How Lauren Compton's Parents Supported Her Gymnastic Career (2024)

Lauren Compton got into podcasting while she was making waves with her viral sketch comedies. This spotlight soon drew the attention of YMH Studios – they reached out via email. At first, Lauren was skeptical and nearly ignored the email, thinking it might be a scam. However, curiosity got the better of her, leading to a rewarding collaboration with them.

Today, she hosts the First Date with Lauren Compton podcast at YMH Studios. In her show, she chats with guests about their dating stories and relationship insights, featuring well-known figures like Matt Rife, Ron White, and Whitney Cummings.

In addition to her podcasting endeavors, she also manages a successful YouTube channel that boasts over 51k subscribers, where she continues to share her comedic flair.

Yet, before her pivot to the digital airwaves, Lauren had different ambitions. Here’s a closer look at her journey from sketch comedy to podcast stardom.

From Daycare to Dreams Influenced by Her Hardworking Parents

Compton was born on September 15, 1987, in Dallas, Texas. Her mother, Ellen Jo Compton, was a nurse who juggled two jobs, and her father, Allen Dale Compton, was a U.S. military veteran. Due to her mother’s demanding job and her father’s commitments, she spent much of her childhood in daycare.

“I kind of just grew up that way. I saw my parents I feel like it’s just very old school I just saw my parents at night,” she said during a podcast with Christin P.

Lauren, whose family originally came from Italy, is an only child.

Sadly, her father, who had a huge passion for collecting action figures, passed away on March 9, 2012. He died of cancer.

Her parents tied the knot on March 1, 1981. On their 34th wedding anniversary in March 2015, Ellen posted a throwback wedding photo on Facebook, celebrating their lifelong bond. She wrote, “Thirty-four years ago, today, I married my soulmate. I miss you, Allen Dale Compton.”

Her Gymnastics Journey Was Cut Short by Injury Before The Olympics

Compton spent her childhood alternating between daycare and the gymnastics mat, pouring her heart into her Olympic dreams. Unfortunately, a series of injuries forced her to retire from the sport at just 16.

“I couldn’t work out anymore because my knee was just crippled,” she said with Christin P.

Her struggles with knee injuries were recurrent and severe, involving her ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus, which she injured three times. The first incident occurred at 14 during a dismount from the balance beam. The second injury came at 15 while performing on the floor, and the third and final blow happened at 16 during a routine on the bars.

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In the aftermath of her gymnastics career, her parents enrolled her in a private school at 17, transitioning from homeschooling. The following year, she moved to Los Angeles. There, she attended Citrus College for two years, immersing herself in theater and Shakespeare before ultimately deciding to drop out.

Rise to Fame: From Playboy Model To a Podcaster

She got into modeling when her cousin, who initially auditioned for Playboy but didn’t get a callback, set up an audition for Lauren in San Diego. Just three months later, Compton won the audition and secured her place as a full model with the magazine.

She worked for Playboy for four years, where she graced the cover of four special editions.

Later on, she was also on her way to becoming a playmate but had to consider signing a two-year contract with the magazine. At that time, Lauren was looking into other big opportunities that seemed more promising than what Playboy offered. Deciding not to tie herself down with a long-term contract, she chose a different route at the magazine.

Instead, she focused on cover shoots, which were contract-free and turned out to be more lucrative.

Stand-Up and Acting

Over the past several years, Lauren Compton has made a significant impact on the stand-up comedy scene. She openly shares that she turned to comedy to help manage her depression after divorce from her ex-husband Manuel Giusti.

She refined her comedy skills at the renowned Laugh Factory in the Greater Los Angeles Area, where she performed from January 2017 to July 2020. Before that, Lauren was a partnership executive at Fandom and worked as an international host and content creator at the North American Star League.

In addition to comedy, she is also an actress. She started her acting career in 2005 with her first role as Cora Ainsworth in the film The Fire. After a few early projects in 2005 and 2006, she took a short break from acting, returning in 2012 with a role in Playboy’s ‘Mateur Girls.’

Since then, her career has really taken off. She even won an award at the Cannes Film Festival, which led to a continuous flow of roles in both movies and TV shows. Here’s a list of her film and television appearances:

FAQs

• She currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her current partner, Mark Black.
• She is 5ft 4in (1.63 m) tall.
• Lauren has blonde hair and brown eyes.
• She has a net worth of $3 million.