Jenna Kim Jones' first attempt at stand-up comedy was at a Mormon young single adults activity.
A comedy writer living in New York City, Jones had been "itching" to get on stage — any stage — and try out the jokes she'd been writing. Known at church as "kind of a ham," Jones was asked to emcee an activity for her local congregation and set aside 10 minutes to try out her fledgling act.
She "totally bombed."
"It was so painful," Jones said. "It was so bad."
And she couldn't wait to try it again.
"I don't think anybody starts out good at stand-up," said Jones, who grew up in Utah before attending NYU. "But there is some drive that gets in you."
These days, Jones performs a couple of times a week at New York clubs. She's been the opening act for well-known comic Jim Gaffigan. And this week, she returns to Utah to headline four shows at Wiseguys at Trolley Square on Dec. 30-31.