Ricki Lake
Encyclopedia
Ricki Pamela Lake is an American
actress, producer
, and television host. She is best known for her starring role as Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray, her ground-breaking documentary film The Business of Being Born
, and her talk show which was broadcasted internationally from 1993-2004.
, the daughter of Jill, a homemaker, and Barry Lake, a pharmacist
. She attended Ithaca College
and the Professional Children's School
.
' 1988 cult-classic Hairspray. Lake also starred in other Waters films including the cult-classic Cry-Baby
with Johnny Depp
, Cecil B. Demented
, and Serial Mom
with Kathleen Turner
.
Lake starred in Mrs. Winterbourne
with Shirley Maclaine
and Brendan Fraser
, Cabin Boy
, Last Exit to Brooklyn
, Cookie
, and Inside Monkey Zetterland
. Lake joined the cast of the Vietnam War
drama series China Beach
as Red Cross volunteer Holly. Lake had a recurring role on the CBS sitcom King of Queens as Doug's sister Stephanie. She has also guest-starred on television series including Drop Dead Diva
and a voice role on King of the Hill
, and starred in the television movie
Baby Cakes.
Lake also had a cameo appearance in the 2007 remake of the original cult-classic Hairspray
as a William Morris talent agent
, and teamed up with star Nikki Blonsky, who had reprised the role of Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 movie musical remake, and Marissa Jaret Winokur
, who had reprised the role of Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway musical
based on the original 1988 film, to record "Mama I'm a Big Girl Now" for the soundtrack
, which is played at the film's end credits. She later reunited with original Hairspray co-star Deborah Harry
for the film Grammercy Park Hotel which was released in 2008. Lake is currently filming her next feature film titled "Angel" to be released in theaters in 2012.
. The wildly successful show specialized in topics involving invited guests and incorporated questions and comments from a studio audience.
The show debuted in syndication on September 13, 1993 and ended first-run episodes on May 25, 2004. In 2000, Lake told Rosie O'Donnell
in an interview she had signed on for four additional years. Although Sony Pictures Television
had many stations contracted through the 2004–2005 season, Lake decided to end the show in August 2004, citing (among other things) a desire to spend time with her family. She moved from Los Angeles
to New York
to tape the 11th season of the show, then returned to California
when taping was complete.
Ricki Lake will return to the talk show platform when she hosts a second talk show newly premiering in September 2012.
After her talk show had wrapped production on its final season, Lake went on to host the 2006 CBS
limited series Gameshow Marathon, which re-created classic game show
s with celebrity contestants. She also signed a development deal with Gameshow Marathon production company FremantleMedia
for other ventures, including creating and producing future programs and projects. In October 2007, Lake appeared in the Lifetime TV movie Matters of Life and Dating.
The Business of Being Born
, Lake's documentary about home birth
and midwifery
, was released in limited markets on January 18, 2008. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival
and Red Envelope released the film in New York, L.A. and San Francisco in October and it also screened in Australia. The Business of Being Born included footage and details of Lake's own "life-changing" home-birthing experience and followed a midwife going about her work. Tribeca
called it "The Inconvenient Truth of Childbirth." Lake described it as her life's work for the last three years and expressed hopes that the film educated and empowered people to really know their choices in childbirth.
She performed in a CBS television special, Loving Leah
in January of that year. Lake also jointly wrote a book on the world of natural childbirth
and birthing options, along with Abby Epstein and Jacques Moritz, called Your Best Birth, published by Wellness Central on May 1, 2009. Lake and Epstein also launched MyBestBirth.com, an online social network, powered by Ning, intended to allow parents and medical professionals to dialogue about varying birthing options and resources.
In 2009, Lake returned to television. On May 11, 2009 she replaced Sharon Osbourne
as host for the third season of VH1
's Charm School
. On November 10, 2010, Lake joined fellow talkers Phil Donahue
, Sally Jessy Raphael
, Geraldo Rivera
, and Montel Williams
as guests of Oprah Winfrey
on The Oprah Winfrey Show
. This marked the first time that these talk show hosts ever appeared together on one show since their programs left the air.
, were interested in bringing Lake back to the talk show realm in 2012. This after Lake began appearing on various programs in which she expressed a desire to return to the genre.
On April 20, 2011, Lake signed with Twentieth Television to develop The Ricki Lake Show (2012)
, slated to launch during the Fall season of next year. The new program will have more of an "Oprah"-like format than that of her former talk show.
