I was funny around my family. My family, they're pretty funny, too.
The first time onstage, a light went on. 'OK, this is my thing. I'm comfortable here. This is my thing.'
It's not until you develop your own voice, your own persona onstage that you become your own comic, who you really are.
If I did a talk show, this would allow me to speak on what's happening at that moment. I can be current, and I get to flex my stand-up muscle but stay at home without doing the traveling.
I have problems with YouTube and things like that, when you catch it mid production. If I'm doing a show and I'm working on a bit and someone's there with a phone, they record it and put it online - it's not the finished product.
I really can't pinpoint the one moment when I said I want to be a comic.
There's obviously a group who enjoys what Tyler Perry is putting out there. And why fault them? And there's a group that loves the things that Spike does. So they should enjoy that, too. Is it my taste? Maybe not, but I'm not going to fault anybody for doing what they're doing as long as people are showing up.
I have a sidekick, Keith Robinson, who's very funny. I've known Keith for over 20 years; he's my best friend.
My shows and my material are grounded in reality. It's pretty much something that's either happened in my life or in the news, and I start there and give you my take on it.
I worked with people like Edward Snowden. Well, not people who took stuff home.
I had breast cancer. Yeah, I know it's scary.
I have a lot of breast cancer history on my mother's side of the family.
I was working at the NSA. I don't know, I was just bored. I just knew that's not what I was supposed to be doing with my life.
There's so many good comedians in D.C. I started hanging out with those guys. Dave Chappelle was there. Actually, Dave was too young to be in the clubs, so when his mom couldn't make it, he would ask me to pretend I was his aunt, so he could do open mike.
In this business, you get an opportunity, and you pounce on it.
My voice is distinctive: there's a rhythm to it, and also, it's funny. I was just blessed with a funny-sounding voice.
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?'
Stand-up, by far, is my favorite.
I have to be socially aware; I feel like that's my job.
I'm constantly preparing. Material hits me; I'm always writing. I go back and listen to my shows and just prepare and put my set together. But the day of, I like to have some downtime. A nice lunch is important for me.
