Photo Credit: Ryan West

ATM: During your years of junior high leading into high school, what were representations you saw on television?

KS: Wow, let me think. My favorite show during this time was Sanford & Sons. I loved all the Norman Lear shows like Good Times and The Jeffersons. These were the shows that became must see T.V. We could not wait to see them. Not only these shows, but I also remember getting up on Saturdays to watch Soul Train. You wanted to watch Soul Train because you wanted to hear the music, see the dancing and the clothes. As a young black girl, I really gravitated to these types of shows because of these reasons. It gave me inspiration to know I can see me on T.V. one day.

ATM: Explain your fascination with black power in comedy while also growing up during the 80s.

KS:  There were a lot of things that were not funny, so this gave us an opportunity to laugh. It gave me a chance to break away from what I had to look at while growing up in East Oakland, which was my apocalypse. Like when people ask, “Are you a fan of horror?” I would not say, “I was a fan of horror or zombies,” because I grew up with crackheads. These were my zombies. I had to deal with this growing up. Comedy was a nice outlet. It was familiar to our culture. We joaned each other. This was how we greeted each other. I do not know if we were a hugging family, but we were a joaning family.

ATM: How did the presence of Red Fox and Richard Pryor impact the black comedy era?

KS: If anything, then it opened the door. Red Fox is one of my favorite comedians. Along with comedians George Carlin, Joan Rivers, and Richard Pryor before saying Eddie Murphy. This is only because Richard Pryor opened the door for Eddie Murphy. Absolutely, Bernie Mac. Eddie Murphy is my all-time favorite. You cannot come for this guy. Especially, when he first came on the scene and worked on Saturday Night Live. Also, another comedian was Garrett Morris. He was the first brother I saw on Saturday Night Live. These comedians gave me inspiration that television was changing and opening up.

Fast forward to today’s comedy, come on look at the numbers that comedians are doing at arenas? Look at what Kevin Hart is doing at his shows! It is amazing and fantastic. I would always hope that Richard Pryor had gotten to see the progression of black comedy for himself. This just lets you know comedy is so powerful that it does not matter what you look like. You just have to be funny.

ATM: How did comedy immerse itself into the black family?

KS: We innately do it in our culture and it is just our outlet. This is how we play with one another without physically touching. It is like “I care about you.” In our culture, when we show affection with one another, we tease them. This is why I am not surprised that the comedy is a thing that is highly dominated by a culture. The family that will laugh together, will usually lie together.

ATM: During the 80s, compare how social classes were portrayed in white families and black families on television in comedy?

KS: In Happy Days, they stayed to goddamn happy. I did not believe it. Nobody is this goddamn happy. However, the “truth” aspect about Good Times was what dominated this show. The stories were accurate but at the same time, the characters and us watching always found a way to laugh about it and come together. For me, Good Times was about showing the times that were good and the times that were not.

ATM: Express the poor stereotyped lifestyle or scenery put on black families during this time.

KS: They depicted the thought of what they thought our lives were like. Some of it was accurate. The people that got to laugh the most, were the people who were hurting the most. The stereotype was, “Everyone who was broke watched Good Times.” Well, I was one of the broke ones watching Good Times. This refurbished demographically and it was accurate. There is a stereotype in our culture about our history being a little wonky and not being accurate. The generation after me does not know enough of the history that I know. This is intended to be on purpose. If you understand your history and truth, then you shall rise.

A good example of a show that showed a positive and new look at a black family was The Cosby Show. It showed us the types of things that we needed to progress out of these stereotypes. We needed to see that there were colleges like HBCUs that would accept, honor, teach, and educate us about our culture. Also, The Cosby Show exhibited a bigger conversation about what our culture enjoyed within themselves. It displayed us running colleges and making sure education was really happening for our children.

Based on our history, we carry the past of our people through blood, sweat, and tears. We owe them to change this world around and allow our culture to be a force that is not only embraced but honored. So, if it is through comedy, then so be it.

However, if you get rid of books, then people will not read. The stereotype is “If you want to hide something, then put it in a book.” But history is our power. The beautiful thing about us culturally is that throughout history we’ve had to learn how to survive and how to be with one another. Half of the time we had to do it with communicating through laughter. Back in our history, when the forced immigrants came here, we did not speak the same language. So, we had to learn and figure out how to communicate together. If you are still in a quandary and confused about our history, then you will not be going anywhere, but where they tell you to go. But for those who were not confused, but open to being engaged in black comedy shows like Good Times and later The Cosby Show saw how we stayed together.

ATM: What did your role on the Bernie Mac Show expose about the American black wife and marriage?

KS: They wrote a very loving and supportive wife. My character showed women how to be behind their men even if they did not agree. Whereas, culturally, in my opinion, we do not know how to emotionally have a great conversation. We are still emotionally scared and wounded. You must let all of this go when in a marriage. The show showed that your spouse is your best friend and lover.

Okay, an example of a good American black couple are Barack and Michelle. They are a team. I am so proud of Barack for not having sex with anyone else. I am glad he did not do what most presidents do. When you have power, they always go male on you. Now, a bad example would be us not forgetting, John F. Kennedy not staying away from Marilyn Monroe. Could you blame him? No. Honestly, if you are the president, then it is rude and an abuse of power. The woman’s view is “How am I going to say no to the president? I am in the Oval Office. You do not have to roofie me. Just tell me what you like.”

So, to continue with expressing a good example is telling you how Barack did not abuse his power sexually. I appreciate it as a female. This made their marriage an even more wonderful example of an American black couple. This connection was something Bernie Mac and my character Wanda McCullough had. Another example would be Phylicia and Bill. All these black marriages showed what it means to be a team and how to honor your woman. But, personally, I have never been married. I am not going to do it. I am not sure I would be a Wanda McCullough. I am glad they wrote it.

ATM: Umm.

KS: You said “Umm.” Where are you from?

ATM: I am from Washington, DC. It was not to be rude.

KS: No, you are thinking. It is the colloquialism. You can always tell when someone is thinking. It is habitual. I would say you have family in the South?

ATM: Yes, I do.

KS: My mother does the same thing. You sound related.

ATM: I would assume that while you were young, you talked amongst your friends at school about hopes and dreams. What did you envision about life?

KS: I grew up as a child in the Black Panther Party. I had chosen to be a lawyer. I wanted to help correct some of the crookedness. I soon found out as I got older there is no such thing as this. You can make an impact or significant change by making a small change. For me, I realized at a certain point – Am I doing this for me or because I want to do something for people? It was not for me. When you get to a certain age, you have to realize you have to live for you. The way you live for you is the way you can absolutely help others. This is what I got. I got back to understanding I am more of a creative person. Creatively, I can do some things to help move my culture forward. I can be in the entertainment business and perform for jobs.

End of Part 1