Vault: Wanda Sykes Interview

Summary

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The Bert Show – "Vault: Wanda Sykes Interview" (June 17, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this throwback "Vault" episode, The Bert Show team (Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, and cast) catch up with comedian, actress, and talk show host Wanda Sykes. The vibrant, candid conversation explores Wanda’s take on the late-night television shakeup (notably the NBC/Conan/Leno saga), the pressures of TV ratings, her thriving career across multiple projects, and the release of her stand-up DVD, "I’ma Be Me." True to her style, Wanda blends incisive industry observations with her signature wit, offering both laughs and real talk about fame, media, and comedy.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Wanda’s Busy Schedule and Sleepless Nights

• [02:01] Wanda shares that juggling her late-night show and her role on "Old Christine" is a handful, but it’s actually her young kids who are stealing her sleep, not her TV duties.

  “No, the babies are doing that. Babies are crushing the sleep time. The late night show is fun, though. I'm having a good time…” — Wanda Sykes [02:06]

2. Late-Night Television Turmoil: The Tonight Show Fiasco

• [02:23–06:16] The conversation pivots to the highly publicized instability at NBC over the Tonight Show, Jay Leno, and Conan O’Brien.
  • Wanda calls NBC’s handling of the transition "a mess" and sympathizes with both Jay and Conan.
  • She jokes about her own TV contract by contrasting it—humorously—with Conan's generous exit package:

    “My contract is really jacked up because if I get fired, I owe FOX money and my staff, they get to kick my butt in the parking lot.” — Wanda Sykes [03:02]

  • Wanda notes industry realities: Networks only value immediate ratings; they don’t stick with hosts long enough for audiences to develop.
  • She defends Jay Leno taking back the slot, pointing out contractual handcuffs, but also understands the public’s sense that it was someone else’s "turn."

    “If you love what you're doing, you know, and you're good at it, you know, should that force you out? ... I really like doing it, but, nah, I'm gonna let somebody else do it?” — Wanda Sykes [05:46]

3. Wanda’s Take on Hosting the Tonight Show

• [06:16–06:28] When asked if she’d ever take the Tonight Show:

  “Hell, no.” “I won't even watch NBC anymore…If that’s the way they do business, I wouldn’t go anywhere near them.” — Wanda Sykes [06:20–06:28]

4. Honest Talk about Ratings and Network Support

• [06:42–07:23] Wanda candidly discusses her own Saturday night show’s performance:
  • Ratings are strong—about 2.3 million viewers, outperforming some weeknight rivals in the demo.
  • She admits Fox isn’t investing heavily in promo, but she just focuses on making good TV and having fun.

  “This business is all about how much they're willing to lose. So I just go out and do my show and try to have fun and hope the audience is enjoying [it].” — Wanda Sykes [07:23]

5. Promotion: "I’ma Be Me" Stand-Up DVD Release

• [07:45–08:12] Wanda plugs her new stand-up DVD, "I’ma Be Me," which had successful runs on HBO and is now accessible to wider audiences.

  “…if you're too cheap to have cable, you know, have premium stuff, the DVD will be available on Tuesday.” — Wanda Sykes [07:53]

6. On Current Comedy and Pop Culture: Tiger Woods

• [08:41–09:11] Wanda riffs on the wellspring of timely comedy material coming from the Tiger Woods scandal:

  “We all in comedy should send him a fruit basket. And he keeps giving. ... It’s like the tooth fairy, you wake up, oh, what did Tiger leave me? What bit of comedy am I getting from Tiger today?” — Wanda Sykes [08:47]

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Notable Quotes

• On NBC’s Late Night Drama:

  “NBC, they're just a big mess. You know, they weren't fair to either Jay or Conan…” — Wanda Sykes [02:34]

• On Contracts and Industry Reality:

  “…networks, they don't stick with you anymore, that let you try to develop, you know, an audience...” — Wanda Sykes [04:32]

• On Personal Policy toward NBC:

  “I won't even watch NBC anymore. ... I wouldn't want to be in business with them.” — Wanda Sykes [06:23]

• On Comedy Gold from Tiger Woods:

  “He keeps giving… you wake up, oh, what’s under my pillow today? What bit of comedy am I getting from Tiger today?” — Wanda Sykes [08:47]

• On Her DVD Release:

