Latest news with #PamBrady
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘#1 Happy Family USA' cocreator Ramy Youssef reveals how animation was the perfect way to capture the middle school experience
When the idea of #1 Happy Family USA was becoming a reality, part of what drew cocreator Ramy Youssef to do it as an animated show was the age of the show's protagonist. 'Middle school in general feels dramatic. [It] feels like the surveillance state. You go, who's looking at me? Is Courtney talking about me? What did she say? All of that stuff feels like a level of national security for a kid. There's no real wall of understanding that a kid's personal drama is not the biggest thing going on in the world,' he tells Gold Derby during our recent Meet the Experts: TV Animation panel. Doing this as an animated show has also given the show the perfect tone. 'There are things that we can animate here that would be just too dramatic, but in this format feel really alive and really fun.' The series, which can currently be streamed on Prime Video, follows the Husseins, an Egyptian-American Muslim family living in New Jersey as they navigate trying to be seen as a quintessential American family in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Youssef created the show alongside Pam Brady and stars Salma Hindy, Randa Jarrar, Alia Shawkat, Mandy Moore, Chris Redd, Kieran Culkin, and Timothy Olyphant. More from GoldDerby As Joel returns to 'The Last of Us,' cinematographer Catherine Goldschmidt explains what went into killing him off TV Animation roundtable panel: '#1 Happy Family USA,' 'Secret Level,' and 'Arcane' 'Secret Level' creator Tim Miller explains how he gets writers to create short stories based on video and role-playing games Youssef had a very specific idea of what he wanted the show to look like. 'I think part of what we were trying to nail is this feeling of could this show almost feel like a found VHS tape of something that came out in that time? So, we didn't want a modern computer animation look.' They ended up using an all-Muslim animation studio in Malaysia, which presented some additional unexpected challenges. 'We actually had to downgrade the computers that we were using in L.A. to fit what they were using in Malaysia. It's this really trippy process and they had not done something at this scale of a series.' He adds that his family has seen the show and that they have really seemed to enjoy it, especially since it's not directly based on specific instances in their life from that time period. His family particularly liked getting to see him do so many different things in the series. 'I got to do so much voice work on this, which Pam Brady honestly really encouraged me to wasn't exactly my goal but I got to play with that and play with creating. I wrote a bunch of songs for it as well.' This article and video are presented by Prime Video. Best of GoldDerby Making of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' panel: Bringing the Balrog to life was 'like doing a slight of hand card trick' TV Animation roundtable panel: '#1 Happy Family USA,' 'Secret Level,' and 'Arcane' 'Secret Level' creator Tim Miller explains how he gets writers to create short stories based on video and role-playing games Click here to read the full article.
The Guardian
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
US TV's first lead cartoon hijabi: how I animated Muslim women to look real
If you've seen a hijab on a screen – animated or otherwise – it's likely that this Islamic head covering was one specific style. Think Princess Jasmine in the 1992 movie Aladdin, Claire Danes in the series Homeland, or the Zamins in the animated show The Proud Family: Photograph: Showtime/Disney In these fictional worlds, there's typically a little hair poking out of a shawl that can be quickly slipped off. And people really do wear the hijab that way. But it exists in so many more iterations than this one particular style. There's a whole world of choices between a niqab and nothing: The way that the hijab is depicted matters. Not just for the half a billion people in the world who wear them, but for all Muslims, because this head covering has been a target for Islamophobia from France to the US. And since the right tends to conflate religion, race and culture, the hijab has also become a target of growing anti-Arab sentiment too. When I was commissioned to create a hijabi character for Ramy Youssef and Pam Brady's