by Comedy doesn’t have a Human Resources department, so leave it to The Comic’s Comic to dole out honors and/or discipline accordingly. Our Employee of the Month for July 2022 is Janelle James. Congrats Janelle!
NOTE: This is a feature I introduced on my Substack, Piffany, in 2021, and have transferred over to The Comic’s Comic, where it truly belongs.
Past Employees of the Month have included: Joel Kim Booster (June 2022), The Kids In The Hall (May 2022), Jerrod Carmichael (April 2022), Amy Schumer (March 2022), Volodymyr Zelenskyy (February 2022), W. Kamau Bell (January 2022), Nicole Byer (December 2021), Jackie Kashian and Laurie Kilmartin (November 2021), James Austin Johnson (October 2021), Phoebe Robinson (September 2021), Ms. Pat (August 2021), and Kevin Hart (July 2021).
Another month that picking the standout comedian is an alley-oop slam-dunk decision.
Janelle James received her first-ever Emmy nomination on July 12, and if she doesn’t win Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Principal Ava Coleman on Abbott Elementary, then we must all declare vengeance on the Emmy Awards, the Television Academy as well as the people who protect the envelopes that somehow didn’t have her name listed on it as the winner. Because she was far and away the most outstanding supporting actress in any TV comedy this past year. No offense to some of the other Emmy nominees (I mean, you know I’ve loved Kate McKinnon since I first met her at a UCB show, and Alex Borstein chews the scenery to make Maisel worth watching still, and yeah yeah I caught up on the Ted Lasso lovefest and it’s very inspiring but do any of those nominees deserve the Emmy for COMEDY, and Sheryl Lee Ralph plays the inspirational teacher who inspired Quinta Brunson to make Abbott Elementary, and Hannah Einbinder, sure, did I mention everyone else? ok good). But James delivers the funniest performance every time she enters a scene. Not only that, she’s clearly having a blast on that set. You cannot help but laugh at all of her line readings. Sheer perfection. This is why they starting giving out Emmys in the first place. To honor the most outstanding performances.
But that’s not all James did for us in July to bring smiles to our faces.
She also started hosting a primetime game show for ABC, The Final Straw. As EP Peyton Manning says, “Janelle is flat-out hilarious.”
So James is having her best summer ever. And she ain’t done yet. Congrats, Janelle!
