Ziwe channels Jessica Simpson in 'Baby Let's Move On,' a satirical country bop about critical race theory
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Ziwe is back, and she thinks you'd be an iconic guest.
The second season of the comedian's eponymous satirical variety series returns to Showtime this weekend, offering new riotous interviews with public figures, sketches, and, of course, musical numbers with sharp commentary on race, politics, and other cultural issues in America.
In the Ziwe season 2 premiere, the provocateur channels Jessica Simpson à la 2005's The Dukes of Hazzard for "Baby Let's Move On," a country pop ballad centered on critical race theory, the theme of the debut episode. In EW's exclusive look at the music video below, Ziwe croons, "Baby let's just move on. Let's forget about the past, unless it's good, then we remember." Later, "Would a nation that's racist have Barack Obama write a book? Would a nation that's racist have Michelle Obama write a book?" To a hint of autotune, she adds, "Rihanna is a billionaire! Jay-Z is a billionaire!"
"It's basically the premise of critical race theory; it seems like the undercurrent with that conversation is like, 'Can we get over it? Can we move on?'" Ziwe, who worked with writer Sam Taggart and producer Jen Goma on the song, tells EW. "So we created this really beautiful banger where I'm dancing country style. And so with 'Baby Let's Move On,' it's [based on] people being like, 'Let's never read a Toni Morrison book again!… We're going to ban books? Okay! Like, let's move on!'"
Simpson's "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" music video from the Dukes soundtrack served as inspiration. "There are a lot of closeups in that and I just find it to be absolutely iconic," Ziwe says. "I remember I was maybe in middle school when that movie came out, and everyone was like, Dukes of Hazzard! And there's the Confederate flag. And so I thought, how could I pay homage to what is iconic Americana?"
Greg Endries/SHOWTIME Ziwe and Chet Hanks in season 2 of 'Ziwe'
In the debut season, Fran Lebowitz, Bowen Yang, Adam Pally, Eboni K. Williams, Phoebe Bridgers, and Andrew Yang were among the guests called to Ziwe's whimsical pastel pink soundstage. Season 2's lineup is just as stacked: Charlamagne tha God, Hannibal Buress, Nicole Byers, Ilana Glazer, and Chet Hanks, to name a few. Some of the topics this season include capitalism, celebrity culture, and climate change, with the host probing Buress on his rental properties, Byers on her wealth, and Hanks on his Jamaican patois.
"What I love is that every episode has a different energy and is surprising," Ziwe says. "You can't possibly get bored going from Mia Khalifa to Emily Ratajkowski to Adam Pally to Ilana Glazer to Hannibal Buress." She has an eclectic mix of dream guest stars, too. "Kim Kardashian [would be an] iconic guest," she says. "I'd love to interview Ellen [DeGeneres]. I'd love to interview Elizabeth Holmes. Doja Cat is another guest [who] would be so funny. Her TikTok is really funny. I think we can make really interesting content together. There's a plethora of people. The sky's the limit."
Ziwe season 2 arrives on Showtime streaming and on-demand Friday before premiering on the cable channel May 1 at 11 p.m. ET/PT.
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