After Emmys nod, ‘Insecure’ showrunner calls for Hollywood to step up representation

With every new episode of HBO’s “Insecure,” Twitter lights up with reactions and commentary from the show’s fervent fans.

The show follows the lives of Issa Dee, played by Issa Rae, and her friends Molly, Kelli and Tiffany, played by Yvonne Orji, Natasha Rothwell and Amanda Seales. The character Issa is adrift in the world, but in the show’s fourth season, she finds purpose in planning events that spotlight the Black community in her Los Angeles neighborhood.

Prentice Penny has been an executive producer of “Insecure” since its first season. He is also an outspoken advocate for the inclusion of Black characters and stories.

Earlier this summer, he wrote a column for Deadline about how only three Black shows ever received Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Series: “Atlanta,” “Black-ish,” and “The Cosby Show.” Of those, only “The Cosby Show” won.

“Insecure” is now the fourth show to be nominated in that category, but Penny says Hollywood still needs to step up. He talks about why he thinks white showrunners need to get comfortable with hiring a staff that is mostly people of color, and what his plans are for the fifth season of “Insecure.”