Wanda's Bio
(from
WandaSykes.com )
Wanda Sykes has been called "one of the funniest stand up comics" by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly's 25 Funniest People in America. Her smart-witted stand up has sent her career in many different areas.
She was last seen in her HBO comedy special Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired, which debuted in October 2006. Taped before a live audience at the Moore Theatre in Seattle, Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired features material from her recent national tour. Among the topics covered are: politics, gay marriage, karma, healthcare, racial profiling, the pressure of being a woman and the perks of getting older. The special is now available on DVD.Sykes can also be seen in the film Evan Almighty, the sequel to Bruce Almighty, in which she co-stars with Steve Carell. Evan Almighty is in theatres now! She was previously seen in the New Line feature Monster-In-Law starring opposite Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda, was heard in the animated feature Over The Hedge for Dreamworks as well as The Barnyard for Paramount Pictures, and seen with Luke Wilson and Uma Thurman in the romantic comedy My Super Ex-Girlfriend.
She can also currently be seen as a guest star on the CBS comedy The New Adventures of Old Christine. She was also seen on Comedy Central's Wanda Does It where she tried various non-showbiz jobs. Her first book, titled Yeah, I Said It, published by Simon and Schuster, hit bookstores in September 2004. Yeah, I Said It is a hilarious collection of essays touching on life, family and current events.
In the fall of 2003 she was seen on Fox's Wanda at Large which she wrote, produced and starred in. She also has a one hour Comedy Central special called Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied. In addition, she can be seen on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm or heard on Comedy Central's Crank Yankers as the voice of Gladys Murphy.
Wanda was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and raised in Maryland. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Hampton University. Her stand-up career began at a Coors Light Super talent Showcase in Washington, DC where she performed for the first time in front of a live audience.
She spent 5 years as part of the HBO's critically acclaimed Chris Rock Show. As a performer and writer on the show, she 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 two more Emmys, one in 2002 and one in 2004, for her work on Inside the NFL. In 2003, Wanda earned a Comedy Central Commie Award for "Funniest TV Actress." Other writing credits include: the MTV 1999 Music Video Awards, The MTV Movie Awards the 74th Annual Academy Awards, The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show, and Wanda at Large.
She also appeared in the feature films: Pootie Tang, Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps, and Down to Earth.