By Darlene
Donloe
NBC’s The Carmichael Show isn’t one of those
formulaic sitcoms.
Yes, it’s funny!
But, to its
credit, the second year sitcom show goes beyond the obvious funny. It takes the
funny a step further by tackling issues that other sitcoms would shy away from.
Previous shows have taken a hard look at religion, police protests and gun control. One of the subjects this season
focuses on gentrification, while the show’s opening “very special episode” will
address the Bill Cosby controversy. Not
necessarily a rib tickler.
The Carmichael Show is inspired by the real life of Jerrod
Carmichael, a stand up comedian who decided to write about his North Carolina
family. Joining Carmichael in his
comedic quest are Amber Stevens West, Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish and veteran
actors David Alan Grier and Loretta Devine.
I recently
caught up with Grier (DAG) and Devine (LD) and had a spirited conversation
about their careers and diversity in the entertainment industry.
David Alan Grier
DD: How has your
industry changed from the time you started until now?
DAG: When I
started in 81, they used to have a player’s guide, a book that went to all of the
casting director. You played a fee. You
had a picture of yourself. You clarified yourself – either leading man, ethnic,
character actor, whatever. It was a catalog of actors. It was the big Bible. It
was how you got known. You had to physically hand someone your picture or
mailed it. It was always hopeful. All of
us were leading men. You could be 100 years old and still put down that you
were a leading man. Now it’s all
digital. When I talk to students – now you have your own website. The last time
I produced and cast a series – I could punch up an actor on my IPad. I can see
their work. I can cast right from there. Or a casting director can send me a
zip drive. The ability for actors to
have their own voice, as opposed to going through an agent or a casting
director or any kind of directory. Your
message would get filtered or muted.
You’re too this or too that. There is a lot of power now that we didn’t
have when we started out.
Loretta Devine
LD: Also, a big difference is there are so many
different kinds of outlets for talent now. When I was coming up you just wanted
to get on NBC or ABC or one of the stations. And you just knew you ever got
into a movie you would be a star, which is absolutely untrue. Nowadays a movie
is in the theater two weeks unless it’s a big hit or a big studio movie. As a black actor you are often doing an
independent film. The biggest films I’ve
been in that have won big awards were independent films where you made very
small amounts of money. I’ve had an
extraordinary career. I have always worked.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t employed doing voiceovers or a
musical or a play or TV – these are all different outlets. So, if one didn’t
click you just moved to the other. You
try to do all of them. Now you have reality television. The industry is so
different now. There is this whole thing about having a lot of followers. You
have to Tweet all the time. You can get
cash because you have the most followers, not because you have the greater
talent or passion for it. I’m tweeting
now. I’m Instagramming. I haven’t Periscoped yet.
DAG: I’m not
that ambitious.
(l-r) Loretta Devine, Jerrod Carmichael and David Alan Grier
on the set of The Carmichael Show
DD: Lets talk about diversity. Are you encouraged
or discouraged about your industry?
DAG: You know
what, listen, I’ll put it like this, it’s going to take more than a minute. I’m
59 years old. When Loretta and I were talking the other day
for most of my career black actors were nominated or won like once every 10
years.
LD: Ooh, longer
than that. More like 25 years.
DAG: I think 30
actors of color have won the Oscars in the history of Oscars, you understand. I
remember reading Sidney Poitier’s This
Life and thinking, if he did it in the 50s somebody is going to break
through. This is when I was with the Negro Ensemble. We didn’t know who it was
going to be. We didn’t know it would be Denzel (Washington). Eventually
something is going to happen. At this point it’s good to keep pressing and
bringing things up. But, I don’t think anything is going to change. There is
already push back from 85-year-old members of the Academy who haven’t voted in
10 years and aren’t, in anyway, active.
They refuse to relinquish their seats.
It’s a known fact that the types of roles that black men and women are
honored for by the Academy are most of the time stereotypic roles. I remember watching Driving Miss Daisy and
barely being able to hear the dialogue because of all these white folks crying and sniffling
and choking. I’m like – that’s the way it is. That’s been common knowledge
among actors. If you want an Oscar®,
play a slave, play a one-armed slave, a one-armed, mentally challenged slave –
something like that. There are exceptions. But this is something artists of
color already know.
Amber Stevens West and Jerrod Carmichael
LD: There are
many exceptions. And, you’re right.
What he said is so true. There
has been Hattie (McDaniel) and Whoopi (Goldberg) 25 years later. Whoopi was the second woman to get an award.
What the Oscar® does for you is afford you A-list work or in the A-list
movies. It’s very hard to get in those
movies. You don’t see many black people
in those movies. The black folks you
see who get in those movies, like Octavia (Spencer) and Whoopi, then you
get cast for taking care of all the little white kids. Whoopi’s movies after
that, she must have saved about 55,000 white kids. But when you’re an actor,
you just want to work so bad. You want
to make a good living for your family. You know the truth of everything. You’re hoping in some way that you can change
it. Thank goodness for the black movies. In my career I’ve gotten to do drama
and comedy. A lot have been all black movies. Movies like, Death At A Funeral, The Preacher’s
Wife and This Christmas. So, you
get a chance. But, it’s still not the A-list movies. You’re not even allowed to
audition for these things. We’re not
even a part of this big thing called Hollywood.
But, I’ve done over 100 films and I can’t remember when I auditioned for
the A-list movie and they are doing them everyday. And, so you go, is it going
to change? What’s going to change it?
DAG: Here is the most telling thing. I want to end on a positive. I remember
watching an interview with Denzel Washington and the interviewer said, “Who is
the next Denzel Washington? We have the
next Brad Pitt.” And he said very pointedly,
“No one is looking for the next Denzel Washington.” And, that’s the problem.
LD: That’s
positive, David?
DAG: No, but
when we started - there was one black star. There was Eddie Murphy who took
over for Richard Pryor. You had Denzel. I mean those were the only two
guys. Now there is a lot more work, not
in film, but in television – this is a very rich time. Television is getting it
more right than other mediums. There is
diversity – black, white, gay, straight.
For so long it’s a much broader subject than just black and white. I want to see the world in which I live. I
encounter all different kinds and shapes, races, sexual preference – all that
just in my everyday life. That’s not an extraordinary thing. There are millions of people who live in that
world – so I just want to see that world represented.
(l-r) Amber Stevens West, Jerrod Carmichael, Loretta Devine,
Rel Howery (standing) and David Alan Grier
LD: I feel
television has had to do that because it has so much competition with cable
stations. There are other things that
people can look at. If you’re not going to show me myself, I will go somewhere
else and see myself. Oh, so we better
diversify so everybody can come to the party So, I think in a way their hands
have been forced. But films, films are going to have to change in a way because
of the internet. We will just be streaming. The music industry has also
changed. People have so much to look at.
They don’t have to go to the movie house – it’s not necessary anymore. So I
think the diversity has to come.
The Carmichael Show premieres at 9 p.m., Sun., March 13 on
NBC. It stars Jerrod Carmichael, David
Alan Grier, Loretta Devine, Amber Stevens West, Tiffany Haddish and Rel Howery.
