Thea Vidale facts for kids

Thea R. Vidale (born November 20, 1956) is an American comedian and actress. She is well-known for her role as Thea Armstrong-Turrell in the ABC sitcom Thea. This show aired from 1993 to 1994. Thea Vidale is famous for being the first African American female comedian to have a TV series named after her.

Thea Vidale's Early Life

Thea Vidale was born in Washington, D.C.. Her family was a military family, so they moved around a lot. She has three sisters. When she was 12, her family moved to Victoria, Texas. She finished high school there in 1975 or 1976. After school, Thea worked as a waitress in Pasadena, Texas. Her friends encouraged her to try comedy.

Thea Vidale's Comedy and Acting Career

Thea Vidale started her comedy career in 1986. She performed at amateur stand-up comedy nights in Houston. Soon, she was performing in comedy clubs in big cities. These included Washington, D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles.

In 1989, she appeared in a TV comedy special. It was called Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night at Rodney's Place on HBO. Other famous comedians like Tim Allen and Jeff Foxworthy were also on the show. Thea also performed on Late Night with David Letterman. She toured with her comedy shows all over the world.

Her most famous TV role was in the 1993 sitcom Thea. She played the main character, a single mom. The show lasted for one season. Even though it was short-lived, she was nominated for a People's Choice Award. This award was for Favorite Female in a New Series.

Thea Vidale was often a judge on the BET comedy show Comic View. She has also appeared on many other sitcoms. These include Ellen, The Wayans Bros., The Drew Carey Show, and My Wife and Kids. In 2007, she played a hairdresser on Ugly Betty in the episode "Queens for a Day". That same year, she was Helen's grandmother on the Drake & Josh episode "Really Big Shrimp".

From 1989 to 2001, Thea Vidale provided the voice of Mammy Two Shoes. This was for new versions of 19 Tom and Jerry cartoons. She has also acted in movies. Some of these films include Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995), Ringmaster (1998), and Repos (2006).

Thea Vidale's Stand-Up Comedy Tours

In 1999, Thea Vidale had a national comedy tour. It was called Thea Vidale, Down & Dirty. In 2007, she was a contestant on the reality TV show Last Comic Standing. She made it to the second round of the competition.

In 2009, Thea was part of the Hot Tamales Live! comedy tour. This show was filmed for Showtime. On December 12, 2012, she appeared on Standup in Stilettos. This was a stand-up comedy show on the TV Guide Network. She also performed on the Stand Up Revolution series. As of April 2025, Thea Vidale continues to work as a comedian for Carnival Cruise Lines.

Other Appearances by Thea Vidale

In 1999, Thea Vidale attended the Philadelphia LGBT Pride Fest. This was her first time at such an event. The mayor of Philadelphia honored her and fellow comic Etta May. The mayor officially named that day "Thea Vidale Day" and "Etta May Day." .....

Thea Vidale in Professional Wrestling

Thea Vidale even appeared in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2006. She played the role of "Momma Benjamin." This character was the mother of wrestler Shelton Benjamin. Shelton had been having a tough time in his matches.

Her first appearance was on January 2, 2006, on Raw. Over the next few weeks, Momma Benjamin was in many backstage skits. She would challenge other wrestlers to matches on Shelton's behalf. Shelton started winning more matches, which helped him break his losing streak.

On February 6, 2006, Momma Benjamin tried to help Shelton in a match. She faced the Big Show, who yelled at her. She then fainted. Medical staff rushed to help her. The WWE website later said she was resting at home after a heart issue.

Momma Benjamin returned to Raw the next week. She had an oxygen tank with her. This tank was sometimes used as a weapon in matches. On February 20, she helped Shelton win the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Her character was last mentioned on March 13. Shelton announced that she was having heart surgery and would not return to WWE.

Thea Vidale's Personal Life

Thea Vidale has four children. She often talks about her strong faith. In October 2010, she was a guest on The Howard Stern Show. She shared that she had decided to have surgery to improve her health. She said she wanted a "rebirth" and a "healthier me" for her children.

Thea Vidale's Film and TV Roles

Movies

Television Shows