Roy Wood Jr. on Katt Williams, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, Jimmy Kimmel, Kamala Harris & CNN

Why did you turn that shot that tequila. shot down on New Year's? >> It was too close to the Don Lemon. firing. Yeah. Yeah. Don and Don used to. get drunk the right way and can keep it. journalistic and you know they always. drinking on New Year's Eve CNN and you. know Andy Cohen Anderson Cooper I don't. know if I want to drink with you. [ __ ] [laughter]. >> I don't feel safe. Now if I go in the. CNN offices and my name is up there I'm. on the mural in the hall. >> Are we good? I'll pull up. >> all [music] my life. Grinding all my.

life. Sacrifice hustle paid the price. [music]. Got to roll a dice. That's why. All my. life I've been grinding all my life. All. my life [music] been grinding all my. life. Sacrifice hustle paid the price. Want a slice. [music] Got to roll a. dice. That's why all my life I've been. grinding all my life. >> Hello. Welcome to another episode of. Club Shay. I am your host Shannon Sharp. I'm also the propriet of Club Shay. Stopping by for conversation on a drink.

today, the master of observational. comedy, one of America's most respected. cultural commentators. Forbes declared. him one of comedy's best journalist, a. fan favorite, an Emmy award-winning. correspondent, an Emmy award and writer. guild of America nominated producer and. a writer. An award-winning host, he's. entertained millions as a consistent. figure on television and radio for more. than two decades. An internationally. known comedian who makes you think. a. dynamic force and entertainer, a famed. actor, acclaimed television personality, accomplished entertainer, a.

thought-provoking journalist, a beloved. philanthropist, an author, and a father. Please welcome to the show Roy Wood Jr., [applause]. >> I appreciate that. >> How How that intro? I got. >> You read it like you rehearsed it. [laughter]. I just like to give people when people. come on my show, I I really like for. them to receive their flowers cuz. sometimes I don't know if they've heard. it or they realize what they done. because a lot of times when you're in. it, you don't sit. You're not cherishing. it because you got to get to a. destination and you're on the journey.

So you don't get time to reflect like, damn man, I did all that, man. I did a. lot of stuff in a very short amount of. time. So I want someone I want you to. hear what we think of you. >> I think smelling your own flowers feels. arrogant. So that's why I never really. stopped to do it. >> Really? >> Yeah. It's the idea. Yeah. You did that, but you could do better. You could do. more. You can show me anything I've done. and I'll show you where the mistake was. I mean, you watch gang tape and had. >> four touchdowns in the game. Ah, but the. one I dropped. >> That's the way you remember. >> And so for me, a lot of it is just being.

rooted in how can I improve, man. And so. you just don't look back at it because. you're just trying to. >> trying to. >> just get better. Last time somebody offered you a drink, you turned it down. I mean, normally. when people come on Club Shay, we toast. with I don't know if. >> Oh, I drink with you. >> Okay, >> now I'll drink with you. This is This. You got to understand this is an. understood drinking show. You got liquor. in the decoration. >> So, it's your question. You You know. Kgnac? You understand behind Kgnac? How.

it's made? >> Which one is it? It's in France. >> Kgnac. >> Kgnac has to be made on the special. street in France. in the KNC region. It. has to the first two years the Kgnc it. has to originate in that region. >> Okay? >> In order for it for it to be a cognac. Now a whiskey or a bourbon or a wine. could be in California. >> Same with tequila got to come from this. section of Mexico. It's not otherwise. it's whatever. Okay. >> Uh this is a combination of a uni blanc. grape grape and a petite champagne. So.

the the origin of this is a grape. >> Okay. >> From that region and uh no artificial. colors, no added sugar. So you don't get. that burn. You'll be able to taste, smell, and to taste the the nut, the. notes, the marshmallows. Let me know. what you think. >> Yes, sir. >> Oh, that's smooth, sir. That's very It. changed my pot. [laughter]. >> That's smooth right there. This is way. better than the [ __ ] I was drinking at. FAMU. [laughter].

>> We was drinking Ean J, boy. >> Well, you was on a budget at Payout. >> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. We had $20 and we. would go down to Jack's liquor, pay a. homeless person $5 to go in there and. get us $15 or whatever you could come. back with, sir. >> We'll take it. >> Yeah. He going like, "Do you right, young blood?" See, he go in the liquor. store 10 minutes and be walking around, come back out with some ENTJ and some. stolley [laughter]. and $4 change. Like, you're done good. >> When you turn, let me ask you a. question. Um, you did say that, you.

know, when you're working, you don't do, you know, you don't drink on the job. Why did you turn that shot that tequila. shot down on New Year's? >> Oh, you talking about the the CNN? [laughter]. >> So, you know, they always drinking on. New Year's Eve CNN. You know, Andy. Cohen, Anderson Cooper, and everybody. was drinking. They had us out there. >> It was it was too close to the Don Lemon. firing. >> Yeah. Yeah. Don and Don used to get. drunk the right way and could keep it.

journalistic. And I felt like at the. time, I'm going just be real if we being. blunt. I'm new to this network. This my. I'd only We think we had only been on. there 10 episodes yet, >> okay? >> We ain't even got the reup for the next. 10 episodes. >> I don't want to drink with y'all. >> I don't I don't want to I don't want to. be that comfortable yet in this space. when I don't necessarily know my place. within the hierarchy. Also, journalism. is way more catty than Comedy Central or.

like any entertain just the world of. journalism like any TV station. >> Way more catty than a cable show or a. sports locker room or whatever job you. work at, reality TV, what have you. >> It's a lot of cattiness. It's a lot of. whispering. It's a lot of. >> it's a lot of behind the backing going. on, right? And so I don't believe at any. place that I work where I didn't create. it that I'm safe. >> Wow. >> So.

I'm the host of a show on a Saturday. night. The show we do now have I got. news for you. It's a remake of a British. show. And if you look at political. satire in Britain, the host is the least. important part of the machine. Wow. >> It's the co-host that are stars. the. guests that are star the host job is. just to keep everything on track. You're. you're kind of a Vanna White Kiki. Shepherd with respect to those two. I've. met them both. >> Your job is a little bit more just stay.

in the middle. Well, if I'm just stay in. the middle, then I'm the most. replaceable. >> Yes. >> Without changing the machine that you've. built. So, I don't know if I want to. drink with you [ __ ]. >> I don't feel safe. Now, if I go in the. CNN offices and my name is up there, I'm. on the mural. You know, you say they got. the mural with all the [ __ ] that done. a good job. It be me, Abby Phillip, be. Jake Tab. If I'm on the mural in the. hall, >> are we good?

>> I'll pull up. But I'm new here. I don't. know y'all. I'm not going to be just on. TV drinking like that. >> What did you learn from the Don Lemon. Fire? He had been there for 17 years. He'd been I mean, he'd been held in very. high esteem. He'd been done a great job. I think he does a great job. What did. you learn? Because I think he said. something about they fired it because I. think he said like Nikki Haley is pastor. prime and maybe they used. >> Well, that's what they said. But was. that the reason? >> What they saying what the reason might.

be is two different things. I think if. you really look at it knowing what we. know now about now that we're post Jimmy. Kimmel, I think that a lot and even. Amber Ruffin and her beef with the White. House correspondence association with. them pulling her off the dinner because. they wanted her to be bothsided with her. jokes. I think that what happened to Don. Lemon was really a precursor to some of. the media censorship that we see. starting to happen now where. >> you have particular organizations that.

are going to, >> you know, try and make a particular head. role or settle a lawsuit with the. administration all in the sake of making. sure that the messaging is a little more. centrist and a little bit more on brand. for whatever will benefit the company's. bottom line. And I think a lot of what. Don Lemon was starting to say at that. network and keep in mind this is also. after Don had gotten into it with VC. Ramaswami. >> on the air and they were told hey keep. the questions over here but Don was like. nah the meat is over here. Um, I learned.

a lot, you know, really in a in a lot of. in a in a lot of ways, man. You know, because, you know, the Don Lemon firing. also showed me what the network with CNN. at that time under that leadership at. the time. >> was trying the way they were trying to. turn the network into, oh, let's be a. little less liberal. Let's try and be a. little bit more centrist. Don, if you. start getting out of line, we're going. to put the heavy hand on you. And I.

couldn't see all of that from the. outside at the time. And you know when. Don got fired, Don got fired the same. week as Tucker Carlson, which was also. the same week I did the White House. correspondence dinner. >> And I probably I am probably I went. harder at Don than I should have at that. time. And we tight work now. And to. Don's credit, cuz he was the one who. reached out to me and we talked a little. bit about it. And he goes, "Here's what. you're not seeing. Here's what's not. Here's what you need to be more." He. filled in the picture for me. >> Okay.

>> You know, I wrote a joke with, you know, with one eye, you know, covered up. And. so when I look at media now and then now. being on, >> I guess kind of the inside of the. network, it's hard to say that I'm in. the inside of CNN. I I work on a. Saturday, bro. Don't nobody be there, >> right? >> You been in the building on [laughter]. >> I can steal [ __ ] Don't nobody, >> you know, you be in a building just a. [ __ ] cubicle. They just got all. these. >> just you. Yeah. Yeah. I'm retired from. stealing. But [laughter].

>> but yeah, but I think I think Don's. Don's firing showed us years ago, three, four years ago, >> where things were starting to head when. it when we're talking about the idea of. how much freedom of speech do. journalists really have? >> But I I think the thing is for me, if I. turn into the Weather Channel, I expect. to see the weather. if I turn into this. channel because they're trying to be. something. Fox makes no no bones about.

what they are about who they are. >> Yeah. >> You turn you when you watch their. network, you're going to get what you. expect to get. >> Yeah. But I also but you also got to. remember that a lot of these media. habits were developed under two terms of. Obama. >> Mhm. >> So the idea of this being a. liberalleleaning thing, well, it's the. popular thing right now, so we're going. to lean into what's popular. And then. when that's not popular no more, then. you start figuring out how to rejigger. your network because. >> people's tastes change. People's. political influences change. And we have.

to stop thinking about corporations and. media companies. >> as these entities that have some sort of. heart or have some sort of degree of. sense of responsibility to the no big. dog. We're here to make money. We need. eyeballs so we can sell soap. I had an. acting coach said the real [ __ ] to me. She said, "You are a soap salesman. Your. job is to be so good that people don't. change the channel when the commercial. come on so they can be reminded to buy. soap. >> Wow. >> That's it. >> That's it. >> So if we here to sell soap then they're.

going to constantly change like even the. type like if you look at what we have on. our show on my show now on Saturday. nights we had on. Republican rep Mike Mike Lawler we had. Tim Bchett. Like these are not good. people in my opinion, >> right? >> Or these are not people who have voted. in the interest of the public. >> in my opinion. >> Okay. >> And we have them on. >> I don't know if these are the same. people I would have been able to talk to.

if I worked at Daily Show, if I was. still at the Daily Show or if those are. the type of people that we would have. had on as a guest at the Daily Show. But. I know for what we're trying to do on. our side, we trying to talk a little bit. and joke a little bit with both sides. I. know a lot of people got a lot of. opinions because they say you don't you. shouldn't platform no [ __ ] no crazy. opinions and stuff like that. But that's. what we choose to do. >> Have you have you come to the point come. to the realization to say, you know.

what, I'm going to have to change my way. of thinking. I'm going to have to be. more open-minded because in the past. ain't no way I could have sat down and. had a conversation with you guys cuz. you're so far for what I believe in and. what I think is in the best interest of. the people but because of this time as. you mentioned things are changing now. the tides are changing the winds are. blowing in a different direction. Do you. feel that you know what you've had to. change your thinking? >> I think I've had to change my degree of. tolerance. >> Oh,

>> but I don't think it changes my opinion. I think one big thing that I would love. to see happen in media is that there's. less conversations with pundits and. political influencers and more. conversations with constituents. >> Oh, okay. >> And the people who. >> So, you like the town hall setups? >> Yeah, but even more man on the street. Like I love what Don Lemon's doing now. Don Lemon out there. >> taking Yeah, he out there in the mix. No. security either. Don, get you a. >> get you a tight shirt. [laughter].

Protect you, brother. Like, but the idea of just, well, Trump's the president, so I guess I got. to explain to me why I should not have. slavery in my museums. Please tell me. Like it's the African-American history. museum. History means encompassing the. entirety or as much as you want to. encompass. people. >> Story. >> Yeah. >> Cuz they're trying to frame it as his.

story. >> They story. It ain't even his. It's. their they. story. >> You know what I'm saying? So I'm not. going to sit and listen to you explain. to me why this doesn't matter. I I don't. know how much calm and collected. conversation. you can have with somebody that's that. steadfast if we're talking policy makers. >> and folks that are like political. pundits on either side of an issue,

right? >> Cuz everybody got their talking points, >> correct? >> And they're not deviating. >> But if you talk to a voter, most people. are singleissue voters. Most people are. voting on things that affect them. directly fiscally speaking. But we. didn't see that in this last election. People voted against their best. interests and now they're having. revisionist history. >> Okay. Then and so then would you be more. inclined to talk to them? Cuz I feel. like we we would rather talk to the. folks that influenced those voters. rather than just going and talk to go. talk to the Latino for Trump who just.

got deported. >> Mhm. >> Some of them they talked to and they. said they still wouldn't still wouldn't. have voted for. >> Exactly. I'm looking at the farmers. The. farmers farmers for Trump now. China. [clears throat] China just just signed a. deal to get soybeans from someone else. They're not buying our soybeans. And. now, you know, we hate we hate. socialism. We hate welfare. Well, they. call it welfare when it refers to us, but they call it subsidies when it. refers to somebody else. Correct. Now. they're about to get subsidized, about.

to get bailed out. Everybody's for it. >> Just like the banks. >> Oh, now hold on. I I thought you didn't. I thought you didn't like when somebody. got something for nothing. They. >> That's different. That's different. That. was the blacks. >> [laughter]. >> I'm a good white American. Supposed to. happen to me. I'm white. I mean, that. that's the that's the biggest magic. trick that rich people pull is getting. poor white folks to think that they were. one of them. >> They bought it. >> You're not. >> They bought it. >> You're not. I I think that you have a.

better chance of having conversations. with people who vote than members of the. media. If we're talking about trying to. change the country in any way, you know, I don't I don't know how much we gain. anymore from let me have a sensible. conversation with you. We bring him on. on CNN, we going to crack these jokes on. your ass. [laughter] And if. embarrassment works, cool. If not, cool. Mhm. >> But the idea of.

>> I can't remember who it was or why it. was, but Obama had like a beer what it. was called the beer summit where Obama. sat down. >> Oh yeah. When the police officer and. Henry Lewis Gates. >> Yeah. And and Gates was had been on. Obama's neck. >> Came to have a smile. So this idea of. let's all sit down and kumbaya. Okay. Maybe. But I just think both side I. think we're in a race right now to see. which side can activate their voters. more. >> The apathetic voters. >> Yes.

>> I don't think you flipping people right. now. >> Yeah. People that have decided there. ain't nothing There's nothing that he. can do to turn them off. And I'm not so. sure there was anything that she could. have done to turn them on. >> You ever met anybody in despair though, bro? like like legitimate hopelessness. to the point where they have no choice. or they feel they have no choice but. >> to buy a lie and then the embarrassment. of saying that you're wrong was too. great. So you have to buy the next lie.

>> and the one after that. So of course a. farmer is never going to come out right. and go, "Yeah, I didn't [snorts] I. didn't know that this was going to. happen." cuz they going to get slapped. in the face with I told you souls to no. end. >> And they too scared of the. embarrassment. And I'm not going to be. the one to tell liberals, >> yeah, you shouldn't be mean to the. people that are suffering who voted for. Trump. Well, they suffering, too. You. passing law like if if the.

administration is passing laws that make. you feel a certain kind of way, yeah, I'mma hate on you for voting for him. >> Yeah. >> So, I get where that comes from. Get. that [ __ ] out your system. I think it's. a lot of behavior policing. I just think. we six months. Not even. Yeah, we Yeah, we are. We are. We're almost a year into. what's going to be, you know, another. three years of this. So, you got to. figure out a way once you're past. getting all that yelling out your system. now that you're broke and now that you. need some help on your farm, then you.

come back into your hey, how can I help. you? But I think that most people would. rather buy a lie because it's more calm. It's more peaceful. this matrix blue. pill. You know, it's it's easier to. exist. in the calm of. of being wrong. cuz being right means that you have to. admit that you were wrong. >> I can't admit that. >> How many people are willing to do that?

>> Freedom of speech as we currently, as we. once knew it, is that only in the. Constitution? Is that something that's going to be is. going to be able to stand the test of. time? Because it looks like we're. getting closer and closer to there is no. such thing as freedom of speech. >> Uh. it's changing. I don't I like I would have told if. you'd asked me a question a year ago, I'd have been like freedom of speech is. fine. You can say whatever you want to.

whatever you want. We'll see. I can tell you this much. They're not going to touch the. comedians. >> You don't think so? >> The comedians have too much influence. over the ideology. of voters, Chappelle's and the Schultzes and the. Gillises of the world, the 85 sers of. the world, you know, comedians,

you start trying to lock them up, >> right? because they got the streets more than. any politician does. And if you look at. what happened with Jimmy Kimmel, that. was one of the things where a lot of. comedians, they didn't necessarily go at the. administration. Not all of them. directly, but a lot of them sat and was. like, "Yo, that's not cool.". >> Yeah. >> I don't with Kimmel, but that's not.

cool. >> Yeah. We getting on a slippery slope. here. And then Kimmel's ass was right. back on the air in under 72 hours. And. all them demands that those TV station. networks made [snorts] and demanded that. Kimmel do, they folded on that [ __ ]. Right. >> I don't I I don't think that I think the. administration for sure is stress stress. testing. But honestly, you're not going. to need to suppress anybody's freedom of. speech if you control the messaging.

Why do I need to? Yeah. Say whatever you. want. I just won't book you on this. show. So, I hope you're YouTube tight. I. hope you got numbers over there. If the Next Star merger goes through and. they gain control of almost 80% of local. television stations, ABC affiliated TV. stations, then they control the. messaging, >> right? >> And I speak as and I have a degree in. broadcast and I've worked in broadcast. and I worked in radio. So, I'm not just. talking out my ass. Absolutely. These.

stations are given national stories to. carry. You can watch the local news in. one market and two of the stories Oliver. John Oliver did a story on this years. ago. Twothirds of the stories in that. market are airing in every other market. So they can dictate what they feed you. So you can have your freedom of speech, but eventually y freedom of speech is. going to be you on the corner like one. of them blowup dog. Like you ain't who. going to hear you? Who who's going? So. you were.

