Sandra Bernhard

Sandra Bernhard (born June 6, 1955) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. She first gained attention in the late 1970s, with her stand-up comedy in which she often bitterly critiqued celebrity culture and political figures.

Sandra Bernhard
Bernhard at the Daryl Roth Theater in New York City, 2006.
Born (1955-06-06) June 6, 1955[1]
Flint, Michigan, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
EducationSaguaro High School
Occupation
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • singer
  • author
Years active1977–present
Known forNancy Bartlett Thomas – Roseanne
Partner(s)Sara Switzer
Children1
Websitesandrabernhard.com

Bernhard is best known as portraying Nancy Barlett Thomas on the ABC sitcom Roseanne from the fourth season (1991) to the end of the show in 1997. She is currently starring as Nurse Judy Kubrak in the FX drama series Pose. Bernhard is number ninety-six on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time.[2]

Early life

Bernhard was born in Flint, Michigan, the daughter of Jeanette (née LaZebnik) and proctologist Jerome Bernhard.[3][4] Her parents raised her as a Conservative Jew.[5]

She has three brothers: Dan, David and Mark.[4] Bernhard's family moved to Arizona when she was 10.[6] Bernhard attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, graduating in 1973.[7]

Career

Bernhard became a staple at The Comedy Store. As her popularity as a comedian grew she was cast as a supporting player on The Richard Pryor Show in 1977. Guest appearances on evening talk shows followed. Her big break came in 1983 when she was cast by Martin Scorsese to star as stalker and kidnapper Masha in the film The King of Comedy for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress. Bernhard was also a frequent guest on David Letterman's NBC program Late Night with David Letterman, making 28 appearances starting in 1983.

She began performing her first one-woman show called I'm Your Woman in 1985, and an album version was released. Bernhard appeared in a variety of tiny film and television roles throughout the 1980s while crafting her stand-up routine into a more performance art-oriented show. She launched an Off-Broadway one-woman show called Without You, I'm Nothing, with You, I'm Not Much Better in 1988 which played at the Orpheum Theatre. In 1990 it was turned into a film and a double album of the same title. The film was mostly shot on location in 1989 in the coconut grove at the Ambassador Hotel.

It was during the run of 'Without You, I'm Nothing, With You, I'm Not Much Better' that Bernhard appeared with her then-good friend (and rumored lover) Madonna on a 1988 episode of Late Night with David Letterman. The two alluded to their romantic relationship and staged a sexy confrontation; the appearance received much publicity. Bernhard and Madonna would continue to be friends for several years, with Bernhard even making an appearance in Madonna's movie Truth or Dare.

In 1991, Bernhard began playing the role of Nancy Bartlett on the hit sitcom Roseanne. She appeared in 33 episodes between 1991 and 1997, and was one of the first actresses to portray an openly bisexual recurring character on American television. The role is one of her best known, something she has lamented in her stand-up as being both a blessing and a curse. In September 1992, Bernhard did a nude pictorial for Playboy. She hosted the USA Network's Reel Wild Cinema for two seasons beginning in 1995. Bernhard continued acting in mostly independent films and TV guest roles and forays into mainstream films such as Hudson Hawk and Dallas Doll. In 1991 she released her first studio album, entitled Excuses for Bad Behavior (Part One). In 1995, she briefly appeared as a guest in the animated talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast, in an episode titled "Jerk". In 1996, she guest-starred on an episode of Highlander: The Series called "Dramatic License" in which she played a romance novelist writing about the life of the main character. She also appeared (as herself) on Will & Grace in an episode dealing with Will and Grace's spuriously bidding on Bernhard's Manhattan apartment in order to become friendly with her and culminates in a diatribe from Bernhard when their ruse is exposed, with obfuscating sounds of a blender (she was having a smoothie made) blotting out supposed obscenities. She returned as herself briefly, two years later.

Bernhard returned to Broadway in 1998 with the show I'm Still Here... Damn It!, recorded for a live comedy album. At that time of the show, Bernhard was pregnant. She gave birth to daughter Cicely Yasin Bernhard on July 4, 1998.[8][9] Bernhard returned to New York in 2006 with the Off-Broadway show Everything Bad & Beautiful. The CD Everything Bad & Beautiful was critically lauded as one of her best, released by indie label Breaking Records.[10] That year she also hosted the first season of the reality competition show The Search for the Funniest Mom in America on Nick at Nite. In 2007 saw the debut of her one-woman show Plan B from Outer Space, and the inclusion of her Hanukkah-themed song "Miracle of Lights", which she co-wrote with Mitchell Kaplan, in the Breaking Records compilation album Breaking For the Holidays. She toured Plan B through 2008, and performed "Miracle of Lights" on some morning shows in New York.

