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In just ten years, Kathleen Madigan went from working as a waitress and local newspaper reporter in St. Louis, MO, to being an internationally celebrated comic whose list of credits is easily as long as those belonging to people with much longer careers. A journalism graduate of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Madigan tried standup on a whim and began performing on open-mike nights around St. Louis. Two years later she quit her job and booked a tour through the Southern and Midwestern United States that jump-started her full-time career in comedy at the age of 24 (1989). Her warm stage presence and well-timed delivery made her a favorite on the circuit and afforded her a "Best Female Comedian" award from the American Comedy Awards in 1996. With her charming magnetism and creative original writing she eventually caught the eye of major media talent scouts, and has performed on a host of syndicated network shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with David Letterman. She self-released a live CD, simply titled Live, in 2003. During 2004 she participated in the second season of the reality television series Last Comic Standing. While she wasn't a finalist on the show, she gathered many new fans and caught the attention of the Warner Bros. label. The label issued her In Other Words album in early 2006.
Wikipedia:
Kathleen Madigan (born September 30, 1965, in Florissant, MO, USA) is an American comedian.
Early life
Kathleen Madigan grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Florissant as one of seven children in a large Irish-American family. She attended McCluer North High School, where she displayed athletic skills by winning the Mid-Missouri Hoops Shoot Championship—at five-feet two-inches the smallest person ever to do so. Following high school graduation in 1983, Madigan attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earning a B.A. in Journalism in 1988. After college Madigan took a job in print journalism, working for the St. Louis-area Suburban Journals newspapers as well as the publications department of the Missouri Athletic Club. At the same time she would perform stand-up during "open mic" nights at St. Louis area comedy clubs. Less than two years later, deciding she'd much rather make fun of the news than continue writing it, Madigan gave up her jobs in Missouri and set out for California to try the world of comedy full-time.
Professional career
She has appeared on Last Comic Standing, I Love the 90s: Part Deux, I Love the '80s 3-D, and Celebrity Poker Showdown. She has also starred in her own HBO Half-Hour Comedy Special and a Comedy Central Presents special. She is a veteran of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Bob and Tom Show. She also hosts a radio program on Blue Collar Comedy. Available on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 103, and XM Satellite Radio channel 97.
Honors
In 1996, Madigan won "Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic" at the American Comedy Awards.
Personal life
Madigan is single and lives in Los Angeles when not on tour. She owns a farm in the Midwest and according to her "spends inordinate amounts of time" with her family there.
