Akilah Hughes

{{Short description|American writer, comedian, YouTuber, podcaster, and actress}} {{Infobox youtuber | name = Akilah Hughes | image = Akilah Hughes image.jpg | caption = Akilah Hughes in 2018 | birth_name = Akilah Saidah Kamaria Hughes | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|08|31}} | birth_place = Florence, Kentucky, U.S. | alma_mater = Berea College | occupation = {{flatlist| * Comedian * Author * YouTuber * podcast host}} | death_date = | death_place = | website = {{URL|itsakilahobviously.com}} | years active = 2006–present | spouse = | partner = | children = | youtube_handle = AkilahObviously | youtube_display_name = Akilah Obviously | youtube_years_active = | youtube_genre = | youtube_subscribers = 145 thousand{{nu|date=October 2025}} | youtube_views = 11.6 million{{nu|date=October 2025}}

| stats_update = July 24, 2022 }}

'''Akilah Saidah Kamaria Hughes'''<ref name="Obviously">{{cite book | last= Hughes | first= Akilah | date= 2019-09-24 | title= ''Obviously: Stories From My Timeline'' | publisher= Razorbill | page= 4 | chapter= What's in a Name? | isbn= 978-1-101-99890-8}}</ref> (born August 31, 1989) is an American writer, comedian, YouTuber, podcaster, and actress. She has been a digital correspondent for MTV, HBO, Fusion TV, and Comedy Central. She began her career on a YouTube channel, "It's Akilah, Obviously!", which has gained more than 150,000 subscribers. From October 2019 to July 2021, she co-hosted the Crooked Media podcast ''What a Day'', alongside journalist Gideon Resnick.<ref name="HR">{{Cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/crooked-media-expands-daily-podcasts-what-a-day-1248963 | title=Crooked Media Expands Into Daily Podcasts With 'What a Day' | last=Jarvey | first=Natalie | date=2019-10-21 | website=The Hollywood Reporter | language=en|access-date=2020-02-04}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Akilah Hughes was born in Florence, Kentucky,<ref name = "ATCNPR">{{cite AV media | author1 = Shapiro, Ari | author2=Chang, Ailsa | author2-link=Ailsa Chang | date = 2019-09-19 | title = In 'Obviously,' Comedian Muses About Growing Up In A Small Kentucky Town | medium = Radio | language = English | url = https://www.npr.org/2019/09/19/762485818/in-obviously-comedian-muses-about-growing-up-in-a-small-kentucky-town | access-date = 2020-08-31 | publisher = National Public Radio}}</ref><ref name = "WVXU">{{Cite web | url=https://www.wvxu.org/post/akilah-hughes-and-gideon-resnick-talk-about-their-day#stream/0 | title=Akilah Hughes And Gideon Resnick Talk About Their 'Day' | last=Monks | first=Michael | date=2019-12-10 | website=WVXU | language=en-US | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref> where she attended Boone County High School.<ref name = "CinEnq">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/television/tv-and-radio/2020/04/20/akilah-hughes-path-bobs-burgers-comedy-central-stardom/5165097002/ | title=She grew up in Northern Kentucky, now she's on 'Bob's Burgers' and Comedy Central | last= Varias| first=Chris | date=2020-04-20 | website=The Cincinnati Enquirer | language=en-US | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref> After graduating from high school, she attended Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting in 2010.<ref name = "CinEnq" /><ref name = "Shondaland">{{Cite web | url=https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a29110242/akilah-hughes-interview/ | title=Comedian Akilah Hughes on Life, Death and When to Just Laugh It Off | last=Tamola | first=Katie | date=2019-09-24 | website=Shondaland | language=en-US | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref><ref name="ChiSunTimes" />

In 2012, Hughes moved to New York City, New York, and earned an Upright Citizens Brigade scholarship.<ref name= "Shondaland" />

== Career ==

=== YouTube === On December 2, 2013, Hughes uploaded a comedy video, "Meet Your First Black Girlfriend," answering hypothetical questions from a white boyfriend, and it went viral.<ref name="R29">{{Cite web|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/09/8480298/akilah-hughes-obviously-book-interview | title=YouTube Star Akilah Hughes Tells Us How To Be Very Online & Stay Sane | last=Nicolaou | first=Elena | website=www.refinery29.com | language=en | date=2019-09-26 | access-date=2020-02-04}}</ref> She was again recognized for releasing the video "On Intersectionality in Feminism and Pizza", that went viral after being uploaded on April 8, 2015.<ref name="Elle">{{Cite web|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/a27763/pizza-feminism-intersectionality-youtube-video-akilah-obviously/ | title=Akilah Hughes Explains The Brain Magic Behind Her Viral "Pizza Feminism" Video | last=Grose | first=Jessica | website=Elle | language=en | date=2015-04-10 | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref>

On June 30, 2016, Hughes created a petition on Change.org titled "Ask Advertisers to Stop Supporting BuzzFeed Video's Idea Theft", which aimed to convince advertisers to stop supporting BuzzFeed Video. In the petition, described by ''The Washington Post'' as having gone viral,<ref name="WaPo">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/07/07/buzzfeed-has-industrialized-the-viral-video-but-independent-youtubers-want-to-take-it-back/ | title=Why some YouTube stars accuse Buzzfeed of 'stealing' their ideas | last=Dewey | first=Caitlin | newspaper=The Washington Post | language=en | date=2016-07-07 | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref> she argued, "BuzzFeed has been caught repeatedly stealing ideas, jokes, bits, gags, and therefore money from prominent YouTube creators."<ref name="WaPo" />

In 2017, Hughes sued YouTuber Carl Benjamin (Sargon of Akkad) for copyright infringement after he used a portion of her Hillary Clinton election party footage. In August 2020, the judge, ruling Benjamin's video to be fair use criticism, dismissed the case with prejudice and ordered Hughes to pay Benjamin's legal costs.<ref name="BLaw">{{Cite web | url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/youtuber-wins-attorneys-fees-in-clinton-party-copyright-case | title=YouTuber Wins Attorneys' Fees in Clinton Party Copyright Case | website=news.bloomberglaw.com | language=en | date=2020-08-05 | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Docket for Hughes v. Benjamin, 1:17-cv-06493 - CourtListener.com|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6144341/hughes-v-benjamin/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=CourtListener|language=en-us}}</ref>

In April 2020, Comedy Central's YouTube channel released three sketches starring Hughes and Milana Vayntrub as part of a new digital sketch series called ''Making Fun With Akilah and Milana''.<ref name="cc">{{cite web|last1=Kelly-Clyne|first1=Luke|date=10 April 2020|title=You've Never Seen Patty-Cake Played Like This|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/04/akilah-hughes-and-milana-vayntrub-pattycake-sketch.html|access-date=16 June 2020|website=Vulture|language=en-us}}</ref>

=== Television === Hughes began appearing as herself on web series in 2014, with her first appearances coming in two episodes of ''mental_floss: The List Show''. Between 2014 and 2017, she made various other appearances as herself on web series, including ''Vlogbrothers'' in 2015 and ''Project for Awesome 2016''. In 2017, she hosted the first season of ''GK Now'', a daily culinary news show for Genius Kitchen (now Food.com) for Scripps Network.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/scripps-networks-genius-kitchen-food-com-1202563297/|title=Scripps Networks Launches 'Genius Kitchen' Online Food Network, Folding Food.com Recipes Into the Mix|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=2017-09-19|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-02-06}}</ref>

Her first appearance on a television series came during the U.S. midterm elections of 2018, when HBO aired four episodes of Crooked Media's ''Pod Save America'', with Hughes as a correspondent.<ref name="Fader">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/11/03/chance-the-rapper-steph-curry-and-akilah-hughes-want-you-to-vote | title=Chance the Rapper, Steph Curry and Akilah Hughes want you to vote | last=Maicki | first=Salvatore | website=The Fader | language=en | date=2018-11-03 | access-date=2020-03-19}}</ref>

In 2020, Hughes appeared as a panelist on the Syfy television series ''The Great Debate''. That same year, she made her first appearance as an actress on a television series, when she provided the voice of Theresa in an episode of ''Bob's Burgers'' titled "Just the Trip".

=== Writing === In 2015, Hughes was awarded a fellowship from the Sundance Episodic Story Lab, with a half-hour comedy pilot titled ''Unlikely'', co-written with Lyle Friedman.<ref name="Deadline">{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/09/sundance-institute-2015-episodic-story-lab-projects-1201541615/|title=Sundance Institute Announces 2015 Episodic Story Lab Projects|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=2015-09-22|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2020-02-06}}</ref>

