Nicole Byer

Nicole Byer (born August 29, 1986) is an American comedian, actress, writer, television host, and podcaster. She is known as the host of the Netflix comedic reality bake-off series Nailed It! (2018–present), for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.[2][3]

Nicole Byer
Byer in 2012
Born (1986-08-29) August 29, 1986[1]
Lincroft, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation
  • Comedian
  • actress
  • writer
  • television host
  • podcaster
Years active2009–present
Known forNailed It!
Loosely Exactly Nicole
Girl Code
Why Won't You Date Me?

Byer gained recognition for her work in the commentary series Girl Code (2013).[4] Byer later starred in the MTV/Facebook Watch comedy series Loosely Exactly Nicole (2016–2018), which was based on her real life experiences.[5] She made several guest appearances in such comedy series as 30 Rock (2012), Family Guy (2016), Transparent (2016–2017), The Good Place (2019), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2019–2020), and The Simpsons (2019). She also appeared in films, including Other People (2016), All About Nina (2018), Bad Hair (2020), and Valley Girl (2020).

As of 2017, Byer is the host of the HeadGum podcast Why Won't You Date Me?.[6] In 2019, she began co-hosting the Earwolf podcast Best Friends.

Early life

Byer was born in the Lincroft section of Middletown Township, New Jersey on August 29, 1986, the youngest daughter of Trevor Byer, a scientist for AT&T, and Lillie Byer. Byer graduated from Middletown High School South in 2004.[7]

Byer moved to New York City after high school, waitressing and taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade before moving to Los Angeles in 2012.[8] Byer graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy Certificate Program in Professional Performance.[9]

Career

In 2013, Byer and Sasheer Zamata created and starred in a web series called Pursuit of Sexiness which was produced by Upright Citizens Brigade.[10] In 2014, she hosted the first season of MTV's Are You the One? The Aftermatch Live, an after-show for Are You the One?.

Byer appeared in several roles on network television in 2016. That year, she had supporting roles on three shows: MTV's commentary show Girl Code; a hidden camera prank show Ladylike, also on MTV; and she was a series regular on the Fox show Party Over Here, a half-hour sketch comedy created by Paul Scheer and Lonely Island, which was cancelled after one season.[11][12][13] As a commentator on the show Girl Code, she was described by Maitri Mehta at Bustle as a "beloved talking head";[4] Stephanie Merry at The Washington Post called Byer "one of the most dependably funny commentators" on the show.[14]

Byer has guest starred in several shows including BoJack Horseman, Transparent, and Bob's Burgers. She played Lizette in season 5, episode 7 of the Freeform series Young & Hungry in 2017. She appeared as a guest judge on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.[15] She tours the United States doing stand-up comedy and regularly performs improv with Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles.

As of March 2018, Byer hosts a Netflix original bake-off series Nailed It! alongside head judge, chocolatier Jacques Torres. Each episode features three home bakers with a "terrible track record" attempting to recreate extremely complicated pastries for a $10,000 prize.[16] She received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program.

In 2018, she appeared in a Smirnoff ad campaign with actor Ted Danson.[17]

Her first book #VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE: The Fat Girl's Guide to Being #Brave and Not a Dejected, Melancholy, Down-in-the-Dumps Weeping Fat Girl in a Bikini was released in 2020.[18]

Loosely Exactly Nicole
Main article: Loosely Exactly Nicole

In 2016, MTV premiered Loosely Exactly Nicole, a scripted, single-camera comedy written and starring Byer, based on her life.[5] Madeleine Davies at Jezebel described the show's premise as a "comedic look on [Byer's] life as a black actress struggling to make it in Hollywood."[19] Loosely, Exactly Nicole premiered September 5, 2016 on MTV.[20] It was later cancelled after one season.[21] Shortly after, it was picked up by Facebook Watch for a second season.[22]

Podcasts

In December 2017, Byer launched a weekly podcast Why Won't You Date Me? on the HeadGum podcast network.[23] Each episode features a guest, typically another comedian, with whom Byer converses openly about her limited dating history, past sexual experiences, and frustration with being single.[24] The guest also critiques her Tinder profile. Byer concludes each show by asking the guest host if they would date her. Past guests include her very close friend Sasheer Zamata, Emily Heller, and Brooks Wheelan. Critics have referred to the show as "bold"[25] and "refreshing."[26]

In 2019, Byer, alongside Sasheer Zamata, launched a podcast on the Earwolf podcast network, Best Friends, a weekly podcast in which the two ruminate on the nature of friendship. Guest episodes have included such pairs such as actresses June Diane Raphael and Casey Wilson, drag queens Katya Zamolodchikova and Trixie Mattel, and internet personalities Keith Habersberger and Zach Kornfeld of The Try Guys. The same year, Byer joined comedian and actor Mano Agapion as a co-host on the RuPaul's Drag Race recap podcast Drag Her, and became a cohost of the 90 Day Fiance recap podcast 90 Day Bae with Marcy Jarreau.

