Nicole Byer
Nicole Byer | |
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![]() Byer in 2012 | |
Born | [1] | August 29, 1986
Occupations |
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Years active | 2009–present |
Known for | Nailed It! Loosely Exactly Nicole |
Nicole Byer (born August 29, 1986) is an American comedian, actress, writer, and television host. She is best known as the host of the Netflix comedic reality bake-off series Nailed It! (2018–present).[2] She first received recognition for her work on the commentary series Girl Code (2013).[3] Byer later starred in the MTV/Facebook Watch comedy series Loosely Exactly Nicole (2016–2018), which was based on her life experiences.[4] She also made guest appearances on such comedy series as 30 Rock, Transparent, The Good Place, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
As of 2017, Byer is the host of the HeadGum podcast Why Won't You Date Me?.[5] In 2019, she began co-hosting the Earwolf podcast Best Friends.
Early life
Byer was born in the Lincroft section of Middletown Township, New Jersey on August 29, 1986, the youngest daughter of Trevor Byer (1952–2008), a scientist for AT&T, and Lille Byer (1947–2002).[6][7] Byer graduated from Middletown High School South in 2004.[8]
Byer moved to New York City after high school, waitressing and taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade before moving to Los Angeles in 2012.[9] Byer graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy Certificate Program in Professional Performance.[10]
Career
In 2013, Byer and Sasheer Zamata created and starred in a web series called Pursuit of Sexiness which was produced by Upright Citizens Brigade.[11] In 2014, she hosted the first season of MTV's Are You the One? The Aftermatch Live, an after-show for Are You the One?.
Byer appeared in several roles on network television in 2016. That year, she had supporting roles on three shows: MTV's commentary show Girl Code; a hidden camera prank show Ladylike, also on MTV; and she was a series regular on the Fox show Party Over Here, a half-hour sketch comedy created by Paul Scheer and Lonely Island, which was cancelled after one season.[12][13][14] As a commentator on the show Girl Code, she was described by Maitri Mehta at Bustle as a "beloved talking head";[3] Stephanie Merry at The Washington Post called Byer "one of the most dependably funny commentators" on the show.[15]
Byer has guest starred in several shows including BoJack Horseman, Transparent, and Bob's Burgers. She played Lizette in season 5, episode 7 of the Freeform series Young & Hungry in 2017. She appeared as a guest judge on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.[16] She tours the United States doing stand-up comedy and regularly performs improv with Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles.
As of March 2018, Byer hosts a Netflix original bake-off show Nailed It! alongside head judge, chocolatier Jacques Torres. Each episode features three home bakers with a "terrible track record" attempting to recreate extremely complicated pastries for a $10,000 prize.[17]
In 2018, she appeared in a Smirnoff ad campaign with actor Ted Danson.[18]
Her first book #VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE: The Fat Girl's Guide to Being #Brave and Not a Dejected, Melancholy, Down-in-the-Dumps Weeping Fat Girl in a Bikini is set to come out in 2020.[19]
Loosely Exactly Nicole
In 2016, MTV premiered Loosely Exactly Nicole, a scripted, single-camera comedy written and starring Byer, based on her life.[4] Madeleine Davies at Jezebel described the show's premise as a "comedic look on [Byer's] life as a black actress struggling to make it in Hollywood."[20] Loosely, Exactly Nicole premiered September 5, 2016 on MTV.[21] It was later cancelled after one season.[22] Shortly after, it was picked up by Facebook Watch for a second season.[23]
Podcasts
In December 2017, Byer launched a weekly podcast Why Won't You Date Me? on the HeadGum podcast network.[24] Each episode features a guest, typically another comedian, with whom Byer converses openly about her limited dating history, past sexual experiences, and frustration with being single.[25] The guest also critiques her Tinder profile. Byer concludes each show by asking the guest host if they would date her. Past guests include her very close friend Sasheer Zamata, Emily Heller, and Brooks Wheelan. Critics have referred to the show as "bold"[26] and "refreshing."[27]
In 2019, Byer, alongside Sasheer Zamata, launched a podcast on the Earwolf podcast network, Best Friends, a weekly podcast in which the two ruminate on the nature of friendship. Guest episodes have included such pairs such as actresses June Diane Raphael and Casey Wilson, drag queens Katya Zamolodchikova and Trixie Mattel, and internet personalities Keith Habersberger and Zach Kornfeld of The Try Guys.[citation needed]
In 2020, Byer launched a weekly podcast, Newcomers: Star Wars, on the HeadGum podcast network alongside Lauren Lapkus, in which the two friends watch the Star Wars films for the first time and comment on their feelings on each movie as newcomers to the series.[28] Each episode features a guest who provides more background on the series and characters. Past guests have included John Gemberling, Demi Adejuyigbe, Paul F. Tompkins, and Betsy Sodaro.
