Wanda Sykes
Encyclopedia
Wanda Sykes is an American writer, stand-up comedian
, actress, and voice artist. She earned the 1999 Emmy Award for her writing on The Chris Rock Show
. In 2004 Entertainment Weekly
named Sykes as one of the 25 funniest people in America. She is well known for her role as Barbara Baran on The New Adventures of Old Christine
and for her appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm
.
In November 2009 The Wanda Sykes Show
, her own late-night talkshow, premiered on Fox
, airing Saturday nights, until it was cancelled in April 2010.
Sykes also had a successful career in film, appearing in Monster-in-Law
, My Super Ex-Girlfriend
, Evan Almighty
, and License to Wed
, and voiced characters in Over the Hedge
, Barnyard
, Brother Bear 2
, Rio
, and Ice Age: Continental Drift
.
, and raised in the Washington, D.C.
, area. Her father served as a US Army colonel
employed at the Pentagon
, and her mother worked as a banker. She attended Arundel High School
in Gambrills, Maryland
, and went on to graduate from Hampton University
where she earned a bachelor’s degree
in marketing. After college, her first job was as a procurement officer with the National Security Agency
(NSA), where she worked for five years.
She continued to hone her talents at local venues while at the NSA until 1992, when she moved to New York City
.
Her first big break came when opening for Chris Rock
at Caroline's Comedy Club. In 1997, she joined the writing team on The Chris Rock Show
and also made many appearances on the show. The writing team was nominated for four Emmys, and in 1999, won for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Special. Since that time, she has appeared in such films as Pootie Tang
and on TV shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm
. In 2003, she starred in her own short-lived Fox network sitcom, Wanda at Large
. The same year, Sykes appeared in an hour-long Comedy Central
special, Tongue Untied. That network also ranked her #70 on its list of the 100 greatest all-time stand ups. She served as a correspondent for HBO
's Inside the NFL
, hosted Comedy Central's popular show Premium Blend
, and voiced a recurring character named Gladys on Comedy Central's puppet
show Crank Yankers
. She also had a short-lived show on Comedy Central
called Wanda Does It
.
In addition to her film and television work, she is also an author. She wrote Yeah, I Said It
, a book of humorous observations on various topics, published in September 2004.
In 2006, she landed a recurring role on the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine
; she became a series regular in the second season. She also guest starred in the Will & Grace
episode "Buy, Buy Baby" in 2006. She provided voices for the 2006 films
Over the Hedge
, Barnyard
, and Brother Bear 2
. She had a part in My Super Ex-Girlfriend
and after playing in Evan Almighty
, had a bit part in License to Wed
. Sykes' first HBO Comedy Special, entitled Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired, premiered on October 14, 2006; it was nominated for a 2007 Emmy Award
. In 2008, she performed as part of Cyndi Lauper
's True Colors Tour for LGBT rights.
In October 2008, Wanda Sykes appeared in a television ad for the Think Before You Speak Campaign
, an advertising campaign by GLSEN aimed at curbing homophobic
slang in youth communities. In the 30-second spot, she uses humor to scold a teenager for saying "that's so gay
" when he really means "that is so bad."
In March 2009, it was announced that Sykes would be the host of a new late-night talk show
on Saturdays on Fox, The Wanda Sykes Show
which was scheduled to premiere November 7, 2009. In April 2009, she was named in Out
magazine's "Annual Power 50 List", landing at number 35.
In May 2009, Sykes was the featured entertainer for the annual White House Correspondents' Association
dinner, becoming both the first African American
woman and the first openly
LGBT person to get the role. Cedric the Entertainer
had been the first African American to become the featured entertainer in 2005. At this event, Sykes made controversial headlines as she responded to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh
's comments regarding President Barack Obama
. Limbaugh, in reference to Obama's presidential agenda, had said "I hope he fails". In response, Sykes quipped: "I hope his [Limbaugh's] kidneys fail."
Her third comedy special, Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me premiered on HBO in October 2009.
November 2009 saw the premier of The Wanda Sykes Show, which starts with a monologue and continues with a panel discussion in a similar format to Bill Maher
's shows Real Time with Bill Maher
and Politically Incorrect
.
