Lena Waithe & This is Us
Like many of you, I first discovered the talented Lena Waithe in the Netflix original Master of None. She was a standout in the first season, with her witty lines and funny delivery, and she fit in effortlessly with the cast of characters assembled in the series. It was all the more surprising, then, when I read that Lena's character, Denise, was originally supposed to be a straight, white woman and potential love interest for the character of Dev. Fortunately casting director Allison Jones sent Lena in to audition for the part, and they ended up changing course and building the character of Denise around Lena (most of the actors play "heightened" versions of themselves). Not only did this bring a better dynamic to the series' core friend group and escape the cliché of will-they-won't-they romance between two main characters, but it also allowed Lena to shine on-screen. And in season two of the series, she gets to truly take the lead in the episode Thanksgiving. Set during many years of the holiday, it tells the story of Denise coming out to her friends and family. It's based on Lena's own experience and she co-wrote the episode. No surprise, it was one of the best of the entire series. Lena went on to win an Emmy for writing the script, making her the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing. Lena, who started her career as a writer for Bones, the YouTube series Twenties and the web series Hello Cupid, has now created her own series, called The Chi, based on her experiences growing up in Chicago. While Lena doesn't appear in the Showtime series herself, it's clear through watching that her voice is a large part of the show. She wrote the series' pilot, as well as other episodes, and also serves as an executive producer. The show tells the story of a group of people growing up on the South Side and delves into the intersection of their lives. You’d think showrunning a cable series would keep her pretty busy, but in her spare time, Lena also managed to guest star on an episode of This is Us, book a role in the upcoming Spielberg flick Ready Player One and co-produce the Netflix movie Step Sisters. And I'm sure for Lena, who is mastering it all, that it's just the start.
Bonus Pick: Check out an episode from last month's Fresh Air to hear more about Lena's experiences growing up in Chicago, her love of The Wizard of Oz, what inspired The Chi and writing Thanksgiving. And in an interview that came out immediately after the debut of Master of None Lena talks with Vogue about the casting process, breaking into the TV writing scene and being compared to another twenty-something television writer with the same first name...
As Seen on TV
Note: If you're not caught up on This is Us, this quick recap avoids any significant plot points, but the links below do contain spoilers.
For the longest time, I tried to resist the magnetic pull of This is Us. I was tired of hearing people compare it to Parenthood (one of my all-time favorite shows, which I’m sure I’ll get into another time). I was frustrated with the commercials telling viewers how much they were going to cry next week, and I was concerned the show's much-teased plot twists would overshadow any hope of real character development. But last week, while watching the highly anticipated post-Super Bowl episode, I had a change of heart and a bit of an epiphany. I realized that, for me, the fanfare surrounding This is Us was overshadowing the concept and message of the show. A few weeks ago, I read an interview with series creator, Dan Fogelman, where he talked about the show's thesis, which can be summed up in a scene from season one of the series. In it, Kevin explains a painting that he made about what life looks like. He talks about how everyone in life is connected, and even when people leave, they're always part of the picture and their impact carries through in ways that you don't yet realize. During last week's episode, I saw that vision take hold in a beautiful way. And it made re-evaluate exactly what the show was doing and the story they'd been building over the last year. So if you haven't tuned in yet, I encourage you to start from the beginning. Don't get bogged down in the buzzed about mysteries, and instead, enjoy the beautiful picture that's right in front of you.
Haven't You Heard?
In 2010, I tuned into American Idol for the first time ever. I obviously love Kelly Clarkson (I have a heart!) but for some reason, I never felt inclined to watch on a regular basis. But one thing to make me instantly throw away all of my better judgement and start watching a reality show late in the game is when I have someone to root for. In 2010, Lee DeWyze made his debut on the series, and I had to watch. A native of the Chicago suburbs, my hometown was buzzing with the news that one of our own was appearing on the show. As Lee progressed further and further in the competition, he worked his way up to a hometown concert, when he made it to the top three. The look of genuine appreciation that Lee had on his face during the show he performed at Arlington Park is one that I won't easily forget. He stood onstage with his guitar thanking everyone profusely, singing extra songs and promising that regardless of the outcome, he'd come back and thank us again for all of our support. Months later, he made good on his promise and returned to give another concert for his hometown -- this time as the winner of American Idol. In the years since, Lee has become one of my favorite artists. Following his win, he released Live it Up, which has it's moments (give Brooklyn Bridge a listen) but doesn't quiet have the genuine Lee DeWyze feel to it that his later records and some of his pre-Idol recordings do. After switching record labels, his later two albums, 2013's Frames and 2016's Oil & Water, are true masterpieces and demonstrate his depth as a musician. Frames, Don't Be Afraid, Again and Learn to Fall are some of my favorite tracks off of the two albums, but you should take the time to listen to both in full and make room for many repeat listens in the future. While Lee co-wrote all songs on his first post-Idol album, most of the ones on Frames and Oil & Water were written by Lee alone. And it shows. The writing is sincere and personal, and the instrumentation matches this feeling and never overpowers him with too much production or synth. On Friday, Lee is releasing his newest album, Paranoia, and I'm excited to hear how he builds on the sound from his last record. Last December, my boyfriend and I traveled to Frederick, Maryland, a small town in the middle of nowhere, to see Lee perform again. It was an intimate crowd of about 50 in a small theater, and we sat front row, because there were no assigned seats and we got there very early. Afterwards, there was a meet-and-greet, and I got to talk with him and tell him that I had seen perform many years ago in Arlington Heights. He was delightful and so humble, and I saw that same look of genuine appreciation that I did many years ago, as Lee said he saw us sitting in the front row and thanked us so much for coming. I was thrilled to get to hear the music live -- as I believe it's almost always better this way. No sound mixing. No background singers. Just Lee on stage with his guitar.
Bonus Pick: In an interview with AXS, Lee shares more insight into his new album. And to read more about Lee's entire journey, check out this intimate Elmore Magazine conversation.
Required Reading
I have a confession. I still haven't seen hit summer movie Girls Trip. I know, I know, I'm behind. But I did watch star Tiffany Haddish introduce the Oscar nominees on TV a few weeks and was obsessed with her running commentary throughout the process. Despite not receiving an Academy nod herself, Tiffany was still the person everyone was buzzing about after the nominations were announced. I've read a lot of celebrity interviews in my life, but hands down one of the best I've ever seen is this Vulture talk with Tiffany. In it, she spills about her crush on Michael B. Jordan, meeting Beyoncé and her love of Groupon.
And speaking of girl power, I'm ending with a toast to the ladies in one final read for the week. I came across this review from NPR, and now I cannot wait to check out the book: Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship. I was hooked after reading the title alone, because how many times have we ladies had this conversation with our friends? Through interviews and personal stories, the book explores the ways in which friendships between women turn into key support systems. The review highlights the importance of these connections, which often go on to be some of the most influential relationships of our lives.
