Loni Love

Loni Love
Love in 2022
Born (1971-07-12) July 12, 1971 (age 53)[1]
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Alma materPrairie View A&M University (BEE)
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • television personality
  • actress
  • author
Years active2000–present
Television
Partner(s)James Welsh
(2018–present)
Websitelonilove.com

Loni Love (born July 12, 1971) is an American comedian, television host, actress, author, and former electrical engineer. While working as an electrical engineer in the early 2000s, she switched to music engineering, until later launching a career in stand-up comedy. She was the runner-up on Star Search 2003 and was named among the "Top 10 Comics to Watch" in both Variety and Comedy Central in 2009. She was one of the co-hosts of the syndicated daytime talk show The Real, which ran from July 15, 2013, and ended on June 3, 2022.[2]

Life and career

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Love was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects.[3][4][5] Prior to her career as a comedian, she was an electrical engineer,[6] an experience she talks about in many of her acts.[7] After graduating from Cass Technical High School in 1989, she worked for a time on the General Motors assembly line putting doors on 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlasses, work which ignited her interest in electrical engineering.[5] Love then received her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Prairie View A&M University in Texas.[8] While at Prairie View, she minored in music and was also a member of the Eta Beta chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.[9] It was there that she discovered stand-up comedy after winning a $50 competition and then performed frequently during her college life.[10][8]

After finding work as an engineer at Xerox in California, she continued to do stand-up after work in clubs and became a regular at the Laugh Factory.[11] After eight years of working at Xerox, Love resigned to pursue comedy during a layoff to prevent someone else from losing their job.[11] Love did a series on VH1 called I Love the 2000s in which she gives her view on pop culture highlights. She was also a panelist in the late-night talk show Chelsea Lately. Love also appeared in an episode of Supermarket Sweep on July 24, 2000.

Love in 2009

Love started her comedic career in 2003, after appearing on Star Search, reaching the finals and losing in a close competition to winner John Roy.[12] Since then, she has appeared in films and numerous television shows.[8][13] Love was named "Hot Comic" for 2009 in Campus Activity magazine and one of the "Top 10 Comics to Watch" in both Variety and Comedy Central.[8] She was awarded the Jury Prize for best stand-up at the 2003 US Comedy Arts Festival.[14][15] In 2008 Love became the CNN correspondent for D. L. Hughley Breaks the News and covered the inauguration of President Barack Obama.[16] In late 2009, Love recorded her first one-hour Comedy Central special, America's Sister, which aired on May 8, 2010.[17] In July 2013, she released her first comedy advice book titled "Love Him Or Leave Him But Don't Get Stuck With The Tab". It was published by Simon & Schuster.

From July 15, 2013, to June 3, 2022, Love served as one of the co-hosts of the syndicated daytime talk show The Real originally alongside Adrienne Bailon, Tamar Braxton, Jeannie Mai, and Tamera Mowry. After premiering on July 15, 2013, on Fox Television Stations,[18] The Real was picked up to series the following year.[19] In 2015, she appeared in the comedy film Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, with Kevin James, and the action film Bad Asses on the Bayou, with Danny Trejo and Danny Glover.[20] She also won the ninth season of Worst Cooks in America in 2016, winning $50,000 for her chosen charity.[21] In 2018, Love and her Real co-hosts won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host for their work.[22]

In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Love hosts a show on Instagram Live under the hashtag #quarantinewithloni. Love's show attracts 50,000 to 100,000 viewers.[15]

Since January 2021, Love has been a recurring guest judge on season 13 of Rupaul's Drag Race.[23] Love currently hosts, alongside Alec Mapa, Squirrel Friends: The Official Rupaul's Drag Race Podcast since 2022.

