Wanda Sykes

Early life and family

Wanda Sykes was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Her family moved to Maryland when she was in the third grade. Her mother, Marion Louise (née Peoples), worked as a banker, and her father, Harry Ellsworth Sykes, was a U.S. Army colonel employed at the Pentagon.

Sykes' family history was researched for an episode of the 2012 PBS genealogy program Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr. Her ancestry was traced back to a 1683 court case involving her ancestor, Elizabeth Banks, a free white woman and indentured servant, who gave birth to a biracial child, Mary Banks, fathered by a slave, who inherited her mother's free status. According to historian Ira Berlin, a specialist in the history of American slavery, the Sykes family history is "the only such case that I know of in which it is possible to trace a black family rooted in freedom from the late 17th century to the present."

Sykes attended Arundel High School in Gambrills, Maryland, and went on to graduate from Hampton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing where she worked for five years.

Career

1990s

Sykes began her stand-up career at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, D.C., where she performed for the first time in front of a live audience in 1987.

She continued to perform on nights and weekends at local venues while at the NSA until 1992, when she moved to New York City. One of her early TV appearances was Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam in the early 1990s, where she shared the stage with Adele Givens, J. B. Smoove, D. L. Hughley, Bernie Mac, & Bill Bellamy. Working for the Hal Leonard publishing house, she edited a book entitled Polyrhythms – The Musician's Guide, by Peter Magadini. 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 the films 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 No. 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.

2000s

Sykes wrote Yeah, I Said It, a book of humorous observations on various topics, published in September 2004. In 2006, she landed a recurring role as Barb, opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus, on the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine; she became a series regular during the series' third season in 2008. 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's 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, 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, Sykes became the host of a 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 LGBTQ 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, how 'bout that? Needs a little waterboarding, that's what he needs." Her second 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.

2010s

She appeared as Miss Hannigan in a professional theatre production of Annie at The Media Theatre in Media, PA, a suburb southwest of Philadelphia. Her first appearance in a musical, she played the role from November 23 to December 12, 2010, and again from January 12 to 23, 2011. She voices the Witch in the Bubble Guppies episode "Bubble Puppy's Fin-tastic Fairlytale Adventure". In 2012, Sykes played the role of Granny in Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age: Continental Drift. In 2016, she returned to the role in Ice Age: Collision Course. In May 2013, Sykes was a featured entertainer at Olivia Travel's 40th anniversary Music & Comedy Festival in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

In 2013, Sykes appeared in eight episodes of Amazon's Alpha House, a political comedy series written by Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau. Sykes plays Rosalyn DuPeche, a Democratic Senator from Illinois and the next door neighbor of four Republican senators living together in a house on Capitol Hill. Sykes also appeared in Season Two, which became available in October 2014. The series was canceled after the second season. In 2018, Sykes became the head writer for the revived tenth season of Roseanne. This attracted attention due to star Roseanne Barr's history of controversial political remarks. On May 29, 2018, Sykes announced on Twitter that she would no longer be working on the series after a since-deleted Twitter rant by Roseanne Barr about Valerie Jarrett; Roseanne was subsequently canceled by ABC.

2020s

In 2021, Sykes began starring on the Netflix sitcom The Upshaws. Sykes co-hosted the 94th Academy Awards with Regina Hall and Amy Schumer on March 27, 2022. The telecast is most known for its infamous moment where Will Smith slapped Chris Rock. Sykes condemned the actions of Smith stating on Ellen "For [The Academy] to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, I was like, 'How gross is this? This is just the wrong message.' You assault somebody, you get escorted out of the building and that's it. For them to let him continue, I thought it was gross".

In January 2023, Sykes guest hosted The Daily Show after Trevor Noah's departure.

Personal life

Sykes was married to record producer Dave Hall from 1991 to 1998. A month earlier, Sykes married her wife Alex Niedbalski, a French woman, whom she met in 2006. The couple also became parents in April 2009, when Niedbalski gave birth to a pair of fraternal twins.

Sykes came out to her parents in 2004 when she was 40, who both initially had difficulty accepting her homosexuality. They declined to attend her wedding, which led to a brief period of estrangement; they have since reconciled with Sykes.

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 to lower her chances of getting breast cancer. Sykes splits time between Media, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, and Cherry Grove, New York.

Activism

Sykes publicly expressed being devastated when California voters passed state Proposition 8. She said: "with the legislation that they passed, I can't sit by and just watch. I just can't do it." She has continued to be active in same-sex marriage issues hosting events and emceeing fundraisers. She has also worked with PETA on promoting dog anti-chaining legislation in her home state.

