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{{Short description|American actress and comedian (born 1955)}}
'''Sandra Bernhard''' (born [[June 6]] [[1955]] in [[Flint, Michigan]]) is a [[United States|American]] [[actor|actress]] and [[comedian]]. She first gained attention in the late [[1970s]] with her [[stand-up comedy]] where she often bitterly critiques celebrity culture and political figures. Bernhard is number 97 on [[Comedy Central]]'s list of the 100 greatest standups of all time.
{{About|the American comedian/actress|the French stage actress|Sarah Bernhardt|the episode of an adventure series |Sarah Bernhardt (Lucky Luke)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sandra Bernhard
| image =Sandra_Bernhard_(27475774170).jpg
| caption = Bernhard in 2016
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|6|6}}<ref name=Out>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2IEAAAAMBAJ&q=sandra+bernhard%2C+born+june+6%2C+1955&pg=PA150 |title=Horoscope: Gemini |magazine=[[Out (magazine)|Out]] |page=150 |via=[[Google Books]] |date=June 2003 |access-date=July 1, 2021 |archive-date=July 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2IEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA150&lpg=PA150&dq=sandra+bernhard%2C+born+june+6%2C+1955&source=bl&ots=-ItR462_a4&sig=ACfU3U15pGU_4JD3OMUspZbkr5UIyXLkWA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNs8Xsh8PxAhVQMt8KHZATAk04ChDoATAJegQIBhAD#v=onepage&q=sandra%20bernhard%2C%20born%20june%206%2C%201955&f=false}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Flint, Michigan]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|comedian|singer|author}}
| education = [[Saguaro High School]]
| known_for = Nancy Bartlett Thomas in ''[[Roseanne]]'' and Judy Kubrak in ''[[Pose (TV series)|Pose]]''
| years_active = 1977–present
| partner = Sara Switzer (2000–present)
| children = 1
| website = {{URL|sandrabernhard.com}}
}}
'''Sandra Bernhard''' (born June 6, 1955) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She first gained attention in the late 1970s with her [[stand-up comedy]], where she often critiqued [[celebrity culture]] and political figures.


She played Nancy Bartlett Thomas on the ABC sitcom ''[[Roseanne]]'' from the fourth season (1991) to the end of the show in 1997. She played Nurse Judy Kubrak in the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] drama series ''[[Pose (TV series)|Pose]]''. She is number 96 on [[Comedy Central]]'s list of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time.
Her one woman show ''Without You I'm Nothing'' was a success on Broadway, and was turned into a [[Without You I'm Nothing (Album)|recording]] as well as a [[Without You I'm Nothing (Movie)|film]]. She has developed a cult following with her stand-up comedy shows that are better described as [[performance art]]. She is [[bisexuality|bisexual]], with public intimations of a relationship with [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], which both made in the late [[1980s]]. She returned to New York in 2006 with the [[Off-Broadway]] show ''Everything Bad & Beautiful''.


==Film==
==Early life==
Bernhard was born June 6, 1955,<ref name=Out/> in [[Flint, Michigan]], the daughter of Jeanette (née LaZebnik) and [[proctologist]] Jerome Bernhard.<ref name=momobit>{{cite news |title=Jeanette (LaZebnik) Bernhard Obituaryu |url=http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/jackson/obituary.aspx?pid=171571700 |date=June 13, 2014 |access-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-date=July 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722083227/http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/jackson/obituary.aspx?pid=171571700 |url-status=live}}</ref> Her parents raised her as a [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative Jew]].<ref>{{cite news |title=At Home With: Sandra Bernhard; When Baby Talk Makes Good Material |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/22/dining/at-home-with-sandra-bernhard-when-baby-talk-makes-good-material.html |work=The New York Times |first=Julie V. |last=Iovine |author-link=Julie V. Iovine |date=October 22, 1998}}</ref>


She has three older brothers: Dan, David, and Mark.<ref name="momobit" /> Her family moved to [[Arizona]] when she was 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sandrabernhard.com/2008/11/vote_election_day_2008.html |title=Vote Election Day 2008 |publisher=SandraBernhard.com |archive-date=May 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527131615/http://www.sandrabernhard.com/2008/11/vote_election_day_2008.html}}</ref> She attended [[Saguaro High School]] in Scottsdale, graduating in 1973.<ref>{{cite book |title=Sentinel 1973 |url=http://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/217427?page=145 |location=Scottsdale, AZ |publisher=[[Saguaro High School]] |via=[[Classmates.com]] |page=141 |access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>
She has also made appearances in various [[film]]s (including ''[[The King of Comedy (1983)|The King of Comedy]]'', ''[[Hudson Hawk]]'', ''[[The Apocalypse (film)|The Apocalypse]]'', ''[[Follow That Bird]]'', and ''[[Inside Monkey Zetterland]]'') as well as her [[television]] spots, most notably as Nancy, a [[lesbian]] friend of the title protagonist on ''[[Roseanne]]''. She also guest-starred as herself on two episodes of ''[[Will & Grace]]'' and appeared in several episodes of ''[[The L Word]]'' as a literary professor.


In 1973 she traveled to [[Israel]] and stayed for 7 months at Kibbutz [[Kfar Menahem]] with her friend Daniel Chick. She later returned to Israel during the [[Yom Kippur War]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230214230956/https://www.instagram.com/p/CoaSRWGJbSg/ Archived] from the original on 2023-02-14.</ref>
==The View controversy==


==Career==
In June of 2006 Bernhard appeared on the television program [[The View]] and in a seven minute segment her commentary on race and politics incited two of the hosts to rage. Bernhard is not a stranger to the show having appeared numerous times before, but her comments on Mariah Carey infuriated [[Star Jones]], who refused to make eye contact with Bernhard after the first two minutes. She was then asked by [[Barbara Walters]] to discuss her opinion of Laura Bush, which sent [[Republican]] co-host [[Elisabeth Hasselbeck]] into an angry rant ("Don't you 'honey' me, HONEY!)" Host [[Joy Behar]], a friend of Bernhard's, then left the stage, and the segment was cut short. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=gwIO-DpLeHE&search=sandra%20bernhard]
Bernhard became a staple at [[The Comedy Store]] in Hollywood.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gotham Comedy Club |url=https://gothamcomedyclub.com/comedian.cfm?id=109 |website=gothamcomedyclub.com |language=en |access-date=January 5, 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=When the Belly Room grew — and flopped — for female comics |url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-03-29/when-belly-room-grew-and-flopped-female-comics |website=The World from PRX |language=en |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> As her popularity as a comedian grew, she was cast as a supporting player on ''[[The Richard Pryor Show]]'' in 1977.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sandra Bernhard On Sway: Talks Working With Richard Pryor & Robin Williams Being Known For Stealing Jokes - |url=https://comedyhype.com/sandra-bernhard-sway-talks-working-richard-pryor-robin-williams-known-stealing-jokes/ |website=comedyhype.com |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=February 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214162854/http://comedyhype.com/sandra-bernhard-sway-talks-working-richard-pryor-robin-williams-known-stealing-jokes/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=RICHARD PRYOR SHOW, THE {TIM REID, SANDRA BERNHARD} (TV)|url=https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=see&p=146&item=121981|website=www.paleycenter.org|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> Guest appearances on evening talk shows followed. Her big break came in 1981 when she was cast by [[Martin Scorsese]] to star as stalker/kidnapper Masha in the film ''[[The King of Comedy (film)|The King of Comedy]]'', for which she won the [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sandra Bernhard remembers The King Of Comedy |url=https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/389-sandra-bernhard-remembers-the-king-of-comedy/ |website=The Dissolve |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021123237/https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/389-sandra-bernhard-remembers-the-king-of-comedy/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The King of Comedy |url=https://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/2018/king-comedy/06-24_17-00 |publisher=[[Edinburgh International Film Festival]] |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> She was a frequent guest on [[David Letterman]]'s NBC program ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]'', making 28 appearances starting in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 10, 2015 |author=Oswell, Paul |title=Sandra Bernhard on today's young actors: 'They don't have personalities' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jun/10/sandra-bernhard-comedy-letterman |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref>


