Comedian Wanda Sykes performs at the Van Wezel in Sarasota

In 2004, "Entertainment Weekly" named Wanda Sykes as one of the "25 funniest people in America." A lot of people probably thought she was being underrated.

Besides being one of the funniest people in show business, Sykes is probably one of the busiest. She brings her brash, wry and witty stand-up comedy to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota on Tuesday.

She's performed in 17 films, from live-action movies such as "Evan Almighty" to animated ones including 'Rio." She has had her own TV talk show and has starred in several hit series, including "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Curb You Enthusiasm" and the current "Alpha House." She's written a book and recorded a comedy album.

She won an Emmy Award for her work as a writer on "The Chris Rock Show" (on which she also performed), an American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic and an award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) for her work to combat homophobia.

It was stand-up comedy that gave her show-biz start back in 1987 -- she was working for the National Security Agency when she first tried her hand at comedy -- and she's been doing it ever since

Details: 7 p.m. Nov. 16, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets: $45-$50. Information: 941-953-3368, vanwezel.org.

-- Marty Clear

This story was originally published November 13, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Comedian Wanda Sykes performs at the Van Wezel in Sarasota."