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Speaker 1: Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a weekly

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Speaker 1: conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the small

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Speaker 1: decisions we can make to become the best possible versions

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Speaker 1: of ourselves. I'm your host, Doctor Joy Harden Bradford, a

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Speaker 1: licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or to

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Speaker 1: find a therapist in your area, visit our website at

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Speaker 1: Therapy for Blackgirls dot com. While I hope you love

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Speaker 1: listening to and learning from the podcast, it is not

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Speaker 1: meant to be a substitute for a relationship with a

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Speaker 1: licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all, thanks so much for

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Speaker 1: joining me for session two ninety six of a Therapy

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Speaker 1: for Black Girls podcast. We'll get right into our conversation

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Speaker 1: after a word from our sponsors. Before I tell you

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Speaker 1: about our episode for today, I have to first share

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Speaker 1: a praise report because the podcast just won our very

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Speaker 1: first in Double Acpee Image Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Self

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Speaker 1: Help Podcast. A huge thank you to everyone who took

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Speaker 1: a minute to vote and for all of your continued support.

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Speaker 1: We are so grateful. In case you didn't know, bel

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Speaker 1: Air is back for its sophomore season. We missed the

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Speaker 1: chemistry between Aunt Viv and Uncle Phil seeing Hilary meg

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Speaker 1: Boss moves in Will's quintessential Philly swagger. Last season, our

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Speaker 1: production team chatted about our favorite characters, plot lines of

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Speaker 1: the season, and shared predictions for season two. In this

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Speaker 1: week's episode, I'm joined by veteran TV writer and director

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Speaker 1: Carla Banks Waddles, the current showrunner and executive producer on

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Speaker 1: bel Air for Peacock. Carla is the black woman behind

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Speaker 1: over a dozen television shows including That's So Raven, Half

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Speaker 1: and Half, Hit the Floor, and Good Girls. During our conversation,

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Speaker 1: we chatted about her longstanding career in film and television,

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Speaker 1: navigating the industry as a black woman, and she dishes

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Speaker 1: on season two of bel Air. If something resonates with

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Speaker 1: you while enjoying our conversation, be sure to share it

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Speaker 1: with us on social media using the hashtag TBG in session,

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Speaker 1: or join us in the sister Circle. To talk more

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Speaker 1: in depth about the episode, you can join us at

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Speaker 1: community dot therapy for Blackgirls dot com. Here's our conversation.

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Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining us today, Coela, Thank

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Speaker 1: you for having me. It is such an honor. So

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Speaker 1: your most recent work, of course, is being the showrunner

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Speaker 1: and the executive producer for bell Air. But your IMDb

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Speaker 1: credits are very long and date back to the early

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Speaker 1: two thousand, So can you talk a little bit about

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Speaker 1: maybe some early productions that you feel like we're foundational to.

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Speaker 1: Your career started out in so many many years ago,

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Speaker 1: it seems like over twenty years ago, in a half

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Speaker 1: hour multi camera comedy, which is what I thought I

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Speaker 1: wanted to do and relized seventeen years in that maybe

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Speaker 1: it's time to make the pivot to do something different

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Speaker 1: for many reasons. But starting out in half hour comedy space,

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Speaker 1: I was fortunate and blessed enough to work for a woman,

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Speaker 1: Namie Betley Bowser, who had created Living Single when she

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Speaker 1: was like twenty seven and coming out to LA I

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Speaker 1: knew who she was. She was the one person who

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Speaker 1: I had followed, and I really got the opportunity in

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Speaker 1: grad school to intern for her when she had created

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Speaker 1: a show called for Your Love. I would say one

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Speaker 1: of the best experiences that really set me off on

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Speaker 1: very foundational working for this black woman who had been

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Speaker 1: in the business for so long and just sort of

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Speaker 1: followed her career and just being able to watch her

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Speaker 1: in action and see her on set and see her

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Speaker 1: in the writer's room and working for her for two

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Speaker 1: years as an intern, and then she was ultimately the

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Speaker 1: one who gave me my first job, my first staff

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Speaker 1: job coming out of grad school. We still have a

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Speaker 1: relationship today. She's still a mentor and a friend. I

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Speaker 1: call her up still even now, just ask her questions

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Speaker 1: and pick her brain. And looking back at that experience,

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Speaker 1: definitely a foundational experience for me, carl. As I'm listening

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Speaker 1: to uth Hawk, it feels like it is a very

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Speaker 1: familiar story in that feels a very small sisterhood of

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Speaker 1: black women who have been in these kinds of spaces

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Speaker 1: and then so many others get opportunities because others put

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Speaker 1: them on right. So I've heard similar stories about Mara

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Speaker 1: Broca Keel, Gina Prince, Blithewood. It feels like there really

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Speaker 1: is a very small sisterhood of you all. Do you

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Speaker 1: all kind of stay connected or is there some kind

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Speaker 1: of group chat that you all, you know, talk about

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Speaker 1: different things that come up. I mean, definitely because we

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Speaker 1: need it. And it's, like you said, a very small community.

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Speaker 1: And so there's the established group of powerhouses, people like

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Speaker 1: Yvette Lee Bowser, who was definitely very purposeful about reaching

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Speaker 1: back specifically young black women and bringing us up through

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Speaker 1: the ranks. So I feel like even her mentees, we

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Speaker 1: all have a bond and we still stay in touch

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Speaker 1: and definitely give her the flowers for how she has

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Speaker 1: started us all off. And so I feel like there's

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Speaker 1: different sets of women that definitely still keep in touch

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Speaker 1: with each other, and all of us having started out

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Speaker 1: as staff writers together, as interns together, as PA's together,

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Speaker 1: who have struggled up the ranks and are now showrunners

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Speaker 1: or executive producers. We definitely call each other once a week,

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Speaker 1: once a month, what's going on, I've got this issue,

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Speaker 1: how are you handling this, and just being a means

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Speaker 1: of support for each other just because we navigate this

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Speaker 1: space differently and go through very similar challenges. So it's

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Speaker 1: meant the world to me to be able to have

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Speaker 1: that of sisterhood. So you mentioned something that I want

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Speaker 1: to hear a little bit more about. You said you

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Speaker 1: started on the multi camera comedy. Can you say a

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Speaker 1: little bit about what that is and like how comedies

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Speaker 1: are different than maybe something that is maybe more dramatic

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Speaker 1: like the bell Air reimagining. Yes, so half hour multi

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Speaker 1: camera comedy just even from a process standpoint, it was

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Speaker 1: so much different the writing of a half hour script. So,

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Speaker 1: for example, even the Fresh Prince of bel Air or

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Speaker 1: my show Half and Half, or the comedies that we

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Speaker 1: sort of all grew up on, our multi camera sitcoms,

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Speaker 1: meaning you have a live audience in your production week,

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Speaker 1: is very different. Your writer's room looks very different. Even

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Speaker 1: the process of writing a half hour multi camera script

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Speaker 1: is just a different muscle. Where you were taught to

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Speaker 1: write three jokes a page, and it's just a certain

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Speaker 1: rhythm that you have to hit when you're writing a

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Speaker 1: multi camera comedy and the process of writing that and

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Speaker 1: coming into the writer's room and what we call punch

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Speaker 1: up of jokes that aren't really landing as we go

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Speaker 1: through rehearsals throughout the week. It's a constant rewriting process

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Speaker 1: to make it funni or better until you get to

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Speaker 1: that live studio audience. And even then in front of

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Speaker 1: the audience, Oh, a joke didn't land as much as

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Speaker 1: you thought it was going to land, So the writers

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Speaker 1: huddle together and come up with a new joke. So

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Speaker 1: so much of that format was all about the joke,

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Speaker 1: and I think transitioning to one hour gives you definitely

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Speaker 1: the space to sort of remove that burden of the

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Speaker 1: joke per page and really just gives you a chance

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Speaker 1: to delve a little more deeply into the characters and

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Speaker 1: the stories and the backstories, and it just feels a

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Speaker 1: little more natural to how we live and how we talk.

