I’ve
already said/admitted to many things on this site that would greatly endanger
my membership in the black race. Here’s another: I don’t and have never watched
Girlfriends.
In fact, you probably haven’t either, but here’s the deal. It is currently the
longest running live-action sitcom on the air. A quiet giant, if you will.
Premiering in 2000 on UPN, the show initially came off as a cheesy black redux
of Sex
and the City notable only for the fact that Kelsey Grammar, of all
people, produced it. Since then, it’s supposedly evolved, and despite changing
time slots and network neglect – even now at its new home at The CW – this show
has outlasted a lot of critically-acclaimed darlings. Of course, I’m just
establishing cred for it here, which has nothing to do with quality. Fucking According
to Jim ran for almost as long and outlasted almost as many infininitely
better shows, and I’d rather watch the left side of my body disintegrate than watch
that. I don’t feel quite as strongly about Girlfriends, but every time I tried
to give the show a chance, the cheap slapstick and persistent laugh track drove
me away. Still, I couldn’t deny it was a cut above most “black” sitcoms, which
is both admirable and sad at the same time.
Anyway,
Grammar was the most visible behind-the-scenes figure, but the creative engine
for the show was and is husband-and-wife team Mara Brock and Salim Akil. The
longevity of the show has earned them some creative capital, and they plan to
spend it with The Weinstein Company’s urban banner in partnership with BET
(Bafflingly Egregious Television), Our Stories Films (Sigh. Asian films get
Dragon Dynasty. We get Our Stories? Booooo). The banner’s brand new, and the
Weinsteins are looking to give the Akils a prime slot at beginning by having
them write, produce, and direct an untitled story about a woman left at the
altar who starts a business to investigate the dog husbands (You know they’re all dogs, right, guuuuurl?)
of high-powered successful women. The story comes from the quite
imaginary-sounding team of Capricorn Clark and Priya Scoggins, and will be
co-produced by banner head Tracy Edmonds, the ex-wife of Babyface and possibly current
(he moves quick, you know) squeeze of Eddie Murphy.
While
this will be the first theatrical outing for Our Stories and the Akils, it’s
not the first feature for Our Stories. They’re popping their cherry with the
amazing-sounding Big Boi vehicle entitled Who’s Your Caddy?, the title and
star of which alone should be enough to make you watch. Who cares what it’s
actually about? Rent that shit, fool!