Leslie Jones (comedian)
A powerhouse stand-up who broke into SNL in her 40s, bringing a raw, explosive, and uniquely relatable voice to mainstream comedy.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American comedian and actress·Birthday: September 7·Generation X
Biography
Leslie Jones didn't take the traditional path to stardom. She spent decades grinding on the stand-up circuit, developing a style that was unapologetically loud, physically expressive, and mined humor from her own life's frustrations and observations. Her big break came surprisingly late, joining the cast of Saturday Night Live at 47, where she immediately stood out. Whether delivering a blistering Weekend Update rant as herself or embodying larger-than-life characters, Jones brought an authentic, working-class perspective that resonated widely. Her role in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot made her a film star, and she later leveraged her infectious energy as the host of Supermarket Sweep. Jones's career is a testament to the power of persistence and the unique comedic fire that can only be forged through years of real-world experience.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Leslie was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Leslie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Leslie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as a cast member and writer on Saturday Night Live from 2014 to 2019, earning an Emmy nomination.
- Starred as Patty Tolan in the 2016 Ghostbusters film reboot.
- Hosted the revived version of the classic game show Supermarket Sweep on ABC.
- Performed a one-hour stand-up special, Problem Child, which aired on Showtime in 2010.
- Was a featured performer at major comedy festivals including Just for Laughs in Montreal.
Did You Know?
She was a college basketball player at Colorado State University–Pueblo (then University of Southern Colorado).
She worked as a substitute teacher and at a Sprint call center while pursuing comedy early in her career.
She initially worked as a writer on SNL before being promoted to the cast.
Her first major television credit was on the Comedy Central show Comic View in the 1990s.
She is an avid sports fan, particularly of the NBA and her hometown Denver Broncos.
“I'm not arrogant, I'm confident. There's a difference. Arrogant is when you have to tell people you're great. Confident is when people already know.”