She appeared as Miss Hannigan in a professional theatre production of "Annie
" at The Media Theatre in Media, PA, a suburb 25 minutes southwest of Philadelphia. Her first appearance in a musical, she played the role from November 23-December 12, 2010, and again from January 12–23, 2011.
from 1991 to 1998. In November 2008, she publicly came out
as lesbian
while at a same-sex marriage
rally in Las Vegas
regarding Proposition 8
, which forbids new marriages of same-sex couples in California.
After coming out, Sykes married her female partner, Alex, whom she met in 2006. Alex gave birth to twins Olivia Lou and Lucas Claude on April 27, 2009.
During a September 19, 2011 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
, Sykes announced that she had been diagnosed earlier in the year with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Although DCIS is a non-invasive "stage zero breast cancer", Sykes had elected to have a bilateral mastectomy
in order to remove her chances of ever getting cancer.
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
, actress, and voice artist. She earned the 1999 Emmy Award for her writing on The Chris Rock Show
The Chris Rock Show
The Chris Rock Show is a late night comedy talk show featured on HBO. It was created by Chris Rock and featured various guests. The show won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program in 1999. It ran for three seasons from 1997 to 2000. Seasons 1 and 2 were released as a DVD set...
. In 2004 Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named Sykes as one of the 25 funniest people in America. She is well known for her role as Barbara Baran on 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 for her appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
.
In November 2009 The Wanda Sykes Show
The Wanda Sykes Show
The Wanda Sykes Show was an American talk show hosted by comedian Wanda Sykes on Fox that debuted on November 7, 2009. The show was announced in March 2009 by the president of Fox, Kevin Reilly...
, her own late-night talkshow, premiered on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, airing Saturday nights, until it was cancelled in April 2010.
Sykes also had a successful career in film, appearing in Monster-in-Law
Monster-in-Law
Monster-in-Law is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic and starring Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan and Wanda Sykes. It marks a return to cinema for Fonda, being her first film in 15 years after Stanley & Iris. The screenplay is written by Anya Kochoff...
, My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend is a 2006 American romantic comedy superhero film, directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson with Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson, and Wanda Sykes.-Plot:...
, Evan Almighty
Evan Almighty
Evan Almighty is a 2007 American religious comedy film and the stand-alone sequel to Bruce Almighty . The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, and starring Steve Carell as the title character. Morgan Freeman also reprised his role as God from the original film. Production of...
, and License to Wed
License to Wed
License to Wed is a 2007 romantic comedy film starring Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, and John Krasinski and directed by Ken Kwapis. The film was released in theaters on July 3, 2007.-Plot:...
, and voiced characters in Over the Hedge
Over the Hedge (film)
Over the Hedge is a 2006 computer animated family action comedy film based on the characters from United Media comic strip of the same name. Directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, and produced by Bonnie Arnold, it was released in the United States on May 19, 2006.The film was produced by...
, Barnyard
Barnyard (film)
Barnyard is a 2006 computer-animated family comedy film, produced by Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures, directed by Steve Oedekerk . and produced by Steve Oedekerk, Paul Marshal, and Pam Marsden...
, Brother Bear 2
Brother Bear 2
The soundtrack to Brother Bear 2 was released August 15, 2006. It is available only on digital outlets such as iTunes and walmart.com. It includes the following tracks:#Dave Metzger - Opening: Brother Bear 2 – 0:34...
, Rio
Rio (film)
Rio, often promoted as Rio: The Movie, is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the film is set. The film features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne...
, and Ice Age: Continental Drift
Ice Age: Continental Drift
Ice Age: Continental Drift, also known as Ice Age 4, is an upcoming American 3-D computer-animated film directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier, starring the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, with Chris Wedge and Jeremy Renner.It...
.
