On Wednesday, September 5th, 2018, I was able to attend the D.C. Screening for the new upcoming show “Rel.” Throughout watching the episode, I can honestly say it’s a nice change in visual representation for the black community.
Although a comedy show, messages can be found throughout, and they’ve managed to sneak comedy and speak realness without making it sound preachy. Staring Lil Rel Howery from “Get Out,” Sinbad (“The Sinbad Show” and “A Different World”), Jess Hilarious (“Wild N’ Out), and Jordan L. Jones (“NCIS: Los Angeles and “Wisdom of the Crown”), “Rel” blends 4 different people from different comedic backgrounds effortlessly. With a comedian OG like Sinbad, you know that the younger cast will be guided in the right direction. Everyone’s timing is perfect and is played off one another. The season will even have surprise guest starts like DC Young Fly and Vic Mensa.
After the screening, Jones participated in a Q&A session with Joe Clair, as well as provide answers to my questions one on one. Read some excerpts below, followed by the video.
Via. InquisitiveCarter.com
Clair: … There are people here tonight chasing fame, I know when I was starting out, I was chasing fame. Let’s go head and keep it real. What do you say to them about the fame now that you are experiencing it?
Jones: I got a lot to say actually. Number 1, stay humble. I come from a single parent household, just my mother raising me. She taught me to be exactly who I am, and nothing is going to change that…You run your own race, God gives you your own race to run. For example, I went to many auditions and stuff that I haven’t got and I was like ‘man, I killed that audition,’ whatever the case may be, and I didn’t get it. So sometimes you get really down on yourself. This is for anybody that is aspiring to do anything and gets down on themselves, but at the end of the day, just remember if you have faith in God; at the end of the day, you run your own race. Whatever you were not supposed to get, you were not supposed to get. Also think about it as the law of averages. The more ‘no’s’ you get, the closer you get to your ‘yes…’
Atlas: On the topic of the authenticity of the comedy on the show, I noticed it was really, truly, a black comedy, but still very high quality. How did you achieve that balance between being real and also at a very high quality at the same time?”
Jones: Man, I mean that wasn’t me, it was Rel, forreal. The show is called “Rel.” This dude, his whole entire motive of the show is ‘If you’re going to give me a show, I’m going to make it as real as possible.’ You know Hollywood man, we’re praying on season 2, season 17 and everything, but you never know that. So he’s like ‘If I have one season, if I do, we’re going to make this real and relevant as possible.’ And so, in the script, we see it, we feel it, and even when I was talking about the script and we have certain lines; you’re always worried about the words and stuff, no, you just understand the situation. If you understand the situation, you can understand how to talk, how to improvise; it’s just been a great experience man. Rel, he’s the man.
Via. InquisitiveCarter.com
William: With “Rel,” where do you see it expanding in the next 5 years for yourself, personally? Where do you see yourself?
Jones: I think that God carries the torch to wherever I’m trying to go, but as long as you work hard in that, you’ll be led in the right direction. So, you never know here you’re about to go, so 5 years from now or whatever the case is; but the show is going to be great. We’re real, we’re relevant, we’re “Rel;” that’s actually the catchphrase. Oh wow, I’m not just plugging I’m really just saying it. But, everybody on the show is so talented. Sinbad gives me all the best advice. Rel, he’s a great guy. Jess Hilarious, you know her, with her following you know stand up comedian, she’s giving me a lot of advice. I’m taking all that, I’m going to… I’m doing stand up too. Writing stuff, so in 5 years man, I can do anything. Selling out Staples.
The full interview can be seen below. Catch the season premiere of “REL” on SUN, SEP 9th on FOX.