Issa Rae Reflects On Black TV Show Cancellations, Says She’s Considering The Indie Route–‘Our Stories Are Less Of A Priority’

Bossip
Video

Issa
Rae
is
just
like
the
rest
of
us,
displeased
with
the
onslaught
of
Black
TV
shows
getting
unceremoniously
canceled.

Source:
Frazer
Harrison
/
Getty

After
being
asked
about
the
current
television
landscape,
the
multi-hyphenate
told

PORTER
Magazine
that
it’s
“obvious
that
our
stories
are
less
of
a
priority.”

“It’s
made
me
take
more
steps
to
try
to
be
independent
down
the
line
if
I
have
to,”
said
Issa
whose
own
show

Rap
Sh!t
was
inexcusably
canned.

In
a
wide-ranging
interview
with
author/journalist
Otegha
Uwagba,
Issa
Rae
spoke
on
numerous
topics
including
not
only
cancelations,
but
her
work
in

American
Fiction
which
is
now

Oscar
nominated
for
Best
Picture.

Issa
Rae
Talks

American
Fiction

In
it,
Issa,
39,
plays
a
bestselling
author
named
Sintara
Golden.
Issa
told

PORTER
that
she
relates
to
her
character’s
antagonist,
fellow
novelist
Thelonious
“Monk”
Ellison,
played
by
Jeffrey
Wright.

Monk
believes
Golden
is
poisoning
the
community
by
profiting
off
of
harmful
Black
stereotypes
and
Rae
remembers
feeling
that
same
way
in
her
YouTube
beginnings.

“I
found
[the
script]
so
relatable,
so
funny,
so
perfectly
satirical,”
said
the
Hoorae
creator.
“Because
I’ve
been
Monk,
and
I
remember
in
the

Awkward
Black
Girl
days
–
and
even
prior
to
that
–
feeling
so
enraged
about
what
wasn’t
being
made,
and
being
mad
at
who
was
in
the
spotlight
at
the
time
because
I
was
like,
‘I
know
we’re
so
much
more
than
what’s
being
presented
here.’
I
recognize
that
hunger,
of
just
wanting
your
work
to
be
seen
and
attacking
the
wrong
targets.”

Still,
Issa
told

PORTER
that
she
has
sympathy
for
Sinatra
who’s
made
to
be
a
sell-out
in

American
Fiction
because
she
felt
forced
to
pander
to
white
biases
to
get
ahead.

“I
completely
understand
it
and
I
agree
with
[Sintara’s]
point
that
[Monk’s]
ire
should
be
directed
towards
the
white
audiences
that
put
very
specific
work
about
Black
people
on
this
pedestal,
as
opposed
to
more
diverse
representations
of
Blackness,”
said
Issa.

“I
don’t
think
it’s
a
secret
that
many
white
audiences
and
critics
tend
to
reward
traumatizing
depictions
or
their
own
biased
perceptions
of
what
Blackness
is.
It’s
frustrating.”

Also
frustrating
for
the
entrepreneur
is
the
current
TV
landscape
that’s
currently
changing
as
we
see
fewer
Black
stories
being
greenlit.

Issa
Rae
Speaks
On
Black
TV
Show
Cancellations

Writer
Otegha
Uwagba
pointed
out
that
Issa’s
expressed
concern
about
how
industry
changes
like
streaming
services,
and
the
influence
of
“profit-chasing”
Wall
Street
investors
could
be
at
work,
and
Issa
doubled
down
on
her
worries.

“It’s
already
happening,”she
told

PORTER.
“You’re
seeing
so
many
Black
shows
get
cancelled,
you’re
seeing
so
many
executives
–
especially
on
the
DEI
[diversity,
equity
and
inclusion]
side
–
get
canned.
You’re
seeing
very
clearly
now
that
our
stories
are
less
of
a
priority.”

She
continued
and
noted
that
she’s
taken
steps
to
ensure
she
can
create
projects
more
independently
if
need
be.

“I
am
pessimistic,
because
there’s
no
one
holding
anybody
accountable
–
and
I
can,
sure,
but
also
at
what
cost?
I
can’t
force
you
to
make
my
stuff.
It’s
made
me
take
more
steps
to
try
to
be
independent
down
the
line
if
I
have
to.”

In
case
need
a
refresher,
Black
shows

Ultimately,
Issa
told

PORTER
that
she
sees
a
life
of
service
in
her
future
as
she
works
as
a
philanthropist.

“This
is
fun,”
she
said
referring
to
her
Hollywood
career,
“but
at
some
point,
it’ll
feel
like
not
enough
–
and
I
want
to
be
able
to
do
more.”

What
do
YOU
think
about
the
onslaught
of
Black
TV
show
cancellations?

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