Humorouz

A PRANKSTER climbed inside a speed camera – and flashed his phone to trick passing drivers to slow down.John Westlake, 38, clambered up the 15ft-high

No, not Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay, but the hilariously incompetent principal Ava Coleman, played by Janelle James, on “Abbott Elementary.” Since the mockumentary comedy about an underfunded school in Philly dropped in December on ABC, James has been making millions crack up each week with her amoral shenanigans. This series of offenses include terrorizing her veteran team of teachers Barbara and Melissa (Sheryl Lee Ralph and Lisa Ann Walter), along with constantly sexually harassing substitute teacher Gregory (Tyler James Williams). Or my personal favorite: calling a staff meeting to publicly berate Janine, an eager newbie (Quinta Brunson), for having the audacity to call the higher-ups to complain that Ava spent thousands of dollars meant for supplies and teacher’s aides on a school sign with her face on it.

Yes, we must thank Brunson, the show’s creator, for crafting this hilarious little world and turning the bad boss trope on its head; it cannot be denied that James, who plays Ava to delicious perfection, has helped make the network comedy ratings gold. Watching James hit every beat, joke and look flawlessly, it’s impressive to learn that this is the stand-up comedian and TV writer’s first major network TV role. Even better? Her performance is garnering all kinds of Emmy buzz. (Give her all the awards!)

But, I don’t know if I’m experiencing this all the same way I would have two years ago ― before COVID ― because everything is largely happening on the internet. Meanwhile, I’m in the house, so everything is the same for me. [Laughs] So, if I never go online, I never know what’s happening or what people feel. But I’m glad that people like it and it’s doing so well. Hopefully, that means I get to work again. So that’s always good.

I remember telling myself that it’s hard to make folks laugh out loud while reading a script, but I started reading it and was like, “Oh, this is hilarious!” Just on the page, this was a perfect pilot, very well-written. I knew who everybody was. I knew what the goal of it was; the characters were really well-drawn, especially my character. You all know, I’m a comedian, so I wouldn’t say my first title is an actor. I know I’m not doing Shakespeare, but reading this, I told myself, “Oh, this is somebody in my wheelhouse! This is someone I can perform!” I felt like I knew this person and already had a composite of how I would do it in my head.

Oh, Ava’s absolutely a villain, not even halfway, but she’s a true and total villain. She’s not trying to be a good person; there’s no faking it either. You take it or leave it. But that’s who she is and I love that about her. Yes, there are times when she makes me cringe. She’s mean. [Laughs] I’ve said that while reading the scripts. But this is why it’s fun to do and what drew me to her.

I was devastated when I read that for the first time. [Laughs] But according to the internet, these are things that happen in schools across the country. Quinta isn’t just creating these scenarios out of thin air; I’ve also had teachers tell me similar stories. “Oh, we had funds that were supposed to go to this, and our principal did this instead, bought all kinds of frivolous stuff, or put the money in an offshore account.” Some of these people are truly diabolical.

As someone who does stand-up, I don’t have a problem talking to people, whether online or in person. I’m very much like Ava in that I’m myself, so I go into auditions, like, “If you like me or not, if I don’t get it, I’m a stand-up, so who cares?” [Laughs] So I’m just open at auditions and don’t have any angst the way that actors ― where this is their first craft ― typically have. But with “Abbott,” I told myself, “Let me give this a shot. It’s really good.” But I also knew it would be good with or without me; it would have, really … well … let me say it would be different without me. [Laughs] But I knew it was a good show, and I just wanted to be involved. So, I went into my virtual audition with that energy.

While critics and viewers seem to love the show, there are always those few contrarians complaining that the show isn’t realistic or that Ava is a bad representation of Black women. Does that bother you?

I saw that one post but didn’t dive into the comments. I’ve been online for a long time as a female comedian, and I already learned my lesson a long time ago to not care about what people say. This is a comedy, a sitcom, fictional work. The ratings will speak about whether it’s a good show or not, and so far they are saying it is. Of course, people are free not to like it. But just know: I don’t represent anybody but myself and this character. If I paid attention to every person who had something to say, I wouldn’t get anything done, so I don’t think about it all.

Comedy is a male-dominated profession, and a lot of times, women get a lot of shit online. Some people don’t think we exist. Some people don’t think we’re funny. Some people don’t want us here. Look, those are all things that people are allowed to think about, but they don’t need to bring that to me. That’s what people don’t understand: No one’s forcing you to listen to my albums, watch my stand-up, anything. So, that’s what I learned. I can’t engage with people who feel like they have to bring their bad news to my face. No matter what, I’m going to continue to do what I do. You know, I never know what their goal is, except what, hurt my feelings? So, my lack of reaction is less about my feelings being hurt and more about wasting my time, so I don’t pay attention.

I’ve always been a sarcastic person and people I dated would say, “Oh, you’re hilarious,” but it never occurred to me to be a comedian. I think most Black women are funny. Whether we get credit or not, we just are; we’re hilarious. So, this wasn’t me being some rebel or having this revelation. I never really thought about it. Honestly, it was just by chance. I did an open mic, and it was less about, “Oh, I think I’m funny now” and more about the feeling of getting laughs. That’s what I’m addicted to, so, the only way to get what I’m addicted to is to be funny. That’s how it works for me. I really like comedy, and making people laugh is one of the few pleasures of being alive. It’s a gift ― that’s how I look at it.

Hmmm … I enjoy Chris Rock. Bill Burr. Wanda Sykes. I enjoy the legends. But no one is like Richard Pryor. Before I knew what a comedian’s career was or could look like, he was just somebody I always listened to. He’s always been hilarious to me, whether in stand-up or a movie ― he was just the best.