Phoebe Robinson, Author and Comic, to Host 72nd National Book Awards

The critically-acclaimed author and comedian will be the master of ceremonies for the 2021 National Book Awards

The National Book Foundation, presenter of the National Book Awards, announced Phoebe Robinson, stand-up comedian, actress, bestselling author, and founder of Tiny Reparations Books, will host the 72^nd National Book Awards on November 17, 2021.

“Phoebe Robinson is a fierce champion for readers and writers, and we’re thrilled to have her host the National Book Awards Ceremony this year,” said Ruth Dickey, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation.

The multihyphenate Robinson is the co-creator of the podcast 2 Dope Queens, launched a production company, Tiny Reparations, and the recent release of her third collection of essays, Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes, is the inaugural title from her Tiny Reparations Books imprint.

On November 17, Robinson will serve as master of ceremonies for the National Book Awards Ceremony that will announce the Winners in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature. The ceremony will also include the presentation of two lifetime achievement awards: Karen Tei Yamashita will be recognized with the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, presented by Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Nancy Pearl will receive the Foundation’s Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, presented by Ron Charles.

Phoebe Robinson’s bio is below, and more information about the exclusively online National Book Awards Ceremony can be found at our website, nationalbook.org.

ABOUT PHOEBE ROBINSON

Phoebe Robinson is a stand-up comedian, writer, producer, and actress. She is the co-creator and co-star of the hit podcast turned HBO series 2 Dope Queens and other critically acclaimed podcasts including Sooo Many White Guys and Black Frasier. She’s also the New York Times bestselling author of You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain and Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay which has been picked up as a series order for Freeform. Additionally, Phoebe starred in the films Ibiza and What Men Want, and was a moderator for Michelle Obama’s Becoming book tour where she interviewed the former first lady. In 2019, Phoebe launched Tiny Reparations, a production company under ABC Signature, whose first series Doing the Most with Phoebe Robinson, premiered April 2021 on Comedy Central. In 2021, Phoebe published her third book of essays, Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes, which quickly became a national bestseller and the inaugural title from her imprint, Tiny Reparations Books, which champions writers of color. Her debut hour comedy special, Sorry, Harriet Tubman, premiered in October 2021 on HBO Max.

(Photo credit: Yavez Anthonio)