Donna Lee to headline local comedy showcase on Oct. 17

Balancing family life and a comedy career is no joke - which is why local comedian Donna Lee stepped off the stage twelve years ago to focus on raising her boys. But last year, she decided it was time to return to the limelight - and is now doing full-time comedy.

“I started out doing mostly Texas cities and clubs,” Lee said. “Now I’m branching out, and doing nationwide touring. So that’s kind of new. I’m already getting really big feature gigs and headline gigs, so I’m traveling everywhere.”

On Oct. 17, she’ll be headlining a Comedy Showcase at 12 Fox Beer Co. It will be hosted by Michael Dennis, and will feature comedians Andrew Quintana, Demi Chang and Michael Morgan. The show starts at 8 p.m. Her show will be family friendly - for the most part.

“I think that what sets me apart is the mom comedy. I’m fairly clean. I talk a few edgy things, but I don’t drop F bombs on stage,” Lee said. “It’s really hard to be a clean comedian. Even clean-ish.”

Lee, who lives in Bee Cave and has worked in Dripping Springs, said her son was her inspiration for being a clean comedian.

“I didn’t want him to grow up and see something on the Internet that was going to embarrass him,” Lee said. “He’s very proud of me today. He comes to my shows, and he tells me all the time he’s so proud that I got back into it.”

Lee’s husband and two stepsons have also been supportive of her comedy career. Another one of her inspirations was Leanne Morgan, who she worked with back in her early days of comedy.

“I opened for her three times, and she was just so inspiring and fun,” Lee said.

Lee got her start in comedy in 2006, after applying for a spot on Nick@Nite’s Search for the Funniest Mom in America. Leanne Morgan was on Season 1, and Lee was on Season 2, which is how they ended up meeting.

Lee said when she saw the casting call for the show, she thought to herself, “Well, I’m pretty funny.” So her friend came over with a camcorder and they videotaped her set and sent it in. Not long after, she got the call that she was accepted. She said she’s still not sure why. Lee said that being on a reality show was a great but humbling experience.

“Every comedian, even though we’re all kind of weird introverts for the most part, we’re all ego driven, right? So I thought, I’m gonna make the show, and I’m gonna win the show, because I got goals,” Lee said. “Well, I get to the episode where I’m doing a contest… and I bombed, and it was awful, and I thought, I am going to die. Of embarrassment. I’m on national TV, and I’m horrifically unfunny.”

But Lee has no regrets. She even has the links to the show on her YouTube channel.

“That was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done, and the most humbling thing that’s ever happened to me,” Lee said. “But I would do it again. I would absolutely do it again.”

Speaking of humbling, Lee has also appeared twice on Kill Tony, which is one of the most watched podcasts in the world. For her first appearance, she didn’t just tell jokes, she was also the butt of one. But that still didn’t stop her. Her most recent Kill Tony appearance aired on Monday, Oct. 6.

“I’m a middle-aged mom lady who gave up on her dreams. So that’s my big comeback story,” Lee said. “And I am so emotional. It’s just been such a blessing, I can’t believe how far I’ve come in such a short time. My passion is to make people laugh. What makes me feel good is just to make people forget something for a moment and laugh.”

To learn more about Donna Lee, you can find her on YouTube, social media or on her website at www.donnaleecomedy. com.