Lake competed on the thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with three-time champion Derek Hough
and cited Kirstie Alley
's appearance as an inspiration to do the show. Lake achieved tremendous success on the show, not only by consistently scoring high, but she also lost 20 pounds due to her dancing. After making the finals, Lake was announced--to the shock of many--as the Third Place contestant, losing to TV personality Rob Kardashian
and Actor and Army Veteran J.R. Martinez
, despite having higher scores than either. Despite getting third place, Ricki holds the highest dancing average in season 13 of Dancing With the Stars than all the other celebrities who competed on that season.
, with male cast member Jay Mohr
impersonating Lake in drag. In the music video for the song "Perfect Match" by the hip hop group Cella Dwellas
, Lake's shows about cheating spouses was also satired.
Her show is mentioned in various songs, such as:
It was also mentioned in an episode of the TV show Family Guy
entitled "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater", in which Brian, attempting to rehabilitate Peter in the ways of a gentleman, electrically shocks Peter every time he looks at a television showing an episode of Ricki Lake. In the Warner Bros.
show Gilmore Girls
, Rory mentions feeling like she is on The Ricki Lake Show, with Lorelai then replying, "Go, Rory! Go, Rory!" which alludes to the first talk show in which the audience chanted along to the show's opening theme and closing credits with, "Go, Ricki! Go, Ricki!"
party in 1993. The couple married shortly after in Las Vegas
. Their two sons are Milo Sebastian Sussman (March 22, 1997) and Owen Tyler Sussman (June 18, 2001). The couple divorced in 2003 after 10 years of marriage. In early 2007, Lake pursued a "new routine" resulting in over 135 pounds of weight loss, taking her down to 120 pounds (55 kg) from a high of 270 (122 kg). In November 2007, Lake cited sexual abuse as a child as a reason for her problems with obesity.
On September 18, 2010, Lake's rented Malibu home was destroyed by fire. She and her sons escaped without injury. On January 15, 2011, Lake finished in sixth place in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Luxury Ladies Poker Event, collecting $5,587 of the prizepool.
Lake is currently engaged to be married, and is planning her wedding to jewelry designer Christian Evans. The couple plans to be wed in 2012.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, and television host. She is best known for her starring role as Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray, her ground-breaking documentary film The Business of Being Born
The Business of Being Born
The Business of Being Born is a 2008 documentary film that explores the contemporary experience of childbirth in the United States. Produced by Ricki Lake,it compares various childbirth methods, including midwives, natural births, epidurals, and Cesarean sections...
, and her talk show which was broadcasted internationally from 1993-2004.
Early life
Lake was born to a Jewish family in Hastings-on-Hudson, New YorkHastings-on-Hudson, New York
Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in the southwest part of the town of Greenburgh. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,849. It lies on U.S. Route 9, "Broadway" in Hastings...
, the daughter of Jill, a homemaker, and Barry Lake, a pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
. She attended Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
and the Professional Children's School
Professional Children's School
Professional Children's School is a not for profit, college preparatory school that was founded in New York City in 1914 to provide an education to young people working on the New York stage, in Vaudeville, or "on the road."-History:...
.
Acting
Lake made her film debut as Tracy Turnblad, the lead character in John WatersJohn Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
' 1988 cult-classic Hairspray. Lake also starred in other Waters films including the cult-classic Cry-Baby
Cry-Baby
Cry-Baby is a 1990 American teen musical film written and directed by John Waters. It stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel "Cry-Baby" Wade Walker, and also features an expansive ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, Iggy Pop, Traci Lords, Ricki Lake, Kim McGuire, David Nelson, Susan Tyrrell, and...
with Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
, Cecil B. Demented
Cecil B. Demented
Cecil B. Demented is a 2000 black comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Melanie Griffith as a snobby A-list Hollywood actress who is kidnapped by a band of terrorist filmmakers who force her to star in their underground film...
, and Serial Mom
Serial Mom
Serial Mom is a 1994 American dark satire written and directed by John Waters, starring Kathleen Turner as the title character, Sam Waterston as her husband, and Ricki Lake and Matthew Lillard as her children. Despite statements to the contrary in the movie, the story is completely fictional...
with Kathleen Turner
Kathleen Turner
Mary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
.
