Ricki Lake is an American actress, television host, and producer best known for her daytime talk show, *Ricki Lake*, which aired from 1993 to 2004 and was revived for a single season in 2012. The show, aimed at a younger audience, tackled controversial and socially relevant topics, often featuring guests sharing personal stories. Prior to her talk show success, Lake gained recognition for her role as Tracy Turnblad in the original 1988 film *Hairspray*. Since then, she has continued to work in television and film, including documentaries like *The Business of Being Born* and *Weediquette*, and has been a contestant on shows like *Dancing with the Stars* and *The Masked Singer*.
