(Image courtesy of NBC)
Sept. 12, 2019 By Staff Report
The Sunnyside Post has learned new details about Kal Penn’s leading role in NBC’s upcoming comedy series, “Sunnyside,” scheduled to premiere Thursday, Sept. 26 at 9:30 p.m.
The information – which was delivered to the Sunnyside Post by NBC – reveals that Penn will be portraying Garrett Modi, a disgraced former New York City Council Member who represented Sunnyside, Queens for more than 14 years.
Modi, who was elected on the show in 2004, was on track to finish his fourth term in public office when he was arrested on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway for public intoxication and attempting to bribe an NYPD officer. The officer’s body and dashboard cameras recorded the incident on video, which was uploaded to YouTube where it then went viral.
The upcoming pilot episode for “Sunnyside” picks up after the City Council had unanimously voted to remove Modi from power, and opens in his former office at City Hall where a newly-elected representative has started to move in.
The Sunnyside Post has also learned the type of public official Modi had been prior to his unceremonious exit.
“[H]e was rubbing elbows with the political elite, attending star-studded parties and was the pride of Queens,” NBC said. “But instead of spending his time in office helping the people that got him elected, he lost his way amidst the power and glamour of politics.”
After being removed from public office and losing his only source of income, Penn’s character decides to move in with his sister – played by Kiran Deol – who resides in Sunnyside. It is in this diverse neighborhood of Queens that Modi is discovered and hired by a group of immigrants who are seeking his help in order to become American citizens.
(Image courtesy of NBC)
The culturally diverse ensemble of actors brings “Sunnyside” to life. The cast, consisting of mostly stand-up comedians, includes Joel Kim Booster, Diana Maria Riva, Kiran Deol, Poppy Liu, Moses Storm and Samba Schutte.
“Sunnyside” is co-written and co-created by Kal Penn (“Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” “How I Met Your Mother”) and Matt Murray (“Saturday Night Live,” “The Good Place,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”).
Michael Schur (“The Good Place,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Parks and Recreation”), Dan Spilo and David Miner (“The Good Place,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “30 Rock”) serve with Penn and Murray as executive producers.
The show will air as part of NBC’s iconic Thursday-night comedy block, home of legacy shows such as “Cheers,” “Seinfeld” and “Friends.”
“Sunnyside” premieres on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 9:30 p.m. Readers can learn more about the show by visiting www.nbc.com/sunnyside
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24 Comments
Message to JVB listen to the premise for the show. Couldn’t they write a little man character to play a councilman who flip flops all over the place, bends with the wind, can’t properly represent his constituents, does favors for the not for profit homeless hotel syndicate, is a phony, wishy washy money grubber who just loves the next photo-op on the show? You want to be a U.S. citizen, have legal permanent residency in this country for five continous years, physical presence in the US with no abesence greater than 6 months, good moral character, no criminality, pay your taxes, pass the civics and american history exam then your in. Just file Form N-400 and pay the filing fee of $725 USD to the Government, now if you can make a lasting show around that your a f*&^ing genius.
Did NBC procure Smart Crew’s legal agreement to use their 2010 Sunnyside mural for this advertising campaign?
Public domain.
No, not a case of public domain. A simple ie: a company taking your photo and using it to sell cars w/o your written consent.
its too bad its on nbc. there’s a 100 percent chance it will get cancelled after a few episodes, like all of their shows.
“The original setting was Flushing, Queens but it turns out Flushing is a terrible name for a show.” Kal Penn, Executive producer/star of Sunnyside.
Will they be filming in Canada? A lot of shows film here Manifest, Blue Bloods. FBI. Since the show is about Sunnyside shouldn’t they be filming here?
No DEBBY…they should not be filming here. Bike lanes and every other messy idea has everyone limited to parking. No need for movie trucks taking blocks up in the neighborhood. Save it.
“Instead of spending his time in office helping the people who got him elected he got caught up in the power and glamour of politics”……just like Jimmy Van Backstabber
That’s not your real name.
Maybe JVB will make a guest appearance; I hear he maybe looking for work soon!
He wont be out of work because all sunnyside people do is talk. Get rid of jvb, bla bla bla, but they dont go out and vote against him. Let the next guy do it. The show should have been named “sunnyside, full of hot air”
Ain’t that the truth!
“Look at that! If different races and ethnicities can get along on tv, why can’t get be friends in real life!?”
Cause there’s no Al “all whites are racist” Sharpton ON TV!
This will bring us global fame and might improve real estate value even more than Amazon HQ2 would have. Looking forward to running with the cash.
It may also tank and sink your house value like the titanic. That would be tv history. Bought your house for $250000, it went up to a cool mil, suckyside came on tv and your house is now worth $195000!! Now that would be something special! Looking foward to you running to sell
Parts of “Person of Interest” were filmed in Woodside. No real estate gold rush followed.
Sounds like art imitating life
Yes a complete imitation without Turkish, Romanian or Irish residents.
More like people making it up. Where are the Turkish, Romanian and Irish immigrants? Should call the show Jackson Heights, it’s a neighborhood a little more in line with the groups represented in the show. It’s like doing a show called Harlem without an African American in the cast or show called Chinatown without a Chinese character. This is similar to the movie made in the early 1980’s, with Joey Travolta, called Sunnyside that depicted Sunnyside as a dangerous run down blighted neighborhood. Misrepresentation.
I never remember anyone named Garrett Modi representing Sunnyside. Catherine Nolan has been representing Sunnyside for the last 65 years.
Cathy is State Assemblymember. This is about a City Councilmber.
“Cathy”