Lake starred in Mrs. Winterbourne
Mrs. Winterbourne
Mrs. Winterbourne is a 1996 romantic comedy/drama starring Shirley MacLaine, Ricki Lake, and Brendan Fraser. The film is loosely based on Cornell Woolrich's novel I Married a Dead Man, which has already been filmed in Hollywood as No Man of Her Own starring Barbara Stanwyck, and in Bollywood as...
with Shirley Maclaine
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
and Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser
Brendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...
, Cabin Boy
Cabin Boy
Cabin Boy is a 1994 fantasy comedy film directed by Adam Resnick and produced by Tim Burton, which starred comedian Chris Elliott. Elliott co-wrote the film with Adam Resnick...
, Last Exit to Brooklyn
Last Exit to Brooklyn (film)
Last Exit to Brooklyn is a 1989 English-language German drama film, directed by Uli Edel, and based on the eponymous novel by Hubert Selby Jr.- Plot :...
, Cookie
Cookie (film)
-Plot:Cookie Voltecki is the illegitimate daughter of mobster Dino Capisco , who has just finished thirteen years in prison. Since being released from jail, all that Dino wants is to settle some old scores, and make up for lost time with his daughter.Cookie's mother, Lenore Voltecki , has been...
, and Inside Monkey Zetterland
Inside Monkey Zetterland
Inside Monkey Zetterland is a 1992 film penned by former child actor Steve Antin.-Plot:Struggling former child actor and now-adult screenwriter Monkey Zetterland is working on a historical screenplay based around the defunct Red Car subway of Los Angeles...
. Lake joined the cast of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
drama series China Beach
China Beach
China Beach is an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans...
as Red Cross volunteer Holly. Lake had a recurring role on the CBS sitcom King of Queens as Doug's sister Stephanie. She has also guest-starred on television series including Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva is an American legal comedy-drama/fantasy television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 12, 2009. The hour-long series, which was created by Josh Berman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television...
and a voice role on King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
, and starred in the television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
Baby Cakes.
Lake also had a cameo appearance in the 2007 remake of the original cult-classic Hairspray
Hairspray (2007 film)
Hairspray is a 2007 musical film produced by Kolaja Productions and distributed by New Line Cinema. It was released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on July 20, 2007. The film is an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John...
as a William Morris talent agent
William Morris Agency
WME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
, and teamed up with star Nikki Blonsky, who had reprised the role of Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 movie musical remake, and Marissa Jaret Winokur
Marissa Jaret Winokur
Marissa Jaret Winokur , sometimes credited as Marissa Winokur, is an American actress known for her performance as Tracy Turnblad in the highly successful Broadway musical adaptation of John Waters' film Hairspray, as well as her work on the Pamela Anderson sitcom Stacked...
, who had reprised the role of Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway musical
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
based on the original 1988 film, to record "Mama I'm a Big Girl Now" for the soundtrack
Hairspray (2007 soundtrack)
-2-disc Collector's edition:A limited edition two-disc version of the Hairspray soundtrack was released on November 20, 2007, the same day as the film's DVD/Blu-Ray release...
, which is played at the film's end credits. She later reunited with original Hairspray co-star Deborah Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
for the film Grammercy Park Hotel which was released in 2008. Lake is currently filming her next feature film titled "Angel" to be released in theaters in 2012.
Talk shows
Ricki Lake was Lake's first daytime talk showTalk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
. The wildly successful show specialized in topics involving invited guests and incorporated questions and comments from a studio audience.
The show debuted in syndication on September 13, 1993 and ended first-run episodes on May 25, 2004. In 2000, Lake told Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
in an interview she had signed on for four additional years. Although Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
had many stations contracted through the 2004–2005 season, Lake decided to end the show in August 2004, citing (among other things) a desire to spend time with her family. She moved from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to tape the 11th season of the show, then returned to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
when taping was complete.
Ricki Lake will return to the talk show platform when she hosts a second talk show newly premiering in September 2012.
2006–2010: Other projects
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
limited series Gameshow Marathon, which re-created classic game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s with celebrity contestants. She also signed a development deal with Gameshow Marathon production company FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
for other ventures, including creating and producing future programs and projects. In October 2007, Lake appeared in the Lifetime TV movie Matters of Life and Dating.
The Business of Being Born
The Business of Being Born
The Business of Being Born is a 2008 documentary film that explores the contemporary experience of childbirth in the United States. Produced by Ricki Lake,it compares various childbirth methods, including midwives, natural births, epidurals, and Cesarean sections...
