Roy Wood Jr.: Gets Real About Fear, Fame, & Fatherhood

Please put your hands together for the. very funny Roy WOOD JR. >> HEY, what's up? I'm the black one. Let's. start. >> The year that I was suspended from. school, that's when I started doing. standup. I was at a low and I found. something that was an outlet. >> Now, [music]. 25 years into his career, Wood is in his. prime. He's a father to six-year-old. Henry. >> My next guest is a comedian, an actor, a. Daily Show correspondent, >> senior campaign correspondent Roywood. Jr., everybody. Roy Wood Jr. [cheering and music]. well known for his Daily Show. appearances. He will be hosting this.

year's White [music] House. correspondents dinner. CNN is set to. premiere a new comedy quiz show called. Have I [music] Got News for You. It's. going to be hosted by Emmy Award nominee. Roy Wood Jr. >> I think my father would be proud, but I. think he'd be even prouder if I go up. there and make sure that I'm talking. about something real. [music] Cuz when. you have the microphone, you better have. something to say. Just may not get it. again. >> [music].

>> This is What now with Trevor Noah. [music]. >> All right. Well, let's do this. Right. >> Talk about what? >> You ready to start your grind? >> Stop. See, >> you like the women. >> I heard you. >> You like the women in my life. Even. after I tell you what the truth is, you're just going to stay on the [ __ ]. truth that you've conjured. >> Wow. We jump straight into it. Welcome.

to the podcast. >> Oh, wait. We're rolling. [laughter]. [ __ ]. >> Now I'm going to get texts from the. women in my life. [laughter]. >> Is that what you think? >> Oh, man. >> No. >> What up, Roy? How you been? >> I'm good, man. It's been a minute. It's. been too long. We We text, but we don't. get to this. >> You know, you know what? You know what I. was thinking the other day is one of the. things no one tells you about the. relationships you'll form working in. like an office is that you get so used.

to people being in your life. You take. for granted that they'll always just be. there. >> Every [clears throat] morning. >> I woke up and within a few hours of. waking up. >> I would see Roywood Jr. >> We would have conversations. We talk. about Donald Trump. We talk about the. news. We talk about life. But you just. you just assume that those people. >> are going to be your village. >> Yes. And then you leave the village of work. >> and then the people are just gone. >> Now, you know what's funny? I still see. David Kabuka in my neighborhood.

>> Yeah, but David's that guy. David is the. most he's the most employed homeless. person I know. [laughter]. >> I'll see like Daily Show employees just. out and about now and in a weird way. it's, "Oh, should I speak? as my f do. you remember? >> Yeah, I should speak. Yeah, we have a. friendship that's deeper than the. building where we work. >> But it's weird though, right? >> It is weird. It's like meeting your. school friends on a weekend.

>> No, no, your mom. >> No, but it's even weirder than that. It's you were you out of the school. >> You finished school. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, finished is one way to. think of it. You just you're just out. [laughter]. >> You're just out of school. >> Do you know what I mean? You're just. out. No, it's weird because the people. are still there and then you see them. and they see you and you you have like a. moment of I saw one of the writers from. the show, Matt Matt Kauf. [clears throat]. >> I was in uh I was in the park in. Brooklyn and. >> that's cross territory. >> Yeah. And I was I was walking around and.

he saw me. I didn't see him. Hey boss. >> No. And he went like he's like hey. Trevor as he walked by. Here he is. He's. like hey Trevor. >> And my brain I was busy doing something. I was on a call, I think even, and I. carried on. Then like four steps later, I was like, "I know that voice." Then I. turned and he just carried on walking. >> And then I was like, "Yo, Matt." And he. was like, "Hey.". I said, "Why? Why did you keep walking?". He's like, "Oh, I don't know. I figured.

maybe you're done with us." [laughter]. >> It's a lot of folks who treat folks like. that, though. But. >> after the job is done. >> I think it's an American thing to be. honest with you. >> Really? >> Yeah. I think it's an American thing. >> It's transactional because work this is. the job and then at some point in your. 20s you just realize it's a revolving. door of co-stars when it comes to. professional relationships. So you don't. know if you have a personal relationship. until you leave work and then it's truly. like straight like you know who um.

>> who oddly I'm probably the clo who I see. the most I won't say the closest but who. I see the most. >> is Desi's husband. >> Desi's husband. husband, Ganon. Me and him, we in a. group chat with two other dudes from the. show. When I tell you that's my dog. >> Mhm. >> Wow. >> I I don't know. But I know part of it is. also our boys are the same age. >> So we we swap birthday party invites. every year. >> Okay. >> And then me and Ganon became kind of.

like the. >> at the adult g at the kid gather. >> We in the cut sipping something and just. talking [ __ ]. >> looking kidnapped. >> Yeah. and. Carl Hay all the time. >> Yeah, >> I'd say Hassan a close second. I I see. I've seen Hassan a lot. Yeah. Since I. left the show, >> but you know, I don't I don't know. It's. just It's weird. It's weird when you. leave and just you check in and I feel. like you know I love you. You know, if. you need me, call me. But like I'm not.

going to like show up to any of. >> you, you know, the way you described it. right [laughter] now. You sort of you. made it sound like prison and being out. and being in. I know you didn't intend. it that way, but your tone is. >> No, your tone and your vibe made it feel. like when we're in prison, it's like I. mean we were I mean you know me and I'm. around and I mean. >> it's the military. It's it's the same. We served I served. You served. >> Yeah. >> And then you you you're you're retired.

your Daily Show retired and the people. who are still enlisted. Hey, how's it. going? Good to see you. >> and I'll check in on you when you need. me to, but like. >> the default of seeing you every day. >> that was pre I guess what I'm saying is. that you have to at some point you have. to try at friendship. >> and maybe I'm just not a good tryer. >> No, I don't think that's. >> a lot of it is circumstantial. Like a. lot of sincere moments happened because. we were working together. >> here. Okay, here's what I think it is. I.

think because Americans have to be so. nice at work. >> Have to be. >> Have to be. I've I've worked in few. places where people have to be as nice. and fake as they are in America. >> Right. You get a HR complaint also. I. need something from you sooner or later. >> Yeah. Whereas I find in South Africa and. the little work I've done in like the UK. and maybe like even offices I've seen in. Australia and stuff. I think people are. a lot more genuine. So they don't have. to be nice. >> You can just work together. You know. what I mean? Barry, I need those. reports. Thank you. It's just keep it.

moving. Do you know what I mean? You're. not You don't have to be friends and you. don't have to be nice. You just have to. get the job done. >> Yeah. >> But then in America, there's a fine line. between not being nice and not being. perceived as professional. And so then. you foster these sort of fake. relationships with a lot of people cuz. it's based on niceness. >> And then when you're out, the people are. like, "Oh, okay. I mean, that's that's. done." Whereas in whereas in South. Africa, I find people aren't nice to. everyone they work with. I'm not saying. disrespectful or anything. Do y'all have. like cultural rules and faux paws at.

company parties? Like in American party, like I was taught if you go to dinner. with your bosses, you don't you wait for. the boss to order alcohol. The boss. orders alcohol, then you can drink. Don't drink more than the boss. If. you're at a company party, Christmas. party, don't get too tipsy. Don't get. too wild. Don't get too touchy Philly. >> You're still at work even though it's a. party. >> Even if it's a company Oh, yeah. >> No, with this alcohol alcohol. So you. don't wait to see if the boss is going. to have a. >> No, I've never seen that. No, >> it's a party.

>> Crazy talk. [laughter]. >> You want to move? No, >> because you're going to you're going to. use that against me when we get back to. >> No, you see No, that's another thing. No, it happened at the party. >> No, absolutely, >> Roy. What happens at the party stays at. the party? >> No. No. >> Why are you going to bring those things. up? you start getting flirty and making. out with some like you can't even like. even. I've been to company parties where I'm. conscious about who I'm talking to and. for how long in the eyes of someone. across the room clocking me.

>> talk to that one person. >> especially if it's a single woman. >> especially. >> oh we talking five minutes give me move. if it's just [laughter]. if it's oneonone. >> you have to leave and come You don't. have an internal [laughter]. >> You don't have that countdown clock in. your head when you're talking to another. single person at a company event, a. coworker. >> No. No. But again, we. >> You're not going to make me feel crazy. >> No, you don't have jobs for a [laughter]. very long time. >> You've had many jobs.

>> That should have been the book you. wrote. The man of many jobs. [laughter]. >> You write about many fathers. I was. like, this man has had every say. But. you know what's funny? Just listening to. you say this now makes me realize. like you you have a specific type of. paranoia. that has served you well in the world, but it's also part of what I think I. love about you as a human being. >> Yeah. >> You you're not paranoid in the classic. sense like people being like they're. watching us and No, but what you just. said, I time myself when I'm talking to.

a woman, >> a single woman, >> a single woman at a at a company. function. >> where somebody else could get to. whispering. Yeah. >> Yeah. every day at the Daily Show when. I'd walk in in the mornings, we'd do. we'd do our morning meeting. Everyone. would hang out and then um Roy would go. to his office and I remember I'd go in. I'd walk past Royy's office and I. sometimes just like walk in and see what. he was doing. I've never felt like somebody. is hiding another life more than Roy. You know when you look at a person's.

computer screen, >> it's work. >> No, Roy. One day it was coding. >> Yeah. Like literally he had like a. document up on like how to code coding. for beginners. I was like this man's coding. Then a few. weeks later I come back he's doing deep. research on like K-pop and like Korean. music in general and K dramas and I come. back a few weeks later Royy's like doing. I'll be like who is this video editing? >> Yeah. And I was like who is this man and. what is he doing in his life? >> Graphics. Oh you're talking about the.

day when I was doing the graphics I was. trying to build a graphics package. I. was learning um Adobe. Yeah. >> Um, After Effects, >> just watching videos and just how to I. want to know how to do this stuff. because I also want to know when I'm. getting screwed. And that's also part of. the paranoia. >> See, that's the paranoia. >> But [laughter]. >> this is the paranoia. >> The paranoia drives you to work even. harder. >> I need to [laughter]. >> before I pay you, I must know exactly. what I'm paying you for. >> I need to learn it. I need to learn some. degree of it because then when you tell.

me that it's gonna take two days turn to. isolate a an image and turn it into a. PNG and put a couple graphics behind it. I know that's a three-hour job, bro. >> Cuz you've done it. >> I've done it. I know enough about I'm. not perfect. I'm not I didn't go to. school for it, >> but I know enough of it. So, you're not. going to [ __ ] me. I'm not going to allow. that. And so, >> I also have worked too hard. So yeah, there's certain parameters the interns, Daily Show interns, right? So me and.

Ronnie Chang had an office in the. furthest part of the building and it was. also the desk where some of the interns. would be sat or whatever. Want to come. in, talk, whatever, but you're standing. in that goddamn doorway. Don't you come. in his office, stay all the advice in. the world you want, anything you want to. chat about, but you stand up. You stand. in that goddamn door. You're not coming. in this office. And it needs to be two. of you. >> You've been a dad for a long time, right? This guy was BORN.

>> WAY BEFORE YOU HAD KIDS. YOU HAD. [laughter]. you fix your pants, comb your hair, >> and it's not like some sort of. [laughter] like I know I'm sounding like. Mike Pence right now where it's on some. I can't be in the room with a woman. But. [laughter]. the idea of. maintaining some degree of. professionalism in a corporate space has. just always been. >> just paramount to me. So I'm always. thinking about about those interactions.

that I have with people and stuff like. that. Like even when we would be on. location and doing daily show shoots and. you've got the PA and it's the end of. the day and you're wrapping up. We're. not riding in an Uber together. I will. get you an Uber. >> Yeah, >> absolutely. We'll get you an Uber, but. we're not riding. >> Wait, so before the Daily Show, had you. ever been in a corporate environment as. a as an employee of someone? >> Sort of. I did morning radio for 12. years, but I was on the talent side. And. so morning radio, you know, there talent.

side is totally different from the sales. side. sales is the proper button down. >> Mhm. >> But there's certain protocols within the. building and like that's the only job I. ever had where we had harassment. training and [snorts]. >> harassment training. It's America. >> That's how Roy knows how to harass. Have. you seen him harass? [laughter]. >> One of the best harassers you've ever. come across. This man will harass you. >> The loopholes harassment [laughter]. man. [laughter]. >> Yeah.

Every. It would be so funny if like cuz we. always just assume these things. Have. you been for your harassment training? He was like, I sure have. Smack smack MY. ASS. LET ME [laughter] SEE HOW you do. >> Yeah, you got your training. Yeah, you. do it real good, boy. >> Wait, wait, wait. [laughter]. >> Grace, h how long? Cuz a certain friend. of mine who I won't mention was telling. me that they want to attend a course to. learn how to fall. Apparently, there's. people who teach people how to fall. >> Okay. Clown school and all that. The. time [laughter].