She began performing her first one-woman show, ''I'm Your Woman'', in 1985, and [[I'm Your Woman (album)|an album version]] was released.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sandra Bernhard - I'm Your Woman |year=1985 |url=https://www.discogs.com/Sandra-Bernhard-Im-Your-Woman/release/1036876 |publisher=Discogs |language=en |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> She appeared in a variety of small television roles throughout the 1980s while crafting her stand-up routine into a more performance art-oriented show.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} 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 (Manhattan)|Orpheum Theatre]]. By 1990, it had become [[Without You I'm Nothing (film)|a film]] and [[Without You I'm Nothing (Sandra Bernhard album)|a double album]] of the same title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Melissa Anderson on Sandra Bernhard's Without You I'm Nothing at BAM |url=https://www.artforum.com/film/melissa-anderson-on-sandra-bernhard-s-without-you-i-m-nothing-at-bam-44277 |website=Artforum |date=December 9, 2013 |language=en-US |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Travers |first=Peter |date=May 11, 1990 |title=Without You I'm Nothing |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/without-you-im-nothing-125139/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> The album was recorded in 1988 at the Orpheum and released in 1989 and the film was mostly shot on location in 1989 in the [[Cocoanut Grove (Ambassador Hotel)|Cocoanut Grove]] nightclub at the [[Ambassador Hotel (Los Angeles)|Ambassador Hotel]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} Bernhard was nominated for a [[Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album]] in 1990. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Sandra Bernhard {{!}} Artist {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/sandra-bernhard/1076 |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=grammy.com}}</ref>
==Music==


During the run of ''Without You, I'm Nothing, With You, I'm Not Much Better'' 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. They continued to be friends for several years, with Bernhard making an appearance in Madonna's film ''[[Madonna: Truth or Dare|Truth or Dare]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sager |first=Jessica |date=February 6, 2017 |title=Stars You Didn't Know Madonna Dated - Nicki Swift |url=https://www.nickiswift.com/40287/stars-didnt-know-madonna-dated/ |website=NickiSwift.com |language=en-US |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Sandra Bernhard and Madonna Are 'Cool With Each Other' Again |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/sandra-bernhard-and-madonna-are-cool-with-each-other-again/ |website=Us Weekly |language=en-US |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Madonna: Truth or Dare |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102370/ |date=May 15, 1991 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |last1=Madonna |first2=Donna |last2=DeLory |first3=Niki |last3=Harris |first4=Luis |last4=Camacho}}</ref> The friendship ended in 1992.<ref>Johnson, Richard (October 20, 1992). "[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/470552869 Sandra can't justify Madonna's love]". ''New York Daily News''.</ref><ref>"[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/485128532 Bernhard claims she was dumped by Madonna]". ''Calgary Herald''. October 22, 1992. p. D13.</ref>
Bernhard performs classic [[pop music]], [[jazz]], and [[blues]] tunes. She has released several albums (combinations of music and comedy) including:


In 1991, Bernhard began playing Nancy Bartlett on the hit sitcom ''[[Roseanne (TV series)|Roseanne]]''. She appeared in 33&nbsp;episodes between 1991 and 1997, and was one of the first actresses to portray an openly [[bisexual]] recurring character on American television.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ballard |first=Jamie |date=March 29, 2018 |title=Everyone Is Dying to Know If Nancy Is Coming Back to "Roseanne" |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/a19632543/sandra-bernhard-nancy-roseanne/ |website=Good Housekeeping |language=en-US |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Done with 'Roseanne,' Sandra Bernhard is setting her sights higher |url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/done-with-roseanne-sandra-bernhard-is-setting-her-sights-higher-comedian-tla/ |website=phillyvoice.com |date=June 6, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2018 |title=Sandra Bernhard on Her Bi 'Roseanne' Character and White Women Supporting Trump |url=https://www.advocate.com/television/2018/3/29/sandra-bernhard-her-bi-roseanne-character-and-white-women-supporting-trump |website=advocate.com |language=en |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> In September 1992, Bernhard appeared in a nude pictorial for ''[[Playboy]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Sandra Bernhard |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/sandra-bernhard-1.272222 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> She hosted the [[USA Network]]'s ''Reel Wild Cinema'' for two seasons beginning in 1995.<ref>{{Citation |title=Reel Wild Cinema |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0244924/ |date=April 21, 1996 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |first1=Sandra |last1=Bernhard |first2=David F. |last2=Friedman |first3=Russ |last3=Meyer |first4=Dweezil |last4=Zappa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Frazier |last= Moore|title=Sandra Bernhard salutes the worst films ever with 'Reel Wild Cinema |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19960630/News/306309886 |website=southcoasttoday.com |language=en |access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> She continued acting in mostly independent films, TV guest roles, and forays into mainstream films such as ''[[Hudson Hawk]]'' and ''[[Dallas Doll]]''. In 1991, she released her first studio album, ''[[Excuses for Bad Behavior#Part one|Excuses for Bad Behavior (Part One)]]''. In 1995, she briefly appeared as a guest in the "Jerk" episode of the animated talk show ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]''. In 1996, she guest-starred on an episode of ''[[Highlander: The Series]]'' called "Dramatic License", where she played a romance novelist writing about the life of the main character.
* ''[[I'm Your Woman]]''
* ''[[Without You I'm Nothing (Album)|Without You I'm Nothing]]''
* ''[[Excuses For Bad Behavior (Part One)]]''
* ''[[I'm Still Here... Damn It!]]''
* ''[[The Love Machine]]''
* ''[[Hero Worship (album)|Hero Worship]]''


She appeared as herself on ''[[Will&nbsp;& Grace]]'', in an episode where the title characters spuriously bid on Bernhard's [[Manhattan]] apartment in an attempt to become friendly with her. When their ruse is exposed, Bernhard rants at them, with the sounds of a blender (she was having a smoothie made) blotting out supposed obscenities. She briefly returned as herself two years later.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
* ''[[Excuses for Bad Behavior (Part Two)]]''