, Lake's documentary about home birth
Home birth
A home birth in developed countries is an attended or an unattended childbirth in a non-clinical setting, typically using natural childbirth methods, that takes place in a residence rather than in a hospital or a birth centre, and usually attended by a midwife or lay attendant with expertise in...
and midwifery
Midwifery
Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and during the postpartum period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding....
, was released in limited markets on January 18, 2008. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
and Red Envelope released the film in New York, L.A. and San Francisco in October and it also screened in Australia. The Business of Being Born included footage and details of Lake's own "life-changing" home-birthing experience and followed a midwife going about her work. Tribeca
TriBeCa
Tribeca is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York in the United States. Its name is an acronym based on the words "Triangle below Canal Street", and is properly bounded by Canal Street, West Street, Broadway, and Vesey Street...
called it "The Inconvenient Truth of Childbirth." Lake described it as her life's work for the last three years and expressed hopes that the film educated and empowered people to really know their choices in childbirth.
She performed in a CBS television special, Loving Leah
Loving Leah
Loving Leah is a television movie that aired on CBS as a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie on January 25, 2009. The film is directed by Jeff Bleckner and stars Adam Kaufman as an unobservant Jewish bachelor who feels compelled to marry his observant rabbi brother's widow, Leah to honor him via the...
in January of that year. Lake also jointly wrote a book on the world of natural childbirth
Natural childbirth
Natural Childbirth is a philosophy of childbirth that is based on the notion that women who are adequately prepared are innately able to give birth without routine medical interventions. Natural childbirth arose in opposition to the techno-medical model of childbirth that has recently gained...
and birthing options, along with Abby Epstein and Jacques Moritz, called Your Best Birth, published by Wellness Central on May 1, 2009. Lake and Epstein also launched MyBestBirth.com, an online social network, powered by Ning, intended to allow parents and medical professionals to dialogue about varying birthing options and resources.
In 2009, Lake returned to television. On May 11, 2009 she replaced Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne is an English television host, author, music manager, businesswoman and promoter as well as the wife of heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne....
as host for the third season of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Charm School
Charm School (TV series)
Charm School is a reality television series airing on VH1; a spin-off of Flavor of Love created by executive producers Cris Abrego and Mark Cronin. The first season, called Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School, is hosted by comedian Mo'Nique and features thirteen contestants from the first two...
. On November 10, 2010, Lake joined fellow talkers Phil Donahue
Phil Donahue
Phillip John "Phil" Donahue is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S...
, Sally Jessy Raphael
Sally Jessy Raphaël
Sally Lowenthal , better known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is an American talk show host, known for the eponymous Sally talk show she hosted for two decades.-Early years:...
, Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
, and Montel Williams
Montel Williams
Montel Brian Anthony Williams is an American television personality, radio talk show host and actor. He is best known as host of the long-running The Montel Williams Show, and more recently as a spokesperson for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance...
as guests of Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. This marked the first time that these talk show hosts ever appeared together on one show since their programs left the air.
2011–present
In March 2011 it was reported that three television studios, Twentieth Television, Universal Media Studios and CBS Television DistributionCBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution is a global television distribution company, formed from the merger of CBS Corporation's two domestic television distribution arms CBS Paramount Domestic Television and King World Productions, including its home entertainment arm CBS Home Entertainment...
, were interested in bringing Lake back to the talk show realm in 2012. This after Lake began appearing on various programs in which she expressed a desire to return to the genre.
On April 20, 2011, Lake signed with Twentieth Television to develop The Ricki Lake Show (2012)
The Ricki Lake Show (2012 TV series)
The Ricki Lake Show is an upcoming American first-run syndicated talk show that will be hosted by Ricki Lake, and will mark her much-anticipated return to talk television after leaving the genre in 2004...
, slated to launch during the Fall season of next year. The new program will have more of an "Oprah"-like format than that of her former talk show.