In 2020, Byer launched a weekly podcast, Newcomers, on the HeadGum podcast network alongside Lauren Lapkus, in which the two friends watch films for the first time (Star Wars in the first season and The Lord of the Rings in the second) and comment on their feelings on each movie as newcomers to the series.[27] Each episode features a guest who provides more background on the series and characters. Past guests have included John Gemberling, Demi Adejuyigbe, Paul F. Tompkins, and Betsy Sodaro.

Comedic style

On The Ringer, Allison P. Davis described Byer's comedy: "Most easily compared to a raunchier Retta with a hint of Ilana Glazer's madcap energy. She's mouthy, vulgar, a little bit goofy, relatable but ridiculously charming, and not afraid to infuse her broad comedy with a confident sexuality."[8] Writing for USA Today, Jaleesa M. Jones said that "it's precisely [Byer's] brazen, ribald brand of comedy that landed her in the creative incubator that is MTV, where she toplines two new comedy shows in 2016, Ladylike and Loosely Exactly Nicole".[20]

Byer described Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Turner, and Mo'Nique as her early inspirations.[20]

Personal life

Byer supports body positivity and stated in an interview with Brit+Co, "Body positivity, to me, means you accept the body that you're in... And if you want to change it, you can, but you should love the skin that you're in currently, forever. Because everyone is beautiful. No one's truly ugly. You're always beautiful to somebody, and you're always ugly to somebody."[28] On her sexual orientation, Byer has said that she "doesn't identify as straight", but is uncomfortable with the labels "bisexual" or "queer." She has stated on her podcast Why Won't You Date Me? that she is open to dating people of any gender, and has dated men and women in the past. [29]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2014 A Better You Neighbor
2016 Other People Charlie
2016 Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Office Nicole
2018 All About Nina Leslie
2020 Bad Hair Gina
2020 Valley Girl Deejay
TBA Unplugging Filming

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2012 30 Rock Mo'Nique Lookalike Episode: "Grandmentor"
2013 Girl Code Herself Unknown episodes
2013 For-Profit Online University 22MuchBIZ Adult Swim special
2013–2014 The Birthday Boys Nurse / Maurine 2 episodes
2013–2015 Pursuit of Sexiness Nicky 11 episodes; Also writer
2014 Friends of the People Unknown Episode: "Meet the Friends"
2015 Like, Share, Die Miss Andry / Wendy Williams (voice) 2 episodes
2015 Comedy Bang! Bang! Terri Herdsman Episode: "Weird Al Yankovic Wears a Different Hawaiian Shirt"
2016 Angie Tribeca Holly Episode: "The Famous Ventriloquist Did It"
2016 Animals. Stephanie (voice) Episode: "Pigeons"
2016 Lady Dynamite A.D. Fiona 2 episodes
2016 Party Over Here Various 10 episodes
2016 Ladylike Herself 8 episodes
2016 Family Guy Airport Security Officer (voice) Episode: "The Boys in the Band"
2016–2017 The UCB Show Various 2 episodes
2016–2017 Transparent Jataun 2 episodes
2016–2018 BoJack Horseman Interviewee / Talk Show Peahen / Teenage Girl (voice) 2 episodes
2016–2018 Loosely Exactly Nicole Nicole Byer 20 episodes; Also writer and producer
2017 Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special Security Guard #2 TV special
2017 Young & Hungry Lizette Episode: "Young & Bridesmaids"
2017–2018 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Princess Arms / Princess Jaggs (voice) 3 episodes
2018–present Nailed It! Herself (host) 32 episodes
2018–2020 Apple & Onion Cotton Candy / Kid / Rude Fan (voice) 5 episodes
2018 Bob's Burgers Martha / Drunk Lounge Lady (voice) Episode: "Go Tina on the Mountain"
2018 Little Big Awesome Ho Cho Flo / Puppy Num Nums (voice) Episode: "Puppy Shower/Claude the Buff Hamster"
2018–2020 Big City Greens Andromeda (voice) 4 episodes
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Herself Episode: "All Stars Snatch Game"
2019 The Good Place Gwendolyn Episode: "The Book of Dougs"
2019–2020 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Trudy Judy 2 episodes
2019 The Simpsons Erica (voice) Episode: "Bart vs. Itchy & Scratchy"
2019 Tuca & Bertie Various voices 9 episodes
2019 Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ Mandine Chinton Episode: "Missing Dean"
2019–2020 The Unicorn Meg 2 episodes
2019 A Black Lady Sketch Show Trinity the Invisible Spy 2 episodes
2019 Snoopy in Space C.A.R.A. (voice) 11 episodes
2020 Lego Masters Herself Episode: "Storybook"
2020 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Herself Episode: "Get a Room!"
2020 American Dad! Pickle House Customer (voice) Episode: "Trophy Wife, Trophy Life"
2020 Game On! Herself Episode: "Celebrity Guests: Nicole Byer and David Ortiz"
2020 Mapleworth Murders[30] Julia Squift Episode: "The Case of the Case of Wine: Part I"
2020 Amphibia Gertie (voice) 2 episodes
2020 Woke 40 Oz. Bottle (voice) 3 episodes
2020 Archer Gabrielle (voice) Episode: "The Double Date"
2020 The George Lucas Talk Show Herself Episode: "Radioland Stream Night"
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself 2 episodes
2021 Wipeout Herself (co-host)[31] Upcoming series

