Michelle Wolf Explained
Michelle Wolf should not be confused with Michelle Wolff.
Michelle Wolf |
Birth Date: | 21 June 1985 |
Birth Place: | Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Active: | 2014–present |
Education: | College of William and Mary (BS) |
Michelle Wolf (born June 21, 1985) is an American comedian, writer, producer, and television host. She worked as a contributor and writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. She spoke as the featured performer at the 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner. She hosted the Netflix comedy talk show series The Break with Michelle Wolf and performed in the 2019 stand-up comedy special Joke Show.
Early life and education
Wolf was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where she grew up with two older brothers.[1] [2] [3] She graduated from Hershey High School in 2003.[4] She graduated from the College of William & Mary in 2007, where she majored in kinesiology and was a member of the cardiovascular physiology lab.[5] [6] She was on the track and field team while in high school and college, competing in the high jump and 400 meter and 800 meter runs before an injury forced her to stop competing.[7]
Career
Wolf was employed at Bear Stearns from 2007 to 2008, later at JPMorgan Chase, working for almost four years in mutual funds and managing accounts[8] between the two banks.[9] [10] Around the time of the buyout by JPMorgan, Wolf started improv classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade and the Peoples Improv Theater (PIT). Her frustration with the imperfect and ephemeral nature of improv and the encouragement from classmates got her to audit a stand-up class at the People's Improvisational Theater aka The PIT.[2] Her first appearance on late-night television was in July 2014, when she went on Late Night with Seth Meyers. She re-appeared on numerous segments on Late Night, often as her fictional persona, "Grown-Up Annie", an adult version of Little Orphan Annie. She later held additional positions on the same show, including, most recently, as writing supervisor.[11] [12]
In November 2015, Comedy Central released the entirety of Now Hiring, a web series hosted by Wolf, on YouTube.[13] Wolf is a regular at the Comedy Cellar in New York City. In April 2016, she joined The Daily Show with Trevor Noah as a contributor.[14] Wolf has said that she learned a lot about comedy working for Seth Meyers and Trevor Noah.[15]
In August 2016, she performed her stand-up show So Brave at the Edinburgh Festival, which was her first performance outside North America.[16]
Wolf's television work in the United Kingdom also includes an appearance on Live At The Apollo in late 2016 and an appearance as a panelist on the UK comedy game show 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown in early 2017, partnering with team captain and British stand-up comedian Jon Richardson. She appeared on the same show later on in the year, this time partnering with Sean Lock. On November 20, 2016, Wolf appeared as a guest on Frankie Boyle's American Autopsy on BBC2, reflecting on the result of the 2016 United States presidential election.[17] She also appeared on an episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats in January 2017, partnering with English footballer Jermaine Jenas and team captain Rob Beckett,[18] and partnered with David Mitchell on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2018.
On December 2, 2017, Wolf made her HBO stand-up debut, Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady,[19] which was taped at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City[20] in mid-August 2017.[21] [22]
2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner appearance
On April 28, 2018, Wolf was the featured entertainer[23] at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.[24] U.S. President Donald Trump did not attend the dinner for the second consecutive year,[25] sending Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House Press Secretary.[26]
Wolf delivered a 19-minute comedy routine[27] and was both praised and criticized for her "harsh and stinging" jokes aimed at the Trump administration—most notably at Sanders—and at the media itself.[28] [29] [30] [31] Wolf's criticism of journalism was called by one commentator "the most consequential monologue so far of the Donald Trump era."[30] Managers at C-SPAN radio considered the monologue so risqué that they stopped broadcasting it half-way through, worrying that she might violate FCC indecency guidelines[32] and that they might get fined.[33] Wolf's joke about Sanders' using the ashes of facts to create her perfect eye makeup became the most controversial issue among the criticisms aimed at Wolf's presentation:[34] [35]
I actually really like Sarah. I think she's very resourceful. She burns facts, and then she uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye. Like maybe she's born with it, maybe it's lies. It's probably lies.[36] [37]
Journalists including Maggie Haberman of The New York Times,[38] [39] [40] Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC,[41] [42] [43] and Andrea Mitchell of NBC News, criticized Wolf on Twitter for targeting Sanders. Ed Henry of Fox News stated that "[i]t was disgusting, despicable."[44] CBS News executives reportedly considered ending its participation in future dinners, but later changed its stance after the network was assured that the Correspondents' Association would "seriously consider changes to the dinner's format."[45] Former press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted, "Tonight's #WHCD was a disgrace"[46] [47] to which Wolf replied, "Thank you!"[48] The next day, Trump called several outside advisors to criticize the comedian,[32] and he sent a series of tweets saying that the "so-called comedian"[49] and the "filthy 'comedian' totally bombed."[50] and called for the dinner to be discontinued or "start[ed] over."
