Debra Wilson, best known for her iconic impressions of Oprah Winfrey and Whitney Houston on Mad TV, has opened up about the personal turmoil she faced after leaving the sketch comedy show in 2003 over a salary dispute. Now 64, Wilson told Hype+ in a new interview that her life began to unravel following her departure.
Struggles After Mad TV
"Everything was a challenge," Wilson said. "I wasn't working a lot, my marriage was falling apart – it was a new marriage and it was already falling apart. My home, I couldn't keep it. I had purchased it and I had been there for almost 12 years and it was like, I can't keep this."
The comedian admitted feeling like a "failure," but revealed that losing everything led to a spiritual awakening that brought her closer to God.
Career on Mad TV
Wilson was one of Mad TV's founding cast members, joining the show at its inception in 1995 and staying for eight seasons until she quit in 2003. "I stepped away from the show because I felt as if I didn't have the growth potential, creatively and financially, that other people were getting," she explained. "And at the same time, on a spiritual level, it was important to step away in order to grow myself."
Despite leaving, Wilson made occasional guest appearances until Fox canceled the show in 2009. During her tenure, she was best known for her impressions of Winfrey and Houston, as well as the original character Bunifa Latifah Halifah Sharifa Jackson. Her impressions were so popular that she played these divas in other projects like American Dad and Scary Movie 4.
Reinvention as Voice Actress
After experiencing career struggles post-Mad TV, Wilson reinvented herself as one of Hollywood's most successful voice actors. Her voice has appeared in major animated projects like Marvel Zombies, Eyes of Wakanda, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Trek, Mortal Kombat Legends, and more. She has also voiced characters in blockbuster video game franchises such as Destiny, Spider-Man, World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Call of Duty, Fallout, Grand Theft Auto, The Walking Dead, and Final Fantasy.
Mad TV Legacy
Wilson is not the only big name to emerge from Mad TV. The show helped launch the careers of Artie Lange, Bobby Lee, Nicole Sullivan, and director Jordan Peele. Launched in 1995 as a rival to NBC's Saturday Night Live, Mad TV suffered from mediocre ratings and divided critics due to its edgy, politically incorrect humor. However, it developed a cult following and is now critically reappraised as one of the greatest sketch comedy shows of all time.
The CW attempted a reboot in 2016, but it was canceled after one season. Some original cast members reunited last year on Bobby Lee's TigerBelly podcast, where Lee noted that cast pay was low. He started at $4,000 per episode, eventually reaching $20,000. Wilson said she hit $15,000 per episode but felt there was no room for growth, despite being an original cast member.
