385: Shanna Christmas and Highly Intelligent

Shanna Christmas! Comedian! Writer! Actor! Producer!

Shanna has a new special out right now called Highly Intelligent (watch there or listen as an audio album wherever you find your comedy albums!) and here is the official information about it:

"Comedian, writer, and proud Las Vegas native Shanna Christmas is bringing the heat—and the heart—with her bold new comedy special.

One hour of machine-gun punchlines and razor-sharp observations unpacking the horrors of working in healthcare, losing a parent to dementia, the struggles of being tall, and surviving sexual assault in the comedy scene

Shot live at an intimate jazz club in the heart of downtown Las Vegas, the special captures Shanna Christmas doing what she does best: making people laugh so hard they forget they’re in a dark room with strangers. With machine-gun punchlines, razor- sharp observations, and stories that swing from wild to wicked, Shanna invites audiences into a world that’s as smart as it is side-splitting. But this special isn’t just jokes.

In a stunning final turn, Shanna peels back the curtain to share a deeply personal, gut-wrenching story of surviving sexual assault. The room, once roaring with laughter, falls into a reverent, electric silence as she bravely reframes her trauma through the lens of resilience, truth, and yes—even humor.

'I wanted to make a special that felt like me,' Shanna says. 'Loud, fast, honest, funny—but also full of real life. Because comedy is how I take my power back. And I want people to feel theirs, too.'

Filmed in the city where she grew up, Highly Intelligent is more than just a comedy special; it’s a homecoming. And a reckoning. And a celebration of what it means to be funny, fearless, and female in today’s world.

The special is directed by Michael Malone, an award-winning filmmaker and comedian whose credits include Comedy Central, Showtime, and FOX. A veteran of the industry, Michael currently leads the creative team at Brad Garrett Presents, the comedy production division of Brad Garrett’s Entertainment. Through his own company, Glass Hammer Productions, he has directed over a dozen stand-up specials and three acclaimed comedy documentaries."

And here is more official information about Shanna:

"Shanna Christmas was born and raised in Las Vegas. She is a stand up comedian, writer (Reductress, Insider), actor and producer who stands at 6’3’’ and played volleyball in college, despite much protest. Her comedy style has been described as 'Edgy/Classy' as she finds ways to speak about complicated issues that can offend, but she’s so charming that you can’t be mad at her.

Shanna has performed across North America, including Montreal and Edmonton in Canada. You can see her on Season 10 of 'Coming To The Stage' on Pluto TV. She has appeared in comedy festivals including the 208 Festival, Altercation Festival, Black Girl Giggles, Black Women In Comedy Festival (NY). She was Devil Cup Comedy Festiva Winner in 2018 and a finalist in the inaugural ABFF Comedy Fest in 2021. 

In addition to producing successful all black women stand up shows, Shanna Christmas was also a co-host of the 'Topical Smoothie' podcast. In 2021, She self published a comic book about her life as an Occupational Therapy Assistant in nursing homes, and she can also be seen in a short film called, Dark Wolf Gang produced by the American Film Institute."

We have a great chat! You can have a great listen! Thanks all!

PS This is only the first HALF of our chat.
For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply click on over here to Patreon!

​