Actress/comedian Wanda Sykes has earned her success after years of being on the comedy circuit. With Herlarious, her OWN comedy specials, she’s giving other female comedians exposure. Dominique, Jackee and Sheryl Underwood are all part of the show that includes standup and sketch comedy. But first, now that it’s 2014, Sykes has to sort out some issues. Sykes, as many know, is married to a French woman. The couple have twins, which her wife carried.
“My new year’s resolution is to have racial harmony in my home. That’s what I’m working on,” Sykes told the Tom Joyner Morning Show. “It’s my problem. I’m the only Black person in my house right now. So when I look out and see we have the Black president and I’m round here wiping little white kid’s asses, I feel like I’m going backwards.”
It’s that nothing is sacred sense of humor that underscores Sykes’ comedic approach and has made her a star. Even Oprah isn’t immune – Sykes pokes a little fun at OWN’s Super Soul Sunday series with Soul Train Sunday.
“I got the Don Cornelius wig and the microphone and two of the Soul Train dancers to come,” Sykes says. TV was her inspiration for a few other sketches as well.
“I love all those mystery shows like
Cold Case and we did one where some old people get to church and their pews have been replaced by chairs. They end up going to another church and stealing a pew and hiding out in the woods. We did a spoof of
Orange is the New Black called
Black is the New Blue. I pop up as Crazy Eyes.”
Supporting other women is something Sykes has done since came out as a lesbian years ago, actively supporting several LGBT causes. Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts blithely came out recently, thanking her previously unheard-of girlfriend for supporting her through her battle with cancer. Sykes says she reached out to Roberts via Twitter.
“I was like ‘Go on with your bad self, Robin.’ I can’t be in her shoes but I had nowhere near as dire as her position was but I’m pretty sure after that battle with cancer and she beat that and came through that she was probably like ‘What the hell am I waiting around for? This ain’t nothing.”’
New episodes of Herlarious air on Saturday January 4 at 10 p.m. and on Saturday, January 11 at 10 p.m.
First Look: Wanda Sykes and Wayne Brady in One-derful
You’ve met the McGhees, the family raising six children as they manage a marriage and the family business, on the OWN series 6 Little McGhees. Now, let’s meet the Cowards, two well-to-do parents taking on the insurmountable task of raising one whole child. Watch a preview for the reality TV spoof One-derful as Jessica (Wanda Sykes) and Russ (Wayne Brady) explain why their lives are so difficult.
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