Clean Slatepremiered on Prime Video on February 6th.
A seven-year effort was gone in a puff of server exhaust.
The following piece from we, the creators ofClean Slate, soon materialized.
Laverne Cox and George Wallace in ‘Clean Slate’Sony TV
just forgive the word count.
This shit was cheaper than therapy.
Norman Lear sat alongside hisSonypenthouse window, cane in hand.
Courtesy Brent Miller
Look at this regal wockaflocka, George thought.
It would become the cast and crews favorite word, alongside his trademarked whatnot.
Norman shook his head in amazement.
He looked at us, collecting his thoughts before asking, Im almost a hundred years old.
How have I just learned so much about something so important?
There, aside from us and the Yoda of Hollywood?
Some of Lears questions were too personal, some overly medical.
They pitched theClean Slatepremise asSanford and Daughter.
George lent Terrence Howard $500 during production of the latter, and still anxiously awaits recoupment.
But we digress and whatnot.
George, a self-admitted old-ass wockaflocka, had been in front of microphones sinceStar Warswas in theaters.
He had watched just about every person he did comedy with get 12 sitcoms and 3,129 movie deals.
Wallace enjoyed a storied Vegas residency at the Flamingo.
George had thrived in Sin City and had become dear friends with Donnie and Marie.
But across the Mojave, those Hollywood wockaflockas hadnt figured out how to truly showcase him.
During that window, Dan wrote Paul Hilepo about the project, via electronic mail.
He closed himself in a now-defunct designer latte shoppe and penned the spec pilot.
Ewen surprised George, Laverne, Hilepo, Miller and Lear with the draft.
The project suddenly had legs, leading to the storied meeting in Lears penthouse office.
Lear and Miller were over seven Fiji waters in.
There was no turning back.
Act III and their partners at Sony Pictures Television came aboard.
We were off and power-walking.
That became, more or less, a one-year pass and whatnot.
Dan called Simran Baidwan, wordsmith/PTA stalwart/bad mammajamma, about coming on board.
They were usually surrounded by toddlers, soiling their pull-ups while smeared with frosting.
The toddlers, not Dan and Simran.
Suddenly, there was an opening to actually make good on those empty threats of collaboration.
Everyone immediately loved Simran, who currently faces eight years of Emmy-showers forThe Pitt.
The project hopscotched through the trickiness of the strike, wrapping in May of 2023.
The first ever trans-starring sitcom was in the can.
At the conclusion of the strike, tattered Hokas were donated to Goodwill and editing would commence.
Norman loved seeing what he had blessed, and what the team had conjured.
He passed away that December, simultaneously ruining Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
We were thrilled to be answering that call.
Three months laterClean Slatewas ready to be on yalls televisions and devices and whatnot.
The launch would take a minute.
A bunch of minutes.
How many minutes are in thatRentsong again?
What the hell is bandying anyway?
At any rate, it led to a tough wait.
We all started knitting.
Covid Era bread kits were dusted off.
42 scarves and 18 baguettes later, we had a premiere date.
What an emotional release it was to see this labor of love meet the world.
This celebration of family, both chosen and not, had somehow endured.
Our asses were jubilant at the Manhattan special screening.
We were triumphant at the SCAD TV Fest in Atlanta.
Hell, sometimes we had the nerve to be both jubilant and triumphant simultaneously.
The series was met with much admiration.
We went on the shows, bantering with Whoopi, Kelly, Seth and others.
We presented at the Image Awards and were showered with love.
We enjoyed promising domestic numbers, especially with the African American audience.
But by the time audiences saw Lavernes epic trip down Jennifer Hudsons dance line,Clean Slatewas already toast.
Were not gonna sit here and pretend were the first show to get canceled.
Hell, four shows were zapped while you read this.
We humbly thank those at Sony and Amazon who worked on and on the behalf ofClean Slate.
You helped make it all possible.
Of course, we mourn our baby.
We mourn for the jobs that disappear with this news.
We mourn full seasons.
We mourn Norman, and his bravery, and his not infrequent cursing.
We mourn sister projects that face a similar fate.
We mourn the characters being scrubbed from storytelling out of fear.
Thank you to everyone who laughed and cried with us.
We will be conducting a folksy awards campaign, so keep your eyes peeled for our bake sale.
For Yo Mommas Consideration ads are being prepared.
Conversations will continue about where and how Desiree and Harrys journey might continue.
We would love to further the echo of Normans voice.
It feels like its time to fight like hell for nice things.
