Retta

Retta is an American comedian and actress who built a career in stand-up before becoming known for two major television roles. After graduating from Duke University, she worked as a chemist and performed at Charlie Goodnights, a comedy club in Raleigh, North Carolina. She moved to Los Angeles, started doing stand-up in 1996, toured the college circuit, and opened for Shirley Hemphill and Bobby Collins. Her early television appearances included Premium Blend and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In 2009 she began playing Donna Meagle on Parks and Recreation, becoming a full-time regular in the third season, and she later co-starred as Ruby Hill on Good Girls. Other credits include the web series Vampire Mob, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Indie Soap Awards, hosting the Critics' Choice Television Awards, narrating the Welcome to Night Vale audiobook, and hosting HGTV programs Ugliest House in America and Scariest House in America. She published a collection of essays.