![]() KT: Looking at comedic inspirations, who ran so you could fly? I saw that I really loved comedy and that it was bigger than just entertainment it’s an art - an art I consumed and studied. I think I first realized that I could make people laugh. KT: When did you first realize you were funny? But what I really love about this? I get to do that without the pressure of having to “represent” all black people like we would have to do in all-white spaces where you are pressured to play up those stereotypes Here, I get to play real honest characters that are funny.Īlso, I want us to be in this space and have a show that is also really good. We want this to open doors for more people to get involved in sketch comedy and we want that for people we don’t always get to see on TV. Diversity is important to me and I know it’s important to Robin. ![]() KT: Is there a certain responsibility to being in this space? Plus, knowing I started doing standup, this is a dream come true. So, for me, to have an opportunity to be a cast member on this show matters especially since you never know if this is going happen again. QB: A lot of black women in Hollywood, even if you know them as dramatic actresses, have been trained in improv, and yet, it’s rare that black women are hired to do sketch. Why is being a black female comedian on a show like this one so important to you? KT: Since the show debuted on August 2, there has been such a huge emphasis on the history the show is making. Thankfully, being in hair and makeup in between scenes helped break up those moments and give me time to work on my new characters. Once the filming of each scene was done, I had to throw that character out and start over. I wanted to ground these characters and create new versions of strong existing archetypes, not these same old stereotypes we are used to seeing on other shows. You get the material and get a good hold on who the character is and what they represent. What’s your process with making each one new and fresh? KT: Throughout the series, you play nearly twenty different characters. We kind of molded together in rehearsals and got to see how it would all work. We all have different ways of performing and doing things, which is funny because for some people, those differences would cause conflict, but for us, it was great - and a relief for me. QB: Honestly, before this, I had never met Ashley and Gabrielle, but one thing I liked about us together as a cast is that we were all bringing something different to the table. It’s as if you all knew each other prior. ![]() KT: There’s such a great chemistry between you, Ashley, Gabrielle and Robin, especially in those last days on Earth scenes. Plus, I have a lot of trust and faith in these writers, who are all so funny and talented. With this, I just got to show up on set and bring to life someone else’s work. KT: Usually, the material you perform you write for yourself, but that wasn’t the case for A Black Lady Sketch Show. ![]() She told me it would take a month to shoot and I said, “Let’s go!" Hers didn’t, so she went all in on A Black Lady Sketch Show, then later mine didn’t, and she called me. At that time, we both had pilots for other networks hoping they would get picked up. Robin told me about this idea a while ago and that she wanted me to be part of it, even if I couldn’t be a full time member. KT: How did you get involved with the show? Did you have to audition? I haven’t even seen all six episodes yet. KELLEE TERRELL: So, I’ve seen all six episodes and I was screaming so loud, my poor cat was giving me the side-eye. Shondaland sat down with Brunson to talk about the importance and responsibility of A Black Lady Sketch Show, the cast’s on and off-screen chemistry, how much she looks up to Wanda Sykes, and how not making plans for the future allows her to appreciate the present. Couple the fresh portrayals with a star-studded list of guests - including Kelly Rowland, Angela Bassett, Laverne Cox, Gina Torres and Lena Waithe - and the flavor and inclusivity of these side-splitting sketches stress that these women of color are never and have never been monolithic. While the characters are exaggerated for comedic effect, they are not the tired tropes often seen in mainstream comedy. To have an opportunity to be a cast member on this show matters especially since you never know if this is going happen again.īrunson, along with Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black and Thede, are an impeccable squad who brilliantly portray a range of black women in the first season of the show.
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