Hughes began writing her first book in 2015, after a collaboration with Penguin Group for her ''Tipsy Book Reviews'' video series on YouTube led the publisher to offer her a book deal.<ref name="ChiSunTimes">{{Cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/9/23/20874101/akilah-hughes-book-release-seminary-co-op-woodlawn-hyde-park | title=Akilah Hughes 'Obviously' launched a comedy career from YouTube | last=Wilusz | first=Luke | website=Chicago Sun-Times | language=en | date=2019-09-23 | access-date=2020-09-02}}</ref> The book, a collection of essays titled ''Obviously: Stories From My Timeline'', was published on September 24, 2019, by Penguin Random House's Razorbill imprint.<ref name="EW">{{Cite web | url=https://ew.com/books/2019/03/22/akilah-hughes-obviously-book-preview/ | title=Akilah Hughes on telling 'Stories From My Timeline' in upcoming book 'Obviously' | website=EW.com | language=en | access-date=2020-02-04}}</ref><ref name="PubWeekly">{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/81211-new-kids-and-ya-books-week-of-september-23-2019.html | title=New Kids' and YA Books: Week of September 23, 2019 | last= | first= | website=Publishers Weekly | language=en | date=2019-09-19 | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref> The book was included in PopSugar's "The 26 Best New Books You Need to Read This Fall", where writer Brenda Janowitz described the essays as "as hilarious as they are heart-warming."<ref name="PopSugar">{{Cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/46454397/image/46454425/Obviously-Stories-From-My-Timeline-Akilah-Hughes | title=The 26 Best New Books You Need to Read This Fall | last=Janowitz | first=Brenda | website=PopSugar | language=en | date=2019-08-22 | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref> Writing for the ''Los Angeles Sentinel'', Lapacazo Sandoval calls the book "very insightful and very, very funny".<ref name="LASen">{{Cite web|url=https://lasentinel.net/obviously-stories-from-my-time-line-akilah-hughes-hilarious-book-from-the-mind-of-an-obviously-bright-woman.html | title="Obviously: Stories from My Time Line" — Akilah Hughes' hilarious book from the mind of an obviously bright woman | last=Sandoval | first=Lapacazo | website=Los Angeles Sentinel | language=en | date=2020-02-06 | access-date=2020-08-31}}</ref>

In 2023, Hughes wrote for Steven Soderbergh's science fiction series ''Command Z'', inspired by Kurt Andersen's 2020 book, ''Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America''.<ref name="THRCMDZ">{{cite web | last=Zuckerman | first=Esther | title=Steven Soderbergh Debuts Sci-Fi Series 'Command Z' at Secret New York Screening | website=The Hollywood Reporter | date=July 17, 2023 | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/steven-soderbergh-command-z-secret-screening-1235538169/ | access-date=July 20, 2023}}</ref>

=== Hosting === In 2016, Hughes co-moderated the 2016 Brown & Black Democratic Presidential Forum on Fusion TV, alongside Jorge Ramos, Rembert Browne, and Alicia Menendez. Politicians participating in the event were 2016 United States presidential election Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley.<ref name="HuffPost">{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fusion-announces-moderators-of-brown-black-forum_n_5672c09ce4b0dfd4bcc0b77c|title=Fusion Announces Moderators Of 'Brown & Black' Presidential Forum | last=Robinson | first=Judah | date=2015-12-17 | website=HuffPost | language=en | access-date=2020-02-06}}</ref>

Beginning in 2019, Hughes became the co-host of a newly launched daily news podcast from Crooked Media titled ''What a Day'', alongside political journalist Gideon Resnick.<ref name="HR" /> The podcast's first episode, titled "Baghdadi and Blackouts", was released on October 28, 2019. ''What a Day'' won a Webby Award as the People's Voice Winner of "Best News & Politics Podcast" in 2021.<ref name="Webby21PR">{{cite web |url= https://www.webbyawards.com/press/press-releases/winners-announced-for-the-25th-annual-webby-awards/ | title= WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 25TH ANNUAL WEBBY AWARDS | author= | date= 2021-05-18 | website= webbyawards.com | publisher= Webby Awards | access-date= 2021-06-29 | quote=}}</ref><ref name="Webby21News">{{cite web |url= https://winners.webbyawards.com/winners/podcasts/general-series/news-politics?years=0&sort=0 | title= News & Politics Podcasts: 2021 | author= | date=  | website= webbyawards.com | publisher= Webby Awards | access-date= 2021-06-29 | quote=}}</ref> The 412th episode of ''What a Day''⁠—released on July 30, 2021, and titled "Keeping The DREAM Alive"⁠—was Hughes' final episode as co-host of the podcast.<ref name="WAD412">{{cite web |url= https://crooked.com/podcast/keeping-the-dream-alive/ | title= Keeping The DREAM Alive | author= | date= 2021-07-30 | website= crooked.com | publisher= Crooked Media | access-date= 2021-07-30 | quote=}}</ref>

