How Queen Elizabeth II’s Death Launched This Comedian’s Career

Published: September 4, 2025

By Gavin Boyle

Ellen Skrmetti recalled how putting a southern spin on Queen Elizabeth’s death launched her comedy career and why she finds it okay to make jokes about faith.

“About three years ago, if I’m not mistaken, Queen Elizabeth was moving on and here I am. I had been posting for nine months with not a lot of traction, but enough to keep me going…My husband and I were going to the Little London in Homewood that has now closed…People were going there to watch Arsenal games because my husband loves Arsenal and that was helping us survive until SEC football could get started. And my husband said, ‘Hey, there’s no soccer matches this weekend.’ And I said, ‘Why?’ And he said, ‘Well, because the queen died, so out of respect, they’re not playing any games this week or this weekend,’” Skrmetti told the “Biscuits and Jam” podcast. “And I said, ‘Well, good Lord. If she had died in Ripley, she would already be in the ground and we would just be carrying on about our days.’”

Skrmetti would go on to make an Instagram skit about that which went viral, allowing her to make comedy her full-time career. As a strong Christian, much of her comedy revolves around the church and the hilarious things that happen there, but she also hopes her platform helps people understand Jesus wants us all the time, not just when things are serious.

“‘Hey, Jesus, it’s me’ is to show people…so many times we think we only come to Jesus in a crisis. My prayer is that people get that Jesus wants our every day. He want our tears and our laughter,” she explained.

As Skrmetti has grown to reach major audience on social media, amassing millions of views with each post, she fully credits the Lord with her success, rather than her own skill or talent. She previously recalled praying about her social media reach every day, asking the Lord to grow her following so she could share Him with more and more people.

“Instead of just posting reels every day and every night, I would say a prayer,” she said. “And the prayer was, ‘Lord, do something so big it could only be you.’ And I prayed not just for the number of followers that would come to my page, I would pray for the people coming to my page to laugh.”

Skrmetti is now a premiere comedian, and she even launched a book last year where she shared the funniest stories from her life. It is amazing how the Lord has used her to reach so many people and help them understand His true character.

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