Anthony Anderson's mom, Doris Bowman, keeps Emmys speeches on time

When Anthony Anderson took the stage to host the 75th Emmy Awards on Jan. 15, he had have a very special person by his side: His mother, Doris Bowman — better known as Mama Doris.

Bowman tapped into her comedic side during Emmys telecast, as Anderson told People.

“As opposed to having playoff music for when people run over on their speech, my mother appears on stage just tapping her wrist and her watch like, ‘Speed this s--- up, speed it up, because I want to be out of here by 11,’” he said. “So we’re going to see what kind of fun we can have without stepping on anyone’s toes, because we know people have points to make, thank-yous to make and mission statements to make during an acceptance speech.”

She stood up during Anderson's monologue. Then, during speeches, she interrupted to make sure they stayed on time, like Jennifer Coolidge's.

Anderson may have a successful acting career, but his 70-year-old mom has become a celebrity in her own right. Here's a little bit about the strong woman that turned Anderson into a self-proclaimed "mama's boy."

Here's what to know ahead of the Emmys.

Anthony Anderson and Doris Bowman on ABC's
Anthony Anderson and Doris Bowman on ABC's

She once wanted to be an actor

It looks like both Bowman and her son were bit by the acting bug. In a June 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Anderson revealed that his mother once wanted to pursue a career in acting.

“Mom, you sacrificed your dream of becoming an actress to raise me, was it all worth it?” he said.

“Yes, baby, it was worth it!” she said. “I got a house out of it, I got a check every now and then.”

While talking with TODAY.com in 2022, the star said it feels great to see his mom live out her dreams.

“Because of my success in this game, and the relationships that I’ve built, I’m able to give my mother the opportunity that she never got. Now that she’s at a certain age, she’s comfortable in the skin that she’s in, and just being who she is. Just being her authentic self, the sky’s the limit for her,” he said.

She’s appeared on several TV shows with her son

Anthony Anderson with Co-Host Doris Bowman on FOX's
Anthony Anderson with Co-Host Doris Bowman on FOX's

Bowman has quite the impressive resume. In recent years, she's appeared on several TV shows with her son.

After making a risque and memorable appearance on episode of "Celebrity Family Feud" with her son, Bowman caught the eye of producers, who asked Anderson if he'd be open to having her join him while hosting the game show "To Tell the Truth," per an ABC interview.

The mother-son duo also traveled throughout Europe to film an E! reality series called "Trippin’ with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris," which aired in 2023.

Bowman also appeared in her son's sitcom "black-ish" and currently works with him on the game show "We Are Family," which premiered in January 2024.

She likes gardening

In a 2022 interview with TODAY.com, Anderson spoke fondly about one of his mom's hobbies, which she has passed on to him.

“My mother had a green thumb. Growing up in Compton, she would grow collard greens, squash, zucchini lettuce, tomatoes and things like that. That’s where my love of gardening started — I got it from my mom and my dad. My dad was from Little Rock, Arkansas, grew up on the farm, youngest of 16 children. Gardening comes second nature to me and my family," he said.

Anderson is a self-proclaimed 'mama's boy'

Anthony Anderson and Doris Bowman (Donna Ward / Getty Images)
Anthony Anderson and Doris Bowman (Donna Ward / Getty Images)

Anderson told TODAY.com that he and his mom are "super close."

“I’m definitely a mama’s boy,” he said. “I embrace that. I don’t run from that at all.”

In fact, he said working together reinforced their already tight bond.

“It’s only strengthened our relationship. We get to work together, we get to play together, we get to make money together, we get to travel the world together. We just get to be our authentic selves and that’s what the audience wants. They resonate with me and my mother and our relationship being the way that it is,” he said.

Anderson says his mom has 'no filter'

In January 2024, Anderson told Deadline that his mom has "no filter."

“In television, you must walk a very tight line, but my mother speaks from the heart and tells it how it is and how she sees it,” he said. “She gets to cuss a lot more in real life when it comes to me, but our chemistry is the same that you see on television, and I think that’s what’s so endearing about it. What you see is what our real lives are like, and it’s our true relationship.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com