>> I don't appreciate. You know what, bro? You've you've been roped into roasting. me without realizing it. >> I'm not. >> So don't respond to anything this man. said. >> Clown school is important. >> No. Stop calling it clown school. >> But [laughter] it is. There's a school. that teaches you Pratt falls. >> Don't let this man has roped you in. >> Steve O built a career. He went to clown. school. >> I'm not saying you're harassing me right. now without knowing [laughter] it. >> I'm not saying anything you're saying is. wrong. >> Okay. Stunt school. He's a stunt person. who the. >> Yeah. So we That's how we start. We said. we said, "Look, are [laughter] you wait. are you going to go to stunt school?" He. said, "No, no, no." Then we said, "Okay,

is it jiu-jitsu?" He said, "No, it's. sort of jiu-jitsu taekwondo, but they. can teach you how." But actually, there's people who teach you how to. fall. >> The Brazilian grapple. >> I just want to learn how to look. It's. You need to know how to fall. >> You know this guy, too. >> You just need to know. >> The one we're talking about, the one. who's going to falling school. >> Well, I guess with the wrist brace, you. do need [laughter] to learn how to fall. Your shit's [ __ ] up. [laughter]. >> How long was your harassment trainer? [laughter]. And see right there, I'd get a report.

like a month from now. You made someone. feel uncomfortable when you sing. >> That's what it is. That was a classic. case of. >> Yeah, that's exactly what it is. >> When I did radio, we had harassment. training. You got to remember I did. radio. I came in 2001. >> Two years later was the Janet Jackson. Super Bowl. >> Wow. >> So decency. >> You see how he said breast? >> Yes. >> I said move out. Yeah. You said I didn't. do the course. >> Yeah. You didn't take the class. >> He's never had a job. [clears throat and laughter]. He he's been in training. >> and so we took all of these classes on.

how to talk about the boob and then well. FCC laws changed after the Janet Jackson. thing. So we had to learn formal new. ways to talk on the radio and then on. top of that they added. >> like harassment training and like proper. workplace whatever whatever. I mean. we're talking like a decade before me. too. So that was just constantly drilled. in. And as a jock, I'm on the side of. the building where, you know, everybody's like having sex with each.

other. There's drugs. Like it's chaos. But also, >> it happened outside the building. [clears throat]. >> So you could still do in the building, you could be completely appropriate, but. outside the building. >> is where everybody everybody let loose. I mean, you know, you're talking the. radio days of poliola and people having. sex with listeners and you bringing. rappers into the studio at 2:00 in the. morning. Like, I used to be at the radio. station at 3:00 in the morning doing.

prep for the morning show. >> Yeah. >> And then we would just walk over to the. control room. It was all automate. We. would just go on the air. >> No. >> Do live radio at 3 in the morning. [ __ ]. it. My boss sleep. And if he up, it's. cuz he cheating. [laughter]. cuz he's [ __ ] listeners. So, I know. you're not going to call. >> Oh, man. [laughter]. >> I know you're not going to check me. right now. Not when you supposed to be. in bed, married person. >> So, what what would the 3:00 a.m. radio.

show be about? >> Oh, we would just take calls. We stop. playing music. And we would we would. have people I got to give a shout out to. my man Young Deal. Cuz Young Deal was. the one that was he was supposed to work. till midnight. He would stay. And then. we would just take calls from people. leaving the club. Yeah. >> Or people headed to a booty call. >> and just, you know, that was it. >> Yeah. That's at 3:00 a.m. I did I did 3. to 6. >> Yeah. >> And it was the same thing. >> How was the club? Well, you know, how. was the whatever? Just what happened in. the club tonight? Or tell me about the. person you about to go [ __ ].

>> and that was it. Or you'd be coming back. from a booty call. How was the booty. call? >> And then there was the occasional person. who's working the early shift. >> Yeah. There's always some going truck. >> Yeah. There's. >> some beverage delivery food person. >> Seafood. Yeah. One serious person, five. drunk. >> newspaper. >> Yeah. >> That was like the ratio. >> One serious, five drunk. >> No way. >> Yeah, that's what it is on radio. >> At that time at that time. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's You might get a trucker. passing through town, some long call. guy, but for the most part, it's chaos.

and it was beautiful. But at 9:00 a.m. when the building woke up, you. understood the corporate and how to. speak and you wouldn't go flirting with. no sales rep. >> or anything like that. And like I don't. know how radio is now, but black radio. in the south at that time, you wanted. your sales reps to be gorgeous or like a. manly man cuz they out they selling they. selling person. >> You need a man to sell to men and then.

you need women to kind of sell and be on. the sensitive side and that's how you. get a couple extra ad buys from people. and stuff like that. So that side of the. building was the sexy side. So they. needed a video to watch. >> to go. Hey [laughter]. >> when you're out there, >> don't say nice titties. >> You [laughter] say appropriate breasts. >> These are appropriate breasts. >> Thank you for having your breast out. today. [laughter]. You know, when I when I when I was. thinking about you coming in today, I. was going I was going through your life. and I was like, man, this guy there's.

few people I I've I've met. who I feel like have lived a life that. is more parallel than yours and mine. >> Like everything about you, you know, you. know, when you know someone, you know. them by how they've interacted with you. Very seldom do we know people by what. they've done in life or what shaped. them. Mhm. >> Like I don't know about you, but I very. seldom ask friends of mine random. questions. Yeah. Like how did you get. here or what influence did your father.

have in your life? Like these are not. things I think most people ask the. people and then it's only when you sit. down and you look through someone's life. do you go I was like damn I worked with. you at the Daily Show for 7 years. I I. didn't know that you and I both. shoplifted. >> I didn't know that you and I were both. raised by basically like a version of. the same mom. I didn't know that you and. I were both like children of the. streets, you know, freedom. Just I. didn't know that you and I like it. It. it was just this crazy world to go like, "Oh, man. This is. >> Yeah. This guy lived a parallel life to.

mine just in Birmingham. We're both. south. uh you know. Yeah. South Africa, South. the United States, you know what I. mean?". >> Yeah. Once I knew you did radio and then. the relationship with your dad was weird. like mine, I was like, "Oh yeah, okay. [laughter] we don't get along. >> You teach him about K-pop and. programming. >> You know what's you know what's funny. about Dads though is like and I mean I. we'll talk a little bit about about your. book cuz man I I love what you wrote. Um.

I love what you wrote because it feels. less like a book about your life and. more like a user manual. >> on how to become a father, become a. person and even how to be a child. I I. don't I know it's interesting. We'll. we'll we'll we'll get into it as we dig. into it. But I'm just thinking back to. what you what you spoke about um just a. few minutes ago. The paranoia. The first. thing I thought was like, "Oh, that's. your dad.". >> Like you studying the coding, you going.

I'm going to learn how to code so that. if somebody's coding for me, they they. can't they can't [ __ ] me. I'm going. to learn how to do this so that they. can't scam me. And. >> your dad with the coupons. >> would go like you. Your dad would check. every single price of every single item. in every single store. before he left. the house. >> before he left the house. >> And he would only buy the item from the. cheapest who whichever store offered. that item the cheapest. So. >> no matter how far they were, >> no matter how far anywhere in Jefferson. County. So we would drive grocery. shopping would take three hours.

>> And you could just go to two stores and. be done with it. Like a conventional. person, you get a couple coupons and you. just save money on these three items. But if there's coupons that are being. offered somewhere else, cuz in those. days they did price matching. >> Yeah. >> So if I could bring the coupon in and. prove to you that the across town got it. for cheap, >> they'll give it to you. >> So my pops would play that game. >> everywhere in the city. We would go to. one store for produce, one store for.

meat, another store for dairy, and then. another store for like just dried dry. goods. And like that was that was the. thing. and he came home just smiling cuz. like in a. >> can you beat the system? Well, because. in a way he did, but he didn't. Because. on the black side of town, fruit was. more expensive than on the white side of. town. >> for whatever reason you want to choose. racism. LIKE, [laughter]. but if a apple costs a dollar on our.

side of town and that same apple cost 85. cent on the white side of town, my pops. is going to go buy the 85 cent apple. from the white side of town and then. bring coupons that are for the for this. other store and make the white top to. the white store. No. To the white store. >> to basically go, "Haha, now you got to. give me all this [ __ ] for cheap cuz. y'all charging cuz these other stores. charging more." So, it's like on the one.

hand, he saved money, but you spent. money outside of the black neighborhood. So, did you really help? >> Did you hurt? You know what I mean? So, it's like one of those things. Also, you. spent way too much gas. And you know, my dad also bought a lot. of like my dad would do [ __ ] like a. gallon of milk versus half a gallon. versus a quart. And we would stand there. and I would have to a figure out what is. the cost per ounce average between these. three volumes of milk to decide which. one was the best buy. There were there.

were times where it was cheaper to go to. the white side of town and buy four. quarts of milk than it was to. [clears throat] buy a gallon. and I. would come home with four just cartons. of milk or we'll go get two half gallons. over here. But they got a deal where if. you get two gallons, you get a third. gallon free. So if you get three gallons. for free, the per ounce average is lower. than if you get the two half gallons. So. this week we're going to get our dairy. from over here, but we're going to get. too much milk. >> Mhm. >> More milk than you could ever [ __ ]. drink. [laughter].

But we save money. But did you though? If you got more milk than you can. consume before it expires, have you. saved money? >> Yeah, >> but that's how my pops operated. And. >> he also bought a lot of things. secondhand. So, you know, my dad came up. as a haggler. So, >> he stayed in the pawn shops. He stayed. reading the warn ads every Saturday and. Sunday for like used camera equip. My My. dad collected cameras. >> Yeah. >> So, >> like vintage cameras. Yeah. >> Vintage old school cameras. and Lincoln,

any any Lincoln you can name, my pops. owned it. He'd buy it used, he'd get the. engine redone a little bit, drive it for. a year, then flip it when the blue book. went up on that particular car. >> My favorite story was in the book, you. talk about how your dad was so notorious. for loving these cars. He would get. calls from dealerships when someone. would drive in with a car because they. wanted to trade in their car. They were. thinking of trading in the car. And then. your dad would be there already like.

signing papers for a car that hasn't. even been sold by the other person yet. >> Hadn't been inspected yet. >> My somebody is coming in to trade in. like let's say you got a Lincoln. Continental like a 89 Continental. That. was his favorite one. >> Suicide doors. >> No. No. He he he would keep it factory. He would just add leather seats or. whatever. He would like trick out the. inside. So my pops it'd be it was. Midfield Dodge was one of the places and. Midfield Dodge would call my dad. Hey, Mr. Wood, we got a uh we got somebody.

down here bringing in the 89. Continental. Uh you more than welcome to. come down here and take a look at it and. uh before we add it to the inventory if. it's something that suits your fancy. And then my pops was like, "Keep them. there." [laughter]. >> And you put down four quarts of milk. [laughter]. And when I was old enough to start. driving my pops everywhere, when I had. like a um learner's permit when I was. 15, say, "Boy, take me down to Midfield. Dodge.". >> And we [clears throat] get to Midfield.

Dodge and the owner of the Lincoln is. inside doing their tradein paperwork for. whatever they're about to leave with. And my dad is outside looking at this. Their [ __ ] is still in the car. >> Babysit. [laughter] Yeah. Belongings. >> Excuse me. >> Yeah. [laughter] And my pops. But they. would start haggling on the prices and. playing around with that stuff. So. anytime my dad could save a dollar, he. was with it cuz he was for sure somebody. was getting over on him somehow. And you.

can't blame him because all he did, my. dad was the first black radio whatever. everywhere he worked for like a decade. and a half. >> Yeah. So he used to be in a lot of. distrust. >> of just America, you know, and. capitalism as a whole. So anytime he. could cut a corner and save a dollar, why buy it new when I know they're. charging this, this, and this for it, and this is a perfectly good Canon or. Nikon right here, and I could buy it.

from this person who I know is taking. good care of, and I know the track. record. >> My pops will go over people's houses. We. went in a lot. The newspaper was a wild. time cuz you were just pulling. It was. like Craigslist. classified. >> Yeah, you just it's just a stranger just. going, "Yeah, come to my house. I have. items." And then you just show up and. then you're just in a person's house and. my pops could tell by the way your. living room was set up. >> No way. >> Whether or not he was going to buy the. camera from you or whatever.

>> How you take care of that space says a. lot about how you take care of your. items. >> For him, the red flag was liquor. If you kept your liquor in a nice little. If you had a spot for your liquor, >> then that means you take care of nice. things. And so it was that and it was. always the television. Like if the TV. looked good and it was clean and like. not you know in those days the TV would. get all the dust on it, you know, the. box TVs. >> So. >> if your electronics were dusted and your.

liquor was in a nice place in the house, >> we're making a deal. >> He we won't make a deal. But if I come. in the house and your shit's dusty, you. don't even wipe your table. I know you. don't take care of that camera. So, I. know that camera's full of [ __ ]. inside, too. So, I'm just No. >> You remember the conversations? Sorry. The conversations in the car going to. make deals and the conversations coming. back from making a deal. >> I think that he and I talked about. everything but me and my life. Like, I.

don't know. I just had one of the pops. He's just like I felt like I just merged. into traffic. Like I said in the book, like I never really spent time with my. dad as much as I was just hanging along. with him while his life was in progress. >> Damn. >> Come with me doing the thing. We grocery. shopping. Like he never came to a. baseball game. He never came to kick it. at the science fair or to see the thing. Like my pops couldn't name a single. teacher. He show up to no parent teacher. conferences. So like that wasn't his.

Now to be fair, he was also spending. three, four days a week cross town with. the other family. [laughter] So he was. busy, but there was also this degree of like. what I appreciated about the time I. spent with my pops was that I always. felt like a man. He always treated me. like a man. >> when everybody else says you can and you. got to be careful this. >> Hey, come on with me. We're driving to. the thing. I've never driven on the. freeway before. Ah, yeah. Come on. And.

that was it. We on the freeway to. Montgomery and I'm driving him down to. Alabama State so we can do a radio show. that morning. So he was always talking. about the news, the world, society. Um, he was quick to talk about. politicians, local politicians, state. reps. He didn't like most of them. He. didn't care for most local politicians. Um, so there was a there was a guy So. there's a barber shop I used to go to in.

Birmingham. called a Pete Stone Style Shop and Pete. Stone and my dad had a relationship from. his time when my pops was embedded. um in Pete's platoon during the Vietnam. War. And so they were just still tight, you know. I don't know what they saw. You know, it's it's war. >> Yeah. >> And you both made it back. >> You got to bond. >> Yeah. So Pete's Pete Stone Style Shop is. in the heart of the civil rights. district. It's a block and a half from. the 16th Street Baptist Church. So it's. like it's ground zero for black thought.

and black epicenter. So there would be. on any random day on a Saturday in the. style shop, my pops, the radio news DJ, the mayor would be there, there would be. a black state rep, any black mayors from. any surrounding suburbs would be there. You would have community leaders and. football coaches and half of them. weren't getting a haircut. >> They were just in there. It was like a. meeting of the minds. Like it's. >> like that's where the meetings happened.

