Ziwe

At first glance, this is a pop culture-fueled fever dream; it's Fumudoh's world and we're just living in it, and how dare we even suggest otherwise. In the Ziwe series premiere interview, writer Fran Lebowitz is a stand-in for the audience: Just like the viewers, Lebowitz is happy to be there, but admittedly a bit confused as to what's going on. By episode 2, viewers are in on the joke of watching Fumudoh interact with guest Eboni K. Williams, as is Williams. By the time Fumudoh's antics lead her to assert that "society" is to blame for her own actions, the audience is kicking themselves for not submitting to that absolute truth sooner.

Though versions of Fumudoh's show have existed on the internet since 2017, she has gained fame mainly from the Instagram Live version of the show which began in 2020. She went from booking her coworkers and friends as guests all the way to celebrities like Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan. This seemingly quick rise may make some concerned that Ziwe is just a fad, and the gaslighting-but-in-a-strangely-fun-way appeal of her interviews may fade just as quickly as it became popular. Happily, this probably won't be the case: While Fumudoh is definitely smart enough to know how to benefit from the limited shelf life of celebrity scandals, memes, and trends, her goal is to have fun with people by setting them up to look bad. While a few of the sketches do fall flatter than the interviews, which are clearly Ziwe's strong suit, there are so many moments where this show shines. The worlds of celebrity culture and social media politics likely will continue to be a place for Fumudoh's tongue-in-cheek commentary as long as viewers are brave enough to look at ourselves in Ziwe's mirror.