A few months I started watching a charming and very funny television show called Abbott Elementary. Abbot Elementary is a mockumentary in the same vein as The Office and Parks and Recreation. Whereas, The Office took a look at the workplace of a small paper company and Parks and Recreation focused on local government, Abbott Elementary brings to light the inner sanctum of an underfunded Philadelphia grade school. The show has become a ratings hit and critical darling. And much of the praise can go to its creator and star, Quinta Brunson.
Pre-Abbott Elementary, I was only vaguely aware of Ms. Brunson. I had heard of some of her work with Buzzfeed and A Black Lady Sketch Show. However, I’m thrilled to have made the acquaintance of this talented and funny lady, so when I came across her book, She Memes Well, I just knew I had to read and review it.
She Memes Well is a mix of both essays and memoir. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Quinta Brunson grew up the fifth child in loving and close family. A desire to perform came early to her when she started taking dance classes. Ever the ham, it was comedy that grabbed Quinta as she grew older. Somehow she knew she had to make comedy her career, but how?
After a brief stint at Temple University and learning improv in her free time, Quinta dropped out and made her way to Los Angeles hoping to find her way to comedic brilliance. But dreams don’t come true easily, and Quinta had to pay quite a few dues along the way, including working a regular job. It was at a local Apple Store where she made the cash to pay the bills, but performing was her goal. To gain experience and exposure, Quinta spent time with other comedic performers, made videos for YouTube and Instagram, and even made TV’s Judge Joe Brown laugh at The Comedy Store. One of her most popular acts was about a girl who has never been on a nice date, with the tagline, “He got money” when her date actually paid for something. Not surprisingly, a lot of women could relate and laughed.
Thanks to her massive talent and a few connections, Quinta landed a gig working for Buzzfeed, her first video featuring her tasting Doritos (yum) and other funny videos and bits. It wasn’t long before Quinta’s work with Buzzfeed got some, well, buzz, and she started working with A Black Lady Sketch Show and other creative endeavors.
But there were struggles, and Quinta is very honest about paying her dues and facing rejection and disappointment. Now these things aren’t rare in show biz, but they can really sting and do a number on one’s self-esteem.
Today, Quinta is with Abbott Elementary, which was inspired by both her mother who was a teacher and her favorite teacher growing up. I’m thrilled for both the show and Quinta’s success. It proves that actual talent and hard work can lead to victory. Abbott Elementary is good to go for a second season, and I hope it’s remembered come Emmy time.
She Memes Well is both very funny and touching. Quinta discusses issues like being broke, having one’s heart trampled on, making it in comedy, which is still a white dude bro culture, and the importance of edges when it comes to black hair. She jokes about her troubles in the kitchen, dealing with being sort of famous, and gets sentimental when talking about growing up in a devout Jehovah Witness family. She also isn’t shy to admit some of her misgivings when it comes to social media.
And then there are moments that focus on more serious topics. She lost a cousin to gun violence and your heart breaks for her. And her rage over death of young black men to police violence is quite palatable. As humorous as Quinta is, her life hasn’t always been a barrel of laughs.
However, Quinta never strays far from a more fun side of life and she expresses her love of various pop culture in her chapters titled, “Quinta’s Classics.” Among Quinta’s pop culture faves? They include TV shows like The Office, the movie Jurassic Park, the music of Stevie Wonder, and Tina Fey’s book “Bossypants.” She also mentions a few millennial touchstones like the TV show Even Stevens and the video game Mario Kart.
Abbott Elementary made me a fan of Quinta Brunson. She Memes Well makes me an even bigger fan.
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