Whitney Cummings
{{Short description|American actress, writer (born 1982)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Whitney Cummings
| image = Whitney Cummings 2019.png
| caption = Cummings in 2019
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|09|04}}
| birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.
| education = University of Pennsylvania (BA)
| medium = Stand-up, television, film
| active = 2004–present
| genre = {{Flatlist|
- Observational comedy{{Cite web |last=Garber |first=Megan |date=January 26, 2016 |title=The Triumph of Soap-Box Comedy |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/01/the-triumph-of-soap-box-comedy/427104/ |access-date=August 26, 2019 |website=The Atlantic}}
}}
| subject = {{Flatlist|
}}
| children = 1
| website = {{URL|whitneycummings.com}}
}}
File:Pretty Big Deal with Ashley Graham - Whitney Cummings Breaks Down Codependency.webm
Whitney Cummings (born September 4, 1982) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, writer, producer, director, and podcaster.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004, Cummings moved to Los Angeles. She appeared in the low-budget thriller EMR and MTV's Punk'd. She has also performed stand-up comedy, being named one of "10 Comics to Watch" by Variety in 2007 and participating in Comedy Central Roasts of celebrities.
Cummings co-created the sitcom 2 Broke Girls and starred in and produced the sitcom Whitney. She also directed the comedy film The Female Brain (2017).
Early life
Cummings was born on September 4, 1982,{{Cite magazine |title=Whitney Cummings Biography |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/whitney-cummings/bio/284711/ |url-status=dead |magazine=TV Guide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023045220/https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/whitney-cummings/bio/284711/ |archive-date=October 23, 2013}}{{Cite news |date=2012 |title=Thirty & Flirty: Celebs Who Are Turning 30 This Year: Whitney Cummings |work=Entertainment Tonight |publisher=CBS Studios |location=New York City, New York |url=https://www.etonline.com/slideshow/gallery/117647_Thirty_Flirty_Celebs_Who_Are_Turning_30_This_Year/47109 |url-status=live |access-date=October 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021124745/https://www.etonline.com/slideshow/gallery/117647_Thirty_Flirty_Celebs_Who_Are_Turning_30_This_Year/47109 |archive-date=October 21, 2018 |quote=Whitney Cummings -- September 4, 1982}} in Washington, D.C.,{{Cite news |last=Miller, Julie |date=January 21, 2016 |title=Whitney Cummings Got Hooked on Tinder for Her HBO Special |work=Vanity Fair |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/01/whitney-cummings-hbo-special |access-date=May 11, 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Zak |first=Dan |date=December 8, 2010 |title=Comedian Whitney Cummings: Bewitching, brazen and with jokes to make you blush |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/08/AR2010120806415.html |access-date=November 1, 2011}} to Patti Cummings (née Cumming),{{cite interview|work=Where My Moms At?|last=Cummings|first=Whitney|interviewer=Christina Pazsitzky|date=December 4, 2023|title=Whitney Cummings: Ep. 223|via=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3fvGsa05lg|time=44:31|quote=My mom's maiden name is Cumming... and she married a Cummings."|access-date=December 18, 2023}} a native of Texas{{Cite news |last=Gill |first=Julian |date=April 17, 2019 |title=Comedian Whitney Cummings sparks social media outrage over small Texas town's legal tradition |work=Houston Chronicle |location=Houston, Texas |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Owner-of-Texas-hog-baying-competition-fires-back-13774588.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214234503/https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Owner-of-Texas-hog-baying-competition-fires-back-13774588.php |archive-date=February 14, 2020}} and a public relations director of Neiman Marcus at Mazza Gallerie;{{Cite news |last=Leiby |first=Richard |date=April 25, 2004 |title=The Reliable Source |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/623413831.html?dids=623413831:623413831&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+25%2C+2004&author=Richard+Leiby&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=The+Reliable+Source&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131171126/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/623413831.html?dids=623413831:623413831&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+25,+2004&author=Richard+Leiby&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=The+Reliable+Source&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=November 1, 2011}}{{Cite news |last=Grigoriadis |first=Vanessa |date=November 18, 2012 |title=Can Whitney Cummings Get Some Respect? |work=New York |publisher=Vulture.com |url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/11/whitney-cummings-on-love-you-mean-it.html |access-date=August 17, 2014}} and Eric Lynn Cummings, a lawyer and venture capitalist from West Virginia.