Editing Lizz Winstead

{{short description|American comedian}}
{{About|the comedian|the actress|Mary Elizabeth Winstead}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}

{{Infobox person
| name               = Lizz Winstead
| image              = Lizz Winstead (53815641601).jpg
| caption            = Winstead in 2024
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1961|7|5}}
| birth_place        = [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]], U.S.
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Comedian
}}
| years_active       = 1983&ndash;present
}}

'''Lizz Winstead''' (born July 5, 1961) is an American comedian, radio and television personality, [[Abortion-rights movements|abortion rights activist]], and podcast host. A native of [[Minnesota]], Winstead is the co-creator of ''[[The Daily Show]]'' along with [[Madeleine Smithberg]], and served as head writer and one of the original correspondents. Winstead is the founder and chief creative officer of [[Abortion Access Front]], a nonprofit made up of “activists, writers and producers and comedians that uses humor to destigmatize abortion” and fight against [[Anti-abortion movements|anti-abortion forces]] nationwide.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sean |title=About Us • Abortion Access Front |url=https://www.aafront.org/about-us/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Abortion Access Front |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early life==
Winstead was the youngest child born into a conservative [[Catholic]] family in [[Minneapolis]], Minnesota.<ref>''Minnseapolis City Pages'': [http://www.citypages.com/2013-05-08/news/the-life-of-lizz-winstead/ The life of Lizz Winstead.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213185129/http://www.citypages.com/2013-05-08/news/the-life-of-lizz-winstead/ |date=February 13, 2015 }}  May 3, 2013.  Accessed February 13, 2015.</ref>

==Career==
Winstead made her standup comedy debut in 1983 in Minneapolis at the [[Brave New Workshop]].<ref>{{Cite journal
 |last=Marsh 
 |first=Steve 
 |title=Just Asking... Lizz Winstead 
 |journal=MPLS.St.Paul Magazine 
 |date=September 2008 
 |url=http://www.mspmag.com/features/features/112757.asp 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106004054/http://mspmag.com/features/features/112757.asp 
 |archive-date=January 6, 2009 
}}
</ref> She was a national headlining comedian appearing on shows like [[HBO]]'s ''Women of the Night'' and the [[Aspen Comedy Festival]]. She wrote and performed for early [[Comedy Central]] shows like ''Women Aloud'', and produced the syndicated talk series ''[[The Jon Stewart Show]]'', starring [[Jon Stewart|the future ''Daily Show'' host]].<ref name="Itzkoff">{{cite web | last = Itzkoff
| first = David | date = March 30, 2008
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/arts/television/30itzk.html?pagewanted=print
| title = Serving Platters of Minced Politicians | work = New York Times
| access-date = May 19, 2009}}</ref> She also created [[Court TV]]'s ''[[Snap Judgment (legal comedy show)|Snap Judgment]]''<ref>{{cite news | title=Lizz Winstead Returns … and So Does Marv | first1=Michael | last1=Colton | first2=Peter | last2=Bogdanovich | newspaper=New York Observer | date=April 4, 1999 | url=http://www.observer.com/1999/lizz-winstead-returns-and-so-does-marv | access-date=September 24, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908164854/http://www.observer.com/1999/lizz-winstead-returns-and-so-does-marv | archive-date=September 8, 2010 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> and served as the consulting producer on the pilot of ''[[The Man Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0935540
| title = IMDB Page- Lizz Winstead | website = [[IMDb]] | access-date = May 19, 2009}}</ref>

During her time at ''The Daily Show'' she helped staff the program with signature talents like [[Stephen Colbert]], [[Beth Littleford]], [[Brian Unger]], and [[Lewis Black]].<ref name="Itzkoff"/> After ''Daily Show'' host [[Craig Kilborn]] publicly made offensive remarks about Winstead, she left the show in January 1998.<ref name="Itzkoff"/><ref>{{cite web | last = Colton | first = Michael | title = Lizz Winstead Returns ... and So Does Marv | url=https://observer.com/1999/04/lizz-winstead-returns-and-so-does-marv/ | date = 1999-04-04 | work = The New York Observer | access-date = 2020-06-25 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100908164854/http://www.observer.com/1999/lizz-winstead-returns-and-so-does-marv | archive-date = 2010-09-08 }}</ref>

Winstead has appeared on various shows on [[CNN]] and [[MSNBC]]. In 2002, she and [[Brian Unger]] created, wrote and co-hosted ''[[O2Be]]'', a satire of network morning programs that was broadcast on the [[Oxygen (TV network)|Oxygen network]].