Podcasts
Year Title Notes
2013 Before You Were Funny Guest
2013 Doodie Calls with Doug Mand Guest
2014–2017 Baby Geniuses Guest; 4 episodes
2015–2017 Hollywood Handbook Guest; 2 episodes
2015 Can I Pet Your Dog? Guest
2015–2019 Lady to Lady Guest; 2 episodes
2015 The Champs Guest
2016–2020 Doughboys Guest; 8 episodes
2016 Black Men Can't Jump [In Hollywood] Guest
2016 Make Me Like It Guest
2016 The MEAT Improv with Jake Jabbour and Josh Simpson Guest
2016 Don't Get Me Started Guest
2016 The CONAN Podcast Guest
2016–2019 High and Mighty Guest; 5 episodes
2016 Slate Daily Feed Guest
2016 Another Round Guest
2016 No Joke Guest
2017 The Bechdel Cast Guest
2017–2018 Natch Beaut Guest; 2 episodes
2017 The Need to Fail with Don Fanelli Guest
2017 Weird Adults with Little Esther Guest
2017 The Dumbbells Guest
2017 Kar-Dishin' It: All Things Kardashian Guest
2017–2019 I'm Too Effing High Guest; 5 episodes
2017–2019 If I Were You Guest; 2 episodes
2017 Treks and the City Guest
2017–present Why Won't You Date Me? Host
2018 Unladylike Guest
2018 Comedy Bang! Bang! Guest
2018 Raised by TV Guest
2018 Spontaneanation Guest
2018 Off Book: The Improvised Musical Guest
2018 The Big Listen Guest; 2 episodes
2018 Unhappy Hour with Matt Bellassai Guest
2018 You're Making It Worse Guest
2018 The Soft Spot Guest
2018 Inside the Disney Vault Guest
2019–2020 Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig Guest; 2 episodes
2018 Womp It Up! Guest
2018 A Funny Feeling Guest
2018 Hysteria Guest
2019 Good One: A Podcast About Jokes Guest
2018 Everything is Rent Guest
2018 unBEARable with Big Dipper and Meatball Guest
2018 This Particular Album is Very, Very Important to Me Guest
2018 All Fantasy Everything Guest
2019–present Best Friends Co-host (with Sasheer Zamata)
2019 Who's Your God? Guest
2019 The Good Place: The Podcast Guest
2019 Cool Playlist Guest
2019 Be Here for a While Guest
2019–2020 Forever35 Guest; 2 episodes
2019 Two Girls One Ghost Guest
2019 The Worst with Greta Titelman Guest
2019 Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend Guest
2019 Three Questions with Andy Richter Guest
2019 Scam Goddess Guest
2019 A Mediocre Time with Tom and Dan Guest
2019 And Especially You Guest
2019 Worst Firsts with Brittany Furlan Guest
2019 I Hate Talking About Myself Guest
2019 Your Mom's House Guest
2019 Air Jordan: A Food Podcast Guest
2019–present Drag Her Co-host (with Mano Agapion)
2019 Gettin Better with Ron Funches Guest
2019 Kreative Kontrol Guest
2019–present 90 Day Bae Co-host (with Marcy Jarreau)
2019 Punch Up The Jam Guest
2019 Ghosted! by Roz Drezfalez Guest
2019 Sloppy Seconds with Big Dipper and Meatball Guest
2019 Good for You with Whitney Cummings Guest
2019 The Goodie Goodie with Sabrina Jalees Guest; 2 episodes
2019 I'm Afraid of That Guest
2019–2020 It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders Guest
2019 Las Culturistas Guest
2020 Inside Voices Guest
2020–present Newcomers Co-host (with Lauren Lapkus)
2020 Strong Black Lead Guest
2020 Netflix Is A Daily Joke Guest
2020 Staying In with Emily and Kumail Guest
2020 Culture Kings Guest
2020 U Up? Guest
2020 I Don't Want to Talk About Fight Club Anymore Guest; 2 episodes
2020 I Weigh with Jameela Jamil Guest
2020 Spanish Aqui Presents Guest
2020 Marti Talks Guest
2020 Late Night with Seth Meyers Podcast Guest