  “I’ma Be Me is coming out on Tuesday…if you’re too cheap to have cable…the DVD will be available on Tuesday.” — Wanda Sykes [07:53]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:30 Wanda joins the show live, energy check-in
• 02:06 Wanda on kids vs. career and late-night show workload
• 02:23 NBC/Tonight Show/Conan/Leno debacle
• 03:02 Wanda jokes about her own TV contract
• 04:32 Industry realities for TV hosts
• 05:46 Should entertainers move aside for new talent?
• 06:20 Would Wanda host The Tonight Show? ("Hell, no.")
• 06:54 Wanda discusses her show's ratings and Fox promotion
• 07:53 Announcing the "I’ma Be Me" DVD release
• 08:47 Comedy material from the Tiger Woods scandal

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Memorable Moments

• Wanda’s direct "Hell, no" reaction to ever taking the Tonight Show, paired with a broader critique of NBC.
• Her analogy comparing loving TV hosting to being a heart surgeon—why give up what you’re good at, just for someone else’s turn.
• Running joke about borrowing food from Conan O’Brien and sending Tiger Woods a comedian’s "fruit basket" in gratitude for never-ending material.

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Summary Tone & Style

The conversation is lively, irreverent, and full of authentic Wanda Sykes humor and candor. The hosts match her for high energy, genuine curiosity, and comic rapport, making this a fun and insightful episode for comedy fans and pop culture enthusiasts alike.

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Transcript

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[Radio Host]

The Bird Show. Hey, Wanda Sykes. Hello.

[Wanda Sykes]

Hello.

[Radio Host]

Is this Wanda?

[Wanda Sykes]

Yes, it is.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Hey, how are you?

[Wanda Sykes]

Hey.

[Radio Host]

I know it doesn't sound like it, but we're on the radio right now.

[Wanda Sykes]

Get out.

[Radio Host]

This is the show. This is as fun as it gets. This is it right here.

[Wanda Sykes]

Wow, this has a high energy.

[Radio Host]

We were gonna tape it and then play it back tomorrow morning, but we're running late today, so we thought, wow, let's just talk to you live. It's way more fun anyway.

[Wanda Sykes]

Well, I like that. Okay.

[Radio Host]

How are you?

[Wanda Sykes]

I'm doing wonderful.

[Radio Host]

Is this is the new late night show thing here? Is it crushing your sleep time or how you handling all that.

[Wanda Sykes]

No, the babies are doing that. Babies are crushing the sleep time. The late night show is fun, though. I'm having a good time over there, you know, it's, it's. I'm really busy doing Old Christine and doing the show, you know, same time, but I'm getting it done.

[Radio Host]

This has got to be a pretty interesting time to be in late night tv. Sort of watching everything that's going on with the Tonight show and Conan and all that. What's your take on everything that's been going on?

[Wanda Sykes]

What's going on with the Tonight Show? No, it's a mess over there. NBC, they're just a big mess. You know, they weren't fair to either Jay or Conan, you know, and I feel sorry for those guys, you know, but, you know, I guess by the time Conan finished counting his money, his time will be up and he can get back on tv.

[Radio Host]

Serious. That's a lot of money. So many.

[Wanda Sykes]

Yeah, man. So, like, my contract is really jacked up because if I get fired, I owe FOX money and my staff, they get to kick my butt in the parking lot. I don't know how that happened, but,

[Radio Host]

you know, what did he end up with? 40 million for himself and 12 million for, for the staff?

[Wanda Sykes]

Something like that? I don't know. But I want to give him a call, see if I can borrow food,

[Radio Host]

you know, like, what, what's your take and what's like the, I don't know, like the comedy community's take on Jay Leno. Because it seems like there's a lot of people pissed at him right now.

[Wanda Sykes]

Yeah, you know, it seems like a lot of people are mad with him. But to me, I mean, it's, it's. If you're any, you know, anywhere in TV or just, I mean, I'm sorry, Radio too. I mean, you know the game. If you're not getting the numbers, they, you know, they'll fire you. And, you know, Jay, he was getting numbers at the 11:30 spot and they didn't want to lose him, so they pushed him at 10 o' clock and it's okay, do I go to 10 o' clock or do I just say, you know, screw it. I'll just try to, you know, sit still for a little bit because they didn't want to let him out of his contract either. So that's why I'm just like, I would be really pissed at NBC if I were them because they made both of them, you know, look bad.

[Radio Host]

What's the controversy then with Jay? Like, if you're Jay Leno. Do you just let that job go because they gave it to Conan, or would you have handled it the same way Jay has? Would you take it back?

[Wanda Sykes]

I take it back. Well, if it meant that I can't work anywhere else for a while, you know, I mean, he's. He's under contract, you know, so what do you do? Yeah, I don't know. I mean, it's not like if Jay didn't take the job back, that they were going to keep Conan. You know, I like to say, okay, we'll just stick with this guy if we can't have you. I, you know, I. I don't know. I mean, I would hate to be in that position, you know, but, I mean, look at it. Jay was number one when he was in that spot. So, I don't know. You know, networks, they don't. They don't stick with you anymore that lets you try to develop, you know, an audience. So I don't know what. What Jay could have done, because he's not, you know, he doesn't. He's not Jeff Zucker. He's. He doesn't own NBC. He doesn't own his show.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Right. I guess a lot of people think, you know, how much.

