Creators/stars Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle, plus designer Ariyela Wald-Cohain, share behind-the-scenes tidbits from a Harlem Rennaissance-meets-'Downton Abbey' sketch, 'The Last Dragon' re-do and more.
In the first episode of "Sherman's Showcase," a musical sketch comedy series that premiered last summer on IFC, executive producer and regular guest star John Legend opened with an intro narration: "For over forty years, 'Sherman's Showcase' has been a revolutionary Black music, slash dance, slash entertainment program — unlike anything else on TV, except... for several other shows.
"It's important for us to continue to share that joy, that laughter, with intelligence and with an eye to what's going on in the world. But people still need to laugh and enjoy themselves," Legend said during an "ATX TV… from the Couch!" panel in early June. "I think it's important that we show the fullness of what it is to be Black and human. Through our art, we're able to do that.
"We wanted it really be just a celebration of color and our virtual 'Sherman world' that we've created," she explains. "It's a unique universe where nothing is totally true or accurate." alongside Riddle, he applauded the talents, resourcefulness and hard work of the costume designer especially given the show's limited "budget" — which is actually called out in the lyrics of the spectacular's finale number.
"My mom made clothes when I was growing up," Salahuddin explains. "I grew up not only watching my mom sew, but also reading everything from haute couture trades to Mirabella — deep in the weeds fashion magazines. So I have very — not high standards. That's wrong. Nothing high standards about me. But I do have very specific tastes and I did know what I needed from the Sherman character and knew it couldn't be generic.
The timing of this cultural history-meets-fashion debut also felt eerily prescient after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and fellow Democrats decided to "add some Kente" at the U.S. Capitol last week. "My cell was blowing up that morning," says Riddle.
"It's never explained, but we have a reason for it [to be revealed] in any future special — or season two," says Riddle, again, seeing into the future.
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