*TV veterans Kim Coles (“Living Single,” “In Living Color,” “One on One”) and Mark Curry (“Hanging With Mr. Cooper”) join Dorien Wilson and Kellita Smith for the seventh season on “In the Cut.”
Created by Bentley Kyle Evans, Bounce’s popular comedy is back in the barbershop for an all-new season starting August 26.
We caught up with Coles to dish about the new season, vibing with the cast, and she sets the record straight on rumors about the “Living Single” reboot.
“I’m replacing the great Laura Hayes, “Coles tells us about joining the show. “Her business was called Mabel’s Tables. So I guess they’re trying out this new girl named Trish, and I’m Trish.”
She continues, “Trish is probably the sassiest, boldest, in-your-face character that I’ve ever played, so it was so much fun. She’s running a business, there’s a little bit of an edge, a little bit of sass, a little bit of in-your-face, a little bit of she’s irreverent,” she explained. “So it was a whole lot of fun because I haven’t done anything quite like this. Certainly not in a sitcom setting where you get a chance to just really stretch your wings. And what’s really wonderful about Bentley Evans, and the way he runs his show, is that you are encouraged to go all the way there, you know? So it was a lot of fun.”
READ MORE: Hip-Hip Icon YoYo to Guest Star on Bounce’s ‘In The Cut’ [EUR Exclusive]
#InTheCut is back & we’ve brought some new friends!@kimcoles & @MARKCURRY join the family for an all-new season of laughs & love.
Don’t miss the fun next Wednesday night at 8/7c on @BounceTV. pic.twitter.com/wcs4OGZZ8k
— Bounce (@bouncetv) August 19, 2020
How would you describe coming on board and working with a cast that’s already clicking.
First of all, let me say this. This show is shot very differently than I’m used to. There’s so much of it that is shot out of order.
Living Single, back in the day when we were doing shows this way, pretty much it went from start to finish. You started one way, you finished it all, you shot it all in one day, right? You spent the whole week rehearsing, and then you shot it all in one day. So it took a minute to get used to things being out of order, shooting three or four scenes that might be from three or four different episodes.
Here’s the good news though. Because this cast is so well cemented, they know each other’s strengths, it was very easy for me to be welcomed in, and by the way, they did welcome me in, and get me acclimated to how this is going to be.
And the other thing is, thank God I wore the same thing most of the time. Sometimes I know where the scene is based on what the costume is. She’s wearing the same thing almost every episode, so that was easy.
I was welcomed in. The lay of the land was explained to me. And they’re all such pros, that it was easy just to fit in and just play. If I had a question, Dorien was so… he’s sort of the one that’s holding the space over there for the actors. Because he’s an actor, he gets it, and he’s, “Kim, I know this is unusual, but just follow my lead and you’ll be okay.”
And so I really appreciated his leadership as a performer in welcoming me in, and just saying, “Don’t worry, girl. You’ve got this.” So that’s the long answer.
How would you describe Trish’s dynamic with Dorien’s character Jay and Kellita’s Cheryl this season?
KC: Well, my take on it is that there’s an excitement that she’s been brought on to run Mabel’s Tables. She’s ready to be a strong part of this little strip mall, of all these businesses that are running and going.
That the relationship is fun, and collaborative, and she wants them to come and use her diner as a place to have their parties and do their events. And she provides some very interesting dishes, which you’ll hear about over the course of time. She mixes some strange, exotic meats.
And so I think it’s a real collaborative, real fun non-confrontational experience. Because she’s just really happy to be there. And probably auditioning to stay there for long, do you know what I mean? Stay there for a long period of time. Because again, she’s coming in to run the business and probably wants to stay.
Hint, hint. I hope they invite me back for another season.
It’s time to meet the family & Cheryl’s brother is no Mr. Cooper! ?@MARKCURRY joins the #InTheCut cast in the all-new season premiere. Tune in Wednesday night at 8/7c on @BounceTV. ?✂️ pic.twitter.com/CjG84Ms8Wz
— Bounce (@bouncetv) August 21, 2020
Did you watch the show before joining the cast?
So in all honesty, I had not seen the show. But that’s just me. I haven’t been watching a lot of television, because I’ve been doing a lot of other things, which I’ll come back and tell you about. I knew of it. But I had not watched it.
And I don’t get Bounce. So, now that I see that you can get it on Roku, and there’s an app now. But up until a little while ago, I didn’t even get Bounce, which was interesting. I had my own comedy special on Bounce that I had never seen, because I don’t get Bounce.
Now that you’re on the show, will you follow the blog recaps and the conversations online about what fans have to say about this season?
I will have to participate, because I’m now part of the crew. I’m part of it now.
You know, let me say this. This is what I find with show business. This is what I found from my own career. When you’re working, you don’t have as much time… Like, for example, during my time at Living Single, I didn’t watch much television because I was on a set, making a show of my own. Do you know what I mean?
I didn’t have time to watch a lot of other things. There’s a lot of things I’m watching now in reruns. I’m like, “I missed this whole time, because I was in production doing this.”
Once it’s out there, and because of the way Bounce does this, we shoot a bunch of episodes. They put them in the can and then they released them. Now I’m going to be able to sit and enjoy, because I’m not in production on that show.
So yes, I will participate as much as people want me to, and as much as much as Bounce will allow me to.
