Robin Thede
| Robin Thede | |
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Thede in 2016
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| Born | July 27, 1979 (age 38) Spencer, Iowa, United States |
| Occupation | Writer, actress, comedian |
Robin Thede (born July 27, 1979) is an American comedic actress, writer, sketch and improvisational comedian. She has also worked as an entertainment correspondent, host, and radio personality.[1] Notable in 2015 as the first African-American woman to be head writer for a late-night talk show (The Nightly Show), she continued to advance. In 2017, Thede started as the host of The Rundown on BET; she is the first African-American woman to host a late-night TV talk show.
Early life and education[edit]
Born in Spencer, Iowa, Thede is bi-racial. Her parents are educator Dave Thede, who is German American, and Phyllis Thede, who is African American.[2] From 1980 to 2004, her family lived in Davenport, Iowa, where her father was an educator and her mother also worked in community schools and served with the union for school staff. Thede’s two younger sisters were born there. Later her parents moved to Bettendorf, Iowa. Thede has said that growing up bi-racial in small-town Iowa heightened her sensitivity to groups.[2] Her mother was elected in 2009 as Iowa State Representative for House District 93 and continues to serve in the legislature.[3] Thede and her sisters attended local schools in Davenport.
Thede attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, earning a degree in Broadcast Journalism and African-American Studies. After college, Thede studied at The Second City theatre group in Chicago.[4][5]
Career[edit]
In October 2017, Thede began starring in her own late-night TV talk show, The Rundown on BET. She is one of a few African-American women to host their own late-night show.[6]
Thede was a head writer and performer on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.[7] From 2015–16, she was the head writer for the first season and a half of The Nightly Show, the first African-American woman to hold that position on any late-night talk show.[8]
Prior, she was head writer on The Queen Latifah Show and staff writer on the first two seasons of Real Husbands of Hollywood on BET. In January 2013, she appeared in the Marlon Wayans’ comedy A Haunted House opposite comedian JB Smoove. She also had recurring appearances as “Gail” on Second Generation Wayans on BET in March 2013.
Thede has often worked on TV shows as both a writer and actress, including on the short-lived FOX series In the Flow with Affion Crockett, the Mike Epps sketch comedy series Funny Bidness, and on the comedy series Clunkers (starring Carl Payne, David Faustino and Sherman Hemsley).
Thede’s recent television appearances include roles on Key & Peele (Comedy Central), Hot In Cleveland (TV Land), Chocolate News (Comedy Central), Kath & Kim (NBC), Worst Week (CBS) and All of Us (UPN). She was a series regular on the BET original web series Buppies with Tatyana Ali.
Thede’s other writing credits include BET Awards (2014), BET Honors (2013), UNCF: An Evening of Stars (2013), BET Awards (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), NAACP Image Awards (2011), the BET Hip Hop Awards (2010, 2011, 2012) and more.
Additionally, Thede has created several successful videos, including “Shit Black Guys Say” (which went viral with 2.5 million views on YouTube), “Every Little Step” with Wayne Brady, Bobby Brown and Mike Tyson (Funny or Die.com), and “For Stuffed Colored Girls” (Funny or Die.com). She can also be seen with Elite Delta Force 3 in “The Real Housewives of Civil Rights” (Funny or Die.com/EDF3 YouTube Channel).
Thede’s comedy work extends from years of professional live sketch comedy (Second City Chicago and LA, Improv Olympic, Acme) to comedic commentary on shows such as 10 Things I Hate About Me for the Style Network. She is also a performer and writer for the all-female sketch group “Elite Delta Force 3”, which won the 2009 Audience Award Winner of the Los Angeles Comedy Improv Festival.
Other notable work includes co-hosting on The Voice of Reason on Jamie Foxx’s Foxxhole Sirius/XM radio channel. She worked as a regular entertainment correspondent for E! News with Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic.
Herself – Panelist / The Night Lights Singer / Bluejasmine Steeplechase / …
Gail
Cheryl
Roberta (‘Wake Up Call’) / Janet Morgansmith (‘Recession Travel Agency’) / Mariah Carey (‘Celebrity House Husbands’) / …
Priscilla
Various