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Speaker 1: It took a while to make that transition, and there's

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Speaker 1: definitely in terms of process, no lat audience, and very

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Speaker 1: little rewriting when it comes to the actual shooting. Like

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Speaker 1: the script is what it is. You don't have to

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Speaker 1: rely on jokes not landing or working and having to

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Speaker 1: pivot so much when you're at that production stage. Got

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Speaker 1: and so with a cow you might write a script

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Speaker 1: one way, run it in front of a live audience

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Speaker 1: and it doesn't land, and then you redo it. Oh yes, yes,

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Speaker 1: definitely okay. And I think sometimes when you're writing, you'd

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Speaker 1: get tired of the same joke. So you know, there's

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Speaker 1: so many stages to doing what we do, from the

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Speaker 1: pitch to the outline to the script, and so by

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Speaker 1: the time you have seen this piece of material for

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Speaker 1: this episode over maybe the course of four weeks, you

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Speaker 1: get tired of the joke and so you just want

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Speaker 1: to change it for the sake of changing it, but

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Speaker 1: also something that you thought was funny maybe the audience

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Speaker 1: didn't really laugh at. So you definitely have to have

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Speaker 1: an other set of jokes in reserve. And it's kind

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Speaker 1: of fun, you know, to try things different on the fly,

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Speaker 1: and I think it's fun for the audience to see, oh,

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Speaker 1: they just changed it up. But definitely that comedy muscle,

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Speaker 1: if we need a joke here, we need it in

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Speaker 1: two minutes because the audience is waiting. If you don't

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Speaker 1: have a reserve of joke, oh, you're doing it on

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Speaker 1: the flytimes a moment, yes, because it could be that

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Speaker 1: unexpected joke of oh wow, they didn't laugh at that,

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Speaker 1: Like that's been solid all week, but they didn't laugh

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Speaker 1: at that. And then you have your executive producer huddling

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Speaker 1: the writers, like get away from craft service and stop

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Speaker 1: eating cheese. We need a joke here. This didn't work,

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Speaker 1: And then it really is everybody huddling on set while

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Speaker 1: the audience is waiting, just throwing out jokes maybe this,

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Speaker 1: And then you have your executive producer who says, that's it,

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Speaker 1: that's it, let's try that, And then you're flying in

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Speaker 1: a new joke to the actor and they're running in

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Speaker 1: again and then hopefully the audience responds to that, right.

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Speaker 1: Definitely a high pressure situation. So you were a part

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Speaker 1: of what I feel like was a really golden time

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Speaker 1: in black television during the time of UPN with Half

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Speaker 1: and Half and all those other incredible shows. Can you

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Speaker 1: talk a little bit about what that experience was like. Yes,

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Speaker 1: it was, like you said, just a great time in television.

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Speaker 1: I think UPN was a network that was prioritizing not

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Speaker 1: just black programming, but black creators. So it just became

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Speaker 1: the home for black audiences. We have Militia, we had

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Speaker 1: the Parkers, Half and Half went on One Girlfriends, and

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Speaker 1: it was just a time where we were seeing massive

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Speaker 1: rating success when it came to black audiences, and so

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Speaker 1: Half and Half premiere I think in two thousand and two,

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Speaker 1: and just being on the lot at that time, there

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Speaker 1: were so many other just black creatives walking around and

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Speaker 1: just be people to talk to. It just seemed like

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Speaker 1: a boom where everybody was out there creating Black lad

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Speaker 1: scripted shows just were so popular with audiences. So yeah,

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Speaker 1: it's a time that I have not seen recreated since,

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Speaker 1: but definitely a really fun time to be starting in

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Speaker 1: this business in my case, around them and just having

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Speaker 1: so much black talent and creativity around you. That's interesting.

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Speaker 1: You mentioned that you don't feel like you've seen a

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Speaker 1: time since, and it does feel like every week it's

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Speaker 1: like there's some new changes, knew something happening in terms

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Speaker 1: of streaming, and can you talk a little bit about

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Speaker 1: your perspective of how television has changed, like maybe since

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Speaker 1: then until now. Yes, I mean, I think it's changed

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Speaker 1: in many ways for the and then maybe it's the

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Speaker 1: not so great. I think in terms of the good

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Speaker 1: it's changed and that there's just more outlets for more

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Speaker 1: content to be out there. I think when I first started,

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Speaker 1: just in network television, it was definitely a cycle of

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Speaker 1: you're out of work for maybe a year until the

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Speaker 1: next network cycle came around, and then you would go

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Speaker 1: on your meetings for different staffs for shows, either new

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Speaker 1: shows that were being picked up or shows that were

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Speaker 1: returning for another season. There was an opportunity to staff

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Speaker 1: every May, but if you did not get staffed, you

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Speaker 1: were pretty much out of work for a year. And

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Speaker 1: your agent would say, you know what, just keep writing,

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Speaker 1: write some new material. We'll get you out there next

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Speaker 1: year will be your year, and you just sort of

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Speaker 1: had to survive during those lean times. And I think

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Speaker 1: now there's just more outlets where it is more of

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Speaker 1: a year round cycle of employment and staffing, so there's

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Speaker 1: not that fear of if I don't get a job

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Speaker 1: this May, I've got to save up and I rama

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Speaker 1: noodles till the next May, because there won't be another

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Speaker 1: opportunity coming my way. So I do think in many

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Speaker 1: ways the TV industry, with the streaming and sort of

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Speaker 1: this peak TV that we're seeing has given us more

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Speaker 1: opportunities as writers to just have more staffing opportunities and

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Speaker 1: have more of our voices and our shows out there.

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Speaker 1: I think the downside is that it's not a model

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Speaker 1: for training and mentoring kind of the next generation of

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Speaker 1: writers and just preparing them really to run their own shows.

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Speaker 1: And ideally, when you're on a staff, you should be

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Speaker 1: advancing in responsibility as you gain more experience and learn

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Speaker 1: about all the aspects of creating television. And I think

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Speaker 1: in this streaming world, we're definitely seeing shorter runs of

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Speaker 1: eight to ten to twelve episodes, where in the past

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Speaker 1: network years we were twenty two twenty three fuller seasons

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Speaker 1: and just those shorter spans of television are not really

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Speaker 1: allowing for the training because in streaming, generally all episodes

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Speaker 1: of the show are typically written ahead of production, and

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Speaker 1: usually the showrunner or another top level active producer we'd

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Speaker 1: be the last one standing to go through the shooting

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Speaker 1: and the post process, and all the writer's room has

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Speaker 1: moved on to other jobs, and so unfortunately they're not

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Speaker 1: really growing within the system and really learning as they

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Speaker 1: move through the ranks all the different aspects of creating

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Speaker 1: a television show, being on set, talking to actors, dealing

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Speaker 1: with directors and budgets. They're just not getting that fuller

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Speaker 1: experience in this streaming world. So I think it's a

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Speaker 1: tradeoff of a little positive but also a little negative.

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Speaker 1: Got it And is writing for a show that's like

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Speaker 1: picked up why streaming service different than like something that

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Speaker 1: would be on like Hallwark TV, like on your regular

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Speaker 1: NBC channel. I just think it depends. But you know,

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Speaker 1: my past experience has been you stay with the show

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Speaker 1: as the writers, So you start off where it's just

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Speaker 1: the writer's room. You're coming up with all the ideas

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Speaker 1: and you write the scripts and then at some point

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Speaker 1: production starts and the cast gets brought in the crew

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Speaker 1: of the camera's role, and you're still on as a writer.

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Speaker 1: You stay been there from the beginning. If you episode five,

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Speaker 1: then suddenly you're now going to be on set for

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Speaker 1: episode five and fully producing your episode until you get

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Speaker 1: to the end. And so I think now the difference

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Speaker 1: is that by the time they get to episode five,

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Speaker 1: you've moved on to something else, and that you're maybe

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Speaker 1: not there to fully produce your episode. Somebody else will

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Speaker 1: be on set covering for you while you've moved on.

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Speaker 1: And so that was definitely my experience in network television

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Speaker 1: early on versus sort of streaming. Now the difference that

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Speaker 1: I'm seeing, got it. So you've worn a lot of

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Speaker 1: hats across all of the projects that you have worked on.

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Speaker 1: Can you tell us a little bit about the difference

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Speaker 1: between like a showrunner and an EP and what is

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Speaker 1: your favorite role of the ones you've had. Oh, goodness,

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Speaker 1: it's been many years of all the things. I think

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Speaker 1: the difference in being the showrunner and EPs just wearing

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Speaker 1: all the hats. You know, it's not just being inside

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Speaker 1: the writer's room, which is the heartbeat of the show.

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Speaker 1: It's dealing with all the aspects now, they editing, the budget,

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Speaker 1: the casting. It's more of a juggling at way more responsibility,

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Speaker 1: longer hours, trying to carve two days out of one day,

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Speaker 1: and just making a lot more decisions. But the writer's

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Speaker 1: room is still for me, the heartbeat of the show

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Speaker 1: and the engine of the show. And so even though

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Speaker 1: I have to wear all these other hats now, it's

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Speaker 1: really being purposeful about giving that time to the writer's

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Speaker 1: room and making sure that the stories are solid and

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Speaker 1: everything else branches from there. But it's just a lot

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Speaker 1: of different priorities now. So because there are so many

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Speaker 1: hats that you have to wear, I can imagine that

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Speaker 1: at some point some of that takes a toll on

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Speaker 1: your mental health. Right. Can you talk a little bit

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Speaker 1: about maybe some of the mental health challenges that you've

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Speaker 1: experienced in your roles throughout the years and how you

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Speaker 1: are taking care of your mental health. Yes, I'm still

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Speaker 1: trying to find a way to joy. It is difficult.

