And then she does it once more for good measure.

In her new memoir, “Living My Best Life, Hun: Following Your Dreams Is No Joke,” the 34-year-old actress from South London shares how her delusional childhood confidence led to her lifelong quest for fame, heartbreaking run-ins with haters who tried and did not dim her gentle, and scandalous sexual exploits.

The former TV host spent most of her life making an attempt to get individuals to love her. When bullies at her all-girls faculty have been too busy vibing to Sean Paul songs to present her the time of day, she practiced dance corridor strikes to impress them. Hughes would go on to hone her humorous present for a decade to interrupt into Britain’s White, male-dominated comedy scene. Years of being instructed she wasn’t humorous sufficient led her to Los Angeles, and in the end to her new e-book. Hughes stated the story she tells in it’s “part-memoir, part self-help, part-Beyonce in book form.”

Hughes spoke with The Washington Post about studying how you can snort at herself, discovering Black feminine illustration in comedy and what’s subsequent.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

Why did you dedicate your e-book to your 14-year-old self?

Because she was proper! In her thoughts, she was one of the best factor since sliced bread. She’s actually assured, actually gifted, and at some point she’s going to be a profitable star in America. That’s who she thought she could be on the within. On the skin, she was actually sporty, had delicate eczema, excessive zits, bronchial asthma. She didn’t discover herself enticing, wasn’t common, huge nerd, used to write down “Frasier” fan fiction for enjoyable. I devoted this e-book to her as a result of she was proper. She was proper to consider in herself all alongside. She was proper to not let the world have an effect on her judgment of herself. She’s a hero. I like her.

Your e-book mentions how troublesome it was so that you can discover Black feminine comedians on TV in Britain. Talk to me in regards to the two ladies who stood out to you — Gina Yashere and Whoopi Goldberg.

When I noticed Gina Yashere — she was on this BBC comedy present — I used to be like, “Oh my God, there’s a Black woman on TV being funny, and she’s not American!” Because she exists, there’s area for me. If I hadn’t seen her on that present, I don’t know who I’d be proper now, as a result of she actually lit the hearth in me that that is one thing that was achievable. I didn’t need to go to America to do it. Whereas Whoopi Goldberg simply made me wish to be a family title. She made me wish to be a legend. She sort of transcended race. Her movies weren’t known as “Black films.” “Sister Act 2” is a Black movie. It’s 80 % Black individuals in that movie, and it isn’t thought-about a “Black film.” I feel she was one of many first feminine Black stars to actually try this. Watching her movies as a younger Black woman in Britain, I used to be simply in awe of her. I needed to be every thing that she was.

Well, “if you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere …”

“You better wake up and pay attention!” So that is what I did!

You needed to see Black ladies on display screen, however in actual life your bullies in faculty have been Black ladies. How did that have an effect on you?

It nonetheless impacts me to today. As a Black woman, I discovered myself seeking the validation of Black ladies greater than the opposite races since you wish to be beloved by your personal individuals. But they have been the people who harm me essentially the most once they reduce me as a result of they’d reduce me deep. Being bullied by Black ladies in faculty went on into my grownup life. When I used to be doing stand-up, I used to be on the Black comedy circuit in Britain, I might step out onstage and the Black ladies would flip their again or go away or simply boo me.

Were you making an attempt to make a press release by leaving Britain?

I keep in mind watching all my White male British comedian pals go on to be well-known in Britain, and I wasn’t. I knew I deserved the eye and celebration and the alternatives that they’d. It’s as a result of I’m a Black girl that I’m not getting them. Everyone instructed me I used to be overreacting. I obtained instructed that I simply didn’t have what it takes. So I used to be like: “I’ll show you. I’ll go to America, a country that many a British comedian has tried and failed to crack. I will go there, and I bet you I will be successful. And when it happens, you’re all going to have to apologize to me.”

My story isn’t distinctive. I watched it occur with individuals like Nathalie Emmanuel, John Boyega, Daniel Kaluuya, Damson Idris. These are all Black British people who get extra love in America than they ever did in Britain. Britain has a really massive downside with supporting and uplifting its Black British expertise.

My factor is to be the humorous Black British woman in American leisure. While there’s a great deal of Black feminine actors that do American accents and star in American movies, you by no means see an genuine Black British character who’s feminine in movies. Rebel Wilson will be Australian in every thing and no one appears to thoughts. I’m making an attempt to do the identical for Black British tradition. Me and Kevin Hart are working collectively. He’s government producing my subsequent TV collection, which I can’t speak about due to the strikes. But he’s making an attempt to take over the world, and I’m proper behind him. We wish to bridge the hole between African Americans and Black British tradition. Movies, TV reveals, a manufacturing firm, one other e-book in all probability, one other particular or seven. The sky’s the restrict. London Hughes is right here to remain.

Following Your Dreams Is No Joke

Grand Central. 304 pp. $29