Dewayne Perkins on writing for ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ new solo stand-up show

We often talk about sketch and improv as an entry point for comedic performers. But it’s a type of acting that also tends to hone a person’s writing skills. Which means a decent chunk of people writing for late-night talk shows or TV comedies came up through the Chicago improv scene.

Dewayne Perkins is among those ranks as a Second City and iO Theater alum, the latter of which is where he used to perform weekly with the stellar improv group 3Peat. Last year he made the jump to New York, where he was writing for comedian Michelle Wolf’s short-lived Netflix talk show “The Break,” before moving to Los Angeles. Not long after, he joined the writers room for Season 7 of NBC’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which premieres Feb. 6.

“I was so afraid of coming in and, what if I don’t fit into the system? But I realized very quickly that I watch this show because it’s good, and if I did not get this job the show would still be good — I don’t make or break this show! (Laughs) My job was just to give them jokes that they did not think of. It was literally lying on a couch, looking at the ceiling and being like, ‘Here’s an idea,’ and them being like ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”

Shenanigans

The last time I spoke with Perkins, he told me his comedic point of view comes mostly from cartoons — “Like, I love a shenanigan” — and fundamentally “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is a shenanigan machine, so it makes sense that this would be a good fit.

Here’s Dan Goor, the show’s co-creator: “Dewayne is explosively funny. He has a truly unique comedic voice, but that doesn’t stop him from being able to write amazing jokes for any and every character. He’s also sensitive and thoughtful, so his story and character pitches have a lot of depth and emotional backing. He’s great! I only wish he were less judgmental of the restaurants I pick for lunch.”

His work on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” wrapped last month, which gives him time to focus on his latest project, a stand-up show titled “How Being Black & Gay Made Me Better Than You,” which weaves his skills as a comedian into an autobiographical one-man show.

“I figured I would do it in Chicago first because it’s such a Chicago-specific story,” he said. “These are my people, this is who I’m writing the show for: If it doesn’t work for these people, it’s not going to work.”

So what kinds of things does he talk about?

“Like, when I was younger my greatest fear was being gay. It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced — if people find out I’m gay, I’ll lose everything. And then when I was 17 I came out and was ready to lose everything — and my family was like, ‘Yeah, we been knowing you was gay.’

“I spent so much time being terrified about being gay that I forgot that being black was also trash. So when I went to college (at DePaul) and everyone was white, I didn’t know how to exist in that space. I was so worried about the gay part that I did not prepare myself to be a black man in the world. Being black is truly tough in these spaces. And I was not prepared for any of it.

On confidence

Perkins started doing stand-up three years ago and this past year Comedy Central has been posting his clips online. “I’ve been getting messages — mainly from queer people of color — like, ‘Oh, this is so cool. How are you so confident?’ Especially in an industry where black gay men don’t exist, which is true specifically in stand-up. For the longest time Wanda Sykes was the one queer black comic.

“So that question really hit me — why am I confident?”

He wasn’t always. At one point he felt “dead inside. And then coming out of that and having the freedom to be like, nothing actually matters — except me. I matter. What matters is how I think about myself. So the title of the show stems from being like, yeah, I’m better than you because I’ve had to tell myself that in order not to quit, you know?

“I’ve been through too much to then come to Hollywood, walk into a room and be intimidated by a bunch of men at a table. (Laughs) Like, I’ve been shot at — you can’t convince me to be afraid of a general meeting,” which is where screenwriters are invited to discuss their ideas with decision-makers.”

“I was watching Michelle Wolf’s new comedy special on Netflix and her whole brand is ‘I just want to tell funny jokes’ and it was so effective. I was like, wow, this is impressive and I was gushing over her with a friend. And then I was like, ‘Ah man, I could never do that — my show is going to be 25% dance and comedians are going to hate it!’ But I don’t care. I know what I want to do and it doesn’t matter what is out there.

“My only pressure is to do what makes me happy. And it’s worked so far.”