>> growing up. You remember what it was, Roy? We was growing up. You go to the uh. uh uh the grocery store and there's a. man Jesus. He's coming and he's standing. on the soap box and he's coming. He had. the literature. He's passing out. It was. just him by himself. >> and you looked at him like he was crazy. >> You did. >> You looked at him like he was crazy. So. I don't think freedom of speech is one. thing. I think suppression of messaging. is something that's a little bit more of. a prevalent issue to me. And then when. you start with AI, you start with. disinformation and you're confusing. people who are too lazy to sit and go.

and do a double check or or a search. Freedom of speech is irrelevant. If I. got the messaging unlocked. >> and you dumb enough to believe it and. run with it, we scroll and we look at. everything through through headlines, man. >> Right? Clicks. Whatever the headline. read, okay, that's it. >> Okay. So you get a journalist who. decides to tell the truth or press the. issue on air like Don Lemon, you just. yank him off the air and put somebody. else in who who who you want to do your.

bidding. >> Mhm. >> So it it would require. for for humanity to. for humanity to truly advance. It would require a level of fiscal. self-sacrifice. that I do not believe most Americans. >> absolutely not. >> are prepared to make. >> Mhm.

>> You know, I I I talked about this. a couple hours specials ago, but like. it's like fire ants, right? When there's. a flood and a fire ant mound gets. flooded. This was happening in Texas. during some hurricanes. The fire ants. all form a ball. And that joint floats until it gets to. dry ground. Now, while it's floating, it's constantly rotating. >> So, the on the bottom, >> they get some they get some fresh air, too. >> Fresh air [laughter].

and they rotate back down to the bottom. Yeah. >> But periodically, some of them cats is. going to drown. >> Yes. There has to be some sacrifice, >> but the colonies survive. Yes. And so if. we're talking about people fighting. against an administration or fighting. against public ideology, then it would. require more people all running up. against that same buzzsaw. And in some. degree, you know, a lot of people are. hesitant. I don't necessarily believe. that blind sacrifice is the only way to.

make progress. I think that there's. I think that there has to be a. multi-pronged attack. But when you ask. the question of is freedom of speech. under attack? Yeah, they stress testing. This year is stress testing just what we. can get away with. um you know Charlie Kirk's um Charlie. Kirk's widow is suing I I forget the. network or I think she's doing ABC. >> Yeah, it's ABC or The View somebody.

>> for like 40 400 million. >> I don't know the number. I don't want to. get sued either. >> Just telling you what I heard. >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> But the idea of the media being policed. down to the comma, that's how we're going to get you. We're. not going to say you can't say anything. We're just going to go, "Ah, technicality. Want my money." And what's. a corporation going to do? A corporation. ain't going to take this to trial. >> Right. >> Sorry. We admit no wrongdoing. You admit.

that we did nothing wrong and we wash. our hands. It's 60 Minutes Trump, $16. million, >> right? >> It's easier to settle. So now, if you're. going to say anything bad about me, I'mma tax you. >> But you still got freedom of speech, >> right? >> Now, if you're the company that just had. to pay out, let's just say Charlie. Kirk's widow wins the money, she get the. bread. Well, then the next time there's. anything sideways or politically charged. that needs to be said on the show, y'all. gonna get called into that meeting.

before the show like, "Hey, [ __ ] y'all better shut.". >> Yeah. >> All we going to say is this. Here's your. words. Here's your words and here. >> freedom of speech though. Right. >> Right. So I I think that you create an. atmosphere where the media is scared to. touch on anything because they know that. there's a fiscal consequence and the. employees are scared to touch on. anything because there's a fiscal. consequence and the only thing you're. going to be left with is comedians and. podcasters because they the ones who.

don't give a [ __ ] They already been. broke. They already done slept in their. car. So threatening them with unemploy. the comedy lit standup comedy is. literally committing to unemployment. for 3 to 5 years [laughter]. >> to start. >> right. >> Hey man, I want you to do this. I'm not. going to pay you nothing and I'm going. to give you two chicken wings [laughter]. and if you get booed, you don't get the. chicken wings. >> So you're not that group of people, right? >> You're not going to scare. And I believe.

that [snorts] group of people will. always have the highest of respect from. the voting from the voting body and I. think that they will continue to be the. most influential characters in politics. That's why polit that's why podcast. became so prominent in the last. election. >> Yeah. This episode is brought to you by. prize picks. The hard-hitting football. action is even better with prize picks. The weather might be changing but the. feeling of being right never gets old. So, keep the season rolling with prize. picks by getting $50 instantly in. lineups when you play your first $ five.

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downhill because when you look at it, if. you can't say anything negative about. the president, we're headed to Russia. We're headed to China. We're headed to. North Korea. We're headed to these. because And I think that's kind of the. direction that he he's like, you. shouldn't be allowed to say anything. negative. >> Yeah. But that's not just it's not just. about the president. It's negative about. anybody that supports his mission as. well. >> Correct. So that's where it's gonna and. that's why that's why I brought up the. Charlie Kirk Widow situation. And it's. not just her. There's also all of these. other public officials that are going,

"Oh, well, you said something about me. Well, maybe I can get a little bit of. money, too." So, do you make it illegal. to say the thing? I think we are going. to eventually be in a situation in this. country where patriots are going to have. to choose between their leader and the. founding fathers and the documents they. wrote up and we going to see which one. win. Well, >> black folks just along for the ride. This this don't concern us. [laughter]. >> I mean, it does, but we ain't got no. say. It's just this is just watching. white folks fight, >> right?

>> That's really what politics is. >> Well, it looks like the Supreme Court. and and listen to Clarence Thomas like. anything that's been written can be. challenged. It it just seems like. anything that is not He's saying it's. not law. It's nothing gospel. >> Nothing is gospel in the. >> Oh my god. So then if if Clarence trying. to say nothing is gospel and he can go. well we can go back and look at any. decision. I thought Supreme meant lad. that's it that's it done. Boom. We ain't. never talking about this again. Right. So if they can undo Supreme Court.

rulings at what point can they go you. know what? Maybe we need to redo some of. these amendments. >> Mhm. >> Yes. Yes. That's coming. >> It's all stress testing. Mhm. How. >> everything right now is stress testing. >> and there's really nothing you can do. about it cuz they got a 63. >> It's like when you date a girl and then. you trying to see how dumb she is and. see what you can get away with. >> Mhm. >> Okay. You ain't going to go with me on. that one. [laughter]. >> You treat all your women [snorts] good. Okay, that's fine. My bad. My bad. You.

know what you do? I I'mma not call her. for two days and see if she get mad. And. if she don't trip over you not calling. for two days, you know you got a two-day. window to. >> [laughter]. >> Sorry, I'm I'm talking too much. My bad. I'm Jill. I'm sorry about that. >> Where where are you on National Guards. in the city? >> Hm. >> Where are you on the National Guard with. the. >> on what? Why would anybody be for that? >> It look. >> Where are you on wasting [ __ ] time?

[laughter]. >> But you know, look DC, they say, "Man, DC is as safe as it's ever been. I ain't. getting carjacked. Did you see Did you see the footage in. Chicago or the brother on a bike just. riding past the National Guard? They. walking down Miracle I think it's called. Miracle Mile M whatever it is down the. downtown the nice the nicest part. >> Yes. Yeah. >> [ __ ] crime is down here. >> But you won't go to Southshore with that. nonsense, are you? No, >> you're not. And so like you're not going. to go MLK and 55th with it, are you?

You're not. So stop acting like this. isn't some this is some big ass theater. man. I feel bad for the National Guard. soldiers, bro. >> Right. >> Cuz like people get mad at the guard. like they the police. I'm in the. National Guard. You signed up one. weekend a month, two weeks a year to fix. a tank and get some college education. My don't want to be here. >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> And the problem is that the National. Guard dressing the same camo as the SWAT. and the police, >> right? So we're just as mad at them as.

that because they are being used as. >> So you believe this is political. theater? >> Absolutely. And I do not like the fact. that people who have taken the oath to. die for this country are being told to. walk past a [ __ ] lids on Michigan. Avenue to make sure nobody's still in. fitted caps. cuz that's what's happening in Chicago. right now. And I think that using our. military for that purpose, it's.

backwards as dumb and stupid. All of the. ICE stuff is backwards and dumb and. stupid just in general. But the idea of. having that presence, it should also. tell you. just how easy it is to get. the public opinion of people because. yeah, DC is the safest it's ever been. But you know what else make people safe? parks. and sports, literacy programs,

>> jobs. >> Yes. [laughter]. And you know what? That stuff needs. money. So the same money you use to pay. a whole platoon, you could have done. more literacy with the second and third. graders. You get kid there's statistics. My my ministry is literacy, youth. literacy and sports, >> right? Because in Birmingham, those are. the two things that have really helped. to turn around some of the crime in the. city. You get kids reading a grade level. by the third grade, they're less likely.

to be hungry or homeless. They're less. likely to end up in jail. >> So, you want to stop crime, start way. down there. >> So, don't tell me that this is fighting. crime. Okay, cool. But is this the only. way to fight crime? >> It's silly and it's nonsensical, man. and it's theater and. and it's inviting open government. harassment to the point where it. potentially becomes normalized, >> right? >> And that's not that's not good. You.

know, they talking about the Guard in. Portland. They talking about the Guard. and National Guard going on tour. Like. the these are regular folks. >> Are they still in LA? >> I don't know because they never stay. with the story long enough. >> They show you the guard there. They. never show you them leaving, >> right? >> That might be an indictment on the. media, but I don't I don't agree with. like the short answer is I think it's. stupid to deploy soldiers, >> your military to police your own.

citizens. >> to police your own citizens. >> I'm interested to to hear what you have. How we. are the I guess. our GDP is through the yin-yang. Why do. we have the mass shootings that no other. country has? Why? Cuz we don't have the mental health. care. All these other countries we be. comparing ourselves to got jobs and got.

some health care and less [ __ ] for. citizens to stress and worry about. They also don't have nearly the degree. of conspiracy theorists and people. dealing with all types of mental health. issues and isolation, which in and of. itself, even the most sane person can be. broken down if they're isolated long. enough. And that's what CO did. That's. what a lot of remote work did. Which, by. the way, that's that's the that's like. one of the few things that Trump and.

Elon was talking about. I was like, "All. right, I give you that one. Get your ass. back to work. >> Why they don't want to go back to work? You wrote. >> because man, you people for a lot of. people, your office is the only place. you see people. >> Yes. >> You at home by yourself and then you. work at a computer by yourself, then you. get fired over Zoom and then you come to. the grocery store and shoot me. That's. [ __ ] up. >> Yeah. >> I ain't do nothing to Dub. The one fired. you. Go to the building. >> and then how you call. >> shoot Doug.

>> Roy, how you calling? >> Shoot the people that you work with. Stop. There's a lot of mass shootings. cuz they can't get to the people they. want to kill. [laughter]. >> There some good cognac. >> Why? How do Let me ask you this. How do. you call in sick to work and you work. from home? >> In the bed right there, man. You got to. >> Ro, you can't get nobody sick but. yourself. >> But still, >> you wake up in your pajama.

I'm not optim I'm [clears throat] not. I'm not performing at my optimum. I you. know, but I I really do think that. America has a unique set of. circumstances where. there are million different ways your. life could be [ __ ] in this country and. there are a million different solutions. that are not functional. And you can at some point have a degree. of hopelessness and taking a gun and.

killing strangers might be your only way. of as you believe sensibly trying to. [snorts]. I don't know alleviate that pain or to. be seen. That's the real crazy thing. about shootings now is that we don't. even righteously be naming the shooters. no more. Like it used to be a time and. it sounds like a joke but I'm not. Like. there used to be a time where if you. shot a bunch of people, they would say. your name, they would read your. manifesto and like it would be it would.

be news for multiple days. >> It could be a shooting at noon that. don't make the 6:00 news. >> It could be a shooting at 6:00 that. don't make the 10 p.m. news. >> cuz we don't care. So the idea become. that. >> desensitized. I absolutely. >> even in murdering people you're still an. unknown. because it's such a norm. And I and I. think that comparing America to other.

countries is one of the most backwards. There's no other country like America's. 50 [ __ ] countries all connected. [laughter]. So you do we do have a lot of different. >> man in Switzerland. They got Switzerland. the size of Delaware. Shut the up. It. don't it's not the same. >> And they're probably like 95% Swiss. >> Yeah. And they all ride bikes. So that. helps your health and your mental. health. You can't get people to ride. city buses in most cities that have.

decent transportation cuz I want my car. So there just more stressors and there's. less solutions in this country. And I. think that's why mental health is so. problematic and just and it's not just. mass shootings. I mean, a lot of a lot. of domestic violence in this country and. violence against women, it's all rooted in a lot of the same. causations, you know, and so a lot of. the crime is rooted in that. And I think.

that's a big reason why. crime here is so different. That's why. we have more people in prison than any. other place on earth. More people on probation than any other. place on earth. With probation set up, I. think with 2 million in the prisons, four maybe 5 million people on papers. And probation don't mean you free. It's. set up. >> One thing that we got. >> and I say that as somebody that did.

three years of federal probation. Like. that's not it is not set up in any. shape, form of way to encourage you or. to make you better. I'm here because we. just ain't figured out how to put you in. there, >> right? >> But I'm going to watch your ass and the. moment you give me a chance, >> I'm going to get. >> I'm going to put you in there. >> I tell you what, this what I'm going to. do then. I'm going to make you president. in 28. You going to be the president. Everybody. out of prison but murderers,

rapists, trauma. Okay, get back to me. [laughter]. But nonviolent in prison? No. >> So the weed, you opening doors for them? >> Absolutely. I'd legalize cocaine. >> Damn. Who's it who's it was it was it killed? I mean, you got the fentanyl in it, but. that ain't okay. You caught a bad batch.

I'm sorry. Damn, Roy. If we're talking about. putting people in jail, bro, there was a story we tried to do on. the Daily Show. that didn't get done, but there are. there were owners of private prisons who. were suing the states. They are. contracted to imprison people in because. they don't have enough prisoners because. the state got lax on some of their laws.

and decided to be more lenient on. incarceration. So you have a state government that. goes, "All right, we ain't going to put. as many people in prison." But the. private company running the prison go, "Nah, [ __ ] You promised us. >> 80% capacity at all times. We at 50%. capacity. Go catch some [ __ ] and bring. them and put or reimburse me for the. people that are not in here. >> and the state can't afford to do it. So. they locked up in court right now.". Damn.

every every almost everybody in this. country, you're a commodity to someone else. And. you know, if you making me president, the first thing I'm changing is. incarceration. I got I got very lucky, bro. I had I had. a probation officer that actually cared. about. how my life ended up. Couple that being.

at FAMU and the faculty and the staff. So my pops used to teach at FAMU, my mom. at FAMU, my auntie FAMU. >> Okay. >> So it was enough folks in the faculty. like all right, we're going to bring you close and hold. you close and make sure you don't slip. up again. >> and get expelled. But I think that the idea of recidivism. in this country. is is it's pretty non-existent.

Uh it's all it's all setting you up. Got. your stuff. So my last year of. probation. >> I was in So I stole credit cards when I. was in college. I know you thinking. cocaine traffic. >> No n no. Normally credit in college kids. credit cards or phone cards. You. remember they used to do the phone card? MCI 1800 collect [laughter]. down dial down the center. You know why. I didn't do that? Cuz I thought phones. was traceable and they were recording. the calls and they do a voice match and. catch me. So I I knew people who was. running the [ __ ].

>> So I had a work study in the campus post. office. I steal credit cards at the post. office. >> Damn. >> Take take them to to the mall, buy [ __ ]. >> sell it on campus for half price. >> I get caught. And this is to my point. about recidivism, right? So I had. it's too late. that I can say this is. enough statute of limitations. So when. you're on federal probation, you're not. supposed to leave the state ever. You. leave the state for a birth of a child. or the death of this. They got like a.

family tree of here the dead. >> people you can go right bury. >> mom grandma. >> Yeah, exactly. My cous. no. >> stay your ass in Florida. My last my first two years of standup, my PO was like, if you come back that. night, you can go anywhere you want. So. I could get away as far as Atlanta. >> and get back and get a little travel. permit for that type of stuff. And then. my last year, I was given, this is year.

three, same year, I started doing. standup after I got arrested because. depressed, whatever. And so. that third year I graduate college and I. want to move back to Birmingham. And he. goes, "Well, if you move to Birmingham, you got to transfer your supervision to. the Birmingham Federal District. You. can't stay in the Florida federal. district." Now, mind you, at this point, my PO knows me. We got good rapport. I. got a job. I'm wearing a Golden Corral. Everything's straight. I'm traveling.

with anywhere within 8 hours of. Tallahassee. I'm coming back, you know, every 2 3 days. He You can get a travel. permit for up to 9 days at that time. >> I go, "Cool. Well, I want to move home. cuz I'm done in Tallahassee, >> right?". >> I called the Birmingham division to get. my um probation transferred and I'm. explaining to the woman what I am, what. [snorts] I do, blah blah blah. Here's. how we've been doing things in. Tallahassee. Sir, I don't give a [ __ ] what's been. going on down there. you report here and.

you transfer here, you ain't going. nowhere but Jefferson County. I'm like, [ __ ] I can't even go to Tuscaloosa. [laughter]. And she was like, no, you can't. It wouldn't give me a reason. I got two. years of paperwork that say I'm doing. the right thing. >> Doing everything right. >> Pour into me. Pour into these people. you make you you you you treat people in. this country who've made a mistake like.

they're irredeemable. so they start acting that way. >> right. >> but if you pour into them you might just. get a couple of decent folks out of it. and recidivism might actually work to. stay in Tallahassee another year bro. I intern I start Ricky Smiley that same. year Ricky leaves the radio station in. Birmingham Ricky's like my comedy OG we. both from Birmingham Okay. >> And Ricky was the first person from the. crib to make it in any capacity. So you.

saw Ricky and you go, "All right, I can. do it.". >> Cuz he wasn't like Bo Jackson or Charles. Barkley or I mean Arsenio Halls from. around like those people were just such. god status, >> right? >> You ain't going to be bo. But oh [ __ ]. Ricky. Huh? Maybe I can. I get the internship at 957 in. Birmingham while I'm still. under the supervised probation in.

Florida. Which means every nine days I have to. drive from Birmingham back to. Tallahassee. >> Damn. >> To run my piss, to verify residence, to do all my regular check-ins. So. essentially my first year. in Birmingham was just a year-long. visitation permit from Florida. because the Birmingham district would. not give me any flex whatsoever.

So when I say I'm lucky, man, I really. do feel that. I remember like I I feel like. there's parts of our court system. that they don't show. They show you cop catching. criminal. They show you courtroom TV. show. There never been anything on that. I'd ever seen about probation officers. That's why I was trying to do that. little comedy sitcom about probation. officers because it really is social.

work to a degree, you know. And it's a. lot of POS that for no reason will. violate people who don't deserve to be. violated. And then at the end of the. day, probation is even more dangerous. because it's your word against a single. person who may just have a grudge. against you today and they can go, "Ah, he was late to work. He ain't serious. about employment. Your honor, I would. recommend that they go back to be locked. up." And then you go on for whatever the. rest of your sentence was supposed to. be.

