Stephanie Catherine Miller (born September 29, 1961) is an American
political commentator, comedian, and host of The Stephanie Miller
Show, a Progressive talk radio program produced in Los Angeles,
California, by WYD Media Management and syndicated nationally by
Westwood One. In 2017, Talkers Magazine ranked her the 23rd-most
important radio talk show host in the U.S. Miller has leveraged her
talk show via various platforms including online, as well as via her
Sexy Liberal Tour live comedy show.Miller was born in Washington,
D.C., the daughter of Stephanie (Wagner) and former U.S.
Representative William E. Miller, who was Barry Goldwater's running
mate in the 1964 presidential election and a Chairman of the
Republican National Committee. After her father left the United States
Congress when Miller was three years old, her family moved to her
father's hometown of Lockport, New York. She is the youngest of four
children; her two elder sisters, Libby and Mary, are almost 20 years
her senior. She also has an older brother, William Jr. Her brother ran
unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives from
upstate New York, in 1992 and 1994.Miller's first efforts at comedy
were in high school, performing in a sketch, "Torn Between Two
Lovers", requiring a specially-sewn dress with panels that boys ripped
open every time a chorus of the song was heard. Recalling the
performance, Miller says, "I got my first laugh, and that was it. It's
like a drug. It's always been my only drug.". After completing her
secondary education in private Catholic schools, graduating from
DeSales High School in Lockport in 1979, Miller attended the
University of Southern California, earning a degree in theatre. Her
original plan after college "was to be Carol Burnett". On September
29, 2015, Burnett called Miller on her radio show to wish her happy
birthday. On the phone, Miller told Burnett she always wanted to be
her, "but it didn't work out. She made me cry when she said I
shouldn't be Carol Burnett because there's only one Stephanie Miller
and nobody does what I do. I was bawling."Miller's first job after
graduation from college was at the Laugh Factory, the legendary
Hollywood comedy club, working for club owner Jamie Masada, answering
phones, putting names on the marquee, cocktail waitressing, and other
tasks, while also performing stand-up at the club. When Miller moved
back to upstate New York a few years later, she worked at Yuk Yuk's
Comedy Club in Buffalo, living in a $125 per month apartment over a
pizza parlor near the club. While working in radio in the 1980s and
1990s, she also performed at many comedy clubs around New York City,
Chicago, and Los Angeles. She appeared twice on A & E's An Evening at
the Improv, on the A&E TV Network, on August 5, 1988, and March 3,
1989. She was also the first comedian to perform when the Chicago
Improv club opened. In addition, she performed a one-woman
Off-Broadway show while living in New York City in the early 1990s.
Miller also performed at the Laugh Factory when she moved back to Los
Angeles from New York City in 2003. Miller says she has a talk with
her late father every time she is about to face an audience.
political commentator, comedian, and host of The Stephanie Miller
Show, a Progressive talk radio program produced in Los Angeles,
California, by WYD Media Management and syndicated nationally by
Westwood One. In 2017, Talkers Magazine ranked her the 23rd-most
important radio talk show host in the U.S. Miller has leveraged her
talk show via various platforms including online, as well as via her
Sexy Liberal Tour live comedy show.Miller was born in Washington,
D.C., the daughter of Stephanie (Wagner) and former U.S.
Representative William E. Miller, who was Barry Goldwater's running
mate in the 1964 presidential election and a Chairman of the
Republican National Committee. After her father left the United States
Congress when Miller was three years old, her family moved to her
father's hometown of Lockport, New York. She is the youngest of four
children; her two elder sisters, Libby and Mary, are almost 20 years
her senior. She also has an older brother, William Jr. Her brother ran
unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives from
upstate New York, in 1992 and 1994.Miller's first efforts at comedy
were in high school, performing in a sketch, "Torn Between Two
Lovers", requiring a specially-sewn dress with panels that boys ripped
open every time a chorus of the song was heard. Recalling the
performance, Miller says, "I got my first laugh, and that was it. It's
like a drug. It's always been my only drug.". After completing her
secondary education in private Catholic schools, graduating from
DeSales High School in Lockport in 1979, Miller attended the
University of Southern California, earning a degree in theatre. Her
original plan after college "was to be Carol Burnett". On September
29, 2015, Burnett called Miller on her radio show to wish her happy
birthday. On the phone, Miller told Burnett she always wanted to be
her, "but it didn't work out. She made me cry when she said I
shouldn't be Carol Burnett because there's only one Stephanie Miller
and nobody does what I do. I was bawling."Miller's first job after
graduation from college was at the Laugh Factory, the legendary
Hollywood comedy club, working for club owner Jamie Masada, answering
phones, putting names on the marquee, cocktail waitressing, and other
tasks, while also performing stand-up at the club. When Miller moved
back to upstate New York a few years later, she worked at Yuk Yuk's
Comedy Club in Buffalo, living in a $125 per month apartment over a
pizza parlor near the club. While working in radio in the 1980s and
1990s, she also performed at many comedy clubs around New York City,
Chicago, and Los Angeles. She appeared twice on A & E's An Evening at
the Improv, on the A&E TV Network, on August 5, 1988, and March 3,
1989. She was also the first comedian to perform when the Chicago
Improv club opened. In addition, she performed a one-woman
Off-Broadway show while living in New York City in the early 1990s.
Miller also performed at the Laugh Factory when she moved back to Los
Angeles from New York City in 2003. Miller says she has a talk with
her late father every time she is about to face an audience.
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