Amy Sedaris

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Amy Sedaris

Sedaris at BlogHer, 2007
Born March 29, 1961 (1961-03-29) (age 47)
Endicott, New York

Amy Sedaris (born March 29, 1961) is an American actress, author, and comedian.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Personal life

Amy Sedaris was born in Endicott, New York, daughter of Sharon and Lou Sedaris, an IBM engineer.[1][2] She is the younger sister of humorist David Sedaris. They grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is of half Greek descent;[3] her father was Greek Orthodox and her mother was Protestant, and she was raised in her father's faith.[4][5]

Amy Sedaris lives in Greenwich Village with her mini rex rabbit Dusty and is very involved with the House Rabbit Society. As part of a running joke during public appearances, she frequently alludes to her imaginary boyfriend, Ricky. During an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman (October 6, 2006), she claimed Ricky had "died", (murdered)[6] and she now lives with Ricky's ghost.

[edit] Career

A former member of Chicago-based Second City and Annoyance Theatre comedy troupes, she is known for her role as "Jerri Blank" in the television series Strangers with Candy. The show, which she co-wrote with Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert (both whom also starred with her in the short-lived sketch show, Exit 57, on Comedy Central), was based on Sedaris' impression of 1970s motivational speaker Florrie Fisher. Sedaris has appeared in the movies Elf, School of Rock, Maid in Manhattan, the film version of Bewitched and is featured in David Munro's upcoming Full Grown Men. She also starred in the 2006 film adaptation of Strangers with Candy. In addition to acting, she runs a cupcake and cheese ball business ("Dusty Food Cupcakes") out of her kitchen.[7]

Sedaris entertaining the audience and fellow author David Rakoff as she gives direction on making brownies at the 2006 Texas Book Festival.
Sedaris entertaining the audience and fellow author David Rakoff as she gives direction on making brownies at the 2006 Texas Book Festival.

Sedaris also hosted the series Film Fanatic on Trio. She coauthored the text-and-picture novel Wigfield with Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert, published in 2003. As of 2005, Sedaris writes a monthly advice column in The Believer. She has written a guide to entertaining titled I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, published in October 2006 by Warner Books. That light-hearted approach to cooking stayed on the New York Times best-sellers list for over 12 weeks, and currently has over 350,000 copies in print.

Along with her brother, author and essayist David Sedaris, Amy has co-authored several plays under the name "The Talent Family." These include: Stump the Host (1993), Stitches (1994), One Woman Shoe (1995), Incident at Cobblers Knob (1997) and The Little Frieda Mysteries (1997) which were all produced and presented by Meryl Vladimer, when she was the artistic director of "the CLUB" at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club Incident at Kobblers Knob was presented and produced by David Rockwell at the Lincoln Center Festival. She co-authored the play The Book of Liz with her brother. She played the stage manager in Paul Rudnick's play The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told.

Sedaris appeared in two episodes of Rescue Me, two episodes of Monk, an episode of Wonder Showzen, on Just Shoot Me! as a female version of David Spade's character, and as Carrie Bradshaw's book publisher in Sex and the City. She also played Paulie the Penis in the online comedy sketch 'The Puberty Pals'.[8] She guest-starred as Randy's cat-obsessed girlfriend in an October 2006 episode of My Name Is Earl. She has also made a guest appearance on Sesame Street as a flustered Snow White who keeps losing her dwarves.

One of Sedaris' lesser known characters, Piglet, is a foul-mouthed, promiscuous Southern girl whom she affects by pulling her nose back with a piece of tape, creating a "pig nose" look. Although the character's rants are too obscene for her television appearances, Sedaris is often encouraged by fans to perform her at book signings and other appearances.

In 2007, Sedaris was featured in Dolly Parton's first mainstream country music video in 17 years, "Better Get to Livin'."

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Selected filmography

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  1. ^ http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20070319&s=heard031907
  2. ^ http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20070319&s=heard031907&c=2
  3. ^ : : A N T O N E L L A G A M B O T T O - B U R K E W E B : : C R I T I Q U E : :
  4. ^ Amazon.com: Me Talk Pretty One Day: Books: David Sedaris
  5. ^ Amy Sedaris Interview
  6. ^ jerriblank.com
  7. ^ TV Guide: Amy Sedaris Sells Movie "Candy"
  8. ^ IMDB #21, 22

[edit] External links

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