Comedian Grandma Lee to perform sold out show at Pahrump Nugget

A nationally-recognized comedian is scheduled to perform at the Pahrump Nugget’s BONKERZ Comedy Club tonight, Friday, at 7 p.m.

Grandma Lee, 82, known as “America’s funniest and most outrageous grandmother,” became a true television sensation after appearing on the NBC talent show, America’s Got Talent, in 2009, where she earned a spot in the top 10.

The show sold out on Wednesday, according to the Nugget.

Grandma Lee, whose real name is Lee Strong, was eliminated in the final round of competition during the show’s fourth season finale.

Lee was also a contestant in the 2004 season of Last Comic Standing on NBC.

Her talents earned her an invitation to return for three seasons as a special guest, where she was selected as a Top 10 Favorite Comic of the program.

Additionally, Lee won the 2003 Las Vegas Comedy Festival at the MGM Grand, as well as appearing in the Las Vegas version of America’s Got Talent Live at Planet Hollywood, hosted by Jerry Springer.

Lee began her career in 1999 at the age of 65.

She said this week that comedy is something she has strived for, as long as she can remember.

“I always wanted to do stand-up comedy so I just decided to go for it and I began in 1999,” she said. “My very first performance was like taking a strong drug. It was kind of addicting in a way. I told myself this is what I wanted to do forever. When I went to the final round on America’s Got Talent, it was awesome. I will never forget it for the rest of my life.”

Prior to her comedy career, Lee said she had admired the likes of Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers and Chris Farley.

She noted that stand-up comedy has made her life much more fun.

“I am 82 years old, but I don’t sit around and just knit,” she said. “I don’t get stage fright and I’ve never been heckled.”

Comedy Zone Worldwide, the largest comedy club network in the country, said Lee electrifies audiences from the moment she bursts from the starting gate until she crosses the finish line in a blaze of glory.

The Comedy Zone has grown to become the largest comedy club network in America, with over 3,000 contracted comedians for 100-plus venues, according to its website.

“This sassy senior has mastered the art of entertaining audiences of all ages with unorthodox views of family, television and life in general,” a review stated. “She may shock you with colorful use of the English language, although few find it offensive.”

Lee, said that her comedy material for America’s Got Talent was based on the truth.

“I go up there and wing it, but I had to clean it up for the show,” she said. “I won’t say a cuss word or anything to jeopardize myself. I can do clean or edgy.”

According to her bio, Lee was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1934. After graduating from Otterbein College in Ohio, she a married a career Marine, Ben Strong.

The couple moved around the world as he fulfilled his military duties, raising four children along the way.

The family was living in Homestead, Florida in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew destroyed their home.

They moved to Jacksonville, where, in 1995, her husband died of cancer. They had been married for 37 years.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes