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Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Benito Skinner's ‘Overcompensating' revives the college sex comedy for a new generation
The American sex comedy is alive and well and enrolled at Yates College, safe in the hands of Overcompensating star and creator Benito Skinner and showrunner Scott King. A throwback to classics like American Pie and Mean Girls and a trailblazer in the stories it tells, Overcompensating is a smart and funny look at the deeply closeted Benny (Skinner), whose first year in college brings with it a lot of other firsts — and a new best friend in Carmen (Wally Baram), who has her own collegiate ups and downs (and ins and outs). Somehow, the odd-couple pairing of internet darling Skinner and MadTV alum King ('I graduated before he was born,' King says with a laugh) is to the show's benefit. More from GoldDerby 'Forever' creator Mara Brock Akil on updating Judy Blume - and finding 'real intimacy' - in the age of social media 'The Studio' leads 2025 Astra TV Awards nominations with 14, followed by 'Severance' and 'The Last of Us' with 13 each 'House of the Dragon' Emmy submissions for Season 2 revealed: Emma D'Arcy to campaign in lead, Matt Smith in supporting '[Producers] A24 and Amazon were like, 'We want to set you up with a few showrunners,'' Skinner says. 'And I was so nervous. I will admit, in this moment, I was in Italy when I did the Zoom, and I was so embarrassed to have the person know I was there. But in the end, it was kind of a litmus test because I went, 'Um, I am in Milan. I have to be honest,' and he went, 'Milano! Fabulous.' And I was like, 'OK, well, I'm in love with him.'' Prime Video 'As soon as we started talking, it was just one of those weird, kindred spirit things,' King adds. 'We're in different generations, and yet there is such a universality to the emotions, to the feelings [of that time].' 'And we're both Scorpios,' Skinner adds, deadpan. The entire eight-episode series is suffused with that same combination of earnestness and sly humor — both a sincere entry in the coming-of-age genre and a send-up of its conventions — all told from a singularly queer perspective. And that starts from the very first episode, which includes a hilariously detailed moment of gay panic at the prospect of shaking hands, and a blow-job scene between Benny and Carmen that ends in slapstick catastrophe. 'It was always, 'Does this feel honest to college, and would this be what happens?'' Skinner says of the sex scenes, most of them played for laughs. 'That was always our guiding light: In this moment, would this person be telling themself it's good sex? The way that Wally and I approached our intimacy in the pilot was that it almost feels like an arranged marriage. That's the honesty of this intimacy.' That sense of brutally honest chemistry is of a piece with a show that brings a timelessness to its stories, despite its numerous pop-culture references. 'Initially, I wrote it from a more 2014-ish perspective,' Skinner says. 'I didn't want people to just be like, 'It's a college show? I can't watch. I'm not in college.' Instead, I think that they can see it and be like, 'Oh, this could be anyone's college experience.' I think college, whether you went or not, feels nostalgic. Trying to make this show feel that way — and feel like an American Pie or a Mean Girls or Election—was really important to us.' The show is aided immensely in that goal by its cast, which includes Connie Britton and Kyle MacLachlan as Benny's parents, Andrea Martin as the dean, and a special cameo appearance by Las Culturistas hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. It also introduces a slew of fresh faces, including Baram. 'We had this wonderful thing of having to read all eight episodes in one sitting [for our first table read],' King says. 'And as soon as they sat down, before we started, you just knew. There were characters and actors that just really were so explosive and incredible, and so, let's put her in this scene also, and let's get those two guys together again.' 'It's hard to not be inspired by this cast,' Skinner says. 'And be like, 'Holy shit, we need 10 more scenes for every single person at this table read.'' Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images That includes Megan Fox, who has a killer cameo as a talking pinup poster of herself adorning Benny's dorm room wall. 'We're shooting with her, and she comes down and she's in, I think, pajama pants and a sweater,' Skinner says. 'And I was telling her our inspiration for it. I was like, 'It's very like the GQ, Maxim posters.' And she goes, 'One sec, I'm gonna change.' And she comes back in a skirt, high knee socks, and a cross necklace. And I'm like, 'So that's why you're an icon.'' 'There's no question gay men are behind this show,' King says. And thank god for that. Best of GoldDerby 'I do think that I burned down the cabin': How 'Yellowjackets' star Steven Krueger pulled off Coach Ben's mental and physical decline 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' star Charles Edwards on his tragic death scene: 'He did single-handedly withstand Sauron' 'It keeps me on my toes': 'St. Denis Medical' star Allison Tolman on walking a fine line between zany and 'incredibly heartfelt' Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TV showrunner panel: ‘The Better Sister,' ‘Deli Boys,' ‘Overcompensating,' ‘Shifting Gears,' and ‘Three Women'
Gold Derby recently gathered together four top TV showrunners to discuss how they landed their first job, what advice they would share with people starting out in show business, and what some of their favorite TV shows were that inspired them to work in Hollywood. Joining our Meet the Experts: Showrunners roundtable panel are The Better Sister showrunner Regina Corrado, Deli Boys and Shifting Gears showrunner Michelle Nader, Overcompensating showrunner Scott King, and Three Women showrunner Laura Eason. Watch the full roundtable above. Click each person's name to watch an individual discussion. More from GoldDerby 'Three Women' showrunner Laura Eason talks courage, desire, and 'superhero' intimacy coordinators 'Overcompensating' showrunner Scott King on Prime Video comedy: 'There are no heroes or villains - everyone is just a f--ing mess' 'Deli Boys' and 'Shifting Gears' showrunner Michelle Nader says both shows 'are about humanity and make people laugh' "I actually came up through ensemble theater as a playwright," says Eason. "I was