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In a new interview, Amanda Seales opens up about her latest comedy special, her deepening interest in politics and more.
Comedy that makes you think is one way Amanda Seales has made her mark, from her role on the hit HBO series Insecure to her stand-up specials to her Small Doses podcast. As her latest documentary comedy special, In Amanda We Trust is now available to the public, Seales is utilizing her gift for keeping the Black community engaged and expounded on the special’s message in an interview with Blavity.
When asked about the idea of having more of a documentary feel for the special, Amanda Seales explained that what they had for it originally wasn’t up to snuff. “So I decided that I needed to just make an executive decision,” she began, “and I decided we’re just going to make this part of what was going to be interstitials and just kind of segments that will go in between the stand-up. I made the decision to make that the entire project. And it was the right decision.”
Seales also gave her thoughts on how many speculated that she was considering running for political office, jokingly saying: “Girl, I had politicians texting me. I had people in office DM’ing me like, ‘Hey girl, I don’t know if this is what it is, but I got your back.’” She would ultimately say that she doesn’t have political aspirations. “I don’t believe in really never say never, but sitting right here on this call, that’s just not something I aspire to do. I really want to feel I was put here on this earth in this particular lifetime to use my comedy and my art and just my voice as a bullhorn to lift up the work of others who do feel it is their calling to be in politics.”
The conversation also veered into her recent choice of guests for her Small Doses podcast being from the world of reality television. When asked if she’d interview a troubled celebrity such as Chrisean Rock, Seales said she would do it from a place of empathy and would pose questions that would inform her audience about that person. “But anytime I’m in conversation, I’m going to do my best to make sure that my audience leaves, like Denzel, with something. I’m leaving here with something,” she said.