Shirley Hemphill Video | Celebrity Interview and Paparazzi

Shirley Ann Hemphill (July 1, 1947 – December 10, 1999) was an American stand-up comedian and actress. She was best known for her role on the television situation comedy What's Happening!!, which ran from 1976 to 1979. Hemphill began her career as a stand-up comic but without much fanfare. In an effort to receive some notice, she decided to record some of her best routines on a borrowed cassette recorder and send the tape to comedian Flip Wilson who, at the time, was a major television star, enjoying the third season on his own TV variety show. Wilson enjoyed the tape and invited... MORE

Shirley Ann Hemphill (July 1, 1947 – December 10, 1999) was an American stand-up comedian and actress. She was best known for her role on the television situation comedy What's Happening!!, which ran from 1976 to 1979. Hemphill began her career as a stand-up comic but without much fanfare. In an effort to receive some notice, she decided to record some of her best routines on a borrowed cassette recorder and send the tape to comedian Flip Wilson who, at the time, was a major television star, enjoying the third season on his own TV variety show. Wilson enjoyed the tape and invited Hemphill to L.A. to attend a taping of his show. He also sent her a dozen roses for luck and her very own cassette recorder. After Hemphill returned home from the taping, she was determined to become a comedy star. She became a waitress at a fast food restaurant during the day and worked comedy clubs at night. In 1976, Hemphill's stand-up routine started to get noticed and was invited to guest star on the TV comedy sitcoms, All's Fair and Good Times. That same year she landed the role of sarcastic waitress Shirley Wilson on the comedy TV series What's Happening!!, which was loosely based on Eric Monte's LESS