Almost a year ago, I wrote what is probably the most glowing review I've ever given to a show made by Black creators on network that primarily marketed to Black people. Shows made "for us, by us" have to be held to higher standards if they're meant to be taken seriously in what is still mostly a predominantly white media landscape. The recipient of said praise was season one of the Bounce dramedy Johnson, created, written and executive produced by Atlanta native Deji LaRay, who also stars. In this interview with LaRay and executive producer Eric Rhone we get down to brass tacks about how their partnership works, what to look for in season two, why Johnson strikes a chord and the importance of depicting Black men with emotional intelligence. This is especially significant because, Rhone points out, "As African American males, we are like everyone else and then we're unlike anyone else."
You can watch the full interview above or listen wherever you download your podcasts: Apple, GooglePodcasts, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Stitcher and TuneIn.
New episodes of Johnson premiere every Sunday at 8 p.m. on Bounce.
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