Issa Rae recalls TV exec who 'got fired after' gatekeeping pitch meeting

Issa ​​​​​​​Rae say the executive told her that Black audiences want to "see familiar faces". Photo: Reuters

During the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, four-time Emmy nominated actor Issa Rae, creator and star of Insecure, recalled her first Hollywood pitch experience, where a studio executive attempted to tell her what Black audiences wanted to see on television.

"The executive was like 'Yes, I saw your show, funny stuff, funny stuff, '" Rae said of pitching her third web series.