Amanda Seales

❧

Wikipedia

Amanda Seales
Seales in 2025
Born
Amanda Ingrid Seales

(1981-07-01) July 1, 1981 (age 44)
Inglewood, California, U.S.
EducationState University of New York, Purchase (BA)
Columbia University (MA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • poet
  • media personality
  • activist
  • podcaster
  • author
Years active1992–present
Comedy career
Medium
GenreStand-up comedy
Websiteamandaseales.com

Amanda Ingrid Seales (born July 1, 1981), formerly known by the stage names Amanda Diva and Mendacious D,[1] is a Grenadian-American actress. From 2017 to 2021, she starred in the HBO comedy series Insecure. In 2019, HBO released her first stand-up comedy special, I Be Knowin.[2] Then, in 2020, Seales launched Smart Funny & Black, a comedy gameshow that showcases Black culture, history, and experience.[3] Seales was also one of the co-hosts of the syndicated daytime talk show, The Real.[4]

Early life

Amanda Ingrid Seales was born in Inglewood, California, on July 1, 1981. Her mother was born and raised in Mt. Moritz, Grenada. As a result, both she and her mother are dual citizens of the US and Grenada. Her father is a Black American from Roxbury, Boston.[1] Seales moved to Orlando, Florida, in 1989, where she later attended Dr. Phillips High School. She graduated from SUNY-Purchase, then earned a master's degree in African American studies with a concentration in hip-hop from Columbia University.[5][6][7]

Career

Film and television

Seales's first film was a minor role as Katy in the 1993 movie Cop and a Half.[8] The next year Seales was featured on the Nickelodeon sitcom My Brother and Me (1994) as Deonne Wilburn. In 2002 she appeared on Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam.[9] Seales became publicly known as "VJ Amanda Diva" on MTV2 Sucker Free Countdown on Sundays.[5] In 2016 she appeared in a recurring role on the HBO series Insecure as Tiffany DuBois.[10] Also in 2016, Seales began hosting her own show on truTV called Greatest Ever.[11][12]

On January 26, 2019, HBO debuted her first stand-up comedy special I Be Knowin'.[13] Bring the Funny is a comedy competition series that premiered on July 9, 2019, on NBC.[14] Seales hosts, alongside judges Kenan Thompson, Chrissy Teigen, and Jeff Foxworthy.[15]

Throughout 2019, Seales served as a frequent guest host for the syndicated daytime talk show The Real.[16] On January 6, 2020, Seales was promoted from guest co-host to permanent co-host.[17] She departed the series after six months of co-hosting, citing her dissatisfaction with the inability to openly speak on recent social issues as a reason.[18][19] In September 2020, Seales accused The Real of borrowing ideas from her show Smart Funny & Black, saying a segment titled "Black Lives Matter University" featured a logo that closely resembled Smart Funny & Black's emblem.[20]

In June 2020, Seales hosted the BET Awards 2020.[21] In February 2022, Seales was cast in the three-part documentary series Everything's Gonna Be All White, airing on Showtime.[22]

Other work

Seales and Q-Tip at the "Manwomanboogie" video shoot in 2008

In 2007, Seales replaced Natalie Stewart of the musical duo Floetry on tour with Marsha Ambrosius, and in December of that same year Seales (as Amanda Diva) released her first extended play (EP) Life Experience.[citation needed] In 2008, she was featured on the song "Manwomanboogie" on Q-Tip's Grammy-nominated album The Renaissance.[23] On March 3, 2009, Seales released Spandex, Rhymes & Soul.[24][25][26]

Seales hosts a weekly podcast titled Small Doses.[17][27] Seales's book, Small Doses: Potent Truths for Everyday Use, was released in 2019. The book is an extension of her podcast of the same name. It is a volume of essays, axioms, original illustrations, and photos from her trademark "self-help from the hip” style of commentary.[28]

She created and hosts the touring variety game show Smart Funny & Black, where her love of games and music was used to serve as a safe space for the Black voice, and celebrates the many contributions Black Americans have made to history and pop culture, and more.[29] On April 18, 2022, Seales began co-hosting a new weekly radio show, Amanda Seales’ Smart Funny & Black Radio on SiriusXM, alongside Taj Rani and JeremiahLikeTheBible, featuring topics such as games, celebrity interviews and African-American culture.[30]

Advocacy and public positions

Seales has frequently spoken on social issues.

