May 19th: Wanda Sykes Special Filmed at Hampton U. To Debut On Netflix

By Rosaland Tyler
Associate Editor
New Journal and Guide

On May 19, Netflix will debut “Legacy,” a one-hour comedy special that Comedian Wanda Sykes filmed Feb. 20-21, 2024, at Hampton University’s historic Robert C. Ogden Hall.

Sykes returns to her roots for her third Netflix stand-up special. Acclaimed filmmaker Julie Dash directed the comedy special that features the comedian’s trademark wit and fearless insight which have earned her multiple Emmy wins and nominations.

She was born in Portsmouth but moved with her family to Maryland when she was in the third grade. Her mother, Marion Louise, worked as a banker, and her father, Harry Ellsworth Sykes, was a U.S. Army colonel employed at the Pentagon.

Sykes graduated from Hampton with a bachelor of science degree in marketing and launched her stand-up career in Washington, D.C. during a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase, according to PBS. After performing for the first time in front of a live audience in 1987, she joined the writing team on The Chris Rock Show and also made many appearances on the show. The writing team was nominated for four Emmys, and in 1999, won for Outstanding Writing for a variety, music, or comedy special.

She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and has written for The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show and made acting appearances on a number of sitcoms like Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Her May 19 comedy special on Netflix will debut about a week after she performs at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on May 7.