* ''[[The Love Machine Remastered]]'' (entirely different than ''The Love Machine'')
Bernhard returned to Broadway in 1998 with the show ''[[I'm Still Here... Damn It!]]'', recorded for a live comedy album. She was pregnant at the time, and gave birth to daughter Cicely Yasin Bernhard on July 4, 1998.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernhard-goes-maternal/ Bernhard Goes Maternal], ''[[CBS News]]'', July 8, 1998. Retrieved July 1, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9807/08/showbuzz/ |title=Sandra Bernhard a mom at 42 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029070648/http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9807/08/showbuzz/ |archive-date=October 29, 2008 |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=July 8, 1998 |access-date=July 1, 2008}}</ref> She returned to New York in 2006 with the [[off-Broadway]] show ''[[Everything Bad & Beautiful]]''. The CD of the show, released by indie label Breaking Records, was lauded as one of her best.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.breakingrecordsmusic.com/ |title=Breaking Records Music |access-date=August 6, 2009 |archive-date=May 15, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515094036/http://www.breakingrecordsmusic.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> That year she also hosted the first season of the reality competition show ''The Search for the Funniest Mother in America'' on [[Nick at Nite]]. 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jazz news: Sandra Bernhard Releases "Miracles of Light" |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/sandra-bernhard-releases-miracles-of-light |access-date=November 25, 2021 |website=All About Jazz |date=November 22, 2006 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Inc |first=Nielsen Business Media |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQ4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sandra+Bernhard%22+++%22Miracle+of+Lights%22+performances&pg=PA9 |title=Billboard |date=November 25, 2006 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[Giving Til it Hurts]]''
[[File:Jack E. Jett & Co Host Sandra Bernhard.jpg|thumb|Bernhard hosting ''The Queer Edge'' with [[Jack E. Jett]]]]
* ''[[Sandra Bernhard: Live]]''
Bernhard was a featured guest singer with children's artist [[Dan Zanes]] on the ''Family Dance'' album's "Thrift Shop".<ref>{{Citation|last=Dan Zanes, Friends feat. Sandra Bernhard|title=Thrift Shop|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QMTN3M|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref> In an interview with [[Howard Stern]], she revealed that she was originally offered the role of [[Miranda Hobbes]] on the TV show ''[[Sex and the City]]'', but opted out owing to the "terrible" original script and small paycheck.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/sandra-bernhard-sex-and-the-city-_n_1231667.html |title=Sandra Bernhard Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Role Due To 'Terrible' Script And Low Paycheck |work=HuffPost |date=January 25, 2012}}</ref> In 2013, it was announced that she would join the cast of ABC Family's ''[[Switched at Birth (TV series)|Switched at Birth]]'' with ''Glee''{{'}}s [[Max Adler (actor)|Max Adler]], where she would play an art professor on the season 3 opener in January 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=Switched at Birth Adds Max Adler and Sandra Bernhard |url=http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/10/switched-at-birth-adds-max-adler-and-sandra-bernhard/}}, TV Fanatic. October 11, 2013</ref> In 2015, she began hosting a radio show, ''Sandyland'', on [[Sirius XM Holdings|Sirius XM]]'s [[Radio Andy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.siriusxm.com/2016/12/26/behind-the-voice-sandra-bernhard-elevates-the-conversation-on-radio-andy/ |title=Behind the Voice: Sandra Bernhard elevates the conversation on Radio Andy |date=December 26, 2016 |access-date=October 6, 2018 |archive-date=December 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227003111/http://blog.siriusxm.com/2016/12/26/behind-the-voice-sandra-bernhard-elevates-the-conversation-on-radio-andy/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2015, she made her first appearance as the recurring character of Joedth ("Joe") in season 4 of ''[[2 Broke Girls]]''. From 2018 until 2021, she played Nurse Judy on [[FX (TV channel)|FX]]'s ''[[Pose (TV series)|Pose]]'', a show based on [[queer]] and [[transgender|trans]] [[ball culture]] in Manhattan inspired by the documentary ''[[Paris Is Burning (film)|Paris Is Burning]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/pose/cast-crew |title=Cast & Crew POSE on FX |year=2018 |access-date=June 6, 2019}}</ref>

==Public controversies==
In 1995, while serving as a guest panelist on the [[Comedy Central]] talk show ''[[Politically Incorrect]]'', Bernhard became engaged in an argument with fellow panelist, conservative political commentator [[John Lofton]]. Bernhard then stood up and spat at Lofton and exclaimed, "If I had you, you’d be an abortion."<ref>{{Cite web|title=To Insult Or Not Insult, That Was Sandra's Choice|url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/mar/03/to-insult-or-not-insult-that-was-sandras-choice/|date=March 3, 1995|website=The Spokesman-Review|access-date=December 20, 2022}}</ref>

