Comedian Sam Jay has had a lot going on as of late. In addition to being a writer for Saturday Night Live and having a pretty killer debut Netflix special, she’s also starred in her own show Bust Down on Peacock TV and hosted her own talk show on HBO. Never one to rest on her accomplishments, Sam Jay’s hit-talk show is coming back for a second season.
On the late-night show, Jay weighs in with “her personal take on a variety of topics in a half-hour late-night talk series where conversations are further expanded with additional interviews, sketches, and animation.”
After years of working in an office and as a music manager, Jay performed her first stand-up comedy routine in 2012, at the age of 29. In 2017, she joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live, becoming the first black lesbian writer in the show’s history and the second black lesbian to be involved with the show overall (after performer Danitra Vance joined the cast 32 years prior). She co-wrote the “Black Jeopardy” sketch. In 2018, she performed stand-up on Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup and starred in a half-hour stand-up special for Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents. Jay’s first stand-up comedy release was Donna’s Daughter (2018), which was made available as audio-only. Her other work includes appearances on Take My Wife (2016–2018) and stand-up performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and at 2017 Just for Laughs Comedy Festival.
In September 2020, it was announced that HBO had ordered a sitcom co-written by and starring Jay. She partnered with producer Prentice Penny to create the series, which was named PAUSE with Sam Jay. The first season premiered in May 2021, and the show was renewed by HBO for a second season two months later.
Pause with Sam Jay returns on May 20th.
