White Famous

This is really good. Snappy writing, funny, and convincing characters. The title refers to the main character's chances of 'crossing over' to universal appeal, and his struggles along the way. It's also a good commentary on how things work in Hollywood, particularly the clumsy way white people behave in front of black people. I hope we see a second season, there's lots more to explore.

Pros:

Utkarsh Ambudkar who plays Malcolm, the Indian talent agent is excellent and would have been a more likable lead than Jay Pharoah.

The Hollywood/Los Angeles sights and scenes are more interesting than the script.

Cons:

There seems to be a lot of anti-white rhetoric and stereotypes. It frankly makes it uncomfortable to watch. It is blatant and one sided.

The writing is weak and many of the jokes and scenes are recycled from the 90's. An example is the scene in the pilot where the white guy mistakes Jay Pharoah for the valet at a restaurant and hands him his keys. (Stolen from Curb Your Enthusiasm).

I am not sure how this show got the green light? The show just isn't funny and injecting A list celebrities like Jamie Fox towards the end of the 1st episode just looks like you are trying to make up for something.

It is hard to be hip and get a green light. This is not Insecure or Atlanta.

Someone tried to concoct a romantic stud Black hipster man-child comic sipping Slurpies as a good Dad and loving his baby mama while Makin' it in LA.

Too many cooks spoiled this soup.

The series is predicated on Jay Pharoah's struggle for success, but it's difficult to root for him when he doesn't seem particularly deserving of it, on a personal or professional level.

He has an unhealthy relationship with his ex, Sadie (Cleopatra Coleman), in which he would prefer she not see anyone else while he is free to date. He berates his agent, is negligent toward the son he and Sadie share and constantly self-sabotages in meetings with directors and producers. On top of that he is fixated on race and makes sure to make every non-black character he comes in contact with well aware of his polarized views.

This is funny. Pharaoh is entertaining and the writing is smart PROVIDED that you realize that it is a part of the same showbiz universe that Californication exists in. A lot of it is tongue in cheek, but I'm sure it's closer to the reality of Hollywood in some respects than some people realize. I will say this: it's A LOT better than Showtime's "I'm Dying Up Here."