Shonda Rhimes is developing a television show based on Chicago writer Luvvie Ajayi’s collection of humorous essays called "I’m Judging You: The Do Better Manual," which was published in September.
The news comes via Deadline.com.
Rhimes, whose signifcant TV output at ABC includes "Scandal" and "How to Get Away with Murder," has been a public fan of the writer, who is a veteran pop culture critic and humor blogger (at awesomelyluvvie.com). Last year when the book came out, she blogged about Rhimes:
"One of the people whose stamp of approval I’ve wanted on this book has been Shonda Rhimes," she wrote. "I lovingly refer to her as my Fairy Baemother, because since she tweeted me a few years ago, and we connected in person, I’ve felt like I have this mentor in my head."
The book, a New York Times best-seller, tackles life’s annoyances and absurdities, from bad manners to impossible beauty standards to the world of social media. In Hollywood-speak, "development" is the first stage of the process; many times, projects don’t make it beyond the development stage.
But in optioning Ajayi’s book, Rhimes continues to seek out and commit to supporting the work of those typically marginalized in Hollywood, including black women. Rhimes clearly has an eye for talent; she previously developed a show from Issa Rae (HBO’s "Insecure") that did not go forward.
In June, Ajayi moderated a panel at the United State of Women conference hosted by the White House, and Rhimes was one of the panelists.
At one point, Ajayi writes about the event, she asked: "When people talk to you about what you do being revolutionary, what is your response?"
Here’s what Rhimes had to say: "I have a real problem with that concept of it being revolutionary. Because I make the world look like the real world looks. I don’t understand why it is revolutionary to portray yourself accurately."
nmetz@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @Nina_Metz
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