‘I Think People Can Read Your Intention,’ Says Robin Thede of A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, Which Takes Even More Risks in Season 2

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede As a seasoned comedian, Robin Thede has an internal clock when it comes to deciding how long sketches should go. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t the occasional disagreement in the writers’ room for A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, the EMMY®-nominated HBO series created by Thede that returns for Season 2, Friday, April 23, only on Crave. “All the time, yeah, yeah, yeah – they’ll turn in a 10-page script, and I’m like, ‘We’re not doing a 10-minute sketch!’ ” Thede said with a laugh during a virtual interview with TV reporters. “HBO doesn’t care how I use my 28 and a half minutes (per episode), I can do what I want. But for me, it’s an internal clock, for sure.” With the freedom to create as she pleases, Thede said that on average, the sketches on A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW tend to fall between three and a half minutes, and five minutes. “We can do anything from a one-minute sketch, to a seven-and-a-half-minute sketch, but as a sketch comedian, for me, that’s where I feel like you can wear out your welcome,” Thede said. “But on the longer side, all of our sketches have a beginning, middle, and end. And they also have a big twist right before the end, right? We love to surprise people and never end where we began. We are a narrative show, so we want people to invest in the story that’s happening in the sketch, as well as the jokes.” Core cast members returning from Season 1 are Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, and Ashley Nicole Black, alongside featured players Laci Mosley and Skye Townsend. A wide array of guest stars for Season 2 includes Issa Rae (who also is an executive producer), Gabrielle Union, Jesse Williams, Miguel, Skai Jackson, Laz Alonso, Omarion, Kim Wayans, Ayesha Curry, Lance Gross, Wunmi Mosaku, and many more. Thede’s description of A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW as a “narrative show” also informs the use of recurring characters. There definitely are characters in Season 2 that fans will recognize from Season 1, but it usually feels as if they’re being inserted creatively as part of a sketch, rather than the sole reason for the sketch. “We have them at least once an episode, which to me feels like enough – but yeah, you’re right, it’s not the same characters in every single episode, that’s for sure,” Thede said. “In my mind, all of this is a bit interconnected. All of the sketches are kind of connected in this universe – this black lady universe. So yeah, it’s true, we use them specifically. It’s not like, ‘Oh, here comes that character we see every week.’ I think we have so many stories to tell, and it’s about showing how many different characters we can play. We really get a kick out of showing the breadth and the range.” A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW certainly takes some chances with its comedy, but Thede gave a fascinating answer when asked if she ever worries about offending anyone. “No, I don’t care about that – I think you just have to do your best,” she said. “We use the phrase, ‘we don’t punch down,’ which is kind of a weird phrase, but basically for us it means, we don’t want to do any comedy that attacks anyone who doesn’t deserve it. We also just don’t do a lot of negative comedy. We definitely take some risks. We are definitely making some jokes this season that could get us in trouble. But that never really bothers me, because we know that the spirit behind it is never mean or hurtful. I think people can read your intention.” And for those who might say that comedy is harder than ever to do right now because the world has become such a sensitive place, well, Thede advised a long look in the mirror. “I think anybody who says you can’t make jokes anymore was probably, you know, maybe dealing with jokes that were insensitive or mean – and that’s just not the kind of comedy we want to do,” she said. “I think comedy always adjusts to fit society, as it is now. Hopefully, we’re becoming more of a compassionate and caring people. There’s no room anymore for sexist jokes, or racist jokes, or any of that stuff, which shouldn’t have a place anyway. But no, I don’t think comedy is harder. I think comedy is always an amazing place to play. And if you’re good, it shouldn’t be hard.” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv