There’s a moment in life, especially for women, when the noise gets quiet. It’s usually due to a person refusing to listen to anything that doesn’t serve them any more. For Tisha Campbell, that moment came with clarity.
After decades in the entertainment industry, navigating fame, expectations, motherhood, marriage, divorce, and reinvention, Campbell is stepping into a phase defined by no longer living for anyone else’s approval. In that freedom, she’s found joy and a renewed sense of purpose, both on and off the stage.
“It’s fun,” Campbell said with a laugh during her 21Ninety Live conversation. “It’s fun not giving a f*ck.”
Tisha Campbell Letting Go of the Performance
Campbell has spent most of her life in service mode. She entered the entertainment industry at just three years old, driven not by fame, but by necessity and responsibility.
“I got into this business to help my family,” she shared. “Not for the money, not for the fame, but to help other people. To help my family.”
That mindset carried her through decades of work, but it also meant putting herself last more often than not. Over time, that kind of sacrifice adds up.
Post-divorce, Campbell found herself at a crossroads. One that forced her to confront who she was outside of everyone else’s needs.
“There were many moments after my divorce that made me want to discover who I actually am,” she explained. “I realized my kids are gonna be okay if I’m okay. So I have to pour everything into me, and they’ll benefit from it.”
That realization marked a turning point. For the first time, Campbell allowed herself to make decisions rooted in desire, not obligation.
“This is going to be the first time in my life that I’m allowing myself to make choices based on what I want to do,” she said.
Rewriting the “Strong Black Woman” Narrative
Throughout the conversation, Campbell spoke candidly about the weight of the “strong Black woman” trope that often leaves little room for softness, rest, or emotional honesty.
“We don’t get a chance to be soft,” she said. “We just have to keep it moving. For our family, for work, for everything and we are more than that.”
While she acknowledges that strength is part of who Black women are, Campbell is intentional about expanding the narrative.
“I can be loud. I can be funny,” she said. “But I’m much more than that.”
Even she admits she spent years masking parts of herself, keeping a smile on her face while navigating private struggles. Now, she’s actively choosing to unlearn that survival instinct and encouraging others to do the same.
“That’s one of the reasons why I started writing scripts [and] books, because I want to explore all the things that we are,” she shared.
Why Stand-Up Comedy Feels Like Therapy
That authenticity is also what drew Campbell back to stand-up comedy.
While audiences have known her for decades through iconic television roles, stand-up offers no script, no character and no filter.
On stage, Campbell gets to meet people where they are, face to face, and invite them into her world for 45 minutes of release. She describes it as intimate and interactive, often ending her sets with Q&A moments that feel more like communal conversations than performances.
In many ways, stand-up mirrors the personal work she’s been doing offstage. It’s a space where she can unpack life in real time, laugh at the hard parts, and remind audiences that joy and healing can coexist.
Her return to comedy also reflects her lifelong relationship with reinvention. Even after five decades in the industry, Campbell isn’t interested in staying still. She’s learning, evolving, and allowing herself to explore creative lanes without worrying about how they’ll be received.
Reinvention Without Apology
With so much expertise under her belt, Campbell no longer defines success by visibility or validation. Instead, she sees her work as service, and that perspective has grounded her longevity.
“There’s a difference between being a celebrity or a star and being an artist,” she explained. “A celebrity believes they’re here to be served. An artist understands they’re here to serve others.”
That mindset — paired with her commitment to wellness, mental health, and spiritual growth — has given her a sense of peace she hadn’t known before.
“I feel like I’m in my spiritual wellness bag,” she said. “This is the most exciting time in my life.”
And perhaps that’s what makes this era so compelling. Campbell isn’t reinventing herself to prove anything. She’s doing it because she finally feels free enough to ask, “What do I want now?”
Watch the full interview with Tisha Campbell on 21Ninety Live to hear her story in her own words and witness what it looks like when a woman steps fully into her truth!
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