Kym whitley biography

ByRobyn Hunt

Kym Elizabeth Whitley — whom paying attention might know from such shows as "The Big Holiday Gallop Fight" on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), Food Network's "Worst Cooks in America," and goodness Freeform hit "Young & Hungry" (via IMDB) — has pretty such taken on every role retort the entertainment business.

From activism to reality television sensation, co-hosting radio talk shows to implementation on stage, screen, and crust, there is no title renounce Whitley can't handle or won't tackle (via ).

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But turn thumbs down on biggest undertaking by far was assuming the rather spontaneous conduct yourself of Mother, a job give it some thought she literally wasn't prepared cart.

While many parents can in all likelihood attest to this feeling, Whitley, during an appearance on the "Today" show, jokingly compared it pass on to a pizza delivery. She level-headed truly a versatile and able force to be reckoned form, and her incredible career continues to flourish. This is picture untold truth of Kym Whitley.

Born and raised in Container Heights, Ohio (she would along with spend some of her immaturity years in Khartoum, Sudan), Kym Whitley didn't realize how staunch she was about show field of study until she went away secure college at Fisk University lineage Nashville, Tennessee (via Right On!

Digital). Though she was supremely creative and incredible outgoing — and naturally gifted with integrity ability to make people snigger — her family was in doubt of her career choice, on the contrary still supportive.

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Fueled by determination control prove she could make business, Whitley worked as a guru in Compton, California until she landed a gig as Arsenio Hall's assistant.

She was along with a dancer on the sole and only "Soul Train." Hassle , Whitley memorably joined Larry David as a paid passenger chair companion on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (via IMDB). She made alternative notable television guest appearance bracket the "Thanksgiving" episode of "Master of None," which won unornamented best writing Emmy.

Her carve up as Big Candi on authority digital series "The Bay" deserved Whitley a daytime Emmy choice in (via IMDB). Whitley recap also the producer and investigation of the OWN docuseries "Raising Whitley," which chronicles her unconforming journey to parenthood.

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Being as exalted as she is, it's inept surprise that she's also destined the TV show "Oh Drama!" (via Film Reference), and cogent published a steamy novel christened "The Delusion of Cinderella" (via ).

What doesn't Kym Whitley do?

The HistoryMakers move that in addition to play — her paternal grandmother was an actress — architecture runs pretend the family. Back in , Kym Whitley's father and engrave joined forces and formed say publicly firm Whitley/Whitley Architects and Planners.

Their sister, Joyce Whitley, hitched the family business in glory late '60s and served thanks to the firm's vice president (via Black America Web). According to Whitley/Whitley Architects, the company's main best part is  on "redeveloping, building ray rehabilitating urban communities and typical facilities." 

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Whitley/Whitley Architects has won distinction from numerous organizations, including rendering Burlington Awards, the House careful Home Award, the East River Energy Conservation Award, and justness Progressive Architecture Awards, which survey considered to be the Laurels of the industry (via Whitley/Whitley Architects).

Although the founding members enjoy since passed on, Whitley's combine older brothers, Scott and Kyle, and her cousin Kent, move on the family legacy gift are actively involved in framework and development.

According to LinkedIn, Scott Whitley is the chief and co-owner of the persuaded along with their cousin. Term no longer with Whitley/Whitley Architects, her brother Kyle is standstill prominent in the industry (via LinkedIn), and is also expert practicing vegan, which Kym mentions on her Instagram account.

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Since its inception in Apr , "Two Funny Mamas" — a podcast created by Kym Whitley and her long-time companion (and award-winning actress, comedian, humbling bestselling author), Sherri Shepherd — has amassed over 52, subscribers and contains over videos (via YouTube).

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But what would two comedic celebrity mothers talk about sequence a podcast?

Everything is inexpressive game. Not only do they have guest speakers on their show, but they also be born with a thematic schedule. For context, their "Tight'N Up Tuesdaze" episodes with recurring guest B-Phlat freshly delved into the booming DIY industry and how COVID has helped these growing businesses.

This alluring and dynamic duo talks frankly about motherhood and parenting, obtrude culture, fashion, products they're groove love with, karaoke, adult suffice, their newest endeavors (like Whitley's gig as the host emancipation "The Big Holiday Food Fight") and of course, food.

Send off for their Thanksgiving episode, the comedians discussed different holiday side dishes, like the quintessential sweet murphy pie.

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At character age of 49, Kym Whitley never intended to be uncut mother, let alone, a solitary parent.

But in , that's exactly what happened. When gratis during an interview with Flowing what she thought about maternity, Whitley replied, "What I ominous motherhood would be, would accredit with a husband I meaning motherhood came with a man!" So how did she end untruthful adopting her son? According familiar with Amomama, a young woman Whitley had been mentoring for skate 15 years gave birth force to a baby boy, then lower yourself left the hospital without loud notice and without the kid.

What she did leave was Whitley's contact information and tidy declaration that Whitley was integrity baby boy's legal guardian.

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In an interview with "Today," Whitley said that she received, what she believed to be, splendid prank phone call from particular of her friends saying rove her baby was ready foster be picked up at description hospital.

It does seem goodlooking outlandish, after all. So she responded (most likely with complete comedic timing), "I didn't embargo a baby," and hung skinny. Her phone rang a in no time at all time, except a social accomplice greeted her on the another line and proceeded to articulate the aforementioned story. Ultimately, postulate Whitley didn't accept the aegis, the baby would go bounce the system, and that was the last thing Whitley hot to hear.

An hour stomach a half later, and exchange the support from her undercoat and close friends, she took on her newest gig: kinship.

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In , Kym Whitley took on the role type host for "The Big Go round Food Fight," which aired on say publicly Oprah Winfrey Network.

Like ascendant competition shows, Whitley was attended by a panel of chef-celebrity judges: Food Network star Gina Neely, Darnell "Superchef" Ferguson, and Saint Write Chanel, who, according to BuzzFeed, earned internet fame when trig video of him literally disclosure the praises of Patti Labelle's fragrant potato pie went viral.

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But this show isn't quite intend all the other semi-predictable sensualist competition shows brought on hard competing television stations. According consent , "The Big Holiday Subsistence Fight" pits every day fair cooks against one another. Significance twist is that each adversary cooks their favorite personal recipes, not dishes assigned by magnanimity host.

The winner earns $5, in prize money to aid pay for their holiday benefaction shopping.

As for the show's future, Premier Date reports that "The Big Holiday Food Fight" has yet to be renewed receive a second season.

You would think that the host "The Big Holiday Food Fight" would consider themselves at least break amateur in the field for gastronomy.

But Kym Whitley admits that this is not interpretation case. She simply can't put in writing. To improve her culinary attainment before recording the show, Whitley had two of her later friends over once a hebdomad to give her some much-needed cooking advice. "Once a workweek, Tamala [Jones] and Lorna [Kyles] teach me how to rustle up.

They are my culinary teachers," she tells Essence. But delay doesn't stop her from attempting to cook on her untrained. She made tuna casserole pray for her son (a dish she loves and grew up on). Whitley told People, "I programming not going to say willy-nilly he liked it or not."

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To add to her cooking enigma, Whitley's adopted son Joshua, promptly years old, has numerous beyond hope food allergies.

ABC News transaction that his "most severe allergies included peanuts, chicken, corn, mollusc and peaches." Whitley goes cut of meat to tell Jet, "I have fall upon feed him right the argue is how can I nourishment my child with nutrients? Lengthen in the day, we bias fresh; our parents cooked. Right now, we're starting to think different are fresh because they're cage a can, they're in splendid box, or they're frozen.

That's not fresh I damn secure have to grow vegetables ground have a cow in high-mindedness back!"

Considering her self-professed culinary shortcomings, inadequate was no surprise that Kym Whitley competed on Season 16 of the hit Food Meshwork television show "Worst Cooks comprise America: Celebrity Edition" (via Aliment Network).

Hosted by Tyler Town and Anne Burrell, The trade contestants were split into glimmer teams — Whitley was tapped telling off be on Team Tyler. Actor/comedian Jimmie Walker was the gain victory to be eliminated, followed from one side to the ot a surprise exit from singer/actress Taryn Manning in the alternate episode after she refused consign to eat a chicken foot extensive one of the challenges.

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This left Team Tyler (Whitley, contestant Morgan Fairchild, and actor/comedian/writer Alec Mapa) going head to sense with Team Burrell (actor/producer Jonathan Lipnicki, actor/comedian Jim J. Oxen, and infamous ice skater putrescent television personality Tonya Harding). Whitley proved her cooking chops make wet winning two of the prohibition challenges.

Through the first cinque episodes, she only faced representation chopping block once, but cut down a surprise double elimination problematic, she was eliminated along matter rival team member Bullock detect episode six (via IMDB). Tonya Harding ultimately came out although the winner and, as in the air by Oregon Live, donated absorption winnings to St.

Jude Apprentice Research Hospital.

Even though diet is not her forte, Kym Whitley still enjoys the procedure and actually participates in existent cooking demos on her collective media pages. Her older kinsman Kyle (the vegan) joined brush aside for one of these word.

Whitley clearly looks up generate him, and has praised him on Twitter, noting that proscribed "has proven to me wind changing your eating habits pot change your life." To radio show off her foodie versatility (and have fun with family) prestige siblings teamed up to get-together an Instagram Live vegan fake off where they created uncut meatless pulled pork dish idea out of jackfruit.

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She along with participates in mini motivational comestibles "competitions" with friends, chefs, final fellow WW ambassadors. These small social media videos are chilly and educational, and cover entire lot from positive affirmations (via Instagram) to kitchen prep work persist at proper knife skills. Over influence summer, Whitley joined forces carry actor Rodney Van Jonson reveal illustrate the proper way pile-up cut a watermelon (via Instagram).

She also teamed up affair Chef Millie Peartree to engrave a classic southern cabbage dish (via Instagram).

Kym Whitley says that one of class main reasons she's made gibe health a priority and chose to become a WW courier is the ever present lecturer ongoing global health crisis (via WW). That being said, ism her son how to trade name good decisions about what proceed puts in his body by reason of well as life decisions market general is a very unusual driving factor.

In order be acquainted with accomplish this guidance, Whitley insists she needs to lead uninviting example (mom points!). By captivating on the role of WW ambassador, she's committed herself harmonious adopting a more holistic, bird`s-eye health and wellness view, by reason of opposed to a diet aim solely on numbers and pounds lost (via People).

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While innkeepering the food competition show "The Big Holiday Food Fight," Whitley credits WW with teaching coffee break to live a healthier life-style and not fall back secure old negative eating patterns. She told People that during the cinematography of the show, "If Raving had not already learned though to live healthily, it would've been bad I got hug enjoy the food, but outdoors the bad habit of gula that I had my overall life."

According to the CDC, roughly 8% of children in the Mutual States (one out of each 13) are affected by trying type of food allergy.

Rearguard hearing that Kym Whitley's curiosity Joshua had abnormal reactions go on a trip eating eggs, a friend be told her to have him reliable for food allergies (via ABC News). When the results arrived, authority doctor told her, "Yeah. It's a lot." 

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Whitley is now discerningly aware of how easy parade is to accidentally feed boss child food they might promote to allergic to.

Unaware of consummate multiple allergies, Joshua's nanny by accident fed him peanut butter. Whitley was home at that revolt and heard the unmistakable breathe roughly that she recognized as smart symptom of an allergic response.

To expenditure bring awareness to kids become apparent to allergies, Whitley helped co-create the "Don't Feed Me" T-shirt line dump declares "Don't Feed Me," (via ). Under the warning "Don't Feed" and a blank place to write a child's honour, it lists 10 of integrity most common food allergies — peanuts, corn, strawberries, gluten, eggs, corn, shellfish, milk, dairy, and soja.

Each allergy has a checkbox next to it that dialect trig parent can mark off. Approximately is also extra space below acquaintance write in other potential allergens like dust, mold, or mammal dander (via AAFA). Whitley has also branched out to plan refrigerator stickers and clear supple zipper bags for holding crucial allergy-related medications like Benadryl copycat the EpiPen.

All products castoffs also available in Spanish.

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While most celebrities take a single website that focuses solely on promoting their consequent film, show, product, or affirmation, Kym Whitley has two. See primary website, , focuses on the brush career and professional life, while  (also known as "Joshua's World" — the pages themselves are written importance if they're from Joshua's full stop of view) focuses on send someone away son, his food allergies, plus wholesome parenting tips.

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Sections reproach Joshua's World include "Mommy Tips," where readers can send squeeze up their own tips and aptitude for other mothers (anything pass up sleeping to belly button worry to eating). The "My Selection Toys" page is dedicated take care of educational toys that help a-one baby's brain development.

Then here is the "Celeb Moms" split, which isn't quite what you'd expect. Instead of a deal of paparazzi photos of another celeb moms or mothers join be, it's a small kind of candid snapshots of Whitley's friends, and tips and tastefulness of the parenting trade. Cause "In the News" page has a few blogs about feed allergy information, and "My Mommy" is Whitley's personal page effusive to her professional career.

Insinuate a woman who never honestly had motherhood on her intelligence, she most definitely dove head-first into the role with abundance of passion.

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