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The Staffa Corner Podcast
Episode 12
Guest: Michelle Mitchenor (Actress)
My guest this episode is the talented dancer and actress Michelle Mitchenor. She’s performed with names like Rihanna and Beyonce but is best known for her role as Detective Sonya Bailey on the Fox series Lethal Weapon. Mitchenor can be seen next on the second season of BET+’s hit series The First Wives Club premiering on July 15.
Based on the 1996 comedy film starring Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler, the reboot series stars Ryan Michelle Bathe, Jill Scott, and Michelle Buteau. Mitchenor joins the cast as Jayla, a sorority sister of the women on the show who went on to become an attorney.
As Mitchenor is relatively new to acting, it’s fascinating to hear how she made the transition from dancing and how that hard work has helped her become a better actress. Hopefully, the series will allow her to show off some dance moves.
One of the things I found insightful while talking to Mitchenor was our discussion about TV viewing, especially when it comes to race.
Shows like Dr. Ken, Fresh off the Boat, and The First Wives Club can easily be described as an Asian or Black series. But there’s so much more to them than the color of their skin. Someone like actress Brie Larson might have had good intentions in mind when she said she didn’t care what a white man had to say about a particular film. But that mindset does more harm than good because we all should be open to shows outside of our norm.
With so many shows on so many platforms, it has become easy to dismiss a series assuming it’s not aimed at you. To have the mindset of loving The First Wives Club movie but then assume the series is not for you after learning it is on BET+. Many people talk about the importance of inclusivity and diversity in our daily lives yet dismiss it when it comes to our viewing habits.
And it’s not just about race. When Disney+ came out with Big Shot starring John Stamos, there was a part of me that wanted to dismiss this show about a girls’ high school basketball team. Turns out Big Shot is one of my favorite streaming shows of the year. Not to mention cast member Yvette Nicole Brown who gives one of my favorite performances of hers.
Good writing and good characters should be colorblind. Make me laugh and I don’t care what race or background you are. It would be easy to dismiss Big Shot and yet I lost track of how many times the show had me in tears thanks to strong writing and a great cast. With that said I hope more people give The First Wives Club a chance.
Wrapping things up, it was wonderful to hear the passion in Michelle’s voice talking about The Mitchenor Foundation, a charity she started to provide visual and performing arts education courses for children in under-served communities. I enjoyed hearing about the Foundation’s recent work on Skid Row in California.
I sincerely appreciate talking to Mitchenor and hope you check out season two of The First Wives Club on July 15 on BET+ especially if you are a fan of the movie.
One last comment on what Brie Larson and others have said about critics. She’s right in some sense; there does need to be more diversity with critics but not at the detriment of calling out others due to their race. Speaking as someone who literally went from homeless to writing hundreds of reviews and interviewing countless celebrities, I proudly stand by my reviews as being fair and honest. Frankly, that’s how everyone should be judged— by the quality of their work and how they treat others.
I again thank Michelle Mitchenor for partaking in this meaningful discussion and coming on The Staffa Corner.
**Clarification – a couple of times during our conversation I referred to the Disney+ series as Big Shots when the actual title is Big Shot.**
The Staffa Corner Podcast – Episode 12- Michelle Mitchenor
To learn more about The Mitchenor Foundation visit https://www.themitchenorfoundation.org
You can also get caught up with season one of The First Wives Club on Amazon here. https://www.amazon.com/First-Wives-Club-Season-1/dp/B07XL9RKZR
Content ©2021 Greg Staffa/The Staffa Corner. All Rights Reserved.
Greg Staffa
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