American comedian and actress
Sommore (; born Lori Ann Rambough; May 15, 1966) is an American comedian and actress. Known as the "Diva of Contemporary Comedy," her comedic style features biting sarcasm and frank discussions about money, sex, and equality between the sexes.[1] She first gained fame as the first female host of the long-running Black Entertainment Television (BET) stand-up showcase ComicView, as well as one of the four female comedians that headlined The Queens of Comedy tour.
She appeared in the films Friday After Next, Soul Plane, and Dirty Laundry,[2][3] and has received the Richard Pryor Award for Comic of the Year.
Early life and education
Sommore was raised in Trenton, New Jersey. After attending Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd and The Pennington School, she graduated from McCorristin Catholic High School (now called Trenton Catholic Academy) in 1985.[4][5] She graduated from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, where she studied business administration.[6][7][8][9] After receiving her degree, Sommore worked various jobs such as retail, employment consulting and an algebra instructor before progressing into her successful comedy career.
Career
Sommore attributes her success as a comedian to her writing skills. Influenced by her father, a writer and an English teacher, she extensively researched the business of comedy and learned about the art of comedy. She loves gospel music and her idol is Karen Clark Sheard.[10]
Television and film appearances
Sommore has appeared on various shows including HBO's Def Comedy Jam, Showtime at the Apollo, ComicView, and BET Live from L.A. She has also done guest appearances on television sitcoms The Hughleys and The Parkers, and she has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She also appeared on Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav. In 2008, she appeared as one of the mob members on several episodes of the game show 1 vs. 100.[11]
Her film appearances include Soul Plane, A Miami Tail, Friday After Next, and Something New.
Sommore and fellow African American female comedians Mo'Nique, Laura Hayes, and Adele Givens were the stars on The Queens of Comedy tour, which was filmed and subsequently aired on Showtime and released on DVD.[12]
Sommore launched the worldwide premiere of "The Queen Stands Alone" on September 30, 2008. The release of her stand-up comedy special was a film version of her stand-up act and was written and produced by Sommore as well as her entertainment company One Thousand Kisses, Inc.[13]
Sommore was a winning participant on the sixth season of Celebrity Fit Club. She lost 11 pounds during the show.[14]
Her 2015 special Sommore: The Reign Continues was aired on Netflix in 2018.
Personal life
Aside from her hometown of Trenton, New Jersey, Sommore has lived in Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[5] Currently, her primary residence is in Miami.[15][16] Her father was the poet Doughtry "Doc" Long and her half-sister is actress Nia Long.[5][17]
