Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Miss Manhattan Hangs Out...with Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin

As I walk down 23rd Street, clouds hang in the sky, unavoidable gloom everywhere until I see the fabulous marquee at the Gramercy Theatre: Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin.

The comedy duo, who rose to popularity via their zany, odd couple-esque advice and sketch show  “Just Between Us” on YouTube, are making the second stop on a U.S. tour promoting their new book I Hate Everyone But You, published on September 5 by Wednesday Books, a new division of St. Martin’s Press. The book has become an Amazon bestseller, praised by Publisher’s Weekly for its humor, multifaceted characters, treatment of friendship and queer-friendly storytelling.

“Just Between Us” currently has over 750,000 subscribers on YouTube (and more than 100 million views). Gaby and Allison—known as Gallison by fans—both write and star in the show, with Allison as a quirky neurotic and Gaby as an equally quirky laissez-faire libertine. They speak honestly (and hilariously) about everything from sexuality to gender identity to crushes and more. Their work on the show has led to pilots developed with MTV, FX, 20th Century Fox, and YouTube Red, as well as inclusion in the Tribeca Film Festival’s new Digital Creators Market and the Sundance Institute | YouTube New Voices Lab. “Just Between Us” has also been featured in Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Entertainment Weekly, and countless others.

Though the duo is based in L.A. currently, where they met, Allison is originally from Westchester County, New York and Gaby is originally from South Florida. They’ve built their empire in just three years, but are still kind and genuine to everyone whose paths they cross, attentive to their obligations, conscious of both their time and others’, especially as they make their way through their commitments backstage at Gramercy Theatre, running through the shows’ cues, autographing copies of their new book, talking to friends and agents.

Soon the show begins and the theatre is filled with an excited, delighted crowd. The show, which includes a totally improvised advice segment, also features Allison’s standup and Gaby’s storytelling, as well as never-before-seen videos, a reading from the new book, and more. One of the many wonderful things about the show is how Gaby and Allison make each other laugh in addition to the whole room.

Their Meet & Greet with fans is after the show, where they’ll sign books individually, chat, and take photos. Some fans even bring them gifts, like homemade jewelry and a painting. One fan, Grady, comes in with a parent. Grady has just begun high school that week after successfully starting a Gay-Straight Alliance in middle school and looks up to both of them, beaming while standing in front of them. “Thank you ladies for all you do,” Grady’s parent says, and I bite my lip to keep in tears that have welled up in my eyes. In a world that can be so unkind, it’s so beautiful that Gaby and Allison have created something that can have such a positive impact on a young person’s life.

On Instagram, follow Gaby and Allison.
On Twitter, follow GabyAllison, and Just Between Us.
On Facebook, become a fan of Just Between Us.Subscribe to Just Between Us on YouTube.

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