LaWanda Page: Queen of Comedy
Who She Was
Born Alberta Richmond in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 19, 1920.
LaWanda Page was a force. Actress. Comedian. Dancer. She ran the game for six decades. Folks called her “The Queen of Comedy” or “The Black Queen of Comedy.” She told jokes about race, sex, church, and Black life. No filter. No apologies.
She dropped five solo comedy albums. Her 1977 album Watch It, Sucker! went gold. She also cut records with the comedy group Skillet, Leroy & Co.
Most know her as Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son (1972-1977). She brought fire to that role—Bible in one hand, sharp words in the other. She played Esther again in Sanford Arms (1976-1977) and Sanford (1980-1981).
LaWanda stood up for Black entertainers. She made sure folks got paid right and got real opportunities.
Fire and Comedy
Dancing with Flames
At 15, she hit the stage in St. Louis. She wasn’t just dancing—she played with fire.
Swallowed flames. Lit cigarettes with her fingertips. Walked through fire. Burned herself a few times but never quit.
They called her “The Bronze Goddess of Fire.” She worked rough clubs, the kind where folks carried knives. She carried one too.
She moved to L.A. in the ’50s. Worked at The Brass Rail Club for 15 years—dancing and waiting tables.
Finding Comedy
Nobody knows exactly when she grabbed the mic. Maybe at The Brass Rail. Maybe on the Chitlin’ Circuit.
At first, she wasn’t feeling it. But a club worker told her straight up:
“If you don’t do comedy, you can’t work here.”
She took the challenge. She roasted folks with a sharp tongue and fearless wit.
By the ’60s, she joined Skillet, Leroy & Co. Her raw, blue humor made her stand out.
LaWanda dropped five solo albums with Laff Records. Most were raunchy. But Sane Advice (1980) was cleaner.
When she blew up on Sanford and Son, she named her gold-selling album Watch It, Sucker!—a line straight from Aunt Esther.
In 1982, she hit the road with “The Watch It, Sucker Revue.” Folks asked why she was still touring. She laughed and said: “Not for the money. I love my fans.”
She roasted legends on Dean Martin Celebrity Roast—Frank Sinatra, Betty White, Jimmy Stewart. In 1985, she hit the stage for Women Tell the Dirtiest Jokes.
LaWanda Page was real, raw, and legendary. A true Queen of Comedy.
Today we salute you for This Women’s History Month.