Early life
Sykes was born in Portsmouth, VirginiaPortsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, and raised in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, area. Her father served as a US Army colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
employed at the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, and her mother worked as a banker. She attended Arundel High School
Arundel High School
Arundel High School is a public high school located in Gambrills in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.The school is part of the Anne Arundel County Public School system, and is the primary high school for Gambrills and portions of the Odenton and Crofton areas. Originally, the school was the Anne...
in Gambrills, Maryland
Gambrills, Maryland
Gambrills is an unincorporated town in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in the Baltimore metro area.The community was named for Augustine Gambrill, plantation owner.-Population:...
, and went on to graduate from Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
where she earned a bachelor’s degree
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in marketing. After college, her first job was as a procurement officer with the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
(NSA), where she worked for five years.
Career
Not completely satisfied with her role with the NSA, Sykes began her stand-up career at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, DC, where she performed for the first time in front of a live audience in 1987.She continued to hone her talents at local venues while at the NSA until 1992, when she moved to New York City
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...
.
Her first big break came when opening for Chris Rock
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
at Caroline's Comedy Club. In 1997, she joined the writing team on The Chris Rock Show
The Chris Rock Show
The Chris Rock Show is a late night comedy talk show featured on HBO. It was created by Chris Rock and featured various guests. The show won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program in 1999. It ran for three seasons from 1997 to 2000. Seasons 1 and 2 were released as a DVD set...
and also made many appearances on the show. The writing team was nominated for four Emmys, and in 1999, won for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Special. Since that time, she has appeared in such films as Pootie Tang
Pootie Tang
Pootie Tang is an American comedy film written and directed by Louis C.K. and released in 2001. It was adapted from a comedy sketch that first appeared on The Chris Rock Show. The character Pootie Tang is a satire of the stereotyped characters who appeared in old blaxploitation films...
and on TV shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
. In 2003, she starred in her own short-lived Fox network sitcom, Wanda at Large
Wanda at Large
Wanda at Large is an American sitcom that ran for two seasons on the Fox network in 2003. The series was created by and stars comedian Wanda Sykes.-Synopsis:...
. The same year, Sykes appeared in an hour-long Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
special, Tongue Untied. That network also ranked her #70 on its list of the 100 greatest all-time stand ups. She served as a correspondent for HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
's Inside the NFL
Inside the NFL
Inside the NFL is a weekly cable television sports show that focuses on the National Football League. It originally aired on HBO from 1977 through 2008...
, hosted Comedy Central's popular show Premium Blend
Premium Blend
Premium Blend was a television show that aired on the American cable television channel Comedy Central from 1997 to 2005.The program features a well-known stand up comedian as an emcee who introduces four or five lesser known comedians looking for a big break on television...
, and voiced a recurring character named Gladys on Comedy Central's puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
show Crank Yankers
Crank Yankers
Crank Yankers is an American TV show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison that featured actual prank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests, and re-enacted onscreen by puppets for a visual aid to show the viewer what is happening in the call...
. She also had a short-lived show on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
called Wanda Does It
Wanda Does It
Wanda Does It was a television show on Comedy Central that displayed "a day in the life" of the world of comedian Wanda Sykes. The show was canceled in early January, 2005 though the last episode aired November 16, 2004...
.
In addition to her film and television work, she is also an author. She wrote Yeah, I Said It
Yeah, I Said It
Yeah, I Said It is a humor book by comedian Wanda Sykes. It contains jokes and rants about diverse topics such as sex, politics, war, homeland security, the death penalty, family, crime, guns, and race....
, a book of humorous observations on various topics, published in September 2004.
In 2006, she landed a recurring role on the sitcom 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...
; she became a series regular in the second season. She also guest starred in the Will & Grace
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
episode "Buy, Buy Baby" in 2006. She provided voices for the 2006 films
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
Over the Hedge
Over the Hedge (film)
Over the Hedge is a 2006 computer animated family action comedy film based on the characters from United Media comic strip of the same name. Directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, and produced by Bonnie Arnold, it was released in the United States on May 19, 2006.The film was produced by...
, Barnyard
Barnyard (film)
Barnyard is a 2006 computer-animated family comedy film, produced by Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures, directed by Steve Oedekerk . and produced by Steve Oedekerk, Paul Marshal, and Pam Marsden...