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Speaker 1: I think sleep, more than anything, has been the most

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Speaker 1: detrimental to health because there just isn't enough of it

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Speaker 1: and I haven't figured out a way to sort of

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Speaker 1: work it into the routine, because I mean when I

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Speaker 1: say carving two days out of one, it's like there's

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Speaker 1: the full day where you're with people, but you're in

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Speaker 1: the writer's room. You're talking to whoever it is, the

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Speaker 1: editor or other producers, doing whatever you need to do

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Speaker 1: when everybody else is awake. And then for me, it's

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Speaker 1: coming home at the end of the day, hopefully saying

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Speaker 1: hello to your family, eating dinner. But then another day

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Speaker 1: starts for me at a round eight o'clock at night,

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Speaker 1: when it's just the quiet and the phone isn't ringing,

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Speaker 1: and that's really the writing time, trying to find another

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Speaker 1: five hours in the day, which means or six hours

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Speaker 1: depending on what you have to do or how much

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Speaker 1: writing needs to take place. And so I do think

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Speaker 1: the sleep part is hard, and I've realized that maybe

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Speaker 1: I only need three hours of sleep. I've heard people

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Speaker 1: who function regularly on three, three or four hours asleep.

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Speaker 1: It's not ideal, but somehow I was able to sort

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Speaker 1: of do it over the course of the season. But

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Speaker 1: it's tough. It's tough, and I think it's a big

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Speaker 1: part of the job. Even the sisterhood that I was

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Speaker 1: talking about earlier, like how do you do it, how

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Speaker 1: do you cope, how do you find ways to take

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Speaker 1: care of yourself and have self care? And so one

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Speaker 1: of the other showrunners that I've talked to you, she said,

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Speaker 1: you have to give yourself grace and just realize that

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Speaker 1: if a ball drops, it's not going to be the

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Speaker 1: end of the world. And sometimes you just have to

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Speaker 1: let balls drop for your own self care and just

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Speaker 1: allow yourself the room to do that and know that

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Speaker 1: the world is not going to end because you do.

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Speaker 1: And so I've been trying to do that a little more.

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Speaker 1: It's difficult. It is difficult. Yeah, and you mentioned too,

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Speaker 1: it sounds like things have changed in terms of historically

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Speaker 1: only getting shows in me and not knowing if you're

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Speaker 1: going to have something for another year. It sounds like

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Speaker 1: that has changed. But I would imagine that has been

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Speaker 1: difficult to like the anxiety. It sounds like you alluded

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Speaker 1: to you of Okay, am I gonna not be working

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Speaker 1: for this next year. Can you say a little bit

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Speaker 1: about how you've worked to manage that. Yes, that was

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Speaker 1: definitely tough, especially because I'm a Virgo and our personalities

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Speaker 1: we're very structured and we'd like to know what's next?

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Speaker 1: And I think already stepping into a creative job where

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Speaker 1: so much of the employment is just gig to gig

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Speaker 1: and you don't really know. It's the unknown. It's releasing

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Speaker 1: yourself to the unknown of not really knowing what's next,

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Speaker 1: or definitely that fear of what if there is no next?

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Speaker 1: You know, I definitely early on in this industry had

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Speaker 1: the fear of this is the last job, this is

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Speaker 1: it for me? And having a mother always calling you

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Speaker 1: like what about real estate? You know, you could go

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Speaker 1: into real estate. Just the worry of what if nothing

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Speaker 1: else comes, you know, And I'm thankful that something else

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Speaker 1: has always come. But it definitely is that fear and

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Speaker 1: anxiety of once this is over, there might not be

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Speaker 1: another job, or there might not be one for quite

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Speaker 1: some time, and then how do you save your money

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Speaker 1: in the meantime and you still have in many cases

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Speaker 1: of family children to take care of bills better do

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Speaker 1: Definitely that anxiety back there that what am I going

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Speaker 1: to do? If you can take to m more from

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Speaker 1: my conversation with Carla after the break. So, like you

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Speaker 1: mentioned before, your newest or at least newest to us

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Speaker 1: project is the Belly Air which is the reimagining of

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Speaker 1: the classic The Fresh Prince of Belly Air. Can you

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Speaker 1: tell us a little bit about how you got involved

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Speaker 1: with this project and what it has been like for

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Speaker 1: you taking on a reimagining of a classic. Yes, I

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Speaker 1: was a co executive producer last season on season one,

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Speaker 1: and so just seeing the response to season one has

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Speaker 1: been amazing, and stepping into the showrunner position season two

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Speaker 1: has been a whole other level. That I grew up

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Speaker 1: watching this Bank's family and this iconic family. So to

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Speaker 1: sort of step in this role in a very different

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Speaker 1: way and tell stories for this same family, but also

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Speaker 1: a very different family as we have reamaged them really

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Speaker 1: feels just like a joy and a dream to know

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Speaker 1: that we've got two seasons twenty episodes to really delve

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Speaker 1: into who they are in this new space. We have

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Speaker 1: such a monster cast, this ensemble of actors, and just

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Speaker 1: a joy to be able to write for them and

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Speaker 1: just give them this playground to tell these stories and

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Speaker 1: these black centric stories that I haven't always had the

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Speaker 1: benefit of being able to tell. It just feels great.

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Speaker 1: It feels great, And did you like apply for the

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Speaker 1: job to work on this Where you approach can you

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Speaker 1: say anything about that. Yes, well, I'm at Universal Television,

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Speaker 1: so I'm under what they call an overall deal there,

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Speaker 1: and so it just means like you're an in house writer,

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Speaker 1: you're in the family of Universal Television. So I was

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Speaker 1: actually shooting a pilot for a Universal Television. I was

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Speaker 1: in New York and meanwhile Bellair was getting up and running.

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Speaker 1: You never know when you shoot a pilot what's going

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Speaker 1: to happen. And so in that waiting process of trying

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Speaker 1: to figure out are they going to pick it up

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Speaker 1: to series they're going to do, meanwhile, you know I'm

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Speaker 1: an in house writer Universal Television. That they said bell

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Speaker 1: Air could use your Hell bell Air, could you come

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Speaker 1: over here? And I was like, of course. And so

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Speaker 1: that's how I came to the show first season, just

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Speaker 1: to be a writer, a coep on staff as they

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Speaker 1: were developing these characters and figuring out this new family

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Speaker 1: and the creative direction of the show first season. So

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Speaker 1: that's how I first started. And you talked about the cast,

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Speaker 1: which I agree is phenomenal, but there are definitely some

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Speaker 1: shifts of the cast then we saw in the original right,

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Speaker 1: So Carlton's character feels like it's a little more sinister.

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Speaker 1: What's his name? Jeffrey's character is almost like a Bondish

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Speaker 1: Double O seven kind of spin. So can you talk

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Speaker 1: a little bit about the casting process and like how

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Speaker 1: you all decided to cast the people that we see now. Yes, well,

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Speaker 1: you know, when I came on first season, they were

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Speaker 1: very secretive. They had cast most of the main family,

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Speaker 1: and they were very secretive because they didn't want it

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Speaker 1: to get out who was who. So as we slowly

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Speaker 1: found out in the writer's room about who was cast,

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Speaker 1: and then we had that first table read and we

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Speaker 1: had heard about Jabari, you know, he who played Will

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Speaker 1: and finding that piece of casting was so key. And

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Speaker 1: we had our first table read on Zoom with all

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Speaker 1: of them and that was really my first time seeing

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Speaker 1: their faces and hearing them read the material. There was

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Speaker 1: a nervousness about this because everybody on Twitter as the

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Speaker 1: trailer was coming out, people were like, Okay, this might

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Speaker 1: be something, but there was a lot of skepticism over

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Speaker 1: why are they messing with this show? You know, this

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Speaker 1: is a show that we all grew up and loved.

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Speaker 1: It was a perfect beginning, middle, and ending to that

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Speaker 1: show when it was on, So why are they sort

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Speaker 1: of opening the door to this new thing, and so

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Speaker 1: people were I think rightfully nervous about what was to come,

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Speaker 1: as well as the writer's room in knowing that we

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Speaker 1: were taking some risks and some big swings with characters

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Speaker 1: like he said, like Carlton. So I think there was

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Speaker 1: a little nervousness on behalf of all of us. But

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Speaker 1: for the casting, going into that table read and seeing

433
00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,960
Speaker 1: who that cast was and hearing them for the first time,

434
00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,840
Speaker 1: it was the first time that I really saw like, Okay,

435
00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,040
Speaker 1: we're onto something magical here. It's just a matter of

436
00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,280
Speaker 1: time before the audience finally sees what we're doing, and

437
00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,760
Speaker 1: I think they'll be on board. And that was delightfully

438
00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,760
Speaker 1: surprised to see that they were. It was very different,

439
00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,560
Speaker 1: but the audience gave us sort of the leeway to

440
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,439
Speaker 1: try something new. Yeah, I agree with you, Like in

441
00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,399
Speaker 1: watching this sentiment online, it definitely feels like people were

442
00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:30,760
Speaker 1: kind of holding their breath, like, Okay, we're gonna give

443
00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,000
Speaker 1: this a chance, like let's see what they do with it.