In August 2006, Bernhard served as the spokesperson in a commercial for [[MAC (cosmetics)|Make-up Art Cosmetics (MAC)]]. In the commercial, promoting PlushGlass lipgloss, she referred to someone who might not approve of her outspokenness as a "little freaked out, intimidated, frightened, right-wing Republican thin-lipped bitch." MAC edited the line from the commercial to avoid unintentionally offending some of its customers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michelle Malkin|url=https://jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin082306.php3|access-date=March 2, 2022|website=jewishworldreview.com|archive-date=March 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302103010/https://jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin082306.php3|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In September 2008, she warned vice-presidential candidate [[Sarah Palin]] that she would be gang-raped by her "big black brothers" if she visited Manhattan. Palin had a campaign stop planned in New York City at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/09/19/2008-09-19_sandra_bernhard_issues_gang_rape_warning-2.html|title=Sandra Bernhard issues 'gang rape' warning to Sarah Palin|website=[[New York Daily News]]|access-date=September 20, 2008|archive-date=September 20, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920061525/http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/09/19/2008-09-19_sandra_bernhard_issues_gang_rape_warning-2.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/17870 |title=Sandra Bernhard's 'gang rape by big black brothers' threat to Sarah Palin!}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080919/should-sarah-palin-come-after-sandra-bernhard-039-warning.htm|title=Should Sarah Palin come to NY after Sandra Bernhard's warning?|website=[[International Business Times]]|access-date=September 20, 2008|archive-date=September 20, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920112050/http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080919/should-sarah-palin-come-after-sandra-bernhard-039-warning.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In November 2020, during an interview with [[Mariah Carey]], [[Naomi Campbell]] called out Bernhard for her comments about Carey and Black men in her 1998 comedy show ''I'm Still Here… Damn It!'' In the show, Bernhard disparaged Carey's Black ancestry, saying "She's trying to backtrack on our asses by acting real nigger-ish there at the Royalton Hotel suite with [[Sean Combs|Puff Daddy]] and all the greasy, chain-wearing Black men."<ref>{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Adam |title=Naomi Campbell condemns Sandra Bernhard over 'racist and disrespectful' Mariah Carey jokes |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/naomi-campbell-mariah-carey-sandra-bernhard-b1761487.html |access-date=November 25, 2020 |work=The Independent |date=November 25, 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Bernhard identifies herself as bisexual and is a strong supporter of [[LGBT social movements|LGBT rights]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Sandra Bernhard: Bisexuality and savage wit |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/sandra-bernhard-bisexuality-and-savage-wit-397472.html |access-date=June 24, 2013 |newspaper=The Independent |date=October 22, 2007 |location=London}}</ref><ref name="feminist">{{Cite web|title=INTERVIEW WITH SANDRA BERNHARD BY MARIANNE SCHNALL|url=https://www.feminist.com/resources/artspeech/interviews/sandrabernhard.html|access-date=March 2, 2022|website=www.feminist.com}}</ref> On July 4, 1998, she gave birth to a daughter,<ref name=nytimes1998>{{citation |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E4D8123DF931A15753C1A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title=At Home with: Sandra Bernhard When Baby Talk Makes Good Material |first=Julie V. |last=Iovine |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 22, 1998 |access-date=October 29, 2015}}</ref> whom she raised with Sara Switzer, her partner of over 20 years.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/guest-diary/2015/liz-smith-the-time-of-the-season |title=LIZ SMITH: The Time of the Season ... |newspaper=New York Social Diary |date=January 7, 2015 |access-date=October 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://jezebel.com/5057663/sandra-bernhard-daughter-are-a-duo-of-dames-with-rebel-red |title=Sandra Bernhard, Daughter, Are A Duo Of Dames With Rebel Red |first=Anna |last=Holmes |work=Jezebel |date=October 2008 |access-date=February 22, 2009 |archive-date=October 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004050717/http://jezebel.com/5057663/sandra-bernhard-daughter-are-a-duo-of-dames-with-rebel-red |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jun/10/sandra-bernhard-comedy-letterman |title=Sandra Bernhard on today's young actors: 'They don't have personalities' |last=Oswell |first=Paul |date=June 10, 2015 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Bernhard was also in a relationship with Venezuelan actress [[Patricia Velasquez]].<ref name=people>{{cite web |title=First Latina Supermodel Patricia Velasquez Comes Out as a Lesbian |url=https://people.com/celebrity/first-latina-supermodel-patricia-velasquez-comes-out-as-a-lesbian/ |website=PEOPLE.com |access-date=8 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==Music==
Bernhard performs classic [[pop music]], [[jazz]], and [[blues]] tunes. She has released several albums (combinations of music and comedy).{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Albums===
* ''[[I'm Your Woman (album)|I'm Your Woman]]''
* ''[[Without You I'm Nothing (Sandra Bernhard album)|Without You I'm Nothing]]''
* ''[[Excuses for Bad Behavior|Excuses for Bad Behavior (Part One)]]'' (#40 [[Top Heatseekers|Billboard Heatseekers Chart]])<ref name="Sandra Bernhard">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/sandra-bernhard/ | title=Sandra Bernhard | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] }}</ref>
* ''[[I'm Still Here... Damn It!]]''
* ''[[The Love Machine (album)|The Love Machine]]''
* ''[[Hero Worship (Sandra Bernhard album)|Hero Worship]]''
* ''[[Excuses for Bad Behavior|Excuses for Bad Behavior (Part Two)]]''
* ''The Love Machine Remastered'' (entirely different from ''The Love Machine'')
* ''Giving Til It Hurts''
* ''Live and Beautiful'' (Promotional album sold at website sandrabernhard.com)
* ''[[Gems of Mystery]]''
* ''[[Gems of Mystery]]''
* ''[[Everything Bad & Beautiful]]''
* ''[[Everything Bad & Beautiful]]''
* ''Whatever It Takes''
* ''I Love Being Me, Don't you?'' - featuring [[Carla Patullo]] (#9 [[Comedy Albums|Billboard Comedy Chart]]) <ref name="Sandra Bernhard"/>
{{col-2}}

===Singles===
* "Everybody's Young"
* "[[You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)]]" ({{Numero|13}} U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Hot Dance Club Play]])
* "Manic Superstar"
* "Phone Sex (Do You Want Me Tonight?)"
* "On the Runway" ({{Numero|39}} U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play)
* "[[Perfection (Sandra Bernhard song)|Perfection]]"
* "Miracle of Lights"
* "All Around"

===Compilations===
* ''[[Stormy Weather (AT&T album)|Stormy Weather]]''; song "[[Is That All There Is?]]"
* ''Divas of Dance - Volume 3 (Remixes)''; song "[[You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)]]"
* ''Breaking For the Holidays''; song "Miracle of Lights"
{{col-end}}

