WNYC Studios Introduces "2 Dope Queens"
(New York, NY – March 29, 2016) – Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams are funny. They're black. They're BFFs. They’re the 2 Dope Queens, co-hosts of the hottest comedy show in Brooklyn.
And, starting Tuesday, April 5, “2 DOPE QUEENS” will be a podcast from WNYC Studios. A preview episode can be heard here: www.wnyc.org/story/who-dis.
“2 DOPE QUEENS” features the best of Jessica (The Daily Show) and Phoebe (Broad City), in studio and live onstage. The Queens riff on everything from Kanye’s Twitter rants and channeling their inner white lady to hair journeys, sexcapades, and the craziness of living in New York City. The podcast marries the live elements of Jessica and Phoebe’s stand-up and storytelling show at Union Hall in Brooklyn with more intimate—and always hilarious—conversations between the ladies offstage.
Phoebe and Jessica are joined by their favorite friends and comics, including Aparna Nancherla (Conan), Michelle Buteau (Comedy Central’s The Half Hour), Janeane Garafalo (Epix’s If You Will), Gary Gulman (Netflix’s In This Economy), Ophira Eisenberg (Host, NPR’s Ask Me Another), and Naomi Ekperigin (Difficult People), among many others.
The result is some of the funniest, smartest, and brashest comedy out there!
“What I think is most valuable about ‘2 Dope Queens’ is that it’s a PSA about the importance of everyone–not just black people–using cocoa butter,” said Phoebe Robinson. “In all seriousness, I linked up Jess because we have the same vision: comedy should reflect the world. We have POCs (people of color), LGBT people, women, and white dudes (there are just not enough opportunities for them!) on our show, and through all those different points of view, you get a complete picture of life. Jess and I love that our work marriage reflects the conversations that women and black people have all the time. Being a mirror for other people to see themselves is not something that we take lightly and I know I’m #Blessed to be a part of this show. Plus, I know my future bae Michael Fassbender is out there and down with the brown, so this is my shot to get his attentions and get him to half on a baby.”
“Honestly, there is a lot of love in ‘2 Dope Queens’ and I think it comes through in every podcast episode. ‘2 Dope Queens’ is something that Pheebs and I really love to do. It's a podcast that our comedy buds love doing. And it's in Brooklyn, at a venue that we love,” said Jessica Williams. “We really can't wait to launch this podcast so that our listeners can feel the love too. Phoebe and I bare our souls in each and every episode. It's like we're ashy up there, fresh out of the pool and sans cocoa butter. You can see the ‘real’ us. If you understand the last reference then you are going to love our podcast. However, if you did not understand the last reference that I made, #sorrynotsorry and listen to ‘2 Dope Queens!’ We are about to get you #woke!”
“WNYC Studios was created to make it possible for insanely talented people to reach new and very big audiences,” said Dean Cappello, Chief Content Officer, WNYC. “We are beyond thrilled that in one of our first projects we get to bring Phoebe and Jessica's voices to the ears of America. Their strong friendship, infectious humor, and willingness to speak it as they see it—along with the great friends that make up the ‘2 Dope Queens’ universe—make this a podcast like no other.”
“2 DOPE QUEENS” kicks off its first 12-episode season on Tuesday, April 5, and will be available on wnyc.org, iTunes, and all other places where podcasts may be downloaded. The first three episodes are as follows:
Tuesday, April 5: “Dad Bods”
It’s just another day in the ‘2 Dope Queens’ universe, with one philosophical trip to a strip club and two bizarre run-ins with racist cab drivers. Plus, the beauty of the dad bod. Phoebe and Jessica’s guests on this mothereffin’ debut episode include Aparna Nancherla on neurotic cat-callers, Gary Gulman on his secret life in the bedroom, and Michelle Buteau’s Floridian love story.
Thursday, April 7: “Billy Joel has the Softest Hands”
Phoebe and Jessica go where two black women have never been before… A Billy Joel concert at Madison Square Garden! Special guests include Beth Stelling, who bravely talks about relationship violence and comes up with some, um, creative solutions to stop it, Sam Jay on how tough it is to find a decent sex toy, and Naomi Ekperigin takes a stand against sepia-toned #$% pics.
Tuesday, April 12: “Pizza Boyfriend”
It’s great to be hit on when you’re buying a slice, but not when the dude’s girlfriend is standing right there! Phoebe will not abide. Plus, Rae Sanni idolizes Monica Lewinsky, Chris Thayer reveals his favorite sex tip, and Nore Davis tells the spooky story of a gay ghost.
Episodes from Season One will continue to be released every Tuesday through June 14.
Phoebe Robinson is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who has been named by Vulture, Essence, and Esquire Magazine as one of the top comedians to watch. She has appeared on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers and Last Call with Carson Daly, Comedy Central’s Broad City, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, and @midnight. She was also a writer on MTV’s hit talking head show Girl Code and is currently a writer for Vulture.com and VanityFair.com. Most recently, she consulted on Season 3 of Broad City and is working on her first book of essays You Can’t Touch My Hair for Plume publishing, which will be released in Fall 2016.
Jessica Williams is a writer/performer out of Los Angeles' Upright Citizens Brigade. While she was studying Film and English at Cal State Long Beach and performing with UCB, she landed the role of correspondent for Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In 2012 she was featured on Variety's "Top 10 Comics To Watch" and this summer was seen in the Sundance comedy People Places Things. Jessica and fellow comedian Phoebe Robinson perform as “2 Dope Queens” and host a monthly stand-up and storytelling show in New York. Currently, Jessica has continued as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah since its premiere in September 2015.
ABOUT WNYC STUDIOS
WNYC Studios is the premier producer of on-demand and broadcast audio. Born from the team that created some of the most critically acclaimed and popular podcasts of the last decade, WNYC Studios is leading the new golden age in audio with high-quality storytelling that informs, inspires, and delights millions of intellectually curious and highly engaged listeners across digital, mobile, and broadcast platforms. WNYC Studios creates some of the most beloved audio series, including “Radiolab,” “Freakonomics Radio,” “Death, Sex & Money,” “Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin,” “Note to Self,” “On the Media,” “The Takeaway,” and “Studio 360.” Their programs include personal narratives, deep journalism, interviews that reveal, and smart entertainment as varied and intimate as the human voice itself. For more information, visit http://wnycstudios.wnyc.org.