Wolf questioned her critics from the media: "Why are you guys making this about Sarah's looks? I said she burns facts and uses the ash to create a *perfect* smoky eye. I complimented her eye makeup and her ingenuity of materials."[51] In an interview with Terry Gross on NPR, Wolf said that the joke was not about Sanders' looks at all, it was about her lies, and there is not really a need to defend it in the first place.[52] She said she did not attack any of the women's physical appearances, unlike some male politicians such as Mitch McConnell's neck or Chris Christie's weight, but "as a woman, I have access to hit women in a way that men might not be able to hit them with jokes." Talking about her performance, "I wouldn't change a single word that I said. I'm very happy with what I said, and I'm glad I stuck to my guns."
Other journalists, including Jacob Soboroff of NBC News, Joan Walsh of CNN, Amanda Hess of The New York Times, and Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post, tweeted their support for Wolf and took the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) to task for the statement issued by its president, Margaret Talev.[53] [54] Talev wrote that the program "was meant to offer a unifying message about [the WHCA's] common commitment to a vigorous and free press while honoring civility, great reporting and scholarship winners, not to divide people,"[55] [56] and that Wolf's "monologue was not in the spirit of that mission."[53] [54] [56] James Poniewozik, writing for The New York Times, criticized the WHCA for disavowing Wolf, saying that she was "defending the mission of the White House press: sticking up for the truth. Michelle Wolf had the WHCA's back Saturday night, even if it didn't have hers the day after."[57] The New Yorker's Masha Gessen was particularly impressed with Wolf's criticism of journalism, praising her for how she "exposed the obscenity of the fictions" of "The Age of Trump".[30]
Many comedians came to Wolf's defense, including Jimmy Kimmel,[58] Trevor Noah,[59] Seth Meyers,[60] Adam Conover,[61] Dave Chappelle,[62] Kathy Griffin,[63] Guy Branum, Anthony Atamanuik[64] and Jimmy Dore.[65] Stephen Colbert, who was the featured entertainer at the 2006 edition of the event, joked on The Late Show, "This is the correspondents' dinner, celebrating the freedom of speech. You can't just say whatever you want!"[66] Nell Scovell writing for Vulture criticized journalists Haberman, Brzezinski, and Mitchell for what Scovell called a "manufactured catfight" between Wolf and Sanders. Describing the ensuing controversy, Scovell wrote, "[w]omen, comedians, and the media all grabbed each other's hair and threw each other to the floor while men watched and cheered."[67] Wolf was later grateful for the controversy, which helped sell out tickets for her March 2018 stand-up show at Carolines on Broadway, tweeting "Hey @GOP thanks for the free publicity [kiss emoji]."[68]
Wolf's last line in her speech was “Flint still doesn't have clean water”, referring to the long-running man-made water crisis in the city of Flint, Michigan.
