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White Famous
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| White Famous | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Tom Kapinos Chris Spencer Buddy Lewis |
| Starring | Jay Pharoah |
| Composers | Dhani Harrison Paul Hicks |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Jamie Foxx Jamie King Tom Kapinos |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | Aggressive Mediocrity, Inc. Foxxhole Productions Lionsgate Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime |
| Release | October 15 – December 10, 2017 |
White Famous is an American sitcom starring Jay Pharoah, based on the life of Jamie Foxx, which aired on Showtime from October 15, 2017, until December 10, 2017.[1]
It is co-created by Tom Kapinos, Chris Spencer and Buddy Lewis, directed by Tim Story and Foxx, who will also be a recurring guest star.[1]
On December 29, 2017, the series was canceled after one season.[2]
Premise
[edit]White Famous follows a talented, young African-American comedian, Floyd Mooney, whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to cross-over toward becoming “'white famous.'”[3]
The series is set in the same universe as Kapinos's previous show, Californication, and features some secondary characters from that series.
Cast and characters
[edit]- Jay Pharoah as Floyd Mooney
- Utkarsh Ambudkar as Malcolm
- Cleopatra Coleman as Sadie Lewis
- Jacob Ming-Trent as Ron Balls
- Lonnie Chavis as Trevor Mooney
- Meagan Good as Kali
- Stephen Tobolowsky as Stu Beggs
- Natalie Zea as Amy Von Getz
- Michael Rapaport as Teddy Snow
- Jack Davenport as Peter King
- Lyndon Smith as Gwen
- Jamie Foxx as himself
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Tim Story | Teleplay by : Tom Kapinos Story by : Tom Kapinos, Chris Spencer & Buddy Lewis | September 29, 2017 (online) October 15, 2017 (Showtime) | 0.154[4] |
| 2 | "Heat" | Tim Story | Tom Kapinos | October 15, 2017 | 0.129[4] |
| 3 | "Woo" | Tim Story | Tom Kapinos | October 22, 2017 | 0.196[5] |
| 4 | "Appetites" | Ken Whittingham | Tom Kapinos | October 29, 2017 | 0.266[6] |
| 5 | "Life on Mars" | Millicent Shelton | Tom Kapinos | November 5, 2017 | 0.339[7] |
| 6 | "Wolves" | Michael Lehmann | Tom Kapinos | November 12, 2017 | 0.297[8] |
| 7 | "Duality" | Seith Mann | Tom Kapinos | November 19, 2017 | 0.271[9] |
| 8 | "Make Believe" | Michael Lehmann | Tom Kapinos | November 26, 2017 | 0.222[10] |
| 9 | "Scandal" | Seith Mann | Tom Kapinos | December 3, 2017 | 0.287[11] |
| 10 | "Zero F**ks Given" | Tim Story | Tom Kapinos | December 10, 2017 | 0.333[12] |
Reception
[edit]The first season of White Famous was met with a mixed to negative response from critics. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, as of January 2018, the first season held a 58% approval rating with an average rating of 5.64 out of 10 based on 26 reviews.[13] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 54 out of 100 based on 20 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Petski, Denise (August 8, 2017). "'White Famous' & 'SMILF' Get Premiere Dates On Showtime – TCA". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ 'White Famous' Is Done at Showtime After One Season (Exclusive) The Hollywood Reporter, December 29, 2017
- ^ Petski, Denise (December 30, 2017). "'White Famous' Canceled After One Season At Showtime". Deadline. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (October 17, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.15.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 24, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.22.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 31, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.29.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 7, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.5.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 14, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.12.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 21, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.19.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 29, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.26.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 29, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 5, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.3.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 12, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.10.2017". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
- ^ "White Famous: Season 1 - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ "White Famous: Season 1 - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
External links
[edit]White Famous
View on GrokipediaDevelopment and Production
Conception and Premise
