1. Jay Pharoah was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2010 to 2016.
13 Facts About Jay Pharoah
1. 2.
In 2005, Pharoah graduated from Indian River High School in Chesapeake.
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Jay Pharoah graduated from Tidewater Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in 2008 and an Associate of Science in 2010.
4.
Jay Pharoah has been performing stand-up comedy in community theaters and at comedy clubs in Virginia since he was 15.
5.
Jay Pharoah became known for his many celebrity impressions, including Barack Obama, Will Smith, DMX, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Clarence Thomas, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Kanye West, Stephen A Smith, Peter Dinklage, and Denzel Washington.
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Jay Pharoah became an internet phenomenon when his impersonation of Barack Obama became widely seen on YouTube.
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In 2010, Jay Pharoah was hired by Saturday Night Live as a featured performer for the show's 36th season.
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Jay Pharoah debuted his SNL impersonation of Barack Obama in the 38th season premiere on September 15,2012, succeeding Fred Armisen in that role.
9.
Jay Pharoah appeared in the independent film Lola Versus, released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in June 2012.
10.
Jay Pharoah hosted the American Music Awards of 2016 with model Gigi Hadid.
11.
Jay Pharoah has been working on his first album with record producer Myles William.
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In June 2020, Jay Pharoah released footage showing how he had been detained at gunpoint by police several months earlier while in his neighborhood, after he matched the description of a wanted black man wearing grey sweatpants and shirt.
13.
Jay Pharoah released the footage in response to the George Floyd protests.