Editing Sommore

{{short description|American comedian and actress}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Sommore
| image              = 
| image_size         = 
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| birth_name         = Lori Ann Rambough
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1966|5|15}}
| birth_place        = [[Trenton, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| other_names        = 
| alma_mater         = [[Morris Brown College]]
| education          = [[Trenton Catholic Academy|McCorristin Catholic High School]] <small>(1985)</small>
| occupation         = Comedian, actress
| years_active       = 1992–present
| relatives          = [[Nia Long]] (half-sister)
| website            = https://www.sommore.com
}}

'''Sommore''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ə|ˈ|m|ɔːr}}; born '''Lori Ann Rambough'''; May 15, 1966) is an American comedian and actress. Known as the "Diva of Contemporary Comedy," her comedic style features biting sarcasm and frank discussions about money, sex, and equality between the sexes.<ref>"We Want SOMMORE." ''Los Angeles Sentinel'', October 26, 2000, pp. B.4. {{ProQuest|369403499}}.</ref> She first gained fame as the first female host of the long-running [[BET|Black Entertainment Television (BET)]] stand-up showcase ''[[ComicView]]'', as well as one of the four female comedians that headlined [[The Queens of Comedy]] tour.

She appeared in the films ''[[Friday After Next]],'' ''[[Soul Plane]],'' and ''[[Dirty Laundry (2006 film)|Dirty Laundry]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/calendar/give-us-sommore-6367713|title=Give Us Sommore|author=D. SIRIANNI|work=[[Miami New Times]]|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news-herald.com/general-news/20110218/sommore-the-newest-queen-of-comedy-heads-two-royal-shows-at-playhousesquare|title=Sommore, the newest queen of comedy, heads two Royal shows at PlayhouseSquare|work=[[The News-Herald (Ohio)]]|date=18 February 2011|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref> and has received the Richard Pryor Award for Comic of the Year.

==Early life and education==
Sommore was raised in [[Trenton, New Jersey]]. After attending Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd and [[The Pennington School]], she graduated from [[Trenton Catholic Academy|McCorristin Catholic High School]] (now called Trenton Catholic Academy) in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/times-entertainment/index.ssf/2013/11/comedian_sommore_to_perform_at.html|title=Comedian Sommore to perform at Patriots Theater|work=[[NJ.com]]|date=29 November 2013|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="trentonian.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.trentonian.com/article/TT/20031124/TMP02/311249999|title=City-born comedienne living large|work=[[The Trentonian]]|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref> She graduated from [[Morris Brown College]] in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], where she studied [[business administration]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocala.com/article/20090806/ARTICLES/908049981|title=Sommore brings her sassy, adult humor to MTI on Saturday|work=[[Star-Banner]]|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2010/04/comic_sommore_to_perform_at_th.html|title=Comic Sommore to perform at the Hu Ke Lau|work=[[The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts)|masslive.com]]|date=27 April 2010|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l9MDAAAAMBAJ&q=Morris+Brown+College+sommore&pg=PA15|title=Ebony|work=[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]] via google.com|date=November 2008|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jetmag.com/entertainment/sommore-chandelier-status/#.VgPrNUseSRU|title=Comedienne Sommore Talks Chandelier Status & Comic View - JETmag.com|work=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref> After receiving her degree, Sommore worked various jobs such as retail, employment consulting and an algebra instructor before progressing into her successful comedy career.