>> Just like that. They don't they don't. they don't show. that part of. recidivism in this country. And it's. something that I think would help to. change the public perception. of criminality and the idea of making a. mistake and then you redeeming yourself. and you do. That's why I'm I talk about. it out in the open anyway, >> right? cuz cats need to know like your.

mistake ain't your destination. That's a. stop. And I wish more people would show that. and talk about that, but they don't. You. try to make everybody out to be this. irredeemable character and that's how. society starts treating you after a. while, >> you know. But I I don't know, man. I. just I was I was really really blessed, man. I was really blessed cuz my pops. died when I was 16 and I just started.

getting guidance from just random. guardian a you know my book I call it. the man of many fathers cuz it just. really was random people that just. popped in. Yeah. >> But I wasn't seeking that out. It just. it happened. >> You have a uh your comedy. You're one of. the few and uh Chappelle, Rock, Rest. Your Soul, Paul Mooney, Carlin with. these could could blend politics and. comedy and make it a smooth seamless.

transition. Chappelle is unbelievable at. it. Rock is unbelievable at it. Mooney. and Carlin is unbelievable. You have. that gift. Did you choose did that aspect of comedy. did it choose you or you chose it? >> I think it chose me [snorts]. because everybody can't blend that. Everybody can't tie that in a nice bow. like that. Roy, >> I open for Dick Gregory. Um Oh, Dick. Oh, I forgot about him.

I don't know, man. It was It was a while. ago. It was at one of the bridge. crossing jubilees in uh Selma. >> Bloody Sunday memorial. >> and um I just sat on the deis and just. watched him just oscillate between pain. and funny and he kept them distinctly. separated until the end and like just I. know I'll never be able to do that. partly because of the era.

>> in which he came up in. >> He came up in his scars are different. from mine. I ain't got no scars compared. to Dick Gregory's scars. So the. reservoir of pain from which he was able. to mine from and pull from it's deeper. It's more rich. Uh but you know I came. up you know shadowing my pops. You know. my pops uh he was a civil rights. journalist. And so my dad in the 40s and. in the '50s, he was pretty much any. radio station he got hired at, he was.

the first black and he gets to Chicago. and he co-founds with a couple other. gentlemen the National Black Network. which at his time was the first black. syndicated national news service. a. collection a collective of black. reporters all pulling their stories. together and then sending them out on. the wire to other radio stations to. other black radio stations to air so. that there could be some sort of. cohesive message and sense of community. about stories that were relevant to.

black people like. >> so South Africa Zimbabwe [snorts]. Vietnam anything pretty much like from. South Africa and riots in the 50s. to about Rodney. My pops covered it. Wow. Was there with. a tape recorder, covered it, did callin. shows, community awareness shows. And so when I. was a when I was a child, I would ride. with my pops to the radio stations in.

the morning. So my parents didn't get. back together till I was in the third. grade. So I got sent to Birmingham every. summer before that. We me and my mom was. still living in Memphis. We weren't even. in Birmingham yet. And every summer, first grade, second grade, third, I'm. with my pops all summer and I'm just. shadowing him to speaking engagements. and he's interviewing Jesse Jackson and. >> Farrakhan just. >> sitting and breaking bread with all of. these, you know, deeply rich political.

people and white folks, too. He sat down. with George, the old George Daddy Bush. >> way back in the day, right? He he. interviewed them all. And so. I remember when I was 15, I got a. learner's permit and I used to drive my. pops down to Montgomery. He had a talk. show at Alabama State. >> Okay. >> And so he would do a Saturday morning. calling show at Alabama State. And I. would just sit in the cut. I'm on the. game, boy. And you think you're not. absorbing this [ __ ] but he's just. taking call after call from the. community and offering solutions,

offering a pullpit for people to voice. their grievances, allow black people to. feel heard and seen. >> And. I get to college and I'm like, man, I. want to be Steuart Scott. [laughter]. I'm talking about this heavy [ __ ]. >> right? >> Cuz that's all I came up in. And then on. top of that, you live in Birmingham, everything is black. It's a 75 70 75%. black city. >> School was predom every school I went to. was predominately black. I went to the.

blackowned boys and girls club. I went. to the black church, black boys, everything black. Then go to black ass. famu. [laughter]. >> Everything black. >> Yeah. >> So I was like, well, I just want to. analyze the world. But once I hit my. 30s, man, and then when I had my son, switch flip. I don't know what happened, but you start looking at the world like, oh, >> okay. >> Through a different lens. >> Yeah. I mean, you you also have to. remember, man, you know, my comedy, when.

I first started, I was 19. I ain't had. [ __ ] to talk about. I was talking about. book buyback and your roommate eating. your food and [laughter]. marching band jokes. Like, nobody like. that was my wheelhouse. That's what I. that was the easiest thing. You write. what you know. And then as you get older. and you start taking a longer look. >> and you have different experiences. >> and then somehow I essentially became my. dad. Like this is how. >> you tried to avoid it but you couldn't. help it.

>> Yeah. This is how. like entrenched and I've I've told the. story before but I'll tell it to you cuz. I'm sure you don't know it. Like when I tell you my pops was like. entrenched in bettering black people. That's all he was dedicated to. That's. all that mattered to him. Um, one of the. reporters he hired at WV in Chicago was. a dude named Don Cornelius. And so Don was a police officer. And he.

pulls my pops over and my pops trying to. get out the ticket. Go, you got a nice. voice. Which I don't know if that's not how I. would get out a ticket. That's all I'm. going to say. >> Um, he gives Don his card. Don hit him. back a year later and Don started. working at the radio station as a. reporter and that became Don Cornelius's. entry into the world of media. Now, at. some point in the midst of all of that, he does his homework on Don Cornelius. does his homework on television and Dick. Clark and he comes back to my pops and a.

couple of folks and goes, "Yo, give me a. couple thousand. Give me some money. I'mma shoot a pilot for a show that I. think could be dope. It's. >> I'mma call it I'm call it Soul Train. America.". >> Yeah. It's just going to be Dick Clark. got American band. Why can't we have. black people dancing? So my pops was one. of the people that gave Don Canelius the. front money. >> seed money for. >> to shoot Soul Train. >> Wow. >> Donius goes shoots Soul Train Pilot. can't sell that. Nobody will buy it. Nobody air. He can't put no ads on it.

So he ain't got his money to pay people. back. My pops comes to dawn and he goes, "Hey man, it's been a minute. [snorts]. when the me get my money back, >> right? >> And Don goes, "Well, I tell you what, instead of giving you your money back, why don't I make you one of the. producing partners in Soul Train? I. think this could go a long way, Roy, and. I think it's going to be a good. investment, and I think it's going to be. something that really changes the.

culture." To which my father replied, "Motherfucker, don't nobody want to watch a dance for. an hour? Give me my [ __ ] cash. [laughter]. >> Don Can. >> broke the ball. But if your dad had to tuck the. You wouldn't But see then if he talked. to my Roy, you wouldn't you wouldn't be. you wouldn't be Roy now. >> I I understand that. But I I tell that. story to prove the point of just how.

focused my father was on black America. He was he grew up Atlanta, Georgia in. the 1930s. My my grandfather, who I. never met, got snatched up when my dad. was four. Never came home again. So, you. know what that is? >> Mhm. >> Moved to Chicago with his mama. No head. of household, no male head of household. ever again in his life. So you grow up in the streets like that.

with a single mom and then you see every. single atrocity that you can name. Your friends murdered, assassinated, people that you broke bread with, people. that you covered in the 60s, one of the. most trying decades for black folks, >> the heart of the civil rights. >> And then a [ __ ] come to you and. go, "Hey, what if black people be. dancing?" [laughter]. People like, "Get the out my face.

>> You don't understand what's happening. out here.". >> But the truth of the matter is that Soul. Train was right on time because. >> black people needed a release. >> We deserve that. >> So, but my pops couldn't see the vision, man. He couldn't see it because he was. just so entrenched in the problems. >> Your comedy and and going back and. study, you said something very. interesting and I never even thought of. it until you said it. You said nobody. gave a damn about the vice president. until until a female got until a woman.

got the job. Yeah. >> And then all of a sudden the vice. president who really is a figurehead, all she does is is break the tie. If. there's a 50-50 tie in the Senate, she'll break. But that's really that's. >> show up at a middle school, wave to the. kids. >> That's really that's really their only. job. >> Yeah. >> But now I've never seen a a a vice. president get as much criticism. President Biden is the president and it. seems like everything that he he got. wrong, it was her fault and she had to.

take the brunt of it. >> Yeah. I mean, it's a better question for. a black woman, but the ones I've talked. to have been like, "That's what we've. been trying to tell you." Uh I I don't. think that I don't think Kamla got a. fair deal. And she talks about that a. little bit in her book. I haven't. finished it. Uh is it 107 days? She. breaks down the whole run of what. happened, you know, like I I I don't. even think we talked about a vice. president.

Who's the boy that shot the one in the. face? Cheney. >> Mhm. >> Dick Cheney shot somebody in the face. Like, all right, we got to talk about. him. Dan Quail couldn't spell a word. back in the 80s. Like, all right, we got. to talk about him. But, you know, no, I. don't I don't think that Kla Harris got. I don't think she got a fair deal in her. election run. Whether you love her or not, whether you. voted for her or not, the idea of Hey, [ __ ] Here's something real. quick.

>> Y'all gave her the ball. on her own two yardd line with no. timeouts. >> Pull a John Elway. Go down the field and. win the game in and the drive in 1986. >> Yeah. Yeah. And then when you don't, we. go, you terrible, it's all your fault. Ain't no wonder she been laying low. >> Yeah. >> All this time. >> Damn. >> Did the black said, "Well, you know, when President Trump his first his first.

term in office, man, the money was. flowing. We got them stemmings. Everybody the unemployment was down.". Hey man, we jig is up. Hey [laughter]. man, we Hey man, we was doing. >> unless you flipping Bitcoin with them, you ain't making no money with Trump. right now. >> But that's what they they said. They. said the black. they did so much better under President. Trump than they did President Black. >> Just the average black vote. Yes. Okay.

>> Yeah, I I could go with that. Like I I. understand that. Like that which that. just goes back to what I was talking. about earlier, man. Politics is. personal. >> I give about the world for if I'm. hurting, but if somebody broke bread. with me when I was down, I ain't gonna. never forget that. Think about when you. was down and. >> who was there for you and who gave you a. dollar. >> or who gave you a bite of eight burgers, split the pizza with you, >> right? >> There's an undying loyalty to people. like that that extends well beyond.

politics, especially with black folks. because most people don'ting help us. So. I could get why Trump giving you a. STEMI, >> but it was Congress, a Democratic. Congress that passed out those. >> I ain't got time for them facts. I ain't. got time for them facts. You talking to. me about facts. >> Trump name on the check. That's enough. for me. [laughter]. >> That's enough for you, Har. >> But that goes back to the idea of most. people don't want to know truth and. facts and information. So if you can. figure out a way to attach yourself to. the lie and they buy it,

>> you won. >> Yes. >> We got to like. Politics is getting to a place where. I feel like liberals are constantly. trying to well no no that's not what it. was that's not what it was really. actually it was the. there's no effective way to deliver a. well actually you just got to tell your. lie.

>> make your lie bigger than their lie. because that's what's selling right But. that's not ethical. >> And I think damn ethical. >> And I think but I think that a lot of. people still believe that there is a way. to win ethically. And I think that if you can win. unethically, then govern ethically, then. maybe there's a way to run that back. But the idea, you're not going to get. black folks or poor white people to. understand. Well, actually, Congress, if.

you understand the dispersement of. checks and how things are actually. allocated. All I know is that I was broke and. somebody in government gave me that. money and the president is considered. the head of government. Therefore, the. president gets credit. Period. I don't care that Trump had his. signature added to this chase. [laughter]. >> And that's the truth. >> It is absolutely. >> But you're trying to get you're trying. to permeate people with truth who don't.

have the time or the patience or the. desire most of the time. >> Correct. >> We're smart people. >> Mhm. >> We're very smart people. I'm not going. to call them dumb. Just impatient. and you starving and you. hurting and so you figure out ways to. sell a lie. This administration has done. a brilliant. brilliant like they they they've shown.

you the blueprint of how to get people. to believe blindly. Folks saying go Trump as they getting. loaded into the ice van. Mhm. >> What kind of that that's a level of. dedication. >> Three and four generations of farmers. are starting to lose their farm. They're. going to go belly up because nobody's. buying their soybean. Nobody is buying. their wheat. Nobody is buying their. products and they're about to lose. because they can't pay for that farm. equipment. They can't pay for that. fertilizer and they don't they have all.

those crops. >> Yeah. >> They they can't sell. >> I think that I will say this. If I I. think that I think that both sides stand. to gain more of a political advantage by. activating passive voters, but you're. definitely not going to flip anybody. without empathy. And I think that what. we've seen right now in this country. over the last year or two, there is no. empathy from liberals to Republicans. It's very much around and find out you. got what you deserve. Haha. Don't call.

black women. >> Mhm. >> Okay, cool. But then the plan, if that's the play, then the plan needs to be how do you. activate all the other people who don't. believe that the party doesn't have a. plan? And I think that's the part that. that's the solution that nobody's. presented. You can't keep writing. letters and reprimanding the president, you know, and vice versa. You're not. going to get sympathy from Republicans. to liberals. >> No. >> I mean, DL Hugley said it best when he. was talking about how people were there.

was no sympathy. um. the way the George Floyd jokes flew. >> in comparison to the way that people. were telling jokes about Charlie Kirk. Well, you're never going to get those. people, >> right? >> You're never going to get the impact. >> or Trayvon Martin. People people had had. the had the the the Trayvon Martin. costume. They had the Skittles and they. had the stuff and it was funny. >> Correct. And so, so with everything that. happened with Charlie Kirk, the. expectation of empathy from.

from liberals from that side, it's. unrealistic expectation. You may want. the empathy, but there are a lot of. people who still forever are going to. feel some kind of way. And I think that. a lot of those feelings people are going. to carry to their graves. And I don't. know if there's a policy that any. Democrat could flip that's going to. that's going to flip a moderate. Republican without losing. without losing some liberals. >> Yeah. >> Because there's a lot more morals.

uh on the Democratic side. And so when. you've got morals and you need to let go. of some of your morals to reel in some. of the Republicans, I think you stand to. lose more, you know, Democrats. So I. don't know. It's a It's a rock and a. hard place. >> Where are you on protesting? >> I'd go to Canada, but I'm a felon. They. be tripping. [screaming]. [laughter]. >> Every time I go to Canada, I got to fill. out a gang of paperwork and promise I. ain't going to steal nothing. >> Man, you still on paper? >> No, but Canada don't care. Like, yo,

it's a lot of countries when they find. out you did dirt in America, they think. that you like the master criminal. They. think you that French from Netflix. [laughter]. What? Loopin Lupine. Loopin. I I I. forget the brothers. I try to use actors. real names cuz then that's how black. people just call you that forever. >> But yeah, uh what do I feel on protest? >> Yes, cuz you see how I think it was. Pastor Jamal Bryant. He asked, you know, look here since Target is getting rid of. that DEI. Don't worry about it. Let's.

not go to their thing. And it's done. It's it's kill their stock. >> Yeah. >> So there's still power in the protest. >> Yeah. Absolutely. There's still power in. voting with your dollars. Yes. >> All of this is a form of protest. It's all fiscal. That's why any corporation like if you. look at what Target did. during George Floyd and it's like oh. well we will have the programs and the. initiatives and we will hire blacks and.

we will study why we are racist and we. will read Dr. Ibram Xki. We'll read your. book. Tell me why I'm a racist. Cracker. Abram the extended like and it wasn't. just Target. All of these companies made. all of these promises and we going to do. the thing and then an administration. came in and said we going to up your. cash if you don't stop [ __ ] with them. [ __ ]. >> and then it's a business decision and it. always was. >> Yes. >> Because four or five years ago it was if.

you don't show us that you don't care. about black people and de and I we going. to up your cash. And now all these these companies, man, they getting stuck up from both sides. >> That's what ABC and Disney dealing with. with the Kimmel fiasco. >> How do we play the middle? >> Yeah. If you you better let go of Jimmy. Kimmel or we going to mess up your. merger. Paramount CBS. Oh, y'all y'all add a. clip of me kind of edited but unedited.

All right. Well, watch this. You're going to pull that 60 Minutes. report and you're going to give me $16. million or I'm not going to let your. merger go through and I'mma up your. cash. >> Yeah, >> it's all a heist, bro. And. I'm not I think the failure we have made. as black people is thinking that. corporations have humanity. You're about.

I was about to say morals. >> Yeah. >> You can manipulate them. Yes. And you. can have the upper hand and you can gain. leverage and you can get what you want. and it can help advance society and make. every make the world a better place. But. just know that the only reason they. probably did it. was because. you had the gun to their head. Mhm. >> It's not a coincidence when you look at. the increase the death of DE and I and.

the increase of black women unemployment. in this country. because it's not just necessarily black. women that were hired to run whatever. DEI initiative for a company, but a lot. of those black women were hired under. the guise of this program. even though. you were perfectly qualified. >> Yes. >> We we put your hire under this umbrella. with this grant and paid you with this. initiative instead of just leaving it. Like I think that that part of it is I.

think protests are effective. I just. don't think that we should continue to. assume companies to be. as quick to cowtow. >> They're not. Protesting was easier back in the day. Like we talk about sitins and all of. that [ __ ] That's because it was just. Jimmy's Dina, >> right? >> Like Yeah. You can shut down Jimmy, but. to effectively protest something now. >> Yeah. They got they got 1500 3,000.

stores. >> Yeah. And you're connected a million. That's why I knew white folks wasn't. going they was going to fold on that Bud. Light protest. >> They were like when Bud Light had the. trans actress. Yeah. And they were all, "Oh, we ain't drinking Bud Light." They. were shooting the cans and [ __ ] You. know how many different liquor brands. are run by Annheiser Bush. >> and Bill? >> It's like 20 20 or so brand. Are you. really that dedicated? You're not You're not going for Did you.

get the um Speaking of protest, did you. get the um the George Zimmerman um paper. protest email. >> when that happened? I don't have email. So, no, I wouldn't have. >> What the [ __ ] [laughter]. >> I don't have email. >> Okay. >> Jordan has email. My sister has email. So, they'll send it to me in a textbook. >> That's fair. Like Bill Murray. [laughter]. You know, Bill Murray just got a phone. with an answering machine. He checks it. every day. >> Okay. >> And that's how [clears throat] he gets.

gigs. [laughter]. No, there was an email. I don't know if. this was true, but I got this email. It. was supposedly a paper company was. funding George Zimmerman's defense fund. at the time. >> And we got an email and it said boycott. this paper company and it was like 30. different brands of paper and picnic and. plates and cups and for don't buy none. of this [ __ ] Don't buy n it was like 20. different toilet tissues and I wanted to.

reply to the email. Well, how am I going. to wipe my ass? Like [laughter]. >> what am I going to get out of my hand? >> Well, you got to give me alternative. options, >> right? >> I I say I say that to say the idea of. protesting is something where you have. to be much more steadfast than. what I think our ancestors had to be. because there's also a serious degree of. convenience. with a store like Target. I live three.

blocks. >> Mhm. >> from a Target in New York City. and I walk past it and it's like, "Fuck, I know it's in there.". >> Yeah. I need that shower J. >> Yeah. [laughter]. Yeah. I I I do think that protesting is. it's still effective, but I do think. that there is a degree of.