444
00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,600
Speaker 1: And then people were very very surprised. I think that

445
00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,159
Speaker 1: it was just such an outstanding first season of a

446
00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,320
Speaker 1: reimagining of a show so many of us loved Yes

447
00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,280
Speaker 1: Yes to their credit. I think once people realized, Okay,

448
00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,760
Speaker 1: this is not the old fresh Prince that I knew

449
00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,560
Speaker 1: and loved, this is a new one that I can

450
00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,040
Speaker 1: sort of get on board with the spirit of these

451
00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,879
Speaker 1: characters living on in this new reimagining. But they are

452
00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,439
Speaker 1: different characters, and so I think people were able to

453
00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,439
Speaker 1: sort of open their minds where you definitely try to

454
00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:03,960
Speaker 1: create a balance of paying homage to the original but

455
00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,440
Speaker 1: also making sure that this show found it it's a

456
00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:08,960
Speaker 1: new lane, it's new voice that it could sort of

457
00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:13,439
Speaker 1: stand on its own as its own show. So I

458
00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:15,440
Speaker 1: do want to stay with casting for a bit because again,

459
00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,280
Speaker 1: I think, like you mentioned, like the Carlton character Ali is.

460
00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,760
Speaker 1: Ali's is the actor who I think does such a

461
00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,760
Speaker 1: great job that we love to hate him in this role.

462
00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:28,560
Speaker 1: But it does feel like his character has had the

463
00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,640
Speaker 1: most backlash because it is so different than like who

464
00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,399
Speaker 1: we saw Carlton in the class a French Prince of

465
00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:37,760
Speaker 1: Beali Air. How have you handled the backlash and how

466
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,960
Speaker 1: are you helping the cast, specifically gay Ali, to handle

467
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:44,960
Speaker 1: the backlash? Like did you all expect this well, yes,

468
00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:49,280
Speaker 1: because that Carlton character was such a big diversion from

469
00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,600
Speaker 1: the original in many ways that people have the strongest

470
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,359
Speaker 1: reaction on Twitter to him and to Ali. When you

471
00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,520
Speaker 1: talk about changes in the TV industry, social media has

472
00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,680
Speaker 1: been a big change, and that you get immediate feedback

473
00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,960
Speaker 1: to the episode and to the characters, and so seeing

474
00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,400
Speaker 1: not just Ali's character but just all of them. Being

475
00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:12,000
Speaker 1: an actor today's it's got to be difficult because you

476
00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,440
Speaker 1: are exposed to so much just free thought out there

477
00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,320
Speaker 1: about anything that people will say. And so I was

478
00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:20,280
Speaker 1: nervous for all of our casts, and I felt very

479
00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,879
Speaker 1: protective of them because I do love them. When people

480
00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,400
Speaker 1: came for them on social media, I sent a lot

481
00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:29,800
Speaker 1: of things. You can report people on Twitter for being hateful.

482
00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,000
Speaker 1: I sent a lot of this person needs to be removed,

483
00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,359
Speaker 1: this comment needs to be removed, just because I felt

484
00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,360
Speaker 1: protective of the cast. But I would say Ali himself

485
00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:42,320
Speaker 1: handles it so well and has thrived on it even

486
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:44,199
Speaker 1: this season. You know, you would hear him say on

487
00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,240
Speaker 1: set like, oh, the audiences are gonna hate this, but

488
00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:49,199
Speaker 1: he said it in a way that he loves it

489
00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,800
Speaker 1: too because he knows, you know, it's a character and

490
00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,240
Speaker 1: sort of being able to step into this sort of

491
00:25:54,400 --> 00:26:00,680
Speaker 1: very interesting, nuanced, polarizing character. He loves it, and he's

492
00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,000
Speaker 1: just the perfect person before that. But I'm sure some

493
00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,520
Speaker 1: days get difficult when you have so much scrutiny and

494
00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:11,200
Speaker 1: commentary on not just for your character but just personally

495
00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,040
Speaker 1: about you, that people feel they need to come for

496
00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,320
Speaker 1: you and attack you. That doesn't feel fair. But they

497
00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:18,959
Speaker 1: seem to all be taking it in stride and just

498
00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:22,200
Speaker 1: really loving the success that they've had, but also realizing

499
00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,679
Speaker 1: that he is a character that was so instrumental season

500
00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,480
Speaker 1: one that people came back because they did love to

501
00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,359
Speaker 1: hate him, and they ultimately were on board with the

502
00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,760
Speaker 1: slow burn of that relationship between Carlton and Will, but

503
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,639
Speaker 1: also the slow burn of Carlton in realizing the journey

504
00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:40,520
Speaker 1: that he was going to go on full season. So

505
00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,160
Speaker 1: I do think it started very strongly early on where

506
00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,800
Speaker 1: we hate this person, what if they've done to Carlton,

507
00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,200
Speaker 1: you know, and slowly evolving to you know, we get Carlton,

508
00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,560
Speaker 1: we understand where he's coming from, we know that kind

509
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,040
Speaker 1: of kid, to ultimately getting to an end place where

510
00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,760
Speaker 1: he was embracing of Will's character and had come on

511
00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,240
Speaker 1: this full journey to get to the end by the

512
00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,960
Speaker 1: time we get to episode ten. You know, you bring

513
00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,760
Speaker 1: up a really good point in that you know your engagement.

514
00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:07,960
Speaker 1: It sounds like with bel Air is very different than

515
00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,159
Speaker 1: like on a half and half when there was not

516
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:13,280
Speaker 1: social media, at least in the way it exists today.

517
00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,520
Speaker 1: Can you talk a little bit about how some of

518
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,800
Speaker 1: that immediate feedback enters the writing room, Like does that

519
00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:20,960
Speaker 1: impact the decision making? Can you say a little bit

520
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:25,320
Speaker 1: about that. Yes, I think it definitely does. In terms

521
00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,280
Speaker 1: of season one, we were done with all the episodes

522
00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,359
Speaker 1: before we even dropped the pilot, so there was nothing

523
00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:33,159
Speaker 1: more that could be done but sit back and just

524
00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:35,960
Speaker 1: sort of listen to what people thought and read on

525
00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,760
Speaker 1: Twitter and all the different pieces that were out there

526
00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,320
Speaker 1: when we started the room. In season two, we definitely

527
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:46,280
Speaker 1: had those conversations about what people have responded to, what

528
00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,080
Speaker 1: people had not responded to. There was definitely a vision

529
00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,600
Speaker 1: for season two because we were picked up for two seasons,

530
00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,479
Speaker 1: so a lot of the conversations in season one were about, Oh,

531
00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:56,520
Speaker 1: we'll save that for season two, or oh, we know

532
00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:58,480
Speaker 1: we want to go there in season two. So even

533
00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,800
Speaker 1: though there was that we wanted to go season two,

534
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,400
Speaker 1: there was definitely room left for the things people loved,

535
00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,960
Speaker 1: like the jazz in Hillary. People loved them together and

536
00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,000
Speaker 1: that was sort of surprising that, you know, it was

537
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:15,919
Speaker 1: a small storyline that people really commented and loved them together,

538
00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,000
Speaker 1: and definitely a departure from the original where Hillary wanted

539
00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,000
Speaker 1: no parts of jazz that people were like, oh, we're

540
00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:25,440
Speaker 1: here for this new Hillary and Jazz relationship. And even

541
00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:28,359
Speaker 1: like you said, with Jeffrey, so many people he was

542
00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:31,560
Speaker 1: a man of mystery and few words in season one

543
00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,520
Speaker 1: but made such a huge impact his presence and his

544
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,200
Speaker 1: character where people just wanted to know more about Jeffrey

545
00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,640
Speaker 1: Jeffrey so definitely took that into consideration as well as

546
00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,520
Speaker 1: we were going into season two, given the fans a

547
00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,080
Speaker 1: little bit of what they want, hopefully based on all

548
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:50,080
Speaker 1: the talk out there besides the fans love for what

549
00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,160
Speaker 1: we saw between Hillary and Jazz. Was there anything else

550
00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,960
Speaker 1: that you all were surprised by the viewers reactions to

551
00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:01,120
Speaker 1: from season one? Let's see, was there anything else? I

