PEOPLE Exclusive: Wanda Sykes Recalls the Time She 'Shushed' Michelle Obama at White House Correspondents' Dinner

Wanda Sykes isn't nervous to host the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday.

The comedian and actress, 58, who's hosting the show alongside Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue that doing the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in 2009 more than prepared her for Hollywood's biggest night.

"I was just thrown into the fire," Sykes recalls. "I had no idea the magnitude of people who would be in that room."

One particular exchange from that night will stay will her forever.

"At the Correspondents' dinner, I shushed the First Lady," Sykes tells PEOPLE. "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.' "

"I think I'll be okay in this role," she says with a laugh. 

ABC's late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was the last Oscars host when he headlined the ceremony in both 2018 and 2017. Kevin Hart had been named as host of the 2019 show but stepped down amid controversy over his resurfaced homophobic tweets.

The Wanda Sykes Show premieres tomorrow

'The Wanda Sykes Show' premieres tomorrow night on Fox. Be sure to watch as Sykes makes history as the first openly gay woman to headline a late-night show on a major network.

Wanda Sykes joins the True Colors Tour

This summer True Colors has joined forces with the newly out and proud Wanda Sykes to provide two incredible evenings of comedy in support of LGBT equality.

The shows will take place Saturday, July 11th at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX and Sunday, July 12th at the Nokia Theatre in Dallas, TX

Emmy-award winner Wanda Sykes is best known for her roles on HBO's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', NBC's 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' and several major motion pictures and is fast becoming a big voice in the nations LGBT equality conversation.

Wanda Sykes honored

Newly minted lesbian Wanda Sykes will be honored at the National Museum of Women in the Arts on Wednesday, May 6 in Washington, DC. Good for her.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein to keynote HRC gala, Wanda Sykes to host

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today announced that Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) will deliver the keynote address at the organization’s 2009 Los Angeles Gala and Hero Awards on March 14th at the Hyatt Century Plaza in Century City, California. Senator Feinstein is a consistent supporter of the LGBT community who, at the height of campaign season, recorded a television spot urging voters to reject Proposition 8, the measure that overturned a state Supreme Court decision allowing lesbians and gays to marry in California.

“I am thrilled and honored that Senator Dianne Feinstein will join us for our annual gala dinner in Los Angeles. Senator Feinstein is one of the LGBT community’s most valued allies, both within California and at the national level,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “She stood with us during one of our most critical trials, the battle to defeat Proposition 8, and continues to stand with us as we move forward in pursuit of full equality for the LGBT community.”

Read more after the jump.


Julian Bond, who has served since 1998 as Chairman of the Board of the NAACP, the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States, will also be a featured speaker at the event. Under Bond’s leadership, in advance of a legal challenge to the amendment, NAACP decried Prop 8 as discriminatory and dangerous to the California Constitution and said it would undermine the concept of equal protection and opportunity for all.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a longtime ally of the LGBT community, will also be a featured speaker at the Gala Dinner.

The event, which will be hosted by comedian Wanda Sykes, will honor West Hollywood Councilmember John Duran with the HRC Community Hero Award for his contributions to the LGBT community. Actors T.R. Knight and Jane Lynch will also be in attendance.

“Throughout his career in public service, John Duran has demonstrated tireless commitment to equal rights for all,” said Parker Williams, co-chair of the event. “He is truly an inspirational leader who continues to galvanize our community to bring about positive change.”

Guests at the gala will also vote via live text messaging on their cell phones to select the top online activist video, sponsored by AT&T. Voting online beings today at http://www.hrcladinner.com/ehero/index.html. The video earning the highest number of votes will receive the E-Hero Award. The five finalists, which will be screened during the HRC Los Angeles Gala and Hero Awards, can also be viewed at www.hrcladinner.com.

The HRC Los Angeles Gala and Hero Awards is one of the largest LGBT fundraising events in Southern California, drawing more than 1,400 guests in past years. Attendees typically include national leaders in entertainment, community service, business and politics. This year’s event’s major sponsors include Lexus, HBO, Stiletto Entertainment, AT&T and Wells Fargo. For more information about the HRC Los Angeles Gala and Hero Awards, visit www.hrcladinner.com.