Last year my friend Annette sent me a link to what I now describe as the show that made me lose a rib - I have never laughed so hard! The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl created by Issa Rae is undeniably one of the funniest shows on the internet. The premise of the first season follows Issa, the main character and her friends through life's awkward moments and her embarrassing love interest. In an era of mainstream television where it is difficult to see a predominately black cast in well-written and wickedly funny roles, ABG is a treasure! However, this show deals with moments that we can all relate to and find funny - it will appeal to a broad audience. As a black woman, I have watched all types of comedy shows, most favorably, Dave Chappelle, Arrested Development, The Office (British and American versions), and Curb Your Enthusiasm - what these shows have in common is that they are overall written and produced by men and sans Chappelle, mostly white. Issa Rae, is reportedly entering into a cable agreement and will join the ranks of great female comedians who are acting, writing, producing and directing their own material -Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig, who most obviously come to mind. She has a BA from Stanford, attended the New York Academy of Film and has written and directed two other shows for the internet prior to ABG. Pharrell Williams has taken an interest in Issa's show and will run the first episode of the second season of ABG this Thursday on his IamOther You Tube page - smart move Pharrell! I do wonder however, whether her cable deal is with HBO - it should be! I dare say that it is reminiscent of the genius of Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm and if it's not HBO, then we can simply agree that this moment was - "awkward."
Last year my friend Annette sent me a link to what I now describe as the show that made me lose a rib - I have never laughed so hard! The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl created by Issa Rae is undeniably one of the funniest shows on the internet. The premise of the first season follows Issa, the main character and her friends through life's awkward moments and her embarrassing love interest. In an era of mainstream television where it is difficult to see a predominately black cast in well-written and wickedly funny roles, ABG is a treasure! However, this show deals with moments that we can all relate to and find funny - it will appeal to a broad audience. As a black woman, I have watched all types of comedy shows, most favorably, Dave Chappelle, Arrested Development, The Office (British and American versions), and Curb Your Enthusiasm - what these shows have in common is that they are overall written and produced by men and sans Chappelle, mostly white. Issa Rae, is reportedly entering into a cable agreement and will join the ranks of great female comedians who are acting, writing, producing and directing their own material -Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig, who most obviously come to mind. She has a BA from Stanford, attended the New York Academy of Film and has written and directed two other shows for the internet prior to ABG. Pharrell Williams has taken an interest in Issa's show and will run the first episode of the second season of ABG this Thursday on his IamOther You Tube page - smart move Pharrell! I do wonder however, whether her cable deal is with HBO - it should be! I dare say that it is reminiscent of the genius of Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm and if it's not HBO, then we can simply agree that this moment was - "awkward." 