[upbeat music]
- Angela Fitzgerald: It's nearly show time at the Improv.
- We can't wait!
- Tonight's headliner is Chastity Washington.
She is marking a milestone: 30 years in stand-up comedy.
This is a long time coming, you know, so...
- Angela: Chastity didn't expect comedy
to become a lifelong avocation.
Freshman year at UW-Parkside,
Chastity and a sorority sister saw a notice
for the student talent show during homecoming.
- I remember contemplating it, and she's like,
"I already signed you up, whatever.
Just, you're gonna do it."
You know, I was like, "Oh, my God!"
You know, so, I wasn't seeking it out.
It found me.
- Hello, Chas! - Hi!
- Angela: Her sorority sisters still come out to cheer her on.
- I don't have enough words to have that type of support
for your life.
- Angela: Chastity also gets support from her fraternity
of fellow comedians.
They call me Auntie, [laughs] but I like to see people grow.
- And are you ready for your headliner tonight?
- Angela: Finally, it's showtime.
- Host: Make a ton of noise for Chastity Washington!
[audience cheering]
[upbeat music]
- Angela: The greatest influence on Chastity's comedy
over the years has been her day job.
- This is what teachers look like when we off, you hear me?
How ya doing, y'all all right?
- Angela: During most of her long career, when not on stage,
Chastity has been in schools, teaching phy ed and drama.
An experience that has given her plenty of material
over the years.
- Right, like now at some schools,
if it's under 32 degrees, the littles can't go outside,
which is ridiculous to many of us.
'Cause we went outside, it was nothing degrees.
[audience laughing]
You lost skin, eyes, fingers, toes.
Somebody would bury you, you'd be almost dead.
- Angela: Some of Chastity's best material comes from kids
just being themselves.
- "Miss Washington, can you help them?
"We doing th activities portion.
"We doing the color wheel.
Could you help them?"
So we doing the color wheel, and I asked them, I said,
"If you mix yellow and blue, what do you get?"
And one of boys raised his hand real fast.
I said, "You."
He said, "I wanna be a firefighter."
[audience laughing]
True story.
That's what makes it fun.
That's the beauty of kids, you know what I mean?
- Angela: Chastity herself was a Milwaukee kid,
whose extended family helped raise her,
especially her grandparents.
- Like, the house always, you know,
smell like bakery and mothballs.
[audience laughing]
Oh, I love my grandparents.
They was married 65 years, right?
[audience applauding]
They're wonderful.
[laughing] Wonderful.
Consistent, it gave me a different appreciation
and respect for family in general.
- Angela: Chastity's extended family makes for another source
of her relatable material, and some outrageous stories as well.
- And you ever find out something about a family member
you didn't know?
Like, we was sitting around talking about my auntie.
We was talking about, "Oh, she was wonderful.
"Maybe she did this, maybe she did that."
And they was like, "Yeah,
but what about that time she stabbed Frank?"
Stabbed Frank? [audience laughing]
Absolutely true story, exactly how it happened. [laughing]
I thank you guys so much. [audience cheering]
And friends and family, thank you.
- Angela: She ends the night marking 30 years
of making people laugh.
[audience cheering]
[friends exclaiming]
Surrounded by fans and friends, new and old.
- All: Yay!
- That was awesome to see, yes.
It's just very fulfilling.
You just grateful that people enjoy what you doing.
- We love you so much, honey.
- Chastity: That is wonderful to me.
One for the record books, you know?
Mm-hmm.