I don't want to say a lack of unity. across our race, but there's definitely. people who just going to I'm not with. that. I ain't doing that. >> Right. >> People forget the Montgomery bus boycott. was a year. Like it was a long time. Like it wasn't. >> three weeks and then the white folks. fold it. Like it was car pools and M. >> it was definitely. >> and the uh the sanitation boycott that. they had down there. >> Yeah. >> People actually think it like was like a. No, it was a long long period of time.

>> Well, that's also because a lot of. boycotts now are. >> top of the news cycle and then they fall. off. >> and nobody else is talking about it. after that. But, >> you know, you hope Target does the right. thing, but there's a lot of companies. that have. >> backpedal. Let's get to your career. dating scene now because you was once. married. We gonna talk about your your. your. >> We weren't married but we moved like we. were. >> Oh, you weren't you weren't officially. married. >> No, no, but we made we we were we were. solid. So, we moved like that. Yeah. >> So, what's the what's the dating scene.

now for Roy Wood Jr. now? >> I work, bro. >> I've been single. >> So, in other words, you tried. So, that's what you tell them. I work now. cuz they say, "Well, you want to if you. wanted to find time, you could find. time. You find time for your son. >> That's my son. [laughter]. You know that what is that what they. tell you? >> Yeah. Yeah. I have. I have met. I've been blessed I'm blessed now with.

the eyesight to know when it is a good. woman. >> Okay. >> And I've met one or two. But I also have enough sense to know of. what it is I'm trying to build right. now. >> Right. And I think what I underestimated. in being single again was. the idea of. also quitting my job at the same time. I. quit Daily Show around the same time. >> Yes. >> And I know what the I was going to do.

next and I still have a family to. support. together or not. We remain a family, >> right? >> We remain a unit. you remain the most. important person in my ecosystem because. you're helping me raise the boy. >> So, there's certain things that have to. be provided for. So, yeah, I'm going to work right now. And. back to what you were talking about at. the top of this, man,

about the flowers. >> Mhm. >> I can't stop to smell them because I got. to keep going. if I stop the wheels come. off of all of this, >> right? >> And I don't know if that's a pressure. that men put on themselves. unnecessarily, but it don't change the. truth. >> It is because you feel you have a a. sense of responsibility, >> but it's the truth. >> People are counting on you. Yeah, absolutely. Is. >> so. need to be in a space where I can never.

again. be waiting on someone else to choose me. which is what happened at the Daily. Show. >> Yes. >> So to get in that space requires a level. of focus and work as the industry that I. love starts to change and crumble. Oh, I'mma do daily show and then I'mma. get me a late night show. Not no more. You ain't. late night show where this the last. licks. >> Yep.

>> Jimmy Fallon, Kimmel, Co the last licks. >> That's it. Ain't nobody else coming in. and doing I don't know what's going to. be next, but it ain't going to be that. Land CNN, cool. Write a book. Cool. Sell. two TV shows. Write a movie. Cool. You. just start putting pots on the stove. Pots on the stove. >> How many irons can you have in the fire? >> I I don't know. But I can tell you that. figuring out taking one off. to put in a relationship and not being.

sure if that's going to work and knowing. that if any of these other pots fail, bigger ecosystem that I have a higher. responsibility to first suffers. >> Son will never suffer. My son. >> is my only child. So. >> you going to be straight. down. I can't. do this alone, >> but you know, it's hard when you're. grinding, man, and you're trying to. figure out relationships because you. almost need someone to just merge in.

with you in traffic. This idea of stop. and courtship and. >> it's a merger, huh? >> I've never dated under this degree of. industry pressure before. >> and I don't know how to handle it. because I don't have anything. to recreate. Last time like when I met. my son's mother, I was sitcom it just. got cancelled. I'm on ESPN for free two. days a week praying that that gig lead. me to get another college gig. >> Shout out to Sports Nation and Jamal.

Hill his and hers. Bmani Jones used to. put me like just praying one of them 300. p.m. ESPN shows and give you something. else. How much of what your father how. your father was to you has rubbed up on. you to how you are to your son? Not a lot. Maybe. maybe how I am to women.

Maybe some of that. So for perspective, I'm the ninth of I'm my mom's only. child. I'm the ninth of 11 kids. So your. dad had. >> a lot. >> Yeah. >> of [ __ ] [laughter]. >> um. >> So is that what caused the separation. between your dad and your mom? >> Yeah, to a degree. Yeah, a little bit. [laughter] I got too young a halves. You. do the math. >> But.

I think how my father carried himself. professionally, >> okay, >> was what rubbed off on me. >> I care about black people. I use humor. to try and tell our stories and to. humanize our experiences to educate. people who wouldn't have otherwise paid. attention to what we're going through. Period. Full stop. >> Y. >> and if you look at the body of work that. I've built over the last decade, it. would support that thesis. Where it comes to parenting, my pops wasn't around a lot.

>> cuz he was out working or he was with. his other family. You know, one of one. of the toughest things I had to, you know, if you bring it back to the. breakup, right, you you start thinking about. what your responsibility is to your. child and how you plan to. build him up. What values am I going to. give him? >> Okay. >> And one of those things has to be how he.

treats women. Well, he's going to learn. that from seeing. >> how you. >> how I treat women. or how people treat his mother. Whatever. that dynamic is, I'm oblivious to it. So, I can only be concerned. >> with with correct with my side of the. equation. >> And. the more I looked at love and the more I. looked at. how to show my son love, my parents.

didn't sleep in the same room. Truth of the matter is we in Memphis. I'm whing out. There's no man in the. house. My mom reconciled with my pops to. make sure there was somebody in the. house to knock my ass out when I started. jumping bad. In exchange, free rent, take the money. you save, put yourself through law. school so you can get out of this. situation. And that's what my mama did. That's what my mom worked on. That's. what her focus was grad school, degree, degree, degree. Mhm.

But most nights my pops wasn't home. And so when I started thinking about the. life I wanted to construct for my son. and I started thinking about, well, damn, if I'm going to show him. love, where the did I see it? >> What the [ __ ] What was my example of. love? >> You had a roof over your head. You had. food on the table. >> Yeah. But a lot of men think that's. enough. It ain't. That's how in in the black community, that's how we grow. >> Clothes on your back, food in your.

belly, roof over your head. What the. [ __ ] else? >> That's love. >> I paid a cost to beat a boss. That's. what you remember Denzel when he told. when he told his son that very story. >> I lived that. And so the more when I had. my son, the more I reflected on it, the. more I realized that the best example of. love I had was with my pops and and his. other woman. It's the best example of love. He loved. her for whatever issues he had with my. mom, it wasn't love, but when I really.

sit and think about. how he treated that woman. >> That's who he was out with. >> He brought you around her. >> to be around my younger brothers. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, how so he had how many kids with. this other woman? >> Two. I had two younger half. Yeah. So. you had two he had two with. >> my older half siblings we were never. really that close. We're cool now but in. terms of everyday seeing them. No the. two youngers. >> I saw them.

>> on the rig. >> On a rig. >> Okay. >> He scooped me up. My pops scoop me up. from soccer practice. Go scoop them. We. go to Dairy Queen. Stuff like that. >> Wow. And so. I had to call my two younger brothers. and talk to them about. what was life. And this is a. conversation I've never wanted to have. with them. But I got to have this. conversation if I'm going to be better. to my son. Hey man, walk me through what. Pops was like at your crib on the night.

he didn't come. >> He wasn't with you, your mom. What were. you like me through? >> Damn. And they described a man I never met. >> So So. >> I don't. >> You got an opportunity to see him when. he was with your mom. So when they're. explaining to you, I mean, he was home, he was at the dinner table, he read. stories, he took it home. >> What? >> Going to their games, bro. >> Oh my god. My pops never did that. And.

so. >> did that, man. Roy, that had to hurt. >> But you don't But you don't unpack it. Imagine being 38 in the delivery room. unpacking [snorts] that [ __ ] in real. time while you holding your newborn. because these are things I've never had. to consider. I've never had to consider. showing him love because I had no kid. But now I have a kid and I go, "Well, damn, he needs love." Okay. Well, I am learning from my pops. >> So, who did I My aunt JP and Uncle Rick, they love each other really. My aunt, but I ain't around them on a regular. My.

pops is buried next to that one. She. died 3 years before my dad. My dad got. his and hers. >> plots in Siri. >> And we didn't even know he was being. buried next to her until we was walking. the casket up the hill. That's love. You can be mad about it or. you can be sad about it, but you can. take the game and figure out how to. apply that. to your child. a woman he came home to every night.

So, if nothing else, it gives me a. blueprint. of what I should be looking for and what. I should want out of a woman and what I. should want within a relationship. >> She loved his funky draws. He loved. hers. >> And that wasn't the case at our crib. And that's just what it was. >> Was your mom when your father passed? Was your mom still alive? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My mom's still alive. right now. So, you have to look at and and I and I.

really didn't unpack all of this with my. mom, but. you have to look at it as as I've looked. at it. You're in Memphis, you're in law. school or you're in grad school at the. time. I'm a latch key kid, bro. We got. there. We almost set the apartment. complex on fire in the third grade and. almost got evicted. So, I'm wild. So. you just live with this man and y'all. just become roommates. >> and you become whatever shell of.

yourself to get through this knowing. that your son at least has the checks. and balances. And on the behavior side, it was right. It worked. But. >> like one of the hardest things I have to. do cuz I follow my two younger brothers. like love them, love them to death. I follow them on social. Father's Day, Pop's funeral day, Pop's. birthday. I usually don't go on social on those.

days. >> cuz they're talking about a man that you. never knew. >> Never knew. They posting pictures with. this man and these the old school. Polaroids that's got the date at the. bottom. M. >> I can look at the date of the picture. and tell you whether or not the heat was. on at our house cuz my parents was. arguing and pops had pulled, you know. So. the idea that. I can even learn what type of father I. could be from watching through his lens.

He was damaged. You were damaged. And you sought comfort. through women and sex. and you were superb at your job, top of. your game. Correspondence dinner, when I got done, a bunch of black journalists who were. there at the correspondence dinner came. up to me and were telling me about. how my pops gave he was there. They were. their first job was working for my dad.

Five, six people. people who used to work at um at. National Black Network, which eventually. became a N, American Urban Radio. Network. That company exists because of my. [ __ ] pops and the other people he. co-founded with. And they came up to. shake my hand and tell me thank you. And. like that was a level of respect that. I don't know if I'll ever do anything as. valuable as that. So you still you can.

be mad at this man or you can learn from. it cuz either way you still going to be. in his shadow. >> Yeah. >> I didn't go by Roy Wood Jr. till he died. cuz I knew it [ __ ] with him. [laughter]. >> So. >> it was the only thing. >> it was the only thing that I knew just. [ __ ] with my. >> Did you But did you think for a second. Roy He gave you his name? He gave you He didn't give it to the. others. Give me your time.

>> Your name touch. >> But the idea of. I remember I came home the yearbook it. had Roy Wood. He goes, "Your name is Roy. Wood Jr." And I just didn't want to like. I just hoped that like people didn't. know or would assume that I wasn't. related. And then when he died, he died my senior. year of high school. And I was like, "All right, I'll carry it now. I carry the torch.".

>> So, you did grow up with some level of. resentment towards your father. >> a little, but it didn't. It came out. after I had my son. >> because you start you have your child, bro, and then you start thinking about. everything you're going to do with your. son. that your father didn't do with you. >> and then you realize. he never did it with you. >> and you're like damn.

the one thing he did give me that I did. appreciate he made sure that I knew who. he was and what he stood for and that's. through. being able to shadow him and be around. him. But you're only getting half of a. person when they get you at work when. you get your parents at work. But I'm. grateful for that. >> and I try to do that with my son. You. know, >> I don't take him everywhere. He knows I. do comedy. He knows I'm on TV in some. capacity. His classmates, parents,

>> telephone game gets back to him about, oh, his dad is the thing. >> But, you know, I try to give him a. degree of space away from all of this. >> also because it's politics and it's. funky and I just don't want them. >> right. >> be young. you deserve to be your own, you know, [snorts] be your own man. But. I don't think that resentment gets you. anywhere if you have issues with your. father. I think you literally have to. look at who the man was and just.

pick the little pieces, >> get rid of the rest. >> You remember you was a kid, your mama. cooked something you didn't really. didn't like and she put stuff in there, you just pick out the pieces. [laughter]. You pick out you pick out the stuff that. you like out of the out of the dish. >> My mama put bell peppers in her tuna. And when I tell you I used to pick them. little bell she and she mince them up. real. >> my grandmother did that with hamburger. She put onions in the h.

>> like in the meat. She mix it in. Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. But that's why I'm I'm I'm. grateful, bro. I'm grateful that I had. so many men that just that God put in my. life that poor knowledge or poor gain be. it once be it multiple times like that. was. I think that's where I really learned. how to love was like just being in. reflection of.

taking my own experiences out of it. When have I seen a man be kind and soft. with a woman? Okay, there. All right, take the note. All right, cool. I need to make sure I. feel that with her and then I can better. identify whether this is somebody I. should be with. And that helped it. It. really did like I hate to say it, but. having that conversation with my younger. brothers, it helped me immensely in. being able to love my son. But let me.

ask you, did you when you talked to and. people say, you know, communication, um, you know, be honesty, be honest, be. transparent. When you, I don't know if. you did or you didn't, did when you. talked to your uncle or you saw people. that had been married and that had been. in love, does that better help you. understand or paint a picture of what. you should be looking for in a in a mate. that you could potentially be. >> your wife? My uncle, my uncle Derek, he.

lost his wife. Um, this is in the 80s. Um, drunk driver. He heard the crash. from his house and it devastated him. And I remember going to my aunt Mary's. funeral and seeing my uncle cry over the. casket. And he had, you know, he had a. he had about a 5 10 year stretch after. that because he's also ex-military. You. drop in some PTSD in that mix along with. grieving as a widowerower. He had a rough stretch. >> Yes, >> I just say that. He had he had a really.

rough stretch. >> that he came out of. And seeing what he. became without her helped me understand. what she was to him. That's love. And I think through those. painful moments, you're able to mine. something. that's beautiful, man. I'm not, you know, we all wish we could have got. a better hand with our parents. >> I don't care what kind of parent you.

got. You wish they was more this or more. that. But, you know, what really helped. me was going on finding your roots and. learning so much new information about. my dad and the idea that, oh, I get it. You lost your dad. You didn't. have no game. Nobody gave you game. >> I was about to. Then you get a debilitative injury in. high school. My pops got hit by a car. chasing behind a girl that just broke up.

with. hip replacements for the rest of his. life. Walk with a limp the rest of his. life. How you think that informed his. opinion of women? What you think walking with a limp did. to his confidence. for the rest of his life. and how he viewed women? And I don't know. There's a lot of. there's a lot of questions that are just. that will forever be unanswered because. most of the people that can answer them. from his side are dead. >> Cuz I was going to ask you I was going. to like because a lot of times we. learned how to love through how we were.

loved. You know your dad and I was going. to ask you I said did you ever talk to. his did you ever did you ever ask your. dad how was his father to him your. grandfather to him and so forth and so. on. So it would probably give you a. better picture of how but you was like. you know what I don't know a whole lot. about this fatherhood. I just know I. want to be a better dad to my son than. what my father was. >> That's it. >> That's it. I don't know how this thing. going to shape out. But I do know that.

>> I'll start with that base level thing. I will be present and I will you know. and and for the life of my relationship. with his mother you know I was I was go. like when I travel hey I'm sorry I gotta. go but I would explain why I'm going. where I'm going what I'm doing and I. still do that to this day even when we. broke up set them down walk them through. hey here's what's happening with that. but just so you know me and her ain't. got nothing to do with me and you. everybody's still good cool. >> and but that was a lot of that was a lot.

that's heavy you got a newborn, you quit. your job, and you just broke up with the. the the the mother of your child. That's. a lot going on, right? >> Well, he's about six or seven at the. time of the breakup, but it's still a. lot. >> Yes. >> And so, >> there is a pressure. >> change in his life. There's a pressure of providing that. I don't think men talk about enough. and I don't think women necessarily.

>> I want to say don't care but. >> they have their own battles as well. >> They got their own workplace challenges. as well. So I understand you got your. issues but I'm over here fighting this. fire over here. Good luck with your. fire. I think that. Like I remember some nights watching my. son sleep when he was younger. and I would be up at night and just be. walking around the house and [snorts]. to that flower moment where it's like.

I live in New York City, bro. I live in New York City. I have a solid job. My family is fed. They're sleeping safe. I remember when I came to New York in. 1999. and I was here for three days and I. could only afford one meal because I. needed the rest of the money for tolls. to get back to Alabama.

praying that somebody at the comedy club. would offer me a wing or a fry. >> so I could eat that day. And now I'm in the city and I got. furniture. I got a job, my picture on. phone booth, I got an hour special. coming out and I'm watching my son sleep. peacefully. with none of the cares that I had. and it lasts for about 20 seconds and.

then the next thought is how the am I. going to keep this all together? And that's the impulse that drives me. That's the impulse that gives you. everything you read at the top of the. show in my intro. And I don't know if. that's for better or for worse. >> Do you sleep good? >> No. >> I suffer the same thing cuz I can't turn. my mind off. >> because I wake up immediately and. there's 20 ways this could go wrong. >> Yep.

>> There's 30 ways this other thing could. go wrong. But if I can control it. and be in charge of it, I realize what I. lack is control. I'm a control freak to. a degree. >> I need opportunities that are. >> that afford you that. >> that afford me that. I'm thankful for. CNN, >> but it is a network. >> Mhm. >> All TV shows end. >> Mhm. >> One day it will. Hopefully I'll see it.

coming or I'll have time. >> Mhm. But in case I don't, >> you have something already. You've. already got a garden planted and. something else is about to sprout. >> Let me get this YouTube [ __ ] straight. for 2026. I already know what I want to. do. Get this book right. Sell that book. Get a script on that. And that way I. know my son can continue to sleep. comfortably. That drives me. >> And I know some people will consider. that unhealthy. But if it's gotten you.

more successful every year than the year. before since 1998, >> doing something right. >> Doing something right. >> What have you learned about money? >> That it's just money. >> It's not going to make you happy. There's definitely a piece of mind you. need to have with it. I'm probably a little reckless.

But. I think my recklessness comes from. stupid [ __ ] like Ubering when I could. have walked, [laughter]. you know, saying it's like eight blocks. and I don't feel like it, [ __ ] Come. get me. [laughter]. >> I'm on the corner. >> Yeah, but I don't I don't have a lot of. vices in that regard. Like even with women, it's not like I'm. spending a bunch of money on a million. dates and going to exotic locations and.

