Jes Tom (born 1990/1991)[1] is an American comedian, actor, and writer based in New York City.[2] Their work explores themes including sex, gender identity, and Asian American representation.[2][3][4][5]

Jes Tom
Born1990 or 1991 (age 33–34)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Alma materSmith College
Occupation(s)Comedian, actor, writer
Websitejestomdotcom.com

Early life and education

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Tom was born and raised in San Francisco, California.[5][6][7] They enjoyed acting in high school, and later joined the improvisation team at Smith College.[7]

Tom graduated from Smith in 2013.[1][2] In 2016, they completed a two-year acting program at the Maggie Flanagan Studio.[8]

Career

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In 2011, Tom started performing at open mics in San Francisco.[1][5][9] In 2013, they moved to New York City to pursue a career in comedy.[1][2][10]

In 2021, Tom was named a New Face of Comedy at the Just for Laughs comedy festival.[11][12]

In 2022, Tom's solo show, Less Lonely, had its off-Broadway premiere at the Cherry Lane Theatre.[3][7] The show returned to off-Broadway in 2023 for a limited engagement at the Greenwich House Theater, presented by their friend Elliot Page.[1][3][8][13]

Tom worked as a story editor for the HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death.[1][2][8] Their other credits include the animated series Tuca & Bertie,[2][7] the Netflix/Funny or Die short film Soojung Dreams of Fiji,[14][15][16] and an Instagram live advice show for Netflix, Dear Jes.[2][5][7]

In March 2024, Tom appeared in a Netflix comedy special, Gender Agenda, hosted by Hannah Gadsby and also featuring fellow genderqueer comedians Alok, Chloe Petts, DeAnne Smith, Krishna Istha, Asha Ward, and Mx. Dahlia Belle.[17]

Personal life

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Tom is a fifth-generation Asian American, of Japanese and Chinese descent.[2][13][14] They are non-binary and transmasculine,[2][13][10] and go by they/them pronouns.[8][14][18]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Factora, James (January 5, 2024). "Jes Tom's Wayward Tales of Transsexual Horniness". them. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cherelus, Gina (December 14, 2023). "The Trans Comic Looking for Love 'at the End of the World'". The New York Times. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Masseron, Meg (October 31, 2023). "Jes Tom's One-Person Comedy Less Lonely Will Return Off-Broadway For Limited Engagement". Playbill. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  4. ^ Turner, Kyle (January 18, 2024). "Jes Tom Tells Us How to Maneuver the "Dyke to Fag Pipeline"". Interview. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Lange, Maggie (March 31, 2021). "Jes Tom, How Are You So Hot?". Vice. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  6. ^ "Spotlight: Jes Tom". Women in Comedy Festival News. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e Chambers, Julia (December 14, 2023). "Jes Tom Wants to Make People Feel Less Lonely at Their Off-Broadway Comedy Show". Playbill. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Chance, Patches (December 4, 2023). "Jes Tom Talks Less Lonely, the Joy of Change, and Gay Pirate Lube in Our Flag Means Death". Paste. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  9. ^ "Jes Tom: Twitter's Favorite (Unintentional) Public-Facing Pervert". Vulture. November 4, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  10. ^ a b O'Neill, Shane (June 25, 2020). "Five Nonbinary Comics on This Moment: 'I'm Not Some New Buzzword'". The New York Times. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  11. ^ Woods, Mel (September 21, 2023). "Comedian Jes Tom on the art of being horny online". Xtra Magazine. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  12. ^ "New Faces of Comedy - Jes Tom". Just for Laughs. August 18, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c Cramer, Jude (December 20, 2023). "Elliot Page & Jes Tom are having a bromance as the world ends". Into. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Escandon, Rosa (September 29, 2019). "28-Year-Old Jes Tom Doesn't Need To Explain Themselves". Forbes. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Werder, Corinne (November 16, 2017). "Seven Minutes In Heaven With Comedian Jes Tom". GO Magazine. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  16. ^ Nastasi, Alison; PJ, Nastasi (2021). Queer Icons and Their Cats. Chronicle Books. p. 57. ISBN 9781797206233.
  17. ^ Hailu, Selome (February 12, 2024). "Hannah Gadsby's Netflix Special 'Gender Agenda' Sets Lineup of Genderqueer Comedians: Jes Tom, Alok and More (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  18. ^ "Comedian Jes Tom Wants to See More Non-Binary Trans People in Media". NowThis. April 30, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2024 – via YouTube.
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