Yahoo Movies Phoebe Robinson reveals why she never wanted a mentor: A lot of guys in stand-up are 'trash'
Phoebe Robinson never wanted a mentor when it came to building her own career in comedy — for a very good reason. And seeing as how the 2 Dope Queens co-creator became a best-selling author and comedy star on her own, it was the right call.
In EW's new Bold School video series — which celebrates Hollywood's female power players (in front of and behind the camera) — Robinson reveals that it was "tough" forging her own path without a mentor, but going it alone was her own decision.
"It's very male-dominated and a lot of the guys in stand-up are just straight-up trash," she tells EW. "And I'm like, 'I don't want you in my life at all.' It's a lot of just putting my head down."
However, she adds that she would be open to a mentor, as long as it's someone she respects: "Oprah, if you're available? Michelle Obama? Bono?"
Later this month, Robinson's essay collection, Please Don't Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes (hitting shelves on Sept. 28), will be the first project published by her new imprint Tiny Reparations Books, which focuses on authors from underrepresented groups. It's Robinson's third book, but she's the first to admit that it took her some time to find her voice.
"When I started stand-up, I was sort of figuring out my voice. I didn't know who I was," she says. "I started when I was 23, going on 24. I definitely didn't come into it fully formed. I don't want to try and be like anyone else. I don't want to write in like Seth Meyers' voice, even though I think he's fantastic. That's just not my strength. I just thought the only way I was going to make it is if I just try to be myself as much as possible."
When she met Jessica Williams and they started 2 Dope Queens together, Robinson reveals "that really was all the proof of concept I needed for myself that that's the right path for me. So everything is just doubling down on who I am and being the best version of me."
Check out the full video above now to see what else Robinson had to say, including the best advice she ever got (from Reese Witherspoon, no less!), how she thinks Carrie Bradshaw is the villain of Sex and the City, and more.
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