People often associate Asian American parents with the racist and harmful stereotype of the “tiger mom,” characterizing them as strict and boring. But William Paik (Weinberg ’20) said he seeks to challenge these depictions in his work as a comedian — painting a new picture of his parents as funny and empowered people, while still.
"A Black Lady Sketch Show," the first series of its kind entirely written by, directed by and starring Black women, returned for a third season of its absurdist shtick Friday on HBO.
Mara Brock Akil brings her unique vision of life and love to Netflix
February 24, 2021
Mara Brock Akil (Medill â92) still remembers the first time she made an audience laugh. As a freshman at Northwestern, she volunteered to help some friends in the Black sketch comedy group Out Da Box with a show. A member of the group encouraged her to write a sketch, and despite her initial protests that she was a journalist, not an entertainment person, she ended up writing a parody of Mike Tyson and Robin Givensâ then-recent marriage.
âThe first laugh was a high I will never forget,â Akil said. âPeople responding to my work in the places I imagined they would, it was the first hit of, maybe this is something new.â