Roy Wood Jr.
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Roy Norris Wood Jr. (born December 11, 1978) is an American humorist,
stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...
, radio personality, actor, producer, podcaster, and writer best known for his correspondent appearances on '' The Daily Show with Trevor Noah''. A native of Manhattan, Wood was raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennessee. After graduating from
Ramsay High School Ramsay High School is a four-year magnet high school in Birmingham, Alabama. It is one of seven high schools in the Birmingham City School System and one of three International Baccalaureate schools in the Birmingham metropolitan area. Originally ...
in 1996, Wood began his career in
stand-up comedy Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...
as the opening act for Tommy Davidson. He had a position as head writer on the WBHJ radio series ''Buckwilde Morning Show'' from 2001 to 2006. Wood has been featured on NBC's reality television series '' Last Comic Standing'' in 2010 and the TBS sitcom ''
Sullivan & Son ''Sullivan & Son'' is an American sitcom created by Steve Byrne and Rob Long that was broadcast on TBS. It starred Byrne as Steve Sullivan, who surprises his parents when he leaves his job as a corporate lawyer to take over a bar owned by his ...
'' from 2011 to 2014. He currently hosts two podcasts for Comedy Central: Roy's Job Fair and Beyond the Scenes. Wood was honored at '' Entertainment Weeklys "12 Rising Stars of Comedy" in 2008 and the 2010 Florida A&M University Young Alumni Awards. Since 2015, Wood has served as a correspondent for ''The Daily Show'' on Comedy Central. He hosted the fourth season of Comedy Central's '' This Is Not Happening'' from 2018 to 2019. In addition to his ''Daily Show'' appearances, Wood has starred in the
stand-up comedy Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...
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

Wood was born in Manhattan, New York City,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
. His father,
Roy Wood Sr. Roy Norris Wood Sr. (September 15, 1915 – October 15, 1995) was an African American radio pioneer, civil rights journalist, commentator, college professor, and entrepreneur. Wood was the host of the nationally syndicated TV show ''Black's Vie ...
, 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. His mother is Joyce Dugan Wood, a college administrator. His paternal three times great-grandfather, Sam Wood, was born c. 1790 in Africa. His parents separated for a time, and Wood lived with his mother in Memphis, Tennessee. When Wood was in the second grade, his parents reconciled, so the family moved to Birmingham; they lived on South Park Road in Birmingham's West End neighborhood. His half-brother is Roy L. Wood, a news anchor. Wood attended Central Park Elementary and Center Street Middle School. He graduated from
Ramsay High School Ramsay High School is a four-year magnet high school in Birmingham, Alabama. It is one of seven high schools in the Birmingham City School System and one of three International Baccalaureate schools in the Birmingham metropolitan area. Originally ...
in 1996. In 2001, Wood received a B.S. in broadcast journalism from Florida A&M University.


Career


Before Comedy Central

While in college, Wood worked as a morning news reporter for Birmingham, Alabama, 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. In 1998, when he was 19, Wood began his career as a standup. Wood recalls that he passed on his midterm tests, essentially failing the semester, in order to open for Tommy Davidson. Wood spent his last two years of college doing dishes on the weekends. 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. 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. 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). Wood's pranks have been featured on numerous hip-hop mix tapes. In 2007, Wood moved to Los Angeles. In 2010, Wood finished third in the seventh season of NBC's '' Last Comic Standing'' and began hosting his own morning show, ''The Roy Wood Jr Show''. The show garnered 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 ''Sullivan & Son'' is an American sitcom created by Steve Byrne and Rob Long that was broadcast on TBS. It starred Byrne as Steve Sullivan, who surprises his parents when he leaves his job as a corporate lawyer to take over a bar owned by his ...
''. He had a guest starring role in the first season, but was then promoted to series regular for the second and third seasons. ''Sullivan & Son'' was canceled in 2014. In 2013, Wood's 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.


At Comedy Central

In 2015, Wood joined '' The Daily Show'' as a correspondent. Wood moved to New York City to take the job. Wood has said that his background in standup coupled with his degree in journalism prepared him for the job. 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. 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''. Wood's 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 Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
'', '' 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 ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' is an American late-night news and political satire talk show hosted by Seth Meyers on NBC. The show premiered on February 24, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. Airing weeknights a ...
'', and '' Conan''. Wood has performed for the troops on numerous
USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
tours in the Middle East and the Pacific Islands. In 2018, it was announced that Wood planned on shooting a TV show in
Jefferson County, Alabama Jefferson County is the List of counties in Alabama, most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, located in the central portion of the state. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 674,721. Its county seat i ...
. The pilot, called ''Jefferson County Probation'', started shooting in May 2019. As of March 2020, a completed pilot for the show, now called ''Jefferson County: Probation'', was shot for Comedy Central, with the show in development. The show, created in collaboration with
Aaron McGruder Aaron Vincent McGruder (born May 29, 1974) is an American writer, cartoonist, and producer best known for creating ''The Boondocks'', a Universal Press Syndicate comic strip and its animated TV series adaptation. Early life and education Aaron ...
(''
The Boondocks Boondocks are remote, usually brushy areas. Boondocks may also refer to: * The Boondocks (band), an Estonian rock band * ''The Boondocks'' (comic strip), a comic strip by Aaron McGruder ** ''The Boondocks'' (2005 TV series), the television ser ...
''), is about two probation officers in Jefferson County, Alabama. 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. In 2019, Wood did a series of YouTube videos centered on the
Popeyes Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., also known as Popeyes and formerly named Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken & Biscuits, is an American multinational chain of fried chicken fast food restaurants that was formed in 1972 ...
chicken sandwich craze called ''The Coalition (Chicken Sandwich Coalition)''. In 2021, he was a guest on the PBS series ''
Finding Your Roots ''Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'' is a documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS. In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is compiled with ...
'', where he described how he unexpectedly got probation at 19 for using credit cards he stole while a mail sorter for the US Postal Service to buy fashion jeans, and where it was revealed that he was a distant cousin of Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis.