[Wanda Sykes]

What was that?

[Co-host/Interviewer]

No, I was gonna say, I think a lot of people would just wonder, you know, how much is enough, you know, like. Because. Yes, when you strike when the iron's hot and when you're hot, you're doing all these shows and, you know, making a lot of money and. And Jay's been doing it for a long time, and I guess for some people, they thought, well, you know what? It was someone else's turn. And if you've given it up, then give it up. It's not like Jay's hurting for money and needs the job back.

[Wanda Sykes]

Right? But, you know, but if you love what you. What you. What you're doing, you know, and you're good at it, you know, should that force you out? Should you go, oh, you know what? I love being a heart surgeon, but I want to stop because, you know, I've saved enough lives. I want to stop, let somebody else do. I. I really like doing it, but, nah, I'm gonna let somebody else do it.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

In light of all.

[Wanda Sykes]

Yeah. So I see both sides, you know, I flow for both of them.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

So in light of all of that, would you ever host the Tonight Show?

[Wanda Sykes]

Hell, no.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Really? Why not?

[Wanda Sykes]

I don't even. I don't. I won't even watch NBC anymore.

[Oregon Lottery Announcer]

Really?

[Radio Host]

Really?

[Wanda Sykes]

Yeah. I mean, it's, it's ridiculous what they, what they did. You know, I'll go on the show, but I, you know, I'm not, I wouldn't want to be a business with them. That's not, that's the way they do business. I would go anywhere near them.

[Radio Host]

You know, I think you said something really true. Like we're, we're, we're both in industries where you got to see results quickly now and if you don't, they're gone. So how have your ratings been since you started?

[Wanda Sykes]

Oh, for my show.

[Oregon Lottery Announcer]

Uh huh.

[Wanda Sykes]

I've been, I've been doing good. Yeah. And the ratings are holding up actually on, on my show, on a Saturday night around like what, like 2.3 million viewers, I think. And like in the demo, I'm doing better than like what like Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon and Greg Ferguson. What they do on a regular night.

[Oregon Lottery Announcer]

That's awesome.

[Wanda Sykes]

Yeah, it's been great. You know, I'm, I'm not getting a lot of press from Fox or promos from Fox, but you know, that costs money. So. And I'm telling you, this business is all about how much they will understand, how much they're willing to lose. So I, I just go out and do my show and try to have fun and hope the audience is enjoying

[Radio Host]

it in all, in all honesty.

[Wanda Sykes]

So that's good. But I'm here to talk about my, my dvd.

[Radio Host]

Okay, let's talk about. All right. What you got going on?

[Wanda Sykes]

Yeah, I'mma Be Me is coming out on Tuesday on dvd. And you know, it was, it did very well for hbo. And so now if you too cheap to have cable, you know, have premium stuff, the DVD will be available on Tuesday.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I saw it on hbo. Hilarious as always. Because I think your name is synonymous with just being funny in comedy. Because my girlfriend and I watched it, like loved it. And even last night during the State of the Union address, when Joe Biden was back there smiling and laughing, my girlfriend said he looks like he's watching a Wanda Sykes show. I mean, it's just, you know, I think that you were so hot right now in comedy that I think that, you know, you talk about Fox not doing a lot of commercial. It's like you don't need it. It's just you see your name up there, you're on tv, people want to turn to it.

[Wanda Sykes]

Well, thank you.

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[Co-host/Interviewer]

And I'm wondering if you're gonna write Tiger Woods a thank you note cause your Tiger woods stuff is hilarious.

[Wanda Sykes]

I'm telling you, I mean, we all in comedy should send him a fruit basket. I mean, and he keeps giving. It doesn't stop. I wake up and yeah, it's like the tooth fairy, you know, you wake up, oh, what's under my pillow today? What did Tiger leave me? What bit of comedy am I getting from Tiger today?

[Radio Host]

The DVD comes out on what day?

[Wanda Sykes]

On Tuesday.

[Radio Host]

On Tuesday.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

We'll make sure to remind everybody.

[Wanda Sykes]

All right.

[Radio Host]

All right, Juana, good talking to you and continued success with the TV show.

[Wanda Sykes]

Well, thank you.

[Radio Host]

All right, take care.

[Wanda Sykes]

All right, you too. Bye.

[Radio Host]

Bye.

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