Sarah Hester Ross (born October 7, 1985) is an American musical comedienne and singer-songwriter living in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1] She has amassed over two million TikTok followers and her catalog of music has more than 15 million streams.[2] She is best-known for her comedy songs “Stop Giving Men Microphones”[3] and "Florida Man Friday"[4] and her cover of Wyndreth Berginsdottir's "Savage Daughter."
| Sarah Hester Ross | |
|---|---|
 Hester Ross at the Comedy Dynamics special viewing of ‘Don’t Mess With A Redhead’ in 2024 | |
| Born | October 7, 1985 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Years active | 2008-present |
| Genres | Musical Comedy |
| Website | sarahhesterross |
Hester Ross has been named “Best One Woman Show” by Las Vegas Weekly[1] and “Best Comedian” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.[5] She was featured on “America's Got Talent”[6] and "The Doctor Demento Show."[2]
Hester Ross's comedy special, "Don't Mess with a Redhead," is currently available on multiple streaming platforms.
Early life and career
editOriginally from Tampa, Florida,[7] Hester Ross has been performing onstage since the age of three.[4] She studied vocal performance in college and plays multiple instruments, most proficient on piano and keytar.[7]
After college, Hester Ross relocated to Orlando, Florida, performing in community theater and professionally at Universal Studios.[8] In 2010, she was sidelined by the formation of scar tissue on her vocal cords. After undergoing surgery and working through recovery, Hester Ross moved into the world of dueling piano performance.[4]
In 2013, Hester Ross landed the role of Jen in “The D* Word - A Musical,” written and produced by Jeanie Linders, the creator of"Menopause The Musical.” The show started in Florida[9] and then toured nationally, including a stint at the Shimmer Cabaret in Las Vegas.[10] At the conclusion of the tour, Hester Ross opted to remain Las Vegas. She continued her dueling piano career, working in various piano bars, and performed with "Raiding the Rock Vault."[11] In 2019, she joined the team at Bar at Times Square at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino, where she currently plays regularly.[8]
When the pandemic shuttered venues in 2020, Hester Ross focused on expanding her online presence.[11] One of her most successful efforts was the creation of "Florida Man Friday." Every Friday, Hester Ross would post a comedic video, summarizing an article found via a Google search of "Florida Man" plus the current day's date. The videos were so popular, Hester Ross expanded to posting twice a week, adding a segment called "Florida Woman Wednesday."[4]
Hester Ross's online success led to a post-pandemic three-month Vegas residency at Notoriety Live[12] and subsequent US tour.[7] "Don’t Mess with a Redhead,” a culmination of material from her residency and tour, was released on April 23, 2024.[2]
In August 2024, Hester Ross brought her show “Sarah Hester Ross is What??” to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. The show highlights some of her most popular comedic bits, including her tendency to discuss sensitive social issues with a comedic twist.[13]
Hester Ross has created a diverse catalog of songs, including originals like “Life Goes On”[4] and “No Babies,” covers of “Savage Daughter” and Matt Maltese's “As the World Caves In” and parodies like “Piano Babe” and “I’m Serving Cvnt.”[14] In 2023, she teamed up with internet celebrity Deanna Giuletti and released ten episodes of a podcast entitled "Too Much Find Less."
References
edit- ^ a b "Best One-Woman Show: Sarah Hester Ross". Las Vegas Weekly. June 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Comedian Sarah Hester Ross's Debut Special Delivers Viral-Worthy Musical Content About Abortion, Bridgerton And Men On The Internet". Girl Talk HQ. July 31, 2024.
- ^ "'Least feminine thing': Man criticised after saying women shouldn't wear jeans on dates". Independent. August 26, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Sarah Hester Ross Is Killing TikTok with Her Hilarious 'Florida Man' Songs". NBC Chicago. July 31, 2020.
- ^ "Top 10 things to do this week in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. October 7, 2021.
- ^ "The Astounding Singer, Musician and Comedian - Sarah Hester Ross". Comedy Reviewers. April 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Sarah Hester Ross delights with 'Don't Mess with a Redhead'". Eponymous Review. July 13, 2024.
- ^ a b "Friends With Benefits: Sarah Hester Ross of New York-New York". Las Vegas Magazine. September 21, 2021.
- ^ "From dumped to dating: A musical about starting over takes over at the Kravis". The Palm Beach Post. October 30, 2013.
- ^ "Jeanie Linders' 'The D* Word' filling dates at Shimmer Cabaret". Las Vegas Weekly. July 11, 2013.
- ^ a b "Comic musician Sarah Hester Ross is ready to get back behind the keys". Las Vegas Sun. June 10, 2020.
- ^ "Sarah Hester Ross finds her rhythm with comedy show at Notoriety Live". Las Vegas Sun. October 13, 2021.
- ^ "From TikTok to YouTube, here are 15 online comedians performing at the Edinburgh Fringe". The Scotsman. August 14, 2024.
- ^ "'Sarah Hester Ross Is What?'(Just The Tonic-Nucleus )| Review By Marcus Lundie". Theatre Scotland. August 21, 2024.