That was the room. >> was Peace Style Shop. And so there was a. um there was a there was a mayor um at. the time of a suburb of Birmingham named. Larry Langford. And so Larry Langford. was the mayor of Fairfields, predominately black suburb. not the it. wasn't he had gotten it they were doing. decent enough as a suburb. >> and Langford was getting ready to run. for city council and all this other. stuff and my pops and them are basically.

telling them why I could or couldn't. work and all of that [ __ ] and Langford. had an idea at the time to build an. amusement park. He had done a traffic. study because Fairfield's Fairfield is. between Birmingham and Mississippi. Langford had done a had conducted a. traffic study of showing how much. traffic was passing through Birmingham. to get to Atlanta. Atlanta was where you. went if you wanted to live a life and do. you know have some night life or go see. a game or you know whatever. And.

Langford's thing was we're losing all. this money to Atlanta. >> We could build some [ __ ] here. So if. we're losing money because of Six Flags. and Whitewater, we can build an. amusement park. >> here in Jefferson County. >> and we can get the money. Mhm. >> And so he's trying to explain that and. them [ __ ] laughed at him. They. were like, "It's you're not going to. build anything that can compete.". >> It's Atlanta. >> It's just not going to happen. And every. Saturday for the next year and a half, Larry Langford came in that barberh shop.

and argued with my pops about why it's. going to work. And Langford had to. grind. This [ __ ] had to go to. every suburb. a lot of them. predominantly white because Birmingham. is it's the city of Birmingham. The way. government works, you have a county. commission that basically is all the. suburbs together as a conglomerate and. then you have the city of Birmingham. But you really can't do [ __ ] unless the. county is on board with it. >> So to work the county, you have to work. each individual commissioner and mayor.

and each individual suburb. See what. their needs are. figure out a way to get. them all to come together to agree that. this thing that's gonna be in your. neighborhood, well, if it's so good, why. does it got to be in your neighborhood? Why can't it be in my neighborhood? Why. is it in your So Langford is playing all. of these angles? And that [ __ ]. got it done. He got an amusement park. built. And. and I I say all of that to say I just. remember one day riding with my dad like. 2 years later we coming down I 20.

through Bessemer and we passed the sign. for the amusement park and Vision Land. That was the name of it. >> That was the name of the amusement park. >> Vision Landision. I had a vision. He was. listen this is black men in the '90s. They. >> I mean still Vision Land. >> Yeah. >> Hey kids, you want to go to Vision Land? >> Yeah. I had a vision. idea. [laughter]. >> What are we doing at vision land? >> I had a vision for the land. [laughter]. I called it vision land. But you got to. understand what Larry Langford did at. that time. It was the equivalent to me.

It was the equivalent of Steve Jobs. unifying the record labels under iTunes. >> Oh, so this was impossible. >> Okay. Yeah. So you're driving down, you. see the billboard for Vision Land. >> Yeah. We we riding in the 89 Continental. and we passed by the vision sign and my. dad is driving. >> and he just and he looks up at. >> [ __ ] did it [laughter]. >> which then starts a conversation about. your dreams and your goals and what.

you're going to have to do. And so every. most conversations I had with my pops. was about. the battle that's going to be out there. for you at some point. >> Huh. It's never how was your day. My dad. couldn't name him favorite foods. But. you knew like, hey, Jesse Jackson's. coming to town. We're going to go. backstage. Democratic private. I. remember I think 88 he came to town. Backstage. My pop's back there doing. interviews and Al Sharpton, everybody. back there just chilling. And so then on. the ride home now, see that man, what.

you have to understand is and blah blah. blah and the black man and the issues. And so he was just very talk to me like. a regular ass party. Also, for context, my pops was old. My dad was 63 when I. was born. >> 63 when he was born. >> Yeah. When I was When I was born, >> he was one of them suave. >> I look 45. I lotion myself every day. >> No, but still. 63. >> 63. Yeah. >> I think my mom's was like. >> 30 31. >> Yeah.

I mean that's a. >> so his ide even knowing what I know now. as a man. >> you at 63 and at that point you over 70. >> Mhm. >> You can't flip on your mind to have a. conversation with no 9year-old about. 9year-old things. >> All you know is struggle and saving. money on milk and that's the values. I'mma give you. You know, it's it's. funny you say that because. >> your book to me feels like like I I know. few people who do things.

in in a more methodical way than Roywood. Jr. >> like you. every day when I'll see you at the Daily. Show, it felt like you were an. undercover cop, but the cool ones, the. ones who actually, you know what I mean? >> I'm working a case. >> Yeah. Yeah. No. And what I mean by that. is like I've never seen Roy [laughter]. write a joke for no reason. >> Okay? >> And not that there's a good way or bad. way to write a joke, but I' i've. literally I've never seen Roy write a. joke for no reason. I would say to Roy,

and you know how we are with comedy, like you and I, I would just say, I have. a bit I'd be like, "Man, this joke that. there's this thing that's making me. laugh right now, and I'm you know what I. mean?" Then I'll say to Roy in the same. joking tone, I'd be like, "Anything you. working on?" And then Roy would turn to. me and I feel like my world would go. black and white. and Roy would be like, "Man, I've noticed how there's an. insidious presence in the city that has. changed public transportation.". [laughter]. And so, uh, I'm thinking of doing a deep. dive into why the cost of the subway and. the bus has gone up over the past few.

years, more than 175%. And I'm trying to figure out what that. means to society and why nobody's saying. anything about it. Then I was like, "Oh, this is this a joke? This is a joke that. you're talking about. This is where he's. like, "Yeah, I'mma find the funny. [laughter]. I'mma find the parts of it that make it. funny." You But I remember because you. remember I just remember I just met you. as a human being. Like you you just. popped into my life out of nowhere. You. know what I mean? >> Yes. >> Think this to set the stage for you.

properly. You got to understand how. Roywood Jr. comes into my life as a. person. >> Tell me. >> how it starts. I'm starting on the Daily. Show. >> They've done the craziest thing ever. They've gone. We are getting a South. African person. Just say African cuz the. South doesn't really help anyone. Doesn't Doesn't matter. >> We're getting an African. >> to replace John Stewart. >> The John Stewarts. >> Okay. >> Now we have to assemble a cast because. everyone that was with John Stewart. left. The only person who stayed. basically was. >> Clapper. >> Yeah. Jordan Clapper and I guess Hassan. technically, right? But of the like the.

legacy, everyone was like, "Oh yeah, we're gone. It's it's finished." Okay. Now they're like, "You have to build a. team around you, but we don't even know. who you are. >> So compliment you.". >> So I'm getting tapes, I'm getting. record, I'm getting everything. People. are like, "Try this person, look at this. person, try this person." And then it. was Neil Brennan. >> Mhm. >> Who sent he was like, if you are looking. for somebody, there are few human beings. who are funnier and deserve it more than. Roywood Jr. >> Wow. >> I was like, I don't know who Roywood Jr. is. >> Wow. >> And then somebody told me Roy was.

performing at the comedy cellar. So I go. down to the comedy cellar. I watch Roy. perform. One of the funniest bits I've. ever seen. I still remember it till this. day. It was a bit about how gangs do. they have like middle management in a. gang? >> Yeah. Supervisors. >> Do they have supervisors? Cuz a gang is. an establishment. And he had this bit. about like if you have an establishment, you got to have middle management. You. got to have a supervisor. So, is there. someone who goes to each of the gang. members and critiques their swag? But. it's it's an amazing but it's phenomenal. phenomenal joke, right? >> Like a performance review in a. >> Yeah. And it was one of the funniest.

premises I've ever seen. And I was like, "This is hilarious." So I go immediately. to the Daily Show people. I'm like, "I. found a guy." They're like, "Okay, we're. gonna audition him." I was like, "No, no, I found he's the guy.". >> Forget the audition. He's the guy. >> They're like, "Well, that's not how this. works cuz you African." I'm like, "Whatever. We just do the thing.". They're like, "No, we have procedures. here. >> Has he done sexual harassment?". [laughter]. >> Yes, I have. >> So, they bring So, they bring Roy in. Roy does the audition. I mean, he's Roy. It's one of the funniest people. Immediately, everyone's on board. But.

now we are jumping into a show that's. starting in how long? >> 3 weeks. >> 3 weeks after we meet. So now we already. have to jump in as comedic friends, office mates, partners. There's no. onboarding. There's no there's no long. getting to know you process. >> Merging on the freeway from the left. >> That's exactly what it is. It's merging. instantly. >> And the thing that got me about this guy. was I work with comedians all the time. Comedians are never serious. Comedians. are everything is a joke. Roy is like. the antithesis of that. that it's like.

Royce starts from serious and then turns. into the funniest human being you've. ever come across in your life. But every. day, every day, >> consistently. >> Let's put it this way. In the first. five weeks that we worked together, if. you had asked me who do you think here. is going to shoot someone, I would have. picked Roy. >> in the first six weeks. >> But that's because I didn't I. >> There's a reason for my intensity, though. But keep going. >> Okay. I'm glad you acknowledged it. >> Do you have a gun? >> No, no, no. But I I I No. Here's what it.

is about Roy. Here's what it is. >> Is like [laughter] first of all, I also. didn't know who shoots people. Like that. this is before I like live a Vietnam. still. But you know what I mean? [laughter] You know what I mean? No. No. What I mean is like, you know, in time. who shoots people in America, you know, like the vibe. >> He didn't know the dead eyes. He didn't. know how to American dead eyes. >> No. I just went, "This person from the. movies I've watched, [laughter]. >> this guy's going to shoot people. One. day he's going to come in. He's going to. say, "Screw all of this.". >> No, but he'll shoot specific people. Roy. had that vibe.

>> Yeah. >> Roy didn't seem like a shoot everyone. kind of guy. >> He had a list. >> All right. Like he wrote numbers on the. bullets and then he would just tell you. a number, but he wouldn't tell you what. it means. All right. Four. I got you. [laughter]. >> That's what Roy seemed like. >> And every day I would meet this man and. I go, "How does he transform?". Because. leading up to rehearsal, everything was. serious. We would get out there. I. remember the first show we did, the. first jokes, it was about the Pope.

>> and Roy came on and you know, people. were already like, "The Daily Show is. not going to work." This our saving. grace, the home run that everyone agreed. on, >> the Pope gag. >> was Roywood Jr. people were like, "Man, I don't know about this new Daily Show, but that Roywood Jr. guy, >> you got to be damned.". >> They were like, "Man, this this guy is.". And I remember telling the story. I was. like, "That was so fun." And I was. laughing. I was like, "That was amazing. That was funny." And Roy was like, "We. got to do it again tomorrow." Like. >> before, [laughter]. >> so. let me explain the intensity. [laughter].

>> So for context, >> 2014, I had a sitcom end and Sullivan. and Son on TBS. It ran three seasons. At. the end of every season, myself, the. star Steve Burn, Vince Vaughn, we would. sit with Steve [ __ ] who at the time was. the head of TBS, right? and we'd have a. little celebratory dinner and yay. See. you guys next year. Season two. We do. season two. See you season 3. We do. season 3. See you guys season 4. A week.

later, Steve [ __ ] leaves TBS, and the new person comes in, Michael. Wright, and he cancels everything but. Conan O'Brien. And in my head, I had. already season 4 is happening. >> You planned your life around this. >> and then it snatched away from you. Then. I'm a drift for a year and I'm doing. ESPN. I got a buddy from FAMU who I. graduated journalism school with. He was. a producer. He goes, "Hey, I don't know. if you know this woman, Jamal Hill, but. she has a show that comes on at 2:00.

with Michael Smith. What you want to So. I'm doing all of these free spots on. ESPN. for about a year. >> I book a pilot with Germaine Fowler for. ABC. It's Germaine Fowler and Whoopy. Goldberg. network loves it. >> It's looking like we're going to go to. series, but it fought and this story is. as it was told to me. I'm don't go back. to Whoopy Goldberg and say I said it's. as it was told to me. >> at [snorts] the time. The View was going. through a co-host change and Whoopi was.

going through contract negotiations. The. contract for our sitcom was also with. ABC. >> Yeah. >> ABC, as it was told to me, go to Whoopy. and like, "Hey, what's up with the. sitcom? We doing the sitcom?" And. Whoopi's like, "Well, what's up with the. co-host? Cuz the sitcom is the thing to. do in addition to the view. The view is. the main thing, so we got to get that. straight. And ABC was like, "Well, that's going to take a little longer.". All right. Well, I guess we ain't doing. the sitcom. Take it away. Two weeks later, Neil Brennan calls me.

and says that you want to see me. >> No way. >> And that he thinks if I can get to New. York and do a set and if you can see me. do this set, then it might be an. opportunity to audition for the Daily. Show. Meanwhile, >> it's like I get on the plane, I go to. [ __ ] I go to New York. I've just had. two short things get snatched away from. me. And the only reason I booked. Sullivan and Son was because I was. friends with Steve Burn. I'd have been. I'd been in LA 7 years. I hadn't done. [ __ ] bro. Couldn't book nothing. I just.

couldn't just the city didn't work out. for me. >> Mhm. >> So, I was getting ready to move to New. York anyway. Then my girl at the time called me and. tell me she pregnant. So now I got this set that I can do in. New York and I got a kid on the way and. I'm doing fine on the road. I I did the. road 15 years. So but you don't want to. keep doing that. I don't want to do 45. weekends. So yeah, every [ __ ] joke I'm not.

going to [ __ ] up. If this doesn't work, it won't be because I did not execute. I. ain't coming in here chuckling with. nobody. I ain't coming in here to Kiki. Nobody's an enemy. But I'm here to do. the job. I'm here to [ __ ] demolish my. audition. I was so proud of this. My audition for the Daily Show. There. was a story about a black kid in West. Virginia. This is 2015 Peak Confederate.

flag. Brie Newsome. Climb the pole. Snatch it down. There was a kid. There. was a black kid in West Virginia who had. a Confederate flag tattoo. >> Mhm. And it was basically, "Oh, I'm. black and I ain't tripping no on. Confederate flag." And I pitch a chat. between me and Trevor where I defend the. black kid on the grounds that he's black. in West Virginia. >> He has to get a tattoo so he can survive. the walk home. It's camouflage. >> Matter of fact, I'm going to go to West.