animated TV show #1 Happy Family USA, I thought a lot about how to draw it. This was the first time a main character in a US animated series would be shown wearing a headscarf and I wanted to get it right. Hijabis don't usually wear their headscarves when they're in private spaces with family members. I thought about what the mother character, Sharia, would look like at home and outside of the house. The designs shouldn't be totally separate. She's still got a certain taste in color and comfort. Outdoors, her clothes are also part of her hijab. Sharia chooses to wear loose items that cover most of her body. Indoors, I wanted to be able to see this character's sexuality without sexualizing her (unlike most in adult animations, this female lead doesn't have thin thighs and a squeezed waist). But another character in the show, Sharia's mom, plays by her own rules. When her son-in-law suggests she takes off her niqab face covering to better blend into the community, Grandma objects. She won't have a man tell her what to do! Ever! She even wears the niqab indoors as a feminist 'fuck you' to the racist, Islamophobic world around her. Only her slippers change from the inside world to the outside world. And then there's the show's teenage daughter, who doesn't wear the headscarf and has never been asked to by anyone in her family (this was my experience too). Three generations of women, three different choices about what to do with their bodies. But how to get those depictions right? First of all, how can you show that this fabric is often light and thin, not the bulky, cumbersome material often depicted in cartoons? And then how can you go beyond bland colors to show that there can be personal expression in wearing hijab? The hijab looks different from the right profile and the left: And because it's covering hair, that should be reflected in the shape. Most on-screen hijabs weirdly follow the shape of a skull, without considering the bun or ponytail that is often underneath the fabric. And then there's the fun of animation. The hijab has to move. Just like any other item of clothing. A view of a woman wearing a green outfit and purple flapping hijab, who is chasing after a car with a food truck attachment behind it. At the bottom it says 'objects in mirror are closer than they appear' The character shouldn't simply ignore their hijab. How they use it is a part of their character. Do they adjust it when they're nervous, sleepy or feeling especially proud of themselves? A woman adjusts her hijab with pride and then scolds a man inside a family living room, as an older woman in a niqab watches TV in between the two And they should use it, too! To make a hands-free call, shield themselves from a fart or polish their glasses. For Sharia and so many others, the hijab isn't just an outward expression of inner values. It's as practical and fashionable an item of clothing as any other. It deserves to be depicted as such. Special thanks to Kendra Melton who contributed to character design and development for the show #1 Happy Family USA is on Prime Video
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Pitt,' ‘Adolescence,' ‘The Studio' Lead 2025 Gotham Television Award Nominees
Emmy season is upon us, and while we won't see those nominations until July 15, the second annual Gotham Television Awards could give us a taste of what to expect from TV's biggest night. In the mix are critically-acclaimed series such as Netflix's 'Adolescence,' Max's 'The Pitt,' AppleTV+'s 'The Studio' and FX/Hulu's 'Dying for Sex,' 'Say Nothing' and 'English Teacher,' among several newcomers. 'Building on the success of last year's inaugural ceremony, the Gotham Television Awards returns with new categories, expanded tributes and a larger stage to celebrate the creators and artists making their mark on today's television landscape,' Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham's, said. 