Awards and nominations
Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
2019 Gold Derby Awards Best Reality Host Nailed It! Nominated
Reality Host of the Decade Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Best Host in a Reality Program Nominated
2020 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program Nominated

References
  1. "Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian". Answers Africa. December 11, 2018.
  2. Romano, Nick (March 10, 2018). "Nailed It is the Netflix series about baking fails you didn't know you needed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  3. "2020 Primetime Emmy® Awards – Nomination Press Release" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  4. Mehta, Maitri (September 8, 2015). "Who Is Nicole Byer? The Comedian Has Two New Shows On MTV & She Deserves It". Bustle. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  5. de Moraes, Lisa (July 31, 2016). "'Loosely Exactly Nicole' Star Nicole Byer Asked To Explain Show's White EPs – TCA". Deadline. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  6. "Why Won't You Date Me?". HeadGum.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  7. "DOE Co-Sponsors 24th Annual Governor's Awards in Arts Education", New Jersey Department of Education, press release dated May 26, 2004. Accessed January 14, 2019. "Nicole Byer - Lincroft - Middletown HS South"
  8. Davis, Allison P. (September 6, 2016). "Nicole Byer Is Not Your Teacher". The Ringer. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  9. Byer, Nicole. "Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata; Episode 7:Nicole is Watching Frasier (at 35:15)". Apple.com. EarWolf. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  10. Wright, Megh (April 28, 2015). "Sasheer Zamata and Nicole Byer Turn into Garbage Monsters in 'Pursuit of Sexiness'". Splitsider. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  11. Wright, Megh (March 17, 2016). "Nicole Byer Is the Nation's Top Transvaginal Mesh Attorney on This Week's 'Party Over Here'". Splitsider. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  12. Wright, Megh (May 13, 2016). "Nicole Byer Gets Stalked by an Internet Ad on Tomorrow's 'Party Over Here'". Splitsider. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  13. Houlihan, Ryan (September 8, 2015). "Nicole Byer Is About To Redefine The Term 'Ladylike' With Brand-New Show". MTV. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  14. Merry, Stephanie. "Nicole Byer has her own TV show, and the fact she's a black female comedian is the 'least interesting thing' about it". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  15. Sava, Oliver (February 15, 2018). "Kristin Chenoweth can't save Drag Race's humdrum All Stars Snatch Game". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  16. Licata, Elizabeth (February 22, 2018). "Netflix's "Nailed It" Is a Hilarious TV Baking Competition for Amateur Chefs". The Kitchn. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  17. Scott, Sydney. "Nicole Byer Shares The Most Embarrassing Thing She's Done In Bed With A Guy". Essence.com. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  18. Miller, Gregory E. (October 30, 2019). "Nicole Byer dishes on pole-dancing, comedy and writing book". New York Post. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  19. Davies, Madeleine (August 1, 2016). "'I Want It Blacker': Here's the First Trailer for Nicole Byer's Loosely Exactly Nicole". Jezebel. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  20. Jones, Jaleesa M. (August 3, 2016). "'Loosely Exactly Nicole' star Nicole Byer on early auditions: I was asked to 'be as black as possible'". USA Today. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  21. Andreeva, Nellie (February 9, 2017). "MTV's 'Loosely Exactly Nicole' & 'Mary + Jane' Comedy Series Canceled After One Season, What About 'Sweet/Vicious'?". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  22. Goldberg, Lesley. "Facebook Dives Into Scripted Television With Nicole Byer Comedy Series". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  23. "Why Won't You Date Me?". Headgum.com. Headgum. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  24. "Nicole Byer Takes Honesty About Dating to Whole New Level with 'Why Won't You Date Me?'". The Comedy Bureau. February 23, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  25. Wright, Megh. "This Week in Comedy Podcasts: A Very Special Episode of Nicole Byer's 'Why Won't You Date Me?'". Vulture.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  26. Foskett, Annie. "5 Podcasts About Dating You Need To Hear If You're Dating In Your 20s". Elite Daily. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  27. "Newcomers: Star Wars with Lauren Lapkus & Nicole Byer". Headgum.com. Headgum. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  28. Takeda, Allison. "Nicole Byer Can Find Humor in Anything — And She Does, on 'Loosely Exactly Nicole'". www.brit.co. Brit+Co. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  29. "Nicole Byer: "I don't identify as straight, I identify as a person who just loves"". Gay Times. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  30. Porter, Rick (December 3, 2019). "Lorne Michaels' Quibi Murder Mystery Lines Up All-Star Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  31. Denise Petski (September 10, 2020). "Wipeout: John Cena & Nicole Byer To Host TBS' Revival Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
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