Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
HBOs new sketch-comedy seriesA Black Lady Sketch Showis bursting with talent and potential.
What sketch comedy influenced you most growing up?In Living Colorfor sure.
David Alan Grier, obviously.
He gave me a job when I hadnomoney.Chocolate News.
I rememberChocolate News!Do you remember me onChocolate News?
I only did one episode before it got canceled.
I played the White House Etiquette Correspondent trying to help show people how to talk to a black president.
The cool thing is my heroes fromIn Living Colorhave become my mentors and acting peers.
Its been really fun.
Im proud of it.
I will always remember that show fondly.
But Im really excited about this new sketch show!
Its always been since I was 5.
Even in my late-night experience, sketch has always been a part of my repertoire.
So this is really a return home for me.
Its really nice, and this show is obviously history-making in so many ways of its own.
I think the world will enjoy it.
I could have hired any one of them, but unfortunately I could only afford to hire six.
It was very easy.
I did not rely on agencies to find writers.
I hire writers by word-of-mouth.
I go to comedy clubs.
Agencies always send the same half-dozen white dudes.
Those guys will always find work.
But the writers I chose are so much more dynamic.
We have Rae Sanni, who wrote onThe Good PlaceandRel.
We have Brittani Nichols, who wrote onTake My Wifeand appeared onTransparent.
Akilah Green, who wrote onChelsea.
AndAmber Ruffin, who is a writer and performer onLate Night With Seth Meyers!
I know the work of nearly every person you mentioned, which is so cool.
And the work speaks for itself.
The sketches are narratively varied and interesting.
I really loved the227sketch.
Your Jackee Harry is so good!Thank you.
I mean, shes an icon.
We had a live show called227: The Lost Episodesfor two years at Second City.
I played Jackee every week.
I want to show that black women are funny, but we arent just one pop in of funny.
Its about showing the diversity amongst black women.
We play so many types of characters.
Between the four of us, we play 100 original characters.
We play men, women, old people, aliens, all sorts of things.
And black women have never been featured this heavily in American sketch-TV history.
Even on shows that were predominantly black, women always took a back seat.
And people who are not black women will still be able to find the humor relatable.
Ill tell you after the season airs.
We named this showA Black Lady Sketch Showso we could be one of many.
I think thats really critical.
I think its really special, and Im so glad you got to see it.
Im really glad Ive had the opportunity to talk to you about the show.
I have to ask: What was it like working with Angela Bassett?
Having her and Laverne Cox …And Amara La Negra!
Yes!So many of the sketches are dream-team sketches!
But specifically working with Angela Bassett was definitely a highlight of our time on the show.
More people came to set than I even knew worked on the show.
She is a joy from beginning to end.
Issa [Rae] and I thought it would be hard to get her, but it really wasnt.
I wrote Angela Bassett a letter and she was like, Im there!
So many of the women we asked to be on the show were so game.
Everyone loves to be funny.
But yes, that day shooting was such a blast.
That sketch probably has one of the best endings in the whole series.
We love to do misleads, and that one is wild.
They let us do whatever we want.
Its a historical moment.
Youre doing stand-up in New York City, right?
Ive been doing it for about three years.Itll be seven more years before you get good.
