Niecy Nash

[on dating]
Niecy Nash: A girl has to be very selective. I don't want people to date me because of my "do" [as in what she does]. I want people to date me because of my "who" [as in who she is].

[On if she prefers acting or voice acting]
Niecy Nash: I prefer work. Period. I have kids and they have to eat. They don't want Ramen noodles. They want a baked potato with a steak next to it. So, I prefer to work. Comedies, drama, voice over, it doesn't matter. It's all good and it's all enjoyable.

[On her most memorable moment of Reno 911!]
Niecy Nash: I play an alternate character named Titi and she was running around and screaming in church. One of the children that was in the church as an extra was my real daughter. I explained everything to her and told her exactly what was going to happen. We got into the scene and started fighting and carrying on and she started crying, 'Let go of my mama!' So, we had to do it over a couple of times. Even though I said, 'I am not your mommy now. They're not hurting me,' every time they started to tackle me and arrest me she'd scream, 'Let go of my mama!' Then they would say, 'Cut', and we'd have to start over.

[On how her comedy background helps her hosting job on Clean House]
Niecy Nash: When you work on unscripted projects, you have to stay sharp. After doing Reno 911! and doing stand-up, I never know what's going to happen. The audience can turn on you at a drop of a dime. This is a lot more relaxed. So, the conversation, the thoughts, and the commentary is all very free-flowing.

Niecy Nash: I found my comedic voice when my brother was killed because I would stand at the end of my mothers bed when she said, I'm not getting up. And I would tell her funny stories, and funny jokes and eventually laying in the bed went to sitting up in the bed.

[On when she knew she wanted to become an actress]
Niecy Nash: I watched The Young and Restless with my grandmother. One day the soap operas didn't come on and Lola Falana came out and it was the first time I had ever seen a black woman look like that on television. Grant it, she wasn't the first black woman on television but she was the first one I saw. I was like, 'Oh my God' and I looked at my grandmother and I told her, 'That's what I want to do.' She said, 'What baby?'...'Be on TV and be black and fabulous!'

[On her character from Reno 911!]
Niecy Nash: We all had the opportunity to create these characters. Raineesha Williams, my character, is a culmination of all the women who I've ever known. The one's who wear too much makeup, the ones who got the little extra attitude on the side, you know, baby hair, finger waves, whatever you call it. Her attitude is a little bit my mom, a little bit me, and a little bit my grandmother. So, she is a cornucopia of beautiful women.

Niecy Nash: I spend a small fortune on hair. I buy it from all around the world--China, Malaysia and Indonesia. And I just can't let it go. I don't even care if it's just a strip. One day I might need it for something. I might have to ask Linda to come over and organize my hair, based on the countries I bought it from, and give me a large storage unit for it, because I'm not letting go.

[On reading for Boys on the Side]
Niecy: After I read my lines they said 'Thank you' and I was like, 'No, thank YOU' and they were like, 'Thank you, we'll call you' and I was like 'WHEN? I'm broke. I got a baby and I need a job.

Niecy: Acting is the call of my life. I felt like I didn't have any other choice. I wasn't committed to anything else.