[ __ ] like that. I don't wear jewelry, >> right? [snorts]. >> The I I get nice sneakers every hour. >> Hul Hulu paid for these. >> Oh, okay. [laughter]. >> Buddies, you're crazy. No. When I get an hour. special, they allocate money for. wardrobe. Yeah. >> I spend it all on the shoe. [laughter]. Ankle up. You a shoe guy. >> Ankle up. I got it. I It's already in. the closet. I know what I'm gonna wear. But the shoe you gonna pay for that.

[laughter]. >> So I don't, you know, my relationship. with money is I would say it's. it's decent. Um I'm not rich in the. least, right? >> But I'm blessed. And. >> you know I am the family member that. family members call. >> which in a way is. >> a huge responsibility though. It's a. blessing and a curse. >> It is. It is. But I've always me I've always wanted. that. I was the baby.

>> Yeah. >> Um and my brother had a a serious injury. and so I took on the responsibility and. I remember telling my grandmother on a. deathbed that I got it. My sister, we my. sister, my sister's here right now and. she had a conversation with me. She was. telling I had this conversation with my. grandmother in June. My sister had the. very conversation with my grandmother in. April. I didn't know about it until she told. me. She said, "Shannon, granny," like. one of my cousins was in the room and.

she asked my grandmother, "Hey, what's going?" She said, "Hey, Mary, what's what's wrong?" And my grandmother. said, "I'm dying. and I don't want to leave y'all.". My sister. said, "Granny, it's okay for you to go. I'mma be okay. Spanky's going to be okay. with my brother. Shannon's going to be. okay. Shannon's going to make sure. mama's okay. Everything's going to be. taken care of. I didn't know Roy, my.

sister had this conversation with my. grandmother in April. >> I come back along in June. The guy's. doing a a story because I'm going into. the Hall of Fame that August. >> So, he's following he's following me. around. We go to the old house. We go to. the old high school. When we get back to. the uh uh the nursing home, the uh. retirement facility, my grandmother is. crying uncontrollably. So, I stop the. guy and I go in and she's crying and I. hold in my arm and I look at I said, "Granny." I said, "So, I already knew.

what it was." I said, "Granny, it's. okay. I got it." I said, "You and Papa, y'all did what y'all was supposed to do. I got I got Libby. I got Spanky. And I. got Mama. Don't even worry about it. A. week later, Roy, she was gone. She needed her baby to tell her. >> that he had it. Once I told her, I let. her mind be at ease. My sister called me. She said, "Sh, she.

gone." I said, "For real, Libby?" She. said, "Yep." She told my sister and my. mom. Cuz my sister would go up there. every day, feed her, bathe her. That's. not a responsibility. My sister did that. for two years. Every single day we go up. there, make sure she ate her food, make. sure she had a change of clothes, do. everything. Stay on top of them folks. About. 5:00, my grandmother said, "Libby, you and you. and you and uh Alice, y'all go." That's.

my mom, Mary Alice, named after mom. She. said, "Y'all go home, man. I can't I. can't get no rest with y'all here.". [laughter]. She sent them home probably around 5. 5:30. They called my sister at 6. That was it. Libby, Miss Mary gone, man. So to hear you say that the. responsibility of your siblings and the. family, you're who they call. I know what that's like. I've lived that.

life for the last 30 years. My only beef. is that, and I understand this because. my mom used to think I was sleep, but I. could listen to her making the money. calls at night. >> Mhm. >> Hey girl, it's Joyce. I wouldn't call. you if I need it, blah blah blah. So, I. understand the courage it takes to admit. you need help. >> Mhm. >> But [ __ ] don't wait until the tow.

truck is in front of the house. >> He hooked. He done got He got it up. >> You owed on the [ __ ] car for two. months, [ __ ] And now the tow truck is. outside and now I'm trying to Vinmo. named Keith [laughter]. >> and just like hey to he out here right. now. He want to talk to you. [laughter]. >> What do you want to talk TO ME ABOUT? YOU AIN'T GOT MY CAR. >> MEANWHILE, I'm on the phone with you and. then there's somebody talking to me. Yeah. 3 minutes we're going to the shot. is live in 3 minutes. come on back over.

to the. >> I'm at work and I'm like literally. Vinmo. There's times on the Daily Show. where I've just said a VMO and put well. yes Trevor Noah I'll tell you what's. going on with the Republicans. >> like that part of it I don't like but I. understand where the hesitancy comes. from. I wish, man, I wish I'd have had that like luxury of. that like last conversation because. prostate cancer is what took my pops.

>> Mhm. >> And my pops. when you're 16, you don't even know what. you're supposed to be asking, bro. And cancer, like the last year of cancer. is just such a nasty, terrible thing. My pops became very mean, like very. just angry, right? >> Which I just wrote, I ain't take offense. to it. I didn't do [ __ ] to you today. You're just snapping. All right, you're. in pain, I guess. Whatever.

I remember um. the last conversation I had with my dad. I remember um. >> we watched Jeopardy. That was always we. we'd watch Jeopardy. My pops would watch. >> local news cuz he was mentoring a lot of. the anchors on the local affiliates. >> So he would watch everybody's anchoring. and then call them and give them. critiques or whatever. Yeah. give him.

feedback. At the feedback, we watch. Jeopardy. and we're watching Jeopardy and I make. him a baked potato and I give it to him. Takes a nibble. After about an hour, he give it back. He. ain't really touched it. Appetite gone. And he looks at it. He looks at me. He. goes, "I did I did all right, didn't I?". And I look at the baked potato. Yeah, you did all right. You know, I'm lying, but all right. Next day, I come home. He's in hospice.

at my older brother's uh crib. And so, you know, for the most part, I live my. life after that. I didn't go visit him. every day cuz it's hospice and. and a lot of the time in the hospital. when I was there, it would be a lot of the other women. So, if my mom's was there. and then it's some side chick, that's. weird. You know what I'm saying? So, I.

would go solo and that became weird. About a month later, he dies and we're. at the funeral and we're walking away. from the we leaving the bar. We're going. back to the limos or whatever. And my. older sister, Brenda, she comes up to me as we're walking down. the hill and she's like, "Of all my. siblings, all my half siblings, she's. like the most spiritual and. >> Jesus and God and the scripture says and.

you know, daddy loved you." And I know. you may not have always felt that, but. daddy loved you. And [snorts] no matter. what, just remember he did the best he. could. And that [ __ ] hit me like a. [ __ ]. a Mac truck, bro. Like. he asked me I did all right. He wasn't. asking about the baked potato. He was asking me how he did deal with. >> raising me. And I missed the [ __ ] window, bro.

Not only did I miss the window, I told. him he did all right. Cuz he probably thought I was talking. about how he raised me. I was talking. about the baked potato. >> And so had you had that window, the. window that he that he left open, had. you knew, what would you have told him? >> I don't know. But I wouldn't have let. him off the hook like that, >> even in the situation, the condition he. was in.

>> There's a soft way. >> to let him know he could have done. better. >> Well, it's not even a criticize. It's. it's more questions than anything. I never thought about that. I said, "Damn, I never thought about what I. would have asked or what I would have. said. I don't think I had. the wherewithal or the scope of. knowledge." Keep in mind, I'm born, my. parents are separated. I'm born in New.

York. My parents are separated within a. year. My mom moves to Mississippi. My. whole mom's side from Clarksdale. >> Okay? >> So, she moved to Memphis to go to school. and be close. So she got the babysitter. network with her siblings, right? >> So I grew up never knowing my father. other than the dude who come to visit. once a month. >> and I go see him for a month in the. summer through third grade. So the idea. of a father was just this nigga's a. guest star in me and my mama's sitcom. >> Me and my mama the star daddy just a.

neighbor who come in and wave from time. to time. >> Then when we move in together in. Birmingham, y'all don't really sleep. Y'all ain't in the same room. We don't. do any family functions other than. breakfast on Sunday. Breakfast was. sacred. But outside of that, you're not. home. Everybody work different. schedules. He's a morning radio man. He. gone before I'm up for school. And by. the time I come home from school, he. back out at night to do his jazz show. and then hit the bars and, you know, socialize, hit the lounges and all and.

drink some of that. Like he he out. there, >> right? >> So we never kept the same clock. >> Okay. So I'm not even crossing you in. the hallway for you to give me game. >> just off the nature of our schedules. So. you take something like that and then it. becomes oh. need to be around more because. >> I've learned in like I tried doing like. mentorship programs and stuff. It's not. I'm not the right person.

Literacy sports I'll give money to. mentor Because what I found, at least. what I believe is that. male guidance, it's these microscopic moments that. happen. It's not a full 3, four hour. day, let's go bowling, let's go where. you might ask something or not. >> You just have to be around. And then the. moment your child shows a window of. wanting some knowledge, you jump in. And.

so the weeks I have my son, I schedule. my life differently. We getting that meal, I might go back. out in these clubs and tell my jokes. tonight, but first set's not going to be. till 9:00 cuz I want you in the bed 8:30. and we going to talk. >> Baby still to pull up 8:25. I'm out the. door. But the idea of just not being. around as much as I can, I'm trying to. fight that, bro. Because I don't want to.

be a guest star in his [ __ ] sitcom. That's my biggest fear with my son is. that I become the dude that's always. gone. Oh, he provided. And then he the one sitting here with. you talking about, [ __ ] I won't. at the time. So the only way to create that is to. work like a psychopath at building. something from the ground up for. yourself that you control that is not. susceptible to corporate mergers that's. not susceptible to an administration.

leaning on your supervisors getting them. to fire you. That takes time. So, I'm. sorry I can't go on the date you want me. to go on with you or I can't be present. in the way you want because this is. paramount right now. It won't always be. that way, but that's what is because I. know on the other side of this is growth. and freedom, man. And I know I can do. that. You own better call soul, the last OG,

confessed fledge, only murders in the. building and space force been a lot of. things. I mean. all those different experiences. Do you. take I mean when you go on a set I mean. you try to make friends or you trying to. you know try to gather information. I. mean what's it what is Roy Woods Jr. when he goes on a set what's his. mindset? I'm usually chill. >> Okay.

>> I keep my distance. >> Really? >> I don't know you. >> Damn. You don't get nobody. You don't. get close to nothing, huh? >> I don't I don't know Steve Martin like. that. Like. >> I'm happy to be here, >> right? >> But I don't want to I've seen cats get. fired for being too chummy. Yeah, >> man. What's going on, man? What going. on, man? You looking good. And then they. be like, "Yeah, cut." And then you come. back from lunch, >> he ain't there. >> [ __ ] gone. [laughter]. >> So, I'm not f to be that. Um, Steve. Martin was real cool, man. Martin Short,

I tell you, man. Space Force was. probably some of the most fun. There's not a there's not enough said. about the Daily Show and the fraternity, sorority, whatever that it is after you. leave it, >> right? >> But those folks look out. They really. do. Sam be John Stewart and Steve Carell. and Space Force. >> Like they make sure that you're. comfortable on set. Um I just did a. joint. It's not out till top of next. year. I just did a joint with Jonah Hill.

and Kiana Reeves. [snorts]. >> Yes. >> Kiana Reeves, man. That's a funny ass mother. >> Really? >> It's a comedy, but it's it's on. It's. called Outcome. It be out soon. >> John Wick Kiana Reeves. Funny. >> Hilarious. Hilarious. Neo Matrix. >> Don't forget he was Bill and Ted. Excellent adventure. He got the muscle. Like if he want to be funny, he's not. like dude bro funny. Like he's legit. like quick. Like I was like we was. jawing in the scene. Straight improv.

>> speed K. >> Yes. Hilarious, sir. >> Damn. >> Hilarious, man. And so you get around. people that respect the craft and. respect the fact that you're present. >> and they give you the freedom to kind of. >> I don't know how to put it like be. yourself without penalty. >> cuz Keano ain't afraid of you stealing. his shine or something like that. That's. a lot. No, but that's a big issue on a. lot of comedy sets is that you'll have.

one star that is like, "Yeah, don't do. that." Then the writer will come the. star will never tell you. a writer will. come over be like, "Yeah, don't do that. joke." Like just we going to get that. joke to them instead of you. But uh. >> Whoa, whoa, whoa. >> But you're doing great. And action. >> Yeah. >> Damn. >> That happens. You get. >> So you they dulling your star, >> I guess. I mean, it's your job to come. in and just do whatever is asked of you, especially in film. But there's a lot of.

cats that are that are not like that. And it's important that people know that. about him. Um Kevin Hart is definitely. [snorts] he definitely passes the ball. in the scene to make sure you shine. >> Uh John Ham. passed the ball. Um I got I gota give a. shout out to the homie Andre Holland as. well. We did Love Brooklyn and that's. like a romantic black, you know, Love. Jones.

>> Let me be funny. Let me be myself. I don't, man. I go to. work. I go home. I ain't drinking with. y'all cuz then that's when the cocaine. come out. [laughter]. You just be somewhere and it just be. cocaine. But it's time to go. >> Yeah. >> That's where that's where probation. helped me cuz them first three years of. stand up because I was on probation. I. was like, "Oh, it's a felony for me to. even be in a room with this.". >> Yeah. The last thing I need is somebody. to come up in here them people to kick.

that door in. And here I am, >> but I I ain't nothing in my system, but. you ain't supposed to be around, >> bro. Um, I spent that first year of. probation suspended from college just. working the road, and it was all I had. It was the only thing that I looked. forward to. I'm not [ __ ] this up. I. ain't really drank. I definitely wonder. if it be. So, those behavioral habits. >> Mhm. >> they just stayed with me. And you can. tell who the cocaine people are on set. You know who's snorting.

So, it's easy for you, it's easy because. of what you went through early in your. career. It's easy for you to say no. It's easy for you to leave the room or. not be in that situation or put yourself. in that situation because you like, "Bro, I was on probation and this could. have all ended." And now, if I be in. this bull drive, it still could all end. I'm out of here. >> I don't ride in cars with people. I. drive where I'll meet you there. I don't. know what's in your car. >> Wow. >> I don't know how you roll. I don't know. what's in here. And you get the wrong.

cop, it's in the wrong state. It's. communal possession. It's our gun. >> Oh Lord. >> So I'm not I'm good. I'll meet you. there. And if you feel some kind of way. about it, then I don't need to break. bread with you. No way. >> That's just I don't know. I I just. That's how I've always looked at [ __ ]. Like I'm just not going to find myself. in a situation where I lose out on an. opportunity because you acting a fool. Mhm. >> I get it. You just started a show with.

Whoopi Goldberg, even though it didn't. get picked up a pilot. What is it like. working with Whoopi? She doesn't do very. much now, but there was a time that. Whoopi was I'm I'm pretty sure she's. still Whoopi. >> She was great. Whoopi Goldberg is like, so Whoopi. two of the greatest performances I've. ever witnessed. Whoopy Goldberg on that sitcom and. Solange Nolo's Essence Fest rehearsal. 2017 might be 2018.

>> really. >> Whoopy came into like so like with. sitcoms they do rewrites. >> and we had a table read which is. basically a sit down performance of the. show for all the people who decide. whether or not this show going to get. made. >> And there was about 30 pages of new. dialogue from the previous night. They. changed and tweaked stuff. >> Whoopy came in.

Never opened the script. Off book for an hour. I ain't never seen no [ __ ] like that. before in my life, man. And I granted. she comes from theater so she's had to. memorize three four hours of dialogue. with stuff. But. >> for me, the young happy comedian, I was. like, "Oh my god, this is wild." Like. Whoopi was. electric and kind. The premise of the. show, it was me and Germaine Fowler.

Germaine Fowler played my son, uh, my. boy from Superior Donuts, and he was the. prince in Coming to America, too. >> Right. Okay. And so Whoopi plays his. grandma and it's about Germaine living. with his grandma. I'm the crazy ain't. [ __ ] daddy. Whatever. And it was a funny. ass show, bro. And this goes back to. what I'm talking about about stuff. getting taken away from you, >> right? >> It's for ABC. This is 2015, summer of. 2015.

It's for ABC. The sitcom is a go. We're. going to make the sitcom. We're going to. make the announcement. But first, we got. to get as this is a story as it was told. to me. I don't want to get sued. But before we announce the sitcom, we're. going to lock up Whoopy's contract with. The View. She's up for a reup. We got to. get her money right with The View cuz. that's the main thing, >> right? >> They were taking so long ABC and booking. the new co-host with Whoopi, >> right? >> That it took so long negotiate Whoopi.

deal until we negotiate the deals of the. new co-host, >> right? That took so long that the deals on the. other actors on the sitcom expired. Sitcom was never green lit because it. took too long to get every to get the. main thing negotiated. >> Cuz you get signed to do a sitcom. They. got to, you know, you got to [ __ ] to get. off the pot in like two, three months. because otherwise I need to go and be on. another show. Mhm. >> I think I'm going to be on a sitcom with.

Whoopi Goldberg and I get a call a month. later that the sitcom ain't happening. And that's how this game is. >> Two weeks later, I get a call from Neil. Brennan saying that Trevor Noah is. looking for correspondence when he takes. over for John Stewart for the Daily. Show. And the only reason I end up on. the Daily Show is because the Whoopi. sitcom didn't work. So if it hadn't worked, you wouldn't. have been able to do the daily show. >> Had never been on the daily show. >> You see how God worked that out? That's.

how it was supposed to. >> I mean, that's [snorts] that's the game, man. It's just. all of this can be snatched and taken. away from you. And nine times out of 10, it's not even. because of something you did. But if you control it, they can't they. can't take this from you. Mhm. >> That's what I want for myself, man. I I. just I just remember so many times.

watching people think they got something. and then you don't have it no more. But yeah, Whoopi. Whoopi was great, man. >> You compared your character on outcome. uh to Dion Sanders. >> That's not all of it. uh as a civil. rights lawyer. >> I said the character I play in that. Kiana Reeves movie is essentially a mix. between Deion Sanders and Al Sharpton. [laughter].

>> If if Deion Sanders was a civil rights, if Deion Sanders was Ben Crump, >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> Hey, you know, baby, prime time is going. to get the case straight, baby. We going. to get the racism bag. I mean, like. that. >> [laughter]. >> I know that's a tough [ __ ] but Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, H.B.CU. Why did you decide to go to. an H.B.CU? >> I feel like I would be.

appreciated there. It's a beautiful thing. Black colleges, man. I. you know my mother you know my pops. graduated Morehouse and then he taught. at FAMU. >> Okay. >> My mama fam she was Delta State before. that then Fam for for grad. My aunt was FAM then Tennessee State. >> Mhm.

