From The Comic's Comic

September 2021

Comedy doesn’t have a Human Resources department, so leave it to Piffany to dole out honors and/or discipline accordingly. Piffany’s Employee of the Month for September 2021 is Phoebe Robinson. Congrats Phoebe!

And I thought I enjoyed a big birthday this week.

Phoebe Robinson turned 37 on Sept. 28, and managed to prove she’s not only one of the 2 Dope Queens, but also at least a triple threat in show business.

Robinson timed the release of her third book of essays, “Please Don’t Sit On My bed In Your Outside Clothes,” for her birthday. What’s different about this book from her previous New York Times bestselling-compilations? She has published under her own imprint, Tiny Reparations Books!

Tiny Reparations Books is a highly curated imprint dedicated to publishing both literary fiction and nonfiction as well as essay collections that highlight and amplify unique and diverse voices. The imprint is committed to publishing complex, honest, and humorous work that not only reflects the current conversation but also pushes it forward.

HBO Max also got in on the celebration of Phoebe Robinson on Tuesday by releasing the trailer to her first solo stand-up comedy special. Phoebe Robinson: Sorry, Harriet Tubman will premiere Oct. 14 on HBO Max.

And just under the wire on the last day of September, the Freeform cable network also joined in the fun, announcing it had ordered the TV adaptation of Robinson’s first book, “Everything Is Trash, But It’s Okay,” as a series! She’ll star in and executive produce the series, which finds her obviously playing a version of herself as a podcasting star who’s forced to grow up once her older brother (who’ll be played by Jordan Carlos) runs for political office. Toccarra Cash, Nneka Okafor and Moses Storm will join her in the cast.

“Phoebe has one of the most unique and hilariously sharp voices in the business,” said Tara Duncan, president, Freeform and Onyx Collective. “‘Everything’s Trash’ is the perfect addition to the Freeform slate, bringing a distinct point of view to a woman navigating adulthood on her own terms.”

“I feel like Whoopi Goldberg’s choir at the end of ‘Sister Act 2’ when they won the competition! Overjoyed! Stunned! Extremely grateful!” Robinson said. “We’re going to make something special that you won’t want to miss.”

Now if only we could get Comedy Central to renew her other great TV project from the past year, her talk show: Phoebe Robinson Doing The Most. Talking to her guests while doing activities really felt more like watching two friends on a second date, so the conversations really flowed, and having Robinson meet her guests in their element made them feel much more comfortable and giving in their answers to her 3BQ. Whether she was riding horses with Whitney Cummings, performing magic tricks with the Property Brothers, or baking with Tan France. It really turned out great, and seemed to get lost amid all of the other pandemic binge-watching options. We deserve to see more!

But that’s probably asking too much out of Comedy Central, who gutted their ranks and their ambitions in the months leading into the pandemic. Oh well.

Here’s a YouTube playlist of clips since you likely missed out on seeing it on the TV last year.

Congrats once again, Phoebe Robinson, on doing the most this month!

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES THIS MONTH FOR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH: David Alan Grier, for finally adding Tony Award winner to his resume, taking home the Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play, portraying Sgt. Vernon C. Waters in “A Soldier’s Play” from January to March 2020 — can you believe it had been 40 years since Grier’s first Tony nom? Back in 1981, he was up for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for playing Jackie Robinson in “The First.” ALSO: Bo Burnham, who nabbed not one, not two, but three separate Emmys for his singlehanded genius in making and performing Inside for Netflix. Burnham’s wins were for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special, Outstanding Music Direction and Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special.

Can’t wait to see what kudos comedians deservedly earn in October!