Jessica Waktins is a comedian and actor best known for her solo walk across America.
Jessica Watkins: SPECIALish is her debut comedy special, of which she shot, wrote, directed and produced – it follows the walk across America which lasted eight months, spanning from Delaware to California. Along the way, Jessica performed stand-up comedy in twelve states, living out of a running stroller and relying on the kindness of strangers. SPECIALish earned rave reviews, with The New York Times calling it “exceptional” and Paste Magazine naming it the 11th best comedy special of 2021. It’s now available on select streaming platforms.
Born and raised in East Nashville, Tennessee, Jessica moved to Los Angeles at 18 to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before relocating to New York City in 2008 to pursue stand-up comedy. Her unique journey has taken her from the stages of iconic festivals like Bonnaroo, Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, Accidental Comedy Festival, to a Guinness World Record for the longest continuous stand-up show (80 hours).
Jessica starred in and co-produced the feature film Bad Batch, and wrote and hosted the web series Let’s Take a Walk With Jessica Watkins and Tiki. Her international comedy journey includes stage time in Madrid, Spain and a three-week tour in Central America with Comedy Abroad, raising funds for local education. More recently, she toured as an opener for comedian Hari Kondabolu.
Now based in Montclair, New Jersey, Jessica can be found working on new material in the NYC area—when she’s not chasing after her toddler.
