Comedian Jay Pharaoh stars as Floyd Mooney in "White Famous," a Showtime series loosely based on the early career of actor and comedian Jamie Foxx. (Photo by Kwaku Alston Photography)
Speaking out about injustice is a risky proposition, especially if you’re the first to do it. Even if people eventually embrace your message or realize it’s good for business, chances are they won’t forget being embarrassed and may never forgive you for it. Just ask Colin Kaepernick. Speaking truth to power is part of what makes comedian Jay Pharaoh special, not to mention his ability to mimic the voices of pop culture icons like Denzel Washington, Ben Carson, Barack Obama, Eddie Murphy and Christopher Walken.
In 2013, in response to a reporter’s question about the hiring practices at "Saturday Night Live," where he was a cast member at the time, he told theGrio, “They need to pay attention. Her name is Darmirra Brunson. … Why do I think she should be on the show? Because she’s black, first of all, and she’s really talented. She’s amazing. She needs to be on 'SNL.' I said it. And I believe they need to follow up with it like they said they were going to do last year.”
Brunson auditioned but wasn’t hired. "SNL" did, however, add two African-American female cast members shortly afterward. “I’m the reason it happened,” Pharaoh told radio station Hot 97 in April.
Something else happened, too, Pharaoh revealed recently. His comments almost got him fired back then. In 2016, facing a diminishing role on the show with the end of Barack Obama’s term, he was fired. The comedian told Hot 97 the writers weren’t using him for his talents and attempted to put him in an “impression box.”
Reflecting recently on his decision to speak out, the comedian isn’t harboring any regrets.
“I feel like everybody has the opportunity to have a voice that will inspire and will cause some change,” he says. “You can even see that right now … Colin Kaepernick. Now he has inspired others to do the same thing that he’s doing. You do have a voice; take advantage of it.”
Unlike the former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Pharaoh got another job after his contract ended. He was tapped for the lead role in a Showtime series called “White Famous,” loosely based on Jamie Foxx’s early days in the entertainment industry. The 10-episode series follows an underground comedian named Floyd Mooney as he attempts to stay true to himself while the trappings of fame and success tempt him to change.
“He’s trying to keep his morals. He’s trying to not lose himself,” Pharoah says. “I connected with it."
The show is part of a wave of broadcast and cable shows with predominantly African-American casts or leads, including "Atlanta," "Black-ish," "Insecure," "Empire" and others, that started to appear in the wake of Pharoah’s comments and SNL’s attempts to diversify.
“Look man, it’s a golden age for diversity in general,” he says. “Right now, a lot of us are getting looks in Hollywood, and it’s great to see.”
There’s a Hollywood legend that one of the rites of passages for an actor or comedian to enter the mainstream is to take a role that requires cross-dressing. A scene from “White Famous” features Foxx, who has a recurring role on the show, wearing a red miniskirt as he chats with the younger actor. Pharoah said in a previous interview that he refused to wear a dress on "Saturday Night Live."
“The dress is a real thing,” he says. “Be prepared to bust that topic open.”
Pharoah hasn’t forgotten his own struggle to establish himself as a comedian. The comedian recalled traveling to small clubs, performing multiple shows in an evening and getting paid very little. He recalls his sister — now his manager — selling all of her jewelry for gas money. When asked if he’s ever repaid that gesture, Pharoah has to stop himself.
“I plan to get her ... listen, man, don’t be talkin’ bout my presents, man! Don’t be talkin’ bout my presents!" he says, laughing. "There’s definitely a plan here, but I don’t want to talk about it!”
"White Famous" premieres Sunday, Oct. 15, at 10 p.m. on Showtime.