  • In 2019, Seales repeated false accusations from others that former NFL player and neurosurgeon resident Myron Rolle had sexually harassed several women, which Rolle denied as false. National media outlets reported that her statements had the potential to damage Rolle's career and reputation. Myron Rolle has stated "I did not return their (Seales') advances or wish to engage in a relationship as they may have wanted." Seales never issued a public apology for her actions.[31][32]
  • She initially supported Texas death-row inmate Rodney Reed but later rescinded her support after further information surfaced about his case.[33]
  • In 2020 she defended actor Jussie Smollett on The Real after his arrest, calling the alleged hoax "low-key noble" as a means to raise awareness; Smollett was later convicted of filing false police reports.[34][35]
  • In 2021, members of Alpha Kappa Alpha objected to her Insecure character wearing the sorority’s insignia; Seales responded that she was playing a character and not personally representing the organization.[36]
  • During the Gaza war, she has been outspoken in support of Palestine, noting she lost industry relationships over her stance.[37][38][39][40][41]

Personal life

During an interview on the podcast Club Shay Shay, Seales confirmed that she previously dated Pusha T. She highlighted the quality of the rappers she has been involved with, stating, "As you can see, the rappers that I have dated are very great MCs, because I have high quality." No further details about the duration or nature of the relationship have been publicly disclosed by either party.

In the same Club Shay Shay interview, Seales also confirmed a past relationship with Lupe Fiasco. This claim has been a topic of discussion among fans, with some pointing to a possible reference to Seales in Lupe Fiasco's music. Specifically, on the outro of his album Food & Liquor, Lupe Fiasco gives a shout-out to "Amanda Diva," which some have speculated refers to Seales.[42] Seales has not commented on the specific nature of this shout-out, but her public statement has corroborated a prior connection between the two artists.[43]

Seales described herself as autistic during an interview on Club Shay Shay. She later clarified that she is self-diagnosed and has not been diagnosed by a licensed medical professional.[44]

Pledge

In September 2025, she signed an open pledge with Film Workers for Palestine pledging not to work with Israeli film institutions "that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people."[41]

Discography

EPs

List of extended plays, with selected details and year released
Title Album details
Life Experience
Spandex, Rhymes & Soul
  • Released: March 3, 2009[46]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download
Madame Monochrome
  • Released: April 27, 2011[47]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with selected details and year released
Title Album details
Foreplay
Technicolor Lover
  • Released: May 29, 2012[49]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album Artist(s)
"Manwomanboogie"[50] 2008 The Renaissance Q-Tip
"Get Right"[51] 2010 Rebel Without Applause Johnny Polygon
"Blvd Broad"[51]
"You Belong to Me"[52] Catch-Up
"Beautiful Things" LIFE Kenichiro Nishihara
"Proud 2 Be"[53] 2012 Crack on Steroids N.O.R.E., M-1