{{cite web|url=https://marshallparthenon.com/22750/opinion/whitney-cummings-doesnt-deserve-w-va/|work=The Parthenon|title=EDITORIAL: Whitney Cummings doesn't deserve West Virginia|date=October 15, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20221201031350/https://marshallparthenon.com/22750/opinion/whitney-cummings-doesnt-deserve-w-va/|archive-date=December 1, 2022}} She has an older half-brother named Kevin and an older sister named Ashley. Cummings was raised Catholic. Her parents divorced when she was five years old.{{Cite news |last=Stanhope |first=Kate |date=September 9, 2011 |title=Whitney: How Different Is Whitney Cummings From Her TV Persona, Really? |work=TV Guide |url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/whitney-cummings-interview-1037134.aspx |access-date=August 18, 2014}}{{Cite news |last=Duck |first=Allison |date=April 24, 2013 |title=The Weekly Interview: Whitney Cummings |work=Las Vegas Weekly |url=http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/2013/apr/24/weekly-interview-comedian-whitney-cummings|access-date=August 18, 2014}}
She has stated that she was raised in a dysfunctional, alcoholic household.{{Cite web |last=Czajkowski |first=Elise |date=January 12, 2017 |title=Whitney Cummings: 'The scariest place to perform standup is America' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/jan/12/whitney-cummings-stand-up-comedy-female-brain |access-date=August 26, 2019 |website=The Guardian}} At age 12, she temporarily resided with her aunt in Virginia, and spent summers in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where her father worked as a manager at the Hill Top House Hotel.{{cite interview|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FL-FilKclM|work=Are You Garbage?|author1=Ryan, Kevin|author2=Foley, H.|date=July 27, 2022|via=YouTube|access-date=November 30, 2022|title=Are You Garbage Comedy Podcast: Whitney Cummings!}} Cummings attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland, graduating in 2000.{{Cite web |date=April 23, 2010 |title=Whitney Cummings '00 Making Her Mark in Entertainment World |url=http://www.saes.org/news/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=5259&ModuleID=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102194746/http://www.saes.org/news/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=5259&ModuleID=7 |archive-date=January 2, 2014 |access-date=November 1, 2011 |publisher=St. Andrew's Episcopal School}} During high school, she interned at Washington's NBC-owned television station WRC-TV.{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2011 |title=A Woman's Mind Full Monty — Whitney Cummings |url=http://americascomedy.com/a-womans-mind-full-monty-whitney-cummings |access-date=September 8, 2012 |publisher=AmericasComedy.com}}{{Cite web |date=June 6, 2011 |title=The Jester Interview: Whitney Cummings |url=http://www.jesterjournal.com/intwcummings.htm |access-date=September 7, 2012 |publisher=Jester.com |archive-date=August 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822232016/http://jesterjournal.com/IntWCummings.htm |url-status=dead}} She studied acting at Washington, D.C.'s Studio Theater.{{Cite news |last=Frankel |first=Daniel |date=February 27, 2007 |title=Whitney Cummings: 10 Comics to Watch |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/features/whitney-cummings-2-1117960261/ |access-date=August 18, 2014}}
After high school, Cummings enrolled at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. During this time, she worked as a department store model at local shopping malls. She graduated magna cum laude in 2004 with a degree in Communications,{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Greg |date=May 5, 2011 |title=Penn Entertainers |url=http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/current/2011-05-05/numbers/penn-entertainers |access-date=November 1, 2011 |website=Penn Current}} and initially aspired to a career as a journalist.{{Cite web |date=August 10, 2014 |title=Whitney Cummings almost became a reporter before finding comedy to overcome the facts of an abusive, sad, and lonely childhood |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/whitney-news-bad-article-1.1898301 |access-date=August 26, 2019 |website=New York Daily News}}
Career
= 2004–2010: Beginnings =
Cummings moved to Los Angeles after college and worked on Punk'd on MTV in 2004. That same year, she starred in the low-budget thriller EMR, which was screened at Cannes.{{Cite news |last=Harvey |first=Dennis |date=February 17, 2005 |title=Review: 'EMR' |work=Variety |url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117926258?refcatid=31 |access-date=November 1, 2011}}{{Cite news |last=Katner |first=Ben |date=June 11, 2004 |title=Whitney Rocks Punk'd! |work=TV Guide |url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/whitney-cummings-ashton-41073.aspx |access-date=November 1, 2011}} Cummings began performing stand-up in 2004.{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2016 |title=Whitney Cummings wants to be your girlfriend |url=https://thelaughbutton.com/features/whitney-cummings-wants-girlfriend/ |access-date=August 27, 2019 |website=The Laugh Button |archive-date=March 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316213523/http://thelaughbutton.com/features/whitney-cummings-wants-girlfriend/ |url-status=dead}} In 2007, Variety named her one of 10 Comics to Watch in 2007. In 2008, she appeared in the San Francisco audition for Last Comic Standing, although she did not pass the showcase.