'As the first awards show of the new television season, we are proud to bring together the industry's most exciting new voices, celebrate breakthrough achievements and deepen our commitment to supporting the creative community.' Among the new categories for 2025 are Outstanding Original Film, Broadcast or Streaming and Outstanding Lead or Supporting Performance in an Original Film. Nominees are determined for each genre by a panel of television writing professionals comprised of various outlets from TV to print to web media. The Gotham 2025 Television Awards Ceremony will be held live at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 2, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The 2025 Gotham Television Award nominations are: Breakthrough Comedy Series '#1 Happy Family USA' Pam Brady, Ramy Youssef, creators; Pam Brady, Andy Campagna, Mona Chalabi, Ravi Nandan, Josh Rabinowitz, Alli Reich, Hallie Sekoff, Ramy Youssef, executive producers (Amazon Prime Video) 'English Teacher' Brian Jordan Alvarez, creator; Brian Jordan Alvarez, Dave King, Jonathan Krisel, Paul Simms, executive producers (FX / Hulu) 'Fantasmas' Julio Torres, creator; Alex Bach, Olivia Gerke, Dave McCary, Daniel Powell, Emma Stone, Julio Torres, executive producers (HBO | Max) 'Overcompensating' Benito Skinner, creator; Josh Bachove, Matt Dines, Sam French, Alison Goodwin, Jonah Hill, Scott King, Daniel Gray Longino, Alli Reich, Benito Skinner, Charli XCX, executive producers (Amazon Prime Video) 'The Studio' Evan Goldberg, Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck, Frida Perez, Seth Rogen, creators; Josh Fagan, Evan Goldberg, Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck, Alex McAtee, Frida Perez, Seth Rogen, James Weaver, executive producers (Apple TV+) Breakthrough Drama Series 'Black Doves' Joe Barton, creator; Joe Barton, Jane Featherstone, Chris Fry, Keira Knightley, executive producers (Netflix) 'Forever' Mara Brock Akil, creator; Mara Brock Akil, Judy Blume, Susie Fitzgerald, Erika Harrison, Anthony Hemingway, Regina King, Reina King, Shana C. Waterman, Sara White, executive producers (Netflix) 'Matlock' Jennifer Snyder Urman, creator; Kathy Bates, Kat Coiro, Joanna Klein, Eric Christian Olsen, Frank Siracusa, Jennifer Snyder Urman, John Weber, John Will, executive producers (CBS) 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' Josep Amorós, Gonzalo García Barcha, Carolina Caicedo, Andrés Calderón, Rodrigo García, Alex García López, Juliana Flórez Luna, Laura Mora, José Rivera, Diego Ramírez Schrempp, executive producers (Netflix) 'The Pitt' R. Scott Gemmill, creator; Simran Baidwan, R. Scott Gemmill, Michael Hissrich, Erin Jontow, John Wells, Noah Wyle, executive producers (HBO | Max) Breakthrough Limited Series 'Adolescence' Stephen Graham, Jack Thorne, creators; Philip Barantini, Emily Feller, Dede Gardner, Stephen Graham, Mark Herbert,, Jeremy Kleiner, Brad Pitt, Jack Thorne, Hannah Walters, Nina Wolarsky, executive producers (Netflix) 'Dying for Sex' Kim Rosenstock, Elizabeth Meriwether, creators; Nikki Boyer, Kathy Ciric, Elizabeth Meriwether, Shannon Murphy, Katherine Pope, Kim Rosenstock, Michelle Williams, executive producers (FX / Hulu) 'Get Millie Back' Marlon James, creator; Marlon James, Leopoldo Gout, Simon Maxwell, Jami O'Brien, executive producers (HBO | Max) 'Penelope' Mark Duplass, Mel Eslyn, creators; Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, Mel Eslyn, Shuli Harel, executive producers; (Netflix) 'Say Nothing' Joshua Zetumer, creator; Nina Jacobson, Patrick Radden Keefe, Michael Lennox, Monica Levinson, Edward L. McDonnell, Brad Simpson, Joshua Zetumer, executive producers; (FX/Hulu) Breakthrough Nonfiction Series 'Conbody Vs Everybody' Debra Granik, creator; Joslyn Barnes, Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini, Diane Weyermann, executive producers; (Self-distributed) 'Hollywood Black' Justin Simien, creator; Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jill Burkhart, Shayla Harris, Jon Kamen, Amy Goodman Kass, Kyle Laursen, Stacey Reiss, Jeffrey Schwarz, Justin Simien, Dave Sirulnick, Forest Whitaker, Michael Wright, executive producers (MGM+) 'Omnivore' Cary Joji Fukunaga, Matt Goulding, René Redzepi, creators; Michael Antinoro, Matt Goulding, Ben Liebmann, Collin Orcutt, René Redzepi, Chris Rice, Max Wagner, Mateo Willis, executive producers (Apple TV+) 'Ren Faire' Nancy Abraham, Dani Bernfeld, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Lisa Heller, David Gauvey Herbert, Lance Oppenheim, Sara Rodriguez,Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, executive producers (HBO | Max) 'Social Studies' Lauren Greenfield, creator; Frank Evers, Lauren Greenfield, executive producers (FX/Hulu) Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy Series Ted Danson, 'A Man on the Inside' (Netflix) Anna Lambe, 'North of North' (Netflix) Saagar Shaikh, 'Deli Boys' (Hulu) Benito Skinner, 'Overcompensating '(Amazon Prime Video) Julio Torres, 'Fantasmas' (HBO | Max) Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama Series Kathy Bates, 'Matlock' (CBS) Sterling K. Brown, 'Paradise' (Hulu) Aldis Hodge, 'Cross' (Amazon Prime Video) Lovie Simone, 'Forever' (Netflix) Noah Wyle, 'The Pitt' (HBO | Max) Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited Series Stephen Graham, 'Adolescence' (Netflix) Brian Tyree Henry, 'Dope Thief' (Apple TV+) Cristin Milioti, 'The Penguin' (HBO | Max) Megan Stott, 'Penelope' (Netflix) Michelle Williams, 'Dying for Sex' (FX / Hulu) Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series Poorna Jagannathan, 'Deli Boys' (Hulu) Linda Lavin, 'Mid-Century Modern' (Hulu) Sean Patton, 'English Teacher' (FX / Hulu) Timothy Simons, 'Nobody Wants This' (Netflix) Chase Sui Wonders, 'The Studio' (Apple TV+) Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama Series Katherine LaNasa, 'The Pitt' (HBO | Max) James Marsden, 'Paradise' (Hulu) Skye P. Marshall, 'Matlock' (CBS) Ben Whishaw, 'Black Doves' (Netflix) Olivia Williams, 'Dune: Prophecy' (HBO | Max) Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited Series Owen Cooper, 'Adolescence' (Netflix) Erin Doherty, 'Adolescence' (Netflix) Taraji P. Henson, 'Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist' (Peacock) Diego Luna, 'La Maquina' (Hulu) Jenny Slate, 'Dying for Sex' (FX / Hulu) Outstanding Original Film, Broadcast, or Streaming 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' Michael Morris, director; Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jo Wallett, producers (Peacock) 'Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music' Oz Rodriguez, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, directors; Oz Rodriguez, producer (Peacock) 'Pee-wee as Himself' Matt Wolf, director; Emma Tillinger Koskoff, producer (HBO | Max) 'Rebel Ridge' Jeremy Saulnier, director; Neil Kopp, Jeremy Saulnier, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani, producers (Netflix) 'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, director; Eric Macdonald, Derik Murray, Joseph Patel, Stephen Sawchuk, producers (Hulu) Outstanding Performance in an Original Film Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, 'The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat' (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu) Dylan O'Brien, 'Caddo Lake' (HBO | Max) Aaron Pierre, 'Rebel Ridge' (Netflix) Phoebe-Rae Taylor, 'Out of My Mind' (Disney+) Renée Zellweger, 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' (Peacock) Nominating Committees for the 2025 Gotham Television Awards were: Nominating Committee for Breakthrough Comedy Series and Outstanding Performance in a Comedy Series Mae Abdulbaki, Senior Reviews Editor, Screen Rant Jen Chaney, TV Critic, New York Magazine, Vulture Rendy Jenkins, Freelance Entertainment Journalist Inkoo Kang, TV Critic, The New Yorker Nominating Committee for Breakthrough Drama Series and Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series: Melanie McFarland, Senior Critic, Liz Shannon Miller, Senior Entertainment Editor, Consequence Kaiya Shunyata, TV Critic, Ben Travers, Head TV Critic, IndieWire Kathryn VanArendonk, Critic, New York Magazine, Vulture Nominating Committee for Breakthrough Limited Series and Outstanding Performance in Limited Series: Judy Berman, TV Critic, TIME Daniel Fienberg, Chief Television Critic, The Hollywood Reporter Aramide Tinubu, TV Critic, Variety Chris Vognar, Cultural Critic, Freelance, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times Nominating Committee for Breakthrough Nonfiction Series Opal Bennett, Senior Producer, POV, Executive Producer, POV Shorts Angie Han, Television Critic, The Hollywood Reporter Kendra Hodgson, Managing Director, Women Make Movies Soheil Rezayazdi, Digital Course & Event Producer, Sundance Institute Nominating Committee for Outstanding Original Films, Broadcast, or Streaming and Outstanding Performance in an Original Film Kate Erbland, Editorial Director, IndieWire David Fear, Chief Film Critic, Rolling Stone Tomris Laffly, Freelance Film Journalist and Film Critic Jourdain Searles, Film Critic and Programmer Brian Tallerico, Managing Editor, The post 'The Pitt,' 'Adolescence,' 'The Studio' Lead 2025 Gotham Television Award Nominees appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'#1 Happy Family USA' Doesn't Overexplain The Muslim American Experience — And I Love That
