CringeHumor

This past week we, along with many other comedians and people in the comedy world, had a great time poking fun at the overexposure NBC is giving for the upcoming TV series, Whitney, starring Whitney Cummings. Things got out of control on Twitter, where comedians and other snarksters used the hashtag #RejectedWhitneyPromos as a chance to poke fun at how hard the network is pushing the series, and the overall mediocrity of the show itself. Some of our own tweets even garnered some press on other blogs.

Los Angeles based comedian Allegra Barnett was there for the tomfoolery and was gracious enough to send in an actual review of Whitney as she was able to attend the live TV pilot taping a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

I WAS THERE
by Allegra Barnett

Allegra Barnett I equate the sitcom “Whitney” to a woman who’s pregnant with a Downs Syndrome baby - it hasn’t even come out yet, but you know it’s gonna suck. 

The fact that “Whitney”‘s been ripped apart on countless websites, twitter feeds and status updates is no secret, and to me, not unjustified.  Every bit of promo that’s preceded it has been pandering, awful, and worst of all - brutally unfunny. 

But the question still remains - DOES it actually suck?  IS “Whitney” as eye-gaugingly wretched as it looks, or are we just making a mountain out of a hackneyed, humorless mole hill?

Well, having been in the “live studio audience” of the August 16th taping of “Whitney” (and having lived through it), I am here to offer my assessment. 

Basically, “Whitney”‘s not that bad - which would be good news, except for the fact that “Whitney”‘s not that good.  It’s insultingly average - ordinary.  You get the sense that you’ve seen it before - not seen it before AND LIKED IT - just “seen it before” - as if the title had been shortened from “Whitney In The City” or “Whitney and Greg”. 

The show centers around a woman of indeterminate age named (you guessed it) Whitney (Whitney Cummings) and her live-in boyfriend Alex (Chris D’elia).  Since “Seinfeld” already exists, Ms. Cummings is not allowed to play a comedian and is forced to take the fake sitcom job of “photographer”.  This is mentioned in the pilot, but in the episode I watched, she didn’t seem to do anything.  That’s because it’s a “relationship” comedy, and not a “work” comedy.

As actors, Cummings and, particularly, D’elia are quite good.  I believe them.  They’re attractive enough and they have a decent rapport together.  But, that’s not to say that they’re funny. 

Probably the biggest crime in this show is the fact that Whitney Cummings has been completely declawed.  I’m not saying she’s Pryor, however, she’s generally at her best when doing filthy, inappropriate “roast jokes”.  Obviously on network tv, you’re limited language-wise, however, there is nothing wrong with maintaining an edgy, in-your-face attitude and letting that point of view seep through the PG-13 script. 

In addition to Whitney and Alex, other series regulars include Whitney’s “friends” Roxanne (Rhea Seehorn), Lily (Zoe Lister Jones), Lily’s boyfriend Neal (Maulik Pancholy) and Alex’s buddy Mark (Dan O’Brien).  Of everyone in the cast, Rhea Seehorn stands out as probably the best actor.  Her performance, though unoriginal (basically, she’s doing a younger version of Christine Baranski’s character from “Cybil”), is the most consistantly funny. 

Really, the rest of the characters are just filler.  Zoe Lister Jones is one of those “comedic” actresses like Megan Mulally or Cheri Oteri that just grate on my nerves.  You know they’re trying hard.  You know you SHOULD laugh - but, you really just can’t.

Maulik Pancholy may as well not even exist.  Probably the most interesting thing about him is the fact that no one ever mentions that he’s Indian.  Not a single quip about Bollywood, bindis or butt sex.  I bet they feel good about that casting.  I’m sure they pat themselves on the back and feel really progressive.

And then there’s Dan O’Brien.  Poor, miscast Dan O’Brien.  He’s a young, diminutive, sweet-spoken guy being forced to play a mysogynistic, man’s man of a cop.  The character Mark has his fun, lecherous moments (think Quagmire on “Family Guy”) - but, he’s not fully realized.  They should have cast someone older, weirder and funnier in this part.  If they feel like such casting would make him unbelievable as a friend of the seemingly normal Alex, why not make him a relative (a big brother, an uncle, a neighbor even).  This character could not only evolve to be quite funny, but could also deliver the type of brazen jokes that Ms. Cummings writes so well.

Which brings me to the issue of jokes.  Any humor found in this show is derived from jokes.  “Whitney” is a show that (occasionally) has funny lines - not funny storylines.  Basically, the “sit” doesn’t have enough “com”. 

The episode that I saw centered around Whitney’s realization that she and Alex never had a first date.  They just met at a bar, slept together, and were in a relationship ever since.  She decides she wants a courtship.  Alex, forced to move in with Mark while the couple pretends that they don’t know each other, is made to jump through a series of hoops as he goes after Whitney in a tradional way.  SPOILER ALERT: Everything works out fine and they’re back together at the end.  Adorable.

“Whitney” is one of those shows that’s not good enough to be “good”, but not bad enough to be enjoyed ironically.  Like so much mediocrity before it, it just sort of - “is”.

The taping was long.  Very long.  For six hours I was confined to a folding chair as half a turkey sandwich and a toddler-sized bottle of Aquafina were thrown at me.  I nibbled on my ration while people like Barry Katz and Dan Levy scurried about with overflowing plates of Craft Services and a look on their face that said “All this really matters”.  SPOILER ALERT: It doesn’t.

Allegra Barnett is a stand up comic and writer based in Los Angeles.  She currently writes for the reality show “Craftsman Screwd” and can be seen in clubs nationwide.  Follow her on twitter @AllegraBarnett.