CBS celebrates their diverse Monday night lineup with screenings, meet and greets and an all-out block party!
On September 16 guests invited to the CBS lot in Studio City, CA were able to enjoy cocktails as they screened CBS’ The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola and All Rise. The dynamic lineup includes comedy, drama, and love. However, one of the more noticeable highlights is the abundance of representation. Not only are the shows filled with some of the most diverse casts on television, their storylines also address common issues that are very uncommon to acknowledge on American sitcoms.
Cast of ‘All Rise,’ from left, Marg Helgenberger, Ruthie Ann Miles, Simone Missick, Lindsay Mendez and Jessica Camacho (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invasion/AP)
The Neighborhood starring Cedric the Entertainer, Max Greenfield and Tichina Arnold follows a white midwestern family as they move to a predominately black neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA. Dave Johnson [Max Greenfield] quickly realizes that fitting into his new community would be more complex than he imagined. Together their families learn that their differences are what make them stronger. Similarly, the cast of Bob Hearts Abishola are no strangers to differences. The fun-loving show tells the story of Bob [Billy Gardell], a white, middle-aged compression sock businessman as he falls for his cardiac nurse, Abishola [Folake Olowofoyeku] who happens to be an immigrant from Nigeria. Unphased by Abishola’s lack of interest, Bob is determined to win her heart. While Bob is desperate to be loved, All Rise’s lead, Judge Lola Carmichael [Simone Missick] doesn’t mind crushing the hearts of anyone who stands in her way of justice. The newly appointed judge doesn’t intend to play it safe. She immediately breaks into her new role by pushing the boundaries and challenging the historic ideologies of what it means to be a judge in America. Guests laughed, gasped and cheered as they intently tuned into the screenings of each of these incredible shows.
Cast of The Neighborhood
Immediately following the screenings, guests were led out into the CBS lot where they were met with music, food from the most delicious food trucks and the opportunity to meet with the cast of the all new Monday night lineup. Guests mingled and danced while sporting hats given to all the attendees. The hats were bright yellow with the letters IMAG across the front which stands for, Immigrants Make America Great. The atmosphere was so positive and full of genuine excitement for the new, inclusive lineup. As Missick said, “we have asked to see ourselves getting represented on the screen and we’re seeing that, so the only way to keep it going is to support, so support!” You can catch these shows on Monday nights on CBS starting on September 23.
Billy Gardell & Folake Olowofoyeku from ‘Bob Hearts Abishola’
