Wanda Sykes explained that compared to doing the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in 2009, hosting the Oscars is going to be a walk in the park.
The storied comedian is scheduled to host the Academy Awards on Sunday night alongside Amy Schumer and Regina Hall. But she assured People in a new interview published this week that having to tell jokes in front of Barack and Michelle Obama over a decade ago more than prepared her for this milestone occasion. “I was just thrown into the fire,” Sykes recalled of her speech at the White House Correspondents’ dinner. “I had no idea the magnitude of people who would be in that room.”
But there was one particular interaction that evening that The Other Two actress said she’s still shocked happened. “At the Correspondents’ dinner, I shushed the First Lady,” she confessed. “Michelle Obama was sitting right next to me, and I’m going over my material, my jokes, and I’m focused on prep, and she’s trying to make conversation. And I just gave her a look like, ‘Woman, I’m working over here! What are you doing? Pipe down.’” So when it comes to the Oscars, she added with a laugh, “I think I’ll be okay in this role.”
Sykes may have a very laissez-faire attitude towards her latest hosting gig, but she revealed that the role has seriously stressed out her wife, Alex. “I can’t tell her stuff because she would drive me nuts asking about it every day,” the stand-up said jokingly, adding, “Like I’ll tell her, ‘Oh guess what? I’m shooting a movie in Hawaii,’ as I’m heading to the airport.” So when she landed this role hosting the Oscars, she was elated, but kept her reaction to herself. As for her wife, she says she’s preparing for the big night by, “working out, doing way too much,” and keeps asking “What am I going to wear?” Sykes concluded, “Me? I’m just looking for some comfortable shoes.”
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