552
00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,960
Speaker 1: was surprised how important to the Aunt Viv Uncle Phil

553
00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,200
Speaker 1: relationship was to people, because you think this is a

554
00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:10,480
Speaker 1: show centered around Will in his character and this young

555
00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,560
Speaker 1: man coming from West Philly into bell Air and what

556
00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,239
Speaker 1: that journey is and how the whole family surrounds him

557
00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,280
Speaker 1: with that support to make sure that he's going to

558
00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,280
Speaker 1: be okay in this new space. And he is the

559
00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,880
Speaker 1: central character of this show. But then we also found

560
00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:28,440
Speaker 1: some time to kind of go outside of that relationship

561
00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:30,920
Speaker 1: and tell these stories for Aunt Viv and Uncle Phil,

562
00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:34,000
Speaker 1: and I was really pleasantly surprised that people really loved

563
00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,400
Speaker 1: that relationship and we're rooting for that relationship, and I

564
00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,560
Speaker 1: think just showing black love on television and his family

565
00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,800
Speaker 1: that people really loved that, and the conversations that they

566
00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:47,520
Speaker 1: were able to have, the Radical Honesty conversation, which was

567
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:51,240
Speaker 1: my episode last season, that people were really loving that

568
00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,560
Speaker 1: you could have a husband and wife fighting about something

569
00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:57,600
Speaker 1: and that felt real, but ultimately being able to talk

570
00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,800
Speaker 1: about it in a healthy way. And that was pleasantly

571
00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:05,800
Speaker 1: surprising that people blombed onto that relationship. M I think

572
00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:07,880
Speaker 1: because of what we do here at Therapy for Black Girls.

573
00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:10,720
Speaker 1: One of the storylines we loved and talked about the

574
00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,640
Speaker 1: most was the way we saw on VIA's character kind

575
00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:16,320
Speaker 1: of bloom throughout this season one, you know, so that

576
00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,760
Speaker 1: her struggling with family and work and like, okay, do

577
00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,240
Speaker 1: I take this next step in my career? As well

578
00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,600
Speaker 1: as the relationship between her and her daughters, you know,

579
00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,240
Speaker 1: so the mother daughter dynamic and is she kind of

580
00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:30,800
Speaker 1: projecting some of her own missed opportunities onto Hillary and

581
00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,280
Speaker 1: what Hillary wanted to do for her future. Yes, yes,

582
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:36,640
Speaker 1: I'm glad you said that. Yes, because that mother daughter

583
00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:39,600
Speaker 1: relationship Season one was also something that people talked about

584
00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:43,640
Speaker 1: and just those generational differences between how Aunt Viv was

585
00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,000
Speaker 1: raised in the traditional way that you find employment and

586
00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,520
Speaker 1: go about work and you go to college, all these things,

587
00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,120
Speaker 1: and Hillary was taking a very different path and a

588
00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,040
Speaker 1: mother who was sort of not supportive of that. That

589
00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,240
Speaker 1: caused a lot of friction between them. Season one that

590
00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:01,600
Speaker 1: just felt very real, you know, from a parenting perspective

591
00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:04,240
Speaker 1: of wanting the best for your children and not really

592
00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,240
Speaker 1: understanding the way they're going about their success looks very

593
00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,960
Speaker 1: different than how you're going about yours, but also being

594
00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,040
Speaker 1: a source of, like you said, inspiration and a little

595
00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:15,840
Speaker 1: bit of I wish I had a little bit of

596
00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:19,040
Speaker 1: that in me, that courage to sort of follow your

597
00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:23,520
Speaker 1: dreams unapologetically and not really care about what other people think.

598
00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:27,520
Speaker 1: So there was that generational gap, but also that generational

599
00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:30,680
Speaker 1: inspiration I think that we found with Aunt Viv and

600
00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:34,200
Speaker 1: Hillary and in season two more of them trying to

601
00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,760
Speaker 1: find their way as they follow common paths, each trying

602
00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,760
Speaker 1: to be bosses in their own respective worlds that they

603
00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,120
Speaker 1: can rely on each other and give each other advice

604
00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:47,440
Speaker 1: a little more in season two. More from my conversation

605
00:31:47,480 --> 00:32:02,080
Speaker 1: with Carla after the break, you all dealt with some

606
00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,280
Speaker 1: pretty weighty topic which I think is interesting for any

607
00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:07,640
Speaker 1: kind of a show to tackle. But also what was

608
00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,600
Speaker 1: traditionally a comedy now reimagined as a dramatic series, So

609
00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:15,680
Speaker 1: you all tackle things like police brutality, sexuality, or strange

610
00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,840
Speaker 1: family members, like you really ran the gamut. Can you

611
00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:21,200
Speaker 1: talk about what that process is like in the writer's

612
00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:24,920
Speaker 1: room for how to make those topics feel very real,

613
00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:28,040
Speaker 1: but how you also are encouraging the writers and the

614
00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:32,680
Speaker 1: actors to take care of themselves with those kinds of topics. Yes. Yes,

615
00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:35,920
Speaker 1: so many different themes that were brought out season one

616
00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:39,720
Speaker 1: that we want to continue in season two and difficult ones,

617
00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:41,360
Speaker 1: you know, because it is a drama and trying to

618
00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,320
Speaker 1: find that balance of the dramatic with the lighthearted moments,

619
00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:46,600
Speaker 1: but when we went there emotionally like, we really went

620
00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:50,080
Speaker 1: to places that I think resonated with people and felt

621
00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:53,120
Speaker 1: real with people. In the writer's room, we talk a

622
00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:55,960
Speaker 1: lott a bit about our own experiences personally and how

623
00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:59,640
Speaker 1: we infuse those in the storylines. So that helps me

624
00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:02,480
Speaker 1: where it feels authentic like one person. If two of

625
00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,680
Speaker 1: us are going through it, then other people are going

626
00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:08,080
Speaker 1: through it, and it it means it's worthy of taking

627
00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,400
Speaker 1: the time to talk about. And I do think so

628
00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:13,320
Speaker 1: many times in television there's a tendency to want to

629
00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,000
Speaker 1: wrap things up in an eat little bow and say,

630
00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,200
Speaker 1: all right, we're done with that storyline. Now, let's move

631
00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,400
Speaker 1: on to the next episode. And I know, for me,

632
00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:23,280
Speaker 1: season two wanting to make sure that some of those

633
00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:26,880
Speaker 1: very emotional themes and deeper themes that we started in

634
00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,120
Speaker 1: season one we're not just tied up in a bow

635
00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,560
Speaker 1: and we don't just wash our hands of them and

636
00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,280
Speaker 1: walk away. And I think that mental health story and

637
00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,000
Speaker 1: that story of addiction for Carlton definitely an important one,

638
00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:41,240
Speaker 1: and we could have definitely had him in season two

639
00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:42,680
Speaker 1: just say you know what, I'm going to be a

640
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,920
Speaker 1: new kid. Will's here, I'm happier, I'm in a better

641
00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:48,080
Speaker 1: place off I go to a different storyline, but we

642
00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:51,160
Speaker 1: really wanted to not let that go. And I think

643
00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:55,040
Speaker 1: with all of our stories that touch on deeper themes

644
00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,400
Speaker 1: of trauma, that we want to make sure we don't

645
00:33:57,440 --> 00:33:59,160
Speaker 1: let them go, that we don't let them go, and

646
00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,160
Speaker 1: that we sit with the uncomfortability a little longer, what

647
00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:05,920
Speaker 1: I call taffying out over the season, so that it

648
00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,759
Speaker 1: just feels real, that you don't just get over things

649
00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:11,400
Speaker 1: in an episode, that these are things that are going

650
00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:14,759
Speaker 1: to be affecting our characters for many episodes to come

651
00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:18,160
Speaker 1: in little ways, in different ways, and just making sure

652
00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,360
Speaker 1: that we just sort of sit with the experiences a

653
00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:25,080
Speaker 1: little more. Are there any mental health resources offered to

654
00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:27,280
Speaker 1: the writers and the cast as a part of writing

655
00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:30,399
Speaker 1: on the show or being part of the show. Yes,

656
00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,520
Speaker 1: we definitely have a consulting psychiatrist who provides a lot

657
00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:37,120
Speaker 1: of guidance for us as writers. He reads the scripts,

658
00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:39,440
Speaker 1: he answers questions. I can text him, I can email

659
00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:42,160
Speaker 1: him just to make sure we're getting it right in

660
00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:45,480
Speaker 1: the writer's room, or just to talk about future storylines,

661
00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:46,960
Speaker 1: like we want to do this, we want to talk

662
00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:50,040
Speaker 1: about this does this sound accurate? Does this feel like

663
00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:53,400
Speaker 1: an authentic journey? And so he has definitely been support

664
00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:56,200
Speaker 1: to us and to the actors. The studios made it

665
00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:59,239
Speaker 1: a point to let the cast and the crew know

666
00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:01,520
Speaker 1: that we all of access to a number of mental

667
00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:05,360
Speaker 1: health organizations that can provide guidance and support as needed,

668
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:07,960
Speaker 1: because it's obviously a very important storyline for us to

669
00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:10,919
Speaker 1: be telling on this show and talking about mental health,

670
00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,440
Speaker 1: mental health with this black family, mental health and black boys,

671
00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:16,799
Speaker 1: and just wanting to make sure that we're getting it

672
00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:21,120
Speaker 1: right and providing the right resources as well. Cali, can

673
00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:23,359
Speaker 1: you say more about that process? So that is something

674
00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:25,440
Speaker 1: I've always been personally interested in, and we have a

675
00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:27,359
Speaker 1: lot of therapists of course who will be tuning into

676
00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:29,520
Speaker 1: this conversation who want to know how do I get

677
00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,160
Speaker 1: a role like that? How do I become a consulting therapist?