==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===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1980
|''[[Shogun Assassin]]''
|Voice over in English dub
|
|-
|1981
|''[[Nice Dreams|Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams]]''
|Girl Nut
|
|-
|1983
|''[[The King of Comedy (film)|The King of Comedy]]''
|Masha
|[[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress]]
|-
|1984
|''[[The House of God (film)|The House of God]]''
|Angel Dutton
|
|-
|1985
|''[[Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird]]''
|Grouch Diner Waitress
|Cameo
|-
|1986
|''[[The Whoopee Boys]]''
|Extra (uncredited)
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1988
|''[[Casual Sex?]]''
|Extra (uncredited)
|
|-
|''[[Track 29]]''
|Nurse Stein
|
|-
|1989
|''[[Heavy Petting (1989 film)|Heavy Petting]]''
|Herself
|Documentary
|-
|1990
|''[[Without You I'm Nothing (film)|Without You I'm Nothing]]''
|Herself (also writer)
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1991
|''[[Madonna: Truth or Dare]]''
|Herself
|Documentary
|-
|''[[Hudson Hawk]]''
|Minerva Mayflower
|
|-
|1992
|''[[Inside Monkey Zetterland]]''
|Imogene
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1994
|''[[Confessions of a Pretty Lady|Sandra Bernhard: Confessions of a Pretty Lady]]''
|Herself
|
|-
|''[[Dallas Doll]]''
|Dallas Adair
|
|-
|rowspan=4|1995
|''[[Unzipped (film)|Unzipped]]''
|Herself
|Documentary
|-
|''[[One Hundred and One Nights]]''
|La première quêteuse
|
|-
|''The Reggae Movie''
|Herself
|rowspan=2|Documentary
|-
|''[[Catwalk (1995 film)|Catwalk]]''
|Herself
|-
|rowspan=3|1997
|''Lover Girl''
|Marci Guerra/'Angel'
|
|-
|''The Apocalypse''
|J.T. Wayne
|
|-
|''[[Plump Fiction]]''
|Bunny Roberts
|
|-
|rowspan=5|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
|
|-
|rowspan=3|2000
|''One Hell of a Guy''
|God
|Voice
|-
|''[[Playing Mona Lisa]]''
|Bibi Carlson
|Audience Choice Award for Best Feature [[Stony Brook Film Festival]]
|-
|''[[Dinner Rush]]''
|Jennifer Freely
|
|-
|2001
|''[[Zoolander]]''
|Herself
|Cameo appearance
|-
|2003
|''The Grumpy Bug''
|Narrator
|Voice
|-
|rowspan=2|2004
|''[[The N-Word (film)|The N-Word]]''
|Herself
|Documentary
|-
|''The Easter Egg Adventure''
|Claralyne Cluck
|Voice
|-
|2005
|''Searching for Bobby D''
|Sherri Dansen
|
|-
|2009
|''[[Dare (film)|Dare]]''
|Dr. Serena Mohr
|
|-
|2010
|''[[See You in September (film)|See You in September]]''
|Charlotte
|
|-
|2011
|''Looking for Lenny''
|Herself
|Documentary
|-
|2024
|''[[Babes (film)|Babes]]''
|Dr. Shirley
|
|-
| 2025
| ''[[Marty Supreme]]''
| {{TableTBA}}
| Post-production
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1977
|''[[The Richard Pryor Show]]''
|Featured Performer
| 4 episodes
|-
|1985
|''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985 TV series)|Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]''
|Karen
|Episode: "Night Caller"
|-
|1990
|''[[Pee-Wee's Playhouse]]''
|Rhonda
|Episode: "Camping Out"
|-
|1991–1997, & 2018
|''[[Roseanne]]''
|[[List of Roseanne characters#Nancy Bartlett Thomas|Nancy Bartlett]]
|Recurring role
|-
|1992
|''Sandra After Dark, with Your Hostess, Sandra Bernhard''
|Herself (also co-executive producer)
|TV movie
|-
|1992–1993
|''The A-List''
|Herself/host
|1 episode
|-
|1994–1996
|''Reel Wild Cinema''
|Herself/host
|22 episodes
|-
|rowspan=3|1995
|''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]''
|Herself
|1 episode
|-
|''[[Freaky Friday (1995 film)|Freaky Friday]]''
|Frieda Debny
|TV movie
|-
|''[[The Larry Sanders Show]]''
|rowspan=3|Herself
|2 episodes
|-
|rowspan=3|1996
|''[[Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist]]''
|Voice, episode: "A Journey for the Betterment of People"
|-
|''[[The Late Shift (film)|The Late Shift]]''
|TV movie
|-
|''[[Highlander: The Series]]''
|Carolyn Marsh
|Episode: "[[Highlander: The Series season 5|Dramatic License]]"
|-
| rowspan=3|1997
|''[[Superman: The Animated Series]]''
|[[Ms. Gsptlsnz]]
|Voice, episode: "Mxyzpixilated"
|-
|''[[Ally McBeal]]''
|Caroline Poop
|2 episodes
|-
|''[[Spider-Man (1994 TV series)|Spider-Man]]''
|Sarah Baker
|Voice, episode: "Partners"
|-
|1998–1999
|''[[Hercules (1998 TV series)|Hercules]]''
|Cassandra
|Voice, main role
|-
|1999
|''[[I'm Still Here... Damn It!|Sandra Bernhard - I'm Still Here..Damn It!]]''
|Herself (also writer)
|TV movie
|-
|2000
|''[[The Sopranos]]''
|rowspan=3| Herself
|Episode: "[[D-Girl (The Sopranos)|D-Girl]]"
|-
|2001–2002
|''[[Will & Grace]]''
|2 episodes
|-
|2001
|''Sandra Bernhard: Giving Them Lip''
|TV movie
|-
|2002
|''The Grumpy Bug''
|Narrator
|Nick Jr. Short Series
|-
|2001–2003
|''The Sandra Bernhard Experience''
|Herself/host
|Unknown episodes
|-
|rowspan=2|2003
|''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''
|Priscilla Chaney
|Episode: "Desperate"
|-
|''[[Girlfriends (U.S. TV series)|Girlfriends]]''
|Marcia
|Episode: "And Baby Makes Four"
|-
|rowspan=3|2004
|''Silver Lake''
|Sheila Fontana
|Unsold pilot
|-
|''The Grumpy Bug''
|Narrator
|Voice
|-
|''[[Whoopi's Littleburg]]''
|The Macaroni Lady
|1 episode
|-
|rowspan=2|2005
|''[[Crossing Jordan]]''
|Roz Framus
|2 episodes
|-
|''[[The L Word]]''
|Charlotte Birch
|5 episodes
|-
|2005–2006
|''[[Jack E. Jett#The Queer Edge|The Queer Edge]]''
|Herself/co-host
|26 episodes
|-
|rowspan=2|2007
|''[[Las Vegas (TV series)|Las Vegas]]''
|Margo Poon
|Episode: "The Burning Bedouin"
|-
|''[[The New Adventures of Old Christine]]''
|Audrey
|Episode: "Strange Bedfellows"
|-
|2009
|''[[Head Case]]''
|Herself
|1 episode
|-
|rowspan=2|2011
|''[[Roseanne's Nuts]]''
|Herself
|1 episode
|-
|''[[Hot in Cleveland]]''
|Nan
|Episode: "Beards"
|-
|rowspan=3|2012
|''[[Family Guy]]''
|Herself
|Voice, episode: "[[Ratings Guy]]"
|-
|''[[GCB (TV series)|GCB]]''
|Debby Horowitz
|1 episode
|-
|''[[DTLA (TV series)|DTLA]]''
|Carla
|3 episodes
|-
|2013
|''[[The Neighbors (2012 TV series)|The Neighbors]]''
|Ms. Porsche
|1 episode
|-
|rowspan=2|2014
|''[[Switched at Birth (TV series)|Switched at Birth]]''
|Prof. Teresa Ledarsky
|4 episodes
|-
|''[[You're the Worst]]''
|Herself
|1 episode
|-
|2014–2015
|''[[Brooklyn Nine-Nine]]''
|Darlene Linetti
|3 episodes
|-
|2015
|''[[2 Broke Girls]]''
|Joedth
|5 episodes
|-
|2016
|''[[Difficult People]]''
|Lilith Feigenbaum
|1 episode
|-
|2017
|''[[Broad City]]''
|Brenda
|2 episodes
|-
|2018–2021
|''[[Pose (TV series)|Pose]]''
|Judy Kubrak
|13 episodes
|-
|2018
|''[[American Horror Story: Apocalypse]]''
|High Priestess Hannah Putt
|Episode: "[[Sojourn (American Horror Story)|Sojourn]]"
|-
|2019
|''[[Sweetbitter (TV series)|Sweetbitter]]''
|Maddie Glover
|1 episode
|-
|2022
|''[[American Horror Story: NYC]]''
|Fran Levinsky
|6 episodes
|-
|2024
|''[[So Help Me Todd]]''
| Attorney Belinda Tuttle
|Episode: "The Queen of Courts"
|-
|2025
|''[[RuPaul's Drag Race season 17|RuPaul's Drag Race]]''
|Herself (Guest Judge)
|
|}

