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Emmy Award-winning comedian Wanda Sykes has brought her clever and uncompromising stand-up act everywhere, including: the big screen, the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner and on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.” Wednesday night she’ll bring her punch lines to The Grand for another no-holds barred performance.
The act will begin at 8 p.m. Limited tickets are available as the show is nearly sold out.
Wanda Sykes, who has been dubbed "one of the funniest stand-up comics" by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly's 25 Funniest People in America, chatted with the Community News about her role in the upcoming “The Muppets” film, as well as what it’ll take for more states in this country to recognize civil unions.
Q It seems like over the past few years you’ve been appearing in a lot of children’s shows and movies like “Sesame Street” and “Rio.” You’re also in a couple of upcoming films such as “The Muppets” and “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” Why did you decide to take on those projects, and did your decision have anything to do with the birth of your twins?
A I don’t think I’m focusing on that, it’s just the opportunities were presented to me and I love doing them. It’s a lot of fun going into the studio and it’s just about doing the job; it’s not about hair, makeup, wardrobe and all that. It’s just fun and I love the process. I love the directors, and all, and watching it come together. I didn’t give my agent directions and say, “Hey, give me some more animation.” It just happened. But I’m ever so grateful it’s working [out] like that. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if it did have something to do with the birth of my children, where if you put yourself in a certain environment, I guess, or open yourself up to something, and then things come your way.
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Q Let’s talk about “The Muppets.” You play a police officer in “The Muppets” movie, right?
A Yeah, a prison guard.
Q What was your experience like in that film, and was it difficult to act with puppets?
Emmy Award-winning comedian Wanda Sykes has brought her clever and uncompromising stand-up act everywhere, including: the big screen, the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner and on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.” Wednesday night she’ll bring her punch lines to The Grand for another no-holds barred performance.
The act will begin at 8 p.m. Limited tickets are available as the show is nearly sold out.
Wanda Sykes, who has been dubbed "one of the funniest stand-up comics" by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly's 25 Funniest People in America, chatted with the Community News about her role in the upcoming “The Muppets” film, as well as what it’ll take for more states in this country to recognize civil unions.
Q It seems like over the past few years you’ve been appearing in a lot of children’s shows and movies like “Sesame Street” and “Rio.” You’re also in a couple of upcoming films such as “The Muppets” and “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” Why did you decide to take on those projects, and did your decision have anything to do with the birth of your twins?
A I don’t think I’m focusing on that, it’s just the opportunities were presented to me and I love doing them. It’s a lot of fun going into the studio and it’s just about doing the job; it’s not about hair, makeup, wardrobe and all that. It’s just fun and I love the process. I love the directors, and all, and watching it come together. I didn’t give my agent directions and say, “Hey, give me some more animation.” It just happened. But I’m ever so grateful it’s working [out] like that. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if it did have something to do with the birth of my children, where if you put yourself in a certain environment, I guess, or open yourself up to something, and then things come your way.
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IF YOU GO |
Q Let’s talk about “The Muppets.” You play a police officer in “The Muppets” movie, right?
A Yeah, a prison guard.
Q What was your experience like in that film, and was it difficult to act with puppets?
A It was so funny because from the first movie I did – well, I guess your major movie – it was the “Nutty Professor 2: [The Klumps].” Eddie [Murphy] plays all these different characters; a lot of times you’re acting with a tennis ball, so I had experience doing that for a while. With the Muppets, though, they’re all there. They’re there and all the puppeteers are like cloaked in black and they’re on the ground, and I think you have to be like a contortionist to do the job, because, man, with some of those positions I’m like: that should be illegal right there. I’m pretty sure you could press charges… that’s not right, man.
Q If you could be a Muppet, which one would you be and why?
A Oh, I like the old men on the balcony.
Q The hecklers [Statler and Waldorf]?
A Yeah. I would love to do that because usually I’m on the receiving end of that, so it would be fun to be able to do that part.
Q As a comedian it’s in your nature to discuss your life experiences. Since you’ve come out of the closet, how has that influenced your stand-up material? Do you find yourself discussing gay issues more?
A It’s funny because I’ve always considered my comedy to be a snapshot of what’s going on, like in my life, or the world or just how I see things. So it is natural for me to talk about… I wouldn’t say gay issues. When I’m onstage nagging about my French wife and talking about my bigheaded kids, although I’m not saying, “Hey, this is a gay issue,” it’s a woman onstage talking about her family which happens to be with another woman.
Q What was your reaction this past May when you discovered Delaware became the eighth state to recognize civil unions
A Whenever that happens I’m pleased and it feels good and it’s like: that’s one more, because you look at Delaware where they’re going to acknowledge civil unions and then you have a state like North Carolina that wants to go backwards; they want to [add] discrimination to their constitution and ban same-sex marriage. It’s like [moving] one step forward, and then you look somewhere else and it’s like, “Oh my God, [we’re] going two steps back.” But whenever there’s some advancement to equality for everybody, it’s always a proud moment.
Q What do you think it’s going to take for, at least, half of the states in this country to recognize civil unions?
A Um… probably half of the senators to have a gay or lesbian child [laughs]. Not half, it would have to take 100 percent of Congress.
Q Lastly, you’ve just about done it all. You’ve been on Jay Leno, David Letterman and…
A I haven’t done porn, yet!
Q Is that on your list of accomplishments?
