Niecy Nash-Betts On Typecasting, Improv, And Her Grandmother's Advice | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

for a while you said you felt like you. got almost typ cast pigeon hold whatever. you want to call it siloed as you're the. funny person it's like on Reno 911 they. probably just people love you and then. they think that's what you do right. that's it that's what you do yeah we. know you and we know what you know how. to do and you know how to do that and it. took a long time you know uh to get. people to see me how I see myself you. know what I mean I'm a multiphen it I. can do all the things you know what I. mean don't don't put this baby in the.

corner and tell me I'm only one thing. you know what I mean so I but I'm happy. now because I feel. like uh my peers get it yes they they're. like oh okay yeah because it and I'm. curious in that that whole time you just. knew you could do it were you studying. acting at all were you or did you. because initially when you got into. comedy they asked you can you do improv. yeah and and Li and you lied I lied my.

way into it but you know what you just. said I could when you had never did you. know what improv was nope okay you know. what's so funny it occurred to me that. is a sign of a that is improv can you do. improv yes I can yeah because that's. what improv is is yes and so of course. you lied to do I lied and then I called. my friend big George and I was like what. the hell is. improv and he was like you know you know. he was like they also wanted me to do.

sketch I had never done that before. either but I was like yep you know what. I mean and I just called my friend and. said what do what do I have to do I'm. like oh just be dumb like I always you. know I'm around my house doing the same. you know make me up stupid stuff I'm. already doing yeah I could do that. that's a natural thing that if you if I. didn't know you and you didn't know me. and you were working at a bank and I.

came in and we we would start goofing. around the two of us and we'd make. something you know because I would know. right away you'd I'd say something maybe. silly to you and you'd come right back. with stuff that was 10 times funnier and. sillier and before you know it that's. what we'd be doing yeah it would be. that's not because we're in this. profession it's because no do you know. how many time let me tell you something. when the people tell you this call may. be monitored for you know training. person.

that's a true statement I used to answer. phones on the midnight shift for a. airline whose name I'm not going to say. and I got in trouble so many times. because it's the graveyard shift and I'm. like I could work on characters while I. answer the phone well guess what guys. you. can't you're not supposed to do. that I'm like good evening where you. want to go. now and that lady in that Tower would. always Point her finger and be like and.

everybody would laugh at me because. they're like ah she getting in trouble. again you know and I you know yeah so. yes to to your point if we were at the. bank it's so funny you mentioned that. because when I'm on any call and they. say by the way you know I'm trying to. like activate a credit card or trying to. do something and they say this call is. being monitored I feel I got to take it. up a notch because you know they know my. name and I think well I you know they. might be listening to this later on.

Oh no I got a so that's when I start. sticking it up a little bit and. sometimes they're laughing but other. times they're like we just want to. finish this process and no we're not. going to all gather around later and. listen to your really funny observations. about American Express or S you know. MasterCard no hey everybody come I just. talked to Conan he gave me some good. stuff and it's been monitored let's. check it out it's not going to happen. people at work who just want to go home. they just want to home that's it they.

want to get this idiot his credit card. activated so uh so you said you could do. improv and then quickly realized yeah be. I can do it of course I can do I'm. figure it out you know what I mean but I. you know it's so funny because when I. auditioned for Reno I did not know. enough to know that you should kind of. like work on a bit you you you should. Workshop it see where the jokes are and. you you know that kind of thing I just. didn't know enough to know so when I got.

the call back um I was like I could do. the same thing I did last time I said. but I found this hankerchief in the back. seat of my car and I was thinking about. something on the way over here called. Carol the slave y'all want to see it. they said do we and do it now you know. what I mean and so it was just that by. the seat of my pants because what I knew. for sure I don't know if you GNA book me. on this job but I know my ass is funny. now I now that I do know right so I I.

did not fear the thing that I was the. most comfortable in you kind of you kind. of know what I'm saying yeah so you know. Advantage disadvantage I don't know I. just feel like people want to work. getting back to those kids with people. that they like at the end of the day. yeah you know what I mean you you your. first you know uh minute is just to get. them to like you yeah you know what I. mean and not um have that desperation. that up the room like oh my God if you.