The Break with Michelle Wolf
See main article: The Break with Michelle Wolf. Wolf hosted a weekly Netflix talk show, The Break with Michelle Wolf, which premiered May 27, 2018 and was discontinued on August 18, 2018. Before the show premiered, it was announced that it would "take a break from the seriousness of late-night comedy" and "instead of making the news fun, she'll make fun of everything and everybody. There will be no preaching or political agenda—unless it's funny."[69] [70] She was also an executive producer for the show.[69] [71] Netflix released the trailer to coincide with her appearance at 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner.[72] [73] Netflix ordered a 10-episode season that premiered in May 2018 and aired over 10 weeks, with the series finale on July 29, 2018. The show was cancelled after one season, having not drawn enough of a viewership to secure a renewal.[74]
Joke Show
In December 2019, Netflix released Joke Show, a stand-up comedy special written and performed by Wolf.[75]
Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill
Michelle Wolf was featured on Netflix's "Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill" in 2022.
It's Great to Be Here
In September 2023 Wolf released a new comedy mini series, It's Great to Be Here.[76]
The Daily Show guest hosting
Wolf guest hosted the show the week of November 27, 2023.[77]
Personal life
Wolf is an avid runner, and took part in a marathon in 2005 (Las Vegas), and a 50miles ultramarathon in 2018 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.[78] In an interview she revealed that an injury she sustained had ended her dreams of being an athlete, saying "I got a third-degree ankle sprain practicing long jump... I never fully recovered."[79]
External links
Notes and References
- News: Book Excerpt: Meet The Regulars" with Sasheer Zamata and Michelle Wolf, by Joshua D. Fischer. McCarthy. Sean L.. June 18, 2016. The Comic's Comic. November 10, 2016. .
- Zarum. Lara. November 30, 2017. Michelle Wolf Is the Voice Comedy Needs Right Now. The Village Voice. March 4, 2018.
- Johnson. Ted. February 23, 2018. Michelle Wolf Says She Won't Hold Back Humor, Even If Trump Attends White House Correspondents' Dinner. Variety. en-US. March 4, 2018.
- News: Comedian Michelle Wolf ran track in Hershey before she trashed Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Vadala. Nick. April 30, 2018. The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 1, 2018.
- Web site: Past lab members. William & Mary. May 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502211451/https://www.wm.edu/as/kinesiology/faculty/research/mcplab/pastmembers/index.php. May 2, 2018. dead.
- News: Comedian Michelle Wolf Is Taking Brooklyn By Stand-Up. Eby. Margaret. November 19, 2014. Brooklyn Magazine. April 30, 2018.
- Web site: Michelle Wolf on Ultrarunning: "It Does Make You Feel Like a Badass". Dalek. Brian. 2018-08-06. Runner's World. en-US. 2019-02-09.
- Web site: Michelle Wolf: 5 things to know about White House Correspondents Dinner host. ABC News.
- Web site: How 'Daily Show's' Newest Correspondent Michelle Wolf Went From Wall Street to Comedy Central . The Wrap . June 24, 2016 . September 22, 2016 . Otterson, Joe.
- Web site: Balancing Standup and Writing for 'Late Night' with Michelle Wolf . Splitsider . August 6, 2014 . April 9, 2016 . Davidson, Phil . https://web.archive.org/web/20160404103832/http://splitsider.com/2014/08/balancing-standup-and-writing-for-late-night-with-michelle-wolf/ . April 4, 2016 . dead .
- Web site: 'Daily Show With Trevor Noah' Adds Michelle Wolf As On-Air Contributor & Writer . Petski . Denise . Deadline.com . April 4, 2016 . February 8, 2017.
- Web site: Comedian Michelle Wolf Joins The Daily Show As Writer, Contributor . Paste . April 4, 2016 . April 9, 2016 . Blumenfeld, Zach.
- Web site: Watch Michelle Wolf's Comedy Central Web Series 'Now Hiring' . Splitsider . November 9, 2015 . April 9, 2016 . Wright, Megh . https://web.archive.org/web/20160428154221/http://splitsider.com/2015/11/watch-michelle-wolfs-comedy-central-web-series-now-hiring/ . April 28, 2016 . dead .
- Web site: Who Is Michelle Wolf? This New 'Daily Show' Correspondent Has A Lot To Offer . Bustle . April 4, 2016 . April 9, 2016 . Lackey, Emily.