She has been an outspoken supporter of Detroit's Ruth Ellis Center after the organization's staff sent Sykes a letter asking her to visit during her 2010 tour's stop in Detroit.

Sykes often uses Twitter to express her political views, including on May 25, 2021, retweeting a photograph by Evan Vucci of Gianna Floyd, daughter of George Floyd, entering the White House. On July 17, 2021, she also tweeted, "Congress MUST pass the #ForThePeopleAct", and called on her followers to join the "Good Trouble Vigil", commemorating the passing of activist and Congressman John Lewis.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video game

Writer

Awards and nominations

Sykes has been nominated for seventeen Primetime Emmys, with one win (in 1999) for "Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music or Program." In 2001, she won the American Comedy Award for "Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic". She won a Comedy Central Commie Award for "Funniest TV Actress" in 2003. In 2010 she won the GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award. In 2015 she won the Activism in the Arts honor at the Triumph Awards.

Discography

References

References

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2. "Sykes, Wanda 1964-". [[Cengage]].
3. (March 19, 2004). "The Best of the Rest".
4. Belcher, Walt. (August 17, 2001). "Wanda Sykes' Star is Rising". The Tampa Tribune.
5. Bonko, Larry. (January 6, 2005). "Wild, Blue Wanda". [[The Virginian-Pilot]].
6. Lee, Felicia R.. (March 19, 2012). "Wanda Sykes Finds Ancestors Thanks to Henry Louis Gates Jr". [[The New York Times]].
7. Lee, Felicia R.. (March 19, 2012). "Family Tree's Startling Roots". The New York Times.
8. Katz, Lee Michael. (June 11, 2010). "Funny Girl". Washingtonian.com.
9. (2008). "Wanda Sykes Biography". AEC One Group Stop, Inc..
10. Karpel, Ari. (March 2009). "Black and Gay Like Me". The Advocate.
11. Magadini, Pete. "Polyrhythms: the musician's guide".
12. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EAFE88F24188F01&p_docnum=2&p_queryname=3 What's Up?]" ''San Antonio Express-News''. January 4, 1999.
13. "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/409117118/D7C8F9E529164825PQ/1 Also Opening]". ''The Washington Post''. June 29, 2001. p. T38.
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16. Baker, Jim. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=130944A929EFFA28&p_docnum=2&p_queryname=5 TV Plus: Play by Play HBO's NFL series got game]". ''Boston Herald''. September 16, 2001.
17. Morrow, Terry. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F7D9B3076DD3470&p_docnum=7&p_queryname=6 Don't look for sweet on Sykes' new Fox sitcom]". ''The Knoxville News-Sentinel''. November 22, 2002.
18. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=104A274245769BDF&p_docnum=5&p_queryname=7 Television]". ''The Orlando Sentinel''. August 22, 2004.
19. Gonzalez, Erika. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=103FA1654FE5F82B&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=8 Deadpan and Dead-on Funny: Wanda Sykes Turns the Art of Wisecracks into Comedic Gold]". ''Rocky Mountain News''. July 16, 2004.
20. Miller, Bruce R. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=12A31AB0A1EE4780&p_docnum=7&p_queryname=9 Christine' provides new thrills]". ''Sioux City Journal''. March 10, 2006.
21. Wilson-Combs, Lana K. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=111B86BB332EF760&p_docnum=15&p_queryname=13 Sykes puts sweet smell of success into Stella the skunk]". ''The Oakland Tribune''. Friday, May 19, 2006.
22. Chaney, Jen. "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/410022939/ Just Wild About Wanda Sykes]". ''The Washington Post''. May 19, 2006. T49.
23. (July 19, 2007). "Complete List of 2007 Emmy Nominations". [[Fox News]].
24. (March 5, 2008). "Lauper's "True Colors" Tour Here July 1".
25. Juergens, Brian. (October 8, 2008). "Hilary Duff and Wanda Sykes on "That's so gay": Knock it off!". After Elton.
26. (December 21, 2009). "Think before you speak. Don't say "That's So Gay."". Thinkb4youspeak.com.
27. (April 1, 2009). "Wanda Returns to Fox!". Fox.
