Born in 1959, Victoria Jackson grew up in a Bible-believing, piano-playing, TV-free home in Miami. Her father coached gymnastics so she competed from age 5-18. Her gymnastic skill led to a college scholarship to Furman University, where she was cast in her first play and got the acting bug.
When Johnny Crawford (The Rifleman) met her at a Birmingham summer stock production, he bought her a one-way ticket to Hollywood to be in his night club act. For two years, she held odd jobs in the show-biz capital — as a cigarette girl, waitress, and typist — until Johnny Carson noticed her stand-up routine and put her on The Tonight Show… twenty times. After that, she starred in many movies and TV shows, most notably six seasons on Saturday Night Live.
Jackson was reunited with and married her high school sweetheart, helicopter pilot Paul Wessel in 1992 and when he retired in 2013 from the Miami Dade Police Dept. they moved to Nashville to be near their daughters and 5 grandchildren. Jackson still appears in occasional films, does stand up comedy, and sings her original ukulele songs around town. Jackson authored Is My Bow Too Big? published by White Hall in 2012 about how she got on TV, and in 2017 she wrote Lavender Hair, published by Broadstreet, about her breast cancer journey and recovery. April 1, 2026 she releases Not Dead Yet: A Lifetime of Handstands, Art & Poetry, along with the audio book.
Jackson won Best Actress from the ECIFF in Australia for the 168 Film Festival short film, "Birthday Brash." She co-stars in the film "Into the Spotlight" and "Boardwalk Winter" now streaming. In 2024, Jackson released her first music comedy album, "When I Get to Nashville," 18 original songs written in the last 11 years since she moved to Nashville. Her next project was inspired when she got the news that her breast cancer had returned and was now Stage 4 and incurable. It is a comedic documentary called, "Victoria Jackson's First International Farewell Tour" where she travels the world saying goodbye in song and handstand. The only problem is she can't find an audience to say goodbye to! Filming in Greece, Paris, London, Turkey and New York has been completed and the film is being edited as we speak !
Check her instagram @victoriajacksonofficial for upcoming stand up dates and cities.
SNL Alum Victoria Jackson Releases New Book NOT DEAD YET: A Lifetime of Handstands, Art & Poetry Amid Stage 4 Cancer Battle
NASHVILLE, TN — Actress, comedian, and former Saturday Night Live star Victoria Jackson is facing the most personal chapter of her life with the same wit, creativity, and faith that defined her career—releasing her deeply personal new book, Not Dead Yet: A Lifetime of Handstands, Art & Poetry, available now in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and audiobook formats.
Best known for her six seasons on Saturday Night Live (1986–1992) and her memorable appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Jackson now turns the spotlight inward, offering a one-of-a-kind collection that spans her entire life and creative journey.
Not Dead Yet brings together a lifetime of expression, including:
- Handstand photographs from ages 5 to 65
- Original poetry written from childhood through her television career and after
- Rarely seen original artwork
- Personal stories from her career, marriages, family life, and faith journey
The project was born out of urgency following Jackson’s recent diagnosis of stage 4 incurable metastatic breast cancer. Faced with her mortality, she began sorting through decades of personal archives—carefully selecting the pieces she felt compelled to share.
Drawing inspiration from the Biblical story of King Hezekiah—who was told to “get your house in order”—Jackson approached the book with intention and clarity: to document her life, preserve her work, and leave something meaningful behind.
“I started going through boxes and boxes,” Jackson shares. “I'd always wanted to assemble all my poems and handstand photos chronologically. Now was the time.”
The result is a vibrant and deeply personal collection that reflects both the highs and lows of her journey, woven together with humor, honesty, and the faith that has sustained her through every season of life.
Born in Miami in 1959, Jackson’s early life was shaped by discipline and creativity. A competitive gymnast from age five, she earned a scholarship to Furman University, where she discovered her passion for acting.
Her path to Hollywood began when actor Johnny Crawford brought her west for his nightclub act. After two years of odd jobs and nightly performances around town, Jackson’s stand-up caught the attention of Johnny Carson, leading to 20 appearances on The Tonight Show and launching a successful career in television and film.
In 1992, she married her high school sweetheart, and later settled in Nashville to be near their grandchildren. Today, she continues to act, perform stand-up, create music, and pursue new creative projects.
With Not Dead Yet, Jackson offers more than a memoir—it is a celebration of a life fully lived, a reflection on legacy, and a testament to finding joy and purpose even in life’s most difficult moments.
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