Virginia and rescue this kid. And I roll. up my sleeve. >> and reveal a temporary Confederate. tattoo [laughter]. >> that I put on myself. >> That's funny. >> That morning. >> That's funny. >> At a FedEx office. >> I'm at a FedEx office at 7:00 in the. morning, the morning of my daily show. audition, printing Confederate flags. [laughter]. onto stickers. and fitting them. Yes. [laughter] This.

one's too big. I need to print another. This one's too small. Oh, I need to. print another and using my graphic. design skills. [ __ ] [laughter]. >> know exactly how long it takes. And I. was like, >> and I made a Confederate flag and I. stuck that [ __ ] on my arm and I brought. the cuff on my sleeve down. I was like. this the whole audition and then. revealed that [ __ ]. >> Tada. >> And so that's where the intensity came. from because I'm like, I can't lose this. job. This has to work. And I got to feed. this boy when he show up.

>> Mhm. So just every day became this. intense not only be funny but what is. the interesting thing about blackness. cuz that was the thing I was. appreciative about was that dude the. first three stories. it was police reform. and then the second piece and this is. one I didn't think he was going to. prove. So, it's the 20th anniversary of the.

Million Man March. We've been on the air. two weeks, and you know how you're. trying to figure out how black you can. be in a space, >> and I'm like, "Fuck it, man." You Ronnie. Chain was the one that gave me the. courage to pitch it. I go into the pitch. meeting in the field meet. I go, "Yeah. Uh, it's the 20th anniversary of the. Million Man March. I think there's some. comedy there. Um, we should go." They. go, "You sure?" Yeah. not only we should. go, we should talk to somebody in the.

Nation of Islam. See if you can book. that. [laughter]. And they're like, like the field. producers like, "Okay, well, what's the. angle?" I give them the angle on it. And. they're like, "Okay." Cuz no matter what. you pitch, it's got to go to Trevor and. the producers. And then they go, "Yes or. no.". >> So we get into the the pitch meeting. [laughter] with Trevor and the. producers. And we're like, "Yeah, there's this thing happening in DC with. a lot of black people and it's scaring. the whites who are in DC and I just want.

to go talk to the white people and see. why they scared. If you're not racist, why are you bothered with black people. just fellowshipping?". >> And Trevor's like. >> like fellowshipping. >> And Trevor goes, "Yeah, do it." And it. was one of the best pieces we did. And. it's one of those things where I'm like, "Okay. I get to really de dive into how I see. the world and what the comedy of that. could be and like the Confederate thing. and the audition. And then when they. send me and Clipper on that ride along.

to start the season. >> and then when that when the Million Man. March piece got approved as my second. piece out the door, I was like, "Okay, this is a good I. I called my girl. All right, you you can. move here now. >> We're good. >> I think it's going to be all right." And. it's it's so funny how we we don't. >> we don't necessarily know other people's. intentions, perspectives, and. experiences while we we're in the same. space as them. You know, there's there's. always that uh I don't I don't know I. don't even know where I read it first,

but it was a really beautiful passage. that said next time you see somebody in. the traffic or walking in the street and. they have a, you know, a scowl on their. face and they look at you and you feel. like they hate everyone, ask yourself. what is happening in their lives that's. making them feel like that because. they're just you on another day. >> Do you know what I mean? Mhm. >> And it's hard to think like that all the. time because we think the world is about. us as people. And what's fascinating to. me about this story is in my head I was.

the one fighting for my life with the. Daily Show. >> And you were just killing it. Like you. you you're one of the most effortless. comedians I've ever seen. So every day I. was I was going I don't know what I'm. going to do. I don't know if this is. going to work. But thank God I've got. Roywood Jr. Little did I know he was in. an office panicking looking through the. classifides [laughter]. >> checking for other jobs like all right. let's see graphic design just by the way. you know I always wonder about like the. butterfly effect [laughter] in life. >> do you ever think to yourself that.

there's somebody out there who worked in. that wherever you were whatever coffee. shop or king co whatever you. >> yeah yeah wherever you were. >> and they're telling people they're like. hey man you know that guy Roy Wood Jr. He used to work on the you know that. dude who's a secret confederate. [laughter]. >> No the FedEx where he was. >> Think about it. If you saw if you saw. Roywood Jr. >> printing out tattoos and putting them on. himself then pulling it in his sleeve. and then you saw him on the Daily Show. This one is good. >> You'll be like nah. You'll be like deep. down [laughter].

I know who he is. You go deep down I. know exactly who he is. >> Bro, that [ __ ] was a struggle. And I. mean [ __ ] even just getting to New York. once I got the job. The only reason I. was able to move to New York is cuz I. had Wendy Williams. My Wendy Williams I. auditioned for the show and the the the. Germaine Fowler Whippy Goldberg thing. dies. About a week later, I get a call. from Wendy Williams. She was doing like. a storytelling tour and wanted to open. her. So, I'm on the road with Wendy and. then I get the call for the audition and.

then I have to ask Wendy Williams, can I. have a day off? Which you're not. >> Yeah. You're not going to that. >> you're not supposed to. You get fired. You're like, "We just replace you. >> You go do the audition, but you will be. replaced.". >> You get all You got all the days off. >> Yeah. >> But Wendy goes, >> "Tell Trevor I said hello and I'll see. you tomorrow.". >> No way. >> So the next 10 days that I worked with. Wendy Williams, that was the [ __ ]. money to even get to New York to start. the job. Like you just get blessed along.

the way, but you just start looking at. like, I can't mess this up. So, I'm not. joking around with y'all. I didn't do no. sets at the I didn't do any comedy and. the city was just. >> came to work. >> for that those first three four months. until I felt like I had a grasp on what. I was doing. That's part of why I lived. close. >> I lived when I first moved, I lived four. blocks from the building cuz I didn't. even want to commute. I don't want to. think about [ __ ] I'm staying till 9:30.

every night and I'mma watch I'mma watch. and this I learned from you was. one day a week have try to have lunch. with a different. cluster of people within the building. >> Learn the building, learn the people, learn all the jobs because then you can. learn what jokes are possible and then. how fast a joke. >> can be. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. can be flipped. because then now I know I'm not pitching. something that graphic you're pitching a.

joke at 2:30 in the afternoon it's too. late. >> Yeah, >> we're already we're doing ideas are. locked. So you got till noon. So if you. got an idea for today, you need to serve. that when you hit the building at 7:30. in the morning like that. So. understanding the logistics of the. building and all of that like that. became the only thing that I wanted to. like just get right and then I just. figured everything else would take care. of itself. We're going to continue this. conversation right after the shot.com.

[music]. You know, I I feel like [music] when. when I look through your life, I feel. like you've. always been focused on hustling and. surviving and getting something right. and doing the right job and doing the. job the right way and being in the right. place and surviving and you know, and. then something flips when Henry comes. into your life, your son, right? cuz cuz.

your book and and you correct me if I'm. wrong, but like when I look at your. book, you know, the man of many fathers, the intention behind the book and the. message behind it almost feels like your. only goal now in life. is to be a good father. That's I and I. mean I even noticed this when I was with. you at the Daily Show. >> is like there there's there's a thing in. you that. that has become. focused you know there's there's. something in you that's just become.

about this thing now is everything in. service of and I I actually wanted to. know like why why the book like why why. the book and why the book about. fatherhood and being a father and what. being you know what your father meant to. you and didn't mean to you etc like why. why dad and why now? >> Cuz I didn't know my dad. I don't think I truly knew him. He also. died when I was 16. And then on top of. that, we never talked a lot about his.

being and who he was. Ground zero for it. was co when I did finding your roots. Like I had an inkling about like all. right am I gonna be present enough as. a father but co 20 to 21 was kind of. like the turning point because it's. I do find in your roots and then Henry. and I his mother and I we break up and.

so now I'm out of the house and it's. joint custody okay fine but in your head. you're like [ __ ] [ __ ] I'm losing time. I'm losing moment time. >> You lose half the tuckins. You lose half. the chitchats. And you know, [ __ ] he's going to know something about. he's missing time to observe me. All. right. [ __ ] he's got to and he needs to. know me. What if I die before he's 16? He's not going to know me. And then you.

realize how compartmentalized your. friendships are. >> Yeah. You know, I got partners I've been. tight with. since 8th grade. Not a lot, but they. only know so much of me because they're. not in New York. >> Yeah. >> And then I got partners here who I work. with, but they can't tell you nothing. about my personal life. They can't tell. you about the nuances of me. My son. would have to go around to all these. different folks and start piecing. together.

>> And I didn't want that for him. So, I. was like, well, what if I just put. something together? He needs values. If I'm gone tomorrow, what would I want. him to know about me? Okay. Well, what do you know about your dad? >> Huh? >> [ __ ] I don't know a lot. Okay. Well, then where did I learn all that stuff? And then you start realizing that. there's all these beautiful people that.

you got put in your life either for one. day or for you know flash in the pan or. for a lifetime that influenced you. And. so then I do finding your roots around. the same time. Finding your roots I find. out that my dad lost his father when he. was four. I did not know that. >> It was never told to me. I don't have. much of a relationship with my father's. side of the family. I I'm the ninth of. 11 kids. I'm my mother's only child. I.

got a gang of half siblings. We talk. about dad a little bit, but I don't know. folklore. I don't know cousins and any. of that [ __ ] I I got taken around my. dad's side of the family twice before he. died. I don't know. I ain't never seen. you. Don't know. I'm sure you're a good. person, but I just don't [ __ ] know. you. So. sitting on finding your roots, finding. that out. Then in that same episode, my dad walked with a limp. He had a um. he had a hip implant. He had a hip he.

had a prosthetic hip from when he was a. teenager because he was trying to. a woman he was he was in high school and. a woman had just broken up with him and. so he was trying to like he's trying to. get her back. You're trying to get back. to trying to get your girl back. You. know, somebody pulled your girl, now. you're trying to get her back. And and. running behind her, like literally. running behind her, got hit by a car. And so walk with a limp the rest of his. life. Walk with a prosthetic that had to.

be extended for the rest of his life. You're 13 when it happens. What does that do to your psyche? What. does that do to you as. as a as a human? And how does it change. your relationship with women. >> for the rest of your life? How does it. change how you see women? How does it. change how you see love? >> With a daily reminder. >> Yeah. And you start treating people like. they are disposable in that part of your. life because you were disposed of.

by a woman. And granted, it's teenage. love, but still. >> Yeah. >> Rejection is rejection. >> That's the most scarring the most. scarring years for love, man. So it gave. me a different perspective. So a lot of things that I was really. upset about with him when my son was. born, I'd already kind of started the. process of letting him go. But then once. once he was once I did finding your. roots and then I was out of the house.

and not in a regular 24-hour status with. him, there became this heightened sense. of. no. now because I don't know what's going to. happen. He knows his mom's side. He. knows all of them. He sees those. relatives on a regular basis, >> right? I'm closer with my two younger. half siblings than I am my olders. I keep in touch with the olders, but not. on some every year get together and eat. ribs type [ __ ] We don't do it. So, you.

know, when I go home to visit my my mom, some of my half siblings may stop by the. house, say hey to him, you know. So, you're aware. But. there is nobody in my son's life, there's nobody in my life who in my. absence could accurately submit the man. that I am to my son. >> H. So I write a book. >> Yeah. But you you didn't you didn't just.

write a book though. you. you revealed yourself cuz I I I think we. have two options when we write a book. maybe maybe even three you know like one. is to write a story of how we wish to be. perceived. >> Another story we can write is how we are. perceived. And then the third option is. to write about who we really are and how. we think. >> And what I what I found.

like most interesting about your story. and how you wrote it was. you're grappling the whole time. I don't. feel like you figured out anything in a. good way. By the way, you know what I. mean? I don't I don't read this and it's. neatly tied up in a bow. I Yeah. I don't. I don't read about your relationship. with your dad and go like and then it. all worked out, you know? It's like No, no, there's there's none of that. like I. I it feels like this this gradual. unraveling and this stripping and I I.

don't think you can separate it from. where the book starts. Like you you've. got this this great story where you talk. about um being in the airport and. you. you bump into a fellow comedian. He's. buying a Father's Day card. >> Yeah. >> And he basically asks you, "Are you. getting a Father's Day card?" And you. realize you've never bought a Father's. Day card. >> Never. But what I found funny in that. moment is like you start talking about. how limited Father's Day cards are. You. know, it's like best dad ever to the man.

who taught me how to fish, you know, to. my favorite camping buddy. And then. Royy's like where's the one where it's. like I didn't really know you, >> but [laughter] uh if I did, I guess it. might have been great. Like where's And. >> we're the genuine ones. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like, you know what I mean? >> [laughter]. >> Like from that moment I was just like. man we're in for a journey on this. And. so if this was the Daily Show, I'd be. like, I like to talk to the greeting. card industry to understand why. [laughter].

who writes the greeting cards and who. sets up the narrative that fatherhood is. always perfect and not stressful. Cuz. like even with Mother's Day, there's. always we had our ups and downs. still sentimental. But I but I think. look, if I was to guess, I would say the. reason for that is because. >> of what you've sort of written about is. because most fathers don't have. sentimental. And I say most and I, you. know, people be like, "Where do you get. your numbers?" I'm guessing. probably the times we've lived through, the times we're in, but I don't know.

many people where they can truly say. that their fathers have been sentimental. with them. So when you're buying your. dad a Father's Day card, you're buying a. Father's Day card because they've told. you it's Father's Day for the most part, right? >> But you're a small minority as well. >> Exactly. But when you look at like moms. and women, they've generally lived in a. world of like actually expressing the. sentimentality, the feeling, how they, you know, like I'll give you a simple. example. >> When I was flying from South Africa back. to New York, >> my mom said to me, I always go say.

goodbye to her, you know, before I. travel. And then my mom said to me. something that I was like, "This is too. beautiful for a human." She said to me, "Please send me a picture of the first. flower you see when you when you get to. New York. And [snorts] I was like, damn. It was. such a like. >> she said, "Please send me a flower. >> of the first picture you see in New. York." Now, I didn't realize how few. flowers there are when she said that. No, I genuinely did. It was like, "Land. land at Newark, drive in drive." You're. like, "Man, there's no flowers." But.

