The Resource January 2014 Volume 1 Issue 001 | Page 10

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fter over five years as a working comedian Tatanka Means
has been recognized and awarded as
“Best Comedian of 2013” by Albuquerque The Magaby
zine in their annual
Christine “Best of the City” issue. Albuquerque the
Begay
Magazine
is
published
monthly
and
features
entertainment,
food,
businesses and events in the
Albuquerque area.The “Best of the City”
are recognized and awarded annually.
Means has a large online fan base
from throughout the entire world
but the most supportive from Indian Country and the Navajo Nation.
When Means announced that he was
being considered for the award and
that online voting for the “Best of the
City” contest would determine the
winner his supporters came through
and showed their immense support,
“It’s a great honor to be recognized
with this award. People voted for their
choice so that is really cool and I am
thankful.” Means’ work has taken
dedication and discipline to the
profession of stand-up comedy.
“Performing as a comedian is work,
it’s a job. I spend a lot of time
developing my material. People
sometimes have a perception that
being funny and making people laugh
comes natural or easy, you have to work
for peoples’ laughs.”
Means performs comedy both
solo and group side his 49 Laughs
Comedy group mates; Pax Harvey
Jr., James Junes, Adrianne Chalepah
and Ernest D. Tsosie III. The group

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January 2014 issue 001

is widely popular with its variety of
nationally touring comedians. Means’
award now adds to the list of the
groups’ recognition and accolades
for their outstanding comedy work.
Tatanka Means graduated from Chinle High
School in 2003. At the
end of his Senior year
Means was struggling
with academics and
had to push himself to
graduate High School.
After High School he
attended an automotive trade school.
Halfway through the auto program he
made the decision to leave and pursue

new passions.” He began working
on building his profile and resume
as an actor. It was not long before he
was auditioning regularly and had
landed himself on a TNT television
series playing Lakta
Chief, Crazy Horse.
Now after years
of countless auditions Means is by no
accident as a steadily
working
actor,
“Working in entertaiment as an actor and
comedian there are no guaranteed
jobs. Every show and film that I work
on is a blessing. Like everything else

“Sometimes to
smile, embrace
the struggle and
laugh is all
we can do.”

a career, in a nearly unknown field for
anyone from the Reservation, as an
actor in the entertainment industry.
“When you are young you try things.
Some things you are passionate about
for moments in your life and let them
go as you grow and mature and find

PHOTO BY DON JAMES

it has challenges. You are on the road
traveling and it is hard to be away from
your family.” In 2012 Means won
multiple awards for his leading role in
Judy Blume’s, Tiger Eyes. His upcoming guest starring roles can be seen in
January 2014 on Cinemax, ABC and

NBC along with a feature film releasing Summer 2014 where he is acting
opposite of Oscar host, Seth Macfarlane.
Means’ work is paying off, “I never
thought I would be doing these things
as a full time job but if I did not try I
would have always regretted it. I believe in the saying ‘You never know
what you can do until you try.’ It’s
been a long road of obstacles, disappointments and rejection to make it to
this point. Like anything practice and