- News: Comedian Michelle Wolf says it's "cowardly" for Trump to skip Correspondents' dinner. Wax. Jamie. April 28, 2018. April 29, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160324150849/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-wolf-white-house-correspondents-dinner-host-comedian/. March 24, 2016. live. CBS News.
- Web site: Michelle Wolf: 'Four years of Donald Trump jokes will drive me insane' . Czajkowski . Elise . The Guardian . August 2, 2016 . February 8, 2017.
- Web site: Frankie Boyle's American Autopsy 2016 . . BBC.
- Web site: 8 Out of 10 Cats - Episode Guide . . . October 10, 2017.
- News: Michelle Wolf Insists She's Not a Nice Lady. Techler. Graham. December 1, 2017. Paste Magazine. December 4, 2017. en.
- Web site: Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady. HBO. en. December 4, 2017.
- Web site: 'Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady' is a Great Standup Time Capsule for 2017. Greene. Steve. December 2, 2017. IndieWire. en. December 4, 2017.
- News: Michelle Wolf's Comedy Special 'Nice Lady' Will Have You in Stitches. Ratledge. Ingela. December 2, 2017. TV Insider. December 4, 2017. en-US.
- Web site: Johnson. Ted. 'Daily Show' Contributor Michelle Wolf to Host White House Correspondents' Dinner. Variety. February 22, 2018. May 5, 2018.
- News: The Michelle Wolf White House Correspondents' Dinner controversy, explained . Stewart. Emily. April 30, 2018. Vox. May 1, 2018.
- News: Sullivan . Eileen. Eileen Sullivan . Trump Will Once Again Skip the White House Correspondents Dinner . . April 14, 2018 . April 6, 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120105153224/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/us/politics/trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner.html . January 5, 2012.
- News: Forgey . Quint . Trump to skip White House Correspondents' Dinner again . Politico. April 14, 2018 . April 6, 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120105153224/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/06/trump-plans-to-again-skip-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner-505507 . January 5, 2012.
- News: Flynn. Megan. Trump scolds 'filthy' comedian. Head of correspondents group regrets monologue.. The Washington Post. April 30, 2018. May 5, 2018.
- News: As Republicans, we can't laud Kanye West but denounce Michelle Wolf. Bachai. Sabrina. May 1, 2018. The Hill. May 1, 2018. en-US.
- News: Michelle Wolf Does Unto the White House as It Has Done Unto Others. Frum. David. David Frum. April 30, 2018. The Atlantic. May 1, 2018. en-US.
- News: How Michelle Wolf Blasted Open the Fictions of Journalism in the Age of Trump. Gessen. Masha. April 30, 2018. The New Yorker. May 2, 2018. en. 0028-792X.
- News: Correspondents group criticizes comedian Michelle Wolf for remarks at correspondents' dinner. NBC News. May 3, 2018. en-US.
- News: Welcome to the partisan fury, Michelle Wolf. https://web.archive.org/web/20180430220548/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/trump-gives-thumbs-down-to-comic-who-roasted-his-spokeswoman/2018/04/29/e76290c2-4c22-11e8-85c1-9326c4511033_story.html. dead. April 30, 2018. Associated Press. David. Bauder. April 30, 2018. The Washington Post. May 1, 2018. en-US. 0190-8286.
- News: Michelle Wolf did exactly the job the White House Correspondents' Association asked her to do. Caroline. Framke. Vox. May 1, 2018.
- Web site: 5 of Michelle Wolf's most controversial jokes at White House correspondents' dinner. April 30, 2018. ABC News. en. May 1, 2018.
- News: Heil . Emily . How the White House correspondents' dinner lost its sense of humor . The Washington Post. April 27, 2019 . en . April 25, 2019.
- News: Wonder what Michelle Wolf said to make everyone so mad? Read it here.. Vox. April 30, 2018. May 1, 2018.
