Wanda Sykes Tears Up While Renovating Her ‘Chosen’ Niece’s Home: She ‘Took Care of Me’ (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Wanda Sykesis ready to put in the work for someone who means the world to her.

The comedian, 60, is the latest celebrity to joinDrewandJonathan ScottonCelebrity IOU, on a mission to remodel a home for someone who helped shape their life and career.

“Amber means so much to me. Not just Amber, but her whole family pretty much took care of me. Especially times when I needed a family,” Sykes explains in the episode after arriving at the home with the Scott brothers.

As the actress gets emotional, Amber expresses a similar sentiment, telling theProperty Brothersstars, “Wanda feels like family that I was gifted from God.”

“So when she had her special,I’ma Be Me, it meant a lot to me. I was going through the same thing. Little later, she marries her wife. My grandmother comes. I knew my mom was cool with everything but my grandma was a little religious and just, I don’t know how it fit in her life. I wasn’t sure,” she adds.

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“But when she showed up at Wanda’s wedding and was emotionally involved, she cried. And that touched me. I was like ‘Ok. So I get to be me.’ I can marry my wife and have my kids. It wouldn’t happen without this example,” continues Amber.

Sykes then explains that she met Amber’s mother, Alyson, in the late 1990s, and they quickly hit it off.

“I met her parents. I met her daughter, Amber, and it’s really cool how our relationship has grown because now she’s a mom, you know, married, two girls. And I’m just so proud of her,” she adds.

Amber’s home previously belonged to her grandmother, Mable, which made fixing up the roof and various parts of the interior that much more meaningful.

Before this season ofCelebrity IOU’spremiere, Drew shared that the “celebs are always willing to get in there anddo things they’ve never done before.”

“They also come up with solutions we wouldn’t necessarily think of because they know the recipient and what that person needs so well. They really mean business,” he said.

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Wanda Sykes' appearance onCelebrity IOUairs Monday, August 19, at 9 p.m. ET/PT

source: people.com