Amanda Seales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amanda Seales
Seales in 2019
Born	Amanda Ingrid Seales (1981-07-01) July 1, 1981 (age 43) Inglewood, California, U.S.
Education	State University of New York, Purchase (BA) Columbia University (MA)
Occupation	Comedian actress poet rapper singer songwriter media personality activist podcaster author
Years active	1992–present
Comedy career
Medium	Television film music radio
Genres	Stand-up comedy
Musical career
Genres	Hip hop R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Associated acts	Johnny Polygon

Amanda Ingrid Seales (born July 1, 1981), formerly known by the stage name Amanda Diva, is an American comedian and actress. From 2017 to 2021, she starred in the HBO comedy series Insecure. In 2019, HBO released her first stand-up comedy special I Be Knowin. Then, in 2020, Seales launched Smart Funny & Black, a comedy gameshow that showcases Black culture, history, and experience. Seales was also one of the co-hosts of the syndicated daytime talk show, The Real.

Early life

Amanda Seales was born in Inglewood, CA on July 1, 1981. Her mother was born and raised in Mt. Moritz, Grenada. Her father is African-American. As a result, both she and her mother are dual citizens of the US and Grenada. She moved to Orlando, Florida, in 1989, where she later attended Dr. Phillips High School. She graduated from SUNY-Purchase, then acquired a master's degree in African-American studies with a concentration in Hip hop from Columbia University.

Career

Film and television

Seales's first film was a minor role as Katy in the 1993 movie Cop and a Half. The next year Seales was featured on the Nickelodeon sitcom My Brother and Me (1994) as Deonne Wilburn. In 2002 she appeared on Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam. Seales became publicly known as "VJ Amanda Diva" on MTV2 Sucker Free Countdown on Sundays. In 2016 she appeared in a recurring role on the HBO series Insecure, as Tiffany DuBois. Also in 2016, Seales began hosting her own show on truTV called Greatest Ever.

On January 26, 2019, HBO debuted her first stand-up comedy special I Be Knowin'. Bring the Funny is a comedy competition series that premiered on July 9, 2019, on NBC. Seales hosts, alongside judges Kenan Thompson, Chrissy Teigen, and Jeff Foxworthy.

Throughout 2019, Seales served as a frequent guest host for the syndicated daytime talk show The Real. On January 6, 2020, Seales was promoted from guest co-host to permanent co-host. She departed the series after six months of co-hosting, citing her dissatisfaction with the inability to openly speak on recent social issues as a reason. In September 2020, Seales accused The Real of stealing ideas from her show Smart Funny & Black, saying The Real's segment "Black Lives Matter University" featured a logo that closely resembled Smart Funny & Black's emblem.

In June 2020, Seales hosted the BET Awards 2020.

In February 2022, Seales was cast in the three-part documentary series Everything's Gonna Be All White, airing on Showtime.

Music

In 2007, Seales replaced Natalie Stewart of the musical duo Floetry on tour with Marsha Ambrosius, and in December of that same year Seales (as Amanda Diva) released her first extended play (EP) Life Experience. In 2008, she was featured on the song "Manwomanboogie" on Q-Tip's Grammy-nominated album The Renaissance. On March 3, 2009, Seales released Spandex, Rhymes & Soul.

Podcast

Seales hosts a weekly podcast titled Small Doses.

Game Show

She created and hosts the touring variety game show, Smart Funny & Black, where her love of games and music, was used to serve as a safe space for the Black voice and celebrates the many contributions Black Americans have made to history and pop culture and more.

Radio

On April 18, 2022, Seales began co-hosting a new weekly radio show, Amanda Seales’ Smart Funny & Black Radio on SiriusXM, alongside Taj Rani and JeremiahLikeTheBible, featuring topics such as games, celebrity interviews and African-American culture.

Discography

EPs

Mixtapes

Guest appearances

Filmography

Film and TV

Music videos