Shazia Mirza
| Shazia Mirza | |
|---|---|
 Mirza performing at the Edinburgh Fringe |
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| Born | January 13, 1976 Birmingham, United Kingdom |
| Medium | Stand up, television |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 2000-Present |
| Notable works and roles | Last Comic Standing, season 6 Semi-Finalist |
| Website | [1] |
Shazia Mirza (Urdu: شازیه ميرزا) is a British comedian and columnist from Birmingham, England.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Shazia was born as the eldest daughter in Birmigham (October 3 1972 age 40) to Pakistani parents, Mohammed and Sarwat Mirza. She has 3 brothers, Cameron (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 as well as a younger sister, Sabrina (1980), who lives with her husband in Dubai.[1][2]
Mirza's parents had an arranged marriage. She has written that her parents "would admit that they're not compatible, and that it isn't really a happy marriage at all." They did not believe in arranged marriage for their children.[3]
Earlier in her life, she was a science teacher in a high school and taught Dizzee Rascal, now a rapper and song artist.[4][5][6]
[edit] Career
About a year into her stand-up comedy career, she 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.
[edit] As a columnist
Shazia has been a regular columnist for The Guardian newspaper since 2004.[7] In 2006, she also began writing fortnightly columns in The New Statesman magazine.
[edit] Awards and recognition
- 2003, Newspaper The Observer lists her as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.[8]
- 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.[9]
- Semi-finalist on Last Comic Standing season 6.
[edit] References
- ^ Shazia Mirza (2010-04-12). "Halal comedy? You might as well ask for halal bacon". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/apr/12/comedy-pakistan-religion-sex-halal.
- ^ Shazia and Razwan Mirza
- ^ Mirza, Shazia (3 August 2008). "What I know about men". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/03/familyandrelationships.shaziamirza
- ^ Time Out London: Shazia Mirza: interview 17 June 2008
- ^ Shazia Mirza: Diary of a disappointing daughter Shazia Mirza's weekend column 22 May 2010
- ^ Interview: Shazia Mirza 23 June 2010
- ^ "Profile: Shazia Mirza". London: The Guardian UK. 2008-07-23. http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/shaziamirza?page=4.
- ^ The A-Z of laughter (part two) The Guardian 7 December 2003
- ^ http://www.thelist2009.com/en/the-list/shazia-mirza/
