Page 14 - aruba-today-20210114

a14 people & arts
Thursday 14 January 2021
‘Wildly silly,’ perceptive Amber Ruffin earns TV spotlight

By LYNN ELBER thing is my working hard
AP Television Writer and hopefully doing a
LOS ANGELES (AP) — If good job.
you’re someday in need of AP: Amid demands for di-
a plus-one to liven an un- versity, a number of Black
promising party, consider women are coming into
Amber Ruffin. In fact, skip their own as success-
the party and just hang with ful writers, producers and
Ruffin, whose weekly com- performers, including you,
edy show is proving her to Robin Thede and Issa Rae.
be excellent company. Why do you think that’s the
Ruffin’s exuberant charm case?
can and should lure you in Ruffin: Most of the Black
to Peacock’s weekly “The women I know take care of
Amber Ruffin Show,” but what is wrong, and no mat-
expect humor that’s inci- ter what their job is, they’re
sive and impressively deft, doing four people’s jobs.
including on race, politics They’re always making sure
and the sunny side of life, that everything’s taken
such as it is. care of, and when no one
A memorable moment else will do it, it falls to us. I
from Ruffin’s show last fall think once people started
was a lullaby she sang oh- This image released by Peacock shows Amber Ruffin from the comedy series “The Amber Ruffin hiring Black women to write
so-sweetly: “The sun has Show,” available on the Peacock streaming service. on shows, they realized we
set, it’s time to go to bed. Associated Press won’t just take care of the
Brush your teeth and rest forth as ably as Amber can, interview has been edited your ultimate goal was? things you asked us to hand
your sleepy head. When and that’s been on full dis- for clarity and length. Ruffin: Everything that hap- in. We’ll produce the (ex-
you wake in the morning, play on our show and even AP: What pulled you out of pens to me is a surprise. I pletive) out of stuff. I think
you’ll rise and do your best. more so on hers.” your hometown and to Chi- did not see myself ever go- people are slowly realizing
Then in November, your Tarik Davis, her longtime cago to pursue a career in ing to New York. And when that is Black women be-
vote will be suppressed.” comedy partner and an comedy? I got this job writing for Seth, havior, and then once you
Trained in improv and a actor and singer, is Ruf- Ruffin: I used to improvise in I knew people wrote for put some money behind
writer on NBC’s “Late Night fin’s game sidekick through Omaha and it was very fun, late-night shows, but you it, whoa, baby, we’ll do all
with Seth Meyers” since jokes, skits and duets. and we would go to Chi- just don’t hear a lot about the work.
2014, Ruffin was ready for The Omaha, Nebraska, na- cago to do the Chicago that and certainly don’t AP: Your sister has made a
her star turn on Peacock: tive spoke with The Associ- Improv Festival, which was hear about Black people habit of keeping notes on
The streaming service or- ated Press about her start a big deal. You set to see doing it, so it just didn’t her encounters with rac-
dered 10 additional epi- in entertainment, how she real improvisers you only occur to me that it was a ism, at work and elsewhere.
sodes of the weekly show and other Black women ever heard stories about. thing. Then when I got this How did you decide that
that debuted last fall, with are making their mark, and So one year I’m there and job, I thought, ‘Oh, I’m just would make for a book?
new half-hours released on the book Ruffin wrote with Charna Halpern, who runs never going to know what Ruffin: When something
Fridays. her sister, Lacey Lamar, the iO Theater in Chicago, is the next thing.’ I don’t try racist happens to her, she
Ruffin easily shifts from “wild- about routine brushes with said, ‘If you move here, to guess and I don’t try to calls me on the phone, and
ly silly to incredibly insightful racism — and yes, “You’ll you’ll have a full-time job plan anything. But I have to she’ll be telling the story
and moving,” Meyers said. Never Believe What Hap- within a year.’ And she was be trying to do a very good and I’ll be doubled over
“There are very few people pened to Lacey” is funny right, I did. job, because it seems like laughing and crying be-
that can swing back and as well as eye-opening. The AP: Did you know what that what’s driving every- cause it’s hilarious. q
Tom Hanks heads TV special celebrating Biden’s inauguration

By MARK KENNEDY song “Better Days,” add- ing together as a nation to
AP Entertainment Writer ing: “This song was our heal and rebuild.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Tom way of doing what little we The inauguration will look
Hanks will host a 90-minute could to encourage every- different from other presi-
primetime TV special cele- one to stay hopeful.” dential inaugurations be-
brating the inauguration of The special will be broad- cause of last week’s riot
Joe Biden as president of cast live on ABC, CBS, at the U.S. Capitol. Secu-
the United States, with per- CNN, NBC and MSNBC rity will be extremely tight
formances by Justin Tim- beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET around the area.
berlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi on Jan. 20. It will also be The event was already go-
Lovato and Ant Clemons.“I streamed live on YouTube, ing to be pared down be-
was left speechless when I Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, cause of COVID-19; Biden
was asked to perform! “ Lo- Amazon Prime Video, Mi- had asked supporters to
vato wrote on Instagram. crosoft Bing, NewsNOW, say home and watch from
Clemons was also effusive: DirectTV and U-verse. afar. In keeping with crowd
“To say that this is a dream According to producers, size restrictions to slow the
come true, would be an the show “will showcase spread of the virus, tra-
In this Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, file photo, Tom Hanks arrives
at the People’s Choice Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los understatement!” Timber- the American people’s re- ditional activities like the
Angeles. lake said he and Clemons silience, heroism, and uni- parade and the inaugural
Associated Press would perform their new fied commitment to com- balls will be virtual.q