28. Ostrow, Joanne. (November 7, 2009). "Wanda Sykes brings her sass to late night". The Denver Post.
29. Orr, Jimmy. (May 11, 2009). "White House Offers Comedy Advice to Wanda Sykes".
30. (2009). "Long Live Rush – And Free Speech".
31. (2012). "Olivia Launches Milestone 40th Anniversary with Unparalleled Entertainment and Itineraries on Four 2013 Vacations: San Francisco-based lesbian travel company adds second Southern Caribbean cruise and second Punta Cana resort vacation due to high demand". [[Olivia Travel.
32. Goodman, Tim. (November 14, 2013). "Alpha House: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
33. (April 3, 2018). "Wanda Sykes is 'Roseanne' head writer, does that mean there's hope or should we be appalled?".
34. (March 30, 2018). "The Roseanne revival, and the argument over how TV depicts Trump supporters, explained".
35. (May 29, 2018). "Roseanne Barr sorry for comparing Obama aide to ape". BBC News.
36. Gonzalez, Sandra. (May 29, 2018). "Wanda Sykes quits 'Roseanne' before ABC cancels show".
37. (May 12, 2021). "Netflix's 'The Upshaws' Brings New Characters to Age-Old Sitcom Format: TV Review".
38. Hipes, Patrick. (February 14, 2022). "Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer And Regina Hall To Host Oscars".
39. (May 15, 2022). "'F*ck Him': Wanda Sykes Says She's Still 'Traumatized' by Will Smith Oscars Slap".
40. London, Rob. (January 5, 2023). "'The Daily Show' Guest Host Schedule Features Leslie Jones, Kal Penn, and Sarah Silverman".
41. McKinley, Jessie. (November 15, 2008). "Across U.S., Big Rallies for Same-Sex Marriage". The New York Times.
42. Ted Shaw. (April 15, 2015). "Sykes doesn't bring the kids to work; just the stories". Windsor Star.
43. Jordan, Julie. (May 13, 2009). "Wanda Sykes Becomes Mom of Twins!". People.
44. (October 28, 2013). "Wanda Sykes fell out with parents after 'coming out'". Express.
45. Silverman, Stephen M.. (September 23, 2011). "Wanda Sykes: I Had a Double Mastectomy". [[People (magazine).
46. "Molly Eichel, "Wanda Sykes loves the small-town life of Media", ''Philadelphia Daily News'', May 1, 2013." [http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/celebrities/20130501_Wanda_Sykes_loves_the_small-town_life_of_Media.html]
47. Levine, Robert. (June 3, 2017). "ROSE'S VIEW – CHERRY GROVE". Fire Island News.
48. Levine, Robert. (May 26, 2019). "CHERRY GROVE: ROSE'S VIEW". Fire Island News.
49. (November 15, 2008). "Wanda Sykes Comes Out Amid Passing of Prop. 8". The Advocate.
50. Sarah Warn. (November 15, 2008). "Wanda Sykes Comes Out as Gay and Married".
51. Tracy Agnew,"[http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/2013/02/15/celebrity-wants-anti-chaining-law/ Celebrity Wants Anti-Chaining Law]," ''Suffolk News Herald'', February 15, 2013.
52. (July 8, 2010). "Wanda Sykes visits Ruth Ellis Center". [[Between the Lines (newspaper).
53. Mercer, Monica. (September 2012). "Q&A: Wanda Sykes, Ruth Ellis Center Fundraiser Host". Hour Detroit.
54. Broverman, Neal. (October 4, 2012). "Detroit's Invaluable LGBT Youth Center Has a Friend in Wanda". The Advocate.
55. Symons, Alex. (2023). "Women Comedians in the Digital Age". Routledge.
56. (May 1, 2012). "School Counselor". FOX [sic].
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58. West, Amy. (May 25, 2019). "The Bravest Knight: New children's TV show will centre on a same-sex relationship".
59. Porter, Rick. (December 3, 2019). "Lorne Michaels' Quibi Murder Mystery Lines Up All-Star Cast".
60. (September 8, 2022). "Meet the Bay Area women featured in Chelsea and Hillary Clinton's new TV show, 'Gutsy'".
61. "The Daily Show Guest Host Lineup".
62. "Guests Announced for ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!,' Oct. 4–6".
63. (May 11, 2009). "Wanda Sykes Biography". Comedy Central.
64. [http://www.afterellen.com/blog/karmankregloe/wanda-sykes-accepts-her-glaad-award Wanda Sykes accepts her GLAAD award] {{webarchive. link. (August 29, 2011 After Ellen, April 20, 2010.)
65. ""TV Week GLAAD to honor Wanda Sykes", February 2010". Tvweek.com.
66. (September 14, 2015). "John Legend, Tyrese Gibson, Wanda Sykes Honored at 2015 Triumph Awards". Good Black News.
67. "Winners & Nominees".
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