EXCLUSIVE: We Talk to the Cast & Producers Behind “Legends of Chamberlain Heights”

 

We talk to the people behind Comedy Central’s newest series.

It’s the first day of Comic Con and it’s already been a crazy day. I had just flown in from Newark International Airport several hours earlier and already I was beat, but you can’t help but get caught up in the moment because San Diego Comic Con is Disney World. I make my way over to the Hilton @ Bayfront and after a tussle with local security I head up the elevators. In walking right behind me is fellow Highlands, NJ brethren Kevin Smith looking at me like I was nuts and rightfully so. I had just trekked across the hallowed halls of the San Diego Convention Center to get here and despite copious amounts of deodorant I probably smelled like a shoe. But, here standing behind me was a legendary filmmaker in Smith rife with legend that he got to where he is by maxing out credit cards and working late nights at a convenience store. That very same store would be the main setting for Kevin’s first film, Clerks and would become a regular hot spot for out-of-towners looking to take photos. Of course, having grown up around the corner from that same store, the way the local kids used to refer to Kevin Smith is like saying the name of god…the stuff of legends.

I sometimes wonder if Kevin Smith were to JUST get started today, would he have achieved the level of fame that got him to where he is today. Gone are the days where you need to spend a bunch of money on cameras, and in are the days where your camera is probably on your hip and can be used anywhere at anytime. Every social network available today has its celebrities that dates as far back as MySpace. Whether it’s Justin Bieber via Youtube or King Bach from Vine, it’s hard to argue the value of quick media.  

“My wife got my youngest an iPhone” bemoans Legends of Chamberlain Heights show-runner  Devon Shepard, “it’s amazing that kids these days can have so much information at their finger tips and be so stupid!” As I sit at the head of a hotel room table surrounded by the cast and producers of Comedy Central’s newest animated comedy, I begin thinking of all of the recent stories of Pokemon Go! players falling off of cliffs or looking to catch creatures in cemeteries, and of course I can’t help but laugh and agree.

“Legends of Chamberlain Heights” is an urban animated series coming soon to Comedy Central that promises a healthy mix of raucous comedy and social commentary that centers on three high school freshman basketball bench-warmers: Jamal, Grover, and Milk. The three friends tackle life with some wins and some losses, but failure doesn’t faze them since they’re legends…even if it’s just in their own minds.

Joining me at the table were Legends of Chamberlain Heights creators Quinn Hawking and Josiah Johnson. Two guys that met in their early years at UCLA, and would eventually play the roles of bench-warmers on the school’s basketball team. “We would always try to find ways to entertain ourselves during the course of the game “ says Hawking “so we would just start filming like basketball games and whatever. I taught myself how to edit videos and Josiah became the producer.” The budding producers would land jobs at NFL Network where the two would continue to make content until Bento Box Entertainment producer Mike Clements (whom today is the head of comedy at Universal TV) would reach out via email asking for a meeting. Turns out, long-time co-producers Brad Ableson (Good Vibes) and Mike Clements had gotten wind of one of the videos that were on Youtube and thought the guys would be great voices for a new project in-development described as ‘Lebron James in High School having to decide between getting pussy or playing basketball’. “Mike and I are square white-dudes who have no idea how to get pussy nor how to play basketball” says long-time Simpsons producer Ableson, “so we called these guys.”

Ableson would continue to recruit, bringing in Michael Starburry as a writer for the pilot presentation for Comedy Central. “I wanted to make the animation of Good Vibes look down and dirty, very punk rock. Mike was brought in to provide a good structure to the series as a writer.” A five minute presentation was produced and Comedy Central ordered the first season right on the spot.

To help round out the writing team, Bento Box Entertainment had sent the pilot to legendary producer Carl Jones (Black Dynamite/The Boondocks). After watching it, it was Carl’s girlfriend and music sensation Erykah Badu that helped convince Carl to take the gig. Asked to compare how controversial Legends of Chamberlain Heights is to previous works, Carl says that Legends allows him to experiment more versus being on an adapted series where constraints can pop up, “With Black Dynamite, the show was set in the 70’s, so you’re kind of put in a corner and I never considered Boondocks a cartoon, so with Legends it’s definitely more contemporary and there’s more freedom.” Eventually, Carl and Erykah would BOTH join Legends of Chamberlain Heights as voice cast with the latter also taking up music scoring responsibilities. “When she walks in the room it’s like, wow, says Johnson, “she definitely adds another layer to the series and we’re truly blessed to have her.”

Yes, the premise of Legends of Chamberlain Heights revolves around kids, but that doesn’t mean this is a kids show. The series will tackle social issues like race, sexual orientation, and being high school kids in today’s society all from the focal point of our principal characters Jamal, Milk, and Grover.  Quinn Hawking plays the role of “Jamal” while Josiah Johnson voices “Grover” and “Milk” which could beg the question why a Comedy Central series didn’t employ more notable actors in the starring roles, but Ableson notes that while they auditioned other people for the cast, it became obvious that Quinn and Josiah were just right for the roles. Shows like Moonbeam City or Sit Down, Shut Up were both one-hit wonders that had excellent casts but no substance. Jay Pharoah and Jamie Kennedy are in, but other than that the rest of the cast is voiced by show producers Starburry, Jones, and Badu all of whom do their roles justice. “We didn’t want flashy animation, we really wanted this to be a script-driven show”.

So, as I wrapped my round-table discussion with the Legends of Chamberlain Heights crew I couldn’t help but notice show co-creator Quinn’s  Shawn Kemp “Supersonics” jersey on the way out. Yea, most are gonna remember his failed comebacks and run-ins with controlled substances,  but Kemp was also a 6 X NBA All-Star. While never getting the recognition or respect of say a Charles Barkley or Michael Jordan, Kemp was a solid player who went hard for 14 seasons. With a second season already ordered from Comedy Central, Legends of Chamberlain Heights braces for a first season among a stout roster of television programs featuring the likes of Schumer, Tosh, and Noah. But with an impressive team behind-the-scenes, Legends of Chamberlain Heights should prove to be a solid player for seasons to come.

Legends of Chamberlain Heights Premieres on Comedy Central, September 14th after an all-new South Park. Watch a trailer here.