What Is Wendi McLendon-Covey’s Net Worth and Salary?
Wendi McLendon-Covey is an American comedian, actress, writer, and producer who has a net worth of $6 million. Dubbed the “Queen of Improv” by “TV Guide,” McLendon-Covey is best known for starring as Deputy Clementine Johnson on the Comedy Central/Quibi/The Roku Channel series “Reno 911!” (2003–08; 2020–present) and Beverly Goldberg on ABC’s “The Goldbergs” (2013–present).
Wendi has more than 90 acting credits to her name, including the films “Reno 911!: Miami” (2007), “Cook Off!” (2007), “Bridesmaids” (2011), “Blended” (2014), “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” (2018), “What Men Want” (2019), and “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” (2021), the TV movie “Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon” (2021), and the television series “Lovespring International” (2006) and “Rules of Engagement” (2010–2013). She has lent her voice to numerous animated projects, such as “Bob’s Burgers” (2012), “The Looney Tunes Show” (2012), “American Dad!” (2015–2016), “Big City Greens” (2018–present), “Puppy Dog Pals” (2018; 2020), “Crossing Swords” (2020–2021), and “Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.” (2021). McLendon-Covey co-wrote and produced “Cook Off!,” and she has served as an executive producer on “Reno 911!,” “Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon,” and “The Goldbergs.” In 2020, Wendi launched the podcast “Generation Ripe” with producer/fashion art director Dfernando Zaremba.
Early Life
Wendi McLendon-Covey was born Wendy Anne McLendon on October 10, 1969, in Bellflower, California. She grew up in a Baptist household in Long Beach with mother Carolyn, father Robert, and sister Shelley. Wendi attended DeMille Junior High and Millikan High School, and she studied at Long Beach City College and Huntington Beach’s Golden West College before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach. After college, she worked at a hotel and began taking classes with the Los Angeles-based improv comedy troupe The Groundlings. McLendon-Covey joined The Groundlings in the early 2000s, and during this time, she also took a job at California State University editing the school’s academic journal of social work. Wendi kept the job until 2012, and she told “Wealthsimple” in 2018, “I never wanted to be one of those desperate actors just waiting for their next gig, who might have to take something that they didn’t want to do to pay the rent.”
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Career
In 2001, McLendon-Covey appeared in the short film “Henry and Marvin,” and in 2003, she began starring as Deputy Clementine Johnson on the mockumentary-style Comedy Central series “Reno 911!,” which was created by Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, and Kerri Kenney-Silver. The show aired on Comedy Central until 2009, and it was revived by the streaming service Quibi in 2020; after Quibi shut down, a new season, “Reno 911! Defunded,” premiered on The Roku Channel in 2022. Wendi reprised her role in the 2007 film “Reno 911!: Miami” and the 2021 Paramount+ movie “Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon,” which earned a Primetime Emmy nomination. McLendon-Covey’s first feature film was 2005’s “Bewitched,” and in 2006, she starred as Lydia Mayhew on Lifetime’s “Lovespring International.” In 2007, she appeared in the films “Closing Escrow,” “Cook Off!,” and “Goldfish,” then she co-starred with Eva Longoria, Paul Rudd, and Lake Bell in 2008’s “Over Her Dead Body.” Wendi guest-starred on “Greek” (2008), “The Office” (2008), “Kath & Kim” (2008), “10 Things I Hate About You” (2009), and “Wizards of Waverly Place” (2009), and from 2010 to 2013, she had a recurring role as Liz on the CBS sitcom “Rules of Engagement.”
McLendon-Covey appeared in the films “Boutonniere” (2009), “Spooner” (2009), “Jesus People: The Movie” (2009), “Starlight & Superfish” (2010), “Douchebag” (2010), “Tug” (2010), “The Search for Santa Paws” (2010), “Holiday Road” (2012), “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” (2012), and “All American Christmas Carol” (2013), and in 2011, she co-starred with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, and Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids.” Directed by Paul Feig and written by Wiig and Annie Mumolo, “Bridesmaids” grossed $288.4 million against a $32.5 million budget and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy as well as a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy and a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Movie. Around this time, Wendi guest-starred on “Cougar Town” (2011), “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” (2011), “Hot in Cleveland” (2012), “Wedding Band” (2012), and “Modern Family” (2012–2013), and in 2013, she began playing Beverly Goldberg on the 1980s-set sitcom “The Goldbergs,” a role that has earned her two Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations. She reprised the role of Beverly Goldberg in a 2019 episode of “The Goldbergs” spin-off “Schooled.”
McLendon-Covey appeared in the films “Date and Switch” (2014), “Cuban Fury” (2014), “The Single Moms Club” (2014), “Think Like a Man Too” (2014), “A Merry Friggin’ Christmas” (2014), “The Breakup Girl” (2015), and “Hello, My Name Is Doris” (2015), and she co-starred with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in 2014’s “Blended.” In 2015, she hosted the ABC hidden camera show “Repeat After Me,” and in 2018, she starred as Kathy Quinn in the horror comedy “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” and began voicing Nancy Green on the Disney Channel series “Big City Greens.” Wendi played the lead role in the 2019 film “Blush,” and that year she also co-starred with Taraji P. Henson and Tracy Morgan in the romantic comedy “What Men Want.” In 2021, she reunited with her “Bridesmaids” co-star Kristen Wiig in “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” appeared in the film “Long Weekend,” and voiced Monica Rappaccini on the Hulu series “Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.”
Personal Life
Wendi married Greg Covey on August 10, 1996, and they have several cats, including Butters, Wabi-Sabi, Crash, and Cotton. McLendon-Covey is a Steely Dan fan, and in May 2022, she saw the band in concert at the Hollywood Bowl and revealed on Instagram that she and Greg postponed their honeymoon to go to a Steely Dan concert at that same venue in 1996.
Awards and Nominations
In 2022, “Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon” earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie. In 2007, Wendi won a Film Discovery Jury Award for Best Comedy Performance in Film at the US Comedy Arts Festival for “Cook Off!” and “Closing Escrow,” and in 2012, she was honored with an LA Femme Filmmaker Award – Comedic Actress Award at the LA Femme International Film Festival. That year “Bridesmaids” won an MTV Movie Award for Best Gut-Wrenching Performance, and the film’s cast earned Best Ensemble nominations from the Central Ohio Film Critics Association, Gold Derby Awards, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. “The Goldbergs” received a Merit – Honorary Award at the 2020 CinEuphoria Awards, and McLendon-Covey earned Critics Choice Television Award nominations for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2016
Real Estate
In 2000, Wendi and Greg paid $276,000 for a 1,720 square foot, three-bedroom home in Long Beach, California.