Sheryl Underwood
Underwood in 2008
Born
Sheryl Patrice Underwood

(1963-10-28) October 28, 1963
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
Notable work
Political partyRepublican
Comedy career
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • television
  • film
EducationUniversity of Illinois Chicago (BA)
Years active1988–present
Subject(s)
Websitepackratproductionsinc.com
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1981–1982
Unit

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

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

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]

Sheryl Underwood with a soldier at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, December 12, 2007, as a part of the Sgt. Maj. of the Army's Hope and Freedom tour to entertain deployed troops.
The Talk co-hosts Julie Chen, Aisha Tyler, Sharon Osbourne, Sara Gilbert and Sheryl Underwood in 2012.

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

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

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

Year Work Role
1992[9] Def Comedy Jam Frequent Performer
1993 Soul Train Comedy Awards Presenter
1997 Make Me Laugh Herself
1998 Bulworth Woman in Frankie's
I Got the Hook-Up Bad Mouth Bessie
2000 Oh Drama! (TV series) Host
2001 Nikki (episode: "Working Girl") Janet
2002 Holla Host

Executive Producer

Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn Herself
2004 BET Comedy Awards
2005 Beauty Shop Catfish Rita
The 2nd Annual BET Comedy Awards Herself
Weekends at the D.L.
Made You Look: Top 25 Moments of BET History
Getting Played
2007 Baisden After Dark
2011 Comics Unleashed
2011−present The Talk Co-host
2012−13 The Young and the Restless Justice of the Peace
2016 The Bold and the Beautiful (2016, 2018) Emmy
Supergirl (episode: "Falling") Herself
The Odd Couple Diane
2017–19 Funny You Should Ask Herself
2018 Jane the Virgin (episode: "Chapter Seventy-Four") Herself
2019 I Got the Hook Up 2 Bad Mouth Bessie

References

  1. ↑ "Sheryl Underwood". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ "Sheryl Underwood". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  4. ↑ Sheryl Underwood by Diana Gibbs on Prezi Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Actress, TV Host Sheryl Underwood Also Served in the Air Force". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  6. ↑ "The Talk host Sheryl Underwood on life caring for her disabled sister". Monsters and Critics. September 15, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  7. ↑ Rodriquez Jr., Ismael. "Celebrating Iconic Black Veterans", VFW Magazine, Veterans of Foreign Wars, volume 108, number 5, February 2021, p. 20.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Sheryl Underwood". Archived from the original on December 15, 2008. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  9. 1 2 "Sheryl Underwood". TV.com. CNET Networks, Inc.
  10. ↑ "Holla". TV.com. CNET Networks, Inc.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "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.
  12. ↑ "Underwood Jumps From Joyner To Harvey". BV Newswire.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ "The Foxxhole".
  15. ↑ Jackson, Angelique (March 4, 2022). "Sheryl Underwood Inks Multi-Year Renewal at 'The Talk,' Development Deal With CBS Studios (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  16. ↑ "Sheryl Underwood ( Special Event)". PalmBeachImprov.com. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  17. ↑ "NewsOne Now Exclusive: 'The Talk's' Sheryl Underwood Dishes GOP Politics [VIDEO]". February 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ AOL. "Why 'Proud Republican' Sheryl Underwood Campaigned And Voted For Obama - AOL.com".
  19. ↑ "Sheryl Underwood Reveals What Republicans Don't Want Democrats To Know". BlackAmericaWeb.com. 27 September 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Sheryl Underwood Debuts on CBS The Talk, Reveals Her Husband's Suicide". The YBF. September 6, 2011.
  21. ↑ Alexander, Keith L. (August 16, 2008). "Comedian Fights to Retain Presidency of Sorority". Washington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  22. ↑ "Judge rules in favor of comedian in sorority". San Jose Mercury News. The Associated Press. November 25, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
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