Graphic columnist Zane Miller talks to Yvette Brown from the hit show “Community.” “Community” is a comedy about a group of misfit students at a community college. Brown plays Shirley a Christian single mother and talks to us about the show her character and future projects. Catch the newest episode “Epidemiology on NBC at 8:30 p.m. Community” returns to its normal Thurs. 8 p.m. timeslot on Nov. 4.
Graphic: You have no idea how excited I am to talk to you I’m a huge fan of “Community.”
Yvette Brown: Oh my thank you it’s my pleasure to talk to you.
G: How did you find out about “Community?” How did the audition go?
YB: I had had a horrible pilot season so I was just not feeling well about it. I had made a note to myself to wake up that day call my agent and cancel the audition. But when I woke up something stopped me I think it was the voice of God telling me that I should at least read it first. So I read it and laughed out loud and had to cram for the audition. I felt like I was supposed to do the part because I had been so sad about my pilot season. But it’s usually right at that moment that your blessing is about to come when God is about to give you the thing you’ve been dreaming of.
G: That is a great story.
YB: Yeah the other two shows that didn’t work out neither made it past their first season.
G: So do you feel you fit in with the cast?
YB: It’s a real family vibe on set. And not just the cast- we’ll meet up with the crew off the set. It’s a group of people who like working together and love the show that we’re on. Everyone is really really silly in the best way. We’re adults but our emotional age is probably three. We travel like a band of gypsies to places like Comic-Con. We’re kind of like a comedy troupe now. We’re always having a really good time. It’s because we are all grateful this is everyone’s opportunity at a nice career on a great show it’s wonderful.
G: It really seems like it. I saw the other day on Twitter that you’re still finding paint from the episode where the set was used for a giant paintball war.
YB: They literally splattered the entire study room. That’s why there’s new carpet. There’s a splatter on the top of cafeteria set that they have never been able to clean up.
G: So there was no extra set they just gave you paintball guns and said go for it?
YB: No way. They took those of us who were going to get shot aside and shot us beforehand so we’d know what it would feel like but everything was real. It was amazing; we still can’t believe we got paid to do that episode.
G: It seems like that episode is the one that really got everyone’s attention.
YB: I think it’s the one that taught us and the audience that there was more to this show than anybody knew. Now the producers are all trying to find more opportunities for us to play and for the audience to see. You are going to see a lot more episodes like “Paintball” and “Chicken Fingers” that are kind of escapist episodes.
G: Do you have a favorite episode or is it hands-down “Paintball”?
YB: My favorite episode to watch as a fan is the “Paintball because it’s so absurd and perfect. But my favorite episode to shoot was the one where Allison and I were campus cops. We got to drive the cart, pat down Joel McHale, and to be in the room with Danny doing that black lieutenant speech. Try listening to that and trying not to crack up.
G: Is Community” your sole focus or do you have more projects coming up?
YB: There isn’t a lot of time but I am the voice for a new show called “Pound Puppies” on a new network the Hub. Joel [McHale] is shooting Spy Kids 4 so he flies off every weekend and does “The Soup” on Thursdays and is spending time with his family. He’s amazing. I’m not like that. I like to take naps and watch TV so I concentrate on “Community” and “Pound Puppies.”
G: Pepperdine is a Christian University and I know you are Christian so I wanted to ask your perspective being a Christian working in Hollywood. Is it hard to find projects that don’t compromise your values?
YB: I don’t think it’s hard but you have to be cognizant about it. I make my decisions at the audition level. When it comes in I just say I can’t do that or I can’t say that and my agent is great and knows what I won’t do. And there’s no judgment for the people who choose to do it; that’s their path and I have my path. Everybody has their lane and you just go down your lane and do the best you can in your lane. I’m honored to be a Christian playing a Christian on TV. I feel like there needs to be an honest portrayal of what the Christian walk is like. Often Christians are seen as these either perfect or judgmental beings and no Christian is perfect. We’re human beings we make mistakes. And if there’s a way that I as Shirley can portray those mistakes and show the repentance and remorse that a Christian feels when they break God’s heart- and this season you’ll see some of those things that she does- I feel that I’ve done my job. I want to be able to portray her remorse as well because Christians make mistakes. They just know they need God to be better.
G: Like the Christmas episode where Shirley was pushing Christmas on everyone?
YB: I liked that that episode showed that Shirley was judgmental. In the end she learned everyone has a right to worship how they want to worship. In her mind Jesus is the way for everyone but she doesn’t have the right to force God on everybody. God is a gentleman; he doesn’t say “You gonna be with me.” I love that Shirley learned that you aren’t going to win souls to Christ by insulting them. I love that she learned that because I think that’s a lesson a lot of Christians need to learn. It’s all about love in the end. It’s equal opportunity on “Community.” Everyone gets a chance to be seen horribly and to be redeemed. Usually within the same 30 minutes. Which I think is beautiful because in life sometimes I think you’re the hero and sometimes you’re the villain depending on who’s telling the story.