Your rainy, grim Thursday (well, here on the East Coast…) is about to turn sunny-side up, amigos. As if Amy Poehler and Tina Fey’s posed comebacks WEREN’T EXCITING ENOUGH, NBC has just released a promo for another pilot in the wings: The Maya Rudolph Show. Put another way: happy birthday everyone, across time and space.
Rudolph (a former BUST cover-gal, btw) spoke to Vulture about the ins and outs of building her own television show from the ground up, reuniting with old SNL cast-mates, and enjoying her growing family (Rudolph is married to director Paul Thomas Anderson, and together they have four kids). Best of all, though, Rudolph did some pitching for her new program. While she’s still worried the show “could suck hard,” the list of contributing actors, writers and musicians who have signed on to the Maya hour include SNL vets Fred Armisen, Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg. Her band-leader is the multitalented Raphael Saadiq, and she can boast such cool cats as Kristen Bell and Craig Robinson as guest stars.
In the tradition of late night TV but aiming to include a bit more musical theater (certain reporters have already invited comparisons to The Carol Burnett Show), Rudolph’s nascent program is an exciting leap for the ever-thrilling ascension of WOMEN-IN-COMEDY. As a verging-on-creepy-Rudolph-fangirl with very similar career goals, I am 100% jazzed. The revolution has been televised. Tra la la la la.
And just for extra giggles, check out M. Rudolph’s spot-on Gwen Stefani impersonation:
Image courtesy of The Berry.
