Ziwe
Birth nameZiwerekoru Fumudoh
Born (1992-02-27) February 27, 1992
EducationNorthwestern University (BA)
Years active2017–present
Genres
Subject(s)
WebsiteOfficial website

Ziwerekoru "Ziwe" Fumudoh[1] is an American comedian and writer known for her satirical commentary on politics, race relations, and young adulthood.[2][3]

In 2017, she created the YouTube comedy show Baited with Ziwe and its later Instagram Live iteration,[4] She wrote for Desus & Mero from 2018 to 2020,[5] and she co-hosted Crooked Media's Hysteria podcast in 2018.[6] Fumudoh starred in and executive produced the Showtime variety series Ziwe (2021–2022).[7][8] She published a collection of essays called Black Friend in October 2023.[9]

Early life and education

Born February 27, 1992, Fumudoh grew up in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the second of three children to parents who emigrated from Nigeria.[3][10][11][12]

In 2010, Fumudoh graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.[1][13] In 2014, she graduated from Northwestern University with a double major in radio, television, and film and African American studies, with a minor in creative writing: poetry.[3][14][15]

Career

2013–2017: Early years

After realizing she could not imagine a career as a poet, Fumudoh applied for a summer internship at Comedy Central during her junior year of college, working on shows including The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.[13][16][5] During her senior year, she interned as a writer for The Onion and took improv classes at the iO theater.[17] At The Onion she worked in video, research, and contributing features.[18] From 2015 to 2020, she wrote for publications including The Riveter Magazine; Reductress; The Daily Dot;[19] Into The Gloss, where she wrote a column called "Operation Goo Goo Gah Gah";[20] Vulture, where she wrote television recaps;[21] and The New Yorker.

After graduation, she worked at Lorne Michaels's Above Average Productions.[10] Her first television job was as a screenwriter on The Rundown with Robin Thede.[5][16][17]

2017–2020: Baited with Ziwe and Desus & Mero

In 2017, Fumudoh created Baited with Ziwe, a show on YouTube that featured her "baiting" her white friends into making unwitting racial faux pas.[5] During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Fumudoh moved the show from YouTube to Instagram Live with new celebrity guests each week.[22] Guests included Caroline Calloway, Alison Roman, Alyssa Milano, and Rose McGowan.[23] She stated that her show's goals were to facilitate discussions about race while entertaining people and critiquing the system.[6][24][25]

In 2018, Fumudoh appeared frequently in Pop Show, a live show she created at Brooklyn's Union Hall in which she performs original pop songs.[16][26][27] That same year, Fumudoh co-hosted Hysteria, a podcast from Crooked Media.[6]

From 2018 to 2020, Fumudoh was a writer on the TV show Desus and Mero.[28][29] A Forbes reviewer wrote that she had the "confidence of an old comedy pro".[16] During that time, Fumudoh joined the cast of Our Cartoon President as the voice of Kamala Harris. She also wrote the season 3 episode "Senate Control".[30]

2020–2021: Ziwe

In October 2020, it was announced that Fumudoh would work with Showtime on a new variety show, Ziwe.[31] The first season featured sketches, musical numbers, and interviews with guests. Fumudoh hosted, wrote for, and produced the show.[32] Fumudoh collaborated with costume designer Pamela Shepard-Hill on her costumes for the show.[7] In April 2023, Showtime cancelled the series after two seasons.[33]

In 2021, Fumudoh wrote for the television series Dickinson and appeared in two episodes as Sojourner Truth.[34] That same year, she played Sophie Iwobi, a comedic commentator on a late-night show resembling Ziwe, in one episode of the third season of Succession. The character was tailored to more closely resemble Fumudoh after she was cast.[35]

2022–present

In September 2023, Fumudoh was part of the "My Wings, My Way" campaign for Victoria's Secret.[36] In August 2020, it was announced that Fumudoh was writing a collection of humorous essays, The Book of Ziwe, for Abrams Books.[37] The book was later retitled Black Friend and was released on October 24, 2023.[9] On December 18, 2023, Fumudoh interviewed former U.S. House representative George Santos on her YouTube channel.[38]

Personal life

Fumudoh lives in New York City.[39]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2017–2018The Rundown with Robin ThedeNoneWriter (7 episodes)
2018–2020Desus & MeroNoneWriter (66 episodes)
2019–2020Our Cartoon PresidentKamala Harris, various characters (voice)Also writer
2020–2021Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The NewsVoice role
2021–2022ZiweHerself (host)Also producer, creator, and writer
2021SuccessionSophie IwobiEpisode: "The Disruption"
DickinsonSojourner TruthActress in 2 episodes, also writer
2022That Damn Michael CheHerselfEpisode: "Black Mediocrity"

Discography

  • 2020: Generation Ziwe (EP)[17]

