A beloved comic who thrives on spontaneity and improvisation, Paula Poundstone has been performing stand-up comedy for over 25 years, fine-tuning her craft over the years to become of the truly great humorists of our time.

Raised in Massachusetts, Poundstone began her career performing in open mic nights around Boston and New England, eventually moving out to California where she impressed Robin Williams with her stand up act. Williams helped open doors for Poundstone, inviting her to perform on Saturday Night Live when he was hosting in 1984. As her career got going in the early 90’s, Poundstone starred in two HBO comedy specials and became the first female comic to perform stand up at the annual White House Correspondence Dinner. As one of the regular panelists of NPR’s Wait Wait’ Don’t Tell Me, Poundstone found a perfect vehicle to flash her trademark wit and wry sense of humor, while helping the NPR show become one of the station’s most popular programs in its history.

She is now recognized as one of Comedy Central’s 100 greatest stand-ups of all time. Paula won an American Comedy Award for Best Female Standup Comic, and in 2010 she was one of a select group voted into the Comedy Hall of Fame. Paula is also a published author (2006’s There is Nothing In This Book That I Meant To Say) and frequent lecturer.