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Wanda Sykes Highlight
Wanda Sykes
Comedian
Sometimes it's being in a place where you know this is not what I want to do. That pushes you to go ahead…and go after what it is that you really enjoy…for me, it was comedy.
About Wanda
- Graduated from Hampton University with a degree in marketing.
- Living in the Washington D.C. area, the thing to do was to work for the government, so she got a job with the NSA.
- She was moving up through the ranks and had a comfortable salary, but she knew that wasn't what she wanted to do with her life.
- She'd always watched comics on TV; one day, she heard about a local comedy talent show and decided to enter.
- After auditioning, she made it into the talent show; after that, she started going to comedy clubs all the time.
- The more comedy she did, the more she was sure it was her calling; eventually she officially quit her NSA job and gave up her "safety net."
- Whenever times were hard or she was having doubts, she remembered her miserable NSA job and that motivated her to keep going.
- Of course, she's had setbacks-including a memorable show where she bombed in front of her family and friends-but she's truly living her dream.