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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 12 July 2017
Comedy auteurs who write, act, direct could hit Emmy jackpot

By LYNN ELBER and Rae’s “Insecure” re- the running for its sixth and remains TV’s bigger hurdle, names including Cleaver
AP Television Writer flect their perspectives as final season on HBO. as it has from the medium’s (“Leave it to Beaver”) and
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When African-Americans. The Emmy Awards are set early days. Nelson (“The Adventures of
Emmy Award nominations Netflix’s sophomore “Mas- to air Sept. 17 on CBS with When “The Dick Van Dyke Ozzie and Harriet”).q
are announced Thurs- ter of None” already host Stephen Colbert. Show” debuted it 1961, it As TV and culture historian
day, multiple champagne David Marc observed in a
toasts may be in order for 1989 article , America as
a multitasking troupe of sit- depicted in 1960s sitcoms
com stars. had become so white,
Aziz Ansari, Donald Glover Anglo-Saxon and Protes-
and Issa Rae are among tant that, on “Father Knows
those who lead shows Best,” the Anderson fam-
they also created or co- ily’s “seemingly Hispanic
created, write and some- gardener (played by Na-
times even direct, and who tividad Vacio) goes by the
could reap a welcome name of Frank Smith!”
embarrassment of Emmy Two sitcom-topping come-
riches. dians, Lebanese-American
They are TV’s comedy au- Danny Thomas and Joey
teurs, with people of color Bishop, who was Jewish,
and women well-repre- were the rare exceptions,
sented in their top ranks. while no shows about
While it took the industry black, Asian or Latino
decades and new plat- American families aired
forms like streaming to give until “Julia” arrived in 1968
them opportunities, the with Diahann Carroll star-
TV academy isn’t wasting ring as a widowed mom.
time in granting deserved Fast forward to today. Get-
recognition. ting Ansari cast in “Mas-
As with its big-screen sib- This image released by HBO shows Issa Rae in a scene from “Insecure.” Rae, Aziz Ansari and ter of None” wasn’t an is-
ling, the Oscars, the Emmys Donald Glover are among those who star in shows they also created or co-created, write and sue, Yang said, given his
are under pressure to give sometimes even direct. Associated Press credentials as a writer, a
diversity its due, said Tom stand-up comedian and
O’Neil, author of “The Em- an actor on TV sitcoms,
mys” and editor of Gold boasts a 2016 Emmy for “Definitely, ‘Girls’ was re- was creator Carl Reiner’s including “Scrubs” and
Derby, an awards handi- Ansari and Yang for best ally influential,” said Yang. second stab at the sitcom. “Parks & Recreation.”
capping website. writing, as well as nods that “When was the last time a The first, a pilot titled “Head Put his experience to-
“The Emmys need to dem- year for best comedy se- female creator in her mid- of the Family” and starring gether with that of Yang,
onstrate that they’re rele- ries and for Ansari as actor 20s got to make her own Reiner as Rob Petrie, didn’t an executive producer on
vant in a modern, rainbow- and director. HBO show? That doesn’t evoke network interest. shows including “Parks &
spanned world,” O’Neil FX’s “Atlanta” and HBO’s happen. You might have In interviews, Reiner has Recreation,” and “Master”
said. “If they fail, then lib- “Insecure” are in their first a 25-year-old star, but to said he realized he was proved to be “one of the
eral Hollywood looks like all year of competition, with have that person also be wrong for the role of a New easier sells,” he said.
talk, no sincere action.” Glover already the winner creator and director and York City comedy writer The distinctive voice that
“Master of None” is the of a Golden Globe in Janu- writer, it showed it could and family man. Reiner, Ansari had developed
brainchild of Ansari, the ary for best comedy actor work.” While the series was who is Jewish, certainly through his comedy gigs
South Carolina-born son and Rae earning a Globes pivotal for the multi-tal- wasn’t right for TV then: The was part of the appeal to
of immigrants from India, nomination as best actress. ented Dunham and other year the show debuted, Netflix: “It’s the specificity
and Alan Yang, his Asian- The matriarch of this ex- women hoping to follow virtually all family sitcoms and of the point of view,
American creative part- panding auteur family, her, it drew fire for its all- featured stringently non- and the authenticity,”
ner. Glover’s “Atlanta” Lena Dunham’s “Girls,” is in white lead cast. Ethnicity ethnic characters with sur- Yang said.q

Wiz Khalifa’s ‘See You Again’ now

most-viewed YouTube video

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — for Korean rapper Psy’s Puth also earned a con-
Move over, “Gangnam 2012 smash “Gangnam gratulatory message from
Style.” YouTube has a new Style,” which held the most- YouTube star Tyler Oakley,
top-viewed video of all viewed title for five years, who called the feat “leg-
time. YouTube said. endary & epic.”
Wiz Khalifa’s video for “See Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” sits in Wiz Khalifa said in a state-
You Again” featuring Char- third place, more than 250 ment that he’s happy the
lie Puth became the site’s million views behind the song has been able to “in-
most-watched video Mon- leaders. spire and impact so many
day and has more than Puth reacted with sur- lives.”
2.896 billion views as of prise on Twitter , noting that “See You Again” was re- In this March 12, 2016, file photo, Charlie Puth, left, and Wiz Khal-
Tuesday. he joined YouTube in 2007 leased in 2015 as a tribute ifa perform at the Kids’ Choice Awards at The Forum in Ingle-
That’s about 2 million hoping to make a video to late “Fast and the Furi- wood, Calif.
more than the video that would hit 10,000 views. ous” star Paul Walker.q Associated Press