‘United States of Al’ Producers on Building an Inclusive Writers’ Room and Addressing Afghan Community Concerns
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe producers behind CBS’ new comedy “The United States of Al” say they understand the backlash the show has received online in the weeks leading to its April 1 debut. But they also hope critics will see the makeup of their writers’ room as evidence that they took the creation of the show — and the representation to depict accurate characters — seriously.“Trust us to have your back and trust us to do the right thing,” said executive producer Mahyad Tousi, who founded BoomGen Studios with Reza Aslan to create stories about the people of the Middle East, the Muslim community and other cultures.