Editing Melissa McCarthy (section)

== Early life and education ==
Melissa Ann McCarthy was born on August 26, 1970, in [[Plainfield, Illinois]], to Sandra and Michael McCarthy.<ref>[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20472991,00.html "Melissa Mccarthy: Her Moment to Shine"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230141227/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20472991,00.html |date=December 30, 2011 }} March 21, 2011, ''People''</ref><ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=HN&p_theme=hn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F6EE8FE466990AB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Bob Newhart just can't stand still"] September 19, 2002, ''Herald News''</ref> She is a cousin of actress and model [[Jenny McCarthy]].<ref name="auto">[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/melissa-mccarthy-mike-molly-bridesmaids-240899 "Melissa McCarthy Is Having Her Moment"] September 28, 2011, ''The Hollywood Reporter''</ref> McCarthy was raised on a farm in a large [[Catholicism|Catholic]] family. Her father is of [[Irish people|Irish]] descent, while her mother is of [[English people|English]], [[German people|German]], and Irish ancestry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.megansmolenyak.com/5-things-didnt-know-melissa-mccarthys-family-tree/|title=5 Things You Didn't Know about Melissa McCarthy's Family Tree » Megan Smolenyak|date=July 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/melissa-mccarthy-20871661#early-life|title=Bio.|access-date=November 20, 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.lifescript.com/Life/Timeout/Entertainment/Mike_and_Mollys_Melissa_McCarthy_Finds_Super-Sized_Success.aspx "'Mike and Molly's' Melissa McCarthy Finds Super-Sized Success"] March 22, 2011, LifeScript.com</ref> Some of her forebears were from [[County Cork]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Danaher|first=Patricia|url=http://irishamerica.com/2013/05/melissa-mccarthy-the-scene-stealer-goes-center-stage/|title=Melissa McCarthy: The Scene Stealer Goes Center Stage|publisher=Irish America|date=May 24, 2013|access-date=November 18, 2013}}</ref> She graduated from St. Francis Academy (now [[Joliet Catholic Academy]]) in [[Joliet, Illinois]],<ref>[http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/entertainment/7792656-418/from-jca-to-cbs-emmy-winner-got-acting-bug-at-joliet-school.html "From JCA to CBS: Emmy winner got acting bug at Joliet school"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924041811/http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/entertainment/7792656-418/from-jca-to-cbs-emmy-winner-got-acting-bug-at-joliet-school.html |date=September 24, 2011 }} September 21, 2011, ''The Herald News''</ref> and attended [[Southern Illinois University Carbondale]]. 

Her career started with stand-up comedy in Los Angeles, and later in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/melissa-mccarthy-20871661#!|title=Melissa McCarthy Biography|publisher=Bio.|access-date=October 3, 2016}}</ref> McCarthy is an alumna of [[The Groundlings]], an improvisational and [[sketch comedy]] troupe based in [[Los Angeles, California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://groundlings.com/performers/performer-details.aspx?performerID=214|title=Melissa McCarthy|work=The Groundlings Website}}</ref> She also performed in New York City as a [[drag queen]] under the moniker Miss Y, including at the [[Wigstock]] festival.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nichols|first=James Michael|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/melissa-mccarthy-drag-queen_n_589b3f96e4b0c1284f29a87b|title=Melissa McCarthy: I Used to Perform as a Drag queen|publisher=Huffington Post|date=February 8, 2017|access-date=December 6, 2020}}</ref>