Growingupas recognizably Muslim in America, it would have been comforting to see myself reflected on screen. It's better late than never, I suppose. Amazon Prime Video's new animated sitcom from Ramy Youssef and Pam Brady, '#1 Happy Family USA' features the Husseins, a family navigating the immediate aftermath of 9/11 in their town. Watching them is an exploration of a turning point in the everyday lives of Muslim families trying to adapt to a new reality. On the show, which dropped on April 17, Ramy Youssef voices a young Muslim boy, Rumi Hussein, whose character feels very familiar to me — not just because of our shared last name, but because of his nuanced interactions with people from within and outside his community after 9/11. Through humor, satire and some wonderfully bizarre storytelling, the show captures the same hurdles so many of us faced back then: What does it mean to fit in? How much of our identity do we need to hide or shed to be 'normal'? And what does survival look like when the world around us is conditioned to see us as suspicious first, human second? The most engaging and unique part of the show is that it doesn't try to explain itself — nor does it try to be palatable for a non-Muslim audience. There's no token non-Muslim character for the audience to latch on to. No clunky monologues designed to overexplain our traditions. Religious and cultural references are portrayed unapologetically and without translation. This might leave some viewers confused, but for many of us, it feels like home. Some details in the show might feel triggering to those of who lived it firsthand: the cloud of anxiety hovering over Muslim families fearing whether they can continue to live peacefully in this country, the desire to be accepted at school, navigating non-Muslim neighbors, the potential for hate crimes and the complexity of immigrant family dynamics. But seeing it all out there — our experiences, our pain and joy — is important. Amid a growing wave of identity-driven content and diversity-focused programming, '#1 Happy Family USA' lets Muslims be complicated, contradictory and sometimes messy. The show also explores generational trauma with substance and intention. We see some characters lean deeper into their faith post-9/11, while others run from it entirely. That range feels real — it reflects a truth many of us lived. The father in the show tries to protect his family by making them appear less visibly Muslim — a mindset rooted in an older generation's instinct to assimilate for safety, even if it meant erasing identity. It's a perspective that's vastly different from the way many younger Muslims today embrace visibility and authenticity, even when it comes at a cost. Meanwhile, the rest of the Hussein family is caught between guilt and survival, wondering whether to preserve their culture or assimilate to stay safe. The show doesn't pick a side — it simply reveals the tension. The cultural punchlines are expertly tailored. Only immigrant American families from the early 2000s would understand the stress of calling-card minutes expiring or the ordeal of being forced to help work the family food cart. Or watching your best friend slowly drift away from you as your 'Muslim-ness' becomes a liability. The moments are small but cut deep — in the show and just as much in our own lives. The reality is that this kind of storytelling couldn't exist without the shift in Muslim representation brought about by earlier series such as 'Ramy,' also created by Youssef. In fact, much of '#1 Happy Family USA' feels like an animated, serialized version of the 'Strawberries' episode from Season 1, which zooms in on a Muslim child processing the aftermath of 9/11. Throughout the season, there's heartbreak but also biting, absurdist humor, courtesy of Youssef, Brady (of 'South Park' fame) and their team of writers. And the laughter is crucial. It's what got us through it and continues to get us through it today. As I watched the series, there was something cathartic about seeing feelings I've carried for decades finally play out on screen without being filtered through a lens of pity or condescension. And while the show does struggle a bit to maintain a cohesive storyline and oscillate between satirical and somber themes, I can appreciate that the characters felt human. And it reminded me that stories don't have to capture the entire human experience in a poetic way to be powerful; they just need to be honest. For many Muslims, this series is more than a coming-of-age dramedy, it's a cultural self-portrait. The quiet rebellions, the unspoken code-switching, the guilt, the pride, the joy: We rarely see these elements on-screen. By not reducing my community to vessels for trauma, our actual voices are heard. And the show is still enjoyable for non-Muslims — not because it's purposely been made palatable for them, but because everyone appreciates authenticity.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'South Park' writer reveals the most regrettable joke she's ever written, and it's not one you'd expect
