Sykes Steals 'Monster' Show

In the new comedy, "Monster-In-Law," Wanda Sykes plays the personal assistant and confidante of Viola, a former TV journalist played by Jane Fonda. Her character's latest task: helping her boss deal with her son's impending marriage.

"I"m basically the crazy lady wrangler," Sykes tells The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm, explaining her role of Ruby. The crazy lady is, of course, Jane Fonda.

Sykes thought she was being "Punkt" when told not only she had the part, but most of her scenes were with Fonda.

"I was like, 'Where is Ashton Kutcher"'," Sykes says, "There's no way in the world they want me to work with Jane Fonda. But she is so gracious. She's such a wonderful woman, and just really made me feel comfortable. I think that's why I worked on screen, because she was so cool off screen."

Her expectations also were blown away when she worked with Jennifer Lopez.

"I expected, like, craziness," she says. "I expected background dancers following her all around. Must have to learn the words: 'I'm just Jenny from the block.' But she was really nice, just real sweet and very professional. Just showed up, did her job. Just real cool."

And yet it was Sykes who stole the show, Storm notes."I don't know about stealing," Sykes says and quips, "You're just saying that because I'm black. I steal. I'm stealing now."

But Storm is not the only one who thinks that. Fonda actually said she just loved the way Sykes improvised in the film.

"At one time, she called me, after two days of working, she called me a Hamburger Helper: You make a meal out of everything," Sykes says.

She was so good at it director Robert Luketic encouraged her to ad lib.

"I think he just didn't want me to have to act," Sykes says. "He's like: let's remove all possibilities of her having to act."

Sykes used to work as a contracting specialist for the National Security Administration.

"I just bought stuff, basically. Just shopped all day," a dream job for some, but not for Sykes. "I was just miserable there. I just wasn't happy, and I felt like I was stealing from the government. It was like I was getting a check for a job that I was like: I don't want to do this."

So what made him decide to be a comedian?

"Well, I've always loved comedy," Sykes says, "Always grew up watching comics and then, one day, I was at work and heard about a talent show, and comedy was a category. I said: I'm going to write some jokes. I sat down and wrote some jokes. Went down and got on stage. That's been my path ever since."

She adds she recently shot an episode for the upcoming season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

About Wanda Sykes:

• Born in Portsmouth, Va., on March 7, 1964.
• She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Hampton (Va.) University in Hampton. Her stand-up career began at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, D.C., where she performed for the first time in front of a live audience.
• She spent five years as part of the HBO's critically acclaimed "Chris Rock Show." As a performer and writer on the show, she was nominated for three Primetime Emmys.
• In 1999, she won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special.
• In 2000, She has appeared in "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" playing the part of Chantal.
• In 2001, she won the American Comedy Award for Outstanding Female Stand Up Comic. And she appeared in the films "Pootie Tang" and "Down to Earth." The following year, she won a second Emmy for her work on "Inside the NFL."
• In 2003, Sykes earned a Comedy Central Commie Award for "Funniest TV Actress." In the fall, she was seen on Fox's "Wanda at Large," which she wrote, produced and starred in.
• In 2004, her first book titled "Yeah, I Said It" hit bookstores. It is a hilarious collection of essays touching on life, family and current events. She was also seen on Comedy Central's "Wanda Does It" where she tried various non-showbiz jobs.
• Other writing credits include: the "MTV 1999 Music Video Awards," "The MTV Movie Awards," the "74th Annual Academy Awards," and "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show."
• Sykes also has a one-hour Comedy Central special called "Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied." In addition, she can be seen on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" or heard on Comedy Central's "Crank Yankers" as the voice of Gladys Murphy.
• Next for her are "Over The Hedge" and "The Barnyard" where she lends her voice as Bessy the cow.
• Sykes has been named one of Entertainment Weekly's 25 Funniest People in America.