She co-starred on The Tony Rock Project and appeared in the 2008 romantic comedy Made of Honor. Beginning in 2007, Cummings appeared as a regular roundtable guest on the E! series Chelsea Lately, and continued to appear until its conclusion in 2014. In 2008, she was named one of 12 Rising Stars of Comedy by Entertainment Weekly.{{Cite magazine |last1=Pastorek |first1=Whitney |last2=Snierson |first2=Dan |date=November 13, 2008 |title=12 Rising Stars of Comedy |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20239791_20542065,00.html#20542078 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819183341/http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20239791_20542065,00.html#20542078 |url-status=dead}} She subsequently appeared as a comedy roaster in the Comedy Central Roasts of Joan Rivers (2009), David Hasselhoff (2010), and Donald Trump (2011).
In August 2010, her first one-hour special, titled Whitney Cummings: Money Shot, premiered on Comedy Central. In 2010, Cummings went on tour with Denis Leary and the Rescue Me Comedy Tour to promote the show's sixth season. She also appeared with Leary on Douchebags and Donuts.{{Cite web |date=January 16, 2011 |title=Denis Leary: Douchebags and Donuts |url=http://www.cc.com/episodes/gyljo1/stand-up-library-denis-leary--douchebags-and-donuts-season-1-ep-101 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116202842/http://www.cc.com/episodes/gyljo1/stand-up-library-denis-leary--douchebags-and-donuts-season-1-ep-101 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 16, 2017 |publisher=Comedy Central}}
= 2011–present: Television projects and specials, book =
File: Whitney Cummings (2016).jpg
In 2011, two multi-camera, live-audience sitcoms that Cummings created{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Lacey |date=August 1, 2011 |title='Whitney': 10 Things to Know About the NBC Comedy |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/whitney-10-things-know-nbc-217704 |access-date=August 18, 2014}} were picked up by broadcast networks: 2 Broke Girls (which she co-created and executive produced with Michael Patrick King) and Whitney (which she starred in, executive produced, and created).{{Cite news |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=May 20, 2011 |title=2 Networks Pin Their Hopes on One Comedian |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/21/arts/television/whitney-cummingss-many-roles-in-whitney-and-2-for-broke.html |access-date=August 18, 2014}}{{Cite news |last=Goldman |first=Andrew |date=September 16, 2011 |title=There Is No Escaping Whitney Cummings |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/magazine/there-is-no-escaping-whitney-cummings.html |access-date=August 18, 2014}} Whitney, in which Cummings portrayed a semi-fictionalized version of herself, was not well received by critics,{{Cite web |title=Whitney: Season 1 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/whitney |access-date=August 18, 2014 |publisher=Metacritic}}{{Cite news |last=Blanco |first=Robert |date=September 22, 2011 |title='Whitney' sitcom fails in its delivery |work=USA Today |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/story/2011-09-22/whitney-cummings-sitcom/50502994/1 |access-date=August 18, 2014}}{{Cite magazine |last=Nussbaum |first=Emiy |date=November 28, 2011 |title=Crass Warfare: Raunch and ridicule on "Whitney" and "2 Broke Girls." |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/11/28/crass-warfare |access-date=August 18, 2014 |magazine=The New Yorker}} and Cummings acknowledges it was a learning curve for her.{{Cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Michael |date=July 25, 2012 |title=TCA 2012: Whitney Cummings Admits 'I Wish I Knew How to Act' |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tca-2012-whitney-cummings-nbc-sitcom-laugh-track-354569 |access-date=August 18, 2014}}{{Cite web |last=Adalian |first=Josef |date=May 13, 2012 |title=The New Girls: Six female showrunners on why TV just keeps getting better. |url=https://nymag.com/arts/tv/upfronts/2012/women-showrunners-2012-5 |access-date=August 18, 2014 |website=New York |archive-date=August 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828192321/http://nymag.com/arts/tv/upfronts/2012/women-showrunners-2012-5/ |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |last=Adalian |first=Josef |date=May 25, 2012 |title=Six Female Showrunners Talk Ratings, Their Comedy Icons, and Internet Hate |url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/05/female-showrunners-talk-ratings-internet-hate.html |access-date=August 18, 2014 |website=New York |publisher=Vulture.com}} The series was canceled after two seasons in May 2013.