===Short subjects===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1996
|''Museum of Love''
|Kitty
|
|-
|2003
|''The Third Date''
|Ola
|
|-
|2006
|''Twenty Dollar Drinks''
|Star
|
|-
|}


==Awards==
All of the CD's from "The Love Machine" through "Gems..." have been cheaply produced CD-Rs, which is commonly what comedians sell at their shows.
{| class=wikitable
! width=4% | Year
! width=21%| Nominated work
! width=25%| Award
! width=40%| Category
! width=10%| Result
|-
| [[1983 National Society of Film Critics Awards|1983]]
| ''[[The King of Comedy (film)|The King of Comedy]]''
| [[National Society of Film Critics|NSFC Awards]]
|
* [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[12th Golden Raspberry Awards|1991]]
| ''[[Hudson Hawk]]''
| [[Golden Raspberry Awards]]
|
* [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress|Worst Supporting Actress]]
|rowspan=2 {{nom}}
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Highlander: The Series season 5|Highlander: The Series]]''
| OFTA Awards
|
* Best Guest Actress in a Syndicated Series
|-
| 2002
| rowspan=2| Herself
| [[GLAAD Media Award]]s
|
* [[GLAAD Davidson/Valentini Award|Davidson/Valentini Award]]
|rowspan=2 {{won}}
|-
| 2006
| [[Philadelphia QFest|Philadelphia QFest Awards]]
|
* Artistic Achievement Award
|}


==See also==
She is also an accomplished writer with three books:
* ''[[Confessions of a Pretty Lady]]''
* [[LGBT culture in New York City]]
* ''[[May I Kiss You on the Lips, Miss Sandra]]''
* [[List of LGBT people from New York City]]
* ''[[Love, Love and Love]]''
* [[NYC Pride March]]


==References==
The [[Smoking Popes]] recorded a song entitled "Sandra", a tribute to Ms. Bernhard, wherein the singer [[Josh Caterer]] professes his obsession with Sandra.
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{sister project links|d=Q236181|c=Category:Sandra Bernhard|q=Sandra Bernhard|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|wikt=no|s=no|species=no}}
* [http://www.sandrabernhard.com/ Official website]
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000928/ Sandra Bernhard] at [[The Internet Movie Database]]
* {{IMDb name|0000928}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{iobdb name|3722}}
* [http://www.phillygaycalendar.com/pages/video.php?id=1 Bernhard's brief appearance in Philadelphia (video)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101135423/http://www.phillygaycalendar.com/pages/video.php?id=1 |date=November 1, 2020 }}


{{Sandra Bernhard|state=expanded}}
[[Category:American comedians|Bernhard, Sandra]]
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
[[Category:American dance musicians|Bernhard, Sandra]]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Dance/Club music artists|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:American female singers|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:American film actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:American television actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:American stand-up comedians|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Will & Grace actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Highlander actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Worst Supporting Actress Razzie nominees|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Jewish American actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Jewish American comedians|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Bisexual actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:LGBT comedians|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:People from Arizona|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:People from Michigan|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:1955 births|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Living people|Bernhard, Sandra]]
[[Category:Film actors|Bernhard, Sandra]]


[[da:Sandra Bernhard]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernhard, Sandra}}
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[de:Sandra Bernhard]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
[[fr:Sandra Bernhard]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century American LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:Actors from Flint, Michigan]]
[[Category:Actresses from Michigan]]
[[Category:Actresses from Scottsdale, Arizona]]
[[Category:American Conservative Jews]]
[[Category:American bisexual actresses]]
[[Category:American bisexual musicians]]
[[Category:American dance musicians]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American LGBTQ singers]]
[[Category:American LGBTQ comedians]]
[[Category:LGBTQ rights activists from Michigan]]
[[Category:American people of Romanian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:American women comedians]]
[[Category:Women stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:American stage actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American voice actresses]]
[[Category:Bisexual women musicians]]
[[Category:Bisexual singers]]
[[Category:Bisexual comedians]]
[[Category:Bisexual feminists]]
[[Category:Bisexual Jews]]
[[Category:Conservative Jewish feminists]]
[[Category:American feminist musicians]]
[[Category:LGBTQ Conservative Jews]]
[[Category:LGBTQ people from Arizona]]
[[Category:Jewish American actresses]]
[[Category:Jewish American comedians]]
[[Category:Jewish female comedians]]
[[Category:Jewish American musicians]]
[[Category:Sex-positive feminists]]
[[Category:Writers from Flint, Michigan]]
[[Category:Comedians from Michigan]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:LGBTQ women singers]]
[[Category:Jewish LGBTQ women]]

Latest revision as of 14:19, 30 December 2024

This article is about the American comedian/actress. For the French stage actress, see Sarah Bernhardt. For the episode of an adventure series, see Sarah Bernhardt (Lucky Luke).

Sandra Bernhard
Bernhard in 2016
Born (1955-06-06) June 6, 1955 (age 69)[1]
Flint, Michigan, U.S.
EducationSaguaro High School
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • singer
  • author
Years active1977–present
Known forNancy Bartlett Thomas in Roseanne and Judy Kubrak in Pose
PartnerSara Switzer (2000–present)
Children1
Websitesandrabernhard.com

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

She played Nancy Bartlett Thomas on the ABC sitcom Roseanne from the fourth season (1991) to the end of the show in 1997. She played Nurse Judy Kubrak in the FX drama series Pose. She is number 96 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time.

Early life

[edit]

Bernhard was born June 6, 1955,[1] in Flint, Michigan, the daughter of Jeanette (née LaZebnik) and proctologist Jerome Bernhard.[2] Her parents raised her as a Conservative Jew.[3]

She has three older brothers: Dan, David, and Mark.[2] Her family moved to Arizona when she was 10.[4] She attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, graduating in 1973.[5]

In 1973 she traveled to Israel and stayed for 7 months at Kibbutz Kfar Menahem with her friend Daniel Chick. She later returned to Israel during the Yom Kippur War.[6]

Career

[edit]

Bernhard became a staple at The Comedy Store in Hollywood.[7][8] As her popularity as a comedian grew, she was cast as a supporting player on The Richard Pryor Show in 1977.[9][10] Guest appearances on evening talk shows followed. Her big break came in 1981 when she was cast by Martin Scorsese to star as stalker/kidnapper Masha in the film The King of Comedy, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress.[11][12] She was a frequent guest on David Letterman's NBC program Late Night with David Letterman, making 28 appearances starting in 1983.[13]

She began performing her first one-woman show, I'm Your Woman, in 1985, and an album version was released.[14] She appeared in a variety of small television roles throughout the 1980s while crafting her stand-up routine into a more performance art-oriented show.[citation needed] 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. By 1990, it had become a film and a double album of the same title.[15][16] The album was recorded in 1988 at the Orpheum and released in 1989 and the film was mostly shot on location in 1989 in the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel.[citation needed] Bernhard was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 1990. [17]

During the run of Without You, I'm Nothing, With You, I'm Not Much Better 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. They continued to be friends for several years, with Bernhard making an appearance in Madonna's film Truth or Dare.[18][19][20] The friendship ended in 1992.[21][22]

In 1991, Bernhard began playing 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.[23][24][25] In September 1992, Bernhard appeared in a nude pictorial for Playboy.[26] She hosted the USA Network's Reel Wild Cinema for two seasons beginning in 1995.[27][28] She continued acting in mostly independent films, TV guest roles, and forays into mainstream films such as Hudson Hawk and Dallas Doll. In 1991, she released her first studio album, Excuses for Bad Behavior (Part One). In 1995, she briefly appeared as a guest in the "Jerk" episode of the animated talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast. In 1996, she guest-starred on an episode of Highlander: The Series called "Dramatic License", where she played a romance novelist writing about the life of the main character.

