Roy Wood Jr.
Roy Wood Jr. | |
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Born | Roy Norris Wood, Jr. December 11, 1978 New York City, U.S. |
Education | Florida A&M University (BA) |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1998–present |
Children | 1 |
Parent |
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Website | roywoodjr |
Roy Norris Wood Jr.[1] (born December 11, 1978) is an American stand-up comedian and actor best known for his correspondent appearances on The Daily Show.[2] A resident of Manhattan, Wood was raised in Birmingham, Alabama and Memphis, Tennessee. After graduating from Ramsay High School in 1996, he began his career in stand-up comedy as the opening act for Tommy Davidson. Wood had a position as the head writer on the WBHJ radio series Buckwilde Morning Show from 2001 to 2006. He has been featured on NBC's reality television series Last Comic Standing in 2010 and Sullivan & Son, a TBS sitcom from 2011 to 2014. He had hosted two podcasts for Comedy Central: Roy's Job Fair and Beyond the Scenes.
Wood was honored at Entertainment Weekly's "12 Rising Stars of Comedy" in 2008 and the 2010 Florida A&M University Young Alumni Awards. From 2015 to 2023, Wood served as a correspondent for The Daily Show on Comedy Central.[3] He hosted the fourth season of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening from 2018 to 2019. In addition to his Daily Show appearances, he has starred in the stand-up comedy specials Father Figure (2017), No One Loves You (2019), and Imperfect Messenger (2021). He has also been featured in television series and movies.
Early life and education[edit]
Wood was born in Manhattan, New York City, New York. His father, Roy Wood Sr., was a Birmingham, Alabama radio broadcasting and journalism pioneer who covered the civil rights movement; the racism encountered by African-American soldiers in the Vietnam War; the Soweto uprising; and the Rhodesian Bush War among other topics.[4] His mother is Joyce Dugan Wood, a college administrator.[5] His paternal three times great-grandfather, Sam Wood, was born c. 1790 in Africa.[1] His parents were separated for a while and Wood lived with his mother in Memphis.[2] When Wood was in the second grade, his parents reconciled and the family moved to Birmingham;[2] they lived on South Park Road in Birmingham's West End neighborhood.[6] His half-brother is Roy L. Wood, a news anchor.[5]
Wood attended Central Park Elementary and Center Street Middle School.[5] He graduated from Ramsay High School in 1996.[7] In 2001, Wood received a Bachelor of Science degree in broadcast journalism from Florida A&M University.[8]
Career[edit]
Before Comedy Central[edit]
While in college, Wood worked as a morning news reporter for Birmingham radio station WBHJ 95.7 Jamz Hot 105.7. He began focusing on a career in comedy after filling in for the station's in-house comedian, Rickey Smiley.[5][9] In 1998, when he was 19, Wood began his career as a standup.[10] he recalls that he passed on his midterm tests, essentially failing the semester in order to open for Tommy Davidson.[11] Wood spent his last two years of college washing dishes on the weekends.[12]
In 2001, after graduating from college, Wood returned to Birmingham and became the head writer/producer for the Buckwilde Morning Show (WBHJ 95.7 JAMZ), a position he held until 2006.[5] He continued working in radio, providing prank calls and content to various morning shows nationally and contributing to Jamie Foxx's Foxxhole station on Sirius XM Radio.[5] Wood released three prank call CDs: My Momma Made Me Wear This (2003), Confessions of a Bench Warmer (2005), and I'll Slap You to Sleep (2007).[9] His pranks have been featured on numerous hip-hop mix tapes.
In 2007, Wood moved to Los Angeles.[5] In 2010, Wood finished third in the seventh season of NBC's Last Comic Standing[13] and began hosting his own morning show, The Roy Wood Jr Show. The show received top ratings and won 'Large Market Morning Show of the Year' from the Alabama Broadcasters Association for several years.
From 2011 to 2014, Wood appeared on the TBS sitcom Sullivan & Son.[14] He had a guest starring role in the first season and was promoted to being a series regular for the second and third seasons. Sullivan & Son was canceled in 2014. In 2013, his first stand-up comedy CD, Things I Think, I Think, was released. In 2015, he was cast by ABC to play alongside Whoopi Goldberg in the comedy pilot Delores and Jermaine; the show did not make it beyond the pilot stage.[15]
At Comedy Central[edit]
In 2015, Wood joined The Daily Show as a correspondent.[10] He moved to New York City to take the job.[12] He has said that his background in standup coupled with his degree in journalism prepared him for the job.[16] Wood said that his work doing guest roles in sports on ESPN and related companies prepared him for The Daily Show, giving him experience with acting, timing, and building characters.[2][4] His first Comedy Central stand-up special, Father Figure, premiered in 2017, with an extended uncensored album of the same name released by Comedy Central Records. In 2017, he was named the new host of Comedy Central's storytelling series This Is Not Happening. his second Comedy Central special, Roy Wood Jr.: No One Loves You, premiered in 2019.
