(PNS reporting from NEW YORK CITY) HBO’s mega hit Girls is getting a spin-off — a Latina version called Chicas.
“We woke up and smelled the cafecito,” producer Elizabeth Ferris told a press conference here this morning, “and the pan dulce.”
“The success of Girls is indisputable and we want to be able to bring that success to the Latino community,” Ferris said. “I don’t know if any Latinos actually watch Girls, but everyone is into the ‘Latino thing’ these days, so why not Chicas?”
Girls has been criticized for featuring an all white cast against the backdrop of New York City — one of the most diverse cities in the country.
But Ferris said the spin-off had less to do with addressing racism in the entertainment industry than trying to make money off a burgeoning consumer group.
“Since we don’t want to feature anyone on the show that’s not just a token minority, we figured we should dump all the minorities into one show, that way no one can argue that we don’t care about diversity,” she said.
Inside sources told PNS to look for these names in the credits:
- Jared Hess, of Nacho Libre fame, is set to be the head writer
- Madonna as the only slightly “elder” chica in the gang
- Miley Cyrus as the Cuban princess
- Ben Affleck as “Latin janitor type”
Ultimately, producers of the show are hoping Chicas will be just as popular as Girls without the negative feedback that besets most overhyped white Hollywood projects, according to Ferris.
The first season’s story lines are already taking shape:
Rather than rely on her parent’s trust fund, the main character of Chicas will clean houses and occasionally work the cash register at her cousin’s taco shop.
Her love interests will range from a gardener to a gang-banger.
Occasionally, she will date a rich white guy who has to hide their relationship from his friends and family. However, because she relies on his money generosity to send her family back in Mexico, she generally puts up with it.
Meanwhile, her best friend will continue to have children out of wedlock rather than get any abortions. Each child will have a different father and she will be nicknamed “La Reina de Welfare.”
For the season finale (spoiler alert) they will all dress up like mariachis and throw an elaborate fiesta in the middle of Times Square, binging on burritos and tequila before promptly taking a nap under a giant sombrero then waking up and shouting “ARRIBA! ARRIBA!”
Finally, they get into “mucho trouble” after some festive gun shots into the air but not before growing a sassy mustache.
Ferris brushed off negative feedback from the Latino community, claiming that any controversy would melt once the show aired.
“The title of the show itself is Chicas — how can it go wrong?” asked Ferris.
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