Marietta Sangai Sirleaf[1][2] (born April 12, 1970), known professionally as Retta, is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She is best known for her roles of Donna Meagle on NBC's Parks and Recreation and Ruby Hill on NBC's Good Girls.[3] She has appeared in several films and television shows, and has performed stand-up on Comedy Central's Premium Blend.
Retta | |
|---|---|
 Retta at the 71st Annual Peabody Awards in 2012 | |
| Born | Marietta Sangai Sirleaf April 12, 1970 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | Duke University (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Relatives | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (aunt) |
Early life and education
editRetta was born in Newark, New Jersey.[2] She is of Liberian descent.[4] She grew up in Edison and the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen Township, New Jersey,[5] where she attended Matawan Regional High School, graduating in 1988.[6][7] In 1992, Retta graduated from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where she was pre-med and graduated with a degree in sociology.
Retta was raised as a member of the New Apostolic Church. In the youth group of her church, her ability to make others laugh was a major talent. When Retta competed in her first TV comedy contest, members from all over the world from the New Apostolic Church voted for her. This contributed to her winning the contest and helped to further her career. In that contest she mentioned her faith and spiritual upbringing.[6][8][9]
Career
editAfter graduating from Duke, Retta worked as a chemist. In her spare time, she did stand-up at Charlie Goodnights Comedy Club in Raleigh, North Carolina.[10] Eventually, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy.[11] Retta said on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! that when she started performing stand-up comedy, she decided to call herself Retta rather than explain her name.[12] She started doing standup in 1996, although she said she did not start "earning money" until 1998, when she began touring on the college circuit. Retta said she used to get "really nauseated" before a performance, but that the feeling passed with experience.[13] Retta has said her stand-up material tends to be slightly embellished stories from her regular everyday life, family, and friends.[11][14]
Retta has served as the opening act for such comedians as Shirley Hemphill and Bobby Collins.[13] She has made television appearances on Bravo's Welcome to the Parker, E! Entertainment Television's The Soup,[14] Freddie, Moesha, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,[15] and the "Comedy Divas Showcase" segment of The Jenny Jones Show.[16] Retta has also performed on Premium Blend, a Comedy Central show featuring up-and-coming comedians.[13]
In 2009, Retta started making regular guest appearances on the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation as Donna Meagle, an employee in the Parks Department of the fictional town, Pawnee, Indiana. During a stand-up performance at the University of Illinois at Springfield, Retta said the acting job on the show was stressful because it was unclear how long the show would stay on the air, due to the poor reviews it received during the first season.[14] Alan Sepinwall, a television columnist with The Star-Ledger, said season 2 episodes of Parks and Recreation afforded more personality and funnier jokes to Donna and other minor characters.[17] She was upgraded to a full-time regular cast member in the third season.[18]
Late 2011, she received a "Best Supporting Actress (Comedy)" nomination at the 3rd Indie Soap Awards for indie web series Vampire Mob.[19]
Retta also hosted the 3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards in 2013.[20] In 2014, she appeared on Hollywood Game Night as a contestant along with the other celebrities Paget Brewster, Michael Chiklis, Mario Lopez, Thomas Lennon, and Alyssa Milano.[21]
In 2015, Retta was one of the audiobook narrators for Welcome to Night Vale, a novel tie-in to the eponymous podcast series in which she is the voice of Old Woman Josie.[18] The same year she appeared in season 2 of Bravo's Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce.[18]
In 2018, Retta co-starred in the NBC series, Good Girls, opposite Christina Hendricks and Mae Whitman.[3]
In 2018, Retta published a series of essays in a book called So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y'all Don't Even Know.[22] Where she talks about her journey with weight loss with "bestie" and the joys and adventures of being in the "Hollywood Scene!"
In 2022, Retta signed a talent holding deal with NBCUniversal.[23]
In 2022, Retta hosted seasons 1-5 of HGTV's Ugliest House in America..
Personal life
editOn Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, she said she dated a man from Georgia who nicknamed her Retta because her name Marietta sounded like where he came from.[12]
She is a niece by marriage of the former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.[4]
Retta is a fan of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team, and presented awards at the NHL award ceremonies in Las Vegas, in 2014 and 2015.[24][25][26][27][28]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Ringmaster | Additional voices | |
| 2002 | Slackers | Bruna | |
| 2003 | Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | Sad Eye Sadie | |
| 2007 | Fracture | Evidence Room Cop | |
| 2007 | Sex and Death 101 | Ethel | |
| 2008 | First Sunday | Roberta | |
| 2014 | Sex Ed | Sydney | |
| 2015 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip | Party Planner | |
| 2016 | Other People | Nina | |
| Operator | Pauline "Roger" Rogers | ||
| Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life | Ida Stricker | ||
| 2017 | To the Bone | Lobo | |
| Band Aid | Carol | ||
| The Lego Ninjago Movie | Maggie the Cheerleader | Voice | |
| Where's the Money | Roberta | ||
| Father Figures | Annie | ||
| 2019 | Good Boys | Lucas' Mom | |
| 2023 | 80 for Brady | Herself | |
| Hit Man | Claudette | ||
| 2024 | The Greatest Hits | Dr. Evelyn Bartlett |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Moesha | Hostess | Episode: "Double Date" (Season 3, Episode 12) |
| 2004 | $5.15/Hr | Joy | |
| 2005 | Freddie | Joan | Episode: "Rich Man, Poor Girl" |
| 2006 | Rodney | Tanya Evans | Episode: "When Rodney Comes Marching Home" |
| 2008 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Hardware Store Clerk | Episode: "The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition" |
| 2009–15, 2020 | Parks and Recreation | Donna Meagle | Recurring (seasons 1–2); Starring/main (seasons 3–7)[a] |
| 2009 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Heckler | Episode: "#7.46" |
| 2014, 2015 | Kroll Show | TSA #1, Lara | Episodes: "Krolling Around with Nick Klown" and "Body Bouncers" |
| 2014 | Drunk History | Sylvia Robinson | Episode: "American Music" |
| 2014 | Key & Peele | The Woman | Episode: "Sex Addict Wendell" |
| 2015–18 | Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce | Barbara | Recurring (season 2); Main (season 3–5) |
| 2018–2021 | Good Girls | Ruby Hill | Main cast |
| 2019 | Pinky Malinky | Mrs. Malinky (Voice) | Episode: "Snack" |
| Where's Waldo? | Wizard Nightingale (Voice) | Episode: "Vienna Voice-Versa" | |
| Big Mouth | Duke's Mother (Voice) | Episode: "Duke" | |
| 2020–21 | DuckTales | Mystical Harp (Voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Home Movie: The Princess Bride | The Mother | Episode: "Chapter One: As You Wish"[29] |
| 2021 | Duncanville | Makeover Station Employee (Voice) | Episode: "Das Banana Boot" |
| 2022 | Bubble Guppies | General Yuck (Voice) | Episode: “Don’t Yuck My Yum!” |
| 2022 | Tuca & Bertie | Voice | Episode: "Fledging Day" |
| 2022–present | Ugliest House in America | Host | [30] |
| 2023 | The Morning Show | Herself | |
| 2024 | Elsbeth | Margo Clarke | Episode: "Love Knocked Off" |
Works and publications
edit- Retta (2018). So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y'all Don't Even Know. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-10934-7. OCLC 1001333805.