In 2003, she co-founded and served as the program director at [[Air America Radio]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-06-07 |title=Lizz Winstead: The Dictionary From A To Lizz |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/06/07/189200451/lizz-winstead-the-dictionary-from-a-to-lizz |publisher=NPR}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=On the air with Signorile Show guest host Lizz Winstead — and a Q of the Day|url=http://www.dallasvoice.com/on-the-air-with-signorile-show-guest-host-lizz-winstead-and-a-q-of-the-day-1042404.html|publisher=dallasvoice.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510122125/http://www.dallasvoice.com/on-the-air-with-signorile-show-guest-host-lizz-winstead-and-a-q-of-the-day-1042404.html|archive-date=May 10, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Until March 2005, she was also co-host of ''Unfiltered'' on [[Air America Radio]], along with [[Rachel Maddow]] and [[Chuck D]].

In 2006, she served as the executive producer of the ''[[Weekends with Maury and Connie]]'' program on MSNBC. The show was canceled later that year and in the last episode [[Connie Chung]] performed a musical number with lyrics by Winstead that was called "Thanks for the Memories."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://johnnytriangles.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_archive.html | date=June 30, 2006 |title=Yet Another Reason To Avoid Superman Returns|access-date = May 19, 2009}}</ref> Since 2007, she has produced and hosted a live show in New York City called ''Shoot the Messenger'', a [[satire|satirical]] wrap-up of the week's news as seen through the eyes of six-hour morning show ''Wake Up World'', and featuring interviews with such media notables as [[Rachel Maddow]], [[Sarah Silverman]], [[Chuck D]]., [[Amy Goodman]], [[Susie Essman]], [[Jerry Stiller]] and [[Anne Meara]]'''.''' <ref name="Itzkoff"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lizz Winstead's SHOOT THE MESSENGER! (Message Board) |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=947169&boardid=2&boardname=off#3367830 |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=www.broadwayworld.com}}</ref>

On May 10, 2012, her first book, ''Lizz Free or Die'', was published by [[Riverhead Hardcover]]; it is a collection of autobiographical essays on her life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781594487026|title=Lizz Free or Die: Essays - IndieBound.org|website=www.indiebound.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lizz Free Or Die |url=https://www.npr.org/books/titles/152265071/lizz-free-or-die-essays |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601072156/https://www.npr.org/books/titles/152265071/lizz-free-or-die-essays |archive-date=2012-06-01 |website=[[NPR]]}}</ref> In 2015, she founded Lady Parts Justice League, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that changed its name in 2019 to Abortion Access Front to become more inclusive to people of all genders who need reproductive care. Abortion Access Front is dedicated to using humor to expose anti-abortion forces, support abortion providers, and expand access to abortion in all 50 states.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryzik |first=Melena |date=2022-07-15 |title=Using Comedy to Push for Abortion Rights |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/15/arts/lizz-winstead-abortion-comedy.html |access-date=2023-02-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Winstead co-hosts the Abortion Access Front podcast “Feminist Buzzkills Live!”, which “break[s] down the weekly news from patriarchy’s evil trilogy of misogyny, white supremacy, and anti-abortion extremism.”<ref>{{Cite web |title=Feminist Buzzkills Live: The Podcast on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feminist-buzzkills-live-the-podcast/id1575776538 |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}</ref>

On July 17, 2022, a month after [[Roe v. Wade]] was overturned, Winstead and Abortion Access Front along with 60 partners launched Operation Save Abortion, an ongoing campaign beginning with a daylong virtual training session for thousands of new abortion rights activists nationwide.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sean |title=Operation Save Abortion • Abortion Access Front |url=https://www.aafront.org/operation-save-abortion/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Abortion Access Front |language=en-US}}</ref> Winstead told [[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan:]] “They’ll learn about all the different ways they can channel their outrage into action, they’ll come away knowing this fight requires every single one of us, and they’ll know exactly where their special talents fit into that equation.”<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-07 |title=There's a Full-Day Abortion-Access Training Session Next Weekend and You Oughta Sign Up |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/a40531217/operation-save-abortion-free-training/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Cosmopolitan |language=en-us}}</ref>

According to Winstead, over 10,000 people participated on the first day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Replay: Lizz Winstead on Operation Save Abortion {{!}} The Takeaway |url=https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/lizz-winstead-operation-save-abortion |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=WNYC Studios |language=en}}</ref> Operation Save Abortion maintains an activist toolkit and calendar to help new abortion activists stay involved.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*{{official website|http://www.lizzwinstead.com}}
*{{IMDb name|935540}}
*[http://shootthemessengernyc.com/ Shoot the Messenger site]
*{{C-SPAN|1028737}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winstead, Lizz}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century American memoirists]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]
[[Category:American talk radio hosts]]
[[Category:American television personalities]]
[[Category:American television writers]]
[[Category:American women columnists]]
[[Category:American women comedians]]
[[Category:American women memoirists]]
[[Category:American women radio hosts]]
[[Category:American women television personalities]]
[[Category:American women television writers]]
[[Category:Comedians from Minneapolis]]
[[Category:HuffPost writers and columnists]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Television show creators]]
[[Category:Writers from Saint Paul, Minnesota]]