Opinion | Give Quinta Brunson her flowers

In Hollywood, many stars have come and gone throughout the years. Some stars rise to fame, and sooner than later, we never see anything from them ever again. Others get fame without ever having to work for it because of nepotism in the industry. Of course, plenty of people work hard for what they have accomplished and truly deserve recognition. For me, I instantly think of Quinta Brunson. 

Quinta Brunson is an actress, writer, producer and comedian. She currently is the producer, writer, creator and leading actress in the hit sitcom “Abbott Elementary.” Brunson has earned well-deserved recognition for her creativity from all directions for her work on Abbott. 

Though many people are just finding out about Brunson, I can proudly say I have been a longtime fan. 

Many years ago, I found out about Quinta Brunson through YouTube. At the time, she worked at BuzzFeed, a social media company known for its pop culture columns and online quizzes. She frequently starred in short videos and skits for the company and immediately captivated my attention. Her personality pulled you in, and she was effortlessly funny. I knew that I would always enjoy a video if it had Quinta in it. 

In 2018, Brunson left BuzzFeed and started building up her resumé outside social media. Her first acting work after leaving was a show called “The End Of The World As We Know It” on The CW. Unfortunately, the show never got picked up by the network. She also starred in and wrote a show on Facebook Watch called “Quinta Vs. Everything.” Though these shows are incredible in their own right, nothing will ever live up to her most recent production, “Abbott Elementary.”

“Abbott Elementary” is a mockumentary sitcom that surrounds a group of teachers working in a Philadelphia public school. The show uses a documentary style of filming very similar to “The Office.” To say that this is Brunson’s best work would be a complete understatement. 

Trying to produce a successful sitcom in this day and age is hard. When many of the popular TV shows are reality TV or cringe teen dramas, it’s hard for sitcoms to stay relevant. Especially now, considering that the age of sitcoms is over. People don’t seem to appreciate the art and comedy that sitcoms can provide. 

There is truly no other show like “Abbott Elementary” due to its interesting characters and the overall enthralling plot. The show shines a light on what it’s like to work as a teacher in the public school system. This is an occupation that people tend to glaze over, and it’s incredible to see someone try to bring awareness to the issues of teachers being underpaid and overworked in a more lighthearted way. Being a teacher is hard, and being a teacher in an underfunded public school in Philly is even harder. 

Though the show does take into account the hardships that many teachers face, it also shows the love and passion that teachers have for their students and their profession. In the end, these characters are just trying to make a difference in their students’ lives by giving them the best education they can. As a child of two educators, teachers have always had a special place in my heart. To have a show that brings a teacher’s reality to the mainstream is truly a blessing. 

Another quality of this show that I think Brunson did well is making every character extremely likable and eccentric in their own way. The character that happens to be my favorite is the one played by Quinta Brunson herself. In the show, she plays Janine, a quirky but eager new teacher. Regardless of all her quirks, Brunson makes this character likable with her comedic timing and overall ability to embody Janine. Making the main character a kooky Black woman is another thing that I appreciate from Brunson and this show. 

In a lot of media, Black women are constantly forced to play stereotypes. Whether it is the angry Black woman or the sarcastic, funny side character, television constantly assigns Black women the short end of the stick for certain roles. To show that Black women are so much more than those stereotypes is something that deserves praise. Black women can be kooky and overly optimistic while also being complex. 

Quinta Brunson is the embodiment of how hard work pays off. For years, she put in the most effort possible to make sure that she could achieve her goals. To start from YouTube and work up to be the producer and leading actress of a critically acclaimed TV show is nothing short of admirable. 

To see a Black woman achieve everything she ever wanted in life is so inspiring. Not only is she now incredibly successful, she continues to be relatable and down to earth regardless of her newfound fame. There is nothing to hate about this woman, and I hope more and more people start to recognize her success as time goes on. 

At only 34 years old, with two Emmys and a Golden Globe, I have absolutely no doubt that Brunson’s fame will only continue to rise. I know that “Abbott Elementary” will continue to get better and better as long as Quinta Brunson is there. In the future, I hope to see Quinta in more roles and continue to grow as an actress. 

If you haven’t already, turn on “Abbott Elementary,” because you won’t regret it. Take in the creative genius that is Quinta Brunson and appreciate her work for all that it is. 

Danae Poteat writes primarily about pop culture and current events. Write to her at dmp152@pitt.edu.