, and Brother Bear 2
Brother Bear 2
The soundtrack to Brother Bear 2 was released August 15, 2006. It is available only on digital outlets such as iTunes and walmart.com. It includes the following tracks:#Dave Metzger - Opening: Brother Bear 2 – 0:34...
. She had a part in My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend is a 2006 American romantic comedy superhero film, directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson with Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson, and Wanda Sykes.-Plot:...
and after playing in Evan Almighty
Evan Almighty
Evan Almighty is a 2007 American religious comedy film and the stand-alone sequel to Bruce Almighty . The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, and starring Steve Carell as the title character. Morgan Freeman also reprised his role as God from the original film. Production of...
, had a bit part in License to Wed
License to Wed
License to Wed is a 2007 romantic comedy film starring Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, and John Krasinski and directed by Ken Kwapis. The film was released in theaters on July 3, 2007.-Plot:...
. Sykes' first HBO Comedy Special, entitled Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired, premiered on October 14, 2006; it was nominated for a 2007 Emmy Award
59th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on September 16, 2007 and were televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. EDT for the first time in high definition...
. In 2008, she performed as part of Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
's True Colors Tour for LGBT rights.
In October 2008, Wanda Sykes appeared in a television ad for the Think Before You Speak Campaign
Think Before You Speak Campaign
The Think Before You Speak campaign is a television, radio, and magazine advertising campaign launched in 2008 and developed to raise awareness of the common use of derogatory vocabulary among youth towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning people...
, an advertising campaign by GLSEN aimed at curbing homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
slang in youth communities. In the 30-second spot, she uses humor to scold a teenager for saying "that's so gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
" when he really means "that is so bad."
In March 2009, it was announced that Sykes would be the host of a new late-night talk show
Talk 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....
on Saturdays on Fox, The Wanda Sykes Show
The Wanda Sykes Show
The Wanda Sykes Show was an American talk show hosted by comedian Wanda Sykes on Fox that debuted on November 7, 2009. The show was announced in March 2009 by the president of Fox, Kevin Reilly...
which was scheduled to premiere November 7, 2009. In April 2009, she was named in Out
Out (magazine)
Out is a popular gay and lesbian fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine, with the highest circulation of any gay monthly publication in the United States. It carries itself in a similar editorial manner to Details, Esquire, and GQ. Out was published by PlanetOut Inc...
magazine's "Annual Power 50 List", landing at number 35.
In May 2009, Sykes was the featured entertainer for the annual White House Correspondents' Association
White House Correspondents' Association
The White House Correspondents' Association is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the President of the United States. The WHCA was founded in 1914 by journalists in response to an unfounded rumor that a Congressional committee would select which journalists could attend...
dinner, becoming both the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
woman and the first openly
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
LGBT person to get the role. Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric Antonio Kyles , known professionally by his stage name Cedric the Entertainer, is an American actor, comedian and director...
had been the first African American to become the featured entertainer in 2005. At this event, Sykes made controversial headlines as she responded to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
's comments regarding President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Limbaugh, in reference to Obama's presidential agenda, had said "I hope he fails". In response, Sykes quipped: "I hope his [Limbaugh's] kidneys fail."
Her third comedy special, Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me premiered on HBO in October 2009.
November 2009 saw the premier of The Wanda Sykes Show, which starts with a monologue and continues with a panel discussion in a similar format to Bill Maher
Bill Maher
William "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect originally on Comedy Central and...
's shows Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher is a talk show that airs weekly on HBO, hosted by comedian and political satirist Bill Maher. Much like his previous show, Politically Incorrect on ABC , Real Time features a panel of guests that discuss current events in politics and the media...
and Politically Incorrect
Politically Incorrect
Politically Incorrect is a late-night, half-hour political talk show hosted by Bill Maher that ran from 1993 to 2002. It premiered on Comedy Central from 1993 to 1997, and later on ABC in 1997, which cancelled it in 2002....
.
She appeared as Miss Hannigan in a professional theatre production of "Annie
Annie
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
" at The Media Theatre in Media, PA, a suburb 25 minutes southwest of Philadelphia. Her first appearance in a musical, she played the role from November 23-December 12, 2010, and again from January 12–23, 2011.