678
00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:34,319
Speaker 1: Can you say a little bit about like how you

679
00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:36,680
Speaker 1: might find a position like this or what should you

680
00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:38,759
Speaker 1: be doing to trying to get in front of a

681
00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:42,279
Speaker 1: writer's room. Yes, he came through the studio, through the

682
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:46,040
Speaker 1: studio system that he was knowing the topics that we

683
00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,879
Speaker 1: want to handle in this case mental health. But if

684
00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:50,840
Speaker 1: it was any other topic, if we were dealing with

685
00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:53,800
Speaker 1: sexual assault, if we were dealing with other difficult subject

686
00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:56,399
Speaker 1: matters where we want to make sure we're getting it right.

687
00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:59,600
Speaker 1: That comes from the studio where they can provide these resources.

688
00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,040
Speaker 1: As showrunners. We can say, hey, we're talking about this

689
00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:06,160
Speaker 1: issue and this season, or we're talking about this issue

690
00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,319
Speaker 1: this episode, do you have any resources that we can

691
00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,120
Speaker 1: tap into as a consultant, because they want to get

692
00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:13,799
Speaker 1: it right too, and they want to make sure that

693
00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,759
Speaker 1: their shows are serviced. So it really came for me

694
00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:19,200
Speaker 1: through the studio and then wanting to get it right

695
00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:22,160
Speaker 1: and me saying yes, please, I would love to talk

696
00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,080
Speaker 1: to them and have that kind of access to make

697
00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,000
Speaker 1: sure that we're telling the stories in an authentic way.

698
00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:31,480
Speaker 1: And I think that's a huge kudos to you because

699
00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,800
Speaker 1: as a mental health professional, like I think as watchers

700
00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,880
Speaker 1: of shows, we can tell when people have not been consulted, right,

701
00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:40,680
Speaker 1: like there are clear missus when there has not been

702
00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,080
Speaker 1: a mental health professional as a part of the storyline,

703
00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:45,400
Speaker 1: which I think is important when you're dealing with these

704
00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,319
Speaker 1: kinds of shows, especially in marginalized communities. Right when we're

705
00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:51,480
Speaker 1: talking about something like substance abuse and estrangement in a family.

706
00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:54,440
Speaker 1: I think it's important. It's a responsibility I think of

707
00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:56,920
Speaker 1: shows to make sure they're getting that right. Yes, I

708
00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,520
Speaker 1: definitely agree, because people like you said, like yourselves are watching.

709
00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:03,719
Speaker 1: It's an opportunity to get a storyline out there that

710
00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:06,760
Speaker 1: is so important and that we don't see a lot,

711
00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:10,520
Speaker 1: and so I definitely feel that responsibility just to get

712
00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:12,600
Speaker 1: it right. And we don't always get it right, and

713
00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:14,480
Speaker 1: when we do, we hear about it and I know,

714
00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:17,560
Speaker 1: and I'm glad to get that feedback because it's just

715
00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:20,600
Speaker 1: important the nuances of it all, and that there should

716
00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:25,040
Speaker 1: be a responsibility in how we're telling that story. So

717
00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:27,239
Speaker 1: you're already given us a little bit, But what more

718
00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,879
Speaker 1: can we expect for a season two without a giving

719
00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:33,359
Speaker 1: any spoilers? How are you all planning to build on

720
00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:36,560
Speaker 1: some of the major things we saw in season one? Yes? Well,

721
00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,080
Speaker 1: you know season one ended in such a traumatic way.

722
00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:41,719
Speaker 1: Just speaking for Will's character for a second, it ended

723
00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:44,359
Speaker 1: in such a traumatic way for him where he was

724
00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,319
Speaker 1: this kid who came into this family and trusted this

725
00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:50,600
Speaker 1: family and ended the season in a way where trust

726
00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:53,839
Speaker 1: was broken with this family, specifically his trust with Uncle

727
00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:57,560
Speaker 1: Phil who had been a father figure for him all season,

728
00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:02,000
Speaker 1: and then Will's very traumatic confrontation with his own father

729
00:38:02,120 --> 00:38:04,640
Speaker 1: Lou at the end of the season, And so in

730
00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:08,440
Speaker 1: season two, definitely want to in terms of back to

731
00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:11,320
Speaker 1: sitting in an emotional space that doesn't go away easily,

732
00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:14,239
Speaker 1: that that's not gonna be an easy thing for Will

733
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,160
Speaker 1: to deal with in season two, and just seeing how

734
00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:20,600
Speaker 1: he comes back into the Bank's household because he loves

735
00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,080
Speaker 1: them and they are his family, but how does he

736
00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:25,160
Speaker 1: come back a little bit of a different young man,

737
00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,560
Speaker 1: and that he has his guard up a little more,

738
00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:32,000
Speaker 1: he's not so willing to blindly trust like he did

739
00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:34,560
Speaker 1: last season, and that he is trying to make some

740
00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:38,200
Speaker 1: decisions to be a little more independent and create his

741
00:38:38,239 --> 00:38:41,240
Speaker 1: own narrative for his own life without letting the adults

742
00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:44,359
Speaker 1: so easily guide him. But he is only sixteen, so

743
00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:46,720
Speaker 1: that is a recipe, you know, maybe not for good

744
00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,480
Speaker 1: all the time, but to really just sort of explore

745
00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:52,200
Speaker 1: this young man who is still, even though he can't

746
00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:56,120
Speaker 1: articulate it, still feeling that father figure Boid in his life,

747
00:38:56,360 --> 00:38:59,680
Speaker 1: and sort of seeing who he leans into season two,

748
00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,040
Speaker 1: maybe people that he should not be because of the

749
00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,120
Speaker 1: experience that he had last season, and I think for

750
00:39:06,239 --> 00:39:09,760
Speaker 1: Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv, knowing that people really loved

751
00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:13,760
Speaker 1: hearing their stories, wanting to give them some storylines this season,

752
00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,640
Speaker 1: and really all of the characters having an arc this

753
00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:19,600
Speaker 1: season again with Will at the center, but sort of

754
00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:21,719
Speaker 1: looking at all ten episodes is a bit of like

755
00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:24,560
Speaker 1: a movie where we have a beginning milling in for

756
00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,439
Speaker 1: all the characters having an arc, and so we'll see

757
00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:29,960
Speaker 1: Uncle Phil last season he ran for DA and it

758
00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:33,279
Speaker 1: was all about his run for DA, but being able

759
00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:35,279
Speaker 1: to come back this season knowing he dropped out of

760
00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:37,520
Speaker 1: the race and look at what Uncle Phil was doing

761
00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,560
Speaker 1: before he ran for DA, and he had this black

762
00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:42,960
Speaker 1: law firm that he established that has become one of

763
00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,800
Speaker 1: the top black law firms in the country, and sort

764
00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,520
Speaker 1: of seeing him go back to that and explore that

765
00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:52,000
Speaker 1: world with him, and Aunt Viv stepping into this new

766
00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:55,800
Speaker 1: role in her art fellowship and some of the challenges

767
00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:58,720
Speaker 1: that that's bringing, and Hillary stepping in as a boss

768
00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:02,320
Speaker 1: and her new influ ensor house with Ivy and Caruci

769
00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:05,160
Speaker 1: Tran coming back and seeing the two of them try

770
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:07,400
Speaker 1: to start this house together and not always being on

771
00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:11,320
Speaker 1: the same page, and of course Carlton trying to develop

772
00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:14,200
Speaker 1: and evolve that relationship with Will a little bit more,

773
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,160
Speaker 1: and that romance that people were longing for in season

774
00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:20,719
Speaker 1: one that did not really exist, trying to get there

775
00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,959
Speaker 1: in baby steps with Will and Carlton this season, where

