A Comic Called Wanda

Like Bob Saget and Gilbert Gottfried before her, Wanda Sykes walks the comedic tightrope between family films and foul-mouthed filth. Her high-pitched, instantly recognizable voice has led to jobs on such animated trifles as Over the Hedge and Barnyard, but her faithful fans prefer the unhinged Sykes, where she hurls...

By John Thomason

November 29, 2012

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Like Bob Saget and Gilbert Gottfried before her, Wanda Sykes walks the comedic tightrope between family films and foul-mouthed filth. Her high-pitched, instantly recognizable voice has led to jobs on such animated trifles as Over the Hedge and Barnyard, but her faithful fans prefer the unhinged Sykes, where she hurls improvised insults at Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm, jokes about cannibalizing annoying boys on airplanes in her HBO special Sick & Tired, or suggests Rush Limbaugh be waterboarded at the 2009 White House Correspondents Dinner. Believe it or not, this outspoken, occasionally controversial comedian used to work for the National Security Agency, presumably before all that warrantless wiretapping created an unseemly Orwellian behemoth. She was still working for the government in 1987, when she performed her first standup act; she made the right career choice, and America continues to thank her for it. She performs at 8 p.m. Sunday at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, located at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $45 to $115. Call 954-462-0222, or visit browardcenter.org.
Sun., Dec. 2, 8 p.m., 2012

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.