b'Comedic Powerhouse and South Orange Native Comes Home to SlayJessica Kirsons brand of edgy comedy continues to wow her audiencesBY DONNY LEVIT PHOTOS COURTESY OF JESSICA KIRSONP eoplesaytotoCentral special. I just dont understand how muchwill be working the crowd in Newark at NJPAC me,oh,youon May 12 and will return on June 9 for a perfor-seemsodownmance at SOPAC as part of SOPACs LGBTQ+ sometimes.ImPrideWeekend,whichisinpartnershipwith like, thats whatNorth Jersey Pride.makesmefun- Theres nowhere Id rather perform than South ny. Thats whereOrange and Maplewood. I love New Jersey. I love it comes from. If I was just happy all the time, ItheareaandtheresnowhereelseIwouldhave wouldnt be funny at all. Someone actually saidharder somebody has to kill to get recognized. rather grown up than in South Orange and Maple-me recently, why do you always wear black? And IInadditiontoherNightlifeAwardforBestwood, says Kirson, who attended South Mountain said, oh, because I feel great about my body and ImStand-up Comedian and prestigious Best FemaleElementary School, South Orange Middle School, filled with hope. Comic by the MAC Association, Kirson has severaland Columbia High School.Standup comedian Jessica Kirson doesnt dancepodcasts and produced FXs Hystericala filmAfter Kirsons mother divorced, she married the around the issues. After decades of refining her craftthat explores the changing landscape of women infather of Zach Braff. On an episode of her podcast and touring relentlessly, she has built a dedicatedstand-upcomedy.SheconsultedwithRobertDeRelativelySane,KirsonandBrafflikenedtheir following who swear by her sharp, self-deprecating,Niro on The Comedian, his 2016 film about anblended family to The Brady Bunch.and delightfully raunchy sense of humor. Jessica isaging standup comic. The two recall their early years as stepsiblings and somebody who should have got a special at least likeIf you havent seen Jessica Kirson perform her dis- swap unforgettable nuggets about finding their way two presidents ago, says comedian Bill Burr, whotinct brand of comedy, youll be happy to know sheas kids growing up in South Orange. They tell one producedTalkingtoMyself,KirsonsComedyis coming home. A native of South Orange, Kirsonparticularly hysterical story about returning from a 26/ matters magazine / spring 2023'