Amy Sedaris
Encyclopedia
Amy Louise Sedaris is an American actress, author, and comedian. She is known for playing the character Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central
television series Strangers with Candy
. Sedaris regularly collaborates with her older brother, humorist and author David Sedaris
. She is a frequent guest on The Late Show with David Letterman.
, New York, the daughter of Sharon (née Leonard) and Lou Sedaris, and grew up in Raleigh
, North Carolina, with her siblings, David
, Lisa, Gretchen, Tiffany, and Paul ("The Rooster"). She is of half Greek descent
; her father was Greek Orthodox and her mother was Protestant, and she remains Greek Orthodox.
As a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman
, she described two experiences with bosses. At age 16, she worked at the local Winn-Dixie
supermarket. She would make fake announcements over the loudspeaker, which prompted the head cashier to confiscate the microphone. After work, she egged the cashier's car in protest. Later, as a cocktail waitress at Zanies, a comedy night club in Chicago, she was five minutes late for a shift with ice cream cone in hand. Fired that night, she took her revenge on her boss: "I took his keys and I threw them in the snow. I heard he found them in the spring."
Sedaris and her Strangers with Candy
co-star Paul Dinello
dated for eight years. Though their relationship ended, they have remained very close friends. She also dated actor Alan Tudyk
in the early 2000s. Sedaris has never married, and has stated in several interviews that she has never wanted to be married or have children.
and Annoyance Theatre
comedy troupes, her first major foray into television began in 1995 on the Comedy Central
sketch show, Exit 57
, which also starred Stephen Colbert
and Paul Dinello
. The show was cancelled after three seasons.
Beginning in 1999, Sedaris portrayed Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central series Strangers with Candy
. The show, which she co-wrote with Dinello and Colbert, was based on Sedaris's impression of 1970s motivational speaker Florrie Fisher
. The show ran for three seasons and would later inspire a full-length movie
.
Sedaris has made numerous guest appearances on a number of different TV programs, including Rescue Me
, Monk
, Wonder Showzen
, Just Shoot Me!
, Sex and the City
, My Name Is Earl
, The Closer
, The Middle
, The New Adventures of Old Christine
, and Sesame Street
. Sedaris also hosted the series Film Fanatic on Trio.
Sedaris has appeared on many talk shows, including The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night With Conan O'Brien
, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
, The Daily Show
, The Colbert Report , and WTF with Marc Maron
. In 2008 Sedaris appeared on Chelsea Lately
during which she gave host Chelsea Handler
a presentation concerning vaginal hygiene with the aid of a plush vagina created by fashion designer Todd Oldham
.
In 2007, Sedaris was featured in Dolly Parton
's first mainstream country music video in 14 years, "Better Get to Livin'
."
It was announced in October 2008 that Sedaris would be getting her own sitcom, produced by 20th Century Fox
, which she will be creating, writing and starring in. Also in late 2008, Sedaris did voiceover
s in several commercials for the discount hair salon SuperCuts
.
In January 2009, Sedaris narrated the PBS special Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America, a six-hour documentary on comedians and comedy in American history.
In 2010, she appeared as a supporting character in the Canadian comedy series The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour
. She also voiced Ms. Davis, the Woodview School's debate club teacher in the WordGirl
episode "Cleanup on Aisle Eleven."
Sedaris can be seen with Paul Dinello
in the "Mummified Hand" episode of the Science Channel show Oddities.
In 2011, she is appearing in a series of commercials for Downy.
, School of Rock
, Maid in Manhattan
, Bewitched, Snow Angels
, Full Grown Men
, Old Dogs
, Shrek the Third
, and Chicken Little
. She also starred in the 2006 film adaptation of Strangers with Candy
. Sedaris also had a large role in the comedy, The Best and the Brightest
with Neil Patrick Harris
.
She voiced Cinderella in Shrek the Third
and reprised her role in Shrek Forever After
.
In 2008, Sedaris starred as principal Abby Hofman in Nickelodeon
TV's Gym Teacher: The Movie
, directed by her Strangers with Candy co-star Paul Dinello
.
with Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert, published in 2003. , Sedaris writes a monthly advice column in The Believer
. She has written a guide to entertaining titled I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, published in October 2006 by Warner Books. That light-hearted approach to cooking stayed on the New York Times best-seller list for more than 12 weeks, and currently has over 350,000 copies in print.