White Famous originated from an idea by Jamie Foxx, inspired by his own trajectory from stand-up comedy to mainstream Hollywood stardom, and was scripted by Tom Kapinos, the creator of the series Californication.[9] Showtime commissioned a pilot episode on June 1, 2016, positioning it as a potential half-hour comedy exploring fame's racial undercurrents.[9] [10] The network issued a full series order on January 9, 2017, greenlighting production as a co-venture with Lionsgate Television.[11] The core premise centers on Floyd Mooney, a skilled African-American stand-up comedian enjoying niche success in urban comedy circuits, who encounters mounting pressure from his agent and industry gatekeepers to pivot toward "white famous" status—defined as achieving widespread, crossover appeal among white audiences.[12] This pursuit satirizes the trade-offs involved in Hollywood's racial dynamics, where Mooney grapples with diluting his authentic voice, navigating stereotypes, and balancing personal integrity against commercial viability in a system that rewards assimilation over unfiltered cultural specificity.[6] [7] The narrative highlights causal tensions between artistic autonomy and the performative adaptations often demanded for broader recognition, reflecting Foxx's executive producer insights into such career negotiations without directly mirroring his biography.[11]Casting Process
Jay Pharoah was cast as the lead Floyd Mooney, a rising African-American comedian, in early 2017, shortly after Showtime greenlit the series on January 9. Pharoah, known for his impressionist work on Saturday Night Live from 2010 to 2016, brought comedic timing honed through sketches satirizing celebrities and cultural figures, which aligned with the show's premise of navigating racial dynamics in Hollywood fame.[13][6] Supporting roles were filled progressively during pilot development and pre-production. In August 2016, Utkarsh Ambudkar was cast as Malcolm, Floyd's manager, and Megalyn Echikunwoke as a key series regular, selected to embody the interpersonal and professional tensions central to the satire.[14] By June 2017, recurring positions went to Michael Rapaport as network executive Teddy Snow, Jack Davenport, Lyndon Smith, Cleopatra Coleman, and Lucien Laviscount, chosen for their ability to portray industry archetypes that highlight Hollywood's typecasting and opportunity disparities without reinforcing stereotypes.[15] Jamie Foxx, drawing from his own career experiences as an executive producer, appeared as himself in two episodes, serving as a meta-commentary on mentorship and industry navigation rather than a traditional agent role. Guest spots, including Jacob Ming-Trent as the confrontational Ron Balls, emphasized performers capable of delivering sharp, race-inflected humor, prioritizing authenticity over conventional casting to underscore the series' critique of performative diversity in entertainment.[16]Filming and Creative Decisions
Principal photography for the single season of White Famous occurred primarily in Los Angeles, California, leveraging the city's urban and entertainment locales to ground the series' satire of Hollywood dynamics. Specific shoots included the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook and areas in West Hollywood during July 2017.[17][18] Showrunner Tom Kapinos, drawing from the irreverent style of his prior series Californication, shaped the script's tone to deliver a candid, unvarnished critique of industry hypocrisy and ambition, with production wrapping in advance of the October 13, 2017, premiere.[19][20] Creative choices emphasized raw authenticity, incorporating frequent crude dialogue, racial epithets such as the N-word, and depictions of sexual encounters to mirror the profane underbelly of stand-up comedy and celebrity ascent, eschewing softened portrayals in favor of behavioral realism.[21] Executive producer Jamie Foxx contributed insights from his own trajectory as a Black entertainer, ensuring narrative fidelity to the professional and racial pressures encountered by aspiring comedians of color, as the project originated from his experiences in navigating fame.[19][12]Cast and Characters
Lead Performers
Jay Pharoah stars as Floyd Mooney, a talented young African-American stand-up comedian whose career is on the cusp of mainstream breakthrough, compelling him to balance his authentic voice rooted in urban experiences with the compromises demanded by broader appeal in Hollywood.[1][22] Pharoah, known for his impressions on Saturday Night Live, draws on the series' premise—loosely inspired by real comedian trajectories—to depict Mooney's internal conflicts over "selling out" versus capitalizing on opportunities like film auditions.[6] Utkarsh Ambudkar portrays Malcolm, Floyd's ambitious manager of Indian-American descent, who navigates agent politics and deal-making to propel Mooney's ascent amid industry barriers.[23] Complementing this, Jacob Ming-Trent plays Ron Balls, Floyd's steadfast friend and postal carrier, offering candid perspective to counterbalance the temptations of fame.[24] Jamie Foxx recurs as a fictionalized iteration of himself, embodying an established entertainer whose interactions highlight mentorship dynamics and the pitfalls of celebrity influence on emerging talent.[25][6]Supporting and Guest Roles