{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=May 9, 2013 |title=UPDATE: NBC's 'Whitney' & '1600 Penn' Cancelled, 'Parks & Recreation' Renewed |url=https://deadline.com/2013/05/nbcs-parks-recreation-renewed-494142/ |access-date=May 9, 2013 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} While still working on the second season of Whitney, Cummings also hosted a talk show, Love You, Mean It with Whitney Cummings, on E! in 2012,{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Lacey |date=April 29, 2012 |title=E! Greenlights a Weekly Whitney Cummings Talk Show |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/whitney-cumings-talk-show-e-weekly-317898 |access-date=August 18, 2014}} which was cancelled after 11 episodes.{{Cite news |last=Kepler |first=Adam |date=February 15, 2013 |title=For Whitney Cummings, Good and Bad Ratings News |work=The New York Times |department=ArtsBeat |url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/for-whitney-cummings-good-and-bad-ratings-news |access-date=August 18, 2014}}{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Lacey |date=February 14, 2013 |title=E! Pulls Plug on Whitney Cummings' Late-Night Show |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/e-pulls-plug-whitney-cummings-421584 |access-date=August 18, 2014}}
Cummings later stated that she was overworking herself during this period, and was also in the midst of battling an eating disorder in which she would binge eat followed by compulsive exercise.{{Cite book |last=Cummings |first=Whitney |title=I'm Fine...And Other Lies |publisher=Penguin |year=2017 |isbn=9780735212619 |pages=122–126, 154}} In June 2014, Cummings released her second hour-long special, I Love You, on Comedy Central.{{Cite web |last=Silverman |first=Sarah |date=June 27, 2014 |title=Sarah Silverman Talks to Whitney Cummings About the Expectation That Comedians Need to Be in Movies |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/06/sarah-silverman-and-whitney-cummings-had-a-wonderful-in-depth-conversation-about-comedy.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827005542/https://www.vulture.com/2014/06/sarah-silverman-and-whitney-cummings-had-a-wonderful-in-depth-conversation-about-comedy.html |archive-date=August 27, 2019 |website=Vulture}}
Her third hour-long special debuted on HBO in 2016, titled "I'm Your Girlfriend".{{Cite web |title=Whitney Cummings: I'm Your Girlfriend |url=https://www.hbo.com/specials/whitney-cummings-im-your-girlfriend |access-date=2019-10-18 |website=HBO}} Reviews were mixed, suggesting it felt less comedic than her previous stand up performances.{{Cite web |last=Garber |first=Megan |date=2016-01-26 |title=Comedy, or TED Talk? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/01/the-triumph-of-soap-box-comedy/427104/ |access-date=2019-10-18 |website=The Atlantic}}
Cummings had a supporting role in the 2017 thriller Unforgettable, starring Katherine Heigl and Rosario Dawson, released in April 2017.{{Cite web |last=Guglielmi, Jodi |date=April 20, 2017 |title=Whitney Cummings Recalls Unforgettable Audition |url=https://people.com/movies/whitney-cummings-unforgettable-audition/ |access-date=September 6, 2019 |website=People}} The following month, 2 Broke Girls was cancelled after having run six consecutive seasons.{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=May 13, 2017 |title='2 Broke Girls' Canceled By CBS After 6 Seasons |url=https://deadline.com/2017/05/2-broke-girls-canceled-cbs-after-6-seasons-1202092530/ |access-date=August 29, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} Cummings made her directorial debut with The Female Brain (2017), an independent comedy film distributed by IFC Films, which Cummings also starred in.{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=November 14, 2017 |title=Whitney Cummings Comedy 'The Female Brain' Sells to IFC (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/markets-festivals/whitney-cummings-female-brain-ifc-1202614870/ |access-date=September 6, 2019 |website=Variety}}
Also in 2017, Cummings published her first book, titled I'm Fine...And Other Lies, a collection of personal stories about her life.{{Cite web |title=I'm Fine...And Other Lies |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/whitney-cummings/im-fineand-other-lies/ |access-date=8 December 2019 |website=kirkusreviews.com}}
Beginning in 2018, Cummings served as one of the head writers, an executive producer, and overseer of day-to-day production of the revival of the comedy series Roseanne, for ABC.{{Cite news |title='Roseanne' revival may be in the works |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2017/04/28/roseanne-revival-may-works/101039122 |access-date=April 28, 2017}}{{Cite web |last=Ausiello |first=Michael |date=April 28, 2017 |title=Roseanne Revival Eyed at ABC |url=http://tvline.com/2017/04/28/roseanne-revival-abc-netflix-eight-episodes/ |access-date=April 28, 2017 |website=TVLine}} Cummings left the show before its cancelation.{{Cite web |last=Husband |first=Andrew |date=July 31, 2019 |title=Whitney Cummings Opens Up About Her Decision to Leave Roseanne Before Its Cancellation |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewhusband/2019/07/31/whitney-cummings-opens-up-about-her-decision-to-leave-roseanne-before-its-cancellation/#cf6132f22a7b |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190827005552/https://www.forbes.com/ |archive-date=August 27, 2019 |website=Forbes}}
