NAACP Image Awards: 10 Funny Scenes From 'Grown-ish’
Grown-ish, which launched in 2018 as a new Freeform network show, is a spinoff of ABC’s wildly successful and popular Black-ish comedy series created by Kenya Barris. The show follows Zoey (Yara Shahidi) to college at the fictional and multiracial California University of Liberal Arts. She leaves behind her suburban multigenerational home, also in California, which is held down by her doctor mother Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Dre (Anthony Anderson), an advertising executive father.
Besides Zoey, the series features Aaron (Trevor Jackson) as the smart, “woke” guy with the #BlackLivesMatter buttons, and with whom Zoey immediately falls in love. The series also features Chloe Bailey and Halle Bailey, who co-star as track-running twins Jazz and Sky. Jordan Buhat plays Vivek Shah, a first-generation Gujarati Indian American, who pushes the envelope amid accusations of cultural appropriation.
“Grown-ish isn’t this generation’s A Different World,” writes The Washington Post, “And it shouldn’t be. Black college students today have different experiences than their Generation X parents. They’re more likely to attend predominantly white institutions, where white supremacists have marched on campus carrying burning tiki torches. They’re facing acts of intimidation from roommates and they’re fighting against systemic racism at institutions across the country.”
The show grapples with some serious themes like race, academics, friendship, mental health, drugs, and sex, but presents those ideas with a hefty dose of humor for its younger-skewing audience.
Here are 10 funny scenes from Grown-ish:
SKY & JAZZ’S SAVAGE MOMENTS
We can’t stop laughing at this mashup of twins Sky and Jazz Forster’s savage moments. The twins are the picture-perfect (secretly not-so-picture-perfect), sassy track-stars who are “btdubs” played by Chloe and Halle Bailey who actually sang and produced the theme song.
‘UNBREAK MY HEART’
In season 1, episode 7, after going through a traumatic breakup, Zoey begins partying to get out of her feelings, but when a power blackout on campus forces her to stay in for the night, she must confront her true feelings in order to begin the healing process.
‘ERASE YOUR SOCIAL’
In this hysterical season 1 episode 8, Vivek teaches the college dean about “Finsta,” or Fake Instagram account that users share with their closest friends. “So you can post pics of yourself partying and acting reckless,” he tells the dean. On a more somber note about the perils of social media, Zoey lands the fellowship of her dreams at Teen Vogue, but her reputation and job are put on the line when she reveals too much on social media. Check out a video clip of the episode below:
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'FIGHTING FOR BEYONCE’
“Genius, negro,” the twins state in unison with a perfectly time hand clap during a discussion about Beyonce. In season 2, episode 4, as the gang debates what really makes a person genius; and Zoey takes it personally when Nomi assigns Luca the genius label.
‘CREW RULES’
In Season 2, episode 12, Zoey made us laugh out loud as she breaks down her crew's unspoken rules, including no posting photos before Facetuning and obtaining everyone's approval.
‘JAZZ HAS A BREAKDOWN ON INSTAGRAM LIVE’
In Season 2, episode 10, Zoey steps in when Jazz hilariously live-streams her breakdown over Doug on Instagram at 1:33 a.m. “And then dude had the nerve to come up to this party, where I am, and dance, knowing damn well he don’t know how to dance,” Jazz says. “Are you joking?”
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‘MOM?’
We laughed out loud in season 1, episode 6 when a tired Zoey stumbled into her dorm room to find her mom, Rainbow, sitting at her desk, asking “where in the hell have you been, young lady? Why are you not returning my calls or my texts, Zoey?” It was even funnier when she inquired when her daughter stopped wearing makeup.
‘IT’S HARD OUT HERE FOR A PIMP’
In season 1, episode 10, Jazz and Sky struggle to hit a dating stride in a college landscape. Meanwhile, Zoey and Luca attempt to hunker down to complete a project in this funny take on college life that includes battle over Siri during a car ride back to campus.
BLACK CULTURE IS POP CULTURE
“If you’re not Black, it doesn’t matter how similar our taste buds or our hardships are,” Doug (Diggy Simmons) said during an intense discussion with Aaron (Trevor Jckson) about cultural appropriation by Vivek Shah (Jordan Buhat), a first-generation Gujarati Indian American in season 2, episode 17. “You stay in your lane, I stay in mine. It’s simple.” But the mood gets turnt up a little bit and jokes flow when Wave Cap Wednesday jumps off. Check out the funny reaction below when Vivek shows up for the competition:
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‘THERE IS NO SHRIMP’
Aaron (Trevor Johnson) thought it was a good idea to bribe the residents of Hawkins Hall with the promise of shrimp to meet for a discussion on mental health in season 2, episode 19. But students protested after learning there was no shrimp. “I told you you can’t promise Black people shrimp, bro,” Doug exclaims in a humorous exchange that, well, happens to be true. Aaron explains that he wanted to do a wellness check to see how everyone is doing. “Hungry,” Raphael reponds. “Hungry.’’ Check out the funny exchange below:
Watch the 52nd Annual NAACP awards on BET on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 8/7C