Jacob Ming-Trent portrayed Ron Balls, Floyd Mooney's street-smart manager and confidant, whose opportunistic maneuvering through Hollywood deal-making satirized the exploitative dynamics between talent and handlers in the entertainment industry.[24] Utkarsh Ambudkar played Malcolm, Floyd's pragmatic best friend and occasional voice of caution, providing comedic counterpoint to the temptations of fame by highlighting the cultural and personal costs of crossover success.[26] Cleopatra Coleman depicted Sadie Lewis, Floyd's ex-partner and co-parent, whose grounded perspective and intermittent romantic tension underscored the series' critique of how celebrity disrupts intimate relationships without delving into Floyd's formative history.[27] Recurring roles further amplified the parody of industry archetypes, such as Michael Rapaport's Teddy Snow, a fast-talking white executive whose aggressive pitches exemplified the commodification of black talent for mainstream appeal.[15] Jack Davenport appeared as Peter King, a polished British agent navigating high-stakes negotiations, embodying the detached, cosmopolitan gatekeeping prevalent in Hollywood power structures.[15] Guest appearances by established figures intensified the satirical edge, including Jamie Foxx playing a version of himself in multiple episodes to lampoon self-referential celebrity mentorship and the blurred lines between authenticity and performance in fame.[28] Malcolm-Jamal Warner guest-starred as Nelson Youngblood, a venerated black comedy legend offering wry advice on racial navigation in the business, critiquing generational compromises without romanticizing industry elders.[29] Other episodic guests, such as Natalie Zea as talent agent Amy Von Getz and Stephen Tobolowsky in the pilot, contributed brief but pointed portrayals of opportunistic intermediaries, reinforcing the show's episodic jabs at transactional Hollywood relationships.[4]Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
The first season of White Famous consists of ten episodes, airing on Showtime from October 15, 2017, to December 10, 2017, with the premiere featuring the first two installments simultaneously.[30][31] The narrative progresses from Floyd Mooney's initial career crossroads triggered by a viral incident to escalating professional temptations, personal conflicts, and public scandals, culminating in renewed opportunities amid fallout.[31]| No. | Title | Air Date | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot | October 15, 2017 | Stand-up comedian Floyd Mooney encounters a viral racially charged confrontation with a producer, presenting a career advancement that challenges his artistic integrity and family life.[31] |
| 2 | Heat | October 15, 2017 | Agent Malcolm urges Floyd toward a sitcom emphasizing racial stereotypes; meanwhile, Floyd's son Trevor visits an elite school, and ex-girlfriend Sadie discloses a prior romance with Malcolm.[31] |
| 3 | Woo | October 22, 2017 | Floyd wavers on committing to the "Angry Black" pilot upon learning Sadie's boyfriend will co-star; Malcolm contends with a competitive agent, and Floyd's affair with the network president's wife endangers his prospects.[31] |
| 4 | Appetites | October 29, 2017 | Floyd and collaborator Balls negotiate script differences; producer Stu discloses a dire diagnosis, and a dinner hosted by executives Peter and Amy unveils hidden tensions.[31] |
| 5 | Life on Mars | November 5, 2017 | Floyd's disruptive conduct at Trevor's school jeopardizes enrollment; this incident prompts repercussions for Sadie and strains Malcolm's agency ties.[31] |
| 6 | Wolves | November 12, 2017 | Stu enlists Floyd to salvage the "Angry Black" project; displaced Malcolm relocates to Floyd's home, while Amy manages fallout from an assault by her husband.[31] |
| 7 | Duality | November 19, 2017 | Discovering co-star Robbie in a compromising situation, Floyd consults mentors; Sadie readies a musical performance, drawing attention from singer Kali toward both her and Floyd.[31] |
| 8 | Make-Believe | November 26, 2017 | Floyd participates in Kali's music video shoot; Malcolm courts a dancer client, and friction builds between Stu and Floyd as Balls grapples with personal loss.[31] |
| 9 | Scandal | December 3, 2017 | An incriminating video of Floyd circulates online, straining his bond with Kali and provoking backlash within the Black community; Stu provides sanctuary amid the uproar.[31] |
| 10 | Zero F**ks Given | December 10, 2017 | Another viral clip propels fresh career prospects for Floyd; Sadie weighs a professional proposal, and Balls attempts a romantic connection.[31] |
