ACT Ready for Work
Podcast Episode 28
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One part humor, one part inspiration! Episode 28 kicks off our third season of Ready for Work with a fun perspective on the role of humor in workforce development. Our guest is comedian Roy Wood, Jr., a correspondent on Comedy Central's hit, The Daily Show, and host of Roy's Job Fair, a podcast that explores the human condition through the prism of employment. Roy's famed humor is matched by his true empathy and curiosity for people. Roy helps us share the very serious topic of unemployment with an injection of comedy so the workforce ecosystem can be as relatable as possible to working learners.
"Think of employment like a relationship. Whether you're in one or not, it's still fun to hear about other people's. Or you can be in a perfectly comfortable place and kick back and laugh at other people's chaos."
- Roy Wood, Jr.
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Roy Wood, Jr., Twitter: @roywoodjr
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Roy Wood, Jr.
About Roy Wood, Jr.
ROY WOOD, JR., joined The Best F#@ing News Team in 2015 as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s Emmy-nominated The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. In 2021, Comedy Central continues its long-standing relationship with the talented comedian and actor collaborating on two podcasts–Roy’s Job Fair and Beyond the Scenes–as well as a third hour-long stand-up special airing later this year.
Wood has entertained millions across stage, television, and radio. Forbes declared he is “One of comedy’s best journalists,” Entertainment Weekly has described his thought-provoking comedy as “. . . charismatic crankiness. . .” and Variety Magazine named him “One of 10 Comics to Watch in 2016.” Before The Daily Show, Roy co-starred for three seasons on TBS’s Sullivan & Son, and he remains a regular guest on various ESPN shows and the MLB Network.
Wood began his comedy career in 1998 at the age of 19 while attending Florida A&M University. In 2006, he debuted on network television on The Late Show with David Letterman. In 2008, he appeared on HBO’s historic Def Comedy Jam and was selected by America as one of the top three finalists on Last Comic Standing on NBC. He has appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Conan, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He also performed on numerous USO Tours for our troops stationed everywhere from Guam to Iraq to the Philippines.
During the global pandemic, Roy has spent time raising money for the displaced staff of comedy clubs through tipyourwaitstaff.com and Laugh Aid. In his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, his philanthropic endeavors include supporting Workshops, Inc., which enriches lives by helping people with disabilities and other employment barriers achieve their vocational potential. The DUBS Baseball Academy is an investment in sports to change lives. STAIR of Birmingham, where tutoring empowers students to read better and dream bigger. Also, I See Me, Inc., where the mission is to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline by increasing the literacy rates in children of color by engaging them in literature that reflects their culture and image.