>> It's just culture there you know. I also. I feel like in Birmingham, Birmingham city schools are all. predominantly black and marching band. culture is a big deal. So. >> for sure. >> there's. this kind of a gra like a natural. graduation. >> from a black school system. >> to an H.B.CU. >> to an H.B.CU. Like it just. >> it just felt no brainer transition it. seemed like. >> Yeah. It just uh I never thought about. anywhere else. I I only applied to three.

colleges out of high school. I applied to Fam, Clark, and Tennessee. State. >> Clark, you you going to the AU, huh? [laughter]. >> I found out Tennessee State didn't have. a baseball team, so they was out cuz I. thought I was still, >> right? >> You know, every mother be Jackie. Robinson. Yeah. Well, I was gonna be. Ryan Sandberg. >> Okay. Right. Okay. >> Second baseman. Yeah. And I ended up going to FAM because I.

felt like it was just going to be a. better experience. >> You know, it wasn't a knock on Clark, but I was just like. >> smaller school and there weren't a lot. of people from my school going. >> Mhm. >> to FAM. I think. >> I think Stephanie and Shauna, I think it. was like two or three people from my. from my high school. I just wanted to be a college you get to. reinvent yourself. >> Correct. >> You get to be a whole new They don't. know you.

>> Correct. And so I chose fam. Um I tried. out for baseball. Got cut in 30 minutes. >> Damn. [laughter] Are you sure you were a. baseball player? >> I was in high school. Like that. But you know like baseball down like I. thought I had a week, bro. I thought I. had a week. Like you know how like in. high school triyouts is a week. >> Yes. >> We will evaluate you on these. disciplines every day. >> Yeah. >> College baseball they say we going to.

give y'all 45 minutes and every 45. minutes we calling out numbers and if. your number ain't called go home. >> Wow. >> And my [ __ ] got called in 30 minutes. I. said I thought I had 45. They said we've. seen enough. >> So So what was it? The fielding? Was it. the hitting? Was it the throwing? >> It was everything. Hey guys, terrible. [laughter]. What do you mean? What specific? No, I I. I just did I didn't play in high school. enough. I didn't play summer ball. I.

didn't play fall ball. You know, my my parents used to argue a. lot. And. in those times, my pops wouldn't pay. bills. >> Oh. >> I'mma show y'all what the You know. >> Mhm. >> So sometimes a bill wouldn't get paid. >> And so a bill couldn't get paid, you. couldn't go play baseball. You come. home, the lights off. >> Yeah. >> So, you go through that freshman and. sophomore year. By my junior year of. high school, I was working 30 hours a.

week, man. Which is illegal. I should be at home. playing, but I'm working. I'm literally I'm I. figured out You figure out how to. circumvent all that labor law [ __ ]. You're theoretically the man of the. house as a teen, as a kid. >> I'm not paying the bills, but my mama. know I got it upstairs in that Batman. can. Had a little Batman can with.

Michael Keaton on the side. >> and I had cash in that. >> Right. >> All right. He ain't pay the light bill, >> but now my grades suffering, but I knew. I I did really I was good with. standardized tests, so I wasn't really. tripping on it. But. >> so you've always. >> But I worked, man. I worked so that I. could have independence. I didn't want You grow up listening to. your mama borrow money from [ __ ] over. and over and over again. >> Mhm.

>> The only way to keep that from happening. is to be able to self- sustain, >> right? >> So to self sustain, you got to work. Correct. >> So I rate leaves. I walked up to the. church's chicken across from West End. High School. Hey man, I know you clean. this parking lot every day at 3:00. Give. me $10 and I'll do it. Start working with him. Go across the. street to the sit go. Hey man, I clean. church's parking lot. Tell you what, instead of giving me $10, give me $10. worth of candy and write it off his. shoplifting. Say, "Bet." I take that.

$10. I walk it back to school the next. day, sell that for $30. So yeah, I missed the baseball camp. And then you get to college and you go, "Oh [ __ ] they got Cubans. I ain't never. seen a Cuban. Ain't met one.". Because you gota remember I'm all black. neighborhood. >> Yeah. Birmingham. Unfortunately, there. are no Cubans in Birmingham. >> Two Guatemalans and a Vietnamese. [laughter].

That's all I knew in high school. I got. to college. They had a Cuban on the M. That [ __ ]. I said I'm going to shown [laughter]. [ __ ] left. Did you all did you did. you understand the responsibility that. you were undertaking even though you. were a child and you was working and. your mom would you know you would help. your mom with bills but you had so you. kind of grew up as a responsibility as.

the man or the head of the house even. though as a child that's not a child's. responsibility. >> Do you feel like you ever had a chance. to be a child? >> No, not once we moved to Birmingham. No, I mean I went through therapy for a. while on it, but even when I look back. on the credit card licks I was running. in college, >> originally I thought my thought was,

"Oh, I act like this because I'm an. adrenaline junkie." There's a there's a. degree of excitement to committing. crime. >> Yeah, >> it just is. And if you're into jumping. out of planes or whatever, I highly. recommend committing felonies. [laughter]. They run that car, you like, damn, I [clears throat] ain't I ain't Mr. Purscale. I ain't Mr. Pursale. But they. don't know right now. >> It's called a code six. >> So in the '9s, the the machine would.

show a code six, which mean that the. card was stolen or they need to call the. card company to verify that [ __ ] And. then they call the card company in front. of you at the register and then hand you. the phone and you on the phone with the. card company. Hello. Yes, I am Mr. Purcell. [laughter]. >> And then they go, what's your social and. your bill and zip code? And I go, uh, 32J9X. Uh, oh yes. Oh, well, you know what? I thought I had.

more money on the card, so that's why it. didn't go through. It didn't go through. because I don't have enough money on the. card. Great. All right. No problem. Thank you. so much. The whole time the person on. the phone is going, "Give the phone back. to the cashier. Get the phone back to. the cashier." Oh, so it didn't go. through because I don't have my. understood. Click. Now you have as long. as it takes them to call the store back. >> back to get your ass up. >> out of the store. >> A rush. But when I really started digging deep.

on myself, I did this so I wouldn't be a burden on. my mom. >> My mom, absent of my father, those first. K through three in Memphis. calling asking people for money. I don't want you to have to do that no. more. So, >> did you feel a sense of embarrassment? Were you embarrassed by that? embarrassed. >> cuz nobody knew because. nobody you knew maybe the grown-ups but. you didn't have kids. Like it's one.

thing if kids know you're poor or know. you don't have things to eat or you. don't have decent clothes. That's one. thing. That's something entirely. different. Did anybody did any kids. know that you were in this situation or. were they just grown-ups? >> No, because I'm the son of the most. popular journalist in the city of. Birmingham. >> So they think you got it good. They. think you man they like man Roy got it. good. We had a nice two-story house. I had a. basketball goal. I had a plexiglass. backboard.

We had a couple of decent things, >> right? >> But also, the heat wasn't on, >> so what the [ __ ] So, yeah, you get a. [clears throat] little older, you start. working, you start raking leaves around. the neighborhood, bro. I would rake. leaves. I would rake leaves $10 front, 15 front. and back, and then I would take the bags. of leaves and at night I would go to a. house that didn't have leaves in the. yard. >> and and pull the leaves out. Come on,

Roy. Come on, Roy. I just see a criminal enterprise right. here. This what I see. A criminal. enterprise. Roy, >> wait two days. Come back to your crib. Look like you got a lot of leaves. [laughter]. >> Well, I did before you pulled out my. yard. $10 15 front and back. $10 front. 15 front and back. That was the lick. But now I don't have to ask my mama for. a Nintendo tape. I don't have to ask her. for the King Griffies. I ain't got to. ask her for the Sammy Sosa Cubs batten.

practice jersey 1994. >> I got it. Just give me a ride to the. mall, Joyce. That's all I need. Cuz the. bus don't go that far. I wouldn't even. burden you with the transportation. So. you grow up like that. And the other thing I think the other. downside to all of it is that within. that hustle, you grow up alone. >> I think the.

I think the best and worst people are. comfortable alone. I'm extremely comfortable alone. I got suspended from school. You made your whole lick. You made your whole lick selling stolen. [ __ ]. >> on a college campus. If you ain't the plug no more, what's. your social capital? Who with you? >> Nobody.

You on the road doing comedy and then. when I first started, I was on the bus. I'm ironing my suit on [ __ ] baby. changers. I'm alone. You get used to that. >> Can I ask you a question? >> So, you get to. where I am now and it's like, well, the. relationship, >> can you distinguish the difference. between being alone and being lonely?

I don't know. >> cuz I don't believe those things are. mutually exclusive. >> I believe you can be alone. >> I think the problem with loneliness is. that you will sometimes remedy it with. people that are corrosive. or activities that are corrosive. >> Agreed. And I think that's the problem with.

true loneliness is that. you can immediately become. so desperate for human contact. >> Mhm. >> That you're willing to do anything, go. anywhere, hang with anybody. >> You accept anyone into that circle. >> Yeah. I I I'm blessed in that, you know, I had a couple of tight partners in. college. You know, my partner Brooke Williams, you know, there was a time when a lot of people.

didn't with me in school. >> You become radioactive once you get. arrested. >> Yeah. >> And you're on probation. So, I can't. even be around the people that I used to. hang because they doing dirt. >> Yeah. >> You might be the snitch. And and and. keep in mind when you get arrested, they. show you pictures of every that's. committing crimes within the metro area. and ask you if you know them. >> No, I don't. Damn, I know him. >> And you do. [laughter].

You know 90% of the mug shots, but you. go, I don't I don't know him. I ain't. never been around him. >> So, I can't come around you anymore. because if they catch you, what that. make me look like, right? So you're alone. Comedy is a loner sport. You live alone in your thoughts on the. long drives. You're alone in the hotel. rooms. That's why so many comedians fall. into drugs and women. You know, Cat,

that's what Cat said because it's alone. It's, you know, you work at you start. work at 10:00 at night and you sleep. till 6:00 in the afternoon cuz you don't. go to bed till 2:00 in the morning. >> Yeah. >> And I'm I'm interested to know, were you. always funny? How did you decide to get. into standup? >> The itch was always there. I've always. had a sense of humor. >> Okay. >> Were you a class clown?

>> No, not until college. But in high school, I wrote the bench. when I play baseball. I wrote the bench. >> So we just crack on people, >> right? >> So that was my contribution to the game. was just we would sit, >> bro. We would sit in the parking lot and. we would watch and see what kind of car. your mama dropped you off in. Make a. note of that. You come up to the plate. Yeah. Your mama got the ragged Taurus. [laughter]. >> strike. Your ass ain't paying attention.

>> Right. Like we would we would heckle, man. I mean, granted it was the 90s, so. it was a lot of what you couldn't get. away with now, but I mean, we'd call you. gay. We'd call you poor. We call your. grandmama ugly. Damn. >> What? There was no rules, bro. There was. no rules. And that was. kind of the first open mics for me was. just heckling. opposing teams. And then I got to.

college, [snorts] seeing Ricky smiling on BET's. comic view, do. >> My name Little Daryl. >> The Little Daryl. >> That validated, okay, bet I can be from here. >> and do it. >> and do it. Now, how do I get over there? And I saw. the first stand-up show I ever saw was. Lavell Crawford and Corey Zuman Miller. And they came to FAMU my freshman year.

for homecoming. >> and they ripped and it was the first. time I saw the power of words. >> just destroy the room, man. >> And I had a plug over at Florida State. and she was from Birmingham and she ran. the student activity [ __ ]. >> Earthquake came, then Bobby Lee, then. Michael Blackon. This is all within like. like Florida State had more money so. they had comedy on a regular basis. Fam, you you get one [ __ ] a semester.

[laughter]. Florida State every every two weeks at a. comedy show. >> And so I I got I had my fake ID plug. make me a fake seino card. >> and I would go over to Florida State and. pretend to be a Florida State student. and would just watch standup. And like. that's I was like that's what I want to. do. As much as I love Stuart Scott and. Kenny Maine and their ability to bring. humor to sports, I think there's something different that. I want to do. And that's kind of where.

the itch was. But it wasn't until I got. arrested that I was like, "All right, I. have to do it now. You don't have. >> I'm going to prison.". >> Right. >> Like I didn't know I was going to get. probation. I thought I was going to. prison. So let me try before I go to. prison. >> Riding it's it's the loneliness that you. mentioned. riding the Greyhound buses, sleeping at rest stops, nobody but you. And you know, everybody everybody is not. going to get the standing ovation the. very first time they get on stage. They're going to be some booze. They're.

going to be they're going to be there. going to be some trials. There going to. be some tribulations. >> Shout out to Uptown and Atlanta. Keep. going. >> Uptown Comedy. I go there all the time. I used to go. there all the time. >> The old one when it was upstairs. >> Yeah. >> Next to Puffy's right to Justin was. right there on P Street. I used to get. booed and then I would walk over to. Justin's and get me a $8 water. [laughter]. and wait to catch the bus to go back to. the Greyhound station. >> So you riding martyr? >> Yeah, I would take the martyr downtown.

There was a there was a martr was right. down the street from uh Magic City. >> and there was a Martyr Greyhound like. >> hub station downtown. So, you could either sit at Justin's and. be sad or you could go to the Greyhound. station and be sad. >> And if I had $8, I would go to Justin's, get me a $8 Voss water. They was. charging $8 for them [ __ ] waters. >> Mhm. >> That's why they closed. [ __ ]. [laughter]. Did you ever think about quitting.

comedy? Did it ever get that bad? Like, man, f. this, man. I I Man, I I. >> No, I got lucky, bro. I got lucky. because I started so young. >> So by the time I graduated college, I. was three years in it. >> Wow. >> So when I graduated, just for the math, I was making I had two jobs. I had two. job offers in journalism. >> with two jobs I could have gotten. Tampa. Tribune and the Birmingham News both. were going to pay about 14K to be the.

Page Two Sports. I forget what it's. called, but like back in the day in the. newspaper, Page Two was just the score. >> Mhm. of every sporting contest in the. country that day. >> And you just it's clerical, right? >> $14,000. By my estimates, I was going to. make 18,000 that year on the road. I'll just do it. I call my mom. I go, "Yo, can I move back in with you?

If you give me two years, I'll be out of. your house." She said, "Cool." I called. my probation officer. He said, "I'll. give you 9-day visitation forms every. ninth day. You got to come back to. Tallahassee. We got to do, you know, I. think it was 21 days. Come back to. Tallahassee every month. Do a face to. face. >> Mhm. >> Stay at my partner crib, couch surf with. him, get back to Birmingham, and that. was it, you know." But I never thought. about quitting. I'm I'm I'm lucky, man. I'm just I'm I'm so blessed and I'm so.

thankful because so much of my journey. has been from people who didn't have to. take a chance on me, >> right? >> Taking a chance on me. Every [ __ ]. step of the way for 27 years, it's been. that. And. you know, I even look at radio where you. know, I did I did prank phone calls. >> Yeah. >> And I went viral. when you go viral over. email. >> Yeah, >> that's how old I am. Well, you wouldn't.

know. You ain't got email. >> I ain't got email. >> But. >> what? So, how did you get how did you. get into the prank phone calls? >> Cuz that's what Ricky did. >> It's morning radio. You got to do what. the what the streets want. Like, >> okay, >> I came in on morning radio. I'm like, "All right, I want to do parody songs. and funny commercials and weird. political act." They're like, >> "Get in that [ __ ] room. >> and get a black person to cuss you out. >> [laughter]. >> go in that room and let black people. cuss you out and record it. I go, "Yes,

sir." [clears throat]. >> And so I got good at it. I put them on. CDs. And what happened was that we had a. web master at the radio station who was. just lazy. And I go, "Hey man, these. prank calls do really well. We only play. them that day. I work really It's hard. to do to get one prank call. You got to. call four or five people. Mhm. >> Could you put these on the website so. that people could download them? No, that's too much work. >> Lazy mofo.

>> So, I mean, I'm not like I'm not saying. this like I know coding or some [ __ ]. but I taught myself rudimentary web. design to build my own website. There. was there used to be an app called. Microsoft Front Page, which was like. it's Squarespace now, but it's basically. if you know Microsoft Word, >> you could build a website, >> right? built my own website, put my pranks on. the website. First week my website. crashed. Second week my website crashed. Third week I get a call from the website.

server people. Yeah, you're getting a. lot of traffic from all over the globe. We need you to you got to purchase. gajillion billion terabyte whatever. I. had been putting my pranks on my website. strictly for people in Birmingham to. download. But the folks in Birmingham. was taking them and emailing them to. they folks all over the country. >> And then those people was emailing them. all over the globe. >> And. >> word of mouth. >> And that was. that validated me to be able to sell.

prank calls CDs. >> And those CDs carried me for four or. five years, man. At a time where a lot. of the comedy clubs weren't paying me. what I should, >> right? >> I know I could pull up and sell the CD. You know, there's a um there's a cat um. this is Katil back in Birmingham and um. Akil ran a blackowned music store, Music. and More, >> right? >> He carried my CDs on the strength of.

just me. >> Mhm. >> But because he carried my CDs, every other white store wanted the CDs. cuz they didn't want to be the one to. miss out. I was selling them on. consignment. I had my [ __ ] in Sam Goody. My [ __ ] was in Turtles. My [ __ ] was in. Blockbuster music. And that's all. because. >> this black owned business took a chance. on me at the time. And like that type of stuff got me. buzzed because this is You also got to. remember the early 2000s comedy and.

hip-hop still had a relationship. It was. more, you know, like you had like Lil. Duvall was just starting to grand. hustle. >> I think Cat was with Dip Set. >> He was. You had um Day and them was. running with Kanye. >> Henry Welch was running with Outcast and. Organized Noise, right? >> So see him all the time in Uptown. Comedy. >> Okay. Yeah. Henry. So King Henry, he a. Birmingham [ __ ] [laughter]. So the idea of.

hip hop and comedy was starting to work. >> Mhm. >> Where it get back to me after a couple. years. Yo, hey man. Uh, Chameillaire put. one of your pranks on one of his. mixtapz. Just Chameleon doing that open up the. whole state of Texas to me because now. if I'm on Chameleon's mixtape, Texas DJs. are going to want my pranks. And if I'm. on the radio, then the comedy club in. that market wants to book me. >> That's more valuable than a TV credit, bro. >> Yep.

>> Cameron did same [ __ ]. Now granted, I couldn't drive all the. way to New York to take advantage. of being on dip set mixtapz, but there's. just so many. I look at my life in times, man, and you. know, CeeO said, "Everybody's somebody. because of somebody else." And that's. the truth for me, man. I'm just. thankful. >> How did shows like Comic View and. Apollo? Cuz I read that you were like. turned down by Comic View. >> Yeah, early on. I mean, a lot of casts.

did. I mean, but my comedy is more. preppy and upright. Like, it wasn't like. >> coming off a Death Jam. You wanted loud, boisterous, bombastic comedy. So, >> I get why I didn't get it, you know, to. start. But. >> other comedians like growing up, you. said you, you know, you always had a. sense of humor. What were some of the. comics that you looked at like, man, I. like that. You know, a lot of people say. was Prior and it was Murphy. Obviously. now you have Chappelle and things of.

