From the moment she takes the stage, Big Momma is in charge. After 11 years of performing as a standup comic, Big Momma is now in demand. From comedy clubs to weddings, churches to cruise ships, this Jersey girl gets around and leaves them laughing each time.
“People said I’ve been funny all my life,” she says. “At my jobs, I’ve always been the one to keep their spirits up, keep the vibe going. “
Big Momma’s real name,Tia Williams (she says that’s just for the tax man) graces her social media and web pages. But her Big Momma persona is her money maker, even though she has a regular 9-to-5 job, the details of which she’d rather keep to herself (she assured me she’s not a stripper). She’s also a mom to her 27-year-old daughter and helps to take care of her grandson. All that and comedy, too.
“See, I don’t think I’m busy enough. If I could perform 3, 4 times a week, keep that mojo going, I would love it.”
I probed for the stories of past emotional trauma and pain that are often the grist of creativity. She wouldn’t have it.
“I enjoy comedy for what it is, for what it does, for the joy it brings to the person sitting there, for the way it makes my bank account go up, the trips that I get to go on, the people I meet. Who knows if there’s some deep-rooted secret? Maybe years from now I’ll write a book about it, but I probably won’t”
I learned that Big Momma is smart, hard-working and a positive life-force, all of which we can see in her new project, a movie coming out in August called Liquor Run.
“I’m in a starring role. I play a girl named Lala. She’s the girl from the hood with her home boys. They are trying to do them a party and everything yo can think of an not think of will go wrong in this liquor run.”
The movie will premiere on August 13th, details to come.
Spend a few minutes with Big Momma and me in the podcast episode and the video version, both now available below.