When actress Wendi McLendon-Covey, star of “St. Denis Medical,” “The Goldbergs” and “Reno 911!,” got bitten by the comedy bug, she vowed to make it work no matter what. Although McLendon-Covey was always interested in comedy and spent her childhood watching greats such as Carol Burnett, Phyllis Diller, Mary Tyler Moore and Flip Wilson, she didn’t begin performing until she was in her 20s. That’s when she took improv classes and was accepted into the prestigious troupe The Groundlings, where she worked from 2002 to 2009.
“I was so impressed by what everybody there was able to do on stage,” McLendon-Covey says.
She watched as fellow members of The Groundlings began heading out on auditions and landing comedy roles. At the time, McLendon-Covey didn’t have a manager or agent, but she chose to pursue comedy anyway, convinced she needed that creative outlet in her life.
“I said that even if I never make a dime, I’m going to keep going,” she remembers. “That’s hard to explain to other people.”
She went on to build a thriving career in comedy — and married the one person who understood exactly why she loved it so much.
Getting Her Break
Wendi McLendon-Covey as Beverly Goldberg in ‘The Goldbergs’
McLendon-Covey’s first major role was on the series “Reno 911!,” on which she played Deputy Clementine Johnson. The show’s largely improvised format played directly to her strengths — and quickly put her on the radar of the wider industry.
By 2006, TV Guide had dubbed her the “Queen of Improv,” as she was simultaneously working on “Reno 911!” and “Lovespring International,” both of which relied heavily on improvisation. She also appeared in three consecutive unscripted films, further cementing her reputation as one of comedy’s most reliable improvisers.
From there, she appeared in projects ranging from “Modern Family” and “Rules of Engagement” to the hit film “Bridesmaids.” In 2012, she received a script based on a real 1980s family — “The Goldbergs.” Cast as Beverly Goldberg without having to audition, she would go on to play the role for 10 years.
Among her many characters, one unexpected fan favorite remains her appearance as Concierge Marie on the American version of “The Office.”
“This is so weird — because it was just a one-off thing — but I get a lot of people who remember me from being on ‘The Office’ for that one episode,” McLendon-Covey recalls.
She has also built an impressive résumé in voice work. In 2023, she voiced Gale Cumulus in “Elemental,” which was nominated for an Oscar. Since 2018, she has played Nancy Green, the motorcycle-riding, ex-con mom on “Big City Greens,” and she had a recurring role on the animated series “Grimsburg.”
“I love voice work, because it’s such a surprise when you see the finished product,” McLendon-Covey says. “I love when little kids come up to me and say, ‘You play Nancy!’ Adults just aren’t as easily amazed.”
From “Reno 911!” To The Hospital Halls
In her latest series, “St. Denis Medical,” McLendon-Covey plays Joyce, a hospital administrator. She vividly remembers the day she was offered the part.
“We had gotten news of our cancellation at ‘The Goldbergs’ that morning, and about four hours later, I got a script for ‘St. Denis,’” she says.
After spending a decade on one show, she wasn’t sure whether jumping immediately into another was the right move. But, she says, “I read it and thought it was funny. I liked the character of Joyce because she was completely opposite of what I had been doing. I thought, ‘Well, this is just a pilot. I’ll do it. Who knows what will happen?’”
The pilot was picked up. Then, almost immediately, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) went on strike for a year.
“That’s why between episode one and two, we all look a little different,” she explains. “A whole year had gone by.”
Now entering its third season, “St. Denis Medical” has proven its staying power.
“There was no time to do a chemistry test with anybody,” she says of the cast. “We were under the gun to get the pilot finished in case the strike happened, which it did. So, that whole thing was divinely guided. I’m very lucky to be working right now. I know some people who haven’t worked since COVID-19.”
Photo by Ben Cope
The Guy Who Got It
Not everyone understood McLendon-Covey’s determination to pursue comedy — even if it meant doing it for free. But one person did: Greg Covey. The couple will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on Aug. 10.
“We met in community college. We were both sort of aimless at the time,” she says with a laugh. “We met in an interpersonal communication class, and we’ve been together ever since.”
Today, her husband is happily retired and manages the properties that the couple owns, in addition to serving as treasurer of the nonprofit organization Friends of Long Beach Animals.
“Basically, he’s a house husband, and he takes care of me — and I like it!” McLendon-Covey quips.
What has kept them together for three decades?
“It just boils down to the fact that I really love the guy, and he really loves me — and no one else will tolerate us,” she says. “I know I’ve got it really, really good. I got a good one, and I never let myself lose sight of that. He’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Photo by Ben Cope
Going Her Own Way
McLendon-Covey is realistic about the current state of Hollywood. “You’ve got to be a self-generator,” she says.
After receiving a developmental deal with Sony in 2022, she traveled to Canada to film the first movie she both starred in and produced, “Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story,” which aired on Lifetime. The film is based on the true story of a prison guard in her 50s who helped her boyfriend escape from jail before the pair went on a two-week run from the authorities.
“We interviewed writers and directors, and we were in on casting sessions. I just loved the whole process of it,” McLendon-Covey says. “I said, ‘We should be doing more of this.’”
Even though she loved the movie, because of the SAG strike, she wasn’t allowed to promote it.
Following the strike, she and her manager, Gladys Gonzalez, decided to get serious about doing more production work, and in 2025 they launched Strong Beach Productions, hiring Sophia Lucchesi to run the day-to-day operations, scout writers and source intellectual property.
“We’re strong [women] from Long Beach, so that’s where the ‘Strong Beach’ name comes from,” McLendon-Covey says. “I love putting the puzzle pieces together for shows. We’re pitching shows right now.”
Currently, Strong Beach Productions has multiple projects in development. Among them is Gloria Chao’s bestselling novel “The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club,” which follows three women who discover they’ve been dating the same man. When he ends up murdered, their fingerprints are found throughout his house. The team hopes to adapt the story into a three-part movie series.
“It’s such a fun read, and it reminds me of what ‘Sex in the City’ was back in the ‘90s when it first came out,” McLendon-Covey says. “It’s a fun, female-driven comedy.”
At its core, the story offers something that McLendon-Covey believes audiences need right now.
“Sometimes you just want to sit in front of the TV, unwind, turn your brain off for a little bit and not have to think about the pressing issues of the day,” she says. “You have to have comfort shows.”