“The Ms. Pat Show” Exclusive: Theodore Barnes Talks His Character Junebug & Previews His New BET+ Sitcom

BET+ new original scripted comedy, The Ms. Pat Show, is nearing its debut on the premium online streaming service. The multi-camera sitcom will tell the story of a former convicted felon turned suburban mom (Ms. Pat), whose hustle and resilient spirit was forged on the streets of Atlanta.

To much reserve, she now finds herself in conservative middle America alongside her well-intentioned husband, played by J. Bernard Calloway (“City On A Hill”), a struggle of a sister played by Tami Roman (“The Family Business”), and two distinct sets of kids played by Theodore Barnes (“The Prince of Peoria”), newcomer Briyana Guadalupe, and Vince Swann (“50 Central”), raised under very different circumstances.

In an exclusive interview with PopWire, Theodore Barnes discusses landing the role on the comedy, filming in front of a live audience, and previews what his new show is all about.

For his initial audition for the series, Theodore got to read directly with the brutally honest and outrageous Ms. Pat herself. It was a “lengthy” and “intimidating” audition process for the actor. “It was unexpected, but we were able to feed off each other, to the point where we were making each other laugh throughout the entire audition,” Barnes tells us.

“After that, there were about two more waves of auditions. I went from being slightly nervous in the first audition to overly excited when I would return for the next one because our chemistry meter was full because of the initial audition.”

The California-native was the perfect fit for the role, officially getting the job just two days after his last audition. In landing the gig, Barnes shares that how he found out was one of the funniest ways ever. “I was in the car scrolling on Instagram (while my mom was driving), and I got a DM from Ms. Pat and it just said, ‘Hey,'” he says.

“I sat there for a little moment and responded back ‘Wassup’ and Ms. Pat didn’t respond. Shortly after, I got a call from my agent and manager letting me know I booked it. One could say I got a small, little hint before I officially found out.”

Theodore describes The Ms. Pat Show as being “raw, real, and relatable.” He says the show is about “a close family that’s going through life together no matter how big or small.”

Filming this raw and relatable show took place in front of a live studio audience — and it’s an experience he very much enjoys. “I personally love filming in front of a live audience because the energy is different and exhilarating,” Barnes says. “You’re able to feed off the audience’s energy especially when there are certain lines that have been funny all week.”

Though Theodore is quite young, he has quite an impressive resume. His recent work includes a recurring role on ABC’s The Goldbergs and a leading role on Netflix’s Prince of Peoria. On the latter show, his character Teddy shares some similarities with his new character on the BET+ series. “[They] both are loving and always want to do right in their own way.”  

On The Ms. Pat Show as one of Ms. Pat’s kids, “Junebug is something like the glue that sticks everyone together,” he says. “He has his own special relationship with everyone!  He always wants to have fun, even if it isn’t the most thought-out, thought-through idea.”

Though the show contains strong language and sexual or suggestive dialogue, Theodore assures that his new show is one the whole family can watch. “Younger kids may not understand certain scenarios/jokes but that’ll be up to the parents to explain further.” We do, however, strongly recommend that parents watch the series before deciding if/when they’ll watch it with their kids.

In the pipeline of the series’ inaugural season, Theodore shares that “there are a few modern-day topics that will spark the audience’s interests,” and that viewers “will have to tune in if they want to know more.”

As for the show as a whole, Theodore Barnes offers up this brief teaser: “We have a few familiar faces… seasoned, genius and phenomenal creatives (that are along for the ride) throughout the season, that everyone knows and loves.”

From prolific producer Lee Daniels (“Empire,” “STAR“), all 10 episodes of The Ms. Pat Show, the self-proclaimed “Certified Grown-Ass Comedy,” will debut Thursday, August 12 only on BET+.