Wanda Sykes Interview

You've probably seen the comedian Wanda Sykes in the movie Monster in Law, heard her voice as the skunk in the movie Over the Hedge, or seen her stand-up routine on a number of television stations. Reading an interview with her was new to me. I chose to read this article/interview because I have seen some of her movies, seen her routine on tv, and have for the most part enjoyed her work. I would call myself somewhat of a fan. I knew I would be interested in this interview when the first of about 5 headlines contained in the article was entitled "The Unwanted Children Grow up to Be Assholes". Intriguing, i thought. As I read I learned she was talking about the fact that she has no desire to have children and the reaction she gets from people when she states that fact out loud to them. I guess that caught me by surprise too. For some reason, in America we think that if you are blessed with the female parts needed to concieve, carry, and bring a child into this world, then why wouldn't you? My brother and his wife have chosen not to have children, and have gotten the same reaction from people. "Why on earth would you not want to have children?" And I find myself asking the same question. I guess myself and most other people take the statement "I don't want children" as "I don't like children", which sounds harsh, almost cruel in a sense.

Sykes also discussed the reaction she has recieved from critics regarding the roles she has accepted to play. It was brought up in the interview that some critics took issue with the fact that she was offered the part, and was cast as the role of a white woman's assistant. Sykes quoted Chris Rock who said, "Jim Carrey just gets to be Jim Carrey, he's not responsible to represent white America." Her frustration seemed evident. I thought, anybody could play an assistant. White, black, hispanic, asian, who really cares?? I think when we bring up the whole, "oh black people shouldn't play these parts or white people shouldn't play these parts, or these people shouldn't do this or that," we're taking steps backward. The wrong direction. Let anyone choose what part he or she wants to play. If Wanda Sykes was offended by being offered an assistant role, she wouldn't have taken it. I'm sure the role was offered to white people as well. She, and every other actor, should get to play whatever part she chooses to play without people telling her why she shouldn't. That is her decision.

Sykes worked for the National Security Agency for 5 years. Quite a step from the NSA to comedy. She said what made her choose to change was how whenever she had any time off, even a couple hours, she took it right when she got it. Her co-workers were saving up their time for a vacation and she would leave the moment she got even an hour. She had been doing stand up here and there, something that made her very happy. She brought up the fact that we are raised to go to school, go to college, get a job and stay there. From a very young age we are asked, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Uta Hagen, a legendary theatre actress said, "If you can quit, you should." How true. If you can walk away from anything without regrets, go for it, by all means. To be utterly cliche, life is too short to be doing something that you can't stand, or even don't love. I find myself doing things I don't like all the time, should i just quit it all? I don't want to be a quitter. And at the same time, there are things, like school that i don't necessarily always like, but I know I am bettering myself and that it will help me immensely in the long run, so I stick with it. So i guess I agree and disagree. It depends on the situation-as much of a cop out as that is, it's how I feel.