Jay Pharoah’s White Gold Cross Necklace

Jay Pharoah has replaced his cross necklace a few times over the years. The cross his mother bought him warped after daily wear and tear; diamonds popped out of the one he bought himself from New York City’s diamond district.

He now has a diamond encrusted cross on a white gold chain that viewers might spot around his neck in “Jared,” his recently released comedy special on YouTube. But to Mr. Pharoah, a former “Saturday Night Live” cast member, the bling isn’t the point.

“It’s really about what it symbolizes, and the cementing of it, and how it keeps me grounded,” he said.

Mr. Pharoah reflected on what his cross symbolizes and how he hopes to carry himself on and off the stage. This interview has been edited and condensed.

Talk to me about your cross.

It’s a diamond cross, with — is it white gold? Yeah, I believe it’s definitely white gold. Now, to tell you the carats, I don’t get caught up on any of that, so I couldn’t tell you. But if it was just a regular silver cross, I wouldn’t care. It’s about what it represents. It’s not about how it looks to me. God knows I do curse and whatever. Sometimes I say things, and I am getting better now. As a comedian, you just let them fly, but you also have to be cognizant that when you do have that cross on, you’re representing what it is. So if I want to be the best representation, then I have to act like this symbol that I’m carrying. So it’s not just a piece to me, it’s a way of life.

So this piece is very much about your connection to your religion.

Absolutely. Christianity. It’s not a fad or a phase; it’s a way of life. It’s waking up every day and choosing to walk in the right path and not derail yourself. Now, you will get derailed, because that’s just how it goes, but at the end of the day, if you’re trying earnestly to do the right thing, God will carry you through everything.