Comedic style
On The Ringer, Allison P. Davis described Byer's comedy: "Most easily compared to a raunchier Retta with a hint of Ilana Glazer's madcap energy. She's mouthy, vulgar, a little bit goofy, relatable but ridiculously charming, and not afraid to infuse her broad comedy with a confident sexuality."[9] Writing for USA Today, Jaleesa M. Jones said that "it's precisely [Byer's] brazen, ribald brand of comedy that landed her in the creative incubator that is MTV, where she toplines two new comedy shows in 2016, Ladylike and Loosely Exactly Nicole".[21]
Byer described Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Turner, and Mo'Nique as her early inspirations.[21]
Personal life
Byer supports body positivity and stated in an interview with Brit+Co, "Body positivity, to me, means you accept the body that you're in... And if you want to change it, you can, but you should love the skin that you're in currently, forever. Because everyone is beautiful. No one's truly ugly. You're always beautiful to somebody, and you're always ugly to somebody."[29]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | A Better You | Neighbor | |
2016 | Other People | Charlie | |
2016 | Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates | Office Nicole | |
2018 | All About Nina | Leslie | |
2020 | Bad Hair | TBA | |
2020 | Valley Girl | Deejay |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | 30 Rock | Mo'Nique Lookalike | Episode: "Grandmentor" |
2013 | Girl Code | Herself | Unknown episodes |
2013 | For-Profit Online University | 22MuchBIZ | Adult Swim special |
2013–2014 | The Birthday Boys | Nurse / Maurine | 2 episodes |
2013–2015 | Pursuit of Sexiness | Nicky | 11 episodes; Also writer |
2014 | Friends of the People | Unknown | Episode: "Meet the Friends" |
2015 | Like, Share, Die | Miss Andry / Wendy Williams (voice) | 2 episodes |
2015 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Terri Herdsman | Episode: "Weird Al Yankovic Wears a Different Hawaiian Shirt" |
2016 | Angie Tribeca | Holly | Episode: "The Famous Ventriloquist Did It" |
2016 | Animals. | Stephanie (voice) | Episode: "Pigeons" |
2016 | Lady Dynamite | A.D. Fiona | 2 episodes |
2016 | Party Over Here | Various | 10 episodes |
2016 | Ladylike | Herself | 8 episodes |
2016 | Family Guy | Airport Security Officer (voice) | Episode: "The Boys in the Band" |
2016–2017 | The UCB Show | Various | 2 episodes |
2016–2017 | Transparent | Jataun | 2 episodes |
2016–2018 | BoJack Horseman | Interviewee / Talk Show Peahen / Teenage Girl (voice) | 2 episodes |
2016–2018 | Loosely Exactly Nicole | Nicole Byer | 20 episodes; Also writer and producer |
2017 | Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special | Security Guard #2 | TV special |
2017 | Young & Hungry | Lizette | Episode: "Young & Bridesmaids" |
2017–2018 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Princess Arms / Princess Jaggs (voice) | 3 episodes |
2018–present | Nailed It! | Herself (host) | 32 episodes |
2018–2019 | Apple & Onion | Cotton Candy / Kid / Rude Fan (voice) | 2 episodes |
2018 | Bob's Burgers | Martha / Drunk Lounge Lady (voice) | Episode: "Go Tina on the Mountain" |
2018 | Little Big Awesome | Ho Cho Flo / Puppy Num Nums (voice) | Episode: "Puppy Shower/Claude the Buff Hamster" |
2018 | Big City Greens | Andromeda (voice) | Episode: "Gargoyle Gals/Supermarket Scandal" |
2018 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Herself | Episode: "All Stars Snatch Game" |
2019 | The Good Place | Gwendolyn | Episode: "The Book of Dougs" |
2019–2020 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Trudy Judy | 2 episodes |
2019 | The Simpsons | Erica (voice) | Episode: "Bart vs. Itchy & Scratchy" |
2019 | Tuca & Bertie | Gamby / Lady in the Bathroom / File Cabinet (voice) | 9 episodes |
2019 | Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ | Mandine Chinton | Episode: "Missing Dean" |
2019–2020 | The Unicorn | Meg | 2 episodes |
2019 | A Black Lady Sketch Show | Trinity the Invisible Spy | 2 episodes |
2019 | Snoopy in Space | C.A.R.A. (voice) | 11 episodes |
2020 | Lego Masters | Herself | Episode: "Storybook" |
2020 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Herself | Episode: "Get a Room!" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Association | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Reality Host | Nailed It! | Nominated | |
Reality Host of the Decade | Nominated | ||||
Online Film & Television Association | Best Host in a Reality Program | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian". Answers Africa. December 11, 2018.
