If you’ve followed actor/comedian David Alan Grier’s journey from the 1990s TV series “In Living Color” to his 2008 Comedy Central show “Chocolate News,” you know he can be frank and funny.
Grier says his new book, “Barack Like Me: The Chocolate-Covered Truth” promises to deliver humorous “DAG” straight talk on ‘blackness’ in the age of President Obama.
The title is inspired by the late journalist John Howard Griffin, who darkened his skin and traveled through the deep South then wrote about his experiences in the 1961 book, “Black Like Me.”
Grier, 53, is a busy man, these days. Last spring, the Yale School of Drama graduate was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars,” [where he had quite an outburst after his elimination]. He still makes time for live stand-up gigs, and his book release comes only a few days before the start of rehearsals for a new Broadway play by David Mamet, titled “Race.”
Q: Why is the title of your book “Barack Like Me,” yet you say you can’t do what the President does?
A: In a humorous way I answer why I’m not Barack Obama, and what makes him so unique. So many times you look at someone and think, ‘I can do that.’ Well I can’t make it through the press line of ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ let alone run a country.
Q: Why did you want to write about the political landscape in America during the Presidential primaries?
A: It was addictive watching the election coverage every night. And I knew that even if he was elected, it was never going to be as exciting as [that] because we were on the precipice of the possibility of social change.
Q: Has the President changed the way we talk about race?
A: You do see how Barack came in and changed the game. He represents a generation of African Americans that is ready to -- not deny -- but move on from the Civil Rights era. For a lot of white Americans, the Civil Rights Movement was a burden. You hear them ask, “Is it over now? Can we stop talking about race?”
Q: How much does it matter that the President is African-American?
A: In the past, it seemed like in every African-American comedian’s routine, there was always a fantasy about what if the President were black. But now it seems like the historic election was a long time ago. Yeah, now it’s gotten a little deep, but for the most part Barack Obama is just president. You can’t say, ‘Oh he passed that law like a black man.’ It’s just politics, now.
Q: Okay, you have a take on the “Magic Negro” controversy during the campaign?
A: This is in response to Rush Limbaugh and other entertainers during the election campaign. The “Magic Negro” has been seen in movies for generations. He has no powers. He has no family. He just appears out of nowhere and gives sage advice.
Q: And your point in the book is?
A: Barack Obama is no “Magic Negro.” He has the power. He has a family. He is a real flesh and blood living human being, so therefore he cannot be a so-called “Magic Negro.” We talk about all of that [in the book] and it’s an effort to set the record straight in a humorous way.
Q: You fantasize about becoming the President’s “Secretary of Mirth?”
A: I’ve never met Barack Obama, but my fantasy is that the White House calls me and says, ‘David, we need you in Washington right away. We need you as Secretary of Mirth.’ And I say, ‘Okay, I’ll be there, Barack.’ That’s my dream job, but I don’t know that I can afford it. They don’t pay enough.
Q: Why was it important for you to write this book?
A: I thought it was important to tell readers about my journey that led up to attending the inauguration. Early on when Barack Obama started winning primaries, my knee-jerk reaction was to fear [for his life.] But I noticed that was not in the psyche of younger 20-somethings. That’s why it is important to talk about this, because we all bring something different to the table.
Book signing
David Alan Grier. 7 p.m. Thursday. Free. Barnes & Noble, 2700 Peachtree Road, Buckhead. 404-261-7747, www.barnesandnoble.com
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