work

For somebody who’d allegedly prefer a life of leisure, Phoebe Robinson sure hustles.

The writer-actress has a deal with Sony Pictures TV, via her Tiny Reparations production company. There’s the literary imprint of the same name, where she’s published her first three books of comedy. And, more pressingly, there’s the stand-up career that’s just birthed her latest comedy special. I Don’t Wanna Work Anymore is now on YouTube. And if you don’t watch it, well, Robinson will be that much further from retirement.

Speaking in early October, the 2 Dope Queens and Everything’s Trash alum spoke about the communal joy of raunchy jokes, why she has no plans to discuss her new hour with her family this holiday season and her firm belief that people should take an “Are You Dumb As Fuck or Not?” test before they’re allowed to to record a podcast. Speaking of podcasts… an extended version of this conversation will be featured in the premiere of The Hollywood Reporter’s latest, out later this month. (And, no, I did not take the test.)

You say you don’t want to work anymore, but clearly enjoy what you do. What part of your job could you do without?

If I never had another meeting in my life, I’d be fine. I don’t want to do a general meeting. “Hey, what are you watching right now?” I don’t give a shit. We’re all watching 20 different shows. I just love writing, I love doing stand-up. I love doing the creative stuff. The admin things and the networky things… I only have a certain amount of bandwidth.

The title of the special is work-focused, but I’d argue it’s really about sex. When it comes to personal material, do you have a line that you won’t cross in terms of what you’ll share on stage?

I always want to be respectful… and I know that may not be what you think when you see my stand-up. And by that I mean that I never want to punch down. I never want to just completely eviscerate someone. The way that I talk and joke about sex on stage, it’s fun and liberating. I think other people feel that way, too. They just need to hear someone on stage say the things that I’m saying. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

Have you had any reactions to the contrary?

I mean, I’m definitely going to tell my parents to skip this one. Just skip it, Phil and Octavia! There is nothing here for you. Not one solitary sweet thing. Please don’t put yourself through it. I’ve got to go home for Thanksgiving. I don’t want the stress. We’ve got to make conversation over vegan turkey, so let’s just skip this awkward part, go see Wicked: For Good and pretend everything was fine. This special is kind of wild.

The stand-up special economy has changed dramatically over the last few years. How did you end up going with YouTube?

There’s just an over-saturation. For me, I want to bet on myself and see where this goes. I like what YouTube does for a lot of stand-up comedians. It’s just a very open space. It’s really hard to stand out on streaming platforms when they’re dropping one or two specials a week. I don’t want to get lost in the shuffle. So I wanted to go my own way. I think it’s very in line with my career. Jessica [Williams] and I started 2 Dope Queens because we didn’t feel there were enough gay people and people of color doing late night. I started my own imprint because it was hard for me to sell my first book in 2015. People were telling me that people don’t buy books written by Black women. To me, this doesn’t feel like anything new.

Your last series, Everything’s Trash, aired in 2022. You’ve now got projects in various stages of development. What is the biggest obstacle to getting a green light?

Hollywood is so cray cray right now. I have a first look with Sony TV, and they’ve been great so far. We have a good mix of half-hour comedies and a couple of dramas. I have a couple of projects I’m trying to develop for me to start in. I think the biggest hurdle is that there’s a reticence to doing something original or left of center. It’s so funny you hear these platforms and networks. They’re like, “Oh, we want a Fleabag or a Beef.” All these shows that are so singular and have a specific voice. Then when you pitch them those things, sometimes they’ll try and tell you all the ways in which it won’t work. I’m like, “Yeah, it could also work, so how about we try that?” It’s been really tricky, but I’m holding out hope that the tide will turn.

When you say left of center, do you mean quirky or, like, progressive or politically left?

I think both. But it is also a big time for procedurals, and I don’t think anyone turns to me to be like, “We need Phoebe Robinson to write a procedural!”

But if you had to make a procedural, what does a Phoebe Robinson procedural look like?

I thought Justified, on FX, was a really good way of doing a procedural. Also, the Matlock reboot! I tell everyone how good that show is. That is truly a straight down the middle procedural, but the writing, the acting are also really great. I would want something that’s a little gritty, a little interesting, a little sexy, a little something for me to star in opposite Andrew Lincoln. I just saw him do a play in London. He’s so absolutely brilliant and I would love to see him lead another show.

Can you tell me a little bit about your ongoing Instagram series, Thirsty Thursday? You pen these incredibly well-written and totally perverse odes to the famous men you find attractive.

I’ve always been a horny person, and I just wanted to have a fun way of talking about these hot celebs. So, I write these little horny sonnets about everyone from Jason Momoa and Denzel Washington to Tom Holland. It’s been fun, and people get the joke. I’m just having a good time objectifying these guys. Sometimes I think, “Oh, is this person going to be problematic?” So far I’ve been good. But let’s see.

Ever hear back from any of them?

I wrote one about Milo Ventimiglia. I just think he is so dreamy, and he DM-ed me. Mandy Moore sent it to him, which is so wild. And he was like, “Thank you so much. It was so funny.” The fact that the guys get it and know it’s not wild or crazy, that’s really cute. I did Steven Colbert’s show and he asked me to do one on him, so I did.

Any dates come out of this yet?

No. One thing I will tell you about hot famous men: They’re not like, “Wow, she can write! That’s who I want to date — someone who’s witty with the pen, someone who’s going to challenge me. Oh yeah, that gets my dick hard.” That has not happened. But there’s still hope. Maybe one day.

You just ran the Berlin marathon. Congratulations! And, a totally inappropriate pivot, did you see Harry Styles out there?

That man is so fast. I did not see him. It was so hot, and he was wearing all black, long sleeves! This guy’s a true athlete… I’m so jealous of him. But I just started running two years ago and I’m already running four marathons, so I feel like I’m doing OK.

Before I let you go, I’m wondering, as a podcasting pioneer, what are your thoughts on the saturation point we seem to have reached? You have not been shy in sharing your critiques of the podcast bros.

There are too many people with microphones. And most of them don’t even listen. You don’t know how to interview. You don’t know how to carry a conversation. You should have to take an exam before you can launch a podcast. It’s called “Are You Dumb As Fuck or Not?” I’ve listened to some of these podcasts, and hurts my brain. Now these guys are coming along with their stupid ass platforms and their nonsensical opinions; they’re flooding the space. It’s not great. I have hope that some people will go away from podcasting.