Robin Thede facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robin Thede
Thede in 2023
Born	(1979-07-27) July 27, 1979 (age 46) Spencer, Iowa, U.S.
Education	Northwestern University (BA)
Occupation	Comedian actress writer
Years active	2006–present
Parents	Dave Thede (father) Phyllis Thede (mother)

Robin Thede (born July 27, 1979) is an American comedian, actress, and writer. She grew up in Iowa. Robin has also worked as a TV reporter, host, and radio personality. In 2015, she made history. She became the first African-American woman to be the head writer for a late-night talk show. This was for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. From 2017 to 2018, Thede hosted her own show, The Rundown with Robin Thede, on BET. She also created and stars in the Emmy-nominated HBO series A Black Lady Sketch Show.

Early Life and Education

Robin Thede was born in Spencer, Iowa. Her mother, Phyllis Thede, is African American. Her father, Dave Thede, is German American. Robin was named after the famous comedian and actor Robin Williams. She once said this was probably because her father loved Williams' work.

She grew up in Davenport, Iowa. Her father was an educator there. Her mother also worked in schools and with a school staff union. Robin and her two sisters went to schools in Davenport. Robin attended Davenport North High School. Later, her parents moved to Bettendorf, Iowa.

Her mother, Phyllis Thede, was elected as an Iowa State Representative in 2009. She served in this role until 2021. A State Representative is a person elected to make laws for their state.

Robin Thede went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism and African-American Studies. After college, Thede studied comedy at The Second City theater group in Chicago.

Robin Thede's Career Journey

Robin Thede started her comedy career with a sketch comedy group. It was called Cleos Apartment. Other members included Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin. This stage show was later picked up by AOL and HBO. It became an online show called The Message, which ran for a year in 2007.

Thede was also the head writer and a performer on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. From 2015 to 2016, she was the head writer for the first season and a half. This made her the first biracial woman to hold that job on any late-night talk show. She was also the second biracial woman to write for a late-night show. Amber Ruffin was the first to join the writing team for Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Before that, Robin was the head writer for The Queen Latifah Show. She was also a writer for the first two seasons of Real Husbands of Hollywood on BET. In January 2013, she appeared in the comedy movie A Haunted House. She acted alongside comedian JB Smoove. She also played "Gail" in a few episodes of Second Generation Wayans on BET in March 2013.

Thede has often worked on TV shows as both a writer and an actress. These include In the Flow with Affion Crockett and Clunkers. She also appeared in the Mike Epps sketch comedy series Funny Bidness.

Robin Thede has appeared in many TV shows. Some of these include Key & Peele (Comedy Central), Hot In Cleveland (TV Land), and Worst Week (CBS). She was also a regular on the BET web series Buppies with Tatyana Ali.

Thede has written for many award shows. These include the BET Awards (multiple years) and the NAACP Image Awards (2011). She also wrote for the BET Hip Hop Awards.

Additionally, Thede has created popular online videos. One video, "Every Little Step," featured Wayne Brady, Bobby Brown, and Mike Tyson. She also appeared with Elite Delta Force 3 in "The Real Housewives of Civil Rights."

Thede's comedy work includes live sketch comedy. She performed at Second City Chicago and LA. She also gave funny comments on shows like 10 Things I Hate About Me. She is a performer and writer for the all-female sketch group "Elite Delta Force 3." This group won an award in 2009.

Other important work includes co-hosting The Voice of Reason. This was on Jamie Foxx's radio channel. She also worked as a regular entertainment reporter for E! News. She reported with Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic.

In October 2017, Thede started hosting her own late-night TV talk show. It was called The Rundown with Robin Thede on BET. She is one of only a few African-American women to host their own late-night show.

In June 2019, Robin Thede was named one of Variety's 10 Comics to Watch. Most recently, Thede created, writes, and performs in A Black Lady Sketch Show. This show first aired on HBO on August 2, 2019. The second season of A Black Lady Sketch Show premiered in April 2021.

In 2020, she signed a deal with Warner Bros. Television. This means she will develop new shows with them.

Filmography

As a Writer

As an Actress

Other TV Appearances

Awards and Nominations

Emmy Awards

The Emmy Awards are big awards for TV shows. They are given by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Mipcom Awards

Mipcom's Diversify TV Excellence Awards celebrate diversity and inclusion in TV. Thede has won one of these awards.

TCA Awards

The TCA Awards are given by TV critics for great work in television. Thede has won one of these awards.