Her new book, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People! (2010), includes a cover which can be easily made into a hat, as demonstrated, and worn, by David Letterman during her appearance on his Late Show in October 2010.
Along with her brother David Sedaris
, Amy has co-authored several plays under the name "The Talent Family": Stump the Host (1993), Stitches (1994), One Woman Shoe (1995), Incident at Cobblers Knob (1997) and The Little Frieda Mysteries. She also co-authored the play The Book of Liz with him, which has gone on to productions at such regional theatres as No Name Players
.
Her theater work includes a role as the stage manager in Paul Rudnick
's play The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told.
In addition to acting and writing, she runs a cupcake and cheese ball business, Dusty Food Cupcakes, out of her home kitchen.
She was the host at the Annual Microsoft Company Meeting held at Safeco field in Seattle on September 28, 2010.
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
television series Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m....
. Sedaris regularly collaborates with her older brother, humorist and author David Sedaris
David Sedaris
David Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist, writer, comedian, bestselling author, and radio contributor....
. She is a frequent guest on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Personal life
Sedaris was born in EndicottEndicott, New York
Endicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,038 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B...
, New York, the daughter of Sharon (née Leonard) and Lou Sedaris, and grew up in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, North Carolina, with her siblings, David
David Sedaris
David Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist, writer, comedian, bestselling author, and radio contributor....
, Lisa, Gretchen, Tiffany, and Paul ("The Rooster"). She is of half Greek descent
Greek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
; her father was Greek Orthodox and her mother was Protestant, and she remains Greek Orthodox.
As a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, she described two experiences with bosses. At age 16, she worked at the local Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Jacksonville, Florida. Winn-Dixie has ranked number 24 in the 2010 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2009 fiscal year estimated sales of $7.3 billion by Supermarket News. and was ranked the 43rd largest retailer in the...
supermarket. She would make fake announcements over the loudspeaker, which prompted the head cashier to confiscate the microphone. After work, she egged the cashier's car in protest. Later, as a cocktail waitress at Zanies, a comedy night club in Chicago, she was five minutes late for a shift with ice cream cone in hand. Fired that night, she took her revenge on her boss: "I took his keys and I threw them in the snow. I heard he found them in the spring."
Sedaris and her Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m....
co-star Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and an alumnus of Chicago-based The Second City, Improv Institute, and Annoyance Theatre...
dated for eight years. Though their relationship ended, they have remained very close friends. She also dated actor Alan Tudyk
Alan Tudyk
Alan Wray Tudyk is an American actor known for his roles as Simon in the British comedy Death at a Funeral, as Steve the Pirate in DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, as Sonny in the science fiction drama I, Robot, as Doc Potter in 3:10 to Yuma, as Tucker in the Tucker & Dale vs Evil and as Hoban...
in the early 2000s. Sedaris has never married, and has stated in several interviews that she has never wanted to be married or have children.
Television
A former member of Chicago-based Second CityThe Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
and Annoyance Theatre
Annoyance Theatre
The Annoyance Theatre, or Annoyance Productions as it is sometimes called, is a theater and associated ensemble based in Chicago that deals mainly in absurd, pretentious and outrageous humor. Many people that have performed with the ensemble have gone on to become successful stage and screen actors...
comedy troupes, her first major foray into television began in 1995 on the Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
sketch show, Exit 57
Exit 57
Exit 57 was a 30-minute sketch comedy series that aired on the American television channel Comedy Central from 1995 to 1996; its cast was composed of comedians Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, Jodi Lennon, and Mitch Rouse, all of whom had previously studied improv at The Second City in...
, which also starred Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
and Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and an alumnus of Chicago-based The Second City, Improv Institute, and Annoyance Theatre...
. The show was cancelled after three seasons.
Beginning in 1999, Sedaris portrayed Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central series Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m....
. The show, which she co-wrote with Dinello and Colbert, was based on Sedaris's impression of 1970s motivational speaker Florrie Fisher
Florrie Fisher
Florence "Florrie" Fisher was an American motivational speaker in the 1960s and 1970s who traveled to high schools in the United States, telling stories about her past as a heroin addict and prostitute...
. The show ran for three seasons and would later inspire a full-length movie
Strangers with Candy (film)
Strangers with Candy is a 2005 comedy film released by THINKFilm, first screened at the Sundance Film Festival. It serves as a prequel to the TV series of the same name...
