”
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Jackson is soft-spoken on stage yet packs her punchlines full of attitude. Her comedy feels like talking to an old friend, weaving through an arsenal of relatable jokes ranging from sexting to pot brownies to near-death experiences and beyond.
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This fall, Jackson opened for rising star Nore Davis at the Laughing Skull Lounge. Davis is another addition to the long list of comics Jackson has opened for including Schumer, Dave Chappelle, and Arsenio Hall. Her steadfast commitment to her craft has seen her graduate from local open mics to headlining local clubs like the Skull, Punchline, and Improv as well as colleges around the nation. Jackson was a finalist at the 2012 Laughing Skull Festival. She’s also had cameos on Oxygen’s “Girls Behaving Badly” and TLC’s “Wild Weddings” and written for the Soul Train Awards in 2009 and 2010.
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2016 is poised to be another good year for Jackson. She filmed a part for Garry Marshall’s latest film, Mother’s Day, and is looking to record her first album. “I think it’s time that people have access to this country twang 24/7.”