Honors

* 2008: '' Entertainment Weekly'', 12 Rising Stars of Comedy * 2010: Florida A&M University, Young Alumni Awards: A 40/40 Celebration


Selected publications

* * *


Selected filmography

* 2001: '' Showtime at the Apollo'' TV series – self * 2012–2014: ''
Sullivan & Son ''Sullivan & Son'' is an American sitcom created by Steve Byrne and Rob Long that was broadcast on TBS. It starred Byrne as Steve Sullivan, who surprises his parents when he leaves his job as a corporate lawyer to take over a bar owned by his ...
'' TV series – Roy (33 episodes) * 2003: '' Star Search'' TV series – Comedian Semi Finalist * 2005: '' Premium Blend'' TV series – self * 2006: '' Bob & Tom: Standup Sitting Down'' TV movie – writer * 2006: ''Bob & Tom: Standup Sitting Down'' – writer * 2008: ''The Funny Spot'' TV series – writer * 2008: '' Def Comedy Jam'' TV series – writer, self (1 episode) * 2010: '' Last Comic Standing'' TV series – self (5 episodes); writer (4 episodes) * 2015–present: '' The Daily Show'' TV series – self, correspondent, various characters * 2015: ''Delores & Jermaine'' TV movie – Jerome Sr. * 2017: ''Impractical Jokers: After Party'' TV series – self (1 episode) * 2017: ''Let's Fix Sports'' TV series short – writer (1 episode: "Roy Wood Jr: Kill The Kiss Cam") * 2018–2019: '' This is Not Happening'' TV series – host (20 episodes), writer (2 episodes) * 2018: '' The Detour'' TV series – Kevin (1 episode) * 2019: ''Roy Wood Jr.: Snitch Cop'' TV movie – Snitch Cop * 2019: ''The Death of Dick Long'' – Dr. Richter * 2019: ''Roy Wood Jr.: The Avenging Ones'' TV movie – Luke Rage, writer * 2019–: ''
Crank Yankers ''Crank Yankers'' is an American adult puppet television show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison. It features actual crank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests, while re-enacted onscreen by puppets for a vis ...
'' TV series – self * 2019–2020: ''The Coalition (Chicken Sandwich Coalition)'' TV short videos – writer, creator, voice * 2020: ''
Better Call Saul ''Better Call Saul'' is an American crime and legal drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Part of the ''Breaking Bad'' franchise, it is a spin-off of Gilligan's previous series, '' Breaking Bad'', and serves as a ...
'' TV series – Grant (1 episode “
Something Unforgivable "Something Unforgivable" is the tenth and final episode of the fifth season of the AMC television series ''Better Call Saul'', a spin-off series of ''Breaking Bad''. The episode aired on April 20, 2020, on AMC in the United States and Canada. Out ...
”) * 2020: ''
The Last O.G. ''The Last O.G.'' is an American comedy television series created by Jordan Peele and John Carcieri that premiered on March 31, 2018 on TBS. The series follows a convict (O.G., or original gangster) released after serving fifteen years who return ...
'' TV series – Runson (1 episode) * 2020: ''
Space Force A space force is a military branch of a nation's armed forces that conducts military operations in outer space and space warfare. The world's first space force was the Russian Space Forces, established in 1992 as an independent military service. ...
'' TV series – Liaison Bert Mellows (2 episodes) * 2020: ''The Opening Act'' – Gary * 2020: ''Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party'' TV series – self (1 episode) * 2021: ''
Only Murders in the Building ''Only Murders in the Building'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. The ten-episode first season premiered on Hulu in August 2021. The plot follows three strangers played by Steve Ma ...
'' TV series – Vaughn (1 episode) * 2022: '' Confess, Fletch Movie - Detective Monroe * '' BET's ComicView'' TV series – self * '' SportsNation'' TV series – self * TBD: ''Jefferson County: Probation'' – producer, writer


Stand-up specials


Selected discography

* 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


External links

* * *
Roy Wood, Jr.
at Comedy Central {{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Roy Jr. 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