[clears throat] a rock, things of that. nature, but when you were a kid, who did. you look to in comedy? >> Simbad, Chris Rock, George Carlin. Simbad was just a beast, man. He was a. machine. >> He was People forget that. Sinbad did. a live standup special on network. Like. you talking about freedom of speech. Who. you know do a live comedy special on.

network television? >> That's crazy. >> Oh, I'm live on Netflix. You don't know. what I'm going to say. Sinbad was live. on ABC with commercial breaks, which. means you got to write commercial breaks. into your set because you're still. performing even while the nation isn't. watching. That's psychotic behavior. and then with. an all black camera crew, then gives the. all black camera crew a shout out on. live TV while they shooting the special.

He does not get his flowers. >> He does not get the respect that in my. opinion he doesn't get the praise that. he deserves. Um, but it was [clears throat] Chris Rock, it was George Carlin, a little bit of Martin Lawrence early. on. His first CD, uh, Funkit. was like, or was it You So Crazy, I'm. not sure, but Funkit was the one that. like. >> got you. >> That's the one that got me. Like my. early standup was a terrible Martin.

Lawrence impersonation, >> right? >> If you get it, every comic when they. start, you're just impersonating. somebody else, >> right? until you figure out your voice. And for me, it was Martin. >> You uh mentioned that DL gave you your. first big break. Did you Did DL actually. know that he was giving you this break? >> No. >> No. That's one of like. DL is one of those OGs that.

gives more than he has to. >> Mhm. >> And I would also put that on Maron. Marlon and Sean ways too for sure. You know, I used to do so when I was. doing mornings, one of the advantages for those 10 years. that I was on the air in Birmingham. while doing standup was that any black. comedian that came into the city did our. show. >> Okay. >> So, I got to meet you. I got to see your. approach to marketing and analyzing. which bookmark Lavel Crawford and Bruce.

Bruce most brilliant marketers ever in. black comedy. Marlon and Shawn would do our show every. year even if the show was sold out. And. the only other person I knew who would. do that was Sinbad. Simbad would come in and do media even. if the show was sold out because he knew. he was essentially selling next year's. show. >> Yeah. >> Right now. DL. What happened with DL? So when I got hired at the radio.

station, I lied, bro. I li like every that the one thing I. also learned in entertainment is that. nobody's telling the truth. [laughter]. So just [ __ ] lie and if they catch. you, apologize or figure your way out of. it. But most of what you're saying, nobody's double-checking. So just lie. So it's easier to ask for. ask for forgiveness than ask for.

permission. >> So 957 Jams at the time Ricky Smiley. leaves they do a contest to see and you. know and my man said Delaney who I have. to give a shout out to said was there. for a couple years after Ricky. >> and then they get into what they're. trying to do with a new comic after said. and them leave. I called the DJ, uh, my man Buck Wild, still there now, and I go, "Hey, man. I'm a young comic. I got a degree in journalism. I think I. could do comedy." He goes, "I don't know.

if you're funny. We're just not going to. do any more auditions right now, but. thanks." I go, "Okay, cool.". I called the comedy club because I knew. DL was performing that weekend and I. knew Jams promotes the Black Comets. >> I called the Comedy Club. I go, "Hey, Bruce Ayes, he's the owner." I go, "Hey, Bruce, I just got hired at 957 James. >> That man told you they wouldn't tell me. any more auditions.". >> Buckw said there was no more auditions.

But Bruce Ay don't know ain't no more. auditions. [laughter]. So I called Bruce. I go, "Hey big dog, I. just got hired at 957. Um, they say they want me to host for DL. instead of doing the station promo. t-shirt talk toss, >> right? >> Bruce goes, "Cool. See you Friday.". >> I get off the phone with Bruce. I called. Buck a while back. Hey man, I just got. booked to open for DL Hugley Friday. night. Watch me. If I'm not funny, then don't.

with me. If I am funny, >> give me that job. >> Give me the job. He goes, "Cool. That's. Tuesday. Friday comes. All I got to do. is keep Buck Wild and Bruce A. >> separated.". >> And this is not Buckw Wild star and. Buckw Wild. This is a different book. while. Friday night come. I keep them. separated. I go out on stage. I do my. five. And it's one of those nights where. just everything worked.

It's just God. Every joke, every syllable. And I'm from. there. So, I got home field advantage. I'm destroying, bro. And as I come off stage, Buck Wild is standing there and he goes, "See you Monday morning. Bring 12 crispy. creams.". And next to Buck is DL Hugley. And DL. goes, "Hey, young brother, that was a. good set.

What do you say you staying open for me. for the rest of the weekend? Now, at this time, at this comedy club, the Stardome in Birmingham, this is my. home club. You don't get to open for a. [ __ ] weekend headliner until you've. done all of these other progressions. within the club. >> You got to perform on this night for. this type and this night for this type. That. DL's vouch skip me straight to the front. of the [ __ ] line. >> Skip to the front of the line. >> And now I have tape opening for him,

which essentially opens up me to work. Nashville, Chattanooga, uh, Knoxville, Memphis, and Atlanta. Wow. Because now I can put your name on my. resume. [snorts]. >> And that validates me. And, you know, that's what I mean, man. It's just DL. didn't know he was doing all that. He. was just, you're funny. Do that same. >> Yeah. >> He didn't give a [ __ ]. >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> I mean, maybe he did, but it it like. that type of stuff, man. I've never.

forgotten. And I've tried my best to be. that for. >> others. >> For others when I can, you know, I try. >> You mentioned about how how hard it is. to follow. And I've heard a lot of. people had Ricky Smiley on, as you know. I've had a lot of comedians on cuz I. love comedians. And Ricky say the one. thing I ain't following Label Crawford. I ain't doing it. And. um you mentioned Patrice O'Neal and. Tommy Davis and Lavel Crawford. How hard. is it actually even though you good like.

man hey I'm good I I I do what I do. >> but how hard is it to follow somebody. like a Leavell Crawford rest your soul. Patrician. >> I don't I don't know cuz I've never done. it. >> and I never will. [laughter]. >> I will never follow Lavell Crawford. I. will just quit comedy and I will become. a podcaster. Lavell and Bruce. Bruce, >> they're my boy. I see Bruce. I used to. see Bruce all the time when I was in.

Atlanta. >> I have the utmost respect for them. because when you do morning radio, I. watch I get to see you market and I see. how you move. Lavel and Bruce will come. to Birmingham the night before. Now. granted, y'all Atlanta, you can drive up. in the morning, >> be in the studio at 7:30. >> Yeah. >> Promote the show. >> 90 minute. Lavell and Bruce would come. into Birmingham the day before and they. would go to the black mall. They would.

go to Centry Plaza at that time. They go. to Centry Plaza and Western Hills Mall. and they would just crack on in the food. court. [laughter]. >> Like you talk about word of mouth, they. literally would just go in city trends. >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> You going to buy that? That [ __ ] don't. look good. and just roast strength. Then. bounce around to all the barber shops in. the city in the afternoon. Then that. night go to the club, go to one or two.

just to be like, it's one thing to be. funny. >> L's funny, blah, blah, blah. But to. market yourself and understand the. importance of outreach and connecting. with people. >> like you can do it all through social. now and you can all right, fine. But in. those days, you had to really grind to. create an audience, man. And those. brothers, I I watched them. I watched. them for a decade coming to town and.

they would have a Thursday through. Sunday. And then it became a Friday, Saturday. Then it became a Friday, Saturday, instead of four shows, six. shows. Instead of four shows, eight. shows. Gary Owen too. That's another. one. Like they were just and they not. only understood being funny on stage but. they understood how to be funny on the. radio. We used to call Lavel a push back. where in radio you would turn on the mic. 957 jams with in the studio. Lavel craw.

start on Lavell. How you doing? And you. just push back from the mic. >> He get. >> that [ __ ] gonna talk for four minutes. straight. [laughter] Choke choke choke. choke choke. Roast everybody in the. room. We take a call, he roast they ass. too. [laughter]. The marketing of it was. intentional and it was diabolical and I. just I didn't understand it at the time. I wish I did. There's there's so many. balls I feel like I dropped when it. comes to understanding.

marketing with standup that I feel like. I'm even now still making up time for. >> You got to open for cat who open for. cash money. Let me ask you this. Let me. tell you about that night. >> I caught a lot of criticism for the cat. interview because. >> I don't know why. >> because cat peeled back a scab that if. you're not in that business, you didn't. know. You didn't know. So many comics. didn't like each other until Cat. revealed that. Unless you're in the. comic, you're in that area.

>> As a comic, I was like, "Oh, yeah. I. already know.". >> Yes. But the world didn't know that. >> Okay. So he pulled back a scab and. allowed the world to see what was going. on in that business you mentioned and I. was like and people got upset at me and. a lot of people have you know been very. outspoken and said some things and I've. gotten some push back. I'm like y'all. could say what y'all said to me. Why. don't y'all say that to cat? I didn't. say anything [laughter] that I said. that's cat experience. That is cat.

experience with said individuals. When I. allow people, this is your story. You. coming on and telling your story about. your father. Now, me pushing back, well, your father did the best he could and he. did X, Y, and Z, but this is your story. I should have allow you to come on and. tell your story. cat to come on and tell his story, but. everybody got upset at me. >> and not Cat for saying. >> they ain't got mad at Cat. [laughter]. >> Have you talked to him since the.

interview? >> Cat. >> Yeah. >> Yes. And he said, he's like, "They're not. going to say anything to me. What they. going to say to me?" Cuz this what I do. And he said that was just he said that. was not a direct hit. That was just a. fly over. >> It absolutely was. I mean, knowing some. of the infighting. in comedy, you know, I try to. >> I don't know. I move in love and usually. when beef start within black comedy I.

already went home cuz the cocaine is. out. >> My goal, you have to understand my goal. at any comedy show is to leave before. the cocaine, >> okay, >> comes out. >> So most of the [ __ ] Cat was talking. about the cocaine was out. >> Okay, the liquor was flowing, right? There was some [ __ ] going on. Um, the. funniest [ __ ] about. cat and I've only worked with him that. one time. I can't even say that he ever. did our morning show because by the time.

he became cat, >> there was no need for him to do right. >> local radio on a Friday morning. Cash Money. Cat is going up and Cash Money is on the. show. I don't know which in the Hot Boys, but. somebody in the Hot Boys would not come. off the bus until they got a bottle of. Kristoff. It's 10:30 on a Thursday night in.

Birmingham, Alabama. They ain't no [ __ ] Crystalall. >> Yeah. >> Where the we going to get Crystal? Where? >> In Birmingham. Nowhere. >> Strip club. Oh, okay. Right. >> So, our program director called some. folks at the strip club and was like, "We need two bottles of Crystal. Can you. sell us two balls of Crystalall out the. back?" And they was like, "Yeah, who. they for?" Lil Wayne, I want tickets.

Then we get there with the Crist and the. club owner bringing the Crystal. Now he. want a meet and greet with what? If you. don't stop, you are [ __ ] And this is. like the back to school backpack. concert. So like. >> we need this concert to happen cuz the. the proceeds. >> Yes. >> go to help the community. Nah, I'm just. saying I need to meet Wayne. I don't. think that's cool. But yeah, Cat was. there, man. He showed a lot of love. I.

bombed. >> Oh, I bombed. >> And it's worse when you bomb at the crib. cuz the station the next day to. >> damn why' you bomb? Cuz I don't know. Some days [clears throat] it ain't your. day. >> It It had to be that day. >> I bombed one time. I got I almost got boo. Well, technically I did get booed at the. Apollo. The Sandman didn't come out. If. the Sandman don't come out, did you get. booed? >> I mean, if they booing, I mean, nah,

technically I guess not cuz. >> technically a boo is a boo. >> No, but the Sandman got to come get you. >> Okay. I got booed, but no Sandman. So. whatever you want to call that, >> right? >> Next day it airs on like apollo used to. come on Sunday nights on UPN Birmingham. >> Next day I'm at the radio station. Somebody called. They said, "Man, if. that's the best you can do, tell you're. from Montgomery. [laughter]. I ain't never forgot that [ __ ] bro.

[laughter]. I ain't never forgot it." But no, I. think I think Cat Williams is one of the. best comedians doing it right now. It's. not even close. And what's interesting, what's fun about watching Cat is that. you can see him. turn the political switch on. >> Mhm. >> And then you see him turn it off. >> Yeah. >> I don't want to talk about that. No. Anyway, let's talk about ladies, >> right? Like and that's a beautiful it's. it goes back to that to that Dick.

Gregory separation. >> of the two. You know granted pain versus. politics cat can just be silly. >> and then he can be poignant. >> Yeah. >> The Washington Post said you occupy. space filled by Chris Rock in the 90s. Dave Chappelle in the early 2000s. Black. comedians who double as one of the most. thoughtful and political commentators. That's kind of that. >> Did you intentionally try to occupy this. space? Cuz like I said, you know, Prior. did for a little while, but mainly is.

Mooney, Carlin, Rock, Chappelle. Yeah. I don't even think I'm in that. >> Oh, you you are. >> I'm not. There's more work to be done. in my opinion. >> to get to that pantheon. I have just tried to make people laugh. by showing them. my perspective on the world as I see it. >> Right. >> My first three comedy specials were very.

political. The one I just did for Hulu was about. loneliness and just how we're [ __ ] up. inside as a people. >> That's really all I wanted to talk about. is. >> that special. The first half of that. special is y'all are [ __ ] up and then. the back half is I'm [ __ ] up. >> That was it. I I didn't try to give a. deep analysis of. politics in that particular special by. intention because I was just tired of.

talking about the world. I wanted to. talk about us and me. But, >> you know, I'm thankful to the Washington. Post for those words. But. >> because isn't a comedian job to take. real events and make them funny? Yeah, >> that's that in and of its nature is. >> or it's it's events from the world or. events that happen to you, >> right? >> Comedy is journalism. >> We're all reporters. Every comedian you. name is a reporter. >> and they're either reporting on the. world as they see it or themselves and.

their own condition and their state of. mind. To me, that's that's what this is. I didn't set out to talk about a bunch. of politics. I just woke up one day and. I kind of started caring about racism. more than I did talking about paying. back my student loans. >> Y'all put that on me. They put that on. me. >> You know, I'm thankful for that time at. the Daily Show because, you know, Trevor. Noah gave me a lot of runway to talk. about a lot of black [ __ ]. >> Mhm.

>> And take cameras into places where. normally black folks wouldn't. >> Mainstream media is not going to, >> right? They're not going to allow that. I don't know any other program that. would have even attempted to look at the. 20th anniversary of the Million Man. March. >> Right. Okay. >> With jokes. >> Yeah. >> And somehow still remain respectful. to what black people were doing. I mean,

we spoke with Nuri Muhammad from The. Nation. >> Mhm. in that piece. which I would have even and and that's. also why I've tried my best man to be. kind to people. and to be polite because you don't know. when you're going to need those favors. Like that was the second piece that I. did for the Daily Show was talking about. the justice or else march, >> right? >> I don't know anybody in the nation. I'm.

not plugged in like that. But I know Charlemagne the God is. And I don't know at the time I don't. know Charlemagne, but I know Andrew Schultz. And I know Schultz know Charlemagne. >> Mhm. >> Hey, Schultz is wood. Wouldn't call you. if I didn't need this. Can you hit. Charlemagne? Tell Charlamagne to hit. Made the call. Telephone game. Two days. later, we get an email from the nation.

>> Wow. here's who you can talk to. Here. are the terms. So, I never saw that as some sort of crusade. of blackness. It was just. these are the stories that are. interesting to me. How can I make them. funny so that they'll be interesting to. you? Let's go to the south side of Chicago. and do a walkalong with strangers who. diffuse gang conflict. [clears throat].

>> What's funny about it? Not sure. We'll. figure it out, though. [clears throat]. >> But the what is more important than the. funny. So, let's go out and do that. Hey, Roy, tell your camera crew to stay over there. and don't point the cameras down the. street. We going to go up the block and. make sure it's cool for y'all to even. come up the block. that type of [ __ ]. >> Wow. >> And I have to give respect to Trevor.

Noah for giving me the runway. >> because it's the thing. I'm the new dude. at the Daily Show. I'm not going to come. in and go, "Yo, we should talk to the. nation and then we should go to. Chicago." It's like hush. [laughter]. >> So, you need Trevor to come in with that. accent, >> right? I think what we what Roy is trying to. say like, "Yeah, tell them what I'm. trying.". >> Yes, that's what I'm trying to say. >> Yeah. So, having producers that cared. enough.

to allow me I mean, man, one of the last. stories I did. uh before I left Daily Show was about. Cop City in Atlanta. Mhm. >> We in the forest with people who are. [ __ ] in buckets. trying to stop police from building a. training facility that's just going to. make the police more militaristic and. ruin the environment. >> Wow. So, did I set out to do that? I don't. know, man. That's just the stuff I'm drawn to. And.

I don't know if that's because I did. ride alongs with my dad. >> and you got an opportunity to see what. was. >> I don't know. I don't know where it got. planted. You know, you ever think about. Do you ever concern yourself with how. much of a burden. you want to give your children. about being black. versus what being black could be?

How do you teach the history without. giving them the burden? >> Yeah. Yeah. I try. I tried to shield them as much as I. possibly could, but I think they did a lot of research. on their own and they understand what. that even though that last name. >> Yeah. is still attached to a black man.

>> You know what's wild? I did finding your roots and they. [clears throat] found the white family. that purchased. the first black wood of my bloodline. >> Mhm. >> Off the slave ships in Charleston. >> Yep. That's what we came off of. If I. wanted to today, I could find the Whitewood descendants. in southern Georgia and pull up on their. [ __ ] house.

One day I will. >> Yeah, >> they ain't got no money though. [laughter]. I Zillow they crib. They broke. Like. that's the thing we'll talk about with. slavery, man, is that it was a lot of. white people fumbled. Like y'all they. fumbled the bag. >> Yeah. You had working for you. You still. couldn't come up. [laughter]. How you broke and you had slaves? >> Yeah, that was bad. That was gold. >> They fumbled, bro. >> You uh uh Have you ever met Rock and.

