People.com Entertainment Movies Wanda Sykes Recalls the Time She 'Shushed' Michelle Obama at White House Correspondents' Dinner "I was just thrown into the fire," she recalls of the night. "I had no idea the magnitude of people who would be in that room" By Nigel Smith Nigel Smith Nigel Smith is Senior News Editor, Movies at PEOPLE. He is an Entertainment Editor and Writer with more than 10 years of experience in the online and print industries as a journalist, storyteller, proofreader and manager. In 2017 Smith joined the PEOPLE editorial team in New York as News Editor, Movies. He has written feature stories and reviews including interviews with Ryan Reynolds, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Hudson and Russell Crowe. Prior, he served as News Editor at the Wrap in Los Angeles, and Entertainment Editor at the Guardian, also in LA, where he covered the red carpet at major awards shows including the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Governors Awards, Grammy Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. He also attended and reported on major film festivals at Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Telluride, SXSW and Tribeca. Smith has appeared as an expert commentator on numerous morning and entertainment shows including Good Morning America, Today, NBC News, BBC News, Access Hollywood, NY1, PeopleTV and more. A native of Toronto, Canada, Smith graduated from Syracuse University in New York State with Master of Arts degree in Arts Journalism (Film). He is married and lives in New York City. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 24, 2022 09:00 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Art Streiber/ABC Wanda Sykes isn't nervous to host the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday. The comedian and actress, 58, who's hosting the show alongside Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue that doing the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in 2009 more than prepared her for Hollywood's biggest night. "I was just thrown into the fire," Sykes recalls. "I had no idea the magnitude of people who would be in that room." One particular exchange from that night will stay with her forever. "At the correspondents' dinner, I shushed the first lady," Sykes says. "Michelle Obama was sitting right next to me, and I'm going over my material, my jokes, and I'm focused on prep, and she's trying to make conversation. And I just gave her a look like, 'Woman, I'm working over here! What are you doing? Pipe down.' " For more on the 2022 Oscars, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day. "I think I'll be okay in this role," she says with a laugh. Wanda Sykes Jokes About Wife's Reaction to Her Oscars Hosting Gig: 'What Am I Going to Wear?' ABC's late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was the last Oscars host when he headlined the ceremony in both 2018 and 2017. Kevin Hart had been named as host of the 2019 show but stepped down amid controversy over his resurfaced insensitive tweets. RELATED VIDEO: Wanda Sykes Jokes About Wife's Reaction to Her Oscars Hosting Gig: 'What Am I Going to Wear?' Other hosts recent years have included Chris Rock, Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, Seth MacFarlane, Billy Crystal and the pairing of James Franco and Anne Hathaway. After news of the trio's hosting gig was confirmed last month, Schumer wrote on Instagram that she was "honored to be performing with these legends" and proudly said, "Mama I made it!" The 2022 Oscars are airing Sunday from Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on ABC. For more from Wanda Sykes, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.