776
00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:26,680
Speaker 1: there is an attempt to have a friendship and be

777
00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:29,400
Speaker 1: on the same page and be each other's dynamic duo

778
00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:31,879
Speaker 1: a little bit more. But of course they are two

779
00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:34,640
Speaker 1: different young men, so that will even come with their

780
00:40:34,719 --> 00:40:38,120
Speaker 1: challenges and seeing Carlton sort of step into this new

781
00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:41,480
Speaker 1: role with Will as his sidekick, and it's a little

782
00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:43,840
Speaker 1: bit of be careful way you wish for with Will,

783
00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:46,600
Speaker 1: because he does sort of walk through this world with

784
00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,839
Speaker 1: a little more charisma and people respond to him with

785
00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:53,000
Speaker 1: a little more ease in all different aspects where Carlton

786
00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:56,959
Speaker 1: has a little more trouble adapting specifically with the Black

787
00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:01,560
Speaker 1: Student Union, and Will dragging him along into conversations and

788
00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:05,640
Speaker 1: moments that feel a little uncomfortable for Carlton because Will

789
00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:07,839
Speaker 1: is trying to be more of a friend. So those

790
00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:10,120
Speaker 1: are sort of the broad strokes of a little bit

791
00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:14,080
Speaker 1: of season two. Very exciting. We cannot wait for everyone

792
00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:17,000
Speaker 1: else to check it out and have great conversations around this.

793
00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:20,319
Speaker 1: So you have such an exhaustive resume and have worked

794
00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:22,520
Speaker 1: on so many different kinds of productions. Is there a

795
00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:25,839
Speaker 1: difference between working in a black center, black focus kind

796
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:28,200
Speaker 1: of a show kind of like bel Air versus like

797
00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:30,960
Speaker 1: production in the writer's room for someplace like Good Girls.

798
00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:33,719
Speaker 1: Are their main differences that you've noticed in those two

799
00:41:33,719 --> 00:41:36,520
Speaker 1: different types. Yeah, And I would say it depends on

800
00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:40,440
Speaker 1: the show. There's been some shows that aren't all black casts.

801
00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:43,279
Speaker 1: They have a tendency to shy away from race or

802
00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:45,839
Speaker 1: cultural truths and just sort of do what I say,

803
00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:49,000
Speaker 1: just the color blind storytelling. You would not know that

804
00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:51,040
Speaker 1: there is a black character on the show because they're

805
00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:53,719
Speaker 1: just friends with everybody, or they're just there's not a

806
00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:58,000
Speaker 1: tendency to really want to address some of those nuances

807
00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:01,719
Speaker 1: or to really even tackle race because it feels like, oh,

808
00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:04,000
Speaker 1: that feels said, or that feels like something that we

809
00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:06,239
Speaker 1: don't really want to shine a light on. I do

810
00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:09,160
Speaker 1: think Good Girls was a unique experience because we had

811
00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:12,680
Speaker 1: lots of conversations and our showrunner, Jenna Bands, wanted to

812
00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:15,399
Speaker 1: be intentional knowing we had three Good Girls and one

813
00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:18,640
Speaker 1: of them was black that to be able to when

814
00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:21,600
Speaker 1: it made sense, really make those stories feel authentic. And

815
00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:23,759
Speaker 1: I know we had a black cop on that show

816
00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:26,480
Speaker 1: who was onto them, and there was an episode where

817
00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:28,839
Speaker 1: we really got to have him tell our black good

818
00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:32,319
Speaker 1: girl Poi bay Retta that there's three of you, but

819
00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:34,759
Speaker 1: you look a little different and it's going to be

820
00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:37,200
Speaker 1: different for you, like the system is going to handle

821
00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:39,840
Speaker 1: you a little different. And so that felt like a

822
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:42,239
Speaker 1: good conversation for us to be able to have. Or

823
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:45,359
Speaker 1: they have a black son. There was an episode where

824
00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:48,640
Speaker 1: we talked about him having add and our little black

825
00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:52,319
Speaker 1: boys being so quickly diagnosed with ADD because they moved

826
00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:54,480
Speaker 1: differently in a classroom, they don't sit steel, And so

827
00:42:54,680 --> 00:42:56,880
Speaker 1: being able to have some of those conversations that felt

828
00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:00,480
Speaker 1: like black conversations, you know, on that show felt good.

829
00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:03,080
Speaker 1: But I do think, you know, I've been in situations where, oh,

830
00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:05,960
Speaker 1: we don't really want to touch on the fact that

831
00:43:06,040 --> 00:43:07,960
Speaker 1: we have a black cast member. We're just going to

832
00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:11,160
Speaker 1: make everybody feel kumbaya and not really stop down to

833
00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:16,200
Speaker 1: tell those nuances. Sometimes you mentioned that the cast are

834
00:43:16,200 --> 00:43:17,800
Speaker 1: a lot of the casts had already been chosen for

835
00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:21,359
Speaker 1: Bella before you got involved, but is there a recipe, like,

836
00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:23,359
Speaker 1: if we're wanting to make a hit show, is there

837
00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:26,680
Speaker 1: a recipe for casting that people should be aware of.

838
00:43:26,719 --> 00:43:28,600
Speaker 1: What are you looking for and really putting together in

839
00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:32,080
Speaker 1: a knockout cast? Yeah? I mean we have so many

840
00:43:32,120 --> 00:43:34,359
Speaker 1: new characters this season two in terms of casts, and

841
00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:37,520
Speaker 1: I think what I look for is somebody who brings

842
00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:41,000
Speaker 1: something that you did not see to the audition to

843
00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:43,759
Speaker 1: the role. I think when we're writing scripts, you have

844
00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:46,480
Speaker 1: sort of a preconceived notion of what this person looks like,

845
00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:49,840
Speaker 1: how they talk, how they move, And when somebody comes

846
00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:53,360
Speaker 1: in for a role and they show you something different

847
00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:55,880
Speaker 1: that wasn't on the page, that makes you sort of

848
00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:59,279
Speaker 1: see the character in a different way, or just bring

849
00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:02,279
Speaker 1: something to that character. There's like a spark and you

850
00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:04,719
Speaker 1: kind of know it when you see it, where you

851
00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:07,080
Speaker 1: get like, this is that person you know that can

852
00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:10,440
Speaker 1: play that full range of emotions as well, from the

853
00:44:10,520 --> 00:44:15,200
Speaker 1: funny to the deep more emotion felt scenes. You just

854
00:44:15,239 --> 00:44:17,400
Speaker 1: sort of know it when you see it. But somebody

855
00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:20,480
Speaker 1: who will hopefully take the words and take the material

856
00:44:20,640 --> 00:44:23,960
Speaker 1: and elevate it is the hope. So outside of bel Air,

857
00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:26,560
Speaker 1: what are you watching on TV? What are your current

858
00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:28,680
Speaker 1: favorite shows and some of your favorite shows of all time.

859
00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:32,520
Speaker 1: Oh goodness, what am I watching when there's time to

860
00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:36,920
Speaker 1: watch TV. It's interesting because the things that I gravitate

861
00:44:36,920 --> 00:44:39,600
Speaker 1: to are not the things that I write. But I've

862
00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:44,120
Speaker 1: been watching Abbot Elementary, getting back to like my comedy roots.

863
00:44:44,560 --> 00:44:48,239
Speaker 1: I've been watching Reasonable Doubt created by another fabulous black

864
00:44:48,280 --> 00:44:52,480
Speaker 1: female Arama Mohammad, and Truth Be Told with Miisha Clausen.

865
00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:56,360
Speaker 1: And then totally separate from any kind of like black

866
00:44:56,400 --> 00:45:00,480
Speaker 1: family drama, I really enjoy Ozark. There's some thing about

867
00:45:00,640 --> 00:45:03,960
Speaker 1: that being a family of in these intense situations, just

868
00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:06,520
Speaker 1: trying to survive and with kids that I really like.