Bernhard was a featured guest singer with children's artist Dan Zanes on the Family Dance album's "Thrift Shop".[11] In an interview with Howard Stern, the comedian revealed that she was originally offered the role of Miranda Hobbes of TV show Sex and the City, but opted out due to the "terrible" original script and low paycheck.[12] In 2013, the media announced that Sandra Bernhard would be joining the cast of ABC Family's Switched at Birth along with Glee's Max Adler. Sandra would assume the role of an art professor on the Season 3 Opener in January 2014.[13] Starting in 2015, Bernhard began hosting a radio show, Sandyland, on Sirius XM's, Radio Andy.[14]

In 2015, she played a recurring character, Joedth ("Joe"), on season 4 of 2 Broke Girls. She is currently playing Nurse Judy on FX's POSE, a show based on queer and trans ball culture in Manhattan, inspired by the documentary Paris is Burning.[15]

Personal life

Bernhard is bisexual and a strong supporter of gay rights.[16][17] On July 4, 1998, Bernhard gave birth to a daughter, Cicely Yasin Bernhard,[18] whom she raised with her longtime partner, Sara Switzer.[19][20][21]

Music

Bernhard performs classic pop music, jazz, and blues tunes. She has released several albums (combinations of music and comedy).

Books
  • Confessions of a Pretty Lady, an autobiography (HarperCollins October 1989 ISBN 978-0-06-091620-6)
  • Love, Love and Love, essay collection (HarperCollins June 1993 ISBN 978-0-06-016615-1)
  • May I Kiss You on the Lips, Miss Sandra?, semi-autobiography (HarperCollins October 1999 ISBN 978-0-68-817163-6)

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Shogun Assassin Voice-over in English dub
1981 Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams Girl Nut
1983 The King of Comedy Masha National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
1984 The House of God Angel Dutton
1985 Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird Grouch Diner Waitress Cameo appearance
1986 The Whoopee Boys Extra (uncredited)
1988 Casual Sex? Extra (uncredited)
Track 29 Nurse Stein
1989 Heavy Petting Herself Documentary
1990 Without You I'm Nothing Herself (also writer)
1991 Madonna: Truth or Dare Herself Documentary
Hudson Hawk Minerva Mayflower
1992 Inside Monkey Zetterland Imogene
1994 Sandra Bernhard: Confessions of a Pretty Lady Herself
Dallas Doll Dallas Adair
1995 Unzipped Herself Documentary
One Hundred and One Nights La première quêteuse
The Reggae Movie Herself Documentary
Catwalk Herself Documentary
1997 Lover Girl Marci Guerra/'Angel'
The Apocalypse J.T. Wayne
Plump Fiction Bunny Roberts
1998 An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn Ann Glover
Exposé Janet
Wrongfully Accused Dr. Fridley
Somewhere in the City Betty
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died Sandy Sands/Professional Mourner and Stripper
2000 One Hell of a Guy God (voice only)
Playing Mona Lisa Bibi Carlson Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Stony Brook Film Festival
Dinner Rush Jennifer Freely
2001 Zoolander Herself Cameo appearance
2004 The N-Word Herself Documentary
The Easter Egg Adventure Claralyne Cluck (voice only)
2005 Searching for Bobby D Sherri Dansen
2009 Dare Dr. Serena Mohr
2010 See You in September Charlotte
2011 Looking for Lenny Herself Documentary