"South Park" has had a joke-hold on America for over a quarter-century, and writer Pam Brady was responsible for many during the hit show's formative the past 26 seasons, countless lists from Buzzfeed to IMDB and everywhere in between have been compiled, ranking the show's most offensive jokes that crossed the line. Wikipedia even has a page dedicated to "South Park controversies," noting that the equal-opportunistic, no-holds-barred, satirical show frequently lampoons "a wide range of topics and both sides of contentious issues."Controversies of note range from when the character of Eric Cartman killed off a high schooler's parents and fed their remains to him in chili, to when the character of Randy Marsh goes on "Wheel of Fortune" [IYKYK]. For writer Pam Brady, though, who joined co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the show's first few seasons and helped set the tone for what would be considered one of the greatest television shows of all time, she crossed the line 2025's South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival, Brady revealed what she believes is the worst joke she's ever written from her tenure on the series to Fox News Digital.'Snl' Legends Say Comedy Has Become Bigger, 'Snarkier' And More Political "It was based on an old frat joke… one character said 'I don't trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die.' I remember it was just like the most misogynistic frat boy joke that I'd heard of at that point… but we're reclaiming it." The joke is said by the character of Mr. Garrison — the quad squad of cartoon kids' 4th grade teacher — in the 1999 film, "South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut," which was nominated for an Academy Award the following year. And though Brady may possess some regret for the joke, it's considered by some to be among the series' funniest. Brady reclaimed it on the heels of International Women's Day, sharing her thoughts on Hollywood's recent treatment of women with Sweeney Slams Hollywood's 'Women Empowering Other Women' Message As 'Fake'"I think there's always improvement to be made. I mean, women are 51% of the population, so it should always be 50% [female in writers' rooms]. But I've been really lucky, you know, 'South Park's' writers' room has always been 50-50, male-female… but the best part about Hollywood is that no one's keeping women out. So I never feel like… [it's] the old boys network."The industry veteran, who co-created the upcoming animated series "#1 Happy Family USA" for Amazon Prime Video, also weighed in on joke-writing today and whether the changing culture has meant a change in comedy since she first got her start: Read On The Fox News App "I do think you have to be more careful now, what you say. 'South Park' had an episode where they represented… I'm not going to say what it was, but it was just someone you wouldn't want to represent on a show… and you could do it 20 years ago, but you can't do it now," Brady said."I'm sort of of two minds about it, because I think the idea of cancel culture and stuff you can't say… I think times change and I think sometimes it's good that you go, 'oh, you shouldn't do something that's like, a racist phrase that your grandparents would use.' And that's sort of just evolving."Brady added that she doesn't believe comedy has necessarily been "stifled," just that "you need to be smarter to make a joke" "Lady Dynamite" co-creator went on to explain that comedy is all about building trust with your audience."[It's about] knowing that someone is not attacking you. And to earn that trust, it's changed. But I think that's the fun of it. How can you make a joke now, where everybody's in on the joke? I think that's the trick. Nobody wants to feel bad and, you know, we don't want to do stuff that just makes people feel bad."Original article source: 'South Park' writer reveals the most regrettable joke she's ever written, and it's not one you'd expect
