For decades, network sitcoms have served as a launching pad to propel hardworking stand-up comics into the national consciousness. Which is why the United States may be getting it’s next Nuyorican comedy star in the form of standup vet Gina Brillon, who is slated to star in an upcoming CBS sitcom produced by Kevin James.
A Bronx native, Brillon has been hustling the comedy club circuit since she was 17 years old. After winning the NBC’s Stand up for Diversity Showcase in 2012, she was taken under the fluffy wing of Gabriel Iglesias, who produced her one-hour special Pacifically Speaking and gave her a featured role in his upcoming film The Fluffy Movie.
This year, Brillon made several guest appearances on Kevin James’ latest network outing, Kevin Can Wait, which is also airing on CBS, and he was apparently impressed enough to give the boisterous Boricua a shot on primetime. Brillon’s comedy is built around her observations on love and romance, along with playful reflections on the Nuyorican experience, and the untitled sitcom will play with these same themes as Brillon’s character moves from the Bronx to Manhattan to pursue her dream after a devastating breakup.
CBS has brought on some heavy-hitting veterans from shows like Will & Grace and The New Adventures of Old Christine to pen the project. Let’s just hope they can wrap their mind around some of the nuances of Latino life so this project doesn’t go the way of so many other promising projects that just couldn’t nail the format.