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1977 The Richard Pryor Show Featured Performer Canceled after 4 episodes
1985 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Karen The Episode entitled "Night Caller"
1991–1997, 2018 Roseanne Nancy Bartlett Recurring role (33 episodes)
1992 Sandra After Dark, with Your Hostess, Sandra Bernhard Herself (also co-executive producer) TV film
1992–93 The A-List Herself/Host 1 episode
1994-96 Reel Wild Cinema Herself/Host 22 episodes
1995 Space Ghost Coast to Coast Herself 1 episode
Freaky Friday Frieda Debny TV film
The Larry Sanders Show Herself 2 episodes
1996 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Herself 1 episode
The Late Shift Herself TV film
Highlander: The Series Carolyn Marsh 1 episode: "Dramatic License"
1997 Superman: The Animated Series Gsptlsnz 1 episode
Ally McBeal Caroline Poop 2 episodes
1998–99 Hercules Cassandra (voice only) 45 episodes
1999 Sandra Bernhard - I'm Still Here..Damn It! Herself (also writer) TV film
2000 The Sopranos Herself as Gina 1 episode: "D-Girl"
2001-02 Will & Grace Herself 2 episodes
2001 Sandra Bernhard: Giving Them Lip Herself TV movie
2001–03 The Sandra Bernhard Experience Herself/Host unknown episodes
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Priscilla Chaney 1 episode
Girlfriends Marcia 1 episode
2004 Silver Lake Sheila Fontana Unsold pilot
2004 Whoopi's Littleburg The Macaroni Lady 1 episode
2005 Crossing Jordan Roz Framus 2 episodes
The L Word Charlotte Birch 5 episodes
2005–06 The Queer Edge Herself/Co-Host 26 episodes
2007 Las Vegas Margo Poon 1 episode
The New Adventures of Old Christine Audrey 1 episode
2009 Head Case Herself 1 episode
2011 Roseanne's Nuts Herself 1 episode
Hot in Cleveland Nan 1 episode
2012 GCB Debby Horowitz 1 episode
DTLA Carla 3 episodes
2013 The Neighbors Ms. Porsche 1 episode
2014 Switched at Birth Prof. Teresa Ledarsky 4 episodes
You're the Worst Herself 1 episode
2014–15 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Darlene Linetti 3 episodes
2015 2 Broke Girls Joedth 5 episodes
2016 Difficult People Lilith Feigenbaum 1 episode
2018–present Pose Judy Kubrak 7 episodes
2018 American Horror Story: Apocalypse Hannah Episode: "Sojourn"

2019 Sweetbitter

Short subjects
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Museum of Love Kitty
2003 The Third Date Ola
2006 Twenty Dollar Drinks Star

Awards
Year Nominated work Award Category Result
1983 The King of Comedy NSFC Awards Won
1991 Hudson Hawk Golden Raspberry Awards Nominated
1997 Highlander: The Series OFTA Awards
  • Best Guest Actress in a Syndicated Series
 Nominated
2002 Herself GLAAD Media Awards Won
2006 Philadelphia QFest Awards
  • Artistic Achievement Award
 Won
gollark: ++tel init_webhook
gollark: ++tel link apionet `#o`
gollark: Most of the electronics in consumer electronics basically never fails and can be miniaturised arbitrarily, but we seem to be bad at making the nondurable parts replaceable.
gollark: There were briefly phones with easily swappable batteries and water resistance.
gollark: Some people also dislike ubiquitous international shipping for reasons.

See also

References
  1. "Sandra Bernhard". www.nndb.com. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  2. "Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Standups of All Time". Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  3. "Sandra Bernhard Biography (1955-)". FilmReference.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  4. "Jeanette (LaZebnik) Bernhard Obituaryu". MLive Media Group. June 13, 2014. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  5. Iovine, Julie V. (October 22, 1998). "At Home With: Sandra Bernhard; When Baby Talk Makes Good Material". The New York Times.
  6. "Vote Election Day 2008". SandraBernhard.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011.
  7. "Classmates - Find your school, yearbooks and alumni online". www.classmates.com. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  8. Bernhard Goes Maternal, CBS News, July 8, 1998, last accessed July 1, 2008.
  9. Sandra Bernhard a mom at 42 Archived 2008-10-29 at the Wayback Machine, CNN, July 8, 1998, last accessed July 1, 2008.
  10. "Breaking Records Music".
  11. amazon.com, Thrift Shop
  12. "Sandra Bernhard Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Role Due To 'Terrible' Script And Low Paycheck". The Huffington Post.
  13. "Switched at Birth Adds Max Adler and Sandra Bernhard"., TV Fanatic. October 11, 2013
  14. "Behind the Voice: Sandra Bernhard elevates the conversation on Radio Andy". 26 December 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  15. "Cast & Crew POSE on FX". 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  16. "Sandra Bernhard: Bisexuality and savage wit". The Independent. London. 22 October 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  17. Feminist.com, Interview with Sandra Bernhard by Marianne Schnall. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  18. Iovine, Julie V. (October 22, 1998), "At Home with: Sandra Bernhard When Baby Talk Makes Good Material", The New York Times, retrieved October 29, 2015
  19. "LIZ SMITH: The Time of the Season ..." 7 January 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  20. Anna Holmes. "Sandra Bernhard, Daughter, Are A Duo Of Dames With Rebel Red". Jezebel.
  21. Oswell, Paul (10 June 2015). "Sandra Bernhard on today's young actors: 'They don't have personalities'". The Guardian.
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