Whitney Cummings
Encyclopedia
Whitney Cummings is an American comedian and actress. She was formerly a cast member of the MTV
television show Punk'd
and currently stars in the NBC
sitcom Whitney
.
in Potomac, Maryland
, graduating in 2000. She was a model throughout middle and high school, using the money to pay for her college education. She began her college career at the University of North Carolina
, and worked at a local Telecom company in North Carolina (AT&T) before subsequently transferring to the University of Pennsylvania
. She graduated magna cum laude from Penn in 2004, with a degree in communications and film.
on MTV in 2004 and the same year starred in a low-budget thriller, EMR, which was screened at Cannes. She appeared in the San Francisco audition for Last Comic Standing
in 2008, though she didn't pass the showcase. Since then, Cummings has performed on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
, HBO's Down and Dirty with Jim Norton, NBC
's Last Call with Carson Daly
, Comics Unleashed, and NESN's Comedy All-Stars. She co-starred on The Tony Rock Project
and appeared in the 2008 movie Made of Honor
. She has also made several appearances on the E!
show Chelsea Lately
on its round table. She hosted the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
Dailies.
Her television appearances have included Comedians of Chelsea Lately, Live Nude Comedy, The Very bad Show, truTV Presents: World's Dumbest..., and the Comedy Central Roast
s of Joan Rivers
, David Hasselhoff
and Donald Trump
. In August 2010, her first one-hour special premiered on Comedy Central titled Whitney Cummings: Money Shot. In 2010 Cummings went on tour with Denis Leary
and the Rescue Me
Comedy Tour to promote the show's 6th season. She also appeared with Leary on Douchebags and Donuts.
In 2011, two of Cummings's television sitcoms were picked up by broadcast networks: 2 Broke Girls
(as co-creator and executive producer) and Whitney
(as star, executive producer, and creator).
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
television show Punk'd
Punk'd
Punk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers...
and currently stars in the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom Whitney
Whitney (TV series)
Whitney is an American sitcom that premiered on NBC on September 22, 2011, where it airs in the 9:30 pm /8:30 pm Thursday night timeslot. The show stars Whitney Cummings...
.
Early life
Cummings was born September 4th, 1982 and raised in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.. Her mother Patti is a PR executive and her father is a venture capitalist. She went to Holy Trinity School and then to high school at St. Andrew's Episcopal SchoolSt. Andrew's Episcopal School (Maryland)
St. Andrew's Episcopal School is a coeducational college preparatory independent school for preschool through grade twelve, located in Montgomery County, Maryland. Grades 4-12 are located on the Postoak Road Campus at 8804 Postoak Road in Potomac, MD. The Potomac Village Campus , for preschool...
in Potomac, Maryland
Potomac, Maryland
Potomac is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, named for the nearby Potomac River. The population was 44,822 at the 2000 census. The Potomac area is known for its very affluent and highly-educated residents. In 2009 CNNMoney.com listed Potomac as the fourth...
, graduating in 2000. She was a model throughout middle and high school, using the money to pay for her college education. She began her college career at the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
, and worked at a local Telecom company in North Carolina (AT&T) before subsequently transferring to the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. She graduated magna cum laude from Penn in 2004, with a degree in communications and film.
Career
Cummings presented Punk'dPunk'd
Punk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers...
on MTV in 2004 and the same year starred in a low-budget thriller, EMR, which was screened at Cannes. She appeared in the San Francisco audition for Last Comic Standing
Last Comic Standing
Last Comic Standing is an American reality television talent show that has aired from 2003 through 2010.The goal of the program is to select a comedian from a group, who will receive a development contract with the NBC network, and a television special first to air on the cable-TV network Comedy...
in 2008, though she didn't pass the showcase. Since then, Cummings has performed on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009 to January 22, 2010 as part of NBC's long-running Tonight Show franchise...
, HBO's Down and Dirty with Jim Norton, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
, Comics Unleashed, and NESN's Comedy All-Stars. She co-starred on The Tony Rock Project
The Tony Rock Project
The Tony Rock Project is a sketch comedy television series that premiered on October 8, 2008 on MyNetworkTV. The show stars Tony Rock, John Heffron and Whitney Cummings. It served as the lead-in for Flavor Flav's sitcom, Under One Roof....
and appeared in the 2008 movie Made of Honor
Made of Honor
Made of Honor is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Paul Weiland and story written by Adam Sztykiel . It was produced by Neal H. Moritz and was released by Columbia Pictures in North America on May 2, 2008...
. She has also made several appearances on the E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
show Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler on E!. The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and is produced by Handler's production company, Borderline Amazing Productions...
on its round table. She hosted the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
Dailies.
Her television appearances have included Comedians of Chelsea Lately, Live Nude Comedy, The Very bad Show, truTV Presents: World's Dumbest..., and the Comedy Central Roast
Comedy Central Roast
The Comedy Central Roasts are a series of celebrity roast specials which air on the Comedy Central cable network.-History:Between 1998 and 2001, Comedy Central produced and televised the annual roasts of the New York Friars' Club. After the original five-year agreement expired, the network began...
s of Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
and Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
. In August 2010, her first one-hour special premiered on Comedy Central titled Whitney Cummings: Money Shot. In 2010 Cummings went on tour with Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
and the Rescue Me
Rescue Me (TV series)
Rescue Me is an American television drama series that premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004, and concluded on September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictitious Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse.The show...
Comedy Tour to promote the show's 6th season. She also appeared with Leary on Douchebags and Donuts.
In 2011, two of Cummings's television sitcoms were picked up by broadcast networks: 2 Broke Girls
2 Broke Girls
2 Broke Girls is an North American television comedy series that debuted on CBS during the 2011–12 television season. The first episode aired at 9:30 pm after Two and a Half Men on September 19, 2011. Later episodes followed How I Met Your Mother on Monday nights at 8:30 pm . The series was...
(as co-creator and executive producer) and Whitney
Whitney (TV series)
Whitney is an American sitcom that premiered on NBC on September 22, 2011, where it airs in the 9:30 pm /8:30 pm Thursday night timeslot. The show stars Whitney Cummings...
(as star, executive producer, and creator).