besides the point, it was such a. sentimental soft, >> you know, it wasn't like, "All right, kid. You go out there and you work hard. You uh you do your best. You're here.". >> Yeah. You know, >> I I I I struggle with that with my son. and making sure that that's not my. default, you know, and just, you know, be a man and you're like, "Oh, no, he. needs a hug in this instance." So, give. him a hug. It's also made me more.

vulnerable with him. in the dayto-day. >> Yeah. And then I like I had to. there was someone that works for me that. no longer works for me. And in making. that decision to sever that. relationship, he was the first person I talked about. it with. >> Oh wow. >> He's nine. But you know, hey man, how you doing? Not good. I had to. >> Oh wow. >> This person not vibing. >> And that's no different than you not.

getting along with somebody. >> at the park. and it gave him agency. It. gave him agency to ask questions if he. wanted to ask questions about the thing. And so that helps to bring us closer. But, you know, I try to put some humor. in the book and I feel like it's funny, but I just also felt like it was the. right time to write about these stories. and these people because I think other. folks could get something out of it just. in some of the values that I learned. from certain folks. And you know it it.

but it's not like that's why I struggle. with calling it like a memoir and cuz. it's like I don't know if it's full life. and times and. >> I dabble in some entertainment stories. but I don't I kind of dabble in personal. life a little bit. >> but it's all early stories in my. personal life. Everything else is just. people I've met along the way and just. odd jobs and stuff like that. that well. you know when you when you start off the. book it reminded me of something I I. learned in therapy. I always used to.

think and I think most of us think that. we are most affected by the people who. are in our lives. >> We often take for granted that we can be. affected most by the people who were not. in our lives. And I think there's a lot. of men in the world and women as well. but I know a lot of men who will draw a. lot of their issues and things in life. to their mom. Mhm. >> Oh, my mom was like this and my mom did. this and my mom did that. And you'd be. like, "What about your dad?" Well, my. dad wasn't really around so it wasn't, you know, he didn't really. >> And only in therapy did I learn it was.

like, "Oh, no, no, no. That's, you know. what I mean? That that that that. gaping hole thing. >> taught you this.". >> Taught you this. >> Yeah. You grew a limb because of that. >> Exactly. You This missing. >> Yeah. >> made you compensate in this way. >> This not being there made you feel this. way that you do you know what I mean? And it's interesting because. >> it's actually good. Yeah. cuz you you do. write in the book and you're very quick. to say it in the beginning and in a. beautiful way. You go, look, my mom was. my everything. My mom built this world. She's my rock, my s, you know, the women.

in my life. And you're like, that's a. story for another book. But you're like, but right now, I want to write this book. about fathers. And you explain it. through the lens of your son. But even. in that moment, I felt like I was like, damn, we take for granted how. how many people grow up and live in a. world where their moms have to bear the. burden of being both parents and so in a. way don't get the joy of being the full. version of who they are. Do you know. what I'm saying? >> Of being one role,

>> they get robbed. >> and also just being one person. >> Yeah. you're robbed. Like that to the. gap and hole thing like that was part of. it. And and it's weird because a lot of. that I didn't even discover until I. started writing. >> Like I don't even think some of that. stuff came out in therapy. So like the. idea of. hustle, hustle, hustle and do it myself. to a detriment as you've often told me. Like [laughter]. the idea of doing like Trevor is telling. me sometimes like Trevor will just see.

me like post some random event that I'm. done or some [ __ ] and he'll just come. he'll come in my office. You don't have. to say yes to everything. You can say no sometimes and just go. home. It's okay. But my brain is still. in. >> hustle. >> TBS Whoopy Goldberg. Like there's a. trauma with that, right? But even. predating that, when I look at. there were times where my parents,

>> they didn't necessarily argue about. money, but my pops could use money to. manipulate the house, right? So if there was a week stretch or a two. week stretch where he just ain't going. to pay a bill. This is a man that is. highly respected and like his resume is. bulletproof when it comes to what he's. done for black Americans and what he. dedicated himself to and what he. destroyed his psyche to do for us. But. also this [ __ ] might not pay the gas. bill tonight. So, you going to freeze or.

you going to go walk the neighborhood. and rake leaves so you can make the. money. so your mom can go to law school or. finish law school at that point? I don't. need her dropping out to get another. job. >> Mhm. >> I'll go get it. I'll work. I'll figure. [clears throat] it out. So, at minimum, how can I not be a burden to my mom? Okay. Well, money is always a burden in. this house. And once we moved to.

Birmingham, I kind of talk a little bit. in the book. I I. >> you become more sentient of your parents. stresses. >> Yeah, >> definitely. >> Somewhere in middle school, late. elementary, middle school, >> you can look at him and go, "Oh, I'm. [ __ ] having a bad day today.". >> You're less selfishly involved in your. own wants. So, this idea of damn, I know I know she'd. be stressing about money cuz I see your. body language when I ask for $10 for the. field trip.

>> Yep. >> All right, bet. I'mma put my Nintendo. tapes in the paper. I've been watching. my pops long enough. I know how to. secondhand some [ __ ] I'm going to put a. garage sale in the paper. It cost $10. Bargain Birmingham News just have. something called bargain bananas. Anything under $100, they would put in. the paper for free. So I would put my. entire bedroom in the paper for free. Saturday pick up only 9 to noon and I. put a table out that [ __ ] and I sit in. the front yard with some Boston baked. beans and just sell old toys and sell.

old Nintendo tapes or whatever. And so. this idea of becoming self-sufficient, that [ __ ] felt good. So, you know, I was. working, you know, they don't care about. they don't enforce child labor laws like. that. And what I peep is that if I had a. job that would only give me 20 hours, I. could just go work temp service. As soon. as I leave this job, I'm going to go. down to labor ready or labor finders. They going to get me outside in the. construction 475 at a time when minimum.

wage was 4 and a quarter. >> So that's good money. >> You had a crazy list of jobs. I mean, this this man worked. >> you you were sweeping the parking lot. outside uh. >> Church's Chicken. >> Church's Chicken. >> in West End at the time, >> right? One day you went and worked at a what. was it like a concrete factory. >> quickrete in Columbia, South Carolina. >> I will say that story is funny because. Roy every story is like I went in and I. worked hard and I did my best and I.

stayed there and then Quickrete he's. like nah man I'm out. [laughter]. The hardest I've ever worked is the. Quickrete factory in Columbia, South. Carolina. Bro, I've never understood. heat. [laughter]. >> And so, you know what quickrete is? It's. the fake. It's the concrete, the wet. You add water. >> Yes. >> There's a machine that's got all the. quickrete powder and it comes down into. a funnel into a bag.

>> No, but wait, wait. You got to you got. to set this up from the beginning cuz. you have to understand how this man got. there. This is what makes it better for. me. Cuz if you went to Quickrete to get. a job, I'll go like, "Oh, well, this is. part of the course." No, the day the day. starts with Roy. >> and a a room of grown men. >> 5:00 a.m. >> 5:00 a.m. >> How old are you at this time, bro? >> Uh early 20s, 21 22. >> Yeah. >> But this is while I'm on the road doing. standup. So, I'm doing standup. In those. days, you had comedy clubs that would be.

six day run. So, in Colombia, there used. to be a club, Comedy House Theater. They. would book the MC for a twoe run. >> Mhm. >> So, you're in town for 14 days. They're. there. May as well get a part time job. >> Get a [ __ ] job. But what are you. doing all day? [laughter]. >> Thank you. >> Oh, Roy special, man. Roy, you're. special. >> Go get a job. So, I would just go, you. drive down to Labor Ready, you sign in, and if you got work boots, they put you. on. You get staffed faster if you got. >> work boots. >> Yeah. If you got work boots and a dude.

will just go, "All right, Wood Jenkins. Turner, y'all working the Quick Creek. van outside." You go get on a van. They. drop you off at a [ __ ] factory at. 8:00 in the morning. It's already 90°. >> and it's a big aluminum shed that's. baking. >> hot. >> and and inside just for and mind you, all I work is food service. I work air. conditioned like but to work to make.

quick money the money's outside. You got. to sweep leaves. You got to do yard. So. >> I'm outside in the heat. >> and there's a big ass machine that's. just pumping quickrete into a bag and. then the bag falls off that nozzle and. just goes down a conveyor belt. And at. the end of the conveyor belt, you just. lift this 10 lb bag of concrete and you. put it on a um on a forklift pallet. >> You stack that [ __ ] eight high. Somebody come in with the cellophane, wrap that [ __ ] Forklift man come in,

pick it up, take it to the truck, they. put down a new pallet, wash, rinse, repeat for eight hours. >> And I'm the bag man and I'm just loading. the pallet. And you think that this. isn't a lot, [snorts] but this. >> for eight hours. >> from shoulder height, 10 lbs from up. high [laughter] to down low. >> One Direction. >> One Direction. >> This is called loading. That's what that. is. and you're 20 and this is a grown. man and they're yelling at you cuz. you're not moving fast enough and the. the powder's in the air and it mixes.

with your sweat. So now you have. concrete naps in your hair [laughter]. >> and you got a show tonight. [laughter]. >> You still have a show to do. So you get. back to the room at 5:30 and you're just. like washing concrete [laughter] out of. your hair. >> and then the drains. >> Yeah. And then at [clears throat] seven. o'clock tonight, you got to be on stage. Man, the Confederate flag. Crazy, MAN. [laughter].

14. I I did that job two days and then. they moved me to a church. They were. building a mega church and we were just. scraping spackle off the concrete. foundation. But that was so hard, so. hot. Like I've never worked like that in. my life. But it gave me such an. appreciation and understanding. for construction and just bluecollar. work in this country as a whole. Man, you meet some people, man. You meet some. really interesting people doing. construction. I think everybody in this.

country. either food service or work outdoors for. one year. >> They should have. >> every everybody every single person in. this country just on some mandatory. We ain't gonna get them to go to the. military, but I think everybody should. do food service or work outside. >> So funny you say that. We had a we had. an episode with Trese McMillan Cotm. >> Yeah. >> And she heard her she was saying like if. she ruled the world, she would make it. that everyone had to work in the service. industry or everyone. It's it's almost.

exactly what you're saying. >> Yeah. >> Because she drew a line between. >> how we perceive other people in these. jobs and whether or not we know what. it's like to be in them. Mhm. >> Like when you told me. >> you or when I mean you told me I read it. in the book, but like how you worked in. fast food and cuz you have. I mean what would the right word be? A. disturbingly. intimate relationship with fast food. [laughter]. >> Let me let me tell you something. Roywood Jr.

I would pitch food segments [laughter]. >> every single week. >> Off sugar every single week. >> They would go viral. >> Roy would say to me, "Yo, so I've. noticed that Popeye's is launching a new. chicken sandwich. I think what we should. do is we do it." Then I go, "Wait, wait, wait. What's Popeye's?" "Oh, it's a. chicken joint. It's a chicken joint.". Then I'm like, "Oh, is it everything?". Then Roy and Royy's the most detailed. person I know. So Roy won't just say to. you, it's a chicken joint. you'd be. like, "It's a chicken joint that started. in the in the ' 50s, '60s." And uh now.

down south, it wasn't the biggest. You. got Bojangles and a few other chains. that have really been blowing up over. that section. And you know, it's not. that big on the West Coast, but over. here you got you got Popeyes and Popeyes. is pretty big. And Popeye's normally. known for their for their pieces. They're not really known. They're not. like KFC and Chick and then and he'd. take me down this deep rabbit hole. >> Is for sandwiches. Popeyes is for. chicken. KFC is for a full meal. >> with a mash. This man knows life through. the lens of fast food. I don't I don't. know how. I don't You have the most.

intimate relationship with fast food. We. would do segments on the show like and I. would just mention the McRib in passing. and then McDonald's would just send me. like 20 McRib coupons. Were you there? You were there when Mountain Dew sent. the Baja Blast. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Tabasco sauce. Hot sauce. >> Yeah, we were talking about Baja Blast. Do you remember when you made the um you. had like um it was like a mafia style. thing on your on your social media? >> Oh, the coalition. >> The co it was the chicken wars or. something because I think it was because.

Popeye made the burger, right? Because. Popeye's made the burger. Roy [laughter]. did this whole thing. >> Let me tell you something. If someone. should win a Pulit surprise. >> for that. >> for fast food analysis and like their. writings and their thinking. I I've. always wondered like what not what is it. about fast food but you have this. >> what connects us. >> Yeah. But it's something deeper than. that Roy. There's something there's. something you. >> I don't know. >> It's all an analogy for life. So I the.

coalition was basically a drama. involving chicken sandwiches plotting. against Popeyes because Popeye's was. [ __ ] up the supply game because the. Popeye's chicken sandwich at the time. was essentially a new drug. And imagine. >> how would all the old drug dealers. >> established with their clientele. >> and this guy is getting all new. We got. to kill him. >> We got to kill him. How do we take out. Popeye's? And so I sat during CO and. just did stop motion animation with real. sandwiches that I collected from all.

over the city and shot a drama and put. it on YouTube and it connected with. people in a way because I feel like each. fast food. >> there's. they have a personality. Yeah. >> There's a relatability. this this fast. food company exudes this type of person. or you're this type of person if you eat. this type of stuff. So, it's all very. regional. It's almost like college. football in a way, too. Everybody's got. a team. Everybody's got somebody they.

love. They got somebody they hate. >> Yeah. But Roy, you know it. >> way too intimately. No, what I mean by. this is like you can ask someone if you. said someone like, "Oh, who goes to KFC? Who goes to, you know, In-N-Out? Who. goes they'll they'll give you an. answer." Yeah, >> let me tell you, Roy, >> if any of these companies need a. consultant, they should come to this. man. >> I [laughter] think you know things about. the supply chain, the quality of the. food, where the food has been sourced, how it's been sourced, what it's all. about. Like in the most serious way you.

can. >> they change suppliers and then that. affects the recipe. Like even down to the water that they. use to make biscuits, it can change how. biscuits taste from different reason. But it's the same [ __ ] with bagels. It's. just nobody thinks that it might also. apply to the biscuits, but it does. >> That's why fast food chains taste. different in different regions. sometimes. >> I wonder when when you think like this, right, and then I I think back to your.

dad. It's interesting that you say, "I didn't. know him." And yet from my reading of. you, so much of you seems like a deep knowing. of him. >> Well, because I'm him. >> H. And that's also. a mind. a mind [ __ ]. Is looking at yourself and going, "Oh, let's see. I care about people. Check.

