Lauren Ashley Smith

Lauren Ashley Smith is an American writer, comedian, and producer. She is the head writer of HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019–present), for which she has received three Emmy Award nominations. Smith previously worked for The Rundown with Robin Thede, Best Week Ever, Watch What Happens Live, and Fashion Queens.

Early life and education Smith was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She has two sisters, Mariah and Rachel. Smith received her bachelor's degree from Dickinson College. Thede later hired Smith again as the head writer and co-executive producer of A Black Lady Sketch Show. Smith is the first Black woman to be a head writer on a TV sketch show. The series debuted in 2019, and Smith received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series (2020, 2021) and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series (2021). In August 2021, she signed an overall deal with CBS Studios to create comedy content for the network's broadcast and streaming platforms.

Personal life Smith is a lesbian and uses she/her pronouns. She married her wife, Brooke Helburn, in 2015. 2021 – Nominee, Primetime Emmy Awards, Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series 2021 – Nominee, Primetime Emmy Awards, Outstanding Variety Sketch Series