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The Mayor Cast on the Show's Eerily Relevant Politics

ABC's new comedy shows "what's it like when a politician actually cares about the people"

liam-mathews
Liam Mathews

ABC's new comedy The Mayor is about a rapper who runs for mayor of his city for the sole purpose of promoting his musical career, but his charisma and populist message carry him to an unintended and unwanted victory. So then he has to figure out how to do this important job for which he's vastly unqualified.

Sounds familiar, right? Like we saw that happen and are continuing to watch it happen in real life? Well, that's semi-on purpose.

Executive producer Jeremy Bronson said at the Television Critics Association summer press tour that The Mayor was conceived last year while Donald Trump's presidential campaign was gaining steam and the pilot was being written through January, when Trump was inaugurated. Bronson said real-life politics have inspired and influenced the show, but it's not a direct, satirical reaction to what's going on.

The cast echoes Bronson's sentiment.

"I think everything in life right now would be some sort of reaction to what's happening in politics right now, but I don't think our creator Jeremy created this show as a response to what was happening in Washington," says Yvette Nicole Brown, who plays the rapper/mayor Courtney Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall)'s mother Dina. "I do like the idea, though, of seeing someone get a job they're not ready for but who has a heart for doing right. I think that that's beautiful to see and I think that might be a way to show the rest of the nation what we could be if everyone just really cared more about taking care of each other instead of winning elections, keeping jobs, making money, all of these things that seem to be the most important thing in politics now. So I think through The Mayor we're going to be able to show what's it like when a politician actually cares about the people."

​Lea Michele and Brandon Micheal Hall, The Mayor

Lea Michele and Brandon Micheal Hall, The Mayor

Tony Rivetti, ABC

"It's important that we show someone that is given this power and that they try to do the best good with it and how important it is to have a good team of people around you that can help you succeed," says Lea Michele, who plays Courtney's chief of staff.

So maybe a certain someone could change the channel from Fox News to ABC and learn a little something.

The Mayor officially premieres Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 9:30/8:30c, but the pilot can be watched on ABC.com right now.

Reporting by Lindsay Macdonald