Issa Rae Going From YouTube Stardom To HBO With Insecure

I’ve got to confess that I have no idea who most YouTube stars are. I have my hands full helping the crew here at HBO Binge cover that network and what it’s doing (which is a lot), so that doesn’t leave me much time for keeping tabs on who the streaming stars are, especially when they rise and fall so quickly.

Nevertheless, I’ve at least heard of Issa Rae, whose YouTube show, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, has hundreds of thousands of subscribers and has racked up millions of views. That kind of popularity can translate to TV success, or at least HBO is betting it can, ordering a pilot for a new comedy from Rae called Insecure.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Insecure will star Rae herself as Issa Dee and Yvonne Orji as her best friend Molly. The plot is said to focus on “the friendship of two modern-day African-American women and their uncomfortable experiences and racy tribulations.”

Another interesting name is in the mix: Larry Wilmore, who helped create the show before he became host of The Nightly Show on Comedy Central. That gig figures to keep him busy enough that it might prevent him from being involved in a regular capacity, but it’s intriguing to note.

As with many HBO projects, there’s no word on when Insecure might fit into the network’s upcoming schedule. Keep an eye out for more news on it, and in the meantime, you can one-up me by heading to YouTube and checking out The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl right now.