What's so funny? Keegan-Michael Key, Tiffany Haddish, more give us their take
Six talented performers from the most talked-about television comedies of the season recently gathered in the Los Angeles Times Kitchen to discuss the art of laughter.
Elle Fanning of Hulu's historical satire "The Great," Tiffany Haddish of AppleTV+'s mock murder mystery "Afterparty," Keegan-Michael Key of AppleTV+'s paradoxical musical "Schmigadoon," Natasha Lyonne of Netflix's mind-bending "Russian Doll," Craig Robinson from the Peacock's snake-killing series "Killing It" and Tyler James Williams of ABC's back-to-school comedy "Abbott Elementary" spoke with L.A. Times TV critic Lorraine Ali about the rhythms of the form, the comedy brain switch and, well, Joe Pesci.
Q: The wide range of comedic styles your shows represent says something about the vibrant state of TV. Keegan, "Schmigadoon" is a great example of a unique series. It's a musical comedy that parodies classics like "Brigadoon" and "The Music Man."
Keegan-Michael Key: "Brigadoon" was about these two guys that find this magical place that only appears every hundred years. [Show co-creator Cinco Paul] turned the concept into a couple who was on the rocks in their relationship, and then they find this place and can't leave until they find out what true love is. He did such a wonderful balancing act of creating a show that had a character at its core who gets to comment on everything that's happening, but not in an ironic, meta way. He's just trying to figure out what the hell's going on. It's like for
