Wanda Sykes (1964-)
- Ashley M. Lyle, CEO
- Dec 31, 2019
- 2 min read
This Final Tuesday of the year we're changing it up just for th week to feature one last womxn and taking a look at the life and career of a very influential comedian who was the first black woman to have her own sketch comedy show; Wanda Yvette Sykes. Have a Happy, Blessed, Excelling, Peaceful New Year Queens!❤️
Wanda Yvette Sykes (born March 7, 1964) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, Sykes' family moved to Maryland when she was in 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.
Not completely satisfied with her role with the National Security Agency (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.
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.
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