Wood has appeared as a comic on many late night talk shows including the Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Conan. he has performed for the troops on numerous USO tours in the Middle East and the Pacific Islands.[17]
In 2018, it was announced that Wood planned on shooting a TV show in Jefferson County, Alabama.[18] The pilot, called Jefferson County Probation, started shooting in May 2019.[19] As of March 2020, a completed pilot for the show, now called Jefferson County: Probation, was shot for Comedy Centralwith the show in development.[20] The show, created in collaboration with Aaron McGruder (The Boondocks), is about two probation officers in Jefferson County. It is loosely inspired by a 1998 experience Wood had as a 19-year-old college student, when he was arrested for stealing $400 to $500 worth of blue jeans and was sentenced to probation.[4]
In 2019, Wood did a series of YouTube videos centered on the current Popeyes chicken sandwich craze called The Coalition (Chicken Sandwich Coalition).[4][21] In 2021, he was a guest on the PBS series Finding Your Roots, where he described how he unexpectedly was on probation at 19 for using credit cards he stole while a mail sorter for the United States Postal Service to buy fashion jeans; on the show it was revealed that he was a distant cousin of Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis.[22] In 2023, Wood hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.[23]
On October 5, 2023, it was announced that Wood had quit The Daily Show and would not be returning as a correspondent.[24]
Honors[edit]
- 2008: Entertainment Weekly, 12 Rising Stars of Comedy[25]
- 2010: Florida A&M University, Young Alumni Awards: A 40/40 Celebration[26]
Selected publications[edit]
- Wood Jr., Roy (September 19, 2018). "For Roy Wood Jr., Alabama Is Painful History, New Hope and Home". The New York Times.
- Wood Jr, Roy (February 9, 2020). "Opinion: I was furious when we moved to Birmingham". Comeback Town, AL.com.
- Wood Jr, Roy (March 16, 2020). "It's Time for Stand-ups to Prepare for the Worst". Vulture. New York Magazine.
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | The Death of Dick Long | Dr. Richter | ||
2020 | The Opening Act | Gary | ||
2022 | Confess, Fletch | Sergeant Inspector Monroe | ||
2023 | Urkel Saves Santa: the Movie | Department Store Santa, Old Man Buechler (voice) | Direct-to-video | |
TBA | Outcome | Filming |
Television[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Showtime at the Apollo | Himself | [27] | |
2003 | Star Search | — | Comedian Semi Finalist | |
2005 | Premium Blend | Himself | ||
ComicView | ||||
2008 | Def Comedy Jam | 1 episode; also writer | ||
2010 | Last Comic Standing | 5 episodes; also writer (4 episodes) | ||
2012–2014 | Sullivan & Son | Roy | 33 episodes | |
2015 | Delores & Jermaine | Jerome Sr. | Comedy pilot | |
2015–2023 | The Daily Show | Himself (correspondent), various characters | ||
2017 | Impractical Jokers: After Party | Himself | 1 episode | |
Let's Fix Sports | 1 episode ("Roy Wood Jr: Kill The Kiss Cam"); also writer | |||
2018–2019 | This is Not Happening | Himself (host) | 20 episodes; also writer (2 episodes) | |
2018 | The Detour | Kevin | 1 episode | |
2019 | Crank Yankers | Himself | ||
Roy Wood Jr.: Snitch Cop | Snitch Cop | TV movie | [27] | |
Roy Wood Jr.: The Avenging Ones | Luke Rage | TV movie; also writer | ||
Jefferson County: Probation | — | Pilot; also producer, writer | [20] | |
2020 | Better Call Saul | Grant | 1 episode ("Something Unforgivable") | [28] |
The Last O.G. | Runson | 1 episode | ||
Space Force | Liaison Bert Mellows | 2 episodes | [29] | |
Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party | Himself | 1 episode | ||
2021 | Only Murders in the Building | Vaughn | ||
2021–2022 | Flatbush Misdemeanors | Principal Douglas | 2 episodes | |
2023 | The Daily Show | Himself (Guest Host) | 4 episodes (Week of Apr. 3) | [30] |
White House Correspondents' Dinner | Himself (Host) | April 29 | ||
2024 | Last Week Tonight | Boeing Employee | 1 episode ("Airplanes") | [31] |
Web series[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019–2020 | The Coalition | — | TV short videos; also writer and creator | [27] |
Stand-up specials[edit]
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2017 | Father Figure | Comedy Central special also digital download |
2019 | No One Loves You | Comedy Central special also digital download |
2021 | Imperfect Messenger | Comedy Central special also digital download |
Writing[edit]
- 2006: Bob & Tom: Standup Sitting Down TV movie – writer
- 2008: The Funny Spot TV series – writer
Selected discography[edit]
- 2003: My Momma Made Me Wear This CD
- 2005: Confessions of a Bench Warmer CD
- 2007: I'll Slap You to Sleep CD
- 2013: Things I Think, I Think CD
References[edit]
- ^ a b Stated on Finding Your Roots, May 4, 2021
- ^ a b c d Gross, Terry; Wood Jr., Roy (March 21, 2018). "Comic Roy Wood Jr. Taps into America's Psyche on 'The Daily Show'". Fresh Air. NPR.
