Accusations Against “The Second City” Call Out History of Institutional Racism: Here’s What It’s All About

Published by Marty Younge at June 10, 2020

Black employees and alumni of the The Second City comedy theatre and training center penned an open letter making demands on the legendary Chicago comedy theatre and training center, to correct a history that failed to support black performers and performers of color. Sexual misconduct allegations were also levied against the institution.

A timeline of events leading up to that letter began on May 31st, when The Second City Chicago posted support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

A subsequent response from TSC alumnus Dewayne Perkins disclosed that his experiences with Second City greatly contradicted those words of support. He shared experiences of racism, micro-aggressions and homophobia on social media.

“You remember when the black actors wanted to put on a Black Lives Matter Benefit show and you said only if we gave half of the proceeds to the Chicago PD, because I will never forget. Remember when you would make black people audition for a job you simply just gave to white people?” Perkins shared. “Remember when you sent a bunch of your black actors to speech therapy because you said white people didn’t understand us? Remember when you told me to my face I wasn’t getting hired for the main stage because I wasn’t “nice” enough and kept speaking out? From the bottom of my heart. Fuck you forever.”

This promoted an outpouring of responses and stories from black and POC students, many of them recipients of The Second City’s Bob Curry fellowship, named for the first black alumni of the center; a fellowship that was meant to promote diversity in the organization.

Like TSC alum Allison Reese who shared her experiences on social media. “A white director named Billy Bungeroth stole my sketch from TSC Bob Curry Fellowship (a “safe space” for up and coming POC comedians). I was told I was lucky that a director of his status liked my work so much and that he just didn’t know he couldn’t steal it.” Reese went on to say that Bugeroth recast the sketch with two white men. She posted on Twitter on June 5.

Last Friday, June 5, former CEO and co-owner Andrew Alexander posted an announcement stating he failed to create and “anti-racist environment” at Second City, and stepped down. Alexander was responsible for growing the Toronto and Chicago locations since their inception and under him the company had grown to the household comedy force it is today. Alexander stated, “The company has grown significantly – yet culturally homogeneously. There is no excuse for it, and I am not defending it. I succumbed to (what I now realize was) my unconscious biases, the biases of the theater community, and the biases of the city in which The Second City is embedded.” Andrew went on to apologize for failing to create an environment where artists of color could thrive, and expressed hope that by stepping aside, The Second City could become a place where underdogs can thrive.

The following day, June 6th, the news quickly followed that Anthony LaBlanc who has previously been serving as artistic director of the Chicago location would serve as Interim Executive producer.

On the evening of June 8th following an internal Zoom call with LeBlanc and 645 people comprised of executives, students and cast from The second City’s Chicago, Hollywood and Toronto Locations, an open letter was posted and signed by 19 black employees and alumni of the Chicago location including Amber Ruffin (Late Night with Seth Myers), Chris Redd (Saturday Night Live), Tawney Newsome (Space Force, Bajillion Dollar Properties), Diona Reasonover (Clipped, NCIS), Sam Richardson (Veep, Detroiters), Aasia LaShay Bullock (Upload, Space Force, The Good Place), Ali Barthwell (Vulture), Dewayne Perkins (Brooklyn 99), Christina Anthony (mixed-ish), Edgar Blackmon (Popstar, Alone Together), Ashley Nicole Black (Ful Frontal, A Black Lady Sketch Show), Collette Gregory (Inside Jokes, Depaul University), David Pompeii (The Daily Show, Key & Peele, A Better Place), Dwayne Colbert (Baskets, Silicon Valley), Pip Lilly (Shiznit Podcast, Falling Upwards), Rashawn Nadine Scott (South Side, Shrink), Shantira Jackson (50 Central, Busy Tonight) Lisa Beasley (South Side) and Tyler Davis (Skyjacks Campaign Podcast).

The letter seeks to ensure that the commitment to students of color is real, and immediate, and outlined clear actions they demand of the company going forward, referring to LeBlanc’s promotion as “Integration into a burning house.”

The letter states demands change, and expresses that the signers “cannot recommend The Second City as an effective place for Black comedy to thrive. While mindful that change may take time, the letter asks for a response to the demands within 72 hours.

Among the demands are an investigation and removal of staff members who have perpetrated the negative environment through microagressions, cultural appropriation, and mental and verbal abuse, an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and removal of those responsible, and proper accreditation of the Black artists who built TSC stages.

On a more immediate level the letter demands the hiring on an independent Human Resources firm, an outside Diversity and Inclusion firm, and hiring of a new BIPOC Executive.

The Second City has always been known for the bonds amongst its alumni and the call to action has been supported and shared by countless cast members and students across all three of the Second City’s locations.

The comedy world awaits a response to a moment 60 years in the making.