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THe North shore weekend
Waithe looks to catch new wave of television
10/12 – 10/13/13
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Lena Waithe
photography by brad hammer
■ by katie rose mceneely Originally from Chicago and Evanston, Lena Waithe is a Los Angeles-based writer, producer and director. She’s producing the satirical film “Dear White People,” now in production in Minnesota, and is working on a pilot project for “Twenties,” a television coming-of-age narrative about three black women. Reading: I still go back and read Mindy Kaling’s book, “Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me? And Other Concerns,” and I want to read Iyanla Vanzant’s book, “Peace from Broken Pieces.” Listening: Wale, Big Sean, and Janelle Monáe. Watching: A documentary called “Stories We Tell,” and I’ve been watching “Copper,” a BBC show streaming on Netflix. Tessa Thompson, one of the actresses in “Dear White People,” is in that, and I really like it. Following: I’m following a group of poets called “The Strivers Row” who were on HBO’s “Brave New Voices.” They’re a group of spokenword poets. They’re very Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston. And they have a Web documentary series of them travelling to schools and preforming spoken-word poetry. Also, too, I’m into the whole Netflix TV show trend: “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards,” the new season of “Arrested Development.” It’s a new way of television, and it’s all about cutting out the executive — it’s very exciting to people like me, who don’t make commercial projects. I’m also very interested in crowdsourcing and Kickstarter — it’s the new wave of putting the power in the audience’s hands. Back in the day you had artists who created art and it was so interesting and thought-provoking that audiences gravitated towards it. Now it’s the studio determining what people want.
With “Twenties,” it’s more about making your voice heard. I think if we can get this show on the air just by plain old word of mouth — that’s the new wave of television. It’s a trending topic. People were talking about it, and that’s what network TV has lost. Cable still has it, but network shows? People don’t talk about that. For me, what are people responding to? What’s creating conversation? With “Twenties,” I’m asking people: would you watch this? Art should create a dialogue. Activity: I’m a person who likes to write poetry —I’ve never performed it, but it’s kind of a vacation from the structured writing I normally do. Poetry is a free-fall, a freestyle. I’m also on set for “Dear White People” every day. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, so you should follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@ DearWhitePeople). The writer/director, Justin Simien and I are coming up with a few Web series that we’re collaborating on. One’s an extension of “Dear White People,” the other follows the lives of a couple of gay black men. I want people to keep sharing and talking about “Twenties,” to keep it part of the conversation. Things are brewing and things are percolating, but we aren’t there yet. Eating: I’ve been eating everything under the sun. What is your favorite mistake? I think there’s a thing people say — it’s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. And I make decisions very fast, I don’t take a lot of time. I go with my gut, which can be a mistake. But other times, it’s worked to my benefit. Your first mind is usually your best, and there are often times where the gut reaction has been “yes.” I enjoy that thing about myself — it’s who I am. It’s a favorite of mine, and I think I’m known for it. I accept it. Our failures form us. ■
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