.
Sedaris has made numerous guest appearances on a number of different TV programs, including Rescue Me
Rescue Me (TV series)
Rescue Me is an American television drama series that premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004, and concluded on September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictitious Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse.The show...
, Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
, Wonder Showzen
Wonder Showzen
Wonder Showzen is an American sketch comedy television series that aired between 2005 and 2006 on MTV2. It was created by John Lee and Vernon Chatman of PFFR. The show is rated TV-MA....
, Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997 to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.-Description:...
, Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
, My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
, The Closer
The Closer
The Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who often closes her cases using sometimes-questionable methods...
, The Middle
The Middle
"The Middle" is a song by Jimmy Eat World. The song released as the second single of their fourth album Bleed American. It was a top five Billboard Hot 100 hit in 2002. The song was a breakthrough hit for Jimmy Eat World...
, The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
, and Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. Sedaris also hosted the series Film Fanatic on Trio.
Sedaris has appeared on many talk shows, including The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night With Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
, The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
, The Colbert Report , and WTF with Marc Maron
WTF with Marc Maron
WTF with Marc Maron is a twice-weekly podcast hosted by stand up comedian Marc Maron. The show launched in September 2009. The program primarily consists of interviews with comedians and comedy writers, as well as others in the entertainment and radio communities...
. In 2008 Sedaris appeared on Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler on E!. The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and is produced by Handler's production company, Borderline Amazing Productions...
during which she gave host Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Joy Handler is an American stand-up comedian, humorist, television host, actress, model and best-selling author. She currently hosts a late-night talk show titled, Chelsea Lately on the E! Cable Television Network. In 2009 she won a Bravo A-List Award...
a presentation concerning vaginal hygiene with the aid of a plush vagina created by fashion designer Todd Oldham
Todd Oldham
Todd Oldham is an American-born designer and president of L-7 Designs Inc. His fun, lighthearted approach to fashion and style has become known to millions through his fashion lines, interior designs, books and by appearing in television shows...
.
In 2007, Sedaris was featured in Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
's first mainstream country music video in 14 years, "Better Get to Livin'
Better Get to Livin'
"Better Get to Livin" is the first single from Dolly Parton's album, Backwoods Barbie, and was released on August 28, 2007. It was the first single released by Parton's own record label, Dolly Records. An upbeat country pop song, its lyrics deal with keeping a positive attitude and overcoming...
."
It was announced in October 2008 that Sedaris would be getting her own sitcom, produced by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, which she will be creating, writing and starring in. Also in late 2008, Sedaris did voiceover
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
s in several commercials for the discount hair salon SuperCuts
Supercuts
Supercuts is a hair salon franchise with over 2,000 locations across the United States. The company was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975, by Geoffrey M. Rappaport and Frank E. Emmett. The company's first location, which is still in existence, is in Albany, California. Its headquarters...
.
In January 2009, Sedaris narrated the PBS special Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America, a six-hour documentary on comedians and comedy in American history.
In 2010, she appeared as a supporting character in the Canadian comedy series The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour
The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour
The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Funtime Hour is a Canadian television comedy series, airing in the 2011 television season on Action.Described by its producers as "Curb Your Enthusiasm after it got smashed in the head with a hammer and force-fed liquor and drugs", the show stars former Trailer Park...
. She also voiced Ms. Davis, the Woodview School's debate club teacher in the WordGirl
WordGirl
WordGirl is an American children’s animated television series for children aged 6-12, produced by the Soup2Nuts animation unit of Scholastic Entertainment for PBS Kids...
episode "Cleanup on Aisle Eleven."
Sedaris can be seen with Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and an alumnus of Chicago-based The Second City, Improv Institute, and Annoyance Theatre...
in the "Mummified Hand" episode of the Science Channel show Oddities.
In 2011, she is appearing in a series of commercials for Downy.
Film
Sedaris has had small roles in a number of films, including ElfElf (film)
Elf is a 2003 comedy film directed by Jon Favreau, written by David Berenbaum and starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, and Zooey Deschanel. It was released in the United States on November 7, 2003 and grossed over $220,400,000 worldwide.-Plot:A baby crawls into Santa Claus' sack while he is...
, School of Rock
School of Rock
School of Rock, also called The School of Rock, is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Mike White, and starring Jack Black...
, Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Wayne Wang about a hotel maid and a high profile politician who fall in love starring Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. It is based on a story by John Hughes who is credited using a pseudonym. The original music score...
, Bewitched, Snow Angels
Snow Angels (film)
Snow Angels is a 2007 drama film starring Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale. It was directed by David Gordon Green, who also wrote the screenplay adapted from Stewart O'Nan's 1994 novel of the same title. The film premiered in the dramatic competition at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
, Full Grown Men
Full Grown Men
Full Grown Men is a 2006 American independent comedy film directed by David Munro and starring Matt McGrath, Judah Friedlander, Alan Cumming, Amy Sedaris, and Deborah Harry, is the bittersweet story of a thirtysomething man with family who grudgingly realizes it is time to trade adolescence for...
, Old Dogs
Old Dogs (film)
Old Dogs is a 2009 American ensemble comedy film directed by Wild Hogs Walt Becker and starring Robin Williams and John Travolta with an ensemble supporting cast played by Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon, Justin Long, Seth Green, Rita Wilson, Dax Shepard, and Bernie Mac...
, Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third is a 2007 American animated film, and the third film in the Shrek series. It was produced by Jeffrey Katzenberg for DreamWorks Animation, and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released in U.S. theaters on May 18, 2007...
, and Chicken Little
Chicken Little (2005 film)
Chicken Little is a 2005 computer-animated science fiction family comedy film loosely based on the fable The Sky Is Falling. It was the 46th animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation...
. She also starred in the 2006 film adaptation of Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy (film)
Strangers with Candy is a 2005 comedy film released by THINKFilm, first screened at the Sundance Film Festival. It serves as a prequel to the TV series of the same name...
. Sedaris also had a large role in the comedy, The Best and the Brightest
The Best and the Brightest
The Best and the Brightest is an account by journalist David Halberstam of the origins of the Vietnam War published by Random House. The focus of the book is on the foreign policy crafted by the academics and intellectuals who were in John F...
with Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
.
She voiced Cinderella in Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third is a 2007 American animated film, and the third film in the Shrek series. It was produced by Jeffrey Katzenberg for DreamWorks Animation, and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released in U.S. theaters on May 18, 2007...
and reprised her role in Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After, taglined as The Final Chapter, is a 2010 animated fantasy-comedy film, and the fourth and final installment in the Shrek film series, produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was released by Paramount Pictures in cinemas on May 20, 2010 in Russia, and on May 21 in the United...
.
In 2008, Sedaris starred as principal Abby Hofman in Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
TV's Gym Teacher: The Movie
Gym Teacher: The Movie
Gym Teacher: The Movie is a 2008 Nickelodeon Original Movie. It stars Christopher Meloni, Nathan Kress, Amy Sedaris, David Alan Grier and Chelah Horsdal.-Plot:...
, directed by her Strangers with Candy co-star Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello
Paul Dinello is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and an alumnus of Chicago-based The Second City, Improv Institute, and Annoyance Theatre...
.
Print and other work
She coauthored the text-and-picture novel WigfieldWigfield
Wigfield: The Can Do Town That Just May Not is a satirical novel by comedians Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, and Stephen Colbert, three of the four creators of the Comedy Central show Strangers with Candy. It was first published on May 7, 2003 by Hyperion Books.The book tells the story of a small town...
with Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert, published in 2003. , Sedaris writes a monthly advice column in The Believer
The Believer (magazine)
The Believer is a United States literary magazine that also covers other arts and general culture. Founded and designed in 2003 by the writer and publisher Dave Eggers, it is edited by Vendela Vida, Heidi Julavits and Ed Park...
. She has written a guide to entertaining titled I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, published in October 2006 by Warner Books. That light-hearted approach to cooking stayed on the New York Times best-seller list for more than 12 weeks, and currently has over 350,000 copies in print.
Her new book, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People! (2010), includes a cover which can be easily made into a hat, as demonstrated, and worn, by David Letterman during her appearance on his Late Show in October 2010.
Along with her brother David Sedaris
David Sedaris
David Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist, writer, comedian, bestselling author, and radio contributor....