What does it mean to you to represent Black girl magic on a show that’s made by Black people, for Black people, on a Black network?
It’s actually really, really wonderful and heartwarming that I’ve been trusted enough, and my talent and my professionalism, or my, whatever the magic I do have, was trusted enough that I didn’t have to audition for this. Bentley called and said, “Do you want to do it?” And I’m like, “Yes, I’m in.”
So often you have to jump through so many hoops even to get an audition or to be seen out there, that in this world I’m considered important, I’m considered valuable. And because of the way Bentley and his team work, you are encouraged to stretch your wings (and) bring all of you to the table.
To be accepted in that way, and to have that freedom, was so empowering and so delightful. It was more than just a gig. It was a gig in my zone of genius, with the people who would love and respect me and want me to shine the most. That was a great feeling. And trust me, it doesn’t happen often, right? That was, that was powerful, very powerful.
I’m old enough to remember when there were just three networks. Then I began working, and there were just four networks.
Now there are so many more places for content to be. We don’t have to wait for the top four or the top five or the top six, whatever the number is, for them to say, “Yes. This is a place where you can find your entertainment, be entertained, see yourself, see your aunties, see your grandmamma and see people that look like you.”
I just love that Bounce has created this space, and has put their stake in the ground, saying, “This is the place where Black excellence will live.” I don’t at all say… I know that that’s not their motto, but I know from working there that that is their vibe. There’s a place where you can come and be yourself, and shine, and use your gift and other people can come and enjoy.
What other projects are you working on? There’s talk about a “Living Single” reboot. What can you tell us about that?
Oh, there’s so much talk about it, and no action whatsoever. I think the people want it. And I’ve had people say to me, “Oh, I hear it’s happening.” The way I always say it is, “I’ve been neither contacted nor contracted.” So there’s a lot of talk, but no real movement.
Listen, my hope and prayer would be that it does happen one day. I would happily go back and play with those beautiful people again. We’re all still friends. We have an epic text thread that happens all the time, because we’re personal friends as well. So I’m hoping that it happens one day, but there’s nothing that’s concrete right now.
I’m grateful that I learned early on in this business that it would serve me well to use my gifts in as many ways as possible. I’m very proud that before the pandemic hit, I was already set up to be able to do other things. II’m a speaker, I’m a teacher, I’m a coach. I coach entrepreneurs on the power of storytelling. My business partner and I have what we call the KimUnity Mastermind that people could find at kimunitymastermind.com.
What we do is we coach people through business trainings and lifestyle trainings. Everything from building a brand, how to write a book, how to speak and be powerful, how to build your online brand, how to build your online business.
So that has been a really wonderful place to be, while masking, while staying safe at home, while waiting for the election. To pour into people in that way, and we have a really wonderful group of people that we share all of my business knowledge.
I realized I was an entrepreneur actually more than I am an actress. I’m an entrepreneur first. And it’s how I’ve handled my business as an actress and performer, as a speaker, and as I’m building other parts of the way I share my gifts. And recommend that other people do that too, or come join us in the KimUnity Mastermind and we will show you how.
I’m sure you’ve noticed how COVID-19 has impacted the film and television space. Movies are being canceled or pushed back. We can’t go to the theaters. Interviews are being conducted via Zoom. A lot of artists are moving more and more to the digital space to create content and expand their brand. How is the digital space influencing and shaping how you continue to navigate this business and share your craft?
You know, that’s a good question. I have not put out any entertainment-based content, other than going live on Instagram every once in a while, or going live on Facebook. I haven’t done the entertainment side yet.
Erika Alexander and I did a YouTube series called the BFF Chronicles a few years ago. She and I keep circling around that and going like, “Girl, what can we do to revive that?”
All of my digital content has been more in the helping entrepreneurs build, or helping speakers become better speakers and performers. I have not yet done the entertainment piece. So I haven’t figured that piece of it out, but I’ll have to. We’ll have to.
I put out a summit called Captivating Conversations where I had 27 of what I like to call my best friends for real, my business best friends, and my Hollywood best friends, all come together and do these interviews about how to thrive during a time when it seems like it’s unsurvivable.
That has led me to think that maybe I should think about doing a talk show. I could easily do a digital talk show. So the answer is, I don’t have anything concrete yet, but I’m mulling over all the possibilities.
Do you still do stand-up?
You know what it is for me? Digital stand-up, without the audience in the room with me, I just don’t know. So the answer is, I still do stand up, however, I’ve moved over where now I’m a speaker and I incorporate comedy in my speaking. I’m not waiting for a comedy club to book me. I get booked to do my speaking engagements, and then I use my humor in that way, so I’m still scratching that itch, so to speak.
I don’t know if I’m interested in performing on a Zoom to do some stand-up on it. There’s something that happens when you’re in a room with an audience that I… Yeah, I don’t know if I want to explore the other version. So I get to be funny all the time, I’m good.
I want the people. There’s something that you get. There’s the laughter, there’s the looking in people’s eyes. I literally love when a comedy club is set up so that you can still see the audience. I’m vibing off the audience.
I’m sure there are people who have mastered that. I’m working with so many other things that mastering that is lower on the list for me because I get my fix other ways.
Catch Kim Coles in the new season of “In The Cut” on Bounce starting August 26 at 9:00 pm (ET).
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