10 Things with Niya Palmer
“Miss Governor” is a groundbreaking show with an all-women writing team. What inspired you to create a political comedy series that centers on black women’s experiences in today’s world?
Terri actually approached me with a loose concept of a political comedy and I was immediately on board. We were both over watching black women being sidelined or stoic background advisors who didn’t get to be funny or flawed. We have so much wit, resilience, and rage—and I wanted to make a show where all of that could live in one character. The current political climate is so absurd, it basically dared me to satirize it. Miss Governor felt like the perfect way to hold a mirror up to power and say, “See? We see you.”
How did you and Terri J. Vaughn collaborate on the show’s tone and vision?
Terri came in with so much vision and lived experience. And, I came in ready to build a world that reflected everything we’ve both survived, questioned, and laughed about as black women. From the jump, we were aligned. She’s passionate, grounded, and fearless—and she challenged me to stretch in all the best ways. I think the show reflects that mix: there’s depth, humor, vulnerability, and bite. It’s the kind of creative partnership that reminds you that you’re not alone in the story you’re trying to tell—and that makes the work more honest and more joyful.
How do you balance humor and social commentary when tackling sensitive issues?
Humor gets people to listen. Commentary gets them to think. I write like I’m talking to the smartest friend I have—funny, sharp, and not afraid to go deep. If people laugh and then go, “Wait, that’s actually wild,” we did our job.
Keisha Lance Bottoms is not only an executive producer but also a political consultant on “Miss Governor.” How did her perspective as a former mayor influenced the direction of the show?
Keisha brought receipts. She reminded us of the stakes—how lonely leadership can be, how complicated it is to push progress in systems that weren’t built for you. She also gave us real-world scenarios that were honestly more outrageous than anything we could’ve made up. Having her on board helped us keep one foot in reality, even when the satire got wild.
With a diverse cast that includes icons like Jo Marie Payton and rising stars like Drew Olivia Tillman, what was your process in selecting the cast, and how did you ensure the show reflected the nuances of the characters’ experiences?
We were really intentional. Every character on the show had to feel lived-in—like someone your cousin might know or your aunt would side-eye. We weren’t just casting for talent (though we got plenty of that); we were casting for presence, timing, and that intangible “you know this woman” vibe. Jo Marie is a legend, Drew is electric, and together they help anchor a world that feels honest but heightened.
Tyler Perry’s involvement as an executive producer and director of the first eight episodes is a significant milestone. How did his mentorship and collaboration shape the development of the show?
Tyler knows how to get things made—fast and efficiently. His model gave us the runway to go big with a black-led political comedy, which honestly doesn’t happen often. He brought scale and structure, and once we got the back half, we were able to take what he started and really run with it.
Your work in humor writing is well-known, with essays in publications like The San Francisco Chronicle and NPR. How does your background in writing essays inform your approach to creating a television series?
Writing essays sharpened my ability to take something deeply personal or specific and make it resonate with a wider audience. It trained me to be economical with words, build rhythm, and land impact. That translates directly into TV—especially comedy. In both forms, you’re building tension, releasing it, and saying something true underneath the laugh. I just get to do it now with a full cast and better lighting.
“Miss Governor” touches on career chaos, relationships, and societal expectations. What themes or stories from your own life do you draw on, when creating such relatable content?
I’ve definitely been the “only one” in the room, felt overqualified and underestimated, and questioned whether I was being too loud or not loud enough. I pull from that—and from watching women I love navigate impossible expectations with style and side-eyes.
You’ve worked on shows like “The Game” and “Run the World.” What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned from these projects that you’ve brought with you to “Miss Governor”?
The Game taught me how to build character-driven comedy that still cuts deep. Run the World reminded me of the power of showing black women in community, with ambition and messiness and grace. With Miss Governor, I finally got to put all that together and I hope the viewers enjoy it!
“Miss Governor” is your first series as a creator—but it feels like you’ve been building toward this moment for a while. What’s something you’ve carried with you through it all?
That I don’t need to code-switch to be successful. My voice—black, female, sharp, a little defiant—is the very thing that got me here. For a long time, I thought I had to soften it to be “palatable,” but the moment I stopped doing that, the work hit different. This show is a reflection of that shift: it’s honest, it’s layered, and it sounds like us.
Instagram: @NiyaPalmerTrusty