The first two episodes of NBC’s new show “I Feel Bad” premiered on Sept. 19. The next episode will air on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 9:30/8:30c.
From Executive Producer Amy Poehler, I Feel Bad follows Emet (Sarayu Blue) as she juggles motherhood, her career and her marriage.
NBC and The Cinema Society hosted a party to celebrate NBC’s 2018-2019 season at The Four Seasons Restaurant in New York. The Knockturnal was on the scene. Check out our exclusive interview below!
The Knockturnal: How did you get involved with the show?
Sarayu Blue: I got involved by auditioning. I mean, that’s the simple, clear truth. I went in, I loved it, I read the script and thought, “Oh, my God.” And then you just cross your fingers and hope the stars align, and this time, they really, really did.
The Knockturnal: What does it mean to you to be leading a major network show? Is this the first time you’re doing that?
Sarayu Blue: Yep. It means everything. This is the dream that I’ve been dreaming for years, and this is the thing that I thought … You know, you get to a point where you see the same sort of standard over and over again, and you go, “Well, maybe that’s just not an option for me.” And it’s pretty incredible to just get this role, and get to do this. You know? I mean, I know I’m being a little vague when I say that, but, what I mean is, there aren’t a lot of South Asian females leading a network sitcom. I mean, Mindy Kaling did an incredible job, but Mindy Kaling created the work herself, which is brilliant. So, this opportunity is pretty incredible. It’s exciting that it’s changing, and I really hope that this just continues and snowballs.
The Knockturnal: Tell us a little bit about your character Emet.
Sarayu Blue: She’s a working mom and she’s got three kids, and her parents live real close. Too close. And then she works at a video game company, so you have all these great circumstances that are just naturally born for comedy. She works with these millennial dudes, who are clueless, and then, her parents are far too involved and meddlesome, and the kids are the kids, and the husband is, you know, we have that marriage that’s like we’re constantly fighting to get through our crazy lives, and sometimes we’re fighting with each other, and sometimes we’re loving each other. But, all the time, it’s with genuine heart.
The Knockturnal: And Amy Poehler is an executive producer on this show. Tell me about collaborating with her.
Sarayu Blue: It’s been absolutely incredible. She’s been one of my comedy heroes forever, and I think she has such an intelligent and nuanced and just plain funny perspective. And what she brings to the table is fresh every time.
The Knockturnal: Obviously, you’ve been acting for years and years, but speak about your passion for performance, and what prompted you to get into it?
Sarayu Blue: You know, it’s such a simple story, really. I started acting when I was 15, I was in my high school musical, and I just was like, “This is what I’m meant to be doing.” And I went to school and studied and did all the other stuff, and I ended up getting my master’s degree at ACT in San Francisco, and then, just came out here and duked it out.
The Knockturnal: We also saw you in Blockers, which is another great comedy. What do you love about the genre of comedy?
Sarayu Blue: I think comedy is really alive and fun, and there’s something about the musicality of it that, when it hits, it’s just explosive, you know? And I love both drama and comedy, but I’ve really always had that spark for comedy.