Awkward Black Girl
The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl (often simply referred to as Awkward Black Girl) is an American comedy web series created by and starring Issa Rae.[1][2] It premiered on a dedicated YouTube channel on February 3, 2011.[3] The show follows the life of J as she interacts with co-workers and love interests who place her in uncomfortable situations.[2] The story is told through first-person narrative as J usually reveals how she feels about her circumstances through voice-over or dream sequence.
Awkward Black Girl
The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl
Mimi Valdés
Issa Rae
Sujata Day
Tracy Oliver
Hanna
Madison T. Shockley III
Andrew Allan James
Harris
Fahad
Tristen Winger
Leah A. Williams
Lyman Johnson
United States
English
2
25
Pharrell Williams
Robin Frank
Issa Rae & Tracy Oliver
February 3, 2011
February 28, 2013
Critics have praised Awkward Black Girl for its witty humor and unique, realistic portrayal of African-American women. The New York Times critic Jon Caramica describes the show as “full of sharp, pointillist humor that’s extremely refreshing.”[4] The series won a Shorty Award for Best Web Series in 2012.[5]
In 2016, the series was adapted into the HBO series Insecure, which ended in 2021.
History[edit]
Issa Rae was inspired to create The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl in January 2009 while working at New Federal Theatre[6] in New York City.[7] Experiencing difficulty in meeting people in an unfamiliar place, Issa Rae decided that it would be entertaining to depict uncomfortable scenarios one may experience when dealing with others.[8] Neglecting the idea for two years, Issa Rae's interest was renewed after reading an article by Leslie Pitterson[9] pointing out the absence of black female nerd characters on screen.[10] She then called on friends to shoot the first episode.[8] The series went viral through word of mouth, blog posts, and social media, which resulted in further media coverage.[11] In an effort to fund the rest of the season, Issa Rae and producer Tracy Oliver decided to raise money for the series through Kickstarter.[12][13] On August 11, 2011, they were awarded $56,269 from 1,960 donations.[14] Due to the popularity of the series, Issa Rae has been interviewed by Fredricka Whitfield for CNN Newsroom, Michel Martin for Tell Me More, Associated Press and other media outlets.[2][10][15]
The second season of Awkward Black Girl aired on Pharrell Williams's i am OTHER in 2012-2013.[16]
Reception[edit]
In 2012, Rae was featured in the esteemed Forbes 30 Under 30 Entertainment List for her work with Awkward Black Girl.[18] The show also won the Shorty Award for Best Web Series.[19]
Critics have praised Awkward Black Girl for its witty humor and unique, realistic portrayal of African-American women. The New York Times critic Jon Caramica describes the show as “full of sharp, pointillist humor that’s extremely refreshing.”[4] On her site beyondblackwhite.com, Christelyn Karazin wrote, “Aren't you tired of seeing black women look like idiots on television? Here's a girl—whom I suspect is a lot like the women who read this blog—quirky, funny, a little unsure of herself, rocks her hair natural and is beautifully brown skinned.” [20]
Erin Stegeman of The Tangled Web praises Awkward Black Girl for defying stereotypes of African American women and being “an uber-relatable slice of life, narrated by J’s inner-ramblings that run through any awkward person’s mind.”[21]