She appeared as herself on Will & Grace, in an episode where the title characters spuriously bid on Bernhard's Manhattan apartment in an attempt to become friendly with her. When their ruse is exposed, Bernhard rants at them, with the sounds of a blender (she was having a smoothie made) blotting out supposed obscenities. She briefly returned as herself two years later.[citation needed]

Bernhard returned to Broadway in 1998 with the show I'm Still Here... Damn It!, recorded for a live comedy album. She was pregnant at the time, and gave birth to daughter Cicely Yasin Bernhard on July 4, 1998.[29][30] She returned to New York in 2006 with the off-Broadway show Everything Bad & Beautiful. The CD of the show, released by indie label Breaking Records, was lauded as one of her best.[31] That year she also hosted the first season of the reality competition show The Search for the Funniest Mother in America on Nick at Nite. 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.[32][33]

Bernhard hosting The Queer Edge with Jack E. Jett

Bernhard was a featured guest singer with children's artist Dan Zanes on the Family Dance album's "Thrift Shop".[34] In an interview with Howard Stern, she revealed that she was originally offered the role of Miranda Hobbes on the TV show Sex and the City, but opted out owing to the "terrible" original script and small paycheck.[35] In 2013, it was announced that she would join the cast of ABC Family's Switched at Birth with Glee's Max Adler, where she would play an art professor on the season 3 opener in January 2014.[36] In 2015, she began hosting a radio show, Sandyland, on Sirius XM's Radio Andy.[37]

In 2015, she made her first appearance as the recurring character of Joedth ("Joe") in season 4 of 2 Broke Girls. From 2018 until 2021, she played Nurse Judy on FX's Pose, a show based on queer and trans ball culture in Manhattan inspired by the documentary Paris Is Burning.[38]

Public controversies

[edit]

In 1995, while serving as a guest panelist on the Comedy Central talk show Politically Incorrect, Bernhard became engaged in an argument with fellow panelist, conservative political commentator John Lofton. Bernhard then stood up and spat at Lofton and exclaimed, "If I had you, you’d be an abortion."[39]

In August 2006, Bernhard served as the spokesperson in a commercial for Make-up Art Cosmetics (MAC). In the commercial, promoting PlushGlass lipgloss, she referred to someone who might not approve of her outspokenness as a "little freaked out, intimidated, frightened, right-wing Republican thin-lipped bitch." MAC edited the line from the commercial to avoid unintentionally offending some of its customers.[40]

In September 2008, she warned vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin that she would be gang-raped by her "big black brothers" if she visited Manhattan. Palin had a campaign stop planned in New York City at the time.[41][42][43]

In November 2020, during an interview with Mariah Carey, Naomi Campbell called out Bernhard for her comments about Carey and Black men in her 1998 comedy show I'm Still Here… Damn It! In the show, Bernhard disparaged Carey's Black ancestry, saying "She's trying to backtrack on our asses by acting real nigger-ish there at the Royalton Hotel suite with Puff Daddy and all the greasy, chain-wearing Black men."[44]

Personal life

[edit]

Bernhard identifies herself as bisexual and is a strong supporter of LGBT rights.[45][46] On July 4, 1998, she gave birth to a daughter,[47] whom she raised with Sara Switzer, her partner of over 20 years.[48][49][50] Bernhard was also in a relationship with Venezuelan actress Patricia Velasquez.[51]

Music

[edit]

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

Books

[edit]
  • 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

[edit]

Film

[edit]
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
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
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
Playing Mona Lisa Bibi Carlson Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Stony Brook Film Festival
Dinner Rush Jennifer Freely
2001 Zoolander Herself Cameo appearance
2003 The Grumpy Bug Narrator Voice
2004 The N-Word Herself Documentary
The Easter Egg Adventure Claralyne Cluck Voice
2005 Searching for Bobby D Sherri Dansen
2009 Dare Dr. Serena Mohr
2010 See You in September Charlotte
2011 Looking for Lenny Herself Documentary
2024 Babes Dr. Shirley
2025 Marty Supreme TBA Post-production

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1977 The Richard Pryor Show Featured Performer 4 episodes
1985 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Karen Episode: "Night Caller"
1990 Pee-Wee's Playhouse Rhonda Episode: "Camping Out"
1991–1997, & 2018 Roseanne Nancy Bartlett Recurring role
1992 Sandra After Dark, with Your Hostess, Sandra Bernhard Herself (also co-executive producer) TV movie
1992–1993 The A-List Herself/host 1 episode
1994–1996 Reel Wild Cinema Herself/host 22 episodes
1995 Space Ghost Coast to Coast Herself 1 episode
Freaky Friday Frieda Debny TV movie
The Larry Sanders Show Herself 2 episodes
1996 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Voice, episode: "A Journey for the Betterment of People"
The Late Shift TV movie
Highlander: The Series Carolyn Marsh Episode: "Dramatic License"
1997 Superman: The Animated Series Ms. Gsptlsnz Voice, episode: "Mxyzpixilated"
Ally McBeal Caroline Poop 2 episodes
Spider-Man Sarah Baker Voice, episode: "Partners"
1998–1999 Hercules Cassandra Voice, main role
1999 Sandra Bernhard - I'm Still Here..Damn It! Herself (also writer) TV movie
2000 The Sopranos Herself Episode: "D-Girl"
2001–2002 Will & Grace 2 episodes
2001 Sandra Bernhard: Giving Them Lip TV movie
2002 The Grumpy Bug Narrator Nick Jr. Short Series
2001–2003 The Sandra Bernhard Experience Herself/host Unknown episodes
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Priscilla Chaney Episode: "Desperate"
Girlfriends Marcia Episode: "And Baby Makes Four"
2004 Silver Lake Sheila Fontana Unsold pilot
The Grumpy Bug Narrator Voice
Whoopi's Littleburg The Macaroni Lady 1 episode
2005 Crossing Jordan Roz Framus 2 episodes
The L Word Charlotte Birch 5 episodes
2005–2006 The Queer Edge Herself/co-host 26 episodes
2007 Las Vegas Margo Poon Episode: "The Burning Bedouin"
The New Adventures of Old Christine Audrey Episode: "Strange Bedfellows"
2009 Head Case Herself 1 episode
2011 Roseanne's Nuts Herself 1 episode
Hot in Cleveland Nan Episode: "Beards"
2012 Family Guy Herself Voice, episode: "Ratings Guy"
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
2014–2015 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Darlene Linetti 3 episodes
2015 2 Broke Girls Joedth 5 episodes
2016 Difficult People Lilith Feigenbaum 1 episode
2017 Broad City Brenda 2 episodes
2018–2021 Pose Judy Kubrak 13 episodes
2018 American Horror Story: Apocalypse High Priestess Hannah Putt Episode: "Sojourn"
2019 Sweetbitter Maddie Glover 1 episode
2022 American Horror Story: NYC Fran Levinsky 6 episodes
2024 So Help Me Todd Attorney Belinda Tuttle Episode: "The Queen of Courts"
2025 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (Guest Judge)