Okay. I figured out a way to use my gift to. enrich and educate people. Okay. Check. Healthy distrust of close relationships. Check. Damn. I'm just doing what he do. I'm. just a little funnier than him. Hm. >> You know, I still have I was I was. looking at my phone earlier because I. was trying to find this, but it's like I. will have like a random. premise and then it's something that.

gets to a deeper thing, but I don't know. how to make it. like funny to me. And like there's. there was a movie called the the. assignment with Michelle Rodriguez. where. a male hitman is turned into to get. revenge on a hitman. A male hitman is. turned into a woman.

>> Sounds familiar. When was this? >> And so now the woman hitman [laughter]. is looking for the surgeon that turned. her into a woman. >> to reverse the. >> or get revenge. >> [laughter]. >> And so. how this movie was 2018 2019 maybe. >> okay. >> so a bigger conversation about. transphobia like that movie in its core. >> is to me. >> now how I get to the joke I don't know. [laughter]. >> figure it out. >> but the challenge of that like that.

>> that's the stuff that's the material. that excites me. >> but that's what but that's what I mean. but this this is this is what I mean. about being your father's son, right? And and and and what your book goes. through in so many ways is [snorts] your. dad was living this life. Like I I love. that you do the checking of the boxes. and the natural question that it brings. me to is. how do you then choose? You talk a. little bit about auditing. One of one of. the most beautiful lines in the book,

and I'll paraphrase it in case I get it. wrong, but you basically say, "Nothing. makes you audit your relationship with. your parents like having a child of your. own.". >> Because when you have a child of your. own, you then have to ask yourself what. you want them to take of you. >> But then you then have to ask yourself. who you really are. And in asking. yourself who you really are, you have to. ask yourself who made you that way. What. are the worst parts of you? >> Exactly. >> And how do you not accidentally infuse.

those things. >> into the child unknowingly? >> Which means you have to be conscious of. the fact that something as simple as. saying I love you. Pops ain't do that. >> from the old school. So he just buy you. some food. Like it's like one of them. old school black jokes where your mama. come in you hungry after she done gave. you a whooping or some [ __ ] [laughter]. Like that's that's what my dad was. My. dad was. >> educator and provider.

>> I'll tell you I'll tell you something. that's that scares me to that point. where I don't know if I'm doing what he. did. So my parents were separated the. first until till third grade. Yeah. >> That's when my parents got back. together. >> So my mother and I lived in Memphis. before we moved in with him in. Birmingham. [snorts]. My pops would come to Memphis. once a month and he'd stay for a day and. a half, maybe two days, but he would. sleep half of that. And knowing what I.

know now, >> you wasn't sleeping. >> You older. You're older dude. You want a. nap. I'm 46. I want a nap. This mother. was knocking 70. So yeah, you want a nap. and you drove three and a half hours and. you work mornings and night. He did. morning radio for five hours and then he. did an evening jazz. >> and talk he'd do a talk show in the. afternoon and that would roll into a. jazz show. >> Yeah. >> So yeah, just tired. >> But he would always bring me a truck. He'd bring me like a little toy truck.

from some truck stop or some [ __ ] or. whatever and. I play with the truck, but they were all. forgettable toys. nothing that stood. out. And then fast forward, I'd say maybe two years ago, let's just say second grade. When my son. was in second grade, he's in fourth. grade now. Let's just say second grade. First grade it became sentient about me.

being gone. >> Yeah. [snorts]. >> You know, cuz I cuz I cuz I'm I'm out I. move out of the house. So it's kind of a. you know dad where are you type thing. and we're explaining to him the the. dynamics of what coarin would be and. then I think that second grade I felt my. relationship with him becoming a little. bit more sentient and him missing me. >> h. >> like man where you been man I want to. throw I want you know he wants to do the. things he just wants to be with his pops.

and that would have held true even if I. were under the same roof. Yeah, >> but that [ __ ]. hurt. They never been missed by nobody, >> you know, >> or no one's told you they've missed you. >> Okay. And so. this idea of all right, well, when I'm. gone, he needs to know why I'm gone. So. the relationship becomes a little bit. more communicative when I'm when I'm.

gone. >> Yeah. >> Here's a video of the thing. I'll send. that to his tablet. We we'll FaceTime. here and there, but I more so enjoy. sending him V. Perfect example. He loves. trains, transportation, planes, all that. So, if. it's a city he's never been to, I'm. first person POV camera from the time I. get off the plane. Show him the whole. airport. Shoot that nice 7 minute video. Break that [ __ ] down into two-minute. chunks so it can send quicker. And then.

I'll get on the train that that morning. I would we did 20 cities in 30 days. through Canada last year and every day I. rode mass transit in the morning to go. get a paper and would just ride the. train all day. Here's the train. Here's. it. So I look like a tourist which. really used to scare me because now I. look robbable. [laughter]. You know what I'm saying? like my, you know, my spidey senses is just.

>> Yeah, your paranoia is off the charts. right now. >> I I'm from the at the time the most. murderous zip code in Birmingham, >> like facts. >> So, my paranoia is justified. That PTSD. that comes with you in a nice little. knapsack. So, I'll send videos and. sometimes I'll bring a little toy, a. little souvenir. And now I rack my brain. on when he's older. Does he equate that to me trying to be. connected or does he look at it the way.

I look at the trucks? It's just a. fickle, lazy, huh, [ __ ]. >> That's an interesting It's an. interesting one. >> But you you don't know for another 30. years. You ain't going to know till he. has his kid probably. >> You know, the the thing yesterday was. when we were discussing this episode, if. you'd allow me, was. I knew I was not going to read the book. and I didn't want to because I wanted to. experience the book through you. But I. experienced a bit of you from him. Then. I remember saying I don't think from. this conversation Roy has ever been a.

child. >> Yeah. You didn't say that. >> I said he's never been a child. But what. we find is what you've explained about. kids and parenting is that kids if. there's more than one sibling in a. household, they'll experience parents. differently because children allow you a. chance to reinvent yourself. >> Correct. >> So you become whoever you want them to. be. I mean you want them to see as it. goes. Having one child is the ultimate. gift and curse because they experience. you transforming in front of them. So. you can never have that one idea that.

you think they will have of you. >> But what happened was I think your dad. his practicality showed up in real life. when you were growing up and in your. life right now as a grown-up because. when he was older obviously and you were. younger, he understood that he didn't. have time. He wasn't going to see you as. a 25-year-old man if you take the age. gap. M. >> so he knew that he had to be practical. with you. So what he had to do was he. had to make you a father. and your child made you a son because.

you out here now you are playing. You're. taking videos. You're taking pictures of. things. You're looking like a tourist. You want to be a child. You want to hug. him. You want to show him that you love. him. So those those are your gifts. Those are the things that he left you. with. He made you a father. Your son. made you a a a child. And that's what. you must take with you. But often it. happens that we want to live vicariously. sometimes and we get fixated in the. mistakes of others. And in life there. comes that time where you equalize. Now. you understand why your dad had to take.

that nap. >> Yeah. >> At first you might have thought he's. avoiding me. He doesn't want to be it. Now you understand exactly why. [laughter]. >> I want to nap so bad. working at Quick. Street. You understand? [laughter]. >> And and and and that's what I find. whenever Trevor and I have conversation, we we get to that point where we like. how do we reconcile our pasts and make. peace with it. And I think with this. conversation right here, from the little. that I know of you, and I'm sure there's. a lot to find out, is you are.

reconciling, balancing the books, you. took the good, you discarded the bad, and you're infusing it now in your life. And your dad lives through you and your. son lives through you. So I think that. gap and that distance between what your. dad could have been in your life and. what you want to be in your son's life. is visible in how you show up in your. son's life. >> That's beautiful. Thank you for that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I try now with him. >> to just be very verbal about. >> feelings, sharing feelings. To me.

>> to me the main thing is love and how. does that manifest? How do you receive. it? Yeah. >> Teach him how to receive it. Teach him. how to show it. >> If I can do that. >> Mhm. >> I'm good. >> Does he know how funny you are? >> Funny? No. But he knows. He knows. He is. aware of what I do. >> No, no, no. Does he know how funny you. are? >> I make him laugh. Does he laugh? That's. what I mean. Does he laugh at the jokes. that I do on CNN? >> No, forget that. I'm saying does he know.

how funny you are? >> How funny? No. But I can make him laugh. from time to time. >> Okay. Yeah. No, cuz got a sense of. humor, too. >> Yeah. But that's what I mean. That's. that's one of the things that I think we. take for granted is. >> this is this is what I felt when I was. reading the book, right? And I was. looking I was thinking of your dad and I. was going. >> I think one of the greatest gifts of one. of the greatest acts of love that you've. you've committed in this book is. you've processed your father through the. most generous lens possible,

which is love. You've got a man who had a another. family in the same town as you, and it. wasn't a secret, but it still holds a. bit of shame, you know, and you and your. mom are fighting against this thing. You. you you you've got this world where. you're trying to cement yourself and and. have the things that you you could have, but you don't have, and your dad's. withholding them from you. you know, he's not paying the gas bill because. he's fighting with your mom or he feels. like you and your mom are up against. him. So, he's going to make you both pay.

and not pay the gas bill or not pay the. electric bill. He's going to teach you. both a lesson. >> and you're like, "No, but I'm on your. side." And he's like, "No, you're not, boy. You're not on my team." You know. what I mean? >> Despite all of that, >> I read the book and I went, >> "Damn, I felt for your dad. I saw him as a. human being. I didn't see him as a as a. as a as a villain. I didn't see him as. you spend so much time trying to give. him the benefit of the doubt in a. beautiful way by the way that I was like. damn what a like what an act of love and.

I think. >> what it got me thinking about because I. think so many people go through this is. when your parents or when you are forced. to focus on survival we take for granted. how many elements of living we put aside. you know. >> love intimacy function joy, fiction, imagination, vision, >> just random things. We focus so much. Think about how many people have grown. up and are growing up in worlds where.

the only thing they're allowed to think. about is surviving. >> So your dad goes, "Roy, I need you to be. educated. >> And I need you to know how to navigate. the world. >> and watch out for these white people.". >> Exactly. But I I I can't teach you joy. >> And don't pay your taxes cuz they taking. a black man's right to vote away in 204. [laughter]. >> I'm just telling you this is the type of. [ __ ] we talking about. But we talking. about in the car. I'm like, >> "Yeah, but.

if you think about it though, if you if. you think [laughter] about it though, he. has to tell you that because he can't he. can't tell you how to have fun because. he didn't come from fun. He didn't have. fun. He didn't do you. You get what I'm. saying? It's so crazy. how that becomes. we lose out on this. The way I was. thinking of it was I was going. we always have to be careful especially. if we're the next generation. If you. have the if you have the luxury of being. the next generation that can move.

forward. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> I think it's very crucial to remember in. life that you are trying to survive. But. on the other side of survival, you need. to remember all the luxuries you. couldn't include in survival because. those are the things that make surviving. worthwhile. >> Yeah. >> Do you know what I'm saying? >> Yeah. >> You want to win the war, >> but you want to win it so that you come. back to your friends and family and. laugh. If you can't come back and laugh, >> that's exactly it. Because otherwise,

what was it for? >> Like what were you actually fighting for. as as an idea or as a do you get what. I'm saying? >> Yeah. It's like the whole point of it. was for my son to be able to be relaxed. and not have to think about. >> exactly. >> a million different things. But how do. you prepare someone for the world while. also giving them agency to still be a. child and making sure that there's a. >> that there's a balance in that which is. why I try to let them laugh with me. >> Crack a joke. You have the the one thing.

and this is more from my mom. He he he always has freedom of opinion. You can share it respectfully, but like. all of that be quiet and stand. No, >> you think this up, tell me why. Break it. down. Get like. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Give me the logic of it. I still might. not agree with you, but we we can have. Don't ever be afraid to bring something. to me. >> or to share something with me or talk to. me about stuff. And I think that those. were the things where I think as parents. we are either the parent we wish we had.

or we're carbon copy. >> of the parent we had of the parent we. wish we didn't have. >> Yeah. >> And this the bit the right balance is. somewhere in the middle. But I mean man. we laugh like but you know me and my son. laugh at it. It's it's a lot of inside. joke stuff. >> Yeah. No, no, no. That's all comedy. >> Hey, >> that's all comedy if we're honest. >> We watch Interstellar a couple times and. Matthew McConna's character's got that.

robot Tars that he's always telling to. do stuff. So, if we're telling the other. one to do something, Tar, I need you to. go in there and get the thing. [laughter]. Tar, I need you to take a shower and get. ready for bed. Does not compute. And. he'll say, does not compute. Like, no, I. just told you. [laughter]. So. >> that was. >> it could be something as silly as that. I told you if you're an AI robot. >> Yeah, but that's what I mean. >> So funny. Yeah. I I I think that the.

only the only piece of rage I really. felt like if it's about anger because. the other thing with finding your roots. was that I also found out when my dad. lost his dad at age four per census data. there was no other male head of. household in his life ever again. >> So as far as I know it was just him and. his mom. >> Wow. >> And if there was a man they wasn't on. the papers. >> Yeah. He was not official. >> This wasn't official. So that means at.

best you and some fleeting stepdaddy, Mr. Johnny come over from time to time. and give you a nickel, but not like a. solid. >> household. No quality time. >> Yeah. And so my pops grew up, you know, when his pops died when he was four, they left Atlanta, went to Chicago. So. you growing up, you know, you growing up. in Chicago during the boom and then. >> off to. >> then ci civil rights, you know, and then. you off to covering Vietnam and every. riot and every race war you can name as.

a journalist. So this idea of. yeah you can be mad but this all has to. be looked at strictly through the lens. of what did I learn and what do I hope. for the boy to learn [clears throat]. >> and how did that thing affect me. So you. can leave out a lot of stories, but it. wasn't. >> My daddy was mean. No, it's not. No, you. did the thing. And here's how that day.

on that choice affected me. >> Huh? >> You didn't pay the bills. You didn't pay. the power bill. So, I chose to work 30. hours a week in high school so that. there would always be money in our back. pocket because I'm never going to be. cold again. Ever. I don't give a [ __ ]. what I have to do. I'll never be as cold. as I was that night. [snorts] And that's. part of why I hate winter. It's from that. Like, it's the idea of.