Lake competed on the thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with three-time champion Derek Hough
Derek Hough
Derek Hough is an American dancer, choreographer, musician and actor. A world champion in Latin American Dance, Hough has appeared since September 2007 on the hit U.S...
and cited Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
's appearance as an inspiration to do the show. Lake achieved tremendous success on the show, not only by consistently scoring high, but she also lost 20 pounds due to her dancing. After making the finals, Lake was announced--to the shock of many--as the Third Place contestant, losing to TV personality Rob Kardashian
Rob Kardashian
Robert Arthur "Rob" Kardashian is an American television personality. He is best known for appearing on his family's reality television shows, such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Khloé & Lamar. Kardashian competed and placed second on the thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars...
and Actor and Army Veteran J.R. Martinez
J.R. Martinez
Jose Rene "J. R." Martinez is an American actor, motivational speaker and former U.S. Army soldier. Since 2008 he has played the role of Brot Monroe on the ABC daytime drama All My Children, and was the winner of Season 13 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars...
, despite having higher scores than either. Despite getting third place, Ricki holds the highest dancing average in season 13 of Dancing With the Stars than all the other celebrities who competed on that season.
In pop culture
Lake's first talk show was repeatedly featured during the 1990s on Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, with male cast member Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
impersonating Lake in drag. In the music video for the song "Perfect Match" by the hip hop group Cella Dwellas
Cella Dwellas
Cella Dwellas are an underground hip hop duo from Flatbush, Brooklyn, consisting of emcees UG and Phantasm. The group is largely known for their dark beats and excellent lyricism...
, Lake's shows about cheating spouses was also satired.
Her show is mentioned in various songs, such as:
- "I Love Work" by Butterfingers (Australian band).
- "Strong" by Robbie WilliamsRobbie WilliamsRobert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
. - "Hole in the HeadHole in the Head"Hole in the Head" is a dance-pop song performed by Sugababes, released in October 2003 as the lead single from their third studio album Three...
" by SugababesSugababesThe Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
. - "Little White Lie" by Tanya StephensTanya StephensVivienne Tanya Stephens, better known by her stage name Tanya Stephens is an influential reggae artist who emerged in the late 1990s...
. - "Life's a Bitch" by ShooterShooterShooter may refer to:Films* Shooter , a 2000 short film depicting four paparazzi on a stakeout* Shooters , a 2001 UK television drama documentary film, set in Liverpool* Shooters , a 2002 theatrical film...
. - "Till the World Ends (Femme Fatale Remix)Till the World Ends"Till the World Ends" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, released as the second single from her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. It was written and produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin, with additional writing by Kesha and Alexander Kronlund, and additional production by...
" by Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
featuring Ke$haKeshaKesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
& Nicki MinajNicki MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
. - "Dating Game" by Insane Clown PosseInsane Clown PosseInsane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
- "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)-Australia CD Maxi:-Europe CD Maxi:-Composition and lyrics:Beginning with a sample of the pseudo-German nonsense phrase "Gunter glieben glauchen globen" from Def Leppard's song "Rock of Ages," chanted as a replacement for the traditional "1, 2, 3, 4" to start the recording, the song ridicules a...
" by The OffspringThe OffspringThe Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada... - "Exhibit Based" by Lil BLil BBrandon McCartney , known by his stage name Lil B or "The BasedGod", is a rapper from Berkeley, California. He has recorded both solo and with the Pack. In addition, Lil B is noted for his extensive use of social media Web sites such as MySpace and Twitter to build an online following.-Early...
It was also mentioned in an episode of the TV show Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
entitled "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater", in which Brian, attempting to rehabilitate Peter in the ways of a gentleman, electrically shocks Peter every time he looks at a television showing an episode of Ricki Lake. In the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
show Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
, Rory mentions feeling like she is on The Ricki Lake Show, with Lorelai then replying, "Go, Rory! Go, Rory!" which alludes to the first talk show in which the audience chanted along to the show's opening theme and closing credits with, "Go, Ricki! Go, Ricki!"
Personal life
Lake met artist/illustrator Rob Sussman at a HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
party in 1993. The couple married shortly after in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. Their two sons are Milo Sebastian Sussman (March 22, 1997) and Owen Tyler Sussman (June 18, 2001). The couple divorced in 2003 after 10 years of marriage. In early 2007, Lake pursued a "new routine" resulting in over 135 pounds of weight loss, taking her down to 120 pounds (55 kg) from a high of 270 (122 kg). In November 2007, Lake cited sexual abuse as a child as a reason for her problems with obesity.
On September 18, 2010, Lake's rented Malibu home was destroyed by fire. She and her sons escaped without injury. On January 15, 2011, Lake finished in sixth place in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Luxury Ladies Poker Event, collecting $5,587 of the prizepool.