As part of a newly signed deal in July 2023, iHeartMedia and Ninth Planet Audio announced the production of a podcast to be hosted by Hughes.<ref name="iHRRS">{{cite web |url= https://www.iheartmedia.com/press/mosaic-medias-ninth-planet-audio-extends-multi-year-first-look-deal-iheartmedia |title= Mosaic Media's Ninth Planet Audio Extends Multi-Year First-Look Deal With iHeartMedia |author= |date= July 18, 2023 |website= |publisher= |access-date= 2024-09-03}}</ref> On September 3, 2024, the podcast titled ''Rebel Spirit with Akilah Hughes'' premiered its first episode "A Homecoming". ''Rebel Spirit'' sees Hughes return to her hometown of Florence, Kentucky, where she attempts to convince her high school, Boone County High School, to change its confederate general mascot.<ref name="LPMORG">{{cite web |url= https://www.lpm.org/news/2024-06-25/boone-county-high-school-alum-still-fighting-for-school-to-drop-the-rebels-as-mascot |title= Boone County High School alum still fighting for school to drop the 'Rebels' as mascot |first=Jess |last= Clark| date= June 25, 2024 |website= lpm.org |publisher= Louisville Public Media |access-date= 2024-09-03 |quote=}}</ref><ref name="CINENQ">{{cite web |url= https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/news/education/2024/06/20/boone-county-hs-alum-challenges-school-to-change-rebel-mascot/74150052007/ |title= Boone County alum pressures her old high school to change Rebels nickname |first= Madeline |last=Mitchell |date= Jun 20, 2024 | url-status=live | url-access= subscription | website= cincinnati.com |publisher= The Cincinnati Enquirer |access-date= 2024-09-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240621060047/https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/news/education/2024/06/20/boone-county-hs-alum-challenges-school-to-change-rebel-mascot/74150052007/ | archive-date=2024-06-21}}</ref><ref name="CINHERALD">{{cite web |url= https://thecincinnatiherald.com/2024/06/28/boone-county-high-school-mascot-controversy/ |title= Racial mascot debate at Boone County High School |last= Galvin |first= Jene |date= June 28, 2024 |website= thecincinnatiherald.com |publisher= The Cincinnati Herald |access-date= 2024-09-03}}</ref>

In April 2025, ''Rebel Spirit'' won the People's Voice Webby Award in the "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, Limited-Series & Specials (Podcasts)" category,<ref name="PNDWEBBY">{{cite web |url= https://www.podcastnewsdaily.com/news/webbys-name-meidastouch-podcast-of-year-iheart-wins-podcast-company-honors/article_3d289121-418d-4e17-ba92-ce7de435b135.html |title= Webbys Name 'MeidasTouch' Podcast Of Year, iHeart Wins Podcast Company Honors. |date= April 22, 2025 |website= podcastnewsdaily.com |publisher= Podcast News Daily |access-date= 2025-04-29}}</ref> for which it had been nominated earlier that month.<ref name="THRWEBBY">{{cite web |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/webby-awards-2025-nominees-full-list-1236177186/ |title= Webby Awards Nominees Include The Hollywood Reporter, Zoe Saldaña, Kendrick Lamar and Travis and Jason Kelce |last= Nordyke |first= Kimberly |date= April 1, 2025 |website= hollywoodreporter.com |publisher= The Hollywood Reporter |access-date= 2025-04-29}}</ref> The podcast won two 2025 [https://www.signalaward.com/winners/details/ Signal Awards] for Comedy and Activism, Public Service, and Social Impact.

Hughes began hosting the podcast ''How Is This Better?'' for Courier Newsroom, which Courier announced on May 22, 2025,<ref name="Courier">{{cite web |url= https://couriernewsroom.com/news/courier-launches-new-show-with-akilah-hughes-how-is-this-better/ |title= COURIER Launches New Show with Akilah Hughes: How Is This Better? |date= May 22, 2025 |website= couriernewsroom.com |publisher= Courier Newsroom |access-date= 2025-07-16}}</ref> when its first episode was released May 30, 2025.<ref name="HITB1">{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzvrN9TTOG8 |title= Threats to National Parks at an ALL TIME HIGH |date= May 30, 2025 |website= youtube.com |publisher= Courier Newsroom |access-date= 2025-07-16}}</ref> The first episode, and each subsequent weekly episode, was released in both video and audio-only format. In the series, Hughes covers "everything from politics and culture to tech and late-stage capitalism," as Courier stated in the aforementioned announcement.<ref name="Courier" /> The podcast won the 2026 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambies Ambies Award] for Best Emerging Podcast.

