Born: 7-Mar-1964
Birthplace: Portsmouth, VA

Gender: Female
Race or Ethnicity: Black
Sexual orientation: Lesbian [1]
Occupation: Comic

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Wanda at Large

After Wanda Sykes got her B.S. in marketing at Hampton University in Virginia, she found herself working at the National Security Agency. According to her, "everyone at the NSA has a side job, selling candy or making crafts at their desks" because there's just so much spare time. In 1987, she performed standup for the first time in front of a live audience at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, DC. Later she would periodically open for Chris Rock. Rock later hired her for a five-year stint writing and appearing on The Chris Rock Show, which earned her an Emmy Award. Decades later she'd appear in forgettable flicks like Pootie Tang (described by Roger Ebert as "not in releasable condition") and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.

In her FOX sitcom, Wanda at Large, Sykes briefly played Wanda Hawkins, a struggling stand-up comedian hired as an on-air correspondent by a Washington, D.C., political talk show. She appeared opposite actor Phil Morris, who played attorney Jackie Chiles in the final seasons of Seinfeld. The show was cancelled after a season and a half.

"I don't trust the stock market," she says. "Put your money in weed. The price of weed never go down."

She did some writing for the 74th Academy Awards, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, but none of her jokes were used. Other writing credits include The 1999 MTV Music Video Awards and The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show. In 2001, Sykes won the American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic, but she was majorly dissed by Bill Cosby during her loud and sassy finger-snapping, jive-talking go-go-ghetto-girl antics at the 2003 Emmy Awards. She squawked at Cosby, asking him if The Cosby Show was all scripted. Cosby, an outspoken critic of noisy black comics, snubbed her on camera with the reply, "Yes, we spoke English."

Sykes has since risen to further power with her skeptical, insightful standup comedy and well-received appearances on Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

    University: BS Marketing, Hampton University

    Obama for America
    Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

    TELEVISION
    The New Adventures of Old Christine Barb (2006-)
    Wanda at Large Wanda Mildred Hawkins (2003)
    Curb Your Enthusiasm Wanda (2001-05)
    The Chris Rock Show (1997-2000)
    Inside the NFL
    Celebrity Poker Showdown Contestant

    FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
    Evan Almighty (21-Jun-2007)
    Brother Bear 2 (17-Aug-2006) [VOICE]
    Barnyard (4-Aug-2006) [VOICE]
    My Super Ex-Girlfriend (20-Jul-2006)
    Clerks II (26-May-2006)
    Over the Hedge (29-Apr-2006) [VOICE]
    Monster-in-Law (6-May-2005)
    Pootie Tang (29-Jun-2001)
    Down to Earth (12-Feb-2001)
    Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (24-Jul-2000)

Official Website:
http://www.wandasykes.com/

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