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Wanda Sykes
Sharp observational stand-up and roles in The New Adventures of Old Christine and The Upshaws.
Sick & Tired · The New Adventures of Old Christine
- Born
- 7 March 1964
- Birthplace
- Portsmouth, United States
More people
Wanda Sykes
Wanda Sykes moved from government contracting into stand-up, television writing and acting. Her comedy often examines family life, prejudice and politics.
Early life
Virginia and Maryland
Born in Portsmouth and raised mainly in Maryland.
Marketing degree
Graduated from Hampton University before working as a contracting specialist at the NSA.
Career
- 1987
First stand-up
Started performing while still working her government job.
- 1997–1999
Television writing
Joined The Chris Rock Show and shared an Emmy for its writing.
- 2000s
Screen career
Expanded into sitcom roles, voice acting and her own comedy specials.
- 2021
The Upshaws
Co-created and starred in the Netflix family sitcom.
Selected work
Sick & Tired
HBO stand-up special about politics and everyday frustrations.
The New Adventures of Old Christine
Played Barb opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
The Upshaws
Played Lucretia in a sitcom she co-created.
Beyond work
Equality advocacy
Campaigned for LGBT rights and against homophobic language.
Writing
Published the essay collection Yeah, I Said It in 2004.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Television Academy: Wanda Sykes ↗Photo: Greg Hernandez. CC BY 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