Filmography

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Film
Year Film Role Notes
2019 Adopt a Highway Cher
2016 Mother's Day Kimberly
2015 Bad Asses on the Bayou Carmen
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 Donna Ericone
2014 Gutshot Straight Ms. Love
Bad Asses Carmen
2004 Soul Plane Shaniece
With or Without You Waitress
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2023 The $100,000 Pyramid Self - Celebrity Player Episode: "RuPaul vs Lauren Lapkus and Steve Schirripa vs Loni Love"
2022 Hell's Kitchen Herself Guest diner; Episode: "Breakfast 911"
E! Daily Pop Co-host
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Episode: "It Takes A Villain"
Is It Cake? Judge
2021-22 RuPaul's Drag Race guest judge; 4 episodes (season 13; "RuPaulmark Channel"); 1 episode (season 14)
2020 RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Herself/Mary J. Ross Contestant
The Funny Dance Show Herself Judge
2017 Kevin Can Wait Yvette Guest star (1 episode)
Funny You Should Ask Herself 5 episodes
2016 Heads Up! Herself Host (65 episodes)
Worst Cooks in America Winner
2015 American Dad! Iris (voice) Guest star (1 episode)
2014 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Herself Recurring Guest star & DJ
I Love the 2000s
2013–2022 The Real Talk show; co-host & producer
2012 Bethenny
2011 Mr. Young Detective Dr. Dimitria DaDoodoo II, esq. Ph.D. MD Ed.d.
Whitney Nurse
2011-2013 Kickin' It Marge Recurring (5 episodes)
2011–2013 After Lately Herself
2010 The Gossip Queens
2009 Wildest TV Show Moments
D. L. Hughley Breaks the News
2008 GSN Live
Phineas and Ferb Episode: "Carl's Saleswoman Disguise"
2008–2014 Chelsea Lately Panelist
TruTV Presents: World's Dumbest...
2008 Chocolate News
I Love the New Millennium
Comics Unleashed
2007 Wild 'n Out Season 4 Recurring cast Member
2006 Thick and Thin Viola Series regular
I Love the '70s: Volume 2 Herself
I Love Toys
2005 I Love the Holidays Special
I Love the '80s 3-D
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Featured comic
Weekends at the DL Panelist
Cuts Pepper Guest star (1 episode)
I Love the '90s: Part Deux Herself
2004–2007 Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Lunch Lady Recurring
2004 Girlfriends Woman Guest star
Redlight, Greenlight Herself Series host
I Love the '90s
Premium Blend
2003–2004 Hollywood Squares
2003 Star Search Finalist
I Love the '80s Strikes Back
I Love the '70s

Awards and nominations

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Daytime Emmy Award
Year[a] Award Nominated work Result
2016 Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host
(shared with Adrienne Bailon, Tamar Braxton, Jeannie Mai, and Tamera Mowry) 		The Real Nominated
2017 Nominated
2018 Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host
(shared with Bailon, Mai, and Mowry) 		Won
2019 Nominated

Notes

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  1. ^ The year given is the year of the ceremony

References

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  1. ^ Shea, Ryan (July 14, 2019). "Inside Loni Love & James Welsh's New York City Date Night". OK!. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  2. ^ "It's Official: 'The Real' Talk Show Begins Four-Week Test Run July 15". Deadline Hollywood. June 12, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  3. ^ "Growing up in the Brewster Projects gave this comedian a nitty-gritty toughness". www.michiganradio.org. March 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  4. ^ Baetens, Melody. "Comedian Loni Love is on top". Detroit News. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Stone, Karleigh (September 29, 2017). "Detroit's ReMARKable Woman, Loni Love". SEEN Magazine. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  6. ^ Joszor, Njai (August 27, 2009), Lonie Love: Laughter For Life, Singersroom.com, archived from the original on August 31, 2009, retrieved November 13, 2009
  7. ^ Richardson, Emma (November 3, 2009), Loni Love Foxy (And Funny) Problem Solver, Real Detroit Weekly, retrieved November 13, 2009[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b c d "Her university discovery". August 22, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  9. ^ Carnes, Jim. "Loni Love will say what's on her mind at Punch Line — Sacramento Entertainment — Sacramento Movie Theaters, Music | Sacramento Bee". Sacbee.com. Retrieved August 31, 2010. [dead link]
  10. ^ "'The Real' co-host Loni Love has her eyes set on late-night". Los Angeles Times. July 20, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "The Towerlight » Riding the 'Love Train'". Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
  12. ^ Loni Love & John Roy, CBS Broadcasting Inc., retrieved November 16, 2009
  13. ^ "Loni Love | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  14. ^ "Loni Love does comedy her way". October 3, 2011.
  15. ^ a b "The Real's Loni Love Gets Candid About Her Path to Success: 'This is My American Story'".
  16. ^ "COMEDY CENTRAL® GETS PATRIOTIC WITH THE WORLD..." Comedy Central Press. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "Interview: Loni Love: American Sister". The Trades. April 20, 2010. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  18. ^ "It's Official: 'The Real' Talk Show Begins Four-Week Test Run July 15". Deadline Hollywood. June 12, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  19. ^ Block, Alex Ben (October 31, 2013). "'The Real' Gets National Syndication and Cable Pick Up". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  20. ^ "Loni Love Lands A New Role In 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2′!". April 9, 2014.
  21. ^ Erdos, Joseph. "Exclusive Interview with the Winner of Worst Cooks Celebrity Edition". Television Food Network. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  22. ^ Kiefer, Halle (April 30, 2018). "Here Are Your 2018 Daytime Emmy Award Winners". Vulture. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  23. ^ "Login • Instagram". Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
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