Jennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy-Wahlberg (born November 1, 1972) is an American comedian, actress, TV personality, radio personality, author, activist, and model. She began her career as a Playboy magazine model in 1993, before launching a television and film acting career. She has written books about parenting, and has become an activist promoting claims--not supported by medical evidence--that vaccines cause autism and chelation therapy helps cure it.