Dispatches from Scam Goddess, Laci Mosley || Issue #4
Laci Mosely talks comedy & Hollywood, SAG-AFTRA video game voice/performance actors strike, 'Deadpool & Wolverine' and more!🎶🎬🎙️📺
Headliner
Hello babes! It’s been a minute, I know, but I’m back. So many things have changed since my last newsletter; I’m freelancing full-time and exploring other career paths in media beyond the newsroom. Truthfully, the state of the industry frightens me, and I’m not sure what the future holds. For now, I’m taking things day by day and open to the possibilities. Seems like there’s a layoff every other day in the media industry, but as long as we stick together, I'm sure we'll make it through. Trust the process.
In other news, the WNBA is on break until next month. But my fellow sports fans, don't worry; you can get your sports fix with the 2024 Olympics kicking off today, and you can check out the competition here and on Peacock.
What I've been up to lately:
Y'all still like podcasts, right? 👀🤭
According to the source
According to the Source, is a mini-interview section of Dispatches with an expert or professional in a respective field in the entertainment and broader media industry.
This week, I give you a gift from the archives with my interview with a fellow Texan, the talented actress, comedian, and all-around entertainer Laci Mosley. Mosley has graced our screens on the iCarly reboot, portraying the iconic character Harper. You may also recognize Mosley from projects such as A Black Lady Sketch Show and Lopez vs. Lopez. Beyond her long list of credits, she is also the host of the award-winning podcast Scam Goddess, which was recently announced to be adapted for TV at ABC News Studios and is currently in production. While we wait on a premiere date, Mosley's Scam Goddess book will be released on September 10, 2024. Check out our interview below about Mosley's entry point into comedy, being a multi-hyphenate, her hopes for Hollywood's future, and more.
What drew you to comedy in its various mediums?
Mosley: Comedy has always felt like connection. I’ve been drawn to comedy since I was very young. I was an only child until [age] 13. That’s when my sister was born. So, I had to entertain myself and every adult around me for some reason. I was just always drawn to making people laugh. I was kind of a lonely kid, so that’s how I made friends. That’s how I made connections in the world, making people laugh and relate. So yeah, it’s been something that helped me connect with people.
What do you love most about being a multi-hyphenate comedian?
Mosley: The rush I get! No, I’m kidding. I don’t get that very often. That’s the thing a lot of millennials are facing; it’s not even just comedians. We all chose the multi-hyphenate lane because the girls told us this is how you do it.
I mean, look at cable. We all unplugged and were like, “Oh! We have freedom! We make our own TV!” And now we are paying way more than we ever paid for cable to have every streaming service. That’s kind of how it is to be a multi-hyphenate comedian. It’s like I just throw everything at the wall. I get to do everything I love, which is fun because I have a lot of passion. But at the same time, it can be overwhelming because ... there’s a lot of balls to keep in the air. But I enjoy that I’m never bored. I have ADHD, and I love shiny, fun things. So, it’s been a true blessing to be able to wake up each day and do what I find fun. Now, not the whole day; I am still an adult. I’m just glad that I have the choice at all. I know that’s a huge blessing.
What does comedy mean to you, and how has humor played an important role in your life?
Mosley: Comedy is obviously my favorite genre. I enjoy doing something that makes me, the performers I work with, and the audience laugh. I think that laughter is medicine. And unfortunately, it’s the only free healthcare we got. And for those who listen to my Scam Goddess podcast, I want to keep sharing it for free. It’s important to me because, like I said before, it’s what connects us all: sharing a moment of joy with other people. I mean no one’s ever been upset that someone made them laugh, you know what I mean?
If you could give a piece of advice to rising Black LGBTQ+ comedians, what would it be?
Mosley: My advice would be to try lots of different things. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid that people won’t accept you because authenticity is the greatest currency in entertainment and one of the strongest weapons for breaking down barriers. I know we often think assimilating or not drawing too much attention to ourselves when we are othered already will help us succeed. But the biggest lesson I’ve learned and when things turned in my career was [when] I stopped trying to be what people wanted me to be and just showed up as myself. I’m just selling me every day. That doesn’t mean everyone’s gonna buy it, but somebody will. And so, I’m not changing the secret formula; it’s just who I am. So lean into who you are, and know that you will find your people because there’s something for everybody.
Lastly, what are your hopes for the future state of Hollywood?
Mosley: I hope Hollywood will take a turn from treating art like a commodity on the stock market and allow it to be art again. We’ve seen so much fear with people when it comes to taking risks with new projects or allowing people who may not have as much established experience to enter spaces. And that is such a hindrance to art, to growth. And also to financial growth for studios. People are hungry for new ideas and new perspectives. They want to see a movie that isn’t just spun around and the same thing we’ve already seen again and again. I hope we can move away from what’s become a debilitating need for safety when it comes to what projects studios are willing to greenlight and ones that they’re not.
Media Library
What's a piece of media you have consumed lately? As the media literacy epidemic spreads across the digital world, I'm encouraging folks to get a diverse helping of a media diet by asking what they read, watched, or listened to lately while providing some links to recommendations of some of my favorite recent media.
Read
SAG-AFTRA video game voice/performance actors are going on strike after talks for a new contract with major game studios broke down over artificial intelligence protections. The strike commenced on Friday, June 26, 2024, at 12:01 am. | Read the full statement from SAG-AFTRA
Legendary women’s basketball star Candace Parker is stepping into a new chapter as the President of Adidas Women’s Basketball. Parker recently spoke with Essence Contributing Fashion Editor, Robyn Mowatt, about her ambitions in this new phase of life. | Essence
Latto is gearing up for a new album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea, and the rapper spills all the details in the July issue Billboard cover story to journalist Kyle Denis. | Billboard
Watch
For all my fellow comic book nerds and casual Marvel fans, Deadpool & Wolverine is officially out in theaters. While the film has received mixed reviews, it is a fun, action-packed superhero film that is simply a good time. | Where to Watch: A theater near you
Mystery lovers and fans of thrillers, there’s a new hit show to obsess over starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram. The series Lady in the Lake is an adaptation of the novel by Laura Lippman and takes place in 1960s Baltimore, where an unsolved murder pushes housewife and mother Maddie Schwartz (Portman) to reinvent her life as an investigative journalist and sets her on a collision course with Cleo Sherwood (Ingram), a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore's Black community. | Where to Watch: Apple TV+
If you’re looking for a laugh and a slight therapeutic cry, then season 2 of Unprisoned on Hulu will get the job done. The series, starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo, follows the life of single mom and therapist Paige Alexander (Washington), whose world changed when her dad got out of prison and moved in with her and her teenage son. | Where to Watch: Hulu
Keke Palmer recently interviewed Tyler Perry on her podcast Baby, This is Keke Palmer. Let’s just say Mr. Perry is not here for any criticism of his work, especially his latest film, Divorce in the Black. I got a chuckle out of the interview, and it sure is a ki, as always with Keke. | Where to Watch: YouTube
Listen
My current earworm is “Big Mama” by Latto. But truthfully, I’m enjoying this era so far, including the “Sunday Service (Remix)” ft. Megan Thee Stallion and Flo Milli. The Rapper has also announced her forthcoming album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea, will be released on August 9.
Streets saying a lot about the project, but I cannot put Normani’s debut album, Dopamine, down. "Still" is my favorite track on Dopamine, but truthfully, my top 5 changes each day because it's just that good.
The LA crooner Blxst has officially released his debut album, I’ll Always Come Find You. It’s worth the listen for any lover of contemporary R&B.
Well, that's all, folks. This is Dispatches. I'm Daric L. Cottingham, and I'm signing off. ✍🏽💜