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Culture February 1, 2018

Stars of '2 Dope Queens' bring their 'black girl magic' and charm to HBO

PHOTO: Jessica Williams, left, and Phoebe Robinson attend HBO's "2 Dope Queens" NYC slumber party premiere at Public Arts on Jan. 31, 2018, in New York City.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO
Jessica Williams, left, and Phoebe Robinson attend HBO's "2 Dope Queens" NYC slumber party premiere at Public Arts on Jan. 31, 2018, in New York City.

"2 Dope Queens" is what happens when two millennials talk as if they're alone, at the kitchen table, with no one watching.

But now it seems the world is watching. The popular podcast, by comedians Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, is coming to a small screen near you on Friday thanks to HBO, which tapped the two friends for a four-part special.

At the series' New York City premiere Wednesday night, guests lounged on bean bags and plush rugs inside Public Hotel while watching the special's first episode, titled "New York."

PHOTO: Phoebe Robinson, left, and Jessica Williams attend HBO's "2 Dope Queens" NYC slumber party premiere at Public Arts on Jan. 31, 2018, in New York City.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO
Phoebe Robinson, left, and Jessica Williams attend HBO's "2 Dope Queens" NYC slumber party premiere at Public Arts on Jan. 31, 2018, in New York City.
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"I'm not wearing spanks," Robinson, 33, announced to the crowd.

"I'm wearing spanks and I feel incredibly...boom, bam. There they are," Williams, 28, noted, almost finishing Robinson's sentence. She stuck her leg out from under her purple and pink crush velvet wrap dress, briefly flashing her spanks.

"That's a food baby. That's Chipotle right there," Robinson continued, pointing to her stomach.

Whenever Williams and Robinson are together, they can't help but have an infectious, playful chemistry. It was evident on Wednesday night and it's evident in the first episode of their standup special.

PHOTO: Jessica Williams, left, and Phoebe Robinson on stage in "2 Dope Queens."
HBO
Jessica Williams, left, and Phoebe Robinson on stage in "2 Dope Queens."

Along with chatting about random musings, such as their first crappy New York City apartments, the two also do off-the-cuff interviews with Williams' old boss, Jon Stewart. Comedians Michelle Buteau and "Grace and Frankie" star Baron Vaughn also perform short sets.

The four-part series will feature comedians Aparna Nancherla and Rhea Butcher, among others.

"This is a labor of love that Jessica and I have worked on. We started out...doing the show for free," Robinson said Wednesday night.

"Now I'm getting paid [by] HBO where I can afford key wigs," she quipped. "I'm feeling very Taraji [P. Henson] right now."

Williams chimed in, "The wig budget is like literally the most iconic thing since like maybe Barack and Michelle [Obama]."