I remember. I remember I was on my way to a gig and. the gig canled on the way. and I didn't have gas money to get back. because the gig was the gas money to get. back to Birmingham. And I had a quarter. tank of gas. And I go, I'mma let I'mma. let the engine run and keep the car. warm, you know, on and off every hour. Get it. down to a eighth and on that eighth of a. tank, drive into town, drive to the next. nearest city,

>> get a day job, work that day, get the. check, and then make that money to drive. back home. >> Damn. >> But I got to survive the night and it's. 2°. And so you just got to sleep in a cold. car. But there's a weird, oh, I've been here before, >> that kind of kicks in. You don't like. it, >> but you know what you've been through, so you know what you can push through. And there's not a lot of people that I. that know that story or I would even. tell that story, too. So, how would my.

son even know what he's capable of? He. needs to know what's in him. I think all. our kids do. I think we owe it to our. kids to share with them our pains, our. struggles, our fears, our failures. But. we present as perfect. And then a lot of. us haven't even reconciled. >> with any of that stuff. So your kid come. to you dealing with something similar. You don't even know how to help them. unpack it. >> H. >> cuz you ain't you ain't looked at it. yet. You hadn't looked at that idea of.

how to move. when there isn't when you aren't. confident or what to do. Hey, I had to I. had to quit working with an I had to. fire an employee, bro. And it hurt my. heart, but I had to do it and I'm here. to tell you about it so you can. understand the fragility of friendship. >> H. >> that's what you hope the long run is. from a conversation like that. So, you. know, you you just you don't know how. it's going to all connect in the long.

run, but you know, I just I just share. everything. I I just share as much as I. can. And yeah, a lot of it does come. back to being a good dad. But I think. it's just also about. having this story of, >> you know, I I also don't want to get too. obsessed with. changing my behavior solely to influence. his growth because then I'm not being. me. >> Yeah. >> Mhm.

>> You know, I took him So when I left. Daily Show, I took him with me to uh. clean out my office. >> Yeah. Yeah, you wrote about that. >> cuz he needs to understand that none of. these jobs are forever. None of this stuff is forever. So, >> you think he understood that? >> Not yet. >> Yeah. >> But I've taken him by CNN and he's come. there and understood that and he's he's. old enough now. >> to understand. the idea of this show and this show. >> connects. He's Googled me once.

[laughter]. >> some. So, you know, like there's he's. aware of what I do, >> but. trying to take that. >> trying to take that veneer off of what. fame and stardom and all of that because. he has no perspective on that. Of. course, >> kids don't care. >> Yeah, they really don't. >> But one day he'll figure out who Kaad. is. He'll be like, "Daddy, you ain't. famous for shit." [laughter] Like. KSI or somebody like he he'll see real.

fame and then it'll give him. perspective. But [laughter]. yeah, I I you need to know who I am. And. I'm I'm I'm thankful that my pops used. to take me to the barber shop and these. boring ass speaking engagements and I. would sit on the floor with him in a. radio station while he did call-in. [clears throat] shows. I would just sit. at his feet and he would just take two. hours of calls from the community. No. music, just talking to people. Yeah,

>> brother Wood, this would need to happen. with the referendum and and you need a. new city tax and at that I pay for the. educ and my dad, you know, whether he. was right or wrong, he. >> whether they were right or wrong, my. pops would just be patient with people. and hear them out and have conversations. with them. And so. >> you learn pieces of who your parents are. when you see them doing the thing they. love to do. Hm. >> And so that's important that my son at.

least sees and sentient about it. >> Don't go anywhere cuz we got more what. now after [music] this. [music]. It's funny when you know when you talk. about um. breaking the curses I often think about. how. how impossible that can be sometimes. you know and what I mean by it is this.

like we we'll all talk about especially. in in the age that we're in now everyone. will go you know my family did this and. I'm going to be the one who doesn't do. it and my dad was like this and I'm not. going to be that and my mom was like. this and I'm not going to be that and I. will be the one and I will be the one. and the great irony of it is you'll end. up being the one just from a different. place. >> Yeah. >> Do you know what I mean? And and. >> reading through your book, I I kept. finding myself thinking. maybe the great relief and release in. life. is not only thinking we're successful.

when we break the curse, but it's realizing that there's a whole. lot of power in just naming the cage. >> Yeah. >> Do you know what I'm saying? >> Going this is what it is. Like like I. feel like you may get cuz there's no. real scale that'll tell us how far or. how close you get to being the perfect. dad, >> but just knowing what the cage is that. you're in because of your dad. >> and being able to name it. >> change like it's not the exact same.

thing, but I mean like for me like ADHD. knowing that I had ADHD changed my life. genuinely. >> I didn't have to change everything about. my life, but now I could tell you I'd be. like, "Oh, that's the ADHD." Like I just. I just know I just know I know how my. brain works. I know at 1:00 a.m. when. I'm craving a chocolate, I know what's. happening. Before I would just go, I'm. craving a chocolate. >> Now at 1:00 a.m. I'm like, "Oh, hello. old friend.". >> Mhm. >> Do you get what I'm saying? And and. that's what I that's what I mean is like. I feel like that's where you're doing. the work and that's that's where you and.

your son will benefit because you're. naming the cage. >> Yeah. I think I think it all I think it. all helps. I I I don't I don't think. it's a book he'll read or appreciate for. another 15 years. I think he's got to be 20. somewhere in there. >> But I think he'll appreciate the results. of the book because you might think the. book is for him, but you might find you. writing the book is what's been for him. >> Yeah. I don't know anybody who can write.

>> I don't know anybody who can write their. story honestly. >> and not be forced to reckon with things. that have happened in their life. >> Correct. >> Like I tell everyone all the time I go. write a book about your life and they're. like who's going to read it? I go that's. that's not you shouldn't actually think. about that. Go and write a book about. your life. [snorts] And when you're. writing it you start to realize how much. you don't even know about your own life. You don't you realize you don't even. know your parents. >> at all. >> At all. >> At all. We know what our parents did. >> Yeah. You only know them through them.

being in service to you. >> Yeah. But we don't you don't like know. like and I mean like know your parents. >> Ask them like a real deep question that. isn't isn't And what I mean about a real. deep one is they're actually the ones. that seem like they're on the surface. >> Yeah. >> My mama told me a story one time about. in college how she faked being pregnant. on a dude. And we laughed for [laughter]. a [ __ ] hour cuz this is a esteemed. black college educator, three degrees,

and I work in administration and I make. sure these kids get their degrees. I was. the first nine black people at Delta. State. We protested at the president's. office and we fought and I'm the child. of a sharecropper and also I'm pregnant. [laughter]. Psych. And it was the 70s. you could. really scare a dude back then [laughter]. like. the technology wasn't what it was now to. prove you're a liar [laughter].

and I'm like mama why you did that piss. me off [laughter] just laugh it at that. so you start you forget that your. parents are just. >> humans. >> exactly. >> so yeah put that in the book yes son yes. I stole a credit card and tried to buy. some [ __ ] and got caught let me tell. tell you about. >> that world. Let me tell you about like. all of these weird times. And so that. [gasps]. >> I don't know, man. I I just I just don't.

know if I would ever talk about any of. this on stage. >> So I don't know when else I would ever. have had a platform for it. >> But I think that's that's that's the. beauty of different art forms, right? I. I never used to understand why musicians. would paint sometimes. You know, you'd. read these random stories. They go, they. go like, da da da has a painting. They. paint. I'm like, why? Like, what are you. doing? Just you make music already. >> And then over time, you start realizing,

and I think this applies to everybody, whether you're an artist or not, cuz I. think everyone is an artist genuinely, not like in like, oh, everyone's an. artist. I mean it. You you everyone has. something creative in them that they. that they'll benefit from getting out. Mhm. >> And I think we take for granted that. sometimes we think all of our stories. will be told in the places that we think. they can be told, but they won't be. >> Some of your stories will only come out. because of your friends. Some of your. stories will only come out because you. go to church. Some of your stories will. only come out because of therapy. Some. of your stories will only come out. because you're in a relationship. Some. of your stories will only come out if.

they are given the right avenue and. stage to come out in. And so in a way, I. go like. >> because of the book, the book is a. different stage. >> Yeah. I was laughing. I was laughing. about you working at Quickrete with the. concrete in your hair. Uh I was laughing. at you with the credit like Royy's. credit card fraud. Man, let me tell you. something. >> Good times. [laughter]. Those some good times. We ate good for. two years. >> Do you know what I mean? It was just to. get food. Like that's how it started.

>> There's the relationship. >> No, but it's true. That's true. Say with. food. >> Yeah. >> You know what it was? We just wanted. Pizza Hut, bro. That's all [laughter]. we wanted. Pizza Hut. It was 96 and it. was the beginning of Pay at the Pump. >> And in those days in the States, your gas station receipt had your full. name, full credit card number, and.

expiration date. >> Ah, what a what a wonderful time. >> Insane. >> Insane. What a dream. >> And I go to a gas station and I get paid. at the pump and whoever was there before. me. >> hadn't hadn't pulled their their. receipt. So my receipt was attached to. theirs. >> and I saw that full credit card number. and I was like, "We having Pizza Hut. tonight." [laughter]. And I went back to the dorm and I told.

my boys, I said, "Boys, whatever you. want. meat lovers. We getting bread. sticks, all that. And we ordered like. $40 worth of pizza on somebody else. credit card. And in those days when they. would deliver the pizzas, right, this is. where racism can help you. In those days when they deliver pizzas. to black colleges, >> yeah, >> it was most black colleges are on a or. adjacent to a bad side of town in a lot.

of instances. So. sometimes the pizza man get robbed. So. the pizza man's are already paranoid. because he's already on 10 about being. robbed. But we would walk up to pick up. $50, $60 in pizzas. Yeah. With a $10. cash tip in hand. White driver literally. trembling as we're walking up and we're. dressed as hood as we like in black. hoodie, black Nike. Like we want. psychologically we're trying to psych.

you out. >> You're trying to invoke racism. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Cuz I need you to not ask me for. this card because you think we going to. stomp you out. Oh, what you think? I. ain't got the card. Oh, you. >> I didn't have the card. All I had was. the receipt. The. >> receipt from the. >> Yeah. But I like the $10 tip though. That's psychological. That's. >> because no one's tipping. And so we. would walk up and we would go, "Hey man, can I write the tip in? Do y'all take. cash?". Me? Yeah. You, man. There you go. Oh, here you go. And there's parmesan and.

there's some red flakes for you. And. we'd walk off and he'd never ask for the. card. >> So you come back to the dorm. celebrating and you're eating like we've. ordered $80 worth of pizza. We can't eat. all this pizza. Oh, the dorm is just. them [ __ ] is floating. >> You guys [laughter] are the ninja. turtles out coming out the woodwork. You. know they smell them pies and cartoons. and [ __ ] get the [ __ ]. [laughter] So, we're in the dorm during. Monday Night Football, which is like.

premier packed TV room. And we in the. back like some [ __ ] bosses and. [ __ ] will come up and. [clears throat]. >> pay their respects. >> No. And they come up and one dude from. the football team, he come up and go, "Hey, I give you $10 for that pizza right now, fatthead ass [ __ ] [laughter]. And it's like a $15 meat lover. He's. offering me 10 that you haven't paid. for.

>> Bet. Nice doing business with you. That's how. I started. We just was wanting to eat. pizza. One night, somebody bought one of. the pizzas wholesale and then a. flashlight went off in my head. And so I. just started selling food. I was the. food dude. And then. about a year or two later, I got a work. study at the post office on campus. And. mind you, the only reason I got the work. study at the post office was because I.

was late signing up to be an RA in the. dorm. I just forgot to sign up. I've. been a RA for two years. Just forgot. And they were like, "Well, you can go. work in the post office." Cool. Mail. sorter. Now you have access to the actual. tangible cards. >> at a college campus where [laughter]. >> everybody is applying for credit cards. >> Goodness. And in those days, >> oh man, >> credit cards came [laughter]. already activated in the envelope. There.

was no sticker. There was no. >> call this number and put in your pen and. your matching zip. >> I mean, we could we could argue that. they basically made you a fraudster if. we're honest. [laughter]. >> I mean, let's be honest, Roy, >> you had no other choice. >> I mean, really, this seems logical at. this point. >> I'm like, this is God. God wants me. [laughter]. So now, now when we order the pizza, I can show. the card. Hey, no more tip. Oh man. >> Yeah, I write in. You still going to get. tipped? But. >> so. >> the confidence has gone up. >> and that's where you get sloppy.

>> Mhm. >> Cuz you get you get too arrogant. And so. now with these tangible cards, you can. sell clothing. >> cuz you can just go buy clothes. >> O. >> and whole thing. >> Tell me what you need. Get it half. price. >> It goes deeper, man. >> So you become you become the dude. Like. pizza is one thing, but now PlayStation. got whatever you need. just half price. Just come tell me what you need. I'm. just I'm I'm Amazon. for for that part of the campus.

>> Look at me. Look at me. I am Jeff Bezos. [laughter]. And so we take a card in the Dillards. and we knew one of the girls that worked. the cash register and she was doing us a. favor. And this is where it so to do us a favor. to leave more credit space on the card. She undercharged us for the merch so. that the car would have more space, >> which I didn't need you to do.

>> cuz I'll just go steal another card when. it's time to do this again. And. she undercharges us for everything. And. this is She's working in like, I don't. know, Polo or Tommy, whatever. >> One of those mall stores, >> correct? One of the designer departments. where there are no $7 sweaters. >> Yep. She's ringing up [ __ ] for like $6, bro. Like, >> this is too low. >> And so she got caught and then the. dominoes fell. >> and.

we're at the house waiting on a pizza. >> And and the police, Tallahassee police. came in, they kicked that door. And this. is at a time where Tallahassee only had. like four or five murders a year. So. this was some good action. Mhm. >> A whole task force come in the house and. take us down. >> Yeah. It's like I don't know, seven, eight cops. Like, we got him. We got. him. And then [laughter]. >> he blew the whistle on you looking like.

