Podcast Summary: “LIVE BONUS EPISODE: 'The ’Burbs' Cast Spills Set Secrets”

Podcast: Baby, This is Keke Palmer
Host: Keke Palmer
Date: February 17, 2026
Recorded live at: 92NY, New York
Guests: Jack Whitehall, Paula Pell, Julia Duffy, Kapil Talwalkar, Celeste Huey (show creator)
Show: “The ’Burbs” (new Peacock series, modern remake)

Episode Overview

This lively, laugh-filled bonus episode brings Keke Palmer and the cast and creator of Peacock’s “The ’Burbs” together in front of a live audience to swap behind-the-scenes stories, discuss the show’s themes, and reflect on the creative process. The cast delves into everything from on-set improv and character secrets to the deeper layers of comedy and found family. The creator, Celeste Huey, shares her vision for modernizing the cult classic, and the group shares both comedic and heartfelt moments about the joys (and quirks) of working together.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Building the World of “The ’Burbs”

• Secret Lives & Suspicion
  • The cast didn’t know all their character secrets from the start, enhancing suspense during filming.
  • Paula Pell (B): “We would get scripts kind of rolled out...none of us knew what our secrets were. And we would be like, I'd be laying in bed at night reading the next episode and going, holy— are you kidding me?” [02:27]
• Script Roll-Out
  • Kapil: “I was dying to figure out what happened next...I called my agent and they're like, there are no more pages. You'll have to get cast.” [06:11]
• Celeste Huey’s Vision
  • Pivoted the narrative from the original “Burbs,” focusing on the Black female experience in a predominantly white suburb and themes of isolation and otherness.
  • Celeste (E): “I really wanted to center it around a black woman in a very white suburban neighborhood being a new mother, being a new wife, and experiencing this world isolated and trying to figure out her way as she figured out her identity. And Kiki was...the only person I wanted.” [03:58]
  • Real-life inspiration: Celeste’s COVID-era neighborhood, which included an incident of neighborly violence for “added paranoia.” [04:34]

2. Casting, Characters & Chemistry

• Embracing Oddballs
  • The neighborhood is designed to be “universal but also specific,” exaggerating real suburban quirks. Everyone has secrets, and every weirdo brings something authentic. [08:10]
• Found Family
  • Celeste (E): “Found family and community can be found in the oddest of places...take care of your neighbors and band together and be community.” [05:30]
• On-screen Relationships
  • Jack Whitehall jokes about being Keke’s “TV husband” as a “delightful trial run” for his real-life upcoming marriage. [09:16]
  • Cast members recall how much laughter (and breaking) happened on set, especially during late-night shoots: “We just was constantly breaking...I would just have to say a line and then I could not look at Jack.” – Kapil [11:10]
• Improv & Ad-Libbing
  • Much of the comedy came from the flexibility of the script and the willingness to let everyone riff on their characters: “The writing was so good. But you guys were better.” – Paula [11:33]

3. Representation and Authenticity

• Handling Racial Themes
  • The show weaves in themes of racial tension and being “the outsider” with authenticity and lived experience, not as a gimmick.
  • Celeste (E): “It was important for me to put that on the show. I grew up as a mixed kid in a very white neighborhood...you don't know who to trust, who is looking at you with a suspicious eye..." [16:38]
  • Realistic touches: bonnets, Howard sweatshirt, neighborhood dynamics. [17:32]
  • Keke: “It unravels in a really great way where it's like, I want to be in this town. I don't want the murders, though…” [17:32]

4. Real-Life Suburbia Inspiring Art

• Suburban Paranoia & Nosiness
  • The cast shared real stories about their own neighborhoods, suspicious neighbors, and the fine line between vigilance and “Karening.” [14:32]
  • Paula called 911 on a suspicious man, only to learn it was a justified bust. “In this show, we have so many times where we each have a theory… Now, that's when Karening goes right!” [15:07, 15:16]
• Technology and Modern Surveillance
  • Discussion about how Ring cameras, social media, and group chats transformed nosiness into a digital sport: “Literally, last night...within three minutes, I had his LinkedIn profile.” – Celeste [23:50]

5. Comedy and Creativity: Deep Dives

• Origins in Comedy
  • Paula Pell talks about growing up in Illinois, being a vintage SNL fan, and learning how to channel awkward, dramatic tendencies into humor: “I just was always an actor and a comedy person...” [27:49]
  • Keke: “Comedy is a common language for us…” [30:56]
  • Jack Whitehall: “As a comedian, it's so important that you have breaks...because that's where you get all of your inspiration from.” [31:24]
• Writing & SNL Stories
  • Paula shares her path to SNL: “I don't know how to use a computer...I've never called myself a writer...they just want your funny. And so I had five days...and then I never left. Almost 20 years of my life.” [29:49]
• Drawing from Life
  • Julia Duffy: “Somehow when I play a dramatic role...I could always see why it could also be funny...it was an extreme version of drama to me.” [36:08]

