Ann MarieA Black Lady Sketch Show creator and actress, Robin Thede, is offering some valuable advice to other comedians and creatives hoping to launch their career in entertainment.
Thede, a former head writer for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, tells ABC Audio that the first step in making a name for yourself is to work on your craft.
“I think you’ve got to learn how to write, if you’re gonna be a comedian,” Thede says. “I’m a sketch comedian, I’m not a stand-up. Never have been. Wrote for stand-ups, but I am a sketch comedian.”
“If you love sketch comedy, do that,” she continues. “Don’t be pushed into stand-up if you don’t want to do that.”
According to the former BET late-night talk show host, another important part of becoming successful in comedy is identifying your voice and specific narrative.
“Really hone your voice so that it’s marketable so that when the time comes and Issa Rae says, “What do you have?,” and HBO says, “What do you have?” You have that thing that is uniquely yours,” Thede says.
“You know, don’t try to be me,” she explains. “Try to be the best version of you.”
Of course, if you’re having trouble doing that, Thede says there are plenty of great “examples” to follow.
“Use me as an example. Use Shonda [Rhimes]. Use Ava [DuVernay]. Use Lena [Waithe]. Use Issa,” she says. “But, find what makes your story unique. Don’t try to change who you are to be somebody else. You come from the hood, you come from money, wherever you come from, that’s your story. And use it.”
Thede’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, also starring Quinta Brunson, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Issa Rae, is available on demand on HBO.
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