, Amy has co-authored several plays under the name "The Talent Family": Stump the Host (1993), Stitches (1994), One Woman Shoe (1995), Incident at Cobblers Knob (1997) and The Little Frieda Mysteries. She also co-authored the play The Book of Liz with him, which has gone on to productions at such regional theatres as No Name Players
No Name Players
No Name Players is a professional theatre company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2000 by Don DiGiulio at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, the theatre company began as a creative outlet for DiGiulio and his classmates to hone their craft outside of college-related...
.
Her theater work includes a role as the stage manager in Paul Rudnick
Paul Rudnick
Paul M. Rudnick is an American playwright, screenwriter and novelist. His plays include I Hate Hamlet, Jeffrey, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla and The New Century. He also wrote for Premiere magazine under the pseudonym Libby Gelman-Waxner, and for Spy.Rudnick grew up in Piscataway...
's play The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told.
In addition to acting and writing, she runs a cupcake and cheese ball business, Dusty Food Cupcakes, out of her home kitchen.
She was the host at the Annual Microsoft Company Meeting held at Safeco field in Seattle on September 28, 2010.
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Big Deals (TV movie) | Topaz Radulavitch | |
| 1997 | Bad Bosses Go to Hell | Trendy Boss | |
| Commandments Commandments Commandments is a 1997 romantic comedy-drama which was written and directed by Daniel Taplitz and stars Aidan Quinn, Courteney Cox and Anthony LaPaglia. Its executive producer was Ivan Reitman.-Synopsis:... |
Scholar | ||
| 1998 | Wheels of Fury | Pepper Mills | |
| Strangers with Candy: Retardation, a Celebration (TV short) | Jerri Blank | ||
| Six Days Seven Nights Six Days Seven Nights Six Days Seven Nights is a 1998 adventure film. The screenplay was written by Michael Browning. The movie, filmed on location in Kauai, is directed by Ivan Reitman. It stars Harrison Ford, Anne Heche, David Schwimmer, Jacqueline Obradors, and Temuera Morrison... |
Robin's Secretary | ||
| 2001 | Jump Tomorrow Jump Tomorrow Jump Tomorrow is a 2001 independent film and romantic comedy written and directed by Joel Hopkins, starring Tunde Adebimpe, Hippolyte Girardot, and Natalia Verbeke. It concerns George , a shy, bespectacled man who is about to marry a fellow Nigerian American woman named Sophie Ochenado, played by... |
Other Student in Class | |
| 2002 | Maid in Manhattan Maid in Manhattan Maid in Manhattan is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Wayne Wang about a hotel maid and a high profile politician who fall in love starring Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. It is based on a story by John Hughes who is credited using a pseudonym. The original music score... |
Rachel Hoffberg | |
| 2003 | Untitled New York Pilot (TV movie) | Connie | |
| School of Rock School of Rock School of Rock, also called The School of Rock, is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Mike White, and starring Jack Black... |
Mrs. Haynish | ||
| Elf Elf (film) Elf is a 2003 comedy film directed by Jon Favreau, written by David Berenbaum and starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, and Zooey Deschanel. It was released in the United States on November 7, 2003 and grossed over $220,400,000 worldwide.-Plot:A baby crawls into Santa Claus' sack while he is... |
Deb | ||
| 2004 | Neurotica Neurotica Neurotica is the fourth record from the band Redd Kross. It was released on Big Time Records in 1987.- Track listing :All songs written by Jeff McDonald, except where noted.... |
Renee | |
| My Baby's Daddy My Baby's Daddy My Baby's Daddy is a 2004 comedy film, directed by Cheryl Dunye.-Plot:Childhood friends Lonnie , Dominic , and G have a rude awakening when they find out their girlfriends are pregnant.... |
Annabelle | ||
| 2005 | Strangers with Candy Strangers with Candy (film) Strangers with Candy is a 2005 comedy film released by THINKFilm, first screened at the Sundance Film Festival. It serves as a prequel to the TV series of the same name... |
Jerri Blank | |
| Bewitched | Gladys Kravitz | ||
| Romance & Cigarettes Romance & Cigarettes Romance & Cigarettes is a 2005 American musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Turturro. The film stars an ensemble cast, including James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Bobby Cannavale, Mandy Moore, Mary-Louise Parker, Aida Turturro, Christopher Walken,... |
Frances | ||
| Stay | Toni | ||
| Chicken Little | Foxy Loxy | (voice) | |
