Born and raised in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, with a BA and MA from Columbia College Chicago, Erica Watson is an actor, stand-up comedian at clubs around the country, and film/television director. She is a St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School alum (where Bryant Gumbel and Steve Allen attended), as well as with The Chicago Children’s Choir and The Merit School of Music. In 2009, she appeared in the Oprah Winfrey/Lee Daniels/Tyler Perry film "Precious," following starring in the feature film "Dirty Laundry." Watson starred in two Gracie Award-winning commercials that featured her stand-up for the Oxygen Network called "Tresstify" and "Kiss & Tell;” as well as gigs with MSG-TV. She has also been featured on the WE Channel's "Secret Celebrity Weddings" (Spring 2010) and was a commentator and pundit for five Black Entertainment (BET) specials, including “They Like Me: BET Awards Nominee Special” and “Top 12 BET Award Show Moments” (both in June 2009); “Countdown to 2009: BET Year in Review” (December 2008); “I Wanna Thank My Momma: BET Awards Nominee Special” (June 2008); “The Evolution of Mary J. Blige” (March 2008); and “The Evolution of Jay-Z” (April 2008). Additionally, Watson is a recurring politics and pop culture panelist on the BETJ talk show "My Two Cents;" and director of the reality TV Series "My Model Looks Better Than Your Model" on the BETJ Network.