Series premiere of new ABC sitcom, "Black-ish"

NEW YORK (WABC) -- For years now, ABC has been looking for a great sitcom to follow the network's big hit "Modern Family" on Wednesday nights at 9:30, and the latest attempt is very funny.

In part, that's because 'Black-ish' is firmly rooted in the experiences of those behind it.

"My name is Andre Johnson. I have a great career, a spectacular house and a loving family I'm surrounded by every day," says the main character in a promo for the new series.

The sitcom is drawn from the lives of the men and women who make it, and they find big laughs in the search for cultural identity.

"I may have to be urban at work, but I'm still going to need my family to be black. Not black-ish, but black!", says 'Andre Johnson' in a scene from the show.

"This is the life that I live. You know what you see on the screen, what you see in the pilot, are situations that come and that came from life with my children," said Anthony Anderson, who plays Andre. "My son came home one day and said he didn't feel black. My son also told me he wanted to have a bar mitzvah."

Like the character he plays, Anthony has had to get creative when making his kids aware of their heritage.

"Stand right here and explore your roots," says 'Andre' in one scene.

"He'd be better off watching 'Roots," says his father, played by Lawrence Fishburne, who moves from drama to comedy in the new series.

"And boy is he doing it well. Let me tell you, let me tell you. Someone who can deliver a line!", said Tracee Ellis Ross, who plays Anderson's wife.

Anderson and Fishburne have been friends for more than a decade and serve as executive producers behind the scenes.

"It really is magical. That's the best word for it," said Fishburne.

"This is really authentic, and I think that's what's going to resonate with people," said Anderson.

The show also stars Tracee Ellis Ross. Like the character she plays, her father is Jewish and her mother is African-American.

If she looks familiar, perhaps that's because her mom is Diana Ross, a Motown legend known best for her pipes than for her ability to make people laugh.

Catch all new shows Wednesday night, starting with "The Middle" at 8, "The Goldbergs" at 8:30, "Modern Family" at 9, and the series premiere of "Black-ish" at 9:30.