- ^ Romano, Nick (March 10, 2018). "Nailed It is the Netflix series about baking fails you didn't know you needed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ a b Mehta, Maitri (September 8, 2015). "Who Is Nicole Byer? The Comedian Has Two New Shows On MTV & She Deserves It". Bustle. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ a b de Moraes, Lisa (July 31, 2016). "'Loosely Exactly Nicole' Star Nicole Byer Asked To Explain Show's White EPs – TCA". Deadline. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ "Why Won't You Date Me?". HeadGum.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ Lutes, Alicia. "16 Smart Questions for Nicole Byer", Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, September 29, 2015. Accessed January 14, 2019. "Hometown: Lincroft, New Jersey… Monmouth County"
- ^ "36 – Boyfriendless Forever w/ Marcella Arguello". www.headgum.com. Headgum. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ "DOE Co-Sponsors 24th Annual Governor’s Awards in Arts Education", New Jersey Department of Education, press release dated May 26, 2004. Accessed January 14, 2019. "Nicole Byer - Lincroft - Middletown HS South"
- ^ a b Davis, Allison P. (September 6, 2016). "Nicole Byer Is Not Your Teacher". The Ringer. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Byer, Nicole. "Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata; Episode 7:Nicole is Watching Frasier (at 35:15)". Apple.com. EarWolf. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
- ^ Wright, Megh (April 28, 2015). "Sasheer Zamata and Nicole Byer Turn into Garbage Monsters in 'Pursuit of Sexiness'". Splitsider. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Wright, Megh (March 17, 2016). "Nicole Byer Is the Nation's Top Transvaginal Mesh Attorney on This Week's 'Party Over Here'". Splitsider. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Wright, Megh (May 13, 2016). "Nicole Byer Gets Stalked by an Internet Ad on Tomorrow's 'Party Over Here'". Splitsider. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Houlihan, Ryan (September 8, 2015). "Nicole Byer Is About To Redefine The Term 'Ladylike' With Brand-New Show". MTV. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Merry, Stephanie. "Nicole Byer has her own TV show, and the fact she's a black female comedian is the 'least interesting thing' about it". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ Sava, Oliver (February 15, 2018). "Kristin Chenoweth can't save Drag Race's humdrum All Stars Snatch Game". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ Licata, Elizabeth (February 22, 2018). "Netflix's "Nailed It" Is a Hilarious TV Baking Competition for Amateur Chefs". The Kitchn. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ Scott, Sydney. "Nicole Byer Shares The Most Embarrassing Thing She's Done In Bed With A Guy". Essence.com. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ Miller, Gregory E. (October 30, 2019). "Nicole Byer dishes on pole-dancing, comedy and writing book". New York Post. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
- ^ Davies, Madeleine (August 1, 2016). "'I Want It Blacker': Here's the First Trailer for Nicole Byer's Loosely Exactly Nicole". Jezebel. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ a b c Jones, Jaleesa M. (August 3, 2016). "'Loosely Exactly Nicole' star Nicole Byer on early auditions: I was asked to 'be as black as possible'". USA Today. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 9, 2017). "MTV's 'Loosely Exactly Nicole' & 'Mary + Jane' Comedy Series Canceled After One Season, What About 'Sweet/Vicious'?". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley. "Facebook Dives Into Scripted Television With Nicole Byer Comedy Series". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ "Why Won't You Date Me?". Headgum.com. Headgum. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "Nicole Byer Takes Honesty About Dating to Whole New Level with 'Why Won't You Date Me?'". The Comedy Bureau. February 23, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ Wright, Megh. "This Week in Comedy Podcasts: A Very Special Episode of Nicole Byer's 'Why Won't You Date Me?'". Vulture.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ Foskett, Annie. "5 Podcasts About Dating You Need To Hear If You're Dating In Your 20s". Elite Daily. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "Newcomers: Star Wars with Lauren Lapkus & Nicole Byer". Headgum.com. Headgum. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
- ^ Takeda, Allison. "Nicole Byer Can Find Humor in Anything — And She Does, on 'Loosely Exactly Nicole'". www.brit.co. Brit+Co. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
External links
- Living people
- African-American comedians
- American sketch comedians
- American television actresses
- Upright Citizens Brigade Theater performers
- American women comedians
- Middletown High School South alumni
- People from Middletown Township, New Jersey
- American women podcasters
- American podcasters
- 21st-century American comedians
- Comedians from New Jersey
- 1986 births
- American stand-up comedians
- Bisexual women
- LGBT comedians