| 2006 | Full Grown Men Full Grown Men Full Grown Men is a 2006 American independent comedy film directed by David Munro and starring Matt McGrath, Judah Friedlander, Alan Cumming, Amy Sedaris, and Deborah Harry, is the bittersweet story of a thirtysomething man with family who grudgingly realizes it is time to trade adolescence for... |
Trina | |
| I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With is a 2006 independent film released by IFC Films and The Weinstein Company. Written, produced and directed by, and starring Jeff Garlin , it features Garlin, Sarah Silverman and Bonnie Hunt... |
School Therapist - Ms. Clark | ||
| 2007 | Snow Angels Snow Angels (film) Snow Angels is a 2007 drama film starring Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale. It was directed by David Gordon Green, who also wrote the screenplay adapted from Stewart O'Nan's 1994 novel of the same title. The film premiered in the dramatic competition at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival... |
Barb Petite | |
| Dedication Dedication (film) Dedication is a 2007 American romantic comedy film starring Billy Crudup and Mandy Moore. Written by David Bromberg, this film is actor Justin Theroux's directorial debut. The film premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. It was produced by Plum Pictures.-Plot:Henry Roth is an... |
Cassidy's Mom | ||
| Shrek the Third Shrek the Third Shrek the Third is a 2007 American animated film, and the third film in the Shrek series. It was produced by Jeffrey Katzenberg for DreamWorks Animation, and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released in U.S. theaters on May 18, 2007... |
Cinderella | (voice) | |
| Puberty: The Movie | Paulie the Penis | (voice) | |
| 2008 | Gym Teacher: The Movie Gym Teacher: The Movie Gym Teacher: The Movie is a 2008 Nickelodeon Original Movie. It stars Christopher Meloni, Nathan Kress, Amy Sedaris, David Alan Grier and Chelah Horsdal.-Plot:... (TV movie) |
Principal Hoffman | |
| 2009 | Space Buddies Space Buddies Space Buddies is a 2009 family comedy film. It is the third film in the Air Buddies series. It was released February 3, 2009. Like Air Buddies and Snow Buddies, this film was released directly on DVD and became the first Air Bud film to be released on Blu-ray.-Plot:The film starts as Buddha and... |
Gravity | (voice) |
| Dance Flick Dance Flick Dance Flick is a 2009 American comedy directed by Damien Dante Wayans, written by his uncles, the Wayans Brothers, and starring Damon Wayans, Jr., and Shoshana Bush. The film is a spoof of the popular dance film genre... |
Ms. Cameltoé | ||
| Jennifer's Body Jennifer's Body Jennifer's Body is a 2009 black comedy horror film written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama. The film stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, and Adam Brody. Fox portrays a newly-possessed teenage serial killer specializing in killing her male classmates as her best friend... |
Needy's Mom | ||
| Tanner Hall Tanner Hall (film) Tanner Hall is a 2009 drama film that centers on four girls coming-of-age in boarding school. It was written and directed by Tatiana von Fürstenberg and Francesca Gregorini... |
Mrs. Middlewood | ||
| Old Dogs Old Dogs (film) Old Dogs is a 2009 American ensemble comedy film directed by Wild Hogs Walt Becker and starring Robin Williams and John Travolta with an ensemble supporting cast played by Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon, Justin Long, Seth Green, Rita Wilson, Dax Shepard, and Bernie Mac... |
Condo Woman | ||
| 2010 | Beware the Gonzo Beware the Gonzo Beware the Gonzo is a 2010 American film, written and directed by Bryan Goluboff. The film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2010.-Plot:... |
Diane Gilman | |
| The Best and the Brightest The Best and the Brightest The Best and the Brightest is an account by journalist David Halberstam of the origins of the Vietnam War published by Random House. The focus of the book is on the foreign policy crafted by the academics and intellectuals who were in John F... |
Sue Lemon | ||
| 2011 | Puss in Boots Puss in Boots (2011 film) Puss in Boots is a 2011 computer-animated adventure Western film produced by DreamWorks Animation, directed by Chris Miller , executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, and written by Brian Lynch, with screenplay by Tom Wheeler. It stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob... |
Jill | (voice) |
Television
| Year(s) | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-1996 | Exit 57 Exit 57 Exit 57 was a 30-minute sketch comedy series that aired on the American television channel Comedy Central from 1995 to 1996; its cast was composed of comedians Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, Jodi Lennon, and Mitch Rouse, all of whom had previously studied improv at The Second City in... |
