“In a world where the truth isn’t always easy to tell, how do journalists stay resilient? Today, JL sits down with award-winning journalist Varion Walton to talk about the power of truth-telling in media, her view on what happened in New Orleans, and the grit it takes to thrive in the industry. Varion also breaks down the challenges women still face in journalism and shares her thoughts on why not everyone with a Facebook button should call themselves a reporter. Get ready for a conversation full of wisdom, real talk, and inspiration—let’s dive in!”

In this inspiring episode of Mere Motivation, Jerri Orr sits down with the hilarious and resilient Ms. LOL—a mother of five and a traveling clean comedian. She opens up about her humble beginnings in Chattanooga, TN, and the struggles she faced as a single mother, including the unforgettable days when she had to catch seven different buses just to make ends meet.

Despite the challenges, Ms. LOL’s passion for comedy never wavered. She shares how her journey led her to perform alongside legendary comedians like Cedric the Entertainer and even grace the iconic Apollo stage in NYC. But beyond the laughter, her heart beats for a greater mission—giving back. She speaks passionately about her deep desire to help the homeless and how her organization hosts an annual event dedicated to feeding those in need.

This episode is a testament to perseverance, faith, and the power of using laughter to uplift others. Tune in for a conversation filled with humor, heart, and inspiration!

Tresha a.k.a. “Ms. LOL” began doing comedy in 1999 as a challenge from friends to enter a comedy contest to open for Cedric the Entertainer. She won the contest and the rest was history. Cedric couldn’t even believe that was her first time doing comedy. She is one of the funniest CLEAN comedians on the circuit. Tresha has opened for a host of celebrity comics such as Sheryl Underwood, Rodney Perry, Huggy Lowdown and Killer Beaz just to name a few. She has received numerous standing ovations from performing for church events, family reunions, and other functions.    Tresha Rutledge is a hard working single mother of 5 boys (2 sets of twins), born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Tresha says “my boys mean the world to me and I love them to death”. Tresha considers herself as a B.A.B.Y.M.A.M.A – Beautiful Achieving Blessed Young Mother Always Maintaining Amen!!!!!    Tresha’s comedy performances include the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, Las Vegas, Atlanta Comedy Theater, Zanies Comedy Club Nashville, Uptown Comedy Club in Atlanta, Comedy Catch, Chattanooga, TN, Stardome Comedy Club/Broadway Room in Birmingham, AL, Stand Up Live Comedy Club, Huntsville, AL, The Bessie Smith Strut in Chattanooga, TN, W.C. Handy Festival in Florence, AL, the World Famous Apollo Theater, Harlem NY, and numerous family reunions and church events. 

Ms LOL performed her hilarious “I Have A Dream Speech” for Martin Luther King III at the NAACP Banquet in Chattanooga, TN and he loved it. She recently opened for Pastor John P. Kee when his tour came to Chattanooga and the crowd of over 700 people loved her. Pastor Kee enjoyed her so much he invited her to Charlotte, NC to be in his upcoming movie “The Lost Song”. Not only is she a comedian, she is an actress and has performed in numerous stage productions such as “Hope in the Ghetto” by Raymond Hughes, “No Man Can Stop You”, “The First Lady” and “Don’t Suffer in Silence” all directed by Charles Patterson. In the Spring of 2013, she made her film debut in Dr. Jerome Rogan’s “God Said It”. She also performed in the Stageplay “The Walls Are Talking” by Reggie Lewis, where she received rave reviews by crowds and other Directors as her role as Maxine the Housekeeper. Tresha appeared as an extra on upcoming TV shows such as Greenleaf and The Bobby Brown Movie. Tresha blew audiences away while hosting at numerous celebrity concerts and events with her comedic timing and professionalism. Some of the celebrity artists include Lyfe Jennings, Lenny Williams, Urban Mystic, Bobby Valentino, and Tony Terry just to name a few. Tresha was employed at the radio station WNOO Glory 1260 for 10 years as a switchboard operator and on air personality Lady “T”. She loves to laugh and make others laugh because she truly believes that laughter heals the soul.