[laughter]. >> Here's the here's the [ __ ] up part. though. We got arrested. They started. searching the house. And then [ __ ] Pizza Hut showed up. with that goddamn PIZZA [laughter]. and couldn't eat it. Couldn't eat it. [laughter]. And the cop ain't have enough sense to. ask the pizza man if that was like. stolen. [laughter].

>> And that's all I remember about the. night I got arrested was that [ __ ]. Pizza Hut smelled so good and I couldn't. [ __ ] touch it. It was sitting right. there in the living room, bro. Couldn't. [ __ ] touch it. [laughter]. And so it got suspended from school. And. then during the suspension is when I. started doing stand up. >> cuz I was like, "Oh, I'm probably going to go to prison.". >> Well, that makes me sad. Well, let me just try standing up. Cuz.

now. you realize your common. the common bond you share with people is. your ability to give them things. >> Yeah. >> H. >> and the moment I lost that superpower. >> Yeah. >> Nobody talk to me. I I had like one or. two friends. And around the same time I started. working at Golden Corral. And. Golden Corral was like the first place I. ever worked. It's the first place I ever experienced.

true forgiveness and benevolence. >> From strangers, co-workers who you don't. know me. And then you find out after a. month or two, you find out I get. probation. >> Yeah. >> Don't know how I get probation. I don't. go to I don't go to jail. And I'm doing. standup. I'm working at Golden Corral. I'm riding out my suspension from school. and then my co-workers at Golden Corral. found out. that I was on probation.

and I just remember just expecting to be. fired like oh I okay and then and then. you you discover that. half the store is on probation. [laughter]. because we had a owner who hired. who hired convicted felon and returned. citizen to the tax breaks, but also he. legitimately believed in second chances.

>> And so that place at that time in my. life was exactly where I needed to be. because the the legal system is set up. to make you feel like you going to [ __ ]. up again. >> And they psychologically tell you like. it's only a matter of time. >> I'll see you soon, sir. And so yeah, like that's the type of stuff where I. feel like my son my son should know. that. And then it's also interesting in. how that helped shape. why I try to be as kind as I can to.

people and try to give chances to. people. >> Yeah. >> Cuz there was like a 18mon stretch in my. life where I could have been discarded. >> Mhm. >> Florida&M could have thrown me out. Golden Corral could have thrown me out. The school let me back in so I could. graduate. Then I go get a job in. Birmingham, you know, working at the radio station. after I graduate. >> I was still on probation when I started. at 957. >> So that only happens because there was. so many people that saw me for what I.

could become. So it changed how I saw. myself. So I didn't feel like who I was. I could only see what I was destined to. be. And like that's all I still to this. day. That's still how I carry myself. Oh, well, I'm doing this now, but I know. what's going to happen over there. Are. you scared? Did you? No. No. Let's leave. Daily Show because I know over here. >> there must be something. >> I I know how to and I know how to get. there cuz I've been I've been at rock. bottom before. So, this this this is.

easy. I can get from here. All right. Career still going. Like. that's how all of that thought process. started was during. >> was during that first year of probation. just in terms of like figuring out. >> the self-reliance. and that's where everything from my pops. and my mom's and being a latch key kid. and then selling my own stuff and. hustling and not asking my mama for no.

help. I needed that [ __ ] when I was on. probation cuz I didn't have nobody. >> Ain't nobody trying to help you make the. dream happen. And you in school, you back in college talking about you. going to be a comedian. Nobody buying that. Not in a building. full of scholars and not Fam Hughes. journalism. But man, I had a classmate, man. I ain't never felt more nothing in my. life. And I'm still enrolled and I'm.

back in college at this point. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm in Jacksonville doing a open mic or. some [ __ ] and we backstage. They got the. TV on and I see one of my classmates. anchoring the weekend news. We're the same age and he's the weekend. anchor. >> and I'm sitting on TV on TV like he's on. his way and I'm like in that moment I. saw him I was like [ __ ].

this got to work. >> This has got to work cuz I don't I'm. never going. I'm never going to get to that. I'm I'm. not doing journalism properly, >> you know, and [clears throat] I ended up. doing my own version of it. And, you. know, I got lucky as well because. I worked in morning radio at a time. where black radio, morning terrestrial radio was. disgustingly competitive.

in certain markets. And we were one of. the few markets, I think it was about 10. cities at the time that had four. different black morning shows. So we. were the local show, >> but then you would have Tom Joiner. syndicated in. >> I think Steve Harvey was just starting, but there was also Doug Banks. >> There was also Tony Scott. There was. also Russ Parr. So any of those five or. six entities, four could be in any.

market. M. >> And so when [clears throat] you're the. local black show, you have to creatively. be way out in left field creatively. >> to compete. >> So yeah, I can do a lot of crazy weird. ideas. I don't have to just do prank. phone calls. I can come up with weird. call-in characters. I can come up with. parody songs. I. >> The Leo Delin character that we did on. Daily Show, that was an old radio. character. I wouldn't have even had the. gumption to pitch it at Daily Show had I.

not been given that creative freedom to. just play in the sandbox and figure it. out. And if it sucks, who cares? Nobody's going to remember cuz. tomorrow's a new day on radio. >> If they don't like it, it's Birmingham. They going to call and tell you you're. trash, but they're going to give you. another chance. Like, that's the one. thing about black audiences is that. >> you can get booed, >> but you can always come again. >> You can always come back again. Try. again. If it's good this time, we'll. cheer. And if it's bad again, we'll boo.

And each boo is its own individual. >> Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't It doesn't count. towards the next thing. [laughter]. >> No, it's not a cumulative thing. >> An individual. >> We booed you. Don't take it. Don't take. it personally. We just told you. [laughter] you suck. Keep moving. >> Are you still mad? >> Come on, man. Come on, man. I ain't. going to act like you didn't suck. You. know you suck. >> Yeah. >> You know what? >> It was a different time, though, man. I'm I'm very grateful. >> for that time because I needed. forgiveness at a time where I did not.

deserve it. >> Huh. >> And I got an abundance of it. And so. that's part of what keeps me gracious. >> Yeah. >> And trying to give, you know, chances to. people. I just I haven't been able to. get anything green lit in a place where. I can do effectively for other people. what was done for me, especially. >> [snorts]. >> um you know, people coming off. probation, coming out of prison, stuff. like that, doing some staff and [ __ ].

with that. Like that's going to be. >> that's the Birmingham plan. You know, >> you say that, but I I feel like in the. same way you sometimes put an outsized. amount of pressure on yourself to be the. perfect father that you never had. If there's one thing everyone in this. industry and I mean everyone. will agree on and people don't agree on. anything in life is Roywood Jr. has. helped them in some way, shape or form.

>> Mhm. >> I'll tell you now, you will be. hardressed to find a comedian or anyone. who's like tangentially related to. comedy who doesn't have a story about. how you've helped them in some way, shape, and I mean everyone. Here's. Eugene. This is a random African. [laughter]. >> Think about it. >> In the thick of co. >> Think about it though. >> When you didn't have to. >> Yeah. Like me. You name it. The Neil. Brennan's of the world. The I mean every. random comedians. Nobody knows. Comedians. Everybody does know. Big. comedians, small comedians, bro. Like.

you name it. >> Cuz people were kind to me, bro. >> No, no, no. You you say that, but like. >> I I think you see in you saying like. I've never had the chance. I go, man. take for granted. how, and this is something that I I've. always loved about you as a friend, but. I've always like wanted to strangle you. on is I go, you'll focus on the. mountains, but you'll take for granted. how many pebbles you've piled up, >> man. Yeah. >> Do you know what I'm saying? You'll. always be like, man, when I get that. mountain going, and I'm like, Roy, look.

how many pebbles you've put here, man. That is a that's literally a mountain. that you've built. >> There's more. >> Do you get what I'm saying? Yeah, there. is more. But I'm saying that that's like. my wish for you as a friend and as a. person. I always go like, "Oh, man. look. back at some of those. >> Yeah. You've always wanted me to stop. and just like always pause. Not even. stop. Pause. >> Yeah. It's hard. It's hard because I. always feel like that light in the. tunnel, it's not the end of the journey. It's the train trying to run me over. >> Damn. >> So, I just have to keep moving. >> Imagine playing with trains as his kid.

What a what a crazy journey that must. be. [laughter]. >> Play trains, daddy. Choo choo. And. that's the end of my line. Kids used to die in Birmingham back in. the 80s. They used to try and hop. freight trains to class. >> Oh yeah. That's like us when we were. Yeah. That's Yeah. Same thing as South. Africa. That's why it's like a train. >> We lived a parallel life. [snorts]. >> Yeah. You know, can I tell you one of. the biggest things your book did for me. that that I appreciate is it brought. something top of mind that I think is is. really important to think about now.

>> And it's you talk about your journey. with your father partially knowing a. man. And I argue we only partially know. everyone in our lives, you know, but. partially knowing this man for 16 years. of your life, him dying, and then you. talking about the many fathers and the. the men in your life that raised you in. some way, shape or form, even in the. smallest conversation, even in the. smallest instruction, the smallest uh, you know, act of kindness. But what I what I found myself thinking.

of when I closed the last page of the. book is I went, damn, that's probably the biggest blow that. masculinity has taken in society today. is that we have fewer and fewer fathers. because we have a smaller and smaller. village. >> Do do you get what I'm saying? >> Like the way we used to live themselves. >> Yeah. the way we used to live. [clears throat] like even having even. having a father was like a it's like. they were all fathers and I mean like. this is like this this is where the.

language of you know African languages. especially South African languages tie. you to that concept everyone was bab. >> you know what I mean so if I was talking. to Eugene's dad I'd say baba. >> you know father ka but it's like father. and and [clears throat]. you know what I mean like you know what. I mean mama mama like it's like mom so. there's all the moms and there's all the. dads so brothers. >> and all the brothers and all the. sisters. So you yours directly might not. be there but we always grew up being. like man there's fathers everywhere and. there's moms everywhere and and yours. might not be there.

>> but there are many of them around. >> to give instruction to give a beating to. give correction to give guidance to give. whatever it might be. >> and all I thought to myself was like. imagine growing up now as a young man. whose father isn't present. >> physically or emotionally. >> and then like where where your father. >> isolated. Yeah. Where are your fathers? It's like just what? The internet. >> Do you know what I mean? >> In a lot of cases. Yeah. >> Yeah. But the problem with the internet. that I have is it's a bunch of men. telling you how to act, but unlike a.

real father, you don't get to see how. they really act. >> Yeah. Yeah. Perform. You get the You get. the. >> Yeah. They get to tell you all these. things. Let me tell you what a real man. does. Let me tell you in a relationship. Let me tell you what a real man Let me. tell you what a real man. Click thing. goes off and then it's like, well, who's. that person? Cuz kids see through the. like you you wrote a whole book where. you're seeing through the facade of your. father. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> Your father's telling you who he is, but. then you're seeing who he really is.

>> Yeah. I I think that men are a lot less. I don't know inclined to help too. I don't think everybody wants the help. I remember um like I'm I'm the I'm the. guy now. The best I do with young people. is stick and move. Like if we're in line. like bodegas and stuff and it's like. three, four, 14 year olds in front of me. in line and then I'll y'all stay out of. trouble, you know,

>> and you're out. >> Yeah. Cuz that these kids don't want the. advice. >> That's so funny. I'll stay out of. trouble now. [laughter]. >> Yeah. Or I'll ask him an easy thing. An. easy thing with with adolescence of like. which teacher you hate. >> Oh, that's a nice one. Okay. >> They'll start going off about the. teacher. Yeah, but you still got to. learn something from him. >> Like just stay in it, >> man. Roy, you're not wrong. Roy has been.

an old man his whole life. >> You know, you know what we need to do. >> after this podcast? We need a book. We're going to go trampolining. We're going to go like we're going to go. throw slime at each other. We got to cut. >> just I want to do like the dumbest. [laughter] silliest things with you. >> Disneyland. >> Yo, whatever it is. >> Oh, Vision Land. >> Vision Land. >> It's Alabama Adventure now. It. foreclosed and it was bankrupt. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. I thought we're going. to go around. [laughter] We're going to. go around wearing little I have a dream. hats.

It's Vision Land. >> Vision Land. Have you been Have you been. on the Million Man March [laughter]. ride? Oh, it's so long. Yes. A million. more steps. 999,000 more steps. >> Changed ownership a number of times, but. it's still standing. [laughter] One of. the largest wooden roller coasters in. the world. >> Roller coaster. >> Yeah. It's called the civil rights. movement. [laughter]. [ __ ] you. Stop roasting my city. >> Oh man. Roy, man, thanks for coming.

through, >> man. I appreciate you, man. >> And and can I tell you, man, thanks. thanks for sharing. And like I I. appreciated it selfishly just as as a. human being who knows you, man. Your. book was. because like I got to have conversations. with you that we've never got to have. [music] And I think anyone who reads it, I if if you are a a mom. who is a single mom, if you are a dad. who's not in touch with your kids, if. you are a expecting dad, if you are a.

son who doesn't know their dad, if you. if you are a human being fundamentally, >> I feel like you you've like you've. written the book for them, man. It's. it's it's beautiful. It's forgiving. It's insightful. [music]. It's light. It's funny. It's it's Yeah, man. It's um it's phenomenal. But I. >> appreciate it, man. >> Yeah, man. Thank you. >> Well, until I have another child and. then write another book, >> I bet you do. [laughter]. [gasps]. >> Oh man.

[music]. Thank you so much for watching the. episode. If you enjoyed it, pass it on. to a friend. If you didn't enjoy it, pass it on to your friend still. Let. them suffer for a change. And don't. forget to engage with us in the. comments. uh if you want to suggest. [music] a guest, maybe there's questions. you want, maybe there's ideas that you. have, you can chat to us. We will read. through the comments and we'll [music]. get into it. Either way, I appreciate. you taking the time. Thank you for. hanging out with us on What Now. And. remember, we do this for you, so we. would like to hear from you. [music]. Till next time. Thank you.