Bio

LITTLE.    YELLOW.    DIFFERENT.    BETTER.

Suzanne Whang is a television host, actor, stand-up comedian, emcee, keynote speaker, political activist, minister, radio host, and published author.  In her spare time, she sleeps.

Suzanne was the host of House Hunters, the #1 rated show on HGTV (Home & Garden Television Network) for almost ten years, and she also hosted the hit spinoff show, House Hunters International. Most recently, on Feb 27, 2011, Suzanne co-hosted live coverage of the Academy Awards for Oscar.com with Dave Karger of Entertainment Weekly.  You might have also seen Suzanne host Homes of Our Heritage: Great American Women, Homes of Pasadena, Blitz Build 2000, Holiday Windows, and The Making of the Rose Parade on HGTV, and GSN Live on the Game Show Network.  She had a great time as Dick Clark’s co-host on TV’s Censored Bloopers for NBC, while concurrently co-hosting New Attitudes on Lifetime Television. Prior to that, she was a field host/fill-in co-host for FOX After Breakfast with Tom Bergeron, and a field host for Breakfast Time, Personal FX, and The Pet Department on FX.  Suzanne received a NAMIC Award nomination for her work on Breakfast Time.

As an actor, Suzanne has appeared in numerous television series, including four seasons as Polly the hilarious spa manager on NBC’s Las Vegas, and she just completed a 6 week stint on ABC’s General Hospital as Carol Cheng, the funny and loathsome wedding planner.  Her GH gig was with her real-life best friend and Las Vegas co-star, Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo.  Suzanne also had a memorable guest starring role as Mrs. Lee on Cold Case, and co-starring roles on Two & a Half Men, Boston Legal, Still Standing, Criminal Minds, Nip/Tuck, The Practice, Strong Medicine, Robbery Homicide Division, Norm, and NYPD Blue. She appeared in the Keanu Reeves feature film Constantine as a screaming mother whose daughter is possessed by soldier demons.  Don’t you hate when that happens?  Suzanne did another feature film called Traci Townsend which debuted at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles — her scene-stealing role at a wise manicurist got audience applause!  She also did a cameo appearance in the Hilary Duff feature, Material Girls.  And Suzanne starred in the short film Seoul Mates, which won the Best Acting Award and Audience Award at the Los Angeles 48 Hour Film Festival.  If you’re feeling nostalgic, rent the film Housesitter with Steve Martin and see Suzanne as Mr. Moseby’s secretary.  She wrote and starred in a sold-out one-woman show called I Make You Laughing and got standing ovations every night.  Suzanne is a graduate of the acting program at the William Esper Studio in New York City, and also studied with Milton Katselas, Richard Lawson, Gary Imhoff and Jeffrey Tambor at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

As a stand-up comedian, Suzanne won the First Annual Andy Kaufman Award at the New York Comedy Festival!   She was recognized for her Courage, Creativity, Originality and Humor by the festival judges, and won her a spot as a featured comic on  Comedy Central’s Premium Blend.  She also won Best Up & Coming Comedian at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival.  Both honors were bestowed on her controversial, shocking, and politically incorrect alter-ego, SUNG HEE PARK.  The act is a satire of racism in America, reminiscent of Archie Bunker’s character in the ground-breaking sitcom, All In The Family.  Suzanne’s stand-up has been compared to Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Lucille Ball, and Andy Kaufman.  She has been a regular performer at the Improv in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, and she has also performed in Los Angeles at the Comedy Store, the Laugh Factory, the Improv, the Ice House, the Friars Club, the HaHa Cafe, the House of Blues Foundation Room, and the Comedy Union.  She has also performed at clubs in New York City, Seattle, and San Francisco.  Suzanne’s slogan for her comedy act is:  “Don’t judge a gook by her cover.”

Also an accomplished emcee, she has been a red carpet host for An Evening at the Academy Awards on ABC, and she hosted the 20th Anniversary Gala Concert of the Korean Concert Society at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  Suzanne was featured as one of “Ten Women to Watch” in “A” Magazine.  She was a celebrity presenter at the 2003 Vision Awards, which honors diversity in cable television.  Suzanne co-hosted the America’s Promise children’s charity awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, and she also co-hosted the Miss Chinatown pageant in Seattle.  She is also a volunteer and political activist for gay rights, pro-choice, animal rights, Lupus, breast cancer, womens’ groups, the homeless, and minority organizations.  And Suzanne gives humorous and inspirational keynote speeches across the country, at high schools, universities, conventions, and whatever else floats her boat.

People are often surprised to discover that Suzanne is also a minister who gives guest sermons at spiritual centers in both the U.S. and Canada.  Her grandfather, Whang Chai Kyung was a famous Korean minister who preached all over the world, was a Voice of America radio host, and was controversial for using humor in his sermons.  She has followed in his footsteps, and calls herself Irreverend Suzanne.

In keeping with her delight in dichotomy, Suzanne has also been a regular radio host on the Playboy Channel, discussing topics of sex and sexuality in the news, always with her trademark boldness, intelligence, and strong point of view.

As an author, Suzanne’s first published book was entitled Suzanne Whang’s Guide to Happy Home Buying.  The book uses Suzanne’s lighthearted style and sense of humor to deliver great information about the home buying process.  She also incorporates the law of attraction from quantum physics into the process of manifesting the home of your dreams.  She is now in the process of writing her second book, a collection of autobiographical essays.

Suzanne’s latest passion is to become a co-creator and producer of new television shows, and she is currently pitching her original television series ideas to networks.

She is a graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Psychology, and holds a Master’s Degree in Cognitive Psychology from Brown University.

So even though she was named one of People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People, she’s also wicked smart.

Suzanne is represented by a wonderful manager, Ken Kragen (www.kenkragen.com).  Ken has become an icon in the entertainment industry as a personal manager for 40 years, with previous clients like the Smothers Brothers, Kenny Rogers, and a long list of other artists that he turned into stars.  He was also the creator and producer of “We Are The World” and “Hands Across America.”  Suzanne is thrilled to be working with him!

Contact:  Ken Kragen (310) 854-4400