Personal life
Sykes was married to record producer Dave HallDave Hall (record producer)
David "Dave" Hall is a record producer. He is famous for working on Mary J. Blige's debut album What's the 411? ; with Madonna, co-writing and co-producing several tracks from her 1994 album Bedtime Stories, including the single "Human Nature," for working with R&B harmony group Brownstone, and for...
from 1991 to 1998. In November 2008, she publicly came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
while at a same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
rally in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
regarding Proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, which forbids new marriages of same-sex couples in California.
After coming out, Sykes married her female partner, Alex, whom she met in 2006. Alex gave birth to twins Olivia Lou and Lucas Claude on April 27, 2009.
During a September 19, 2011 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
, Sykes announced that she had been diagnosed earlier in the year with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Although DCIS is a non-invasive "stage zero breast cancer", Sykes had elected to have a bilateral mastectomy
Mastectomy
Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. Mastectomy is usually done to treat breast cancer; in some cases, women and some men believed to be at high risk of breast cancer have the operation prophylactically, that is, to prevent cancer...
in order to remove her chances of ever getting cancer.
Activism
Sykes was "crushed" after California voters passed state Proposition 8. She has continued to be active in same-sex marriage issues hosting events and emceeing fundraisers.Awards
Sykes was nominated for three Primetime Emmys and in 1999 won the Emmy for "Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special". In 2001, she won the American Comedy Award for "Outstanding Female Stand Up Comic". She won three more Emmys, in 2002, 2004 and 2005 , for her work on “Inside the NFL” for “Outstanding Studio Show - Weekly- Inside The NFL", followed by a Comedy Central Commie Award for "Funniest TV Actress in 2003". In 2010 she won a GLAAD award for promoting a good image of equal rights for gays and lesbians.Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Tomorrow Night | ||
| 2000 | Nutty Professor II: The Klumps Nutty Professor II: The Klumps Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is a 2000 comedy film directed by Peter Segal. It is the sequel to the 1996 film The Nutty Professor and stars Eddie Murphy and Janet Jackson. Murphy plays not only the inept but brilliant scientist, Sherman Klump, as in the first film, but also most of Sherman's... |
Chantal | |
| 2001 | Down to Earth Down to Earth (2001 film) Down to Earth is a 2001 comedy film directed by Chris and Paul Weitz. It is the third film adaptation based on Harry Segall's stageplay Heaven Can Wait, preceded by Here Comes Mr. Jordan and Heaven Can Wait . The film stars Chris Rock as Lance Barton, a comedian who is killed before his time on... |
Wanda | |
| Pootie Tang Pootie Tang Pootie Tang is an American comedy film written and directed by Louis C.K. and released in 2001. It was adapted from a comedy sketch that first appeared on The Chris Rock Show. The character Pootie Tang is a satire of the stereotyped characters who appeared in old blaxploitation films... |
Biggie Shorty | ||
| 2005 | Monster-in-Law Monster-in-Law Monster-in-Law is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic and starring Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan and Wanda Sykes. It marks a return to cinema for Fonda, being her first film in 15 years after Stanley & Iris. The screenplay is written by Anya Kochoff... |
Ruby | |
| 2006 | The Adventures of Brer Rabbit The Adventures of Brer Rabbit The Adventures of Brer Rabbit is the title of book, a play, and a film inspired by the Uncle Remus stories. The central character's actual name is Br'er Rabbit, but the title is simplified as "Brer." The film also has the distinction to be the second film to be released by Universal Studios under... |
Sister Moon | Direct-to-video Direct-to-video Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television... Voice Voice acting Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called... |
| Over the Hedge Over the Hedge (film) Over the Hedge is a 2006 computer animated family action comedy film based on the characters from United Media comic strip of the same name. Directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, and produced by Bonnie Arnold, it was released in the United States on May 19, 2006.The film was produced by... |
Stella (skunk) | Voice | |