don't do this I'm going have to move. back to Nebraska next week if you know. what I mean if I don't get this job but. just like this is who I am you know it's. funny because you brought up something. else too which is especially in comedy. but I think true in a lot of things. confidence if people get the sense that. you are okay like if an audience will. look at you and if they know hey I'm. fine with whatever happens I got this. they relax it's kind of a Salesman job. but they relax and think wow ni knows.

what she's doing you know we just. brought her in and boy is she relaxed. and boy is she confident it almost it. makes it happen I think Listen My. grandmother used to tell me I remember I. had a baby and baby I don't know what. happened this body ran away from me and. it was it was meaty cheesy and greasy. and I didn't feel I didn't feel. comfortable and I didn't feel confident. and my Grandmama looked me dead in my ey. she said baby when you the only naked. hormon in a room you looks.

[Laughter]. good okay. Grandma mik. gir let me take my clothes off right now. you know and sometimes you just got to. you know what I mean you got to roll. with what you got yeah well I've been. doing that rolling what I got um that is. uh that is really I don't know that is. did you get confidence like that from.

your mom uh I don't want to make my mom. feel bad but no I didn't it I just. wanted to take a moment and make your. mom feel I know it's different but. you're right after you have a baby. because I had babies a couple years ago. and you're you you feel very differently. about it so it's nice to know somebody. said that to you when you needed to hear. that you know yeah yeah yeah it's all. those confidence boosters how many kids. you you have three you have three kids. and how old are they what's their range. I think my son did he just have a. birthday yeah you know you start to.

forget um I have two kids and I can't. even recall their names at this moment. yeah my son is 32 I have a girl that's. 27 wow and a a baby girl that's 24 wow. that's I'm just curious if do they love. did did they show the same interest in. doing what you're doing or yes yeah all. wanted to do it yeah but also too I. think when you grow up with your mom on. TV if you're good at your job you make. it look easy yeah you know what I mean.

it's like you know my mom can do that I. can do that you know what I mean and it. wasn't unusual to sit down on a Saturday. morning and oh oh my mom is hosting. clean housee that's on skip skip skip oh. Reno 911 is on my mama not going to let. me watch that skip skip skip oh my mama. was in a movie that's on you know what I. mean it wasn't unusual to find me. somewhere on television and so very. early on they all were like o pick me. pick me pick me because they just think.

that's normal you made it normal yeah. and it was like that's what I want to do. and so they're all in some sort of. entertainment right now yeah all of them. when my boy was I think he was four. years old and he saw me do some Big Show. in a big venue and afterwards he turned. to my wife and he said when I grow up I. want to do something that doesn't happen. in a theater or with. people thought I thought man I must have. been bad and to his credit he just he.

loves comedy and I think he likes what I. do but he's not he just that was not his. thing not his thing but he knew right. away he saw his his dad making a fool of. himself in the on the Beacon Theater in. front of a couple thousand people and. said nope that is not for me I'm not. doing that I love it and I've worked. with my kids too we did a we we had a. reality show at one point together um. and I really only did that for them just. so you could get a taste of it you got. to get up in the morning you got to do. this you know I want to show you what it.

is and but all of them have at some. point or another been cast in something. that I've done um my youngest daughter. played my daughter in the series monster. the Jeffrey dmer story that was on. Netflix that was my real daughter she. also played wow okay she also played a. younger version than me in a in a TV. show that I had called. claw and um my middle girl guessed it. with me on um series that I just did.

called the rookie feds and so my son was. with me on The Soul Man like they've all. at some point or another experienced it. through your lens which is good uhhuh. you know what I mean and so I was like. I'mma show you but I'm not show manager. you know what I mean and I'm not F to. I'm not going to try to run your career. and tell you what you need to do you. want to do a self tape I read with you. but I'm not calling around town to get. you a job that's your job right you know. cuz when I'm dead and gone if I'm the.

only person who ever gave you a job what. are you going to do right you know so. you got to you got to learn it and if. you really want it time is going to tell. that's how I parent well I was going to. ask you for a job but now I'm not going. to well you might be. different no I'm. not.