869
00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:10,120
Speaker 1: Money Heist was another Spanish drama on Netflix that I

870
00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:14,160
Speaker 1: really like. Just really strong characters. Those are the things

871
00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:18,839
Speaker 1: that come to mind at the moment. Yeah, Oh, Run

872
00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:21,840
Speaker 1: the World in Lovecraft Country those I watched Lovecraft Country

873
00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:25,040
Speaker 1: again for a second time. I really like and Run

874
00:45:25,080 --> 00:45:29,640
Speaker 1: the World so great. That's a great list to get

875
00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:34,520
Speaker 1: people started if you haven't watched any of those. Yes, So,

876
00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:36,720
Speaker 1: if we can, we'd like to play a little behind

877
00:45:36,840 --> 00:45:39,759
Speaker 1: the actors with you about some of the casts of

878
00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:41,200
Speaker 1: Billy Are. So I'm going to ask you a couple

879
00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:43,720
Speaker 1: of questions and you can tell me which cast member

880
00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:47,319
Speaker 1: responds to this. So which actor is most likely to

881
00:45:47,360 --> 00:45:53,279
Speaker 1: have their lines memorize first? Ali definitely Ali. You can

882
00:45:53,320 --> 00:45:55,680
Speaker 1: give him a whole page of monologue and he will

883
00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:59,880
Speaker 1: come in off book ready to go love it. Which

884
00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,640
Speaker 1: actor has excellent ad libs that often end up in

885
00:46:02,680 --> 00:46:06,759
Speaker 1: the show. Jabari Definitely Jabari. He's very funny and he

886
00:46:06,840 --> 00:46:09,920
Speaker 1: brings a lot to the character of Will. That's like, yep,

887
00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:13,280
Speaker 1: that's in the show, that's in the show. He's very funny.

888
00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:15,840
Speaker 1: He's very funny, and a lot of his ad libs

889
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:20,120
Speaker 1: end up on air nice. Which actor's personal style do

890
00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:24,960
Speaker 1: we see shine through in the show? Personal style? I

891
00:46:25,000 --> 00:46:29,239
Speaker 1: would say Jordan, who plays Jazz, has a lot of

892
00:46:29,280 --> 00:46:34,160
Speaker 1: personal style. His personality on set is infectious. And I

893
00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:38,279
Speaker 1: think Cassie who plays on Viv, definitely has a lot

894
00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:41,719
Speaker 1: of style that comes through. She's hilarious and I feel

895
00:46:41,719 --> 00:46:43,880
Speaker 1: like she used to be a stand up comic, believe

896
00:46:43,880 --> 00:46:46,680
Speaker 1: it or not, that we could do a little bit

897
00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:49,080
Speaker 1: more with on VIV and then letting that personal style

898
00:46:49,239 --> 00:46:54,719
Speaker 1: shine through because she's personally just hilarious. So related to Dad,

899
00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:58,399
Speaker 1: who cracks the most jokes on set. Cassie. I think

900
00:46:58,440 --> 00:47:02,719
Speaker 1: Cassie when the camera stopped, she's the one either singing

901
00:47:03,120 --> 00:47:07,319
Speaker 1: or making up a song or cracking the whole crew up.

902
00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:09,960
Speaker 1: And then you call action and she's very serious. Again,

903
00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:12,480
Speaker 1: you would not know that seconds before we called action,

904
00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:15,840
Speaker 1: she was just telling all the jokes. Yeah, that's surprising

905
00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:17,520
Speaker 1: to know she has a history as a stand up

906
00:47:17,520 --> 00:47:20,920
Speaker 1: comedian because she is such a great serious actor. Yes,

907
00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:23,400
Speaker 1: she's so silly and so much fun. She's like the

908
00:47:23,440 --> 00:47:27,680
Speaker 1: best friend you wish you had. So who has an

909
00:47:27,719 --> 00:47:32,239
Speaker 1: incredible talent that we haven't yet seen on the show. Wow,

910
00:47:32,239 --> 00:47:36,880
Speaker 1: that we haven't yet seen. We have such a great cast.

911
00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:41,280
Speaker 1: I think that there's probably more to be seen from

912
00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:45,040
Speaker 1: our dad, uncle phil Adrian Holmes. This season. You will

913
00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:49,560
Speaker 1: see him in a whole different level of acting. For

914
00:47:49,680 --> 00:47:53,359
Speaker 1: Uncle Phil, he brings so much to the show, and

915
00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:56,360
Speaker 1: I think season one we just touched on the things

916
00:47:56,360 --> 00:47:59,400
Speaker 1: in his storylines. Season two you will definitely see a

917
00:47:59,480 --> 00:48:02,719
Speaker 1: different phil Adrian Holmes is just a phenomenal actor and

918
00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:05,160
Speaker 1: he gets to go a lot deeper into his storylines

919
00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:07,839
Speaker 1: and his character in season two. So I would say

920
00:48:07,880 --> 00:48:10,840
Speaker 1: probably Adrian and based on some of your other answers,

921
00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:12,520
Speaker 1: I think I may know the answer to this, which

922
00:48:12,520 --> 00:48:15,920
Speaker 1: she might surprise me. Which character is the most unlikely

923
00:48:15,960 --> 00:48:18,400
Speaker 1: actor that portrays them and in what ways are they

924
00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:24,160
Speaker 1: really different? Alli, because he does come across as this

925
00:48:24,360 --> 00:48:28,480
Speaker 1: very dark, troubled young man on the show and behind

926
00:48:28,520 --> 00:48:31,960
Speaker 1: the scenes he's definitely just so lovable and happy and

927
00:48:32,080 --> 00:48:36,560
Speaker 1: fun and just shows up ready to go every day.

928
00:48:36,680 --> 00:48:41,360
Speaker 1: But he does play this very dark, serious, heavy menacing

929
00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:45,319
Speaker 1: villain and he's just not that person at all at all.

930
00:48:46,680 --> 00:48:48,000
Speaker 1: So I don't know if that's who you were thinking

931
00:48:48,000 --> 00:48:50,040
Speaker 1: about that I was. I was thinking Cassie since she

932
00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:57,080
Speaker 1: talked about her being such a comedian. This has been

933
00:48:57,160 --> 00:49:00,200
Speaker 1: so delightful, Quitely, thank you so much for sharing all

934
00:49:00,200 --> 00:49:03,000
Speaker 1: of this incredible information with us. We cannot wait to

935
00:49:03,000 --> 00:49:06,239
Speaker 1: tune into season two. So tell our community where can

936
00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:08,360
Speaker 1: we stay connected to you? Do you have a website

937
00:49:08,440 --> 00:49:11,479
Speaker 1: or social media handles you'd like to share? Oh? Yes,

938
00:49:11,719 --> 00:49:17,200
Speaker 1: my website is Babycakes Productions, Inc. Ianc dot com and

939
00:49:17,239 --> 00:49:22,600
Speaker 1: then I'm on Instagram and Twitter at c M Waddles Perfect.

940
00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:24,439
Speaker 1: I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't

941
00:49:24,440 --> 00:49:26,520
Speaker 1: ask you. Is there anything else? That we should keep

942
00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:28,919
Speaker 1: our eyes out from you for your production company. Any

943
00:49:28,920 --> 00:49:32,560
Speaker 1: new projects that are on the horizon, Well, we'll see

944
00:49:32,600 --> 00:49:35,040
Speaker 1: what happens after. You know, bell Air is gonna premiere

945
00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:37,520
Speaker 1: February twenty third, and then I have a few shows

946
00:49:37,520 --> 00:49:41,040
Speaker 1: in development that I'll pivot to now that bell Air

947
00:49:41,200 --> 00:49:43,759
Speaker 1: is often running, So we'll see, I mean, look for

948
00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:46,759
Speaker 1: more for Babycakes productions, but I'm hopeful that some good

949
00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:52,440
Speaker 1: stuff will be coming soon. I'm so glad Carla was

950
00:49:52,480 --> 00:49:54,480
Speaker 1: able to join us today to chat all about her

951
00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:57,560
Speaker 1: work and season two of bell Air. To learn more

952
00:49:57,600 --> 00:49:59,520
Speaker 1: about her or to stay caught up on all of

953
00:49:59,560 --> 00:50:02,759
Speaker 1: her project, visit the show notes at Therapy for Blackgirls

954
00:50:02,800 --> 00:50:06,000
Speaker 1: dot Com slash Session two ninety six, and don't forget

955
00:50:06,040 --> 00:50:08,399
Speaker 1: to check two of your girls right now to tell

956
00:50:08,480 --> 00:50:11,319
Speaker 1: them to check out the episode. If you're looking for

957
00:50:11,360 --> 00:50:14,600
Speaker 1: a therapist in your area, check out our therapist directory

958
00:50:14,680 --> 00:50:18,239
Speaker 1: at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash directory. And if

959
00:50:18,280 --> 00:50:20,600
Speaker 1: you want to continue digging into this topic or just

960
00:50:20,719 --> 00:50:23,440
Speaker 1: be in community with other sisters, come on over and

961
00:50:23,560 --> 00:50:26,360
Speaker 1: join us in the Sister Circle. It's our cozy corner

962
00:50:26,360 --> 00:50:29,080
Speaker 1: of the Internet designed just for black women. You can

963
00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:32,160
Speaker 1: join us at Community dot Therapy for Blackgirls dot Com.

964
00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:35,200
Speaker 1: Thank y'all so much for joining me again this week.

965
00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:38,200
Speaker 1: I look forward to continuing this conversation with you all

966
00:50:38,400 --> 00:50:40,479
Speaker 1: real soon. Take it care,