What happens when your high school nightmares are manifested into sitcom fodder? Chad, a sidesplitting show about the brutal, cringeworthy, and lonely pangs of adolescence as seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy, played by Saturday Night Live alum Nasim Pedrad. Set during Chad's freshman year, Pedrad manages to expertly capture the anguish that comes with wanting to fit in when you're "different" (in Chad's case, Iranian American) but also have the unabashed, know-it-all attitude that often accompanies peak puberty; you'll be left wanting to give Chad both a hug and a swift kick in the groin.
In advance of the series premiere next month, Pedrad—who also serves as creator, writer, executive producer, and showrunner—sat down with her socially awkward teen counterpart for a wildly inappropriate (yet hysterical) interview about how much money the actress makes and if she is or isn't sexually active.
'Pedrad as Chad Amani in her new TV series. '
And to keep you busy till the show drops, the comedian shared with us her favorite things to watch, read, and listen to. We asked Chad too, but he's currently grounded.
The last show I binge-watched was Pretend It’s a City.
The next show I plan on binge-watching is The Wire; I’m only 18 years late to it.
The next book on my list is A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara.
The best podcast I’ve listened to recently is Where Should We Begin? With Esther Perel.
A movie with a great ending is Promising Young Woman.
The show that can always make me laugh is Succession.
The book every woman should read once in her lifetime is Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find—and Keep—Love, by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller. Solid recommendation for guys too.
Watch Chad weekly on TBS, starting April 6 at 10:30 p.m. ET.
A version of this story appears in the April 2021 issue of Marie Claire.
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