- News: Michelle Wolf doubles down on Sarah Sanders insults as journalists defend press secretary. Lam. Katherine. April 29, 2018. Fox News. May 3, 2018. en-US.
- News: The many reactions to Michelle Wolf's speech, from Trump saying she 'bombed' to Kumail Nanjiani's support. Heil. Emily. April 29, 2018. The Washington Post. May 1, 2018. en-US. 0190-8286.
- maggieNYT. 990428993542414336 . That @PressSec sat and absorbed intense criticism of her physical appearance, her job performance, and so forth, instead of walking out, on national television, was impressive. . Maggie . Haberman . Maggie Haberman. April 28, 2018. May 3, 2018. en.
- News: Michelle Wolf Hits Back At Criticism That She Attacked Sarah Huckabee Sanders' Looks. April 29, 2018. HuffPost Canada. May 3, 2018. en-CA.
- morningmika . Watching a wife and mother be humiliated on national television for her looks is deplorable. I have experienced insults about my appearance from the president. All women have a duty to unite when these attacks happen and the WHCA owes Sarah an apology. . 990585968825597954. Mika . Brzezinski . Mika Brzezinski. April 29, 2018 . May 3, 2018. en.
- News: Mika Brzezinski: White House Correspondents Dinner a Big Win for Trump. McArdle. Mairead. April 30, 2018. National Review. May 1, 2018. en-US.
- News: Michelle Wolf's WHCD Honesty Is What America Needs Right Now. Ryan. Erin Gloria. April 30, 2018. The Daily Beast. May 1, 2018. en.
- Web site: Hains. Tim. FNC's Ed Henry: WH Correspondents Association Should Apologize To Sarah Sanders For "Disgusting" Jokes. RealClearPolitics.
- News: Grynbaum. Michael M.. Did Michelle Wolf Kill the White House Correspondents' Dinner?. The New York Times. April 30, 2018. April 30, 2018.
- seanspicer. Sean. Spicer. Sean Spicer. 990430460508549120. Tonight's #WHCD was a disgrace . April 28, 2018 . May 1, 2018. en.
- News: Michelle Wolf Sets Off a Furor at White House Correspondents' Dinner. April 29, 2018. The New York Times. May 3, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331.
- michelleisawolf. 990432919847079936. Thank you!. Michelle . Wolf . April 28, 2018. May 1, 2018. en.
- realDonaldTrump. Donald J.. Trump. Donald Trump. 990557728752926725. While Washington, Michigan, was a big success. April 29, 2018. May 1, 2018. en.
- realDonaldTrump. Donald J.. Trump. Donald Trump. 990782291667488768. The White House Correspondents' Dinner was a failure last year, but this year was an embarrassment to everyone associated with it.. April 29, 2018. May 1, 2018. en.
- michelleisawolf. 990610206425042946 . Michelle . Wolf . Why are you guys making this about Sarah's looks? I said she burns facts and uses the ash to create a *perfect* smoky eye. I complimented her eye makeup and her ingenuity of materials. . April 29, 2018. May 1, 2018. en.
- News: Comic Michelle Wolf Responds To Backlash: 'I'm Glad I Stuck To My Guns'. NPR. May 2, 2018. en.
- Web site: Amatulli. Jenna. Journalists Push Back On Correspondents' Association's Response To Michelle Wolf. The Huffington Post. April 30, 2018. May 1, 2018.
- Web site: Flynn. Meagan. Trump scolds 'filthy' comedian. Head of correspondents group regrets monologue.. The Washington Post. April 30, 2018. April 30, 2018.
- News: White House Correspondents' Dinner: Michelle Wolf obliterates Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Jensen. Erin. April 29, 2018. USA Today. April 29, 2018. en.
- Web site: White House Correspondents' Association: Michelle Wolf's routine 'not in the spirit' of our mission. Samuels. Brett. April 29, 2018. The Hill. April 30, 2018.
- News: Michelle Wolf Did Her Job. It's the Correspondents' Dinner That Is the Problem.. Poniewozik. James. April 30, 2018. The New York Times. May 1, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331.
