Comedian Sam Jay Developing Series About 'Four Studs' In Atlanta: 'My Biggest Passion Project'

With so many comics rising underneath our noses, it's so hard to keep up with all the new blood pushing for an opportunity in Hollywood. However, when it comes to Sam Jay, there's no way you can't pay attention to her.

Jay is a stand-up comedian who has been performing stand-up since 2012 and landed her first big break as a writer for Saturday Night Live in 2017. Jay made history as the first Black lesbian writer in the show's history and the second Black lesbian to be a part of the show overall with the first being Danitra Vance.

She continued achieving success after receiving her first Netflix special called 3 in the Morning which premiered in 2020 and then landed her own sitcom called Pause With Sam Jay on HBO where she partnered with Insecure alum Prentice Penny. The show is currently in its second season. Jay continues to get her hands into numerous projects as she co-created and co-stars in the Peacock original series Bust Down. 

The Blast correspondent Ty Cole was able to catch up with Jay to chat about the new season of Pause With Sam Jay where she revealed that this will be her most "personal" season yet.

"Season two is super personal to me," she shared.

"You will see me unpacking some things that I've been struggling with personal and things I've been thinking about as I'm stepping into the next phases of my life. The conversations this season are going to be deeper. This season is a season of heavy lifting in a good way. There are a lot of conversations people are having but not in public and we're not seeing it on television. I'm also being driven by a very personal experience so it's going to be an interesting ride."

She also shares how she continues to be her authentic self in any space she's in.

"I think I'm blessed to be a comic," she began.

"I think because of that, being authentic comes with the job. The comics I love were always their most authentic selves. Comedy as an art form comes in all different shapes and sizes. I just try to remain me. I think that's just a challenge in life which is showing up as yourself every day. The world pokes, pushes, and prods, but then you have to keep choosing yourself every day.

Ignorance can be bliss but also, it doesn't mean it's motivated by malicious intentions.

The first episode of the series is heavy, where a conversation about including queer information in schools between heterosexuals and queer folks gets a little tense. When asked about the root of the division between both communities come from and a possible solution, Jay shares that while she doesn't have the answer, not all ignorances are malicious.

"I don't know if I have the answer to this," she answered.

"I think a lot of times with the show [Pause with Sam Jay], I'm just as curious as you are to find out. Sometimes I think I get some of the information. I wouldn't say I have the answer like, this is what we need to do. I do know that it starts with an honest conversation on both ends. I think being aware of both sides of our ignorance and uncomfortability, there's a tendency to wag fingers and point a lot at people. it needs to be more like across the aisle conversation and building. Sometimes someone will say something ignorant, but it's not because they're malicious, they are just ignorant. You will never know or get to the solution if you don't have the conversation.

Success can be a bit overwhelming, and while Jay shares with us she's feeling that emotion, she's also very blessed with where she is as well.

"I feel good about where I am, however, I am a little overwhelmed," she shared.

"Sometimes it's a lot to do, but I am blessed because there was a time when I had not a lot to do. I definitely am happy to be where I am. My whole goal for this year is to take a real break and give myself the space to think about what's next for me and what I want to create. You have to live a little bit to kind of feel it out a bit and where you want to take the conversation next. So definitely some time for myself.

She does reveal two passion projects she's looking to do, one of them being a new comedy special and a show about four studs living in Atlanta.

"So, it's in the works, but hopefully I get a second comedy special done," she said.

"I have a show I'm developing loosely about four studs in Atlanta, which will mimic my younger days, chasing women, and looking at the masculine-centered journey. I will say that this is my biggest passion project. I do need some time for myself to really think about how to enter that story. Those types of stories, especially when you've never really seen them, I feel like you're under this pressure like I have to do this. While that is correct, you're never going to cover every base. There will always be a person who feels you didn't address this or forgot this, but at least I got to make it as correct as I can make sure that the story is being told authentically and in a way that's true to me.

Now, we definitely asked her about Bust Down and plans for season two, to which Jay shared she hopes they "grow in the spaces that they need to grow in" and hopes it's "funnier" than the first season.