== Career ==
Sommore attributes her success as a comedian to her writing skills. Influenced by her father, a writer and an English teacher, she extensively researched the business of comedy and learned about the art of comedy. She loves gospel music and her idol is Karen Clark Sheard.<ref>Dukes, Howard. "She's Living Proof You can't Keep a Good Comic Down." ''South Bend Tribune'', Feb 05, 2006, pp. 1. {{ProQuest|417387388}}.</ref>

==Television and film appearances==
Sommore has appeared on various shows including HBO's ''[[Def Comedy Jam]]'', ''[[Showtime at the Apollo]]'', ''[[ComicView]]'', and ''BET Live from L.A.'' She has also done guest appearances on television sitcoms ''[[The Hughleys]]'' and ''[[The Parkers]]'', and she has been featured on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]''. She also appeared on ''[[Comedy Central Roast]] of Flavor Flav.'' In 2008, she appeared as one of the mob members on several episodes of the game show ''[[1 vs. 100 (U.S. game show)|1 vs. 100]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/lasvegas/lasvegasnow/la-tr-lvn-las-vegas-shows-sommore-20150610-story.html|title=Class and sass collide when Sommore hits the Las Vegas stage|date=11 June 2015|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref>

Her film appearances include ''[[Soul Plane]]'', ''A Miami Tail'', ''[[Friday After Next]]'', and ''[[Something New (film)|Something New]]''.

Sommore and fellow [[African American]] female comedians [[Mo'Nique]], Laura Hayes, and [[Adele Givens]] were the stars on ''[[The Queens of Comedy]]'' tour, which was filmed and subsequently aired on [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] and released on [[DVD]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/230939/The-Queens-of-Comedy/overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006133222/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/230939/The-Queens-of-Comedy/overview|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2014|title=The Queens of Comedy (2001)|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Jessica|last=Frost|date=2014|accessdate=March 11, 2008}}</ref>

Sommore launched the worldwide premiere of "The Queen Stands Alone" on September 30, 2008. The release of her stand-up comedy special was a film version of her stand-up act and was written and produced by Sommore as well as her entertainment company One Thousand Kisses, Inc.<ref>{{Citation|title=Sommore: The Queen Stands Alone|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1305823/|access-date=2020-05-09}}</ref>

Sommore was a winning participant on the [[Celebrity Fit Club (U.S. TV series)#Season 6 - 2008: Boot Camp|sixth season]] of ''[[Celebrity Fit Club (U.S. TV series)|Celebrity Fit Club]]''.  She lost 11 pounds during the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brownsista.com/celebrity-fit-club-with-toccara-sommore/|title=Celebrity Fit Club with Toccara & Sommore|publisher=Brown Sista|date=2010 |accessdate=October 19, 2010}}</ref>

Her 2015 special ''Sommore: The Reign Continues'' was aired on [[Netflix]] in 2018.

