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Recognized
by both her peers and her fans as among the best in
the business, Wanda was named one of the 25 Funniest
People in America by Entertainment Weekly and was the
only black female to make Comedy Central’s list
of the 100 Greatest Comics of All Times.
Here,
she talks about her new film, Over the Hedge, an animated
feature where she lends her distinctive voice to the
character Stella the Skunk.
KW:
Hi Wanda, I don’t know if you saw my annual Blacktrospective
column, but I named you the second best black actress
of 2005.
WS:
Wow! Thank you. No, I didn’t see that.
Who won, Queen Latifah?
KW:
No, Thandie Newton for Crash.
WS:
Great! That’s not too shabby at all.
KW:
You definitely deserved the accolade, because once again
you somehow managed to steal scene after scene from
some very talented co-stars, in this case J-Lo and Jane
Fonda. Why is it that when an audience comes away from
Monster-in-Law, the most memorable thing about it is
you?
WS:
Wow! I’m not going to say that I stole
anything. I guess you could say that they provided an
environment for me to be comfortable in so that I was
to carve out a little space that wasn’t being
used. It just kinda worked out.
KW:
What interested you in your latest role as
Stella the Skunk?
WS:
Well, I started this process about three years
ago, so I’ve had quite a few successes since then.
But three years ago, my agent called me and says, “[producer]
Jeffrey Katzenberg and some people at Dreamworks want
to meet because they’re about to do a new animated
movie and they want to talk to you about being in it.”
KW:
What was your reaction?
WS:
I said, “Oh my God, let’s get over there
before they see Pootie Tang.” So, I went over
there and they pitched the story and told me that they
had me in mind for Stella the Skunk. And then they all
kinda ducked, waiting to see if I was going to blow
up. But I responded immediately and I got the role.
I was looking forward to doing it and I loved it.
KW:
Even though you’re self-deprecating about Pootie
Tang, I loved that movie and it made the Top Ten List
in my Blacktrospective for 2001. Even though it was
a low-budget film, I thought that its message was great,
plus I found it very entertaining.
WS:
Thank you very much. I don’t put it down, because,
like anything I do, if I’m in it, it’s because
I believe in it. It’s just fun to joke around
with it. And also, Pootie Tang is one of those movies
that either people get it, or they don’t. So,
they either love it or despise it. But, I’m not
really ashamed of it or embarrassed by it at all.
KW:
I see you’re doing a lot of animated voicework,
as Bessy the Cow in Barnyard, Sister Moon in Brer Rabbit,
etcetera. Why do you think you’ve become so popular
as a cartoon character?
WS:
My voice is distinctive, there’s a rhythm to it,
and also it’s funny. I was just blessed with a
funny-sounding voice.
KW:
What do you think it is that makes you so funny as comedienne?
When did you discover that you were funny?
WS:
I knew I was outspoken when I was a kid, because whenever
my parents had company coming over, they would pay me
to leave. “Go see your grandmother. Get out of
here.” That was my first paying gig. But it really
wasn’t until junior high school, around my peers.
They would laugh and always tell me that I was funny.
I was like the unofficial class clown. So, yeah, back
then, I knew that I had something, a certain wit.
KW:
But you went to college and tried a career as bureaucrat
before finally pursuing your true calling.
WS:
I had never been to a comedy club, and I didn’t
know any working comedians, so it just took a while
for me to write some jokes and get into a talent show.
But then it all made sense to me. I said, “Okay,
this is why I am here on this Earth. This is what I’m
supposed to be doing.”
KW:
What was it like to explode into a superstar? Can you
still go to a mall or a supermarket?
WS:
Oh, definitely. I still go wherever I want to go and
do whatever I want to do. People… I hate to use
the word “fans,” are very respectful. It’s
not like I’m some pop idol or big movie star.
I’m very approachable, and I love the people who
enjoy me, because they react like they’ve run
into a friend. Usually, it’s like, “Hey,
Wanda! How ya’ doing?”
KW:
I know you’re a member of AKA, the pink-and-green
sorority. Are you still in touch with any of your sorority
sisters?
WS:
The ones I went to school with at Hampton, we still
keep in touch. It’s just so hard getting together,
because we’re scattered all over the country.
But when I’m on tour, if someone is in that city,
she’ll come out to the show and it’s always
great seeing them.
KW:
I saw that you’re in Clerks II. How did
you hook up with [director] Kevin Smith and what was
it like working with him?
WS:
He was a lot of fun to work with. I met Kevin
when he and [producer] Norman Lear, who I’m a
big fan of, were working together on a project. They
were doing public service announcements to get people
to vote. They asked me to do one of them that Kevin
was directing, so that was the first time that I actually
worked with Kevin. Then, when he was doing Clerks II,
he called me and said, “I’ve got a small
part. Would you come aboard and just play with us for
a day?” I said, “Sure!” since I loved
the original. And after reading the script, I definitely
wanted to be a part of it.
KW:
You’re also in Evan Almighty, the sequel to Bruce
Almighty. Have you started shooting that yet?
WS:
Yes, we’re already in production and shooting
in Charlottesville, Virginia.
KW:
You’ve written a book, written scripts, done stand-up,
been in movies, and on TV. Which type of work is your
favorite?
WS:
Stand-up, by far, is my favorite.
KW:
Have you ever considered taking a dramatic role. I think
you’d be great at that, too?
WS:
Oh, thank you. What I love about comedy is that there’s
room to have those dramatic scenes. As long as it’s
real, there can still be something funny in a tragic
situation. But while I won’t say never, right
now I enjoy being funny, and that’s where I’m
comfortable, so I think I’m going to stay with
the funny.
KW:
What advice do you have for anyone wanting
to follow in your footsteps?
WS:
You better be very passionate about it, because there’s
a lot of rejection before you get to the good stuff.
It’s something that you just have to love and
be tenacious about and hang in there. If you don’t
love it, and are only getting into it because you want
to be famous, you’re going to be crushed. You’ve
got to do it because you love it.
KW:
What would you say was your big break?
WS:
I would say that would be the Chris Rock Show, when
I started writing on that show. I opened for Chris when
he was preparing to do Bring the Pain. He was working
at Caroline’s. Then when he got his own show,
I got a call to submit some writing samples. I got the
job and I can’t even put a value on what I learned
from working with him. I still credit him and the exposure
I got on his show for my big break. But I just credit
him. I don’t write him a check or anything.
KW:
Do you think you’ll work with him again.
WS:
Yes.
KW:
Is there a question you always wished someone
would ask you that you’ve never been asked?
WS:
Hmm…. That question right there that you just
asked me is a good question, because I’m thinking
about it. That’s a very good question.
KW:
Are you willing to reveal what general area of L.A.
you live in? I don’t mean to be annoying, but
this is what I call the Jimmy Bayan question.
WS:
I live in The Valley.
KW:
He’s friend of mine who lives in Los Angeles and
always wants to know the answer to that question, not
that he’s a…
WS:
A stalker?
KW:
Have you ever been to Princeton?
WS:
Yeah, I think I played the school or somewhere
around there back when I was doing a college tour. I
used to live in Woodbridge, New Jersey early on when
I was pursuing stand-up. I couldn’t afford New
York, so I lived in Jersey for a few years before I
moved into the City.
KW:
Thanks for the interview, Wanda.
WS:
Well, thank you. Appreciate it. Take care.
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