Chicago native T’Keyah Crystal Keymah — best known for her roles in “In Living Color,” “That’s So Raven,” and “Cosby” — is returning to the small screen in the upcoming series “There’s … Johnny,” on Seeso, NBC’s digital platform.
Created by TV veterans Paul Reiser (“Mad About You”) and David Steven Simon (“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Mad About You,” “The Wayans Bros.”), “There’s … Johnny” is set in the early 1970s and will provide a behind-the-scenes focus on “The Tonight Show” during Johnny Carson’s long run as the iconic host of that late night talk show.
Produced in association with Carson’s estate, the series will intertwine live action with historical footage of the host and his guests on screen.
Keymah has been cast as Roz, Carson’s personal secretary and chief gatekeeper. The series also will star Tony Danza (as Carson’s longtime executive producer Freddie de Cordova), Jane Levy and Ian Nelson.
“At a time where the value of women seems to be in question again, I am loving my role as a woman who handles her business in a man’s world,” Keymah said in a statement on her hiring.
“Like everyone else, I was a huge fan of Johnny Carson. Though I never got a chance to be on his show, I now feel connected to him. That’s pretty cool. Also pretty cool is the fact that television has evolved to the point that we can spotlight a game-changing show through this exciting new technology.”
Some of Keymáh’s recent credits have included Syfy’s cult favorite franchise “Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens,” and the offbeat indie comedy “What Happened Last Night?”
At this point, Seeso has yet to announce the official air date for the launch of “There’s … Johnny.”
