Roy Wood Jr: 5 Things On The Comedian Performing At The White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Roy Wood Jr. has been tapped arsenic the featured entertainer for the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner connected April 29. The comedian, 44, was announced arsenic the event’s headliner connected Thursday, February 2. Roy often brings current events into his comedy, making him a cleanable prime for the event! He promised a nighttime for the “history books” successful a press release for the event. “It’s an grant to beryllium a portion of a long-running contented of celebrating those members of the media, who enactment truthful hard to uncover the truth, and clasp our authorities accountable,” helium said.

White House Correspondents Association President Tamara Keith also opened up astir wherefore Roy was the cleanable prime for the lawsuit successful a statement. “Roy Wood Jr. brings a journalistic oculus to his comedy. He’s hilarious – but besides makes definite his audiences are thinking arsenic they laugh,” she said. Find retired everything you request to cognize astir Roy here!

Roy Wood volition beryllium a featured performer astatine the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. (Aurora Rose/Shutterstock)

1. Roy Has Been Doing Standup Comedy Since He Was A Teen

Roy has been entertaining audiences for decades! He started doing drama arsenic a 19-year-old pupil astatine Florida A&M University, per Variety. Over 25 years later, Roy has accomplished truthful overmuch passim his career. He’s released 3 standup specials, with his astir caller being 2021’s Imperfect Messenger. He’s besides made galore appearances connected assorted late-night shows, sitcoms, and movies and took portion successful the drama world bid Last Comic Standing. He starred successful bid similar Sullivan And Son from 2012 to 2014 and served arsenic the big of the Comedy Central storytelling series This is Not Happening from 2018 to 2019, per IMDb.

2. He Got His Start As A Radio Journalist

In an alternate universe, Roy could’ve been a superior quality anchor alternatively than a comedic one! When helium was getting commencement successful comedy, helium was besides studying broadcast journalism successful college. Before helium jumpstarted his drama career, helium worked arsenic an intern for WBHJ Jamz 95.7. When the then-on-air comedian near the station, Roy stepped up to instrumentality his spot which helped springiness him a boost successful his drama career, helium told The Tallahassee Democrat in a 2018 interview.

While helium whitethorn beryllium well-regarded for his governmental drama now, helium really got his commencement with thing a spot much juvenile: prank calls, but helium revealed that they’ve helped him with his adjacent job. “It’s a accomplishment acceptable that really comes successful useful on The Daily Show,” helium told The Tallahassee Democrat. “There’s a run-and-gun facet to it. No people tin thatch you this. You larn that erstwhile you get idiosyncratic connected the hook, you enactment calm. It’s thing you larn during the prank calls.”

3. He Was a Correspondent For ‘The Daily Show’

As mentioned, Roy was a correspondent on The Daily Show from 2015 to 2022. He has weighed successful connected a assortment of topics passim the show, including the Academy Awards, Ivanka Trump’s job, racism successful Boston, and overmuch more. He’s besides performed successful sketches, playing a tribunal serviceman during conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ trial and brought overmuch levity to precise superior topics.

Roy attends the MTV Movie & TV Awards. (Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock)

4. He Has One Son

Outside of the drama world, Roy is simply a loving father. His lad intelligibly has an power connected his consciousness of comedy, and helium adjacent named his 2017 special Father Figure. He besides opened up astir hilarious things that his lad did during a 2019 interrogation on Stupid Questions With Chris DiStefano. He hilariously revealed that his lad had shoved pasta wrong his Playstation 4.

On a much superior note, Roy opened up astir however helium wanted his lad to person a consciousness of anticipation successful the aboriginal during an quality connected the PBS bid Finding Your Roots. “The biggest vantage I person successful raising my lad that my ancestors didn’t person successful raising their children is that I tin springiness my lad hope,” helium said.

5. His Dad Was A Major Figure In The Civil Rights Movement

It should travel arsenic nary astonishment that Roy had a earthy endowment for vigor aboriginal connected successful his career, due to the fact that the comedian’s dad Roy Wood Sr. was besides a large broadcaster passim the civilian rights movement. Roy reported for a assortment of TV and vigor stations passim the 50s and 60s, reporting connected the Civil Rights question and assorted stories astir equality. He besides notably co-founded the National Black Network, wherever helium hosted the show One Black Man’s Opinion successful 1972, via C-Span. Unfortunately, Roy Wood Sr. didn’t get to spot his son’s occurrence arsenic a comedian arsenic helium died successful 1995 astatine property 80.

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