NBC’s new multi-camera sitcom ‘Whitney’ is a fresh look at modern day love centering on a happily unmarried couple.
Comedian/actress/writer/producer & creator Whitney Cummings (‘Chelsea Lately’) stars opposite cutesy Chris D’Elia of (‘Glory Daze’) as ‘Alex’ in her new show.
Chris on Marriage: “I know people say oh it’s much different when you get married but I mean it’s not really. I have been married so it’s like—it’s kind of the same thing. I have lived with a girl and I have also lived with a wife and it’s just – if you are in love, you’re in love.”
In the show, Whitney’s character is more resistant to getting married.
“I started putting this idea together about like why am I scared of marriage, why am I scared of commitment, why am I scared of monogamy, why do I have this fear? Said Whitney. “And I started sort of doing some research about it and statistically women are waiting to get married, couples are living together longer before they get married. The average of marriage is going up. And, you know remember that year where like Tiger Woods, David Letterman and Jesse James, like very guy was cheating on his wife and it was just like what? Like Sandra Bullock got cheated on so it was like what does that mean for the rest of us? And Eva Longoria too.”
The 29 year old Whitney who started on MTV’s Punked with Ashton Kutcher, plays a strong female character that we usually don’t see in sitcoms.
I’m definitely strong in terms of like, you know opinionated and I am critical about traditions that I find oppressive or confusing or limiting and I have a lot of strong, you know criticisms of things. I tend to have an obsession with injustice and so that comes through.” But at the same time my character is very flawed. And that’s kind of what we’re exploring in the series is my flaws, and vulnerabilities and fears and damage.”
The star who is now known by one name only continued, I think I’m a lot more sensitive and emotional than I would like to think I am and that I would like to pretend I am, you know? Because this, you now, doing a show like this is the ultimate like being private and public and being vulnerable. You know, this isn’t my stand-up of like me as a single slut. This is like me in a relationship, you know, so it’s putting a really like honest look at what happens when it’s just you and your guy in the bedroom talking about things that hurt your feelings.“
And yes when it rains it pours in Hollywood too. Whitney is not only busy with this, but works on another major sitcom on another major network in her spare time, ‘2 Broke Girls” on CBS which has her as co-producer, co-creator, writer, craft services etc..
“The good news is that Michael Patrick King (‘Sex and the City’ guru) is running that show and I don’t think you can find someone better qualified to run a, you now, a TV show about two women in New York than Michael.” I get to work on the weekends and at night I get to talk to Michael all the time about it and you know help out when I can.”
Known for her edgy stand-up and filthy roasts, will Whitney be pushing the envelope the way we want her to?
“I mean, we don’t sit around and go how can we be edgy, you know? I am really, really lucky to be at NBC under Bob Greenblatt because this new head of NBC is so supportive. I mean, it’s not like were sitting around trying to get, you know dick jokes through. We’re really just trying to tell an honest sort of story about this relationship and, you know between these two people and their struggles and their sex life and that sort of thing. It’s about good TV not safe TV.”
Some are talking that ‘Whitney’ is the female humor of ‘Two and a Half Men.’ Watch ‘Whitney’ say all the things people think but don’t say on prime time’s juicy slot Thursday nights at 9:30p ET beginning September 22.