artistic director of the theater company. I was a writer, actor, director. In that capacity, I sat in a bunch of different seats. When I came into television, I had already done sort of producing, people management, running a staff, looking at a budget. A lot of the things that writers in a writers' room don't actually do. When I was able to see what the showrunner did — I thought, 'I hope one day that I get to do that.' I had my eye on it for a while." Corrado could relate to being in the writers' room. "You're sort of confined to create an environment in a room," she says. "I'm very committed to fostering environments that are nourishing, that are fun. Sometimes we get lost in the fear of what we do. As a showrunner I thought, 'Gosh! If you could get in that position you could create an entire show where people were happy to come to work. Is that possible? That was the goal for me. It's so much more than just writing. It's such a big boss job. [The Better Sister] was my first showrunning job and it was incredible." Nader rose through the ranks of comedy, noticing there were never female showrunners anywhere she worked. "I was learning from the way guys did it," she recalls. "In comedy, that meant stay for 24 hours a day and never want to go home. I was like, 'There's got to be a better way.' We were just wasting a lot of time. Women are natural multi-taskers in a way I didn't see with men. I'm very efficient — and I actually really like it. I like being able to put an imprint on something. Maybe I'm a little bit of a control freak." King began as a writer on Mad TV before working his way up to head writer, and eventually landing his first showrunning gig on Hulu's Difficult People. "I got a very lucky call from Julie Klausner because I had worked with her. That's how I got my first opportunity. I am so co-dependent and wrapped up in everyone's experience — it became a job where I could use that for good." After sharing valuable life lessons, the panelists chat about some of their favorite TV shows that inspired them: Batman, My So-Called Life, SCTV, and Seinfeld. The Better Sister is streaming on Prime Video. Deli Boys and Shifting Gears is streaming on Hulu. Overcompensating is streaming on Prime Video. Three Sisters is streaming on Starz. This article and videos are presented by Disney, Hulu, Prime Video, and Starz. Best of GoldDerby Filming 'The White Lotus' terrified Sam Nivola more than once 'Three Women' showrunner Laura Eason talks courage, desire, and 'superhero' intimacy coordinators 'Overcompensating' showrunner Scott King on Prime Video comedy: 'There are no heroes or villains — everyone is just a f-king mess' Click here to read the full article.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Amazon Prime's Overcompensating release date and celebrity cameos including Charli xcx
The series will land on Prime Video next week Prime Video's latest college drama, Overcompensating, is set to be a 'wild' and 'chaotic' ride. The show was created by social media star Benito Skinner and boasts an impressive production team, including comedy legend Jonah Hill. The series features Skinner in the role of Benny, a closeted football player who finds himself going to great lengths to fit in. Its official synopsis reads: "Overcompensating is a college-set ensemble comedy about the wild, chaotic journey of Benny, a closeted former football player and homecoming king, as he becomes fast friends with Carmen, a high school outsider on a mission to fit in at all costs. "With guidance from Benny's older sister and her campus-legend boyfriend, Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hook-ups, flavoured vodka, and fake IDs. Deeply funny and personal, the show explores the lengths to which we all overcompensate while on the path to finding out who we really are." Release date All eight episodes of Overcompensating will be available on Prime Video from Thursday, May 15th. Skinner wrote seven of the episodes, often collaborating with MadTV writer Scott King. Actress and writer Mitra Jouhari, known for her work on Netflix's Big Mouth, also contributed one episode to the series, reports the Mirror US. Cast and celebrity cameos The cast includes Skinner as Benny, and Wally Baram (Shrinking) as his close friend, Carmen. Black Mirror star Mary Beth Barone steps into the role of Benny's older sister, Grace, as The White Lotus actor Adam DiMarco plays her boyfriend, Peter. Amongst the stellar supporting acts are Rish Shah from Ms. Marvel, Corteon Moore of From and Owen Thiele who graced Hacks. In addition to the star-studded regulars, fans can anticipate some heavyweight guest appearances. Megan Fox dazzles, hilariously playing herself across four episodes. Bowen Yang from Saturday Night Live will also pop up in two episodes, with pop sensation Kaia Gerber featured in three episodes. But it's Grammy-winner Charli xcx—doubling as the show's executive music producer—who may grab the most attention with her cameo. Trailer When the new trailer dropped on April 29, viewers couldn't contain their excitement. The engaging two-minute teaser shows Benny grappling with his sexual identity as he reveals, "I don't even really know what I am." The preview has already resonated deeply with viewers, many of whom feel 'seen' through the protagonist. One viewer felt compelled to share their connection to Benny's journey in the YouTube comments section: "As a gay man who was in the closet through high school (out of fear of discrimination) and then questioning (again) throughout college, something about the series makes me feel like I was less alone in that internal struggle. "Precisely capturing my experience, I cannot thank Benito Skinner enough...I'll definitely be tuning in," they concluded. Another fan couldn't contain their anticipation, exclaiming: "I am SO excited for this series!!!"
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Adam Ray is Dr. Phil LIVE...and coming to Minneapolis
With over 60 million views online, Dr. Phil LIVE has become one of the most fun things to see in comedy. From comedian/actor Adam Ray ( Curb, The Barbie Movie, MadTV, Hacks, Pam & Tommy, The Heat, and more) the live show provides a wild late night feel with crowd interactions, standup, huge celebrity guests, surprise characters, and hilarious moments you can't see anywhere else. Past guests include: Bill Burr, Adam Devine, Bobby Lee, Whitney Cummings, Andrew Santino, Matt Rife, Brad Williams, and Anders Holm. Get your tickets today and change your life forever!!
