Alexis Wilkinson (born 1992)[1][2] is an American writer and comedian. She gained prominence after she was elected the first African American female president of The Harvard Lampoon.
Alexis Wilkinson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992 (age 31–32) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BA) |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Website | http://www.ohgoditsalexis.com |
Wilkinson was a staff writer for Veep and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and she is a contributing writer to The New Yorker.[3][4][5]
Early life and education
editWilkinson was raised in Wheaton, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she graduated from Nicolet High School.[6] Growing up, Wilkinson wrote for herself and in high school wrote a satirical newsletter with her friends, but she didn’t take being a writer too seriously.[7]
She attended Harvard University and studied economics, with aspirations of writing for television. Wilkinson joined The Harvard Lampoon writing staff as a freshman, and her junior year she was elected president of the publication, the first African American woman to hold the position.[6][8]
Career
editJust prior to graduating, Wilkinson sent copies of The Harvard Lampoon to the Harvard alumni trustees and asked for job leads.[1] David Mandel was a recipient and the show runner of Veep; he hired Wilkinson onto the writing staff. She was the only person of color in the writer's room.[1] Wilkinson left Veep to join the writing staff of Brooklyn Nine-Nine in 2016.[1][4]
She left TV writing to work on her first book. She also consults on ad campaigns.[9]
Alexis Wilkinson has written for publications such as Time, Vulture, the New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle.[7]
In November 2019, it was announced that Wilkinson had written an audiobook for Serial Box, called The Co-Founder, about two female entrepreneurs who hire a man to sell their product to Silicon Valley investors.[10] It is also currently being developed into a film.[10]
Personal life
editWilkinson has resided in San Francisco, California.[9] While her whereabouts are currently unknown, she has been sighted in the Midwest.
Awards and nominations
edit- 2017 – Writers Guild of America Award, Veep - Nominee[9]
- 2017 – Writers Guild of America Award for Comedy/Variety Special, 68th Primetime Emmy Awards - Nominee[9]
- 2018 – Writers Guild of America Award, Veep - Winner
References
edit- ^ a b c d Liebman, Lisa (6 June 2016). "Alexis Wilkinson on Joining Veep Straight Out of College and Writing for Middle-Aged White Guys". www.vulture.com. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
- ^ "Alexis Wilkinson on Instagram: "feeling extremely seen and extremely loved on birthday #26 ♥️"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^ Dobbins, Amanda (2014-01-10). "122 Minutes With Alexis Wilkinson". NYMag.com. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
- ^ a b "Disarming People With Laughter". The On Being Project. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
- ^ "The New Yorker: "Explaining U.S. Holidays to Extraterrestrials"". Newstral. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^ a b Borrelli, Christopher (29 January 2014). "Alexis Wilkinson's path to Harvard Lampoon president's chair". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
- ^ a b Escandon, Rosa. "26-Year-Old Alexis Wilkinson Isn't Afraid To Write In New Mediums". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
- ^ "African-American Woman To Run Humorous 'Harvard Lampoon' Magazine". npr.com. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
- ^ a b c d Escandon, Rosa. "26-Year-Old Alexis Wilkinson Isn't Afraid To Write In New Mediums". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ^ a b Spangler, Todd (2019-11-12). "Serial Box, In Its First Film and TV Deals, Sets Pacts for 'The Co-Founder' and 'First Street' Adaptations (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2020-01-25.