Music videos

List of music videos, showing year released and director
Title Year Director(s)
"Neon"
(featuring Johnny Polygon)		 2009 Lyn-don McCray[54]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Cop and a Half Katy
2006 Freedomland Angry Female Tenant
2011 Identical Poet #2
2016 Ladies Book Club Helena TV movie
2018 The Story of Our Times Shancy TV movie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1994–95 My Brother and Me Deonne Wilburn Recurring cast
2002–05 Def Poetry Jam Herself Episode: "Episode #2.5" & "#5.8"
2010 Undateable Herself Main guest
2011 Independent Lens Herself Episode: "Deaf Jam"
2012 MTV's Hip Hop POV Herself/Co-Host Main co-host
Made Herself/Made Coach Episode: "Professional Actress: Rita"
2013 Big Evening Buzz Herself/Panelist Episode: "Dido"
Master of the Mix Herself/Host Main host: Season 3
Big Morning Buzz Live Herself/Panelist Recurring panelist
2015 The View Herself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "Episode #18.85"
2015–17 Get Your Life Herself Main cast
2016 Comedy Knockout Herself Episode: "That Ass, Tho"
2016–17 Greatest Ever Herself/Host Main host
2016–21 Insecure Tiffany DuBois Recurring cast
2017 Hood Adjacent with James Davis Herself Episode: "Black Twitter"
@midnight Herself Episode: "Episode #4.42" & "#4.136"
Gay of Thrones Herself Episode: "The Sores of Whores"
2017–20 The Real Herself/Co-Host Guest co-host: Season 4, Main Co-Host: Season 6
2018 Black-ish Barbara Recurring cast: Season 4
Animals. Tia/Waitress 1 (voice) Episode: "Rats"
2018–19 Hip Hop Squares Herself/Panelist Recurring panelist: Season 5-6
2019 Bring the Funny Herself/Host Main host
Camp Confessions Herself Episode: "Amanda Seales Makes Love to Spirit"
2019–21 To Tell the Truth Herself/Panelist Guest panelist: Season 4-5 & 7[55]
2020 Cooked with Cannabis Herself Episode: "High Holidays"
Floored Herself/Guest Judge Episode: "Beware the Bears"
BET Awards Herself/Host Main host
Hollywood Game Night Herself/Celebrity Player Episode: "Twitch & Shout"
Match Game Herself/Contestant Episode: "Episode #5.8"
2021 Fast Foodies Herself Episode: "Amanda Seales"
Finding Magic Mike Herself Episode: "A Talented Man"
2022 Real Husbands of Hollywood Herself Episode: "Wrestling While Black"
Everything's Gonna Be All White Herself Main guest
Inventions That Changed History Herself Recurring guest
Celebrity Game Face Herself/Contestant Episode: "Cedric the Entertainer Busts Kevin's Chops"
Wheel of Fortune Herself/Contestant Episode: "Amanda Seales, Snoop Dogg, Mark Duplass"
Mickey Mouse Funhouse Annie the Giant (voice) Recurring cast: Season 1
Sherman's Showcase Faith Evans Episode: "Fashion!"
2022–23 25 Words or Less Herself/Contestant Recurring contestant: Season 3-5
2022–24 Pictionary Herself/Team Captain Recurring Team Captain: Season 1, Guest Team Captain: Season 2
2023 See It Loud: The History of Black Television Herself Recurring guest
The $100,000 Pyramid Herself/Celebrity Player Episode: "Will Sasso vs. Amanda Seales and Dulé Hill vs. Francia Raisa"
Name That Tune Herself/Contestant Episode: "Lightning & Glitter!"
Celebrity Squares Herself/Contestant Recurring guest
Celebrity Jeopardy! Herself/Contestant Episode: "Quarter Final #9: Kyra Sedgwick, Mo Rocca and Amanda Seales"
Crimson Hearts Collide Kelsey Main cast

