Whitney Cummings hails from the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. Her early life was marked by her parents' divorce when she was just five years old, an event that influenced her perspective on marriage, commitment, and ultimately her comedy. Cummings developed an interest in performing from a young age, participating in serious theatrical productions at D.C.'s Studio Theater during her teenage years. In addition to acting, she ventured into modeling, working on runways and in catalogs. Despite her passion for Hollywood and acting, Cummings valued education as a backup plan and a means to become a more well-rounded individual. She used earnings from modeling to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where she completed her studies in just three years, graduating magna cum laude. Initially considering journalism, her career path soon shifted toward comedy when she moved to Los Angeles to pursue stand-up. In L.A., Cummings immersed herself in the comedy scene, performing at multiple clubs each night, sometimes working from 6 pm to 2 am several nights a week. This rigorous schedule, she believes, expedited her journey toward self-discovery on stage. Her comedic talents led her to both perform on and produce the Showtime series "Live Nude Comedy!", a show featuring comedians alongside burlesque dancers, reminiscent of earlier venues where comedians often performed in places such as strip clubs. Cummings became a regular panelist on the talk show "Chelsea Lately," attributing much of her career advancement to Chelsea Handler’s support of female comedians. She appeared in the "Comedians of Chelsea Lately" stand-up special and tour. In 2007, Variety recognized her potential, naming her one of the "Top 10 Comics to Watch" at the Montreal Just For Laughs festival. The following year, Entertainment Weekly highlighted her as a "Comedy Star of Tomorrow." Her writing career includes contributions to Comedy Central Roasts of Flavor Flav and Bob Saget, and she debuted as a roaster in 2009 for the Roast of Joan Rivers. That year also saw the release of her first comedy album, "Emotional Ninja," by New Wave Dynamics. In 2010, she premiered her first one-hour special, "Money Shot," recorded in her hometown of D.C. at Sidney Harmon Hall. When not on the road, Cummings frequently performs at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, which she considers her "home club."