- ^ Wood Jr., Roy (September 19, 2018). "For Roy Wood Jr., Alabama Is Painful History, New Hope and Home". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d Sanders, Sam; Wood Jr., Roy (November 2019). "It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders: Roy Wood Jr. on Comedy, Criminal Justice, and Chicken Sandwiches". NPR.
- ^ a b c d e f g Temple, Chanda (July 11, 2010). "Birmingham native Roy Wood Jr. is up to some funny business on "Last Comic Standing"". AL.com.
- ^ Sher, David; Wood Jr, Roy (February 9, 2020). "Opinion: I was furious when we moved to Birmingham". Comeback Town, AL.com.
- ^ Gray, Jeremy (October 15, 2015). "Roy Wood Jr.: From Birmingham stand-up to 'Daily Show' standout". AL.com.
- ^ Reinwald, Peter T. (November 4, 2018). "'Daily Show' Comedian Roy Wood Jr. Returning to Town to Emcee FAMU Events". Tallahassee Magazine.
- ^ a b Hinson, Mark (November 7, 2018). "Roy Wood Jr. of 'The Daily Show' grew into comedy at FAMU". Tallahassee Democrat.
- ^ a b Steinberg, Brian (September 2, 2015). "Comedy Central's 'Daily Show' Stocks Up on New Correspondents". Variety.
- ^ "Inside 957jamz.com: Roy Wood Jr". Archived from the original on October 21, 2002.
- ^ a b Johnson, Natalie (November 6, 2015). "Who Is New 'Daily Show' Correspondent, Roy Wood Jr.?". NBC News.
- ^ Temple, Chanda (August 9, 2010). "Roy Wood Jr. is still standing despite loss on "Last Comic Standing". AL.com.
- ^ Gordon, Diane (moderator); Byrne, Steve; Lauria, Dan; Wood Jr, Roy; Ebersole, Christine; Long, Jodi; Bang, Vivian; Benjamin, Owen; Azlynn, Valerie; Ahmed, Ahmed (June 20, 2013). "Conversations with Cast of Sullivan & Son". SAG-AFTRA Foundation. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021.
- ^ "Did You Know Roy Wood Jr. Is Also on the Cast of ABC's 'Delores & Jermaine'?". Comedy Hype. March 17, 2015. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ Stewart, Sherrel Wheeler (December 18, 2015). "Success More Than Jokes For Birmingham's Roy Wood Jr. On Daily Show". WBHM 90.3.
- ^ "Helicopter Rides, Crazy Food Pairings and Troops: Steve Byrne and Roy Wood Jr. Talk About Their USO Travels". United Service Organizations (USO). May 12, 2015.
- ^ Beahm, Anna (July 21, 2018). "Roy Wood Jr. wants to shoot new sitcom in Birmingham". AL.com.
- ^ Beahm, Anna (April 4, 2019). "Roy Wood Jr.'s new sitcom pilot to film in Birmingham in May". AL.com.
- ^ a b Tomberlin, Michael (March 12, 2020). "Roy Wood Jr. Makes Comedy Central to His Hometown". The Birmingham Times.
- ^ Deb, Sopan (March 1, 2019). "Roy Wood Jr is Following in the Comedy Footsteps of Dick Gregory". Albany Times Union.
- ^ "Roy Woods Jr.'s is DNA Cousins with Congressman John Lewis". PBS.org. May 4, 2021.
- ^ "2023 White House Correspondents' Dinner". c-span.org. April 29, 2023.
- ^ Iannucci, Rebecca (October 5, 2023). "Shocker: Roy Wood Jr. Quits The Daily Show After 8 Years". TVLine. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Pastorek, Whitney; Snierson, Dan (November 12, 2008). "12 Rising Stars of Comedy". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ "President's 40/40". Linked. 1 (4). Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. November–December 2010.
- ^ a b c Peele, Anna (June 18, 2018). "The Best Comedians Tell Their Worst Bombing Stories". GQ.
- ^ Herzog, Kenny (April 20, 2020). "Better Call Saul Season Finale Recap: Lalo the Leader". Vulture. New York Magazine.
- ^ Heath, Paul (May 5, 2020). "Space Force' Trailer: Steve Carell Leads The Netflix Original Series". The Hollywood News.
- ^ "The Daily Show Guest Host Lineup". Comedy Central. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ Boeing: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO), retrieved March 13, 2024
External links[edit]
- 1978 births
- Living people
- African-American male comedians
- American male comedians
- Last Comic Standing contestants
- Male actors from Birmingham, Alabama
- Florida A&M University alumni
- 21st-century American comedians
- Comedians from Alabama
- Ramsay High School alumni
- 21st-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American people