Video: Missed It? Interview with Diona Reasonover, star of the TBS sitcom Clipped

MEET DIONA REASONOVER

She can be seen on the TBS series Clipped, which centers around a group of barbershop coworkers who all went to high school together but ran in very different crowds. Now they find themselves working together at Buzzy’s. Reasonover is a scene-stealer as Charmaine, one of the hairstylists whose dry humor, sharp personality and observant mannerisms radiate throughout the barbershop.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Reasonover grew up in a blended neighborhood – with pockets of rough areas mixed with middle class housing. She had a keen interest in the arts as a child, participating in the Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit. She attended Oberlin College, where she received her Undergraduate Degree in Theater and Dance, and went on to attend the prestigious California Institute of the Arts, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Acting. Aside from her studies in Theater, Dance and Acting, Reasonover had a special passion for teaching and Art History, and thought she would find a long-term career working in a museum.

Through the CalArts Alumni Program, Reasonover found her first museum job working at the Skirball Cultural Center. During that time she decided to try her hand in the comedy world, and won a scholarship [through Puma] to The Second City, studying improvisation, stand-up, writing and more. She also became active with Upright Citizen’s Brigade [UCB] Theater, one of the largest and most respected improv schools in the country. Reasonover went on to star in the 2014 CBS Diversity Showcase, and she was cast in three pilots [for NBC, ABC and TBS] her first pilot season, including “Clipped.” She participated in the 2015 CBS Diversity Showcase as well, and was the first female African-American head writer of the program (she’s also the first lesbian head writer but hey, who’s counting?).

Today, aside from her work on “Clipped,” Reasonover performs regularly at UCB on the Maude team Bombardier, as well as at Second City. She’s appeared on VH1, Disney, ShaneDawson TV and Funny or Die, and she has been featured in numerous commercials. She also does the best Whoopi Goldberg impression you’ve ever seen. Writing is a true passion for Reasonover, and she has a handful of projects in the works. Her fresh, millennial approach to life is reflected in her work – and is bound to bring a smile to faces of all
ages.

Reasonover currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her girlfriend, and no cats (don’t tell the lesbian community!). On the charity front, she is active in a handful of organizations to benefit her hometown of Detroit. She is also an advocate for the LGBT Community, and for furthering diversity in television, film, and behind the scenes work.