Notes
edit- ^ For Parks and Recreation, Retta was credited after the opening title sequence with star billing for seasons 3-5, and was part of the opening title sequence as a main in seasons 6-7
References
edit- ^ Jung, E. Alex. "Retta Has a Story to Tell". Vulture.com, May 23, 2018. [Archived https://web.archive.org/web/20180523214634/https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/retta-has-a-story-to-tell.html] on 05-23-2018
- ^ a b Retta. Edge.
- ^ a b Read, Bridget (26 February 2018). "Retta Moves on From Parks and Recreation in Good Girls, But Never Say Never". Vogue.
- ^ a b Chaney, Jen (8 October 2011). "What's the connection between a Nobel Prize winner and 'Parks and Recreation'?". The Washington Post.
- ^ Feuer, Ryan. "Comedian Retta talks Jersey roots, 'Parks and Rec' and 'Geeks Who Drink'", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 16, 2015. Accessed October 8, 2024. "'Growing up in Jersey makes you a little bit ballsier, a little more outspoken,' says the comedian/actress, who was born in Newark and raised in Edison and Cliffwood Beach."
- ^ a b Feuer, Ryan (16 July 2015). "Comedian Retta talks Jersey roots, 'Parks and Rec' and 'Geeks Who Drink'". NJ.com.
- ^ Pillar 1998 (PDF). Matawan Regional High School. 1988. pp. 99, 125, 144, 208, 224.
- ^ Fishbein, Anne (25 September 2014). "Chatting With "Parks and Recreation's" Retta Sirleaf '92". Duke Magazine. Duke University.
- ^ Sangweni, Yolanda (20 September 2012). "7 Reasons You Should Know Parks and Recreation Star, Retta". Essence.
- ^ Holder, Christina (25 February 2015). "Retta Sirleaf Returns to Duke" (includes video). Duke Today. Duke University.
- ^ a b Azzi, Amy (January 28, 2009). "Comedian took long route to comedy". Royal Purple News. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Retrieved November 17, 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Best of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me" (Audio podcast). NPR. 24 August 2019.
- ^ a b c Eells, Kelly Feser (June 6, 2003). "T-150 seats down for stand-up guys". Ojai Valley News. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ^ a b c Dunn, Valeree (October 14, 2009). "Performer Spotlight on... Retta". UIS Journal. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ^ Haynes, Robert (November 17, 2009). "Comedian Retta brings glee to bear country". The Echo. University of Central Arkansas.
- ^ Ory, Marie (March 15, 2001). "Laughter -- the medicine of life". The Nicholls Worth. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ^ Sepinwall, Alan (November 5, 2009). "Parks and Recreation, "Ron and Tammy": Megan Mullally guests". The Star-Ledger. New Jersey On-Line. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
- ^ a b c Feuer, Ryan (16 July 2015). "Comedian Retta talks Jersey roots, 'Parks and Rec' and 'Geeks Who Drink'". Nj.com. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "NOMINATIONS: 3rd Annual Indie Soap Awards". Indie Series Awards. We Love Soaps. 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Awards News: Critics' Choice Nominations". CBS. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ Snetiker, Marc (15 January 2014). "Retta takes on Mario Lopez in the Olympics on 'Hollywood Game Night' -- EXCLUSIVE". Ew.com. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ Retta (2018). So Close to Being the Sh*T, Y'all Don't Even Know. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-10934-7. OCLC 1001333805.
- ^ Porter, Rick (January 27, 2022). "Retta Inks Holding Deal at NBCUniversal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ "Retta: How I Became a Hockey Fan". Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "Hey, Retta, this Tumblr is teaching you all about hockey". The Daily Dot. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "How I Became a Hockey Fan". 11 May 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "NHL Awards 2015". Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "NHL releases lineup of presenters and performers for awards show". 22 June 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ Starner, Nina (June 26, 2020). "Quibi just announced a Princess Bride remake you never expected to see". Looper.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- ^ Piazza, Bianca (January 7, 2022). "Retta Is Here to Hunt Down the "Ugliest House in America" — How Many Episodes Is the Show?". Distractify. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
External links
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