EXCLUSIVE: Luenell Talks Robbing A Bank In Early Days Of Comedy Career, Ending Her Beef With Leslie Jones + Gives An Update On Friend Katt Williams

February 26, 2021 by Monique Nicole in Exclusive with 0 Comments

Luenell, Leslie Jones, Katt Williams

EXCLUSIVE: Luenell Talks Comedy Career, Ending Her Beef With Leslie Jones, + Gives An Update On Friend Kat Williams

Comedian/Actress Luenell is opening up about her 30-year career in Hollywood in an exclusive interview with theJasmineBRAND. During our chat, Luenell explained how she got her start in comedy, revealing that she never planned on becoming a comedian.

“My entire family is funny. I come from a funny family but it wasn’t my plan to do this. It just sort of fell in my lap.”

As her career took off, the 61-year-old comedian says was given the nickname, “Original Bad Girl Of Comedy” due to her reputation.

“I got the name Original Bad Girl Of Comedy many, many years ago in Oakland by a comedy promoter named Rick Sullivan. I got that because I was a bad girl, you know I had a very bad reputation. I talked s***, I smacked a b**** in the club, I threw drinks– you know that ‘Real Housewives Of Atlanta’ s*** was nothing new to me. I was doing that– I was not an average girl.”

HOLLYWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 10: Luenell Campbell seen at Snoop Dogg Smoked Out Roast and Birthday Celebration TV Special taped at the Avalon as seen on Fusion TV Saturday, December 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by A Turner Archives)

Luenell went on to dish on her early days in comedy and recalls getting paid $50 during her sets with comedian DL Hughley, all while balancing her full-time job at a bank.

DL Hughley

“When I started, we didn’t expect to ever get anything more than $50, maybe a drink and if they cooking some chicken you might look out and get something to eat too. But there was never no $40, $50, $60 $70,000 paydays, we couldn’t even see that, never even thought of it.”

She goes on to reveal that she robbed the bank she was working at and later went to jail.

“I knew that the bank that I was working at was about to fail and being the hustler that I thought I was, I said well I’m gonna get some of this money before this bank goes to hell. So I robbed the bank – embezzlement if you want to call it that. I got away with this for over 10 years then I finally got popped by the feds and I went to a jail. I did four months and 18 days on a year bid at Twin Towers.”

With a long career in Hollywood, it’s no surprise that the “Coming 2 America” star is in talks of creating a biography, however, Luenell said reveals she is apprehensive to “tell it all.”

“A biography is possibly in the works. We’re at the beginning stages of that. Writing a book has definitely been something that I…I have half of me that wants to do it and half me knows I can’t do it if I did it the way I want to because I too want to name names, I too want to not protect the oppressors. I do want to tell it but I have family…and I don’t want to bust up my family.”

Luenell recently made headlines when she talked about ending her feud with fellow comedian Leslie Jones while they were both on the set of ‘Coming 2 America’. She says she wanted to make things better since they were going to have to work closely together.

“I was quite content with me and Leslie’s beef. I was fine with it okay, but also knowing that we had to work together in a film that’s going to be epic, I came to the set with the mindset that I’m going to put everything aside. I’m gonna speak, we’re gonna make history this is gonna be amazing.

She reveals that initially, Leslie Jones wasn’t open to speaking with her but eventually, they were able to have a private conversation which helped make filming much easier.

Luenell later gives an update on her friend and fellow comedian, Katt Williams, who has been keeping a low profile. Luenell says Katt Williams is doing well and may even have a new project for fans coming soon.

“Katt is amazing. He’s better than ever and he is laying low. He’s very COVID safe – and he remains my dear friend… He has some things that will be coming towards you soon.”