American comedian, actress and television host
Sheryl Patrice Underwood
(born October 28, 1963)
[1]
is an American comedian, actress and television host. She first rose to prominence in the comedy world as the first female finalist in 1989's Miller Lite Comedy Search. Currently, Underwood is one of the hosts on the
CBS Daytime
talk show
The Talk
, becoming the show's longest running co-host,
[2]
a role she first stepped into in September 2011. She has received one
Daytime Emmy Award
from seven nominations.
[3]
Early life
[
edit
]
Underwood was born in
Little Rock, Arkansas
, and later moved to
Atwater, California
, where she attended high school.
[4]
[5]
Her sister, Frankie, was diagnosed with polio. Sheryl is now Frankie's caregiver.
[6]
Professional career
[
edit
]
After graduating college, Underwood joined the
United States Air Force
, where she served two years in the
reserves
.
[7]
She later gained public notice as the first female finalist in the
Miller Lite Comedy Search
in 1989.
[8]
She won the BET "Funniest Female Comedian on Comic View" award in 1994 and the BET Comedy Awards' Platinum Mic Viewers Choice Award in 2005.
[9]
Following her stand up success, Underwood took a number of minor acting roles, including Bad Mouth Bessie in the 1998 film
I Got the Hook Up
and Catfish Rita in the 2005 film
Beauty Shop
.
Underwood was the host of BET's
Comic View
and executive producer and host of the limited run comedy/variety series
Holla
(September 2002 ? January 2003).
[10]
Underwood was a contributor on the nationally syndicated
Tom Joyner Morning Show
until June 2010 when she joined
The Steve Harvey Morning Show
as a contributor.
[11]
[12]
She briefly hosted her own radio program,
Sheryl Underwood and Company
, for
Radio One
-owned Syndication One News/Talk and
XM Satellite Radio
's Channel 169 (The Power).
[13]
On Tuesday nights, Underwood hosts
The Sheryl Underwood Show
on
Jamie Foxx
's
Sirius Satellite Radio
channel,
The Foxxhole
(Sirius 106)
[14]
In 2011, Underwood became a co-host of the
CBS Daytime
talk show
The Talk
in its second season, replacing
Leah Remini
.
More recently, Underwood signed a multi-year development deal with
CBS Studios
.
[15]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Underwood holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal arts from the
University of Illinois at Chicago
and master's degrees in media management and mass communication from
Governors State University
.
[16]
Underwood once served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and frequently makes jokes about "all the creative places you can get busy on a military base."
Underwood is a lifelong
Republican
.
[17]
However, she campaigned for
Barack Obama
's re-election in
2012 United States presidential election
.
[18]
Underwood also campaigned for
Hillary Clinton
in the
2016 election
"because we have to protect the legacy of President Obama. Low voter turnout benefits
Donald Trump
and the Republicans. He can't win."
[19]
Underwood is a lifetime member of
Zeta Phi Beta
sorority, first joining in 1990.
[8]
[11]
She served as president of the organization's Omicron Rho Zeta chapter, as the National Chair of Honorary Members, National Executive Board Chair and International Grand Basileus.
[11]
In addition to the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, Underwood is also a member of the National Council of Negro Women and the NAACP.
[8]
She also founded the African-American Female Comedian Association.
[8]
In the fall of 2011, Underwood revealed that after dating seven years, her husband?who might have suffered from clinical depression?died by suicide after they had been married three years.
[20]
Zeta Phi Beta presidency
[
edit
]
Underwood was elected as the 23rd International Grand Basileus (President) during Zeta Phi Beta's biennial business meeting in
Las Vegas, Nevada
in 2008. Her election as Grand Basileus was disputed, but District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Gerald I. Fisher dismissed a lawsuit against the sorority and Underwood that asked the court to unseat her.
[11]
[21]
[22]
Filmography
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Sheryl Underwood"
.
TVGuide.com
. Retrieved
June 4,
2015
.
- ^
Lewis, Errol (2022-03-04).
"Sheryl Underwood Staying at 'The Talk', Signs Multi-Year Deal with CBS and CBS Studios"
.
Soap Opera Network
. Retrieved
2022-05-12
.
- ^
"Sheryl Underwood"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
2022-05-12
.
- ^
Sheryl Underwood by Diana Gibbs on Prezi
Retrieved November 27, 2016.
- ^
"Actress, TV Host Sheryl Underwood Also Served in the Air Force"
.
U.S. Department of Defense
. Retrieved
2023-12-17
.
- ^
"The Talk host Sheryl Underwood on life caring for her disabled sister"
.
Monsters and Critics
. September 15, 2016
. Retrieved
October 7,
2016
.
- ^
Rodriquez Jr., Ismael. "Celebrating Iconic Black Veterans",
VFW Magazine
,
Veterans of Foreign Wars
, volume 108, number 5, February 2021, p. 20.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Sheryl Underwood"
. Archived from
the original
on December 15, 2008
. Retrieved
August 19,
2008
.
- ^
a
b
"Sheryl Underwood"
.
TV.com
. CNET Networks, Inc.
- ^
"Holla"
.
TV.com
. CNET Networks, Inc.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Elects Entertainer Sheryl Underwood 23rd International President"
. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. July 7, 2008. Archived from
the original
on August 21, 2008.
- ^
"Underwood Jumps From Joyner To Harvey"
.
BV Newswire
.
- ^
"Comedian Sheryl Underwood gets a daily talk show on XM"
.
ReddingNewsReview.com
. March 26, 2007. Archived from
the original
on December 12, 2008
. Retrieved
August 19,
2008
.
- ^
"The Foxxhole"
.
- ^
Jackson, Angelique (March 4, 2022).
"Sheryl Underwood Inks Multi-Year Renewal at 'The Talk,' Development Deal With CBS Studios (EXCLUSIVE)"
.
Variety
.
- ^
"Sheryl Underwood ( Special Event)"
.
PalmBeachImprov.com
. Retrieved
30 October
2011
.
- ^
"NewsOne Now Exclusive: 'The Talk's' Sheryl Underwood Dishes GOP Politics [VIDEO]"
. February 10, 2015.
- ^
AOL.
"Why 'Proud Republican' Sheryl Underwood Campaigned And Voted For Obama - AOL.com"
.
- ^
"Sheryl Underwood Reveals What Republicans Don't Want Democrats To Know"
.
BlackAmericaWeb.com
. 27 September 2016
. Retrieved
March 1,
2017
.
- ^
"Sheryl Underwood Debuts on CBS
The Talk
, Reveals Her Husband's Suicide"
.
The YBF
. September 6, 2011.
- ^
Alexander, Keith L. (August 16, 2008).
"Comedian Fights to Retain Presidency of Sorority"
.
Washington Post
. Retrieved
August 19,
2008
.
- ^
"Judge rules in favor of comedian in sorority"
.
San Jose Mercury News
. The Associated Press. November 25, 2008
. Retrieved
February 3,
2009
.
[
dead link
]
External links
[
edit
]
Media offices
|
Preceded by
|
The Talk
co-host
2011-present
|
Incumbent
|
Preceded by
Barbara C. Moore
|
Zeta Phi Beta National President
2008 ? 2012
|
Succeeded by
Mary Breaux Wright
|