Sunda Croonquist facts for kids

Sunda Croonquist is a funny American comedian. She has been on TV shows like Comics Unleashed, Premium Blend, and The View.

Growing Up

Sunda Croonquist was born in Paterson, New Jersey. Her mom was African-American, and her dad was Swedish. Her dad was a musician, and her mom loved pageants. This made Sunda want to be an entertainer from a young age.

When she was younger, Sunda was a runner-up in a preliminary round for the Miss America Pageant. She represented the state of New Jersey. Later, she represented New Jersey again, but this time as "New Jersey's Funniest Female."

Sunda studied Criminal Justice in college. After that, she worked as a probation officer in Newark, New Jersey. She also worked as a detective. While working, she took acting classes. Soon, she started getting parts in local plays and movies.

Comedy Career

One day in New York City, Sunda was joking around at a party. She met famous comedian Jackie Mason. He told her she should really try stand-up comedy. With her husband's support, she took a comedy class. Within a few weeks, she had her first paid show! Her first performance was at a club called Don't Tell Mama.

Sunda has also created her own comedy shows. One of these was Femmes Fatales. This show featured female comedians. It was part of New York's Toyota Comedy Festival for eight years. Sunda also helps with the Annual "Laugh Off" event. This event raises awareness for Gilda's Club. Gilda's Club is a group that supports people with cancer. It was started by comedian Gilda Radner.

Personal Life

Sunda has been married to Mark Zafrin since 1994. They have two children together. Before she met her husband, Sunda converted to Judaism. Her husband and his mother also follow the Jewish faith.