The movie American Fiction is a satire about a Black writer who can't get his latest book published because it's not "Black" enough. He decides to write a book with every offensive Black stereotype he can think of — and gets a $1 million book deal. Screenwriter/director Cord Jefferson says he experienced something similar as a writer in Hollywood. Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album from tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the TEd radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people where they will say to me, but it can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is the history behind words causing a lot of debate.
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This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Tanya Moseley.
In the new satirical film american fiction, Thelonious Ellison is a frustrated writer who can't get his latest book published because editors say it's not black enough.
So he decides to write the kind of black book they want out of spite.
Using every tired and offensive trope he can think of, he submits the manuscript under a pseudonym, and to his surprise, he's offered a million dollar book deal.
This film is tv writer court Jefferson's directorial debut.
He got his start as a journalist before becoming a screenwriter for shows like Succession, the good Place, Master of None, and Larry Wilmore's former late night tv series the nightly show.
In 2020, he won an Emmy for his writing of episode six of Watchmen, titled the Extraordinary Being, along with Damon Lindelof, american fiction features a star studded cast that includes actors Jeffrey Wright, Issa Rae, Adam Brody, and Sterling K.
Brown.
Cora Jefferson, welcome back to FReSh Air.
Thank you so much for having me.
Okay, so the main character in american fiction, Thelonious, whose nickname is Monk, played by Geoffrey Wright, is a writer and college professor who writes this book out of spite.
And the book's contents play into all of the stereotypes about violence and trauma with these over the top characters.
But of course, Monk writes it under a fake name.
So to add to the lies, he says he can't reveal his true identity because he's running from the law.
I want to play a scene.