Documentary

Year Title
2007 Beef 4
2008 Big Pun: The Legacy
2014 Bottoms Up

References

  1. 1 2 "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ Williams, Janaya; Martin, Michel. "'Insecure' Star Amanda Seales Takes The Stand-Up Stage In HBO's 'I Be Knowin". npr.org. NPR. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  3. ↑ Zaino III, Nick A. "With 'Smart, Funny & Black,' Amanda Seales has created a showcase for 'ebony excellence'". bostonglobe.com. Boston Globe. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  4. ↑ All Music Amanda Seales Biography
  5. 1 2 Seales, Amanda. "imdb.com". IMDb.[unreliable source?]
  6. ↑ "30 Movie and TV Stars who Graduated from Columbia". Columbia Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Amanda Seales, Star of 'Insecure,' Discusses Black History Month and Why She Chose Columbia". Columbia University Neighbors. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  8. ↑ Seales, Amanda. "imdb.com". IMDb.[unreliable source?]
  9. ↑ "youtube.com". YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  10. ↑ Seales, Amanda. "imdb.com". IMDb. Retrieved November 8, 2016.[unreliable source?]
  11. ↑ "trutv.com".
  12. ↑ "comedyhype.com". Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  13. ↑ Ngangura, Tari (January 25, 2019). "Amanda Seales Be Knowin', and You Should Listen". Vulture. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  14. ↑ Otterson, Joe (February 1, 2019). "NBC Orders Comedy Competition Series With Jeff Foxworthy Among Judges". Variety.
  15. ↑ "Who Is Amanda Seales? 10 Facts About The 'Bring The Funny' Host". Talent Recap. July 15, 2019. Archived from the original on May 3, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  16. ↑ Henderson, Cydney. "'The Real' has a new co-host: 'Insecure' star and comedian Amanda Seales". USA Today. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  17. 1 2 Petski, Denise (January 6, 2020). "Amanda Seales Joins 'The Real' As Permanent Co-Host". Deadline Hollywood.
  18. ↑ Nakamura, Reid (June 3, 2020). "Amanda Seales to Exit 'The Real': 'I Cannot Speak to My People the Way They Need to Be Spoken To'". TheWrap. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  19. ↑ Merrett, Robyn (August 4, 2020). "Amanda Seales Says She Left The Real Because It 'Felt Like a Betrayal to My People'". people.com. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  20. ↑ Slater, Georgia (September 22, 2020). "Ex The Real Co-Host Amanda Seales Says Show Needs to Be Called Out for Allegedly Ripping Her Off". people.com. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Amanda Seales to Host 2020 BET Awards". Billboard. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  22. ↑ Green, Kai (February 10, 2022). "Everything to Know About Showtime's Provocative New Docuseries, everything's gonna be all white". Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  23. ↑ "vimeo.com".
  24. ↑ "Amanda Diva – Spandex, Rhymes & Soul EP".
  25. ↑ "Amanda Diva Gets in Touch With "Spandex, Rhymes, & Soul" On New EP [Free Download]". Djbooth. February 12, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Amanda Diva – Spandex, Rhymes & Soul FreEP". March 3, 2009.
  27. ↑ Wilstein, Matt (October 29, 2019). "Amanda Seales: 'I'm Expected To Make White People Uncomfortable'". The Daily Beast.
  28. ↑ "UTA Agency, Amanda Seales Bio".[permanent dead link]
  29. ↑ "Smart Funny & Black".
  30. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (April 14, 2022). "Amanda Seales Secures New SiriusXM Show On Kevin Hart's Laugh Out Loud Radio". Deadline. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Amanda Seales Admits Myron Rolle Never Did Anything Wrong to Her - BlackSportsOnline - Part 4". blacksportsonline.com. March 6, 2019.
  32. ↑ Dill, Jason. "He quit the NFL to save lives. Now this former FSU star is accused of sexual harassment". www.miamiherald.com.
  33. ↑ Greig, Jonathan (November 17, 2019). "Blavity News & Politics". Blavity News & Politics.
  34. ↑ "'The Real' Co-Host Amanda Seales Defends Jussie Smollett: Even If Attack Was a 'Hoax,' It Was 'Noble' Thing to Do (Video)". The Wrap. February 12, 2020.
  35. ↑ "Jussie Smollett sentenced for false police reports". March 11, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Insecure's Amanda Seales Claps Back at Angry Fans After AKA Sorority Backlash: 'I'm Just Playing a Character'". October 26, 2021.
  37. ↑ Munu, Adama (February 28, 2024). "Black History Month: 7 Black American activists who stood up for Palestine". New Arab.
  38. ↑ AJ+ (January 15, 2024). Why isn't Hollywood talking about Gaza?. Retrieved December 20, 2024 – via YouTube.
  39. ↑ ""Revolutionaries, Not Reformists" - Mehdi and Amanda Seales talk Biden vs Trump, Gaza, and… Jerry Seinfeld". Zeteo. November 25, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  40. ↑ Amanda Seales: Speaking Out About Gaza & Hollywood | Laura Flanders & Friends | Episode 114. July 5, 2024.
  41. 1 2 "Film Workers Pledge to End Complicity". Film Workers For Palestine. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  42. ↑ Lupe Fiasco – Outro, retrieved September 2, 2025
  43. ↑ "Amanda Seales Says Boldy James Owes Her Money". Complex. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  44. ↑ Corrine, Amber (April 26, 2024). "Amanda Seales Felt "Interrogated" During 'Club Shay Shay' Interview, Clarifies Autism Spectrum Claims". Vibe. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  45. ↑ "Life Experience Ep, by Amanda Seales". Amanda Seales.
  46. ↑ "Spandex Rhymes & Soul, by Amanda Seales". Amanda Seales.
  47. ↑ "Madame Monochrome, by Amanda Seales". Amanda Seales.
  48. ↑ "Foreplay Mixtape, by Amanda Seales". Amanda Seales.
  49. ↑ "Technicolor Lover, by Amanda Seales". Amanda Seales.
  50. ↑ "The Renaissance - Q-Tip - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  51. 1 2 "Rebel Without Applause by Johnny Polygon on Apple Music". iTunes. March 23, 2010.
  52. ↑ "Johnny Polygon Catches Up With New Mixtape - OklahomaRock.com". oklahomarock.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  53. ↑ "N.O.R.E. - Crack on Steroids Hosted by DJ Green Lantern". DatPiff. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  54. ↑ ""Neon" Feat. Johnny Polygon Official Video!!!!". www.amandaseales.com. Amanda Seales. August 12, 2009. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  55. ↑ Kari (April 12, 2022). "Amanda Seales, Kevin Nealon and Jaleel White Appear on 'To Tell the Truth' | Feeling the Vibe Magazine". Retrieved April 20, 2022.