On Saturday, HBO held a block party at Banc of California Stadium to promote the new season of Insecure. HBO held a whole ass block party in a stadium to premiere an episode of a TV show. They don’t normally do this. Insecure is a show that transcends television. Like everything Issa Rae does, it’s for the culture. The premiere of a new season of Insecure is an event. I like that HBO is putting the respect on it that it deserves.
My friend Tim lives in LA and was at Insecure Fest. He said it was “inspiring” to see a stadium “full of smart, cultured, stylish and savvy people of colour having fun and mingling.” It’s not that it’s shocking that people of colour can be all of the things Tim mentioned but he goes to these kinds of events a lot. It’s not uncommon for him to be one of the only people of colour there. Many of these events don’t reflect the rooms we know exist. Many of them don’t include the people who have made Insecure the massive hit that it is. Tim described the crowd as “a room full of Solanges.” I don’t think I’ve ever experienced FOMO like this. I’m so sad I missed it but I’m also so happy for Issa Rae that her show gets its own festival full of Solanges. Tim says that when Issa addressed the crowd, she seemed surprised at the turnout. We stan a humble Queen of HBO.
The crowd at Insecure Fest was treated to a screening of the season three premiere. Y’Lan Noel, who plays Daniel, was there but Jay Ellis (Lawrence) was not. When I wrote about the latest season three trailer, I pointed out that it’s not looking good for the Lawrence Hive. Your boy wasn’t in the trailer and his absence from Insecure Fest is another clue that this season will be Lawrence lite – if he even shows up at all. Issa Rae basically confirmed to Vulture that Insecure Issa has officially moved on from Lawrence. While showrunner Prentice Penny teased that Daniel will play a big role in season three, the Daniel drama is not what I’ll be tuning in for. Like I said in my last post about Insecure, this show is all about Issa, Molly and their friendship.
Tim’s assessment of the crowd’s reaction to the premiere at Insecure Fest proves that I’m not the only one who feels this way.
“Audience was very vocal about the relationships on the show, basically booing and jeering every time Issa and Molly were with their men, preferring to see the two women on their own and away from their toxic relationships.
Another spoiler-free tidbit from Insecure Fest: the fake series or ‘show within a show’ that we’ve come to know and love (past ones were called Conjugal Visits and Due North) will be back. Prentice Penny told Variety that the fake show will be culturally relevant.
“It’s definitely timely in the wake of a lot of things that happened in Hollywood in the last month or so.
Interesting. If it wasn’t already very clear, I CAN’T F-CKING WAIT. Insecure premieres on August 12th. I’ll be hosting my own Insecure Fest from my living room couch.
