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Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Wanda Sykes is looking for higher stakes

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

NPR

Society & Culture

4.6991 Ratings

🗓️ 8 May 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Wanda Sykes life has been defined by one act of courage after another. Leaving a safe career for comedy, getting divorced, coming out and surviving breast cancer all took a lot of guts. She shares with Rachel what she learned from each chapter of her life, and how it has made her stand-up stronger. Wanda is on the road for her new tour - it's called Please and Thank You.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:05.4

RWJF is a national philanthropy working toward a future where health is no longer a privilege but a right.

0:12.1

Learn more at RWJF.org.

0:15.4

Before we start the show, you may have heard that President Trump has issued an executive order that's trying to block

0:21.4

all federal funding to NPR.

0:24.1

Millions of people.

0:25.3

People like you depend on the NPR network as a vital source of news and entertainment

0:32.3

and information and connection.

0:35.2

We are proud to be here for you.

0:37.2

And now more than ever, we need you to be here for us.

0:39.9

It is time to join the movement to defend public media.

0:44.0

Visit donate.npr.org.

0:47.0

And if you already support us through NPR Plus or another means, thank you so much.

0:52.4

Your support means everything to us. Now more than ever,

0:56.4

you help make NPR shows freely available to everyone. We are proud to do this work for you and with you.

1:09.0

Just a heads up, like most of my interviews with comedians, today's episode has a little bit of swearing.

1:14.7

When did it feel like the career you wanted was in reach?

1:19.0

Hmm.

1:20.4

I'm going to say after the I'm going to be me special.

1:23.8

The comedy was stronger.

1:25.9

I was very open, talking about, you know, being out. And it was very liberating for me.

1:35.2

I'm Rachel Martin, and this is Wildcard. The game where cards control the conversation.

...

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