Comedian Jaboukie Young-White is undoubtedly known to many thanks to his Twitter account, where he frequently used his blue check to impersonate other accounts. However, the former Daily Show correspondent has an impressive career outside of Twitter writing for shows such as Big Mouth and American Vandal. He is currently shifting away from comedy with his latest project: adapting the book ‘Gang’s All Queer: The Lives of Gay Gang Members’ into an HBO series.
‘Gang’s All Queer: The Lives of Gay Gang Members’ is a book written by Vanessa Panfil that explores the lives of gay gang members. The book “draws from interviews with over 50 gay gang- and crime-involved young men in Columbus, Ohio, the majority of whom are men of colour in their late teens and early twenties, as well as on-the-ground ethnographic fieldwork with men who are in gay, hybrid, and straight gangs.” The book explores themes such as masculinity, sexuality, poverty, and defying societal stereotypes.
Young-White will be writing the script and producing the series alongside actress Issa Rae. According to Hollywood Reporter, the story “revolves around a closeted 20-something in Chicago who, grieving a gang-related death, ditches college to find closure.” Each episode will last half an hour.
Other than Young-White and Rae, Montrel McKay, Jonathan Berry, Olivia Gerke, and David Becky will exec produce this series. Sara Rastogi will be the co-executive producer. McKay and Rastogi are represented by Hoorae, Rae’s HBO-based banner. Berry, Gerke, and Becky are represented by 3 Arts, the same agency that represents Young-White.
Words by Emma Brainbridge
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