- News: Jimmy Kimmel and More Stars Defend Michelle Wolf Over Sarah Sanders Jokes. McAfee. Tierney. April 30, 2018. People. May 1, 2018. en.
- News: Trevor Noah 'fires' ex-'Daily Show' writer Michelle Wolf over White House Correspondents' Dinner. Feldman. Kate. May 1, 2018. New York Daily News. May 1, 2018. en.
- News: Seth Meyers Defends Michelle Wolf: 'Sarah Huckabee Sanders Got Off Easy'. Wilstein. Matt. May 1, 2018. The Daily Beast. May 1, 2018. en.
- News: Michelle Wolf Did What Comedians Are Supposed to Do. Conover. Adam. April 30, 2018. The New York Times. May 1, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331.
- Web site: Dave Chappelle says Michelle Wolf 'nailed it' at White House Correspondents Dinner. Jacobson. Murrey. April 30, 2018. PBS NewsHour . PBS . en-US. May 1, 2018.
- kathygriffin. 990651595905028096. Kathy . Griffin . April 29, 2018. A) Ok I have some thoughts on @michelleisawolf's act and the reaction to it from members of the press and other DC insiders. For the record, I was in the room last night. @michelleisawolf's set was great. She was hilarious and confident. . May 1, 2018. en.
- News: Michelle Wolf's correspondents' dinner set made Washington uncomfortable. But comedians have her back.. Izadi. Elahe. April 30, 2018. Washington Post. May 1, 2018. en-US. 0190-8286.
- Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Comedian Slams Whitehouse Press - Media Impotently Lashes Back . YouTube. April 30, 2018 .
- News: Yahr. Emily. Late-night hosts ridicule the outrage over Michelle Wolf's correspondents' dinner speech. The Washington Post. May 1, 2018. May 1, 2018.
- News: Why the White House Correspondents' Dinner Should Go On. Scovell. Nell. Vulture. May 6, 2018. en.
- Book: Symons, Alex . Women Comedians in the Digital Age . Routledge . 2023 . 978-1-003-26868-0 . 1st . Abingdon, Oxon . 167 . 1349461077.
- Web site: Petski. Denise. 'Daily Show' Writer Michelle Wolf Lands Netflix Talk Show. Deadline.com . February 14, 2018. February 12, 2018.
- Web site: The Break with Michelle Wolf . Netflix.com. May 4, 2018.
- Web site: Otterson. Joe. 'Daily Show' Contributor Michelle Wolf Lands Netflix Late-Night Series. Variety. February 14, 2018. February 12, 2018.
- News: Michelle Wolf's Netflix Show Trailer Came Out This Weekend Too. McDonald. Andy. April 30, 2018. Huffington Post. May 1, 2018. en-US.
- News: Why Netflix Could Be the Big Winner (or Loser) After Saturday's White House Correspondent's Dinner. Morris. Chris. April 30, 2018. Fortune. May 1, 2018. en.
- News: 'The Break With Michelle Wolf' & 'The Joel McHale Show' Canceled By Netflix . Andreeva . Nellie . 2018-08-17 . Deadline . 2018-08-18 . en-US.
- News: Martin . Clare . December 13, 2019 . Michelle Wolf Takes a Well-Earned Victory Lap on Joke Show . . Atlanta, GA.
- Web site: Vulure. September 15, 2023. Michelle Wolf Dodges Specialness. VanArendonk, Kathryn.
- Web site: Cobb . Kayla . 2023-10-12 . 'The Daily Show' Sets All-Star Host Lineup for Return With Leslie Jones, Desus Nice, Sarah Silverman and Charlamagne tha God . 2023-10-13 . TheWrap . en-US.
- Michelle. Wolf. Late Night With Seth Meyers. NBC. Season 5, Episode 102. Seth Meyers. May 9, 2018.
- Web site: Vadala . Nick . Comedian Michelle Wolf ran track in Hershey before she trashed Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner . 2023-04-07 . www.inquirer.com . April 30, 2018 . en.