=== Film === Hughes made her feature film acting debut in 2023's ''Me, Myself & the Void'', starring alongside a cast including Jack DeSena and Kelly Marie Tran, in the film directed by Tim Hautekiet.

== Personal life == Hughes was diagnosed with benign liver tumors in 2015, an illness for which she had surgery in July 2016.<ref name="ChiSunTimes" /><ref name="PopSugar2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/akilah-hughes-interview-about-memoir-and-what-a-day-podcast-47282336 | title=Comedian Akilah Hughes Is Making Discussions About Race and Politics "Less Soul-Sucking" | last=Cubit | first=Brea | website=PopSugar | language=en | date=2020-03-05 | access-date=2020-09-02}}</ref> Using the crowdfunding website GoFundMe, she raised nearly $40,000, which covered 60% of the costs related to her surgery.<ref name="OprahCom">{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.oprah.com/health_wellness/crowdfunding-tips-for-emergency-medical-bills | title=How Internet Fundraisers Can Help You Cover Emergency Medical Bills | last=Rife | first=Bradley | magazine=O, The Oprah Magazine | language=en | date=December 2017 | access-date=2020-09-02}}</ref>

== Filmography == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+ Film and television |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2014 | ''Comic-Con All Access 2014'' | Self | Television special |- | ''mental_floss: The List Show'' | Self - Host | {{Plainlist| * Documentary web series * Episodes: * "30 Weird Sports Injuries" * "26 Famous Art Heists"}} |- | ''The Feels'' | Self | Web series |- | scope="row" | 2015 | ''Vlogbrothers'' | Self | Documentary web series |- | rowspan="6" | 2016 | ''Girl on Girl'' | Self | Web series |- | ''Cooking in the Trap'' | Self | Web series |- | ''Project for Awesome 2016'' | Self | Web special |- | ''#Under35Potus'' | Self - Host | Documentary short film |- | ''HelLA'' | Waitress | {{Plainlist| * Web series * Episode: "LA vs NYC: Ordering Food"}} |- | ''Sexy Anxious Girls'' | | Short film |- | rowspan="3" | 2017 | ''Politically Re-Active'' | Self | {{Plainlist| * Web series * Episode: "YouTube's Akilah Hughes on #BlackWomenAtWork & Feeding the Buzz"}} |- | ''Manners Men'' | Self | {{Plainlist| * Web series * Episode: "Akilah Hughes"}} |- | ''GK Now'' | Self - Host | Web series |- | scope="row" | 2018 | ''Pod Save America'' | Self | {{Plainlist| * Television series * Episodes: * "Four-State Tour: Irvine, California" * "Four-State Tour: Philadelphia" * "Four-State Tour: Austin" * "Four-State Tour: Miami"}} |- | rowspan="2" | 2019 | ''Camp Confessions'' | Self | {{Plainlist| * Web series * Episode: "Roger the Kangaroo Can Get It"}} |- | ''Tales from the Trip'' | Self | {{Plainlist| * Web series * Episode: "Akilah Hughes"}} |- | rowspan="3" | 2020 | ''Well, This Isn't Normal'' | Self | {{Plainlist| * Web series * Episode: "Akilah Hughes on Sex in the Time of Rona"}} |- | ''The Great Debate'' | Self - Panelist | {{Plainlist| * Television series * Episode: "'Til Debate Do us Part"}} |- | ''Bob's Burgers'' | Theresa | {{Plainlist| * Animated television series * Voice only * Episode: "Just the Trip"}} |- | rowspan="3" | 2023 | ''Me, Myself & The Void'' | | |- | ''Command Z'' | | {{Plainlist| * Miniseries * Writer * Episode: "The Climate II"}} |- | ''Pruning'' | Mia Phillips | {{Plainlist| * Short film}} |- | 2024 | ''The Rookie'' | Wedding Planner | {{Plainlist| * Episode: "The Hammer"}} |- | 2025 | ''Have I Got News for You'' | Self | |}

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links==  * {{official website|URL=itsakilahobviously.com}} * {{IMDb name|6167342}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Akilah}} Category:1989 births Category:African-American women comedians Category:African-American comedians Category:American women comedians Category:Living people Category:People from Florence, Kentucky Category:Crooked Media people Category:21st-century American women Category:Comedians from Kentucky Category:YouTubers from Kentucky

Akilah Hughes

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