On Friday, January 24, Melissa Villaseñor walked onto the stage at the Linda and Lee Scott Performance Hall in to perform her comedy routine. She had a huge smile on her face and was happy to be back at Pittsburg State University.
Villaseñor performed at the university previously in 2012. She had just finished as a semi-finalist in the 2011 America’s Got Talent season. Her success on talent show set the stage for the comedian to achieve her dreams.
The H. Lee Scott Speaker Series was open to the public and Pittsburg State University students and alumni.
During a media interview before her speaking engagement, Villaseñor said she wants students attending the event to dive into their talents.
“I hope college students really listen to their spirit and what really brings them joy.” she said. “Just really listening to themselves and what their talents are.”
She began her comedic routine by talking about her six seasons at the popular sketch comedy show, Saturday Night Live. Villaseñor made history by becoming the show’s first Latina cast member in 2016.
While her time on SNL launched her comedy career to the mainstream audience, she’s been doing comedy since she was thirteen years old. She started making impressions of famous 90’s celebrities – like Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Brittney Spears and Alanis Morrissette.
When she was young, Villaseñor watched comedians like SNL’s Dana Carvey and Mad TV’s Nicole Parker. As a kid, her inspiration was Jim Carrey.
“I think it was always a little loner in high school, kind of a misfit feeling, and I think finding comedy I was like...so determined. I didn’t even go to prom I was so determined.” she said.
She didn’t realize comedy was her true calling until she earned a standing ovation performing at her school’s talent show as a sophomore in high school.
Right after high school, she and her parents drove from her hometown in Whittier, California to Hollywood. She started performing at bars and comedy clubs. While the atmosphere and audience were less than ideal, it helped her get opportunities very early in her career.
When she started doing stand-up, her comedic inspiration was Maria Bamford. Villasenor said Banford was the first ‘normal’ comic she met.
“She was the first comedian that I met that I was like was like, oh, she’s nice, she’s heartwarming – and she’s also a little weirdo” Villaseñor said. “I finally saw myself in a comic.”
Villaseñor’s most memorable impressions on SNL include celebrities Owen Wilson, Dolly Parton and Lady Gaga. Once she left SNL in 2022, the comedian closed off the impressionist part of her – as she felt like it was just ‘part of the show’.
She’s slowly trying to bring that power back to her life. Now that she’s on her own comedy tour, she realized how much her audience loves her various impressions.
“I'm trying to go back through my list and just tickle myself and just remember that it I I'm as long as I'm here, I can keep bringing that joy. Small crowds, large crowds, it doesn’t matter,” she said.
Villaseñor remembers having sort of a ‘what now’ moment after finishing her career goal of being a SNL cast member.
Since then, the comedian’s been able to find success in different creative outlets – art and music.
She created a self-help book, “Whoops, I’m Awesome” and is in the process of writing a children’s book. She has an Instagram account dedicated to showcasing her original fine art.
She’s also releasing a new music album on Valentines Day featuring Spanish classic songs she grew up listening to.
Villaseñor points out that while SNL was huge for her career, there are other personal successes she considers important.
“Maybe personally for my heart success, I think it's finding more and more of who I am and sharing that with people. And being as most as authentic as I can be,” she said
Melissa Villaseñor visited Pittsburg State University’s Bicknell Family Center of the Arts as part of this year's H. Lee Speaker series.
The second speaker this year will be Pulitzer Prize Winning author and journalist, Thomas Friedman on April 3.