6. Ensemble Chemistry and Emotional Resonance

• Balancing Drama and Comedy
  • The show’s resonance comes from authentic emotional grounding—drawing laughs while digging into pain and genuine emotion: “You can get away with all the heightened, fun stuff if you ground it in real emotion and real characters.” – Celeste [18:32]
• Ensemble Experience
  • Jack: “...it was so great because it was an ensemble show, so I got to actually watch it as an audience member and enjoy all the other stuff.” [41:10]
  • Julia: “We were texting like mad after we got the first episodes...I thought all along the writing was great, but...I just never got what the whole tone was until I watched it...this is going to be a hit.” [41:14]

7. Reflections on Comedy—For Paycheck vs. For Joy

• Motivation and Maturity
  • Julia: “...if the timing is good, if you deliver the thing the right way. I never thought of it as being...more satisfying. Yeah, sure. If you make money...But when you love comedy, the joke is king.” [42:23, 43:11]
  • Paula: “I've had things I've gotten very low paychecks on that are some of the most glorious comedy things...But it's nice to pay your bills.” [44:28]
  • Jack: “I've done a fair amount of comedy for the paycheck...horrendous environments in which to do comedy where it's felt pretty soul-destroying...what feels so wonderful about this...being part of an ensemble...a shared experience, which I love…” [44:39]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being left in suspense:
  “I'm the worst viewer of television because I just fall for, like, every red herring going. I feel like I'm so thick...I'm still not 100% sure who the killer is. And we filmed it.” – Jack Whitehall (D) [03:12]
• On cultural authenticity:
  “There are elements of the show that I wanted to include...like, the bonnet. We have you very early on wearing a bonnet in the show. And crucial. It was crucial. It was important for me to put that in.” – Celeste Huey (E) [16:38]
• On ensemble chemistry:
  “It's a real ensemble...When you watch the show, you can tell that we really enjoyed each other. I enjoyed everyone except maybe one.” – Paula (B), joking [40:36]
• On comedy’s depth:
  “Comedy characters have so many layers of pain. And when you work with comedy people...they all have these deep wounds that go down, down, down. And a dramatic character is just kind of, you know, they're shallow...” – Paula (B) [39:49]
• On Keke Palmer’s leadership:
  “You would show up every day 110. And everyone could be tired. We would do such late night shoots and you would just bring it immediately and everyone would rise to your occasion.” – Celeste (E), echoed by the full cast [46:04]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:27] — Cast describes being kept in the dark about plot twists and secrets.
• [03:58] — Celeste reveals vision behind modernizing The ’Burbs and casting Keke Palmer.
• [11:03] — Cast struggle to get through late-night scenes due to laughter and improvisation.
• [16:38] — How the show portrays subtle racial tensions and authenticity.
• [23:50] — The cast discusses real-life online snooping and suburban nosiness.
• [29:49] — Paula Pell’s story of breaking into SNL.
• [39:49] — Conversation on the emotional layers of comedy characters versus dramatic ones.
• [42:23] — Cast reflects on motivations: joy vs. paycheck in comedy.
• [46:04] — Multiple cast and creator tributes to Keke Palmer’s professionalism and spirit.
• [49:50] — Fun closing game: “Who Done it on the Block?”
• [51:53]–[52:40] — Closing gratitude, reflections, applause, and goodbyes.

Tone & Atmosphere

• The conversation is quick-witted, packed with inside jokes, affectionate roasting, and genuine warmth.
• Behind the laughs and playful shade is a layer of mutual respect, vulnerability, and the nuanced understanding that comedy and drama are intimately connected.
• The live audience’s energy, plus the cast’s camaraderie, makes for an engaging and heartfelt listen.

Final Thoughts

For fans and newcomers alike, this special episode offers a comprehensive look at “The ’Burbs” through the eyes of its stars and creator: weaving real-life suburban oddities, the power of found family, authentic representation, improvisational brilliance, and the often-overlooked depths of comedy. The synergy and warmth among cast and crew shine through, creating excitement for the show and appreciation for the craft behind the comedy.

Host sign-off:
Keke Palmer wraps with gratitude for her guests, her team, and the audience: “Thank you again to this incredible, incredible cast and the entire creative team for bringing this world to life.” [52:13]

Listen to the full episode for more laughs, warmth, and unexpected stories from the heart of “The ’Burbs.”