Often, the funniest people are the ones who need to laugh the most. We can be fooled into thinking that comedians are happy-go-lucky, jolly and carefree. Often they’ve had to overcome a troubled past. It’s a strange paradox that the best comedians are the ones who learn how to use their turmoil as fuel to gain a new perspective and relate to people from all walks of life – they do this by making them laugh. Here are some of the stories from the women in comedy. Their commitment to changing their lives and refining their craft is inspiring.