Lake is currently engaged to be married, and is planning her wedding to jewelry designer Christian Evans. The couple plans to be wed in 2012.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Hairspray | Tracy Turnblad | |
| 1988 | The In Crowd | Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1988 | Working Girl Working Girl Working Girl is a 1988 romantic comedy film written by Kevin Wade and directed by Mike Nichols. It tells the inspiring story of a Staten Island-raised secretary, Tess McGill , working in the mergers and acquisitions department of a Wall Street investment bank... |
Bridesmaid | |
| 1989 | Cookie Cookie (film) -Plot:Cookie Voltecki is the illegitimate daughter of mobster Dino Capisco , who has just finished thirteen years in prison. Since being released from jail, all that Dino wants is to settle some old scores, and make up for lost time with his daughter.Cookie's mother, Lenore Voltecki , has been... |
Pia | |
| 1989 | Baby Cakes Baby Cakes (film) Baby Cakes is a 1989 television movie starring Ricki Lake and Craig Sheffer. It was released on Valentine's Day in 1989 and is currently aired sporadically on Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network.- Plot :... |
Grace | |
| 1989 | Last Exit to Brooklyn Last Exit to Brooklyn (film) Last Exit to Brooklyn is a 1989 English-language German drama film, directed by Uli Edel, and based on the eponymous novel by Hubert Selby Jr.- Plot :... |
Donna | |
| 1990 | Cry-Baby Cry-Baby Cry-Baby is a 1990 American teen musical film written and directed by John Waters. It stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel "Cry-Baby" Wade Walker, and also features an expansive ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, Iggy Pop, Traci Lords, Ricki Lake, Kim McGuire, David Nelson, Susan Tyrrell, and... |
Pepper Walker | |
| 1992 | Where the Day Takes You Where the Day Takes You Where the Day Takes You is a 1992 film directed by Marc Rocco. The film tells the story of teenage runaways trying to survive on the streets of Los Angeles... |
Brenda | |
| 1992 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film) Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 1992 American action/comedy/horror film about a Valley girl cheerleader named Buffy who learns that it is her fate to hunt vampires. The original script for the film was written by Joss Whedon, who later created the darker and more acclaimed TV series of the same name... |
Charlotte | Uncredited |
| 1992 | Inside Monkey Zetterland Inside Monkey Zetterland Inside Monkey Zetterland is a 1992 film penned by former child actor Steve Antin.-Plot:Struggling former child actor and now-adult screenwriter Monkey Zetterland is working on a historical screenplay based around the defunct Red Car subway of Los Angeles... |
Bella the Stalker | |
| 1993 | Skinner Skinner (film) Skinner is a 1993 Independent Film/Splatter/Slasher motion picture starring Ted Raimi, Traci Lords, Ricki Lake and Richard Schiff.-Synopsis:... |
Kerry Tate | |
| 1994 | Cabin Boy Cabin Boy Cabin Boy is a 1994 fantasy comedy film directed by Adam Resnick and produced by Tim Burton, which starred comedian Chris Elliott. Elliott co-wrote the film with Adam Resnick... |
Figurehead | |
| 1994 | Serial Mom Serial Mom Serial Mom is a 1994 American dark satire written and directed by John Waters, starring Kathleen Turner as the title character, Sam Waterston as her husband, and Ricki Lake and Matthew Lillard as her children. Despite statements to the contrary in the movie, the story is completely fictional... |
Misty Sutphin | |
| 1996 | Mrs. Winterbourne Mrs. Winterbourne Mrs. Winterbourne is a 1996 romantic comedy/drama starring Shirley MacLaine, Ricki Lake, and Brendan Fraser. The film is loosely based on Cornell Woolrich's novel I Married a Dead Man, which has already been filmed in Hollywood as No Man of Her Own starring Barbara Stanwyck, and in Bollywood as... |
Connie Doyle/Patricia Winterbourne | |
| 2000 | Cecil B. Demented Cecil B. Demented Cecil B. Demented is a 2000 black comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Melanie Griffith as a snobby A-list Hollywood actress who is kidnapped by a band of terrorist filmmakers who force her to star in their underground film... |
Libby | |
| 2006 | Park Park (2006 film) Park is the name of an independent comedy-drama released in 2007. It was produced by Dana Jackson and directed by Kurt Voelker.The story revolves around a Los Angeles park, where ten colorful characters encounter love - and loss - in the course of one day.... |
Peggy | |
| 2007 | Hairspray Hairspray (2007 film) Hairspray is a 2007 musical film produced by Kolaja Productions and distributed by New Line Cinema. It was released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on July 20, 2007. The film is an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John... |