Various | 12 episodes |
| 1999-2000 | Strangers with Candy Strangers with Candy Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m.... |
Jerri Blank / Geraldine 'Jerri' Antonia Blank | 30 episodes |
| 2001 | Fling | The Receptionist | 2 episodes |
| Just Shoot Me! Just Shoot Me! Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997 to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.-Description:... |
Betsy Frayne | 2 episodes | |
| 2002-2003 | Sex and the City Sex and the City Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes... |
Courtney Masterson | 4 episodes |
| Monk Monk (TV series) Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July... |
Gail Fleming | 2 episodes | |
| 2004 | Ed Ed (TV series) Ed is an NBC television program co-produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated, NBC Productions, and Viacom Productions that aired from 2000 to 2004.... |
Kate McCormick | 2 episodes |
| The Wrong Coast The Wrong Coast The Wrong Coast is a Canadian stop-motion animated television show. The show emulates a Hollywood gossip show with fake news and features, and includes many parodies on Hollywood movies, often utilizing the voices of real stars... |
Various Celebrity Voices | ||
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced... |
Charlie Donato | ||
| 2005 | Wonder Showzen Wonder Showzen Wonder Showzen is an American sketch comedy television series that aired between 2005 and 2006 on MTV2. It was created by John Lee and Vernon Chatman of PFFR. The show is rated TV-MA.... |
Miss Amy | |
| 2006 | The Colbert Report | Abraxxia (segment "Tek Jansen") | (voice) |
| Sesame Street Sesame Street Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The... |
Snow White | ||
| My Name Is Earl My Name Is Earl My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States... |
Judy | ||
| 2007 | Andy Barker, P.I. | Rita Spaulding | |
| Rescue Me (TV series) Rescue Me (TV series) Rescue Me is an American television drama series that premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004, and concluded on September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictitious Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse.The show... |
Beth | 2 episodes | |
| 2008 | Yo Gabba Gabba! Yo Gabba Gabba! Yo Gabba Gabba! is an American children's television show currently airing on the Nick Jr. cable network in the United States and the Nick Jr. networks in the United Kingdom & Ireland, Italy, France and Australia as well as Treehouse TV network in Canada and RTE2 on RTEjr see Raidió Teilifís... |
Tooth Fairy | |
| 2009 | The Closer The Closer The Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who often closes her cases using sometimes-questionable methods... |
Claire Howard | 2 episodes |
| American Dad! American Dad! American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television... |
Dr. Meg Penner | ||
| The New Adventures of Old Christine The New Adventures of Old Christine The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010... |
Frances 'Frankenstein' Stein | ||
| 2010 | The Middle The Middle (TV series) The Middle is an American situation comedy television series that premiered on ABC on September 30, 2009. The show features Frances "Frankie" Heck , a working-class, Midwestern woman married to Mike Heck who resides in the small fictional town of Orson, Indiana. They are the parents of three... |
Abby Michaels | |
| 2011 | Royal Pains Royal Pains Royal Pains is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies... |
Nan | |
| Raising Hope Raising Hope Raising Hope is a television comedy program first aired on September 21, 2010 on Fox. The series airs on Tuesdays at 9:30 pm. On January 10, 2011, Fox renewed Raising Hope for a second season, which premiered on September 20, 2011.... |
Delilah | 2 episodes | |
| Bob's Burgers Bob's Burgers Bob's Burgers is an American animated television sitcom, which premiered on January 9, 2011 on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series was created by Loren Bouchard and focuses on the Belcher family, who runs a hamburger restaurant. On April 7, 2011, Bob's Burgers was renewed for a second season... |
Samantha | (voice) | |
| Hot In Cleveland Hot in Cleveland Hot in Cleveland is an American sitcom on TV Land starring Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White. The series, which is TV Land's first original scripted series, premiered on June 16, 2010, and was TV Land's highest rated telecast in the cable network's 14-year history. The... |
Heather / Heather Shaw | 2 episodes |
External links
- AmySedaris.com Amy Sedaris Website
- NPR's Weekend Edition interview with Amy Sedaris
- November 2010 interview with Amy Sedaris about Simple Times: Crafts For Poor People