Maija DiGiorgio is an actress, comedienne, and film director from New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. Along with stand-up, DiGiorgio is president of Hollywood Outlaws, Inc.

Comedy career

DiGiorgio began her comedy career in New York City where she was born and raised. Her high-voltage stage act was recognized by the Daily News and the New York Post

New York Post

The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...

warning audiences, “to catch Maija before television audiences do”.

DiGiorgio made her national television debut on NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

’s Showtime at the Apollo

Showtime at the Apollo

Showtime at the Apollo is a syndicated music television show, first broadcast on September 12, 1987 to May 24, 2008 with 1093 episodes, and is produced by the Apollo Theater...

 where she received three standing ovations. In the following months, she made appearances on Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons

-External links:** * * * * * * from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum* *...

’ Def Comedy Jam

Def Comedy Jam

Def Comedy Jam is a HBO television series produced by Russell Simmons. The series had its original run from July 1, 1992 to January 1, 1997. The show returned on HBO's fall lineup in 2006. Def Comedy Jam helped to launch the careers of several African-American stand-up comedians...

, NBC’s Friday Night

Friday Night Videos

Friday Night Videos is an American music video show broadcast on the NBC television network from July 29, 1983 to December 30, 2000, and was the network's attempt to capitalize on the emerging popularity of music videos as seen on MTV...

, PBS

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

’ Into the Mix, The Keenan Ivory Wayans’ Show, and performed at HBO’s Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. DiGiorgio woke up New York City every morning as a co-host on NYC’s number one morning show on Hot 97. She then wrote her first one woman show - Rats! - which she performed Off-Off-Broadway

Off-Off-Broadway

Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...

 and for which she received rave reviews. DiGiorgio also made appearances on Sex and the City

Sex and the City

Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...

, Fred Silverman

Fred Silverman

Fred Silverman is an American television executive and producer. He worked as an executive at the CBS, ABC and NBC networks, and was responsible for bringing to television such programs as the series Scooby-Doo , All in the Family , The Waltons , and Charlie's Angels , as well as the...

's Mouth Off, and Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed

Comics Unleashed

Comics Unleashed is a half-hour comedic talk show produced by the Entertainment Studios production company and hosted by Byron Allen, with John Cramer as announcer and ' providing music support. The show features a panel of four guest comedians performing their standup bits thinly disguised as a...

. DiGiorgio attended the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where she debuted the Hollywood Outlaw Comedy Tour. She co-created the show America Dehoochified: The Smart Women's Guide to Men, which she performs at universities across the U.S.

Career in films

DiGiorgio took a break from the comedy circuit to focus on her film career. She wrote, directed, and starred in her first film Bitter Jester

Bitter Jester

Bitter Jester is a documentary starring Maija DiGiorgio, Kenny Simmons, Jody Del Giorno and Heather McConnell. It's a portrait of the comedy world that includes interviews with a multitude of stars including Richard Pryor, Richard Belzer and many others....

, which screened on the festival circuit at Cinequest, TriBeca Film Festival, and the US Comedy Arts Festival among others. DiGiorgio later released the director’s cut, titled Hollywood Outlaw Movie

Hollywood Outlaw Movie

Hollywood Outlaw, The Unmaking of a Bitter Jester is the director’s cut of the controversial documentary Bitter Jester which was buried in 2004 amidst much scandal, never to be seen again...

. DiGiorgio formed Hollywood Outlaws, Inc. under which to write, direct, and produce films and stage productions.