Her fourth hour-long special, Can I Touch It?, was released on July 30, 2019, on Netflix.{{Cite web |date=July 30, 2019 |title=Whitney Cummings Made a Sex Robot of Herself for 'Can I Touch It?' Netflix Special |url=https://decider.com/2019/07/30/whitney-cummings-sex-robot-netflix-special/ |access-date=August 7, 2019 |website=Decider}}{{Cite web |last=Speliberg |first=Claire |date=July 31, 2019 |title=Comedian Whitney Cummings debuts her own lifelike 'sex robot' |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/comedian-whitney-cummings-debuts-her-own-lifelike-sex-robot/news-story/f2c856042eca1aca2d15334043ae23a6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814184710/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/comedian-whitney-cummings-debuts-her-own-lifelike-sex-robot/news-story/f2c856042eca1aca2d15334043ae23a6 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |website=News.com.au}} This special features a robot that Cummings had custom made to look exactly like her, and she brings this robot out at the end of the special.{{Cite magazine |title=Whitney Cummings—and Her Sex Robot—Take on Modern Womanhood |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/whitney-cummings-netflix-special/ |access-date=2020-08-27 |issn=1059-1028|first1=Emma Grey|last1=Ellis|date=31 July 2019}}
On November 5, 2019, Cummings launched her first podcast entitled Good for You. Her first guest was actor/producer Dan Levy. Good for You is co-hosted by former assistant and fellow comedian Benton Ray, and features a wide variety of guests, ranging from politicians and comedians to actors and journalists.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.goodforyoupod.com/about |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=Good For You with Whitney Cummings |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310033942/https://www.goodforyoupod.com/about |url-status=usurped}} Fans of the show appreciate Cumming's regular guests, including Nikki Glaser who has featured in multiple episodes, creating the impression of a "highly relatable friendship."{{Cite book |last=Symons |first=Alex |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003268680/women-comedians-digital-age-alex-symons |title=Women Comedians in the Digital Age |publisher=Routledge |year=2023 |isbn=978-1032215020 |edition=1st |location=London and New York |pages=39 |doi=10.4324/9781003268680|s2cid=253620654}}
In September 2023, Cummings claimed that she was owed over $350,000 by podcast network Kast Media, who Cummings had been working with since December 2021. Similar claims of non-payment had been made against Kast Media and its CEO Colin Thomson by Jim Cornette followed by Theo Von, Jason Ellis, Brendan Schaub, Bryan Callen, and Alyx Weiss, who stated they were owed significant money, including several six-figure and seven-figure shortages.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-24 |title=Kast Media accused of "not paying creators" |url=https://podnews.net/update/kast-media-payouts |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=podnews.net}}{{Cite magazine |last=Brooks |first=Dave |date=2023-09-09 |title=PodcastOne Public Listing Collides With Viral Takedown Video From Comedian Theo Von |url=https://www.billboard.com/business/streaming/podcastone-ipo-theo-von-kast-media-1235410014/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |magazine=Billboard}}{{Cite news |last=Carman |first=Ashley |date=2023-09-14 |title=A Fight Over Missing Ad Money Roils the Podcast Industry|work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-09-14/kast-media-and-podcastone-face-growing-fight-with-angered-creators |access-date=2024-01-01}}{{Cite web |last=Khalid |first=Amrita |date=2023-09-14 |title=Why everyone in the podcast world is mad at Kast Media's Colin Thomson |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/23874141/podcast-kast-media-colin-thomson-whitney-cummings-theo-von-one |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=The Verge}}{{Cite magazine |last=Brooks |first=Dave |date=2023-09-28 |title=PodcastOne Paid Brendan Schaub $1.6M, While Other Kast Podcasters Were Asked to Accept Pay Cuts |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/podcastone-paid-brendan-schaub-but-other-kast-creators-stiffed/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |magazine=Billboard}}
Cummings has a chapter giving advice in Tim Ferriss' book Tools of Titans.