Chappelle? >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh Rock and I are cool. I'm. cooler with Rock than Chappelle. I see. Rock more frequently than Chappelle. Let. me say it that way. >> You know, Chappelle is you show up like. Yoda and then be gone. But rock I've. seen from time to time at the comedy. clubs and stuff around New York. Um, number of respect for both of them, you. know, and just what they've worked to. build. You know, >> you also have to really think about. a lot of what Dave built and what we.

know and love Dave for came from. rejecting the industry. >> Yes. and not knowing he didn't know what. was on the other side of going to. Africa, >> but he followed his instincts and he. knew that was the right thing to do. So. that's a lot I mean to turn that down. But now what makes him so impressive is. that. they can't take something that he didn't. value. See, once once he found out what. they value that he didn't value, now you.

can no longer harvest. Correct? >> You could harm you couldn't harm him. See, it's hard to starve a man that can. grow his crop and cook for himself. You can't starve him. >> Yeah. >> Because he can live off the land. He. knows how to survive. >> And that's what I want. >> You know, >> Chappelle once he once Chappelle found. out he could survive, he can do a show. He don't really need. anybody. He could like, I'm doing a show. at such and such. It's sold out in 5.

minutes. probably going to crash the. site, but it sold out in five minutes. >> It's like that old school Prince [ __ ]. where Prince would just tell his tour. bus driver, "Drive west.". >> Mhm. >> What city? I'll tell you later. And then. sell out Staple Center. >> on two days notice. >> Yep. >> Yeah. I I really. >> That's what you want. >> That's what I want for myself. You know, I I think that, bro, man, I I just I can look at so many. times in my life where I got [ __ ] in.

the game and it wasn't my fault. >> You didn't know? >> I got fired from radio. I found out I got fired from radio over. Twitter. >> Damn. People don't even have the courage to. call. >> You just have some compassion. God damn. Why are you saying like, but I'm saying they don't have the. common courtesy to call anymore. >> What is common courtesy? >> Hey, um, Roy, um, we're going in, look,

it's going to hurt the same. I'm going. to be without a job. The income's not. going to be coming in. But, you know, Roy, you know, uh, what we're doing, we're downsizing. We're decided to go in. a different direction. We really. appreciate your contributions to the to. the, uh, uh, to the network, to the. station. Uh, we wish you the best of. luck, but unfortunately, >> no. >> I mean, I guess sound like I've given. that speech before. >> If you Google Roy Wood Jr. show fired, you read the article, it's still up. >> They fired us. And I found out that.

morning on Twitter, I thought I was. dead. They like, man, I'mma miss Roy. [laughter] The did I do? Am I dead? Like. I gave my heart and soul to that show. and it ultimately came down to a what. they saw as a conflict of interest. I. booked a sitcom. I'm a comedian. I can't. say no to a sitcom. >> No. >> Can I do the show from LA while I do the. sitcom?

They said, "Well, think about it. Next. day, fire.". That's the game. there. I I I think that we have made the. mistake. of thinking that. the people who have lord over us have. the same compassion. They don't. And once you accept that, you're free to move. It's like comedian. Doug Stan say once you accept that.

you're completely and unapologetically. [ __ ] only then are you free to move. throughout this country without care and. concern. >> I had a sitcom on TBS. We went three. seasons. We got a handshake for the. fourth season. The next week the show. was cancelled. >> That's the game. It's unfortunate. but that is the game. You work Daily Show for eight years. They say you're in the running for the. host. And then you find out somebody.

else was already in the running. Promise. the job. Promised a job. >> Okay, that's fine. >> You couldn't tell me cuz you thought I. was going to tell him. Okay, cool. But now, where do I fit into the new. structure of the show? And I know I. can't trust you. cuz you already said the [ __ ] Mhm. >> If I stay here. and you merge, will the new host fire me?

Will I even like the new host? Will the merger require a cut in salary? Will I be fired because of the merger? And there's a salary [ __ ]. consolidation. Am I truly safe here? I don't know. But I do know if I'm going to find. something next, it's going to be during. an election year. So, I should quit. It's nothing personal.

I should quit. >> I'm going to quit and I'll figure it out. the same as I did after getting fired. over Twitter. The same as I did after. the Handshake sitcom. I'm not scared, right? >> Because I've slept in [ __ ] bus. stations. Wow. >> All I need to do is make sure that the. boy got a roof, he got clothes, and he. got food, >> and we'll figure everything else out.

>> Everything else out after that. >> When you called that prank J Prince, did. you know who Jay Prince was? [laughter]. >> Did you know who Jay Prince was when you. pranked him? >> Yes. >> And that was one of the reasons why you. wanted to prank him, huh? >> [laughter]. >> I wish we still had the audio of that. prank phone call. >> What happened to it? >> Deleted it on the day. >> You deleted it? >> Yes.

You think you you think I want that [ __ ]. to leak? [laughter]. So for the people who don't know, so. when the pranks were bubbling and. chameleon running with me, I'm on a pimp. C UK mixtape and dipet and all of that. >> Yeah. >> I get a call from a company and they go, "Hey, we want to do prank calls on Texas. celebrities. We think your prank calls. are great. Come on down to Texas. We're. gonna do the prank calls. We gonna prank.

call celebrities." I go, "Yeah." And. they they cut me a check. >> Oh, I'm good. I'm there. >> Wasn't a lot. It was like $10,000. But. >> a lot of money back then, wasn't it? >> It was a lot to a [ __ ] making 500 a. week on the road. >> Yeah. Yeah. You straight. >> So they go, "Come down here and uh make. these pranks." I go, "Bet.". and they have a list of Texas. celebrities and it's like Paul Wall and. Michael Irvin, TD Jake [laughter].

and they got Jay Prince on the list and. Jay Prince is I understood I grew up. listening to ghetto boys. I grew up. listening to till death do us part and. we can't be stopped. know, I knew he was. an imposing figure, but I figured him to. be able to take a joke. [laughter]. when I called his ass and he just kept. asking me where I was like, "Where you. at? [snorts]. [laughter]. Where you at? You talking all this [ __ ].

Where you at?" And then the engineer. came on the phone. He goes, "Hey Jay, uh, it's us. Uh, we were just pranking. you. Uh, it's no big deal. Uh, uh, this. is Roy. He's a comedian. But and Jay. goes, "Oh, if you with him, I know. exactly where you at." And he hung up. the phone and I'm like, "He's on the way. here.". And everybody in the room was like, "No, he's not. Jay can take a joke." We spend. the next 20 minutes trying to call Jay.

Prince to like make sure [ __ ] is cool, >> right? He ain't answer the phone. He. >> answer the phone. So, I told I told the. people at the studio, I go, "Hey, [snorts]. I'mma run to the hotel and drop my bag.". Because I came straight to the studio. from the airport. >> I go, "Listen, >> I'mma run to the hotel, drop my bags. off, get some lunch. >> Let's do the rest of these pranks after. lunch." Cool. Cool. I went to the. airport. >> Did he show up to the station?

So years later, Jay calls Sway on MTV. He's talking to. Sway and Jay Prince confirmed. he was on his way to the [ __ ] studio. to me up. >> Oh, wait. No, it was Drink Champ. Shout. out to Drink Champs. Yeah, he was on. Drink Champs. [laughter]. >> But you Nory Nory asked him, >> "You sound just like him, too, man.". >> Nory asked him. He was like, "Yeah, man. Did you Well, you know, I was just going. to him up.

>> [laughter]. >> I I think that what I didn't realize. with that prank was that because of what. Jay meant to the streets. >> Mhm. >> You can't clown nobody like that. But. I'm a comedian, bro. Like I just. >> We clown it. You clown everybody. >> You clown everybody. But. >> you can't clown Jay in his own town. >> Cuz I was in Houston when I did this, bro. I was in Houston a total of three.

hours. >> I landed, went to the studio, prank. called J Prince. The [ __ ] went sideways. I got in the cab, went back to the. airport, back in Birmingham. Whole day, got back to my mama house. Where you. been? Don't worry about it, Joyce. [laughter]. >> Yeah. Yeah, that was that was. We laugh about it now, Jay and I, but at. the time I was violating because. I the premise of the prank was.

I own a I own a mom and pop record shop. >> these rap aot album selling [laughter]. >> rap aot then fell off. >> and I'm naming artist by artist which. rap a lot. >> artist ain't doing well. >> terrible and I'm just naming rap you. can't do that to the head of Rapalot. records. >> and claim you're in Houston. >> Yeah, he was coming to see you. >> He as he should. Like you have to come.

beat the [ __ ] out of somebody who's. talking. [laughter]. >> Is it true you were slapped by a. coworker for snitching? >> Yeah. What? You you say it like it was some sort of. big like. >> you snitched on a man Roy. Damn. >> The wasn't DOING HIS JOB. HIM. THAT. AIN'T YOUR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. >> I UNDERSTOOD that after the slap. [laughter]. Let me explain it cuz I told I tell the. story in my book, but let me explain it. cuz I told the story in my book. All. right. So, did you ever work any type of.

food service job? Dishroom, anything. Okay. That's right. You too busy running. routes. >> Yeah. I was in the fields. I do it. manually later. >> Okay. >> Cropping to picking up pecans, clipping. onions, catching chicken, >> running that route tree. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. [snorts]. >> So, I worked in a hospital. You know, Health South because Okay. >> Health South has a rehab hospital in. Birmingham. Okay. >> I worked in the cafeteria. We go to the. floors, collect the trays, >> wash the tray. Worked in the cafeteria.

>> Okay. >> It is your job to help me collect the. trays, >> right? >> It's a twoman job. >> Two man job. >> This [ __ ] in the gym hooping for. money. cuz it's a rehab hospital. They got a. gym. >> He down there playing 21 $10 a point. [ __ ]. We have a job. >> We have a job. >> He ain't break you off. >> [ __ ] no. He hooping. He earned it. >> Yeah. >> So I'm for perspective. I'm 16. This man.

is like 35, 36 years old. This is a. grown man. >> hooping for my He make his money hooping. right at work. >> And when he free, he help me in the. dish. [laughter]. >> I go to all the floors. I pick I do the. pickups. I do the drop first. I drop all. the trays. >> Hour later, do all the pick by myself. >> By yourself? >> Cuz he down there hooping for $10 a. point. >> I come back to the dishroom and I'm.

behind. And like in the dishroom in. those days, you make lunch and the same. hot plates and plates, whatever that. they need for dinner, right? >> You got to wash them so that they can. flip them for make the dinner plates. >> They got to turn it around. >> Supervisor come in go, "Hey, but the. dinner plates is taking too long." I go, "Well, it could be quicker if. [ __ ] Mike was here.". >> Oh. >> [laughter]. >> Is that snitching or is that me just. going, "Hey man, get off my ass and look. for the other that's why are you in the.

dishroom mad at me? I'm here.". >> Right. >> This go what you wanted him to ask where. is Mike? >> But instead you on my ass talking about. I ain't washing fast enough. Of course I. ain't washing fast enough. >> It's a twoman job and it's only one man. here. I say Mike down in that gym. Go ask. Mike. [laughter]. He go down to the gym, get Mike. Mike come back to the dish room, slap. the [ __ ] out of me.

[laughter]. Grown man. Slap a 16-y old. He's a Mike. slap the [ __ ] out of me. Then this. [ __ ] take a little vial out. I. [ __ ] twist that [ __ ]. tells me to get out of his dishroom. And this man for the next 30 minutes, Shannon, does the work that it should. take two men to do an hour. One bump of.

cocaine. and that [ __ ] washed all them. dishes. He ain't wearing no glove. You. know, industrial dishwasher, that's 200. degrees. >> Yes. >> Touching a bare hand, skin, touching the. dishes, silverware. It's like holding a. [ __ ] hot eye. >> Yes. Right. That's a hot poker. Like you. stick Yeah. This thing is holding a hot. poker. Yes. You pull dishes out in. industrial dishwasher. Mike was pulling. them, stacking them. Had the whole thing. straight. We never were behind schedule. And he turns back to me and he goes,

"Don't you ever question the master.". [laughter]. And the whole time I'm thinking. I snitched on him. He going to be in. trouble. He going to get ridden up. nothing happened to him. And it was like. the first time I learned a very valuable. lesson that if you are exceptionally. good at your job, >> the rules do not apply to you.

>> and all you can do is what you can do. So if you ain't as good as Mike, just do. your best. supervisors see you in. respect but that it's the first and only. time I ever snitched on anybody in my. life was cocaine Mike at Health South. Rehab Hospital Lakeshore Drive. >> Mike if you out there a you did your. >> no Mike if you out there you [laughter]. 37 slapping a 16y old you.

>> I can talk that [ __ ] now cuz I know he. old and I can Yeah. Yeah. [laughter]. >> Did you ever get called a Nepo baby. cuz your father was an icon? >> I never got called that. >> Maybe because you didn't go in the. profession that he was in. >> I mean, technically I did. I mean, you. know what's interesting is that I don't. feel like black people get called Nepo. babies in the same way that white people. do because I feel like.

>> Bronny James did. >> Yeah, Bronny. That's a that's a whole. another [laughter]. that's a whole another level. But like, oh, your dad civil rights icon and you. on the Daily Show talking about black. issues, >> right? >> The only reason you there is cuz my. daddy didn't give me this. >> Yeah. >> I mean, there are defin, you know, my. pops died in 95, but also. >> there are a great deal of people who I. I'm sure give me opportunities. because they knew my dad or they because.

they respect his legacy. But I still. think we gonna show improve. atmosphere. Bronnie included. >> Wow. >> Okay. You got skip to the front of the. line. We could argue the stats and say. somebody else. >> should have went in the second round, >> but sooner or later Bonnie got to put. the basket in the hoop or he going to be. gone. >> Same as anybody else in the league. >> We [clears throat] gonna get We gonna. finish up on this. You said your dad was. a good father but a questionable.

husband. terrible husband. >> Yeah. >> You think your mom did your did you did. you ever see your mom stay up at night. crying wondering where he was when he. was coming home? She just accepted the. fact this is who he is. This is who she. married and this is what I'm going to. deal with. >> My mom knew what it was. My mom had an. exit strategy. You're in a [ __ ] situation. You don't. gain anything from sitting here being. sad about it. What's your way out? Okay,

grad school, law school, bet. How do you. pay for it? Move in with him. The boy. gets a dad to beat the [ __ ] out of him. If he jump bad and at night, I can go be. in school. The boy will be straight cuz. the pops will be home and latch key. He's f Okay, that's going to be my way. out. I don't think that my mom. and I say think because she and I never. talked about it. We still haven't talked.

about it yet, but I think that my mom. and I, we just looked at it as, you know, I've. always looked at my mom and I as a team. We've always had each other's back. >> Mhm. >> And. I think that to some degree, the way my pops chose to treat her, she did not allow to define her. you can get the divorce and all. Okay,

fine. But that's the playbook. She chose. to run. I never saw my mama cry over. that man. I never saw my mama stressed. out over how he chose to treat her. I. just saw a woman every night who worked. hard and asked for help when she needed. it. And now in the later years of her life. is a vessel of kindness to so many other. people. like she's the epitome of paying. it forward. I I just.

>> So, no. Would you would you say we are. not our circumstances, but what we. become from our circumstances? Because a. lot of times people will let their. circumstances define who they are. Man, I came from this situation. This how I. am. I grew up like this. This is how I. am. What did you become? Who are you from those circumstances? I. didn't have the best father, but I. became a great father. >> You didn't let those circumstances.

define you. >> No, I didn't have the best examples of. love, but I still seek the opportunity. to create that construct for my son. >> and I will. You know, I just think that there has to. be an order. to some of it because what I don't. necessarily know, and I think a lot of. men deal with this and don't necessarily. admit it or know how to explain it to. women, but. finding yourself and being comfortable. with where you are career-wise.

>> and fiscally, a lot of that is a solo journey for men. Oh, you want to help me? You want to. pour into me? You want to be my. helpmate? You want to be equally yolked? Okay. But there's still part of this for. me that I have to go at alone first. >> And then you can come emerge in and pour. into me and help. because if you don't know whether or not.

you can do this yourself, then there's a. degree of wondering. who you are and what you are. The book, The Man of Many Fathers, comes. out October 28th. What are the top three. lessons you hope men learn from this. book? >> I hope I hope that men learn from my. book that. it is okay if you didn't get everything. from your dad. >> Mhm. >> That was the first thing that I really.

learned was that, oh, I didn't get it. all from him, but I got everything I. needed. When we talk about values, if it. could be something as silly as don't. snitch, but it could also be something. as random as, you know, comedians that I. know that have passed on who gave me the. game on the importance of picking. someone in terms of a mate that's. supportive of you. I think that's a. mistake that a lot of people make. you. know, in this game. >> I hear Mary Harman say that the most.

important thing you ever the most. important decision you'll ever make is. who you choose to marry. >> It's very true. I agree with that. And I. mean, as an unmarried man, I couldn't. agree with that anymore. Um, I think. that also the degree of knowing and. understanding. that. that you're okay in spite of how you. came up.

I don't think that. it's very easy as a man to just write. off. the who, what, when wins of a lot of. [ __ ] and just go, "Oh, well, my daddy. didn't do this, so I ain't shit." No, you got worth, man. >> You matter. And being present for those kids, that's important. It's paramount. And I. think that. regardless of when your father passed, I.

think we're all men of many fathers. We're all poured into by innumerable. people in our lives. So I think. if you stopped and took stock of any of. those people, you would be blown away at. how many lessons you might have missed. that it's dope to be able to sit back. and just think about now and reinforce. and be able to pass that on to your. kids. I just. I look at my son every day, man, and I'm.

just grateful. I'm grateful that like I. wouldn't have achieved half I've. achieved in the last 10 years if not for. his presence. There's a drive in that. >> Two weeks after your dad passed, you. [clears throat] was like you heard from. him. like that showed up as a ghost. [laughter]. for two weeks straight.

And it's weird because number one, I. believe in ghosts. I believe in all that. that. >> you believe in the supernatural. >> Yes. I don't with Ouija boards. I don't. with haunted houses. >> It's all real to me. >> That was a big thing when I was in. college. They wanted to play with the. Ouija board cuz of Bone Thugs and. Harmony. Ouija, are you with me? >> And you and you remember that uh the. eightball that thing you. [laughter]. >> magic eightball?

No sir, don't touch it. Do not touch it. Not my thing. Like that stuff, man. It's weird because like I heard about. Pop's Ghost, but all I heard him doing. was getting ready for work. >> Yeah. He was going through his normal. routine. >> I'm like, you still got a job? [laughter]. You're dead. Kick it. >> I thought you was come I thought you was. coming back to tell me you had some. money buried somewhere. >> Sir, he came back cuz that's how bad the. economy is. [laughter].

You got to stay at it. >> Trevor Noah said, "Your book is honest, raw, and an absolute treat to read.". What was it like working with Trevor? It was a blessing. I've never met a black man with a better. understanding of what to do with his. anger than Trevor Noah. Wow. very upset about a lot of the same.

things. But. I think that's part of why he and I work. so well together. I'm the angry [ __ ] from Alabama. >> Mhm. >> I don't have patience or a tempered. response, but Treader was very measured and very. kind. still very on the nose, but he knew how. to not lead with anger, which gave more understanding to the.

issues. And I think it helped more. people look at it and see and oh well, what does Trevor have to say? And I. never possessed that. And I think. sometimes it is time to gill. It is a. time to be angry. And I think in that. regard, he and I complimented one. another. But Trevor had the ability to. take anger and quantify it into feelings. and make people feel seen.

>> Mhm. >> And then through those feelings try to. make sense of what was happening. >> Roy, thanks for stopping by Club Shay. Guys, make sure you go out and check. guest book, his book out, The Man of. Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as. a Memoir. >> Man, brother, thank you. >> Ah, thank you, brother. Lywood Jr. [applause]. All my life been [music] grinding all my. life. Sacrifice, hustle, paid the price, want [music] a slice. Got to roll a. dice. That's why. All my life I've been. grinding all my life. All my life.

[music] been grinding all my life. Sacrifice, hustle, paid the price. Want. a slice. [music] Got to roll a dice. That's why all my life I've been. grinding all my life.