TV I Say with Ashley Ray is a comedy and pop culture podcast hosted by stand-up comedian and TV critic Ashley Ray.
Each episode dives into all things television, blending sharp analysis with humor and honesty. Ashley brings on comedians, writers, actors, and fellow TV obsessives to break down what’s currently trending, revisit cult classics, and spotlight hidden gems across streaming platforms. With her witty commentary and unapologetically passionate takes, the show is part TV guide, part cultural critique, and part hilarious hangout for anyone who loves talking about what’s on screen.
Ashley Ray: A talented stand-up comedian, TV writer, actor, podcast host, and pop culture critic based in Los Angeles, originally from Rockford, Illinois (born in Dallas, TX). Her comedy and commentary often explore themes of race, gender, queerness, and sexuality, crafting a unique perspective she describes as “off-puttingly Black Black comedy.” Ray has been performing stand-up for over eight years. Her debut comedy album, Ice Cream Money, produced by Blonde Medicine, was released on March 1, 2024. This album, recorded live at Union Hall in Brooklyn, blends stories about her life—coming out as bisexual and polyamorous, family anecdotes, conversion therapy, and more—delivered in her clever, warm, Midwest-inspired style (“mean in a really nice way”). Ray is the host and creator of the acclaimed podcast TV, I Say with Ashley Ray, now in its third season through Earwolf/SiriusXM. The show has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and Lifehacker‘s best-of lists. As a freelance TV critic since 2016, her writing has been published in major outlets like Vulture, The A.V. Club, Elle, Variety, Cosmopolitan, The Cut, The Guardian, and more. In 2022, she wrote for Adult Swim’s animated series Alabama Jackson created by Donald Faison. She contributed to Maria Bamford’s audiobook You Are (A Comedy) Special as a co-editor. She’s also appeared on podcasts like NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, Lovett or Leave It, Storytime with Seth Rogen, Scam Goddess, Why Won’t You Date Me?, The Bechdel Cast, Doug Loves Movies, and Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best.
This week, Ray is joined by stand-up comedian and writer Niles Abston to discuss a bunch of TV we missed this year, what it’s like in the Dave writing room, and how it felt when Donald Glover came after the show.
Niles Abston: In 2016, the Jackson, Mississippi, native dropped out of college and moved to L.A. to pursue a screenwriting career, “because I was a stupid twenty-year-old and I thought that was what you were supposed to do,” he admits. He broke into the business with an internship at a production company, but when a friend read one of Abston’s scripts, he suggested Abston give standup a try. While he was still primarily interested in writing, Abston continued with standup because it exercised a similar skill set. Years later, with three hour-long specials, a sold-out cross-country tour and a staff writer job on FXX’s wildly popular show Dave under his belt. His gateway to comedy (at age six) was Chris Rock’s 1996 Emmy-winning TV special Bring the Pain, which introduced him to other comedians such as Richard Pryor, Dave Chappelle and Katt Williams. While these comedians played a part in shaping his humor, Abston says that some of the funniest people he’s encountered weren’t comedians at all.
Checkout previous episodes of TV I Say w/ Ashley Ray HERE