| Clerks II Clerks II Clerks II is a 2006 American comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, sequel to his 1994 film Clerks, and his sixth and latest feature film to be set in the View Askewniverse... |
Angry Customer | ||
| My Super Ex-Girlfriend My Super Ex-Girlfriend My Super Ex-Girlfriend is a 2006 American romantic comedy superhero film, directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson with Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson, and Wanda Sykes.-Plot:... |
Carla Dunkirk | ||
| Barnyard Barnyard (film) Barnyard is a 2006 computer-animated family comedy film, produced by Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures, directed by Steve Oedekerk . and produced by Steve Oedekerk, Paul Marshal, and Pam Marsden... |
Bessy the Cow | Voice | |
| Brother Bear 2 Brother Bear 2 The soundtrack to Brother Bear 2 was released August 15, 2006. It is available only on digital outlets such as iTunes and walmart.com. It includes the following tracks:#Dave Metzger - Opening: Brother Bear 2 – 0:34... |
Innoko | Direct-to-video Voice |
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| CondomNation | Linda | ||
| Hammy's Boomerang Adventure Hammy's Boomerang Adventure Hammy's Boomerang Adventure is a computer-animated short film based on the film Over the Hedge. It can be found on the movie's DVD as a bonus feature.- Synopsis :... |
Stella | Voice; Direct-to-video short film (from the Over the Hedge DVD) | |
| 2007 | Evan Almighty Evan Almighty Evan Almighty is a 2007 American religious comedy film and the stand-alone sequel to Bruce Almighty . The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, and starring Steve Carell as the title character. Morgan Freeman also reprised his role as God from the original film. Production of... |
Rita | |
| License to Wed License to Wed License to Wed is a 2007 romantic comedy film starring Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, and John Krasinski and directed by Ken Kwapis. The film was released in theaters on July 3, 2007.-Plot:... |
Nurse Borman | uncredited | |
| 2011 | Rio Rio (film) Rio, often promoted as Rio: The Movie, is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the film is set. The film features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne... |
Flora (Canada goose) | voice |
| The Muppets The Muppets (film) The Muppets is a 2011 American musical and comedy film, and the first Muppets theatrical release in 12 years, as well as the first Disney-produced Muppets film since 1996's Muppet Treasure Island... |
Officer Ethel | Cameo | |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift Ice Age: Continental Drift Ice Age: Continental Drift, also known as Ice Age 4, is an upcoming American 3-D computer-animated film directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier, starring the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, with Chris Wedge and Jeremy Renner.It... |
Granny of Sid | voice |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–2000 | The Chris Rock Show The Chris Rock Show The Chris Rock Show is a late night comedy talk show featured on HBO. It was created by Chris Rock and featured various guests. The show won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program in 1999. It ran for three seasons from 1997 to 2000. Seasons 1 and 2 were released as a DVD set... |
Various Characters | 7 episodes |
| 1999 | Best of the Chris Rock Show | TV special | |
| 2001 | The Downer Channel | Various | First 2 episodes |
| The Drew Carey Show The Drew Carey Show The Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in Cleveland, Ohio, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the actor.... |
Christine Watson | Episode: "Eat Drink Drew Woman" Episode: "Mr. Laffoon's Wild Ride" Episode: " Drew and the King" |
|
| 2001–2009 | Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself... |
Wanda | Episode: "Thor" Episode: "The Massage" Episode: "The Benadryl Brownie" Episode: "The Terrorist Attack" Episode: "Krazee-Eyez Killa" Episode: "The Surrogate" Episode: "The Bowtie" Episode: "Funkhouser's Crazy Sister" |
| 2002, 2003 | Crank Yankers Crank Yankers Crank Yankers is an American TV show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison that featured actual prank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests, and re-enacted onscreen by puppets for a visual aid to show the viewer what is happening in the call... |
Gladys/Wanda/Gladys Murphy | 3 episodes |
| 2003 | MTV: Reloaded | The Oracle | TV film |
| Wanda at Large Wanda at Large Wanda at Large is an American sitcom that ran for two seasons on the Fox network in 2003. The series was created by and stars comedian Wanda Sykes.-Synopsis:... |
Wanda Mildred Hawkins | All episodes | |
