56: Laughter is Healing: Comedian Lady Q on Storytelling & Finding Your Authentic Voice
I can't tell you how excited I am to introduce you to the first comedian I've had on the podcast, Lady Q!
When I realized that comedians are, at their heart, storytellers, I knew I had to have her on, and I can't wait for you to be delighted.
Lady Q is a clean comedian and inspirational speaker who blends humor, faith, and healing.
She shares her incredible journey with us, starting with her time as a youth pastor who made her church's women's conference laugh in 2008, launching her 17-year career.
You'll get to hear about her joke writing process, how she finds fresh material from major life transitions—like raising kids, dating, and getting married later in life—and why she prioritizes telling stories that make people think, not just laugh.
Lady Q also leaves us with powerful tips for writers and speakers on finding your authentic voice and even what she does to protect her voice before stepping onto the stage.
Key Takeaways:
Your Life is Material: Experiences are the best source of content.
Comedians Say What You're Thinking: Aka, saying the quiet part out loud. A comedian's job is to be brave enough to speak the relatable, funny, and sometimes awkward observations that the audience is already thinking.
The Joke Writing Process: Lady Q prepares for a set by thinking about the event, the audience, and her personal experiences related to the topic. Then, she'll write the jokes out but gives herself permission to go off-script to keep the conversation flowing.
Be Authentically You: Her biggest tips for storytelling — find your voice, use your regular voice (not your work voice, or "customer service voice" as my kids sometimes say to me), and be vulnerable. She intentionally limits watching other comedians to avoid unconsciously mimicking their style, which is smart advice for writers, too!
Protecting Your Energy and Voice: Before a show, she meditates, limits talking, avoids eating and her phone, and focuses on her opening line.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview
01:18 Meet LaQuitcha Walker
02:36 Early Comedy Days
04:38 Crafting Comedy: Writing and Performing
08:10 Evolving Material: Life Changes and New Stories
14:58 Navigating Comedy in 2020
18:12 Journaling and Story Mining
20:26 The Pressure of Daily Writing
20:40 Journaling and Overthinking
21:07 The Comedian's Dilemma
21:22 Preparing for a Leadership Conference
23:31 Crafting Jokes for Different Events
28:11 Handling Audience Reactions
31:47 Being Authentically You
34:53 Final Thoughts and Tips for Speaking
Meet Lady Q (LaQuitcha Lanay Walker)
Lady Q is a nationally recognized clean comedian and inspirational speaker who blends humor, faith, and healing.
A two-time PrayzeFactor People’s Choice Award winner and Presidential Lifetime Achievement honoree, she inspires audiences worldwide to rediscover joy, purpose, and laughter through life’s challenges.
Connect with Lady Q:
Upcoming events:
A Night of Love and Laughter, a date-night experience in Tampa, FL
Live 2 Lead, Mableton, GA
