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Ziwe Fumudoh

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Ziwe
Birth nameZiwerekoru Fumudoh
Born (1992-02-27) February 27, 1992 (age 32)
EducationNorthwestern University (BA)
Years active2013–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 2020 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

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

She graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 2010 and attended Northwestern University, where she lived in McCulloch Hall her first year.[13] She wrote for student publications including Purp Magazine, Northwestern Sketch Television, and Project SOARD.[14][13] In 2014 she graduated with a double major in radio, television, and film and African American studies and a minor in creative writing concentrating in poetry.[1][15][3][16][17]

Career

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2013–2017: Early years

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In 2013, Fumudoh worked as a summer intern at Comedy Central on shows including The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.[15][18][5] During her senior year of college, she interned as a writer for The Onion and took improv classes at iO Theater.[19] At The Onion she worked in video, research, and contributing features.[20] From 2015 to 2020, she wrote for publications including The Riveter Magazine; Reductress; The Daily Dot;[21] Into The Gloss, where she wrote a column called "Operation Goo Goo Gah Gah";[22] Vulture, where she wrote television recaps;[23] 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][18][19]

2017–2020: Baited with Ziwe and Desus & Mero

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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] In an interview, Fumudoh later said "I love that Baited allows viewers to laugh about race while still acknowledging its complexity. Of all projects I worked on, it's definitely one of my favorites."[24] In the same interview, she said that she got the inspiration for the show from asking her Caucasian coworkers what questions they would be uncomfortable to answer on camera.[24]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Fumudoh moved the show from YouTube to Instagram Live with weekly celebrity guests including Caroline Calloway, Alison Roman, Alyssa Milano, and Rose McGowan.[25][26] She stated that her show's goals were to facilitate discussions about race while entertaining people and critiquing the system.[6][27][28]

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.[18][29][30] 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.[31][32] A Forbes reviewer wrote that she had the "confidence of an old comedy pro".[18] 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".[33]

2020–2021: Ziwe

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In October 2020, the first season of Ziwe, Fumudoh's variety show on Showtime, was announced.[34] Its six episodes featured sketches, musical numbers, and interviews with celebrity guests including Fran Lebowitz, Bowen Yang, Phoebe Bridgers, Julio Torres, and Stacey Abrams.[35] Fumudoh served as host, writer, and producer, and she worked with costume designer Pamela Shepard-Hill on clothing.[36][7]

Season 2 of Ziwe built upon the successful format of Season 1, with 12 episodes featuring.[35] Celebrity guests included: Ilana Glazer, Mia Khalifa, Emily Ratajkowski, Katya Zamolodchikova, Julia Fox, Bob the Drag Queen, Joel Kim Booster, Amber Riley, Michael Che, and Hannibal Burress, among others.[35][37] Clips of the show were popular on TikTok, achieving Fumudoh's dream of becoming "The Ellen Degeneres of race relations."[3] In April 2023, Showtime announced it would not renew the series.[38][39]

Additional projects

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In 2021, Fumudoh wrote for the television series Dickinson and appeared in two episodes as Sojourner Truth.[40] 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.[41]

2022–present

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In September 2023, Fumudoh was part of the "My Wings, My Way" campaign for Victoria's Secret.[42]

In August 2020, Fumudoh's upcoming collection of humorous essays was announced. Initially set to be titled The Book of Ziwe, the book was published by Abrams on October 24, 2023 with the title Black Friend.[43][9] Fumudoh made eight book tour stops across the US.[44]

On December 18, 2023, Fumudoh interviewed the scandal-plagued former U.S. House representative George Santos on her YouTube channel.[45] The interview was widely covered in political news outlets and entertainment columns.[46][47][48][49]

Influences

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Fumudoh has cited Jonathan Swift and Stephen Colbert as influences, having been introduced to them by a teacher during her freshman year of high school.[50] Naming the latter as a foundational reference, she has said of his appearance at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, "It was so unbelievable that he’d speak to authority or even around authority like that... I was really compelled by his satire."[51] She has also taken inspiration from Oprah, the works of Zach Galifianakis, and Nathan Fielder,[51] as well as from shows like Arrested Development, The Office, and 30 Rock.[52]

Personal life

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Fumudoh lives in New York City.[9]

Filmography

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Ziwe Fumudoh film and television credits
Year Title Role Notes
2017–2018 The Rundown with Robin Thede None Writer (7 episodes)
2018–2020 Desus & Mero None Writer (66 episodes)
2019–2020 Our Cartoon President Kamala Harris, various characters (voice) 11 episodes; also writer
2020–2021 Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News Various voices 12 episodes
2021–2022 Ziwe Herself (host) Also producer, creator, and writer
2021 Succession Sophie Iwobi Episode: "The Disruption"
Dickinson Sojourner Truth 2 episodes, also writer
2021–2023 The Great North Amelia (voice) 9 episodes
2022 That Damn Michael Che Herself Episode: "Black Mediocrity"
Central Park (voice) Episode: "The Puffs Go Poof"
2023 Teenage Euthanasia Various voices 2 episodes
2024 Shell Audrey