| Chappelle's Show Chappelle's Show Chappelle's Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedian Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show as well as starring in various skits. Chappelle, Brennan and Michele Armour were the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 22,... |
Herself | Episode: "The Best of Chappelle's Show: Volume 2 Mixtape" | |
| MADtv MADtv MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first... |
Season 9 episode 903 | ||
| 2006 | Will & Grace Will & Grace Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters... |
Cricket | Episode: "Buy, Buy Baby Buy, Buy Baby "Buy, Buy Baby" is the eighteenth episode of the American television series Will & Grace eighth season. It was written by Kirk J. Rudell and directed by series producer James Burrows. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company in the United States on March 30, 2006... " |
| 2006–2010 | 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... |
Barbara 'Barb' Baran | 42 episodes |
| 2007–present | Back at the Barnyard Back at the Barnyard Back at the Barnyard is a Nickelodeon CGI animated show that is a spin-off of the 2006 film Barnyard. The debut series premiered on September 29, 2007 on Nickelodeon. The show is produced by Omation Animation Studio, in association with Nickelodeon Animation Studios. The show mainly features pop... |
Bessy the Cow | 45 episodes |
| 2009 | Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me | Stand-up | HBO comedy special |
| 2009 | The Wanda Sykes Show The Wanda Sykes Show The Wanda Sykes Show was an American talk show hosted by comedian Wanda Sykes on Fox that debuted on November 7, 2009. The show was announced in March 2009 by the president of Fox, Kevin Reilly... |
Herself; also creator, and writer | Talk show |
| 2011 | 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... |
Judge | Episode: "Prom" |
Writer
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show was a late night syndicated television talk show hosted by Keenen Ivory Wayans. The show premiered August 4, 1997 and was cancelled in March 1998. The show had an opening monologue and comedy sketches. His in house band was an all girl band called Ladies of the Night... |
Writer | 11 episodes |
| 1997-00 | The Chris Rock Show The Chris Rock Show The Chris Rock Show is a late night comedy talk show featured on HBO. It was created by Chris Rock and featured various guests. The show won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program in 1999. It ran for three seasons from 1997 to 2000. Seasons 1 and 2 were released as a DVD set... |
Writer | Wrote 33 episodes Co-produced 14 episodes |
| 1998 | Comedy Central Presents Comedy Central Presents Comedy Central Presents is a half-hour long stand-up show that features various stand-up comedians in each episode.-DVDs:Starting in 2008, Comedy Central started releasing "Best of" compilation DVDs, with uncensored audio... |
Herself and writer (as Wanda Sykes-Hall) | Episode: "Wanda Sykes-Hall" |
| 2001 | Best of the Chris Rock Show: Volume 2 | Writer | TV special |
| The Downer Channel | Writer | Wrote the first 2 episodes | |
| 2002 | The 74th Annual Academy Awards | Special material written by | Award show |
| 2002-03 | Premium Blend Premium Blend Premium Blend was a television show that aired on the American cable television channel Comedy Central from 1997 to 2005.The program features a well-known stand up comedian as an emcee who introduces four or five lesser known comedians looking for a big break on television... |
Writer | 4 episodes/Stand-up |
| 2003 | Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied | Writer | Documentary |
| Wanda at Large Wanda at Large Wanda at Large is an American sitcom that ran for two seasons on the Fox network in 2003. The series was created by and stars comedian Wanda Sykes.-Synopsis:... |
Creator, writer and producer | 19 episodes | |
| 2004 | Wanda Does It Wanda Does It Wanda Does It was a television show on Comedy Central that displayed "a day in the life" of the world of comedian Wanda Sykes. The show was canceled in early January, 2005 though the last episode aired November 16, 2004... |
Creator, writer and executive producer | Episode: "Wanda Does Repo" Episode: "Wanda Does Vegas" Episode: "Wanda Does the Sky" Episode: "Wanda Does the Night" Episode: "Wanda Does the WNBA" Episode: "Wanda Does Photos" |
| 2006 | Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired | Writer | Stand-up |
| 2009 | Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me | Writer | Stand-up |
Discography
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sick & Tired | Image Entertainment Image Entertainment Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450... |