Tru TV Gets Funny with a New Sketch-Comedy Series
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SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014 Actress Mia Maestro, Georgia and Natalie Brown attend the premiere of FX’s “The Strain” at DGA Theater. — AP/AFP photos Tru TV gets funny with a new sketch-comedy series re you brothers? Or twins?” a reporter asked come- mix it up best. The seven-strong “Friends of the People” has given the show creative freedom. And as the lone woman dians Keith and Kenny Lucas. “Both, I think,” replied troupe is reminiscent of the racially diverse cast of Fox’s “In in the group, she said she felt like just one of the guys (who “AKeith (or was it Kenny?) in a way that made every- Living Color” sketch show of two decades ago. The young also include Lil Rel Howery and Josh Rabinowitz), as both a one laugh. The Lucas twins were gathered with five fellow comedic “Friends” include five black men, a white man and a performer and a writer. funny people at the summer TV critics’ tour to talk about their white woman, who came to the series as a fully formed unit: “A writers room can be a competitive place, not like a warm new sketch-comedy series, “Friends of the People.” Among They had known and performed with one another for years. hug at all,” she noted. “But ours is a supportive room.” other ways, the show is distinguished by the network it will air “We were all at the Montreal Comedy Festival, and we were And their common goal, all agreed, is to mine laughs, with on, truTV, where it premieres Oct. 28 for a 10-episode season. bored,” Jermaine Fowler said. “We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be no particular focus on racial issues. TruTV is broadening its focus in a new upbeat direction, great to put together a show?’” “We were all good friends and Showrunner Neil Punsalan pointed to “In Living Color” as a adding not just comedy but, among a slate of upcoming proj- respected each other,” Kevin Barnett said. show he loved watching 20 years ago. “It didn’t feel like a ects, a wacky competition series, “Fake Off,” which pits teams “We were together a lot, so why not get paid to do it?” show about race. It was just funny,” he said. “And I think that’s against each other to re-enact famous moments in pop cul- cracked Keith Lucas. Chris Linn, truTV president, acknowl- what we’re trying to do.” — AP ture. Yet another series, “Branson Famous,” goes behind the edged that his network might not have been the obvious scenes of a long-running variety show in Branson, Missouri, for choice for this series to call home. what the network bills as TV’s first-ever reality musical. “But we want truTV to be a creator-driven network,” he Other shows include “Kart Life,” which takes viewers into said. “We told them, ‘We’re gonna give you some general the world of kart racing, and “The Shake Up,” a competition parameters. Then run with it.’” series that pits bar owners against each other to learn who can Jennifer Bartels agreed with the rest of the cast that truTV.