Mar 18 2009
Fashiona talks with Harlem Heights’ Randolph Sturrup
Fashiona’s best friend,Topaz, always says “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.”
Truer words have never been spoken and is one of the premises behind the hit show Harlem Heights which follows the lives of 8 black professionals and their friends who are all post college 20 somethings in their pursuit of love, life and happiness.
Four episodes into a 10 part series, Alicia “aka” Fashiona interviewed Randolph Sturrup,
co-creator of the show. She and he went to college together at Florida A & M and have a shared love of business and the creative world.
Alicia “aka”Fashiona: We go back over 10 years and I am so happy for you and your success. Tell me about how the idea of the show got started.Randolph: Kurt( Williamson) and I worked at MTV together years ago and struck up a business and creative relationship. We really wanted to show the middle to upper class post college experience. Harlem has so much history and serves as a ninth character in the show.
Alicia “aka”Fashiona: What is the average age of the cast? They seem young…or are we getting older?
Randolph: They are between 25-30 and remind me of us when we first came to New York…full of dreams and boundless energy.
Alicia “aka”Fashiona: You are right…it is like a flashback but these days I prefer stomping around Brooklyn. I see that June Ambrose, a well known stylist, is attached to the project. How involved is she?
Randolph: For most part the cast, “dressed” themselves and June came in as needed. How do you like their style?
Alicia “aka”Fashiona: I have plenty of comments on that but I will save them for a post next week. But for the most part, they are true to their own style and that counts for a lot. What was the casting process and is any part of the show scripted?
Randolph: All the cast members knew each other directly or indirectly and so there was a certain chemistry built it. I call it a docudrama-because it is a documentary with all the drama.
Alicia “aka”Fashiona: Drama yes…4 episodes in and I can sense a bougie showdown coming between Ashlie and Brooke. All that pettiness is the no 1 reason I never pledged. I knew that New York City would be more than enough of a hazing process for me. I worked briefly with Briana and I appreciate her realness then and now.
So far, we are getting a taste of what the cast is doing these days. Will we get to know more about their various backgrounds and what really led them to Harlem?
Randolph: Yes, in later episodes, the cast of characters reveal more of themselves. One of my goals was to really start a conversation on what really happens after college. You and I have been in situations like in episode 4 where the offensive question comes up “Why didn’t you go to regular college?”(referring to choosing a HBCU). We all have our stories and reasons for the choices we make… Harlem Heights shares that experience of these 8 and their friends.
Alicia “aka”Fashiona: Again I applaud you for spearheading such a quality production. What is next for you?
Randolph: My plate is full right now with pending projects and when I get the green light, you will be one of the first to know.
Alicia “aka”Fashiona: One last question: The girls on the cast are very attractive. Do you have your eye on anyone?
Randolph:(Laughing) I am like Papa Smurf to them.
Alicia “aka”Fashiona does not buy it and drills him off the record…
See the remaining 6 episodes of Harlem Heights Monday nights on BET 10 pm eastern/9 central.
Alicia “aka” 
As co-founder and CEO of Minna Mae Productions, Randolph Sturrup has combined his business acumen, media industry experience, and entrepreneurial spirits to create a multi-media production company that is based in New York City with a satellite office in Houston, Texas. Through Minna Mae, Randolph has brought BET’s newest reality series Harlem Heights to which he serves as one of the Creators and Executive Producers. Prior to starting his own company, Randolph served as the Manager of Production and Development for the highly rated and successful Nick Jr. and Noggin Series: Dora the Explorer, Go Diego, Go!, The Wonder Pets and the Upside Down Show. While at Nickelodeon, he was the recipient of the Parents’ Choice Television Silver Award for his work as co-producer of the 2005 Nick Jr. Black History Month interstitials. Randolph’s tenure in the media and entertainment business began as he worked in the Worldwide Accounting Division at HBO. In 2007, he was a Diversity Fellowship Recipient for the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE). Randolph is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Science, National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and the Independent Feature Project NY (IFP). Randolph is a graduate of Florida A&M University; School of Business & Industry.
Great job on the interview. Too bad I did not get to meet him at the Premiere , I would have really liked that.
I am always in Harlem but I never seem to run into those types of circles. Just think if every Borough had their own reality drama show, Randolph would have really started a new trend for NYC.
I loved reading the interview…well done!