Short subjects

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Museum of Love Kitty
2003 The Third Date Ola
2006 Twenty Dollar Drinks Star

Awards

[edit]
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
2002 Herself GLAAD Media Awards Won
2006 Philadelphia QFest Awards
  • Artistic Achievement Award

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Horoscope: Gemini". Out. June 2003. p. 150. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b "Jeanette (LaZebnik) Bernhard Obituaryu". June 13, 2014. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Iovine, Julie V. (October 22, 1998). "At Home With: Sandra Bernhard; When Baby Talk Makes Good Material". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Vote Election Day 2008". SandraBernhard.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011.
  5. ^ Sentinel 1973. Scottsdale, AZ: Saguaro High School. p. 141. Retrieved May 27, 2021 – via Classmates.com.
  6. ^ Archived from the original on 2023-02-14.
  7. ^ "Gotham Comedy Club". gothamcomedyclub.com. Retrieved January 5, 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  8. ^ "When the Belly Room grew — and flopped — for female comics". The World from PRX. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  9. ^ "Sandra Bernhard On Sway: Talks Working With Richard Pryor & Robin Williams Being Known For Stealing Jokes -". comedyhype.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "RICHARD PRYOR SHOW, THE {TIM REID, SANDRA BERNHARD} (TV)". www.paleycenter.org. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  11. ^ "Sandra Bernhard remembers The King Of Comedy". The Dissolve. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  12. ^ "The King of Comedy". Edinburgh International Film Festival. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  13. ^ Oswell, Paul (June 10, 2015). "Sandra Bernhard on today's young actors: 'They don't have personalities'". The Guardian. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  14. ^ "Sandra Bernhard - I'm Your Woman". Discogs. 1985. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  15. ^ "Melissa Anderson on Sandra Bernhard's Without You I'm Nothing at BAM". Artforum. December 9, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  16. ^ Travers, Peter (May 11, 1990). "Without You I'm Nothing". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  17. ^ "Sandra Bernhard | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  18. ^ Sager, Jessica (February 6, 2017). "Stars You Didn't Know Madonna Dated - Nicki Swift". NickiSwift.com. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  19. ^ "Sandra Bernhard and Madonna Are 'Cool With Each Other' Again". Us Weekly. June 13, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  20. ^ Madonna; DeLory, Donna; Harris, Niki; Camacho, Luis (May 15, 1991), Madonna: Truth or Dare, retrieved January 5, 2021
  21. ^ Johnson, Richard (October 20, 1992). "Sandra can't justify Madonna's love". New York Daily News.
  22. ^ "Bernhard claims she was dumped by Madonna". Calgary Herald. October 22, 1992. p. D13.
  23. ^ Ballard, Jamie (March 29, 2018). "Everyone Is Dying to Know If Nancy Is Coming Back to "Roseanne"". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  24. ^ "Done with 'Roseanne,' Sandra Bernhard is setting her sights higher". phillyvoice.com. June 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  25. ^ "Sandra Bernhard on Her Bi 'Roseanne' Character and White Women Supporting Trump". advocate.com. March 29, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  26. ^ "Sandra Bernhard". The Irish Times. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  27. ^ Bernhard, Sandra; Friedman, David F.; Meyer, Russ; Zappa, Dweezil (April 21, 1996), Reel Wild Cinema, retrieved January 5, 2021
  28. ^ Moore, Frazier. "Sandra Bernhard salutes the worst films ever with 'Reel Wild Cinema". southcoasttoday.com. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  29. ^ Bernhard Goes Maternal, CBS News, July 8, 1998. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  30. ^ "Sandra Bernhard a mom at 42". CNN. July 8, 1998. Archived from the original on October 29, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  31. ^ "Breaking Records Music". Archived from the original on May 15, 2006. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  32. ^ "Jazz news: Sandra Bernhard Releases "Miracles of Light"". All About Jazz. November 22, 2006. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  33. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (November 25, 2006). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  34. ^ Dan Zanes, Friends feat. Sandra Bernhard, Thrift Shop, retrieved March 2, 2022
  35. ^ "Sandra Bernhard Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Role Due To 'Terrible' Script And Low Paycheck". HuffPost. January 25, 2012.
  36. ^ "Switched at Birth Adds Max Adler and Sandra Bernhard"., TV Fanatic. October 11, 2013
  37. ^ "Behind the Voice: Sandra Bernhard elevates the conversation on Radio Andy". December 26, 2016. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  38. ^ "Cast & Crew POSE on FX". 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  39. ^ "To Insult Or Not Insult, That Was Sandra's Choice". The Spokesman-Review. March 3, 1995. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  40. ^ "Michelle Malkin". jewishworldreview.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  41. ^ "Sandra Bernhard issues 'gang rape' warning to Sarah Palin". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  42. ^ "Sandra Bernhard's 'gang rape by big black brothers' threat to Sarah Palin!".
  43. ^ "Should Sarah Palin come to NY after Sandra Bernhard's warning?". International Business Times. Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  44. ^ White, Adam (November 25, 2020). "Naomi Campbell condemns Sandra Bernhard over 'racist and disrespectful' Mariah Carey jokes". The Independent. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  45. ^ "Sandra Bernhard: Bisexuality and savage wit". The Independent. London. October 22, 2007. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  46. ^ "INTERVIEW WITH SANDRA BERNHARD BY MARIANNE SCHNALL". www.feminist.com. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  47. ^ 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
  48. ^ "LIZ SMITH: The Time of the Season ..." New York Social Diary. January 7, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  49. ^ Holmes, Anna (October 2008). "Sandra Bernhard, Daughter, Are A Duo Of Dames With Rebel Red". Jezebel. Archived from the original on October 4, 2008. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  50. ^ Oswell, Paul (June 10, 2015). "Sandra Bernhard on today's young actors: 'They don't have personalities'". The Guardian.
  51. ^ "First Latina Supermodel Patricia Velasquez Comes Out as a Lesbian". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  52. ^ a b "Sandra Bernhard". Billboard.
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