Earlier this week HBO released the first trailer for its newest foray into sketch comedy, A Black Lady Sketch Show, which not only sports a hilarious core cast but will also feature a litany of famous faces. The series will be produced by Issa Rae of one of HBO’s other premier comedies, Insecure, as well as executive produced and written by Robin Thede, former head writer of Larry Wilmore’s Nightly Show. Most recently Thede hosted her own late-night comedy show on the BET network titled The Rundown but has since moved on to a different kind of scripted comedy. Entertainment Weekly reports that the show is set to premiere at 11pm on August 2 on HBO.
Thede is also set to star in the series as one of the main cast members alongside Ashley Nicole Black (Full Frontal With Samantha Bee), Quinta Brunson (iZombie), and Gabrielle Dennis (Luke Cage). In addition to the leading cast members, the trailer gives audiences a glimpse of the star-studded special guest line-up, including Angela Bassett (American Horror Story), Patti Labelle (Star), Aja Naomi King (How To Get Away With Murder), Gina Torres (Suits), Lena Waithe (Master Of None), and others.
The official logline of the show claims that it is a “narrative series set in a limitless magical reality full of dynamic, hilarious characters and celebrity guests.” Some of the other guest stars featured in the trailer include Khandi Alexander (CSI:Miami), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Deon Cole and Marsai Martin (black-ish), Laverne Cox (Orange Is The New Black), Loretta Devine, David Alan Grier, and Lil Rel Howery (The Carmichael Show), Tia Mowry (Sister, Sister), and even Larry Wilmore (The Nightly Show). And since this is only the first trailer, viewers are sure to expect even more surprising faces.
Thede first tweeted about the show back in January, lamenting the lack of black women featured in television comedy. This is something that is often noted by Saturday Night Live fans and foes, considering in the last televised year (2018-2019), Ego Nwodim became the seventh black woman cast in the show’s nearly fifty-year run.
Watch the trailer for A Black Lady Sketch Show below.