Cummings was the featured guest on the first episode of Talk Tuah on September 10, 2024.
A 2024 New York Times feature about Hannah Berner quoted Cummings as saying that in the past, “for a woman to even be tolerated in comedy, you had to hate yourself.” Cummings added that being "mean for the sake of a joke" is no longer required to succeed, citing Berner as an example of a sunnier comedian.{{cite news |last1=Safronova |first1=Valeriya |title=She Was Fired From 'Summer House' but Now Gets the Last Laugh |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/14/style/hannah-berner-giggly-squad-netflix-we-ride-at-dawn.html |access-date=6 October 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=September 14, 2024}}
Personal life
In June 2023, Cummings stated that she was pregnant.{{Cite web |last=@whitneycummings |date=June 27, 2023 |title=My favorite pic of my babies face so far. Help me name this monster. Rusty? Dusty? Dolly? |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CuATPumv69d/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250120030941/https://www.instagram.com/p/CuATPumv69d/ |archive-date=January 20, 2025 |access-date=January 20, 2025 |website=Instagram}} She gave birth to a son in December 2023.{{cite news |url=https://torontosun.com/entertainment/celebrity/whitney-cummings-gives-birth |newspaper=Toronto Sun |title=Whitney Cummings gives birth |date=December 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231217222124/https://torontosun.com/entertainment/celebrity/whitney-cummings-gives-birth |archive-date=December 17, 2023 |url-status=live}}
Influences
Cummings has described her comedic influences beginning with Paul Reiser, who she said "made these hysterical, brilliant commentary about the most mundane things and open it up to a hysterical world". Other important influences for her were George Carlin, who she says challenged her to "question everything".{{Cite web |last=Illing |first=Sean |date=April 15, 2017 |title=9 questions for Whitney Cummings |url=https://www.vox.com/conversations/2017/4/15/15261288/9-questions-for-whitney-cummings |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708094757/https://www.vox.com/conversations/2017/4/15/15261288/9-questions-for-whitney-cummings |archive-date=July 8, 2017 |website=Vox}} Later influences were Dave Attell ("a legend now but he's very edgy"), Lenny Bruce, and Bill Hicks.{{Cite web |last=Stipp |first=Christopher |date=May 2, 2008 |title=Trailer Park Whitney Cummings |url=http://asitecalledfred.com/2008/05/02/trailer-park-whitney-cummings |access-date=August 18, 2014 |publisher=ASiteCalledFred.com}}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2004
| EMR | CyberBunnyLilly | | style="text-align:center;"|{{Cite web |title=EMR |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/emr |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200206235025/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/emr |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Rotten Tomatoes}} |
| scope="row" | 2006
| Hooked | Vanessa | Short film | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2006
| Life is Short | Natalie | Short film | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2007
| Come to the Net | Whitney | Short film | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2007
| 7–10 Split | Whitney the Waitress | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2008
| Tiffany Stone | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2008
| Stephanie | |
| scope="row" | 2009
| Why Men Go Gay in L.A. | Sarah | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2010
| In Fidelity | Cindy | Short film | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2010
| Successful Alcoholics | | Short film | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2012
| Claudia | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2015
| Holly Munk | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2015
| Susannah | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2017
| Ali | |
| scope="row" | 2017
| Julia Brizendine | Also writer and director |
| scope="row"|2020
| Brooke Bailey | |
| scope="row"|2021
| Mandy | | style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/how-it-ends-review-1234896131/|title='How It Ends' Review: A Sweetly Personal Yet Wearisome Apocalyptic Indie Grappling With the World's End|website=Variety|first=Tomris|last=Laffly|date=January 29, 2021|access-date=January 30, 2021}} |
