When the award for Outstanding Comedy Series is announced at next month’s Primetime Emmy Awards, the team behind the ABC’s hit sitcom “Black-ish” hope that the Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross led comedy gets its due.
The comedy about a well-to-do Black family living in the suburbs is nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for the second year in a row.
The show faces stiff competition in “Modern Family,” “Veep,” “Master of None,” “Atlanta,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Silicon Valley.” “Black-ish” is one of the few that are on network television, something that Barris is campaigning for. Only “Modern Family” is on ABC as is “Black-ish.” “Atlanta” is on FX, “Kimmy Schmidt” and Master of None” stream on Netflix while “Silicon Valley” and “Veep” are on HBO.
“We want an Emmy,” Kenya Barris told reporters during a recent press event. “I always take the backseat, because I think that’s the higher road to take, but I’m going to say it this time. I want it for my crew, for myself and because I grew up watching network television. “I love Donald Glover. “We are friends, I think his show is amazing. I love Aziz [Ansari, co-creator of ‘Master of None’], I love Alan Yang. All of these people, I’m friends with, and they’ll have their time. But the days of network television are numbered.”
“Black-ish” is nominated for three Emmy- awards for Comedy Series and for Lead Actor and Lead Actress in a Comedy series for stars Anderson and Ross.
For Ross, her second Emmy nomination is important. It’s been 35 years since an African-American actress won in the category. Having won the Golden Globe this year, Ross has a little practice.
“This is for all the women of color and colorful people,” Ross said in her Golden Globes speech. “Whose stories, ideas thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important. But I want you to know I see you, we see you. It’s an honor to be on the show “Black-ish” to continue expanding the way we are seen and known…and the show the beauty, the magic and the sameness of the stories that are outside of where the industry usually looks.”
Ross is nominated alongside “Better Things”‘ Pamela Adlon, “Mom‘s” Allison Janney, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” star Ellie Kemper, “Veep‘s” Julia Louis-Dreyfus and “Grace & Frankie” co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
“Black-ish” returns this fall on a new night, Tuesday, October 3 September on ABC.
The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday, September 17 on CBS. For a full list of nominees, click HERE.
