Shazia Mirza (born 3 October 1977) is an English stand-up comedian and columnist of Pakistani descent originally from Birmingham England. Although she doesn't live there anymore.
She works all over the world and has toured the US, Sweden, Denmark, France Holland and Germany. She has appeared on CBS 60 Minutes, NBC's Last Comic Standing, and Have I got News for You (BBC).
Mirza was born as the eldest daughter in Birmingham, England. She has 3 brothers: Kamran (born 1970), who works in finance; Imran (born 1974), who works for an IT company; and Razwan (born 1976), who works as a freelance sports journalist.
Earlier in her life, Mirza was a science teacher in a high school and taught Dizzee Rascal, now a rapper and song artist.
Career
Stand-up
About a year into her stand-up comedy career, Mirza gained UK-wide publicity in the months when the world was coming to terms with the September 11, 2001 attacks. This was because at this time she would perform her act in recognizable hijab dress and begin with the deadpan remark, "My name is Shazia Mirza. At least, that's what it says on my pilot's licence". In April 2007, she presented a documentary on BBC Three called F*** Off, I'm a Hairy Woman.
Journalism
Mirza has been a regular columnist for The Guardian newspaper since 2004. In 2006, she also began writing fortnightly columns in The New Statesman magazine, for which she won Columnist of the Year 2008 at the prestigious PPA Awards. She now has a regular column in Dawn News, www.DAWN.Com published on a Saturday.
Television
Mirza is a regular panelist on the Channel 5 topical discussion series The Wright Stuff.
Awards and recognition
- 2003, Newspaper The Observer lists her as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.
- 2008, Awarded Columnist of the year at PPA Awards 2008 for her articles in the New Statesman magazine.
- March 2009, Listed on the inaugural Muslim Women's Power List as one of the 20 most successful Muslim women in the UK.
- Semi-finalist on Last Comic Standing season 6.
- 2010 Winner AWA The Arts and Culture Award
Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia