Amber Ruffin

Amber Ruffin is an Emmy and Tony-nominated comedian, writer, host, and performer recognized for her contributions to late-night television, comedy writing, and Broadway. Upon joining the writing staff of "Late Night with Seth Meyers," Ruffin became the first Black woman to write for a late-night network talk show in the United States. Prior to her national television work, Ruffin developed her skills as a performer at Boom Chicago in Amsterdam, iO Theater, and Second City in Chicago, later performing on the Second City Mainstage in productions such as "No Country for Old White Men" and "Between Barack and a Hard Place."

Ruffin's tenure on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" includes appearances in recurring segments such as "Amber Says What?", "Amber's Minute of Fury," "Jokes Seth Can't Tell" with Jenny Hagel, and "Point, Counterpoint." She has received multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for her work on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and "The Amber Ruffin Show." Ruffin has also contributed as a writer and performer for the Golden Globe Awards and the series "A Black Lady Sketch Show," and hosted the Writers Guild of America awards ceremony.

"The Amber Ruffin Show" premiered on Peacock, NBC's streaming service, and is noted for its unique approach to the late-night format, focusing on topical sketches rather than traditional guest interviews. The show has received nominations from the Primetime Emmy Awards, TCA Awards, Critics' Choice Television Awards, and GLAAD Media Awards. Ruffin was named to the TIME100 Next List, highlighting influential figures in media and entertainment.

Beyond television, Ruffin co-authored the book "You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism" with her sister Lacey Lamar, which appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. Their second book, "The World Record Book of Racist Stories," further explores issues of race and social commentary. Ruffin co-wrote the musical adaptation of "Some Like It Hot" with Matthew Lopez, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical. She and Jenny Hagel co-founded the production company Straight to Cards in partnership with Universal Television.

Ruffin appears on CNN's Saturday night comedy-news talk series "Have I Got News for You," adapted for U.S. television from the BBC program, serving as a weekly team captain alongside Michael Ian Black and host Roy Wood Jr. She is also the voice of Purple, the spokescandy for M&M's. Ruffin's career spans television, Broadway, literature, and production, with a focus on comedy, diversity, and social commentary.