Heather McDonald
| Heather McDonald | |
|---|---|
 McDonald in April 2011 | |
| Birth name | Heather Ann McDonald[1] |
| Born | June 14, 1970[2] San Fernando Valley, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Notable works and roles | Chelsea Lately, After Lately |
Heather Ann McDonald (born June 14, 1970) is an American actress, comedian and author. Born and educated in California, she is best known for her appearances on the E! series Chelsea Lately. She was one of the eight writers on the show and often participated in sketches and segments. McDonald also appeared in the show's spin-off, After Lately. Her first book, a 2010 memoir of her college years, made the Bestseller List of the New York Times.[3]
Early life
Born in the San Fernando Valley in 1970, McDonald and her four siblings were raised by their parents, who were both real estate agents. She is of three quarters Irish and one quarter French-Canadian descent.[4] She and her brother and sister were raised Catholic and attended private, Catholic schools.[5] After high school, McDonald went to the University of Southern California (USC), where she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
After graduating from USC, McDonald began to take theatre classes at The Groundlings. During her time there, McDonald performed improvisational shows and sketch comedy at the Groundlings Theatre. At the same time, McDonald became a licensed realtor like her parents.[citation needed]
Career
In the late 1990s, McDonald began writing with Keenan Ivory Wayans. In 2001 and 2002, she was a writer and performer for MTV's Lyricist Lounge.
McDonald first gained popularity through her stand-up comedy shows in Los Angeles. She also began writing and performing for the Wayans Brothers in a couple of their films. She has been a writer as well as guest on Chelsea Lately since its premier in 2007.
In June 2010, McDonald published her first book, a memoir entitled You'll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again: One Woman's Painfully Funny Quest to Give It Up, which made The New York Times Best-Seller List.[3] The memoir covers her college and sorority experience while attending the University of Southern California. McDonald published a second memoir in 2013, entitled My Inappropriate Life (Some Stories Not Suitable for Nuns, Children, or Mature Adults).
McDonald's standup special entitled Heather McDonald: I Don't Mean To Brag was recorded in 2014 and released on Netflix in September 2015. She also has a successful podcast called "Juicy Scoop" (with Wondery) that she started airing in June of 2015.
McDonald has a repertoire of women characters of whom she does impressions in her standup routines.[6]
Personal life
McDonald is married to Peter Dobias, an investment banker.[7] The couple has two children, and Dobias has a daughter from a previous relationship.[8]
References
- ^ "HEATHER McDONALD on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Best-Seller List". The New York Times. July 2, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
- ^ Profile, tweetwood.com; accessed June 14, 2015.
- ^ Profile, robinschicks.com; accessed June 14, 2015.
- ^ Heather McDonald jokes about kids, marriage in standup Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ Profile, tweetwood.com; accessed June 14, 2015.
- ^ "Working Moms Are Right to Be Realistic.", New York Times, 30 April 2012, accessed June 14, 2015.