[upbeat music]

Angela Fitzgerald: It’s nearly show time at the Improv.

Audience member: We can’t wait!

Angela Fitzgerald: Tonight’s headliner is Chastity Washington. She is marking a milestone: 30 years in stand-up comedy.

Chastity Washington: This is a long time coming, you know, so…

Angela Fitzgerald: 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.

Chastity Washington: 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.

Supporter: Hello, Chas!

Chastity Washington: Hi!

Angela Fitzgerald: Her sorority sisters still come out to cheer her on.

Chastity Washington: I don’t have enough words to have that type of support for your life.

Angela Fitzgerald: Chastity also gets support from her fraternity of fellow comedians.

Chastity Washington: They call me Auntie, [laughs] but I like to see people grow.

Interviewer: And are you ready for your headliner tonight?

Angela Fitzgerald: Finally, it’s showtime.

Host: Make a ton of noise for Chastity Washington!

[audience cheering]

[upbeat music]

Angela Fitzgerald: The greatest influence on Chastity’s comedy over the years has been her day job.

Chastity Washington: This is what teachers look like when we off, you hear me? How ya doing, y’all all right?

Angela Fitzgerald: 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.

Chastity Washington: 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 Fitzgerald: Some of Chastity’s best material comes from kids just being themselves.

Chastity Washington: “Miss Washington, can you help them? We doing the 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]

Chastity Washington: True story. That’s what makes it fun. That’s the beauty of kids, you know what I mean?

Angela Fitzgerald: Chastity herself was a Milwaukee kid, whose extended family helped raise her, especially her grandparents.

Chastity Washington: 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 Fitzgerald: Chastity’s extended family makes for another source of her relatable material, and some outrageous stories as well.

Chastity Washington: 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]

Chastity Washington: I thank you guys so much. [audience cheering] And friends and family, thank you.

Angela Fitzgerald: She ends the night marking 30 years of making people laugh.

[audience cheering]

[friends exclaiming]

Angela Fitzgerald: Surrounded by fans and friends, new and old.

All: Yay!

Supporter: That was awesome to see, yes. It’s just very fulfilling. You just grateful that people enjoy what you doing.

Friend: We love you so much, honey.

Chastity Washington: That is wonderful to me. One for the record books, you know? Mm-hmm.