==Personal life==
Aside from her hometown of Trenton, New Jersey, Sommore has lived in [[Los Angeles]] and [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]].<ref name="trentonian.com"/> Currently, her primary residence is in Miami.<ref name="ajc">{{cite web|title=Sommore, George Wallace return to State Farm Arena for more laughs Feb. 8|url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/sommore-george-wallace-return-state-farm-arena-for-more-laughs-feb/JjbXveE2kSEWxo58fiuG4O/|last1=Ho|first1=Rodney|website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|accessdate=14 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sommore, the Queen of Comedy, to play Fort Lauderdale Improv in Hollywood - southflorida.com|url=http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-go-sommore-improv-082213-20130820-story.html|author=SFL|date=20 August 2013|work=[[Sun-Sentinel|southflorida.com]]|accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref> Her father was the poet Doughtry "Doc" Long and her half-sister is actress [[Nia Long]].<ref name="trentonian.com"/><ref name="I Love Old School Music">{{cite web | title=Nia Long & Sommore Are REAL SISTERS But THIS Is Why We NEVER See Them Together | website=I Love Old School Music | date=13 December 2016 | url=https://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/nia-long-sommore-are-real-sisters-but-this-is-why-we-never-see-them-together/ | access-date=April 14, 2019}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2002 
| ''[[Friday After Next]]''
| Cookie 
|
|-
| 2003 
| ''A Miami Tail''
| Stephanie 
|
|-
| 2004 
| ''[[Soul Plane]]''
| Cherry 
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 2006 
| ''[[Something New (film)|Something New]]''
| Herself
|
|-
| ''[[Dirty Laundry (2006 film)|Dirty Laundry]]''
| Abby 
|
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|rowspan=2| 1995
| ''Snaps''
| Herself
| Episode: "Episode #1.2" 
|-
| ''[[Def Comedy Jam]]'' 
| Herself
| Episode: "Episode #5.5" 
|-
| 1995-96
| ''[[ComicView]]'' 
| Herself/Host
| Main Host
|-
| 1996
| ''[[It's Showtime at the Apollo]]''
| Herself
| Episode: "Episode #9.20" 
|-
| 1998 
| ''[[The Hughleys]]'' 
| Keshia 
| Episode: "Pilot"
|-
| 2002 
| ''[[The Parkers]]'' 
| Olivia Radcliffe 
| Episode: "Mother's Day Blues"
|-
| 2005 
| ''Weekends at the DL'' 
| Herself 
| Episode: "Episode #1.18"
|-
|rowspan=3| 2006 
| ''[[The Tom Joyner Show]]'' 
| Herself 
| Episode: "Episode #1.15"
|-
| ''[[Live at Gotham]]'' 
| Herself/Host
| Episode: "Episode #1.6"
|-
| ''[[Def Comedy Jam]]'' 
| Herself
| Episode: "Episode #7.1" 
|-
|rowspan=2| 2007 
| ''[[Wild 'N Out]]'' 
| Herself 
| Episode: "The Jump Off Special" 
|- 
| ''[[Comedy Central Roast]]'' 
| Herself 
| Episode: "Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav" 
|-
| 2007-14
| ''[[Comics Unleashed]]'' 
| Herself 
| Recurring Guest
|-
|rowspan=3| 2008 
| ''[[1 vs. 100 (U.S. game show)|1 vs. 100]]'' 
| Herself 
| Contestant: Season 2
|-
| ''[[Flavor of Love]]'' 
| Herself
| Episode: "Things That Go Bump On The Lip" 
|-
| ''[[Celebrity Fit Club (U.S. TV series)#Season 6 - 2008: Boot Camp|Celebrity Fit Club]]'' 
| Herself
| Contestant: Season 6
|-
|rowspan=4| 2014 
| ''Just for Laughs: All-Access'' 
| Herself 
| Episode: "Jeff Ross"
|-
| ''[[Hit the Floor (TV series)|Hit the Floor]]'' 
| Herself 
| Episode: "Blow Out"
|-
| ''[[Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta]]'' 
| Herself/Host
| Episode: "Reunion Part 1-3"
|-
| ''[[ComicView]]'' 
| Herself/Host  
| Main Host  
|-
| 2018
| ''[[The History of Comedy]]'' 
| Herself 
| Recurring Guest: Season 2 
|-
| 2021
| ''[[South Side (TV series)|South Side]]'' 
| Yvonne Turner
| Episode: "Life of an Ottoman"
|}

===Documentary===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
|-
| 2005 
| ''[[The Funniest Man Dead or Alive]]'' 
|-
|rowspan=2| 2009
| ''[[Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy]]'' 
|-
| ''Blunts & Stunts: Class of '94''
|}

===Comedy Releases===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
|-
| 1995
| ''Sommore: Bitch House'' 
|-
| 2001 
| ''[[The Queens of Comedy]]''
|-
| 2003 
| ''Latham Entertainment Presents''
|-
| 2007 
| ''Sommore: The Queen Stands Alone''
|-
| 2013 
| ''Sommore: Chandelier Status''
|-
| 2015 
| ''Sommore: The Reign Continues''
|- 
| 2018
| ''Sommore: A Queen with No Spades''
|- 
| 2019
| ''All The Queens Men''
|- 
| 2023
| ''Sommore: Queen Chandelier''
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0970240|name=Sommore}}
*{{official website|http://www.sommore.com/}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century American comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Actresses from Trenton, New Jersey]]
[[Category:African-American stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:American stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:American women comedians]]
[[Category:Participants in American reality television series]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:Morris Brown College alumni]]
[[Category:Comedians from Trenton, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Comedians from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American people]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]