Discography

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  • 2020: Generation Ziwe (EP)[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b c d Hawgood, Alex (March 15, 2019). "Ziwe Fumudoh Uses Humor to Push Racial Buttons". The New York Times.
  6. ^ a b c ""Pass Those Pearls Down"". Crooked Media. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  7. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c Fumudoh, Ziwe (October 24, 2023). Book of Ziwe Iconic Commentary and (Mostly) True Stories. Abrams, Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-4197-5634-4.
  10. ^ a b 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. ^ a b "Episode 63: Navigating Career as a Creative Professional with Ziwe Fumudoh '14". www.alumni.northwestern.edu. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "Your Reunion Committee". www.alumni.northwestern.edu. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Fumudoh, Ziwe (October 30, 2019). "Ziwe And The Skincare You Buy After The Derm Reads You 'For Filth'". Into The Gloss.
  16. ^ Misulonas, Joseph; Lenhoff, Caryn (January 22, 2013). "Meet The Daily's winter columnists". The Daily Northwestern.
  17. ^ "Ziwe Fumudoh '14". Recent Alumni Newsletter Archive, Northwestern Alumni. 2020.
  18. ^ a b c d Escandon, Rosa (October 31, 2018). "26-Year-Old Ziwe Fumudoh Has The Confidence Of An Old Comedy Pro". Forbes.
  19. ^ a b c Milliken, Clare (September 29, 2020). "An Artist First: Ziwe Fumudoh starts uncomfortable conversations with comedy". Northwestern Magazine.
  20. ^ "About". ZIWE. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  21. ^ "Articles by Ziwe Fumudoh". The Daily Dot. November 20, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  22. ^ "Ziwe Fumudoh, Columnist at Into The Gloss". Into The Gloss. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  23. ^ "Ziwe Fumudoh Author Archive". Vulture. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  24. ^ a b "A Brief Interview with Ziwe Fumudoh". Ryan Sartor. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  25. ^ Jung, E. Alex (July 16, 2020). "Who's Afraid of Ziwe Fumudoh?". Vulture.
  26. ^ Berkowitz, Joe (July 2, 2020). "The best show on TV is Ziwe Fumudoh's hilariously uncomfortable Instagram Live show". Fast Company.
  27. ^ Murphy, Chris (August 28, 2020). "Ziwe's Instagram Live Show: 'An Incredible Leader'". Vulture.
  28. ^ Garcia, Sandra E. (July 9, 2020). "Ziwe Fumudoh Asks: 'How Many Black People Do You Know?'". The New York Times.
  29. ^ Pilat, Kasia (August 9, 2018). "5 Comedy Shows to Catch in N.Y.C. This Weekend". The New York Times.
  30. ^ Zinoman, Jason (January 31, 2019). "Instead of Killer Punchlines, Killer Choruses". The New York Times.
  31. ^ McKenzie, Joi-Marie (March 14, 2019). "'Desus & Mero's' Secret Weapons Are Two Black Women Writers". Essence.
  32. ^ Smith, Mariah (February 5, 2020). "Desus and Mero Writer Ziwe Fumudoh Plays the Race Card for Laughs". W Magazine.
  33. ^ White, Peter (October 21, 2020). "Showtime Orders Variety Series Featuring 'Desus & Mero' Writer Ziwe". Deadline Hollywood.
  34. ^ O'Connell, Mikey (October 21, 2020). "Ziwe Fumudoh Getting Her Own Variety Show at Showtime". The Hollywood Reporter.
  35. ^ a b c "Ziwe Season 2 (2022)". Paramount+ with Showtime. May 9, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  36. ^ Greene, Steve (February 23, 2021). "'Ziwe': Showtime Sets Premiere Date for New Variety Series". IndieWire.
  37. ^ White, Peter (September 21, 2022). "'Ziwe': Drew Barrymore & Julia Fox Among Guests For Latest Tranche Of Second Season". Deadline. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  38. ^ 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.
  39. ^ 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. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  40. ^ "'Dickinson': Ziwe's Sojourner Truth Proves She's History's Baddest B*tch". Decider. November 5, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  41. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (November 1, 2021). "Ziwe's Surprise 'Succession' Cameo Was Reshaped Specifically for Her". IndieWire. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  42. ^ Pusateri, Catie (September 12, 2023). "Victoria's Secret Brings Back the Wings in New Campaign". Fashionista.
  43. ^ Wright, Megh (August 12, 2020). "Ziwe Fumudoh to Bait You With a Book of Essays". Vulture.
  44. ^ Mukherjee, Soumyajyoti (August 17, 2023). "Ziwe The Black Friend Tour 2023: How to buy tickets, dates, venues, & more". Sports Keeda. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  45. ^ George Santos Answers Hard-Hitting Questions | Ziwe Interview, December 18, 2023, retrieved December 19, 2023
  46. ^ Ashbury, Grace (December 18, 2023). "George Santos's Latest Stop on His Notoriety Tour: A Ziwe Interview". New York Times. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  47. ^ Scribner, Herb; Branigin, Anne (December 18, 2023). "George Santos talked to Ziwe. He had a lot to say". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  48. ^ Shanfeld, Jordan Moreau,Ethan; Moreau, Jordan; Shanfeld, Ethan (December 18, 2023). "George Santos Claims 'Gen Z Loves Trump' and Calls HBO's Biopic About Him 'F—ing Fiction' During Ziwe Interview". Variety. Retrieved February 17, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  49. ^ Bramwell, Michaela (December 18, 2023). "Here Are The 11 Most Shocking Moments Of Ziwe's Interview With George Santos". BuzzFeed. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  50. ^ Fragoso, Sam (November 12, 2023). "The Ziwe Interview". Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  51. ^ a b Conteh, Mankaprr (October 16, 2023). "How Ziwe Got Tender on Her Own Terms in Her First Book". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  52. ^ Blake, Meredith (May 6, 2021). "Ziwe is here to revolutionize late night. Even better if it makes you uncomfortable". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
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