| scope="row"|2022
| Samantha | | |
| scope="row"|2022
| Maxine | |
| scope="row"|2023
| Margot Cohen | | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2005
| Woman | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2006
| Fire Guys | Ponytails Pi | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2006
| Trapped in TV Guide | Series regular | Unknown episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" |2006
| Sally | 1 episode |
| scope="row" | 2007
| Louise | 3 episodes |
| scope="row" |2008
| Turbo Dates | Sandy | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" |2008–2009
| Sketch Performer | 4 episodes |
| scope="row"| 2009
| House | Courtney | Episode: "Here Kitty" |
| scope="row" |2011–2013
| Whitney | Whitney | 38 episodes, also creator, writer, and executive producer |
| scope="row" |2011–2017
| {{n/a}} | 138 episodes, creator, writer, executive producer and executive consultant | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" |2011
| Guest host | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" |2012–2013
| Host | 11 episodes, also executive producer | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" |2014
| Herself | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2015
| Maron | Herself | 2 episodes |
| scope="row" | 2015
| Herself | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2015–2016
| Charlotte | 5 episodes | style="text-align:center;"|{{Cite web |title=Whitney Cummings Credits |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/whitney-cummings/credits/284711/ |access-date=September 6, 2019 |website=TV Guide}} |
| scope="row" | 2016
| Juliette | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row" | 2018
| Crashing | Herself | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2018–2019
| Herself | 13 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2021
| Courtney | 1 episode | |
| scope="row"| 2021
| Herself (guest panelist) | 1 episode | style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web |title=The Masked Dancer Reveals a Reality Television Legend - And the Panel Was So Close! |url=https://toofab.com/2021/01/28/the-masked-dancer-reality-television-legend/ |website=TooFab |access-date=19 May 2022}} |
| scope="row"| 2021
| Herself | Guest host |
| scope="row" | 2022
| Conjuring Kesha | Herself | Episode: "Not today, Satan" | |
| scope="row" | 2023
| Accused | Brenda | Episode: "Brenda's Story" | |
| scope="row" | 2023
| Physical | Rita Bachmann | Episode: "Like a Bitch" | |
| scope="row" | 2023
| Cooper's Bar | Britney Lasker | 2 episodes | |
| scope="row" | 2024
| Fast Friends | Host | |{{cite web|url=https://southernillinoisnow.com/2024/12/19/whitney-cummings-on-hosting-friends-trivia-show-fast-friends/|title=Whitney Cummings on hosting 'Friends' trivia show 'Fast Friends'|publisher=WJBD-FM|author=Thompson, Mary Pat |date=December 19, 2024|accessdate=December 19, 2024}} |
| 2025
|Rupaul's Drag Race (season 17) |Herself |Guest judge (episode 10) | |
= Comedy specials =
Bibliography
- {{Cite book |title=I'm Fine... And Other Lies |publisher=Penguin |year=2017 |isbn=978-0-735-21262-6 |location=New York}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{sister project links|d=Q3298525|c=Category:Whitney Cummings|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|wikt=no|s=no|species=no|q=no}}
- {{Official website}}
- {{IMDb name|1579753}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cummings, Whitney}}
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:Actresses from Maryland
Category:Actresses from Washington, D.C.
Category:American comedy podcasters
Category:American film actresses
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:American television actresses
Category:American television writers
Category:American women comedians
Category:American women podcasters
Category:American women television producers
Category:American women television writers
Category:Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania alumni
Category:Articles containing video clips
Category:Catholics from Washington, D.C.
Category:Comedians from Maryland
Category:Comedians from Washington, D.C.
Category:Female models from Maryland
Category:Female models from Washington, D.C.
Category:People from Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)
Category:People from Potomac, Maryland
Category:Screenwriters from Maryland
Category:Screenwriters from Washington, D.C.