References

  1. 1 2 "Supporting Engaged Scholarship". Andover, The Magazine of Phillips Academy. Winter 2010.
  2. ↑ Jennings, Jackie (December 14, 2018). "WATCH: How Ariana Grande's 'Thank U, Next' is like the MCU". SCI FI Wire.
  3. 1 2 3 Yap, Audrey Cleo (July 14, 2020). "Ziwe Wants to Be 'the Ellen DeGeneres of Race Relations'". Variety.
  4. ↑ "Ziwe wants to shake up late night. Even if it makes you uncomfortable". Los Angeles Times. May 6, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Hawgood, Alex (March 15, 2019). "Ziwe Fumudoh Uses Humor to Push Racial Buttons". The New York Times.
  6. 1 2 3 ""Pass Those Pearls Down"". Crooked Media. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Testa, Jessica (May 13, 2021). "That 'Ziwe' Look". The New York Times.
  8. ↑ Wheeler, André (May 3, 2021). "Ziwe Puts the Met in the Hot Seat". The New Yorker.
  9. 1 2 Fumudoh, Ziwe (October 24, 2023). Book of Ziwe Iconic Commentary and (Mostly) True Stories. Abrams, Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-4197-5634-4.
  10. 1 2 Blake, Meredith (May 6, 2021). "Ziwe is here to revolutionize late night. Even better if it makes you uncomfortable". Los Angeles Times.
  11. ↑ Kilbane, Brennan (September 1, 2020). "How Ziwe Fumudoh Gets Ready for Each Episode of 'Baited'". Allure.
  12. ↑ Sullivan, James (May 12, 2021). "Ziwe brings a satirical edge — and queries about race — to her new Showtime series". The Boston Globe.
  13. 1 2 Fumudoh, Ziwe (October 30, 2019). "Ziwe And The Skincare You Buy After The Derm Reads You 'For Filth'". Into The Gloss.
  14. ↑ Misulonas, Joseph; Lenhoff, Caryn (January 22, 2013). "Meet The Daily's winter columnists". The Daily Northwestern.
  15. ↑ "Ziwe Fumudoh '14". Recent Alumni Newsletter Archive, Northwestern Alumni. 2020.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Escandon, Rosa (October 31, 2018). "26-Year-Old Ziwe Fumudoh Has The Confidence Of An Old Comedy Pro". Forbes.
  17. 1 2 3 Milliken, Clare (September 29, 2020). "An Artist First: Ziwe Fumudoh starts uncomfortable conversations with comedy". Northwestern Magazine.
  18. ↑ "About". ZIWE. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Articles by Ziwe Fumudoh". The Daily Dot. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Ziwe Fumudoh, Columnist at Into The Gloss". Into The Gloss. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Ziwe Fumudoh Author Archive". Vulture. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  22. ↑ Jung, E. Alex (July 16, 2020). "Who's Afraid of Ziwe Fumudoh?". Vulture.
  23. ↑ Berkowitz, Joe (July 2, 2020). "The best show on TV is Ziwe Fumudoh's hilariously uncomfortable Instagram Live show". Fast Company.
  24. ↑ Murphy, Chris (August 28, 2020). "Ziwe's Instagram Live Show: 'An Incredible Leader'". Vulture.
  25. ↑ Garcia, Sandra E. (July 9, 2020). "Ziwe Fumudoh Asks: 'How Many Black People Do You Know?'". The New York Times.
  26. ↑ Pilat, Kasia (August 9, 2018). "5 Comedy Shows to Catch in N.Y.C. This Weekend". The New York Times.
  27. ↑ Zinoman, Jason (January 31, 2019). "Instead of Killer Punchlines, Killer Choruses". The New York Times.
  28. ↑ McKenzie, Joi-Marie (March 14, 2019). "'Desus & Mero's' Secret Weapons Are Two Black Women Writers". Essence.
  29. ↑ Smith, Mariah (February 5, 2020). "Desus and Mero Writer Ziwe Fumudoh Plays the Race Card for Laughs". W Magazine.
  30. ↑ White, Peter (October 21, 2020). "Showtime Orders Variety Series Featuring 'Desus & Mero' Writer Ziwe". Deadline Hollywood.
  31. ↑ O'Connell, Mikey (October 21, 2020). "Ziwe Fumudoh Getting Her Own Variety Show at Showtime". The Hollywood Reporter.
  32. ↑ Greene, Steve (February 23, 2021). "'Ziwe': Showtime Sets Premiere Date for New Variety Series". IndieWire.
  33. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (April 5, 2023). "'Heist 88' Moves To Showtime As Network Picks Up 'Seasoned' To Series, Passes On 'The Wood' & Cancels 'Ziwe' After 2 Seasons". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  34. ↑ "'Dickinson': Ziwe's Sojourner Truth Proves She's History's Baddest B*tch". Decider. November 5, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  35. ↑ Lattanzio, Ryan (November 1, 2021). "Ziwe's Surprise 'Succession' Cameo Was Reshaped Specifically for Her". IndieWire. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  36. ↑ Pusateri, Catie (September 12, 2023). "Victoria's Secret Brings Back the Wings in New Campaign". Fashionista.
  37. ↑ Wright, Megh (August 12, 2020). "Ziwe Fumudoh to Bait You With a Book of Essays". Vulture.
  38. ↑ George Santos Answers Hard-Hitting Questions | Ziwe Interview, retrieved December 19, 2023
  39. ↑ Fumudoh, Ziwe (October 24, 2023). Book of Ziwe Iconic Commentary and (Mostly) True Stories. Abrams, Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-4197-5634-4.
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