‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Is Over: Relive the 11 Most-Viewed Sketches (VIDEO)
No word on whether Chris or Lachel is to blame, but A Black Lady Sketch Show is done at HBO after four seasons.
Creator Robin Thede — who costarred with Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis, Quinta Brunson, and Skye Townsend on the comedy series — gave her thanks to her collaborators and the show’s fans on Instagram last week.
“For fans of the show, please know that your support and love for ABLSS has always been so blippity appreciated,” Thede wrote. “Thank you for sharing the videos, posting the memes, and yelling the catchphrases at us when you saw us in the streets!”
So, in the interest of keeping the video-sharing going, scroll down to see the most-viewed ABLSS sketches on YouTube.
11. “Purgatory Soul Food”: 1.4 million views
Two women (Dennis and Brunson) are eager to support a new soul food eatery in their neighborhood but are confronted with a B.Y.O. silverware policy, a $65 order minimum, and an admission fee for the restroom. (“Costs a quarter to get in, quarter to get out.”)
10. “Chris and Lachel: Altar Falter”: 1.5 million views
Married life gets off to a rocky start for Chris (Thede) and Lachel (Brunson) after the groom can’t seem to actually say “I do” at the altar. (“I mean, I f**ks with her!” he says at one point.) And eventually, Lachel starts questioning the whole matrimony idea — literally.
9. “On My Own”: 1.5 million views
Denise’s (Black) relationship with her man hits the skids, triggering the unexplained phenomenon that accompanies every breakup of hers: a private performance by the one and only Patti LaBelle. (“Every time I get dumped, here comes Patti LaBelle with all her octaves,” she sighs.)
8. “Hertep Homecoming”: 1.5 million views
Haley (Thede) — a.k.a. the self-styled Dr. Haddassah Olayinka Ali-Youngman, Pre-PhD — uses her maid-of-honor speech at her sister Hannah’s (Essence Atkins) wedding to educate the other guests. See, according to Dr. Haddassah, “Hannah” is her sister’s “devil name” — as it “reduces to ha and nah, ha being the laughter of our oppressors, and nah, she shouldn’t be using that name.”
7. “The Basic Ball”: 1.5 million views
Bob the Drag Queen guests-stars as the host of the Basic Ball, “a ball for the rest of the LGBT-cuties … whether you’re Mother Exhausted from the House of Tired or one of the eternal children from the House of Forever 21.” Categories for the catwalk include Clinical Depression, Barbecue Daddies, Running Errands. And then there’s the grand finale…
6. “Invisible Spy”: 1.7 million views
In this sketch, the CIA’s superstar spy is Trinity (Black), whose “regular-looking face makes her nearly invisible in the field,” as Gina Torres’ character says. So when the agency needs someone to break into a facility “tighter than Jada Pinkett’s mom’s abs,” they know which operative to call. Little does Trinity know, she’s about to meet her match…
5. “Get the Belt”: 1.9 million views
Strict mom Tonisha (Natasha Rothwell) and unfazed daughter Reniece (Marsai Martin) engage in a battle of wits over possession of a remote control, with Thede and Brunson providing commentary as the hosts of Get the Belt, “voted 1992’s favorite mother-versus-child competition show.”
4. “Courtroom Kiki”: 2.4 million views
The judge, bailiff, stenographer, and counselors in a civil trial are thrilled to see everyone in the courtroom is a “sister in law,” as Brunson’s attorney quips. “I have been sitting in this courtroom for 20 years, and I have never seen melanin this poppin’,” exclaims Yvette Nicole Brown’s judge character. “First order of business: Do you queens want to get lunch after this?”
3. “Chris and Lachel: Exit Row”: 2.5 million views
All a flight attendant (Yvonne Orji) needs from those in the exit row is a verbal “yes,” but this is Chris and Lachel she’s dealing with. Chris won’t say that exact word — instead uttering nonsense like “yerp,” “yam,” “yeah, mon,” and “yodel” — and Lachel again has too many questions. Then, however, another passenger comes between them…
2. “Bad Bitch Support Group”: 3.4 million views
The other women at a bad bitch support group — including ones played by Angela Bassett and Laverne Cox — are shocked when Maya (Dennis) admits she sometimes wishes she could be “an OK bitch.” And when Maya says she wants to sit down for five minutes without wearing a waist trainer, Cox’s Kiana says, “Breathe when you die, honey, OK?”
1. “No Makeup”: 4.1 million views
Toni (Dennis) persuades Shayla (Thede), her chronically-late call center coworker, to skip her makeup regimen in the morning to get to work on time. (“Girl, you got melanin,” Toni says. “You don’t need NARS with skin like ours.”) But Toni lives to regret her advice the following day.