Talent agent | |
| 2008 | The Business of Being Born The Business of Being Born The Business of Being Born is a 2008 documentary film that explores the contemporary experience of childbirth in the United States. Produced by Ricki Lake,it compares various childbirth methods, including midwives, natural births, epidurals, and Cesarean sections... |
|
Executive producer |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Kate & Allie Kate & Allie Kate & Allie is an American television situation comedy which ran from March 19, 1984 to May 22, 1989. Kate & Allie first aired on CBS as a midseason replacement series and only six episodes were initially commissioned, but the favorable response from critics and viewers alike easily convinced CBS... |
Teri | 1 episode |
| 1988 | ABC Afterschool Special ABC Afterschool Special The ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1996, usually in the late afternoon on week days. Most of the episodes were dramatic presentations of situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were... |
Carmen | 1 episode |
| 1989 | Baby Cakes Baby Cakes (film) Baby Cakes is a 1989 television movie starring Ricki Lake and Craig Sheffer. It was released on Valentine's Day in 1989 and is currently aired sporadically on Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network.- Plot :... |
Grace | Television movie |
| 1989 | Starting Now | Ricki Ross | Television series pilot |
| 1989–1990 | China Beach China Beach China Beach is an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans... |
Holly Pelegrino | 13 episodes |
| 1990 | Gravedale High Gravedale High Gravedale High is an animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera for NBC Productions... |
Cleofatra (Voice) | Unknown episodes |
| 1991 | The Chase | Tammie | Television movie |
| 1991 | Riders in the Sky | Broadway Baby | 1 episode |
| 1992 | Based on an Untrue Story | Velour | Television movie |
| 1998 | Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery | Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen | Television movie |
| 2000–2001 | The King of Queens The King of Queens The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures... |
Stephanie Heffernan | 6 episodes |
| 2004 | Higglytown Heroes Higglytown Heroes Higglytown Heroes is a children's television series currently airing on the Disney Junior portion of the Disney Channel, or, on some cable networks, the Playhouse Disney channel... |
Carpenter Hero | 1 episode |
| 2006 | King of the Hill King of the Hill King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas... |
Lila (Voice) | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Matters of Life and Dating | Linda | Television movie Executive producer |
| 2009 | Loving Leah Loving Leah Loving Leah is a television movie that aired on CBS as a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie on January 25, 2009. The film is directed by Jeff Bleckner and stars Adam Kaufman as an unobservant Jewish bachelor who feels compelled to marry his observant rabbi brother's widow, Leah to honor him via the... |
Rabbi Gerry | Television movie Co-executive producer |
| 2009 | Charm School with Ricki Lake Charm School with Ricki Lake Charm School with Ricki Lake is the third season of the VH1 reality television series Charm School. Fourteen contestants from Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels and Real Chance of Love must change their old ways and learn improvement through acts of charity work... |
Head-mistress | 10 episodes |
| 2010 | Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva is an American legal comedy-drama/fantasy television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 12, 2009. The hour-long series, which was created by Josh Berman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television... |
1 episode | |
| 2010 | The Oprah Winfrey Show The Oprah Winfrey Show The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history.... |
Herself | Guest, "Talk Show Reunion" |
| 2011 | Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries... |
Herself/Contestant | Season 13/Third Place |
| 2012 | The Ricki Lake Show (2012 TV series) The Ricki Lake Show (2012 TV series) The Ricki Lake Show is an upcoming American first-run syndicated talk show that will be hosted by Ricki Lake, and will mark her much-anticipated return to talk television after leaving the genre in 2004... |
Host | Second syndicated talk show |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Talk Show Host Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host - 1970s :*1974: Dinah Shore, Dinah's Place*1975: Barbara Walters, Today*1976: Dinah Shore, Dinah!*1977: Phil Donahue, Donahue*1978: Phil Donahue, Donahue*1979: Phil Donahue, Donahue- 1980s :*1980: Phil Donahue, Donahue... |
Ricki Lake |
| 1989 | Independent Spirit Award | Best Female Lead | Hairspray |