Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - EP 231: Sasheer Zamata (Actor/Comedian, SNL)

Episode Date: August 8, 2023

Andy gets a troubling call from a geographically concerned show promoter before opening the show SOLO BOLO style (yeah we're making Comedy Bang! Bang! references out here). But most importantly, our s...how receives the boon of a comedy GODDESS on the Interview Hour as we welcome actor, stand-up comic, and former SNL cast member Sasheer Zamata! Sasheer is hilarious and generally amazing, so if you don't know her: fix that today. Discussions on her origin story, Artificial Intelligence, the WGA & SAG-AFTRA Strike (SUPPPORT!), and more... Discover all the good stuff Sasheer is up to at sasheer.com Watch this episode streaming now!! Psyched to partner up with our buddies at Volume.com! Check out their roster of upcoming live events and on-demand shows to enrich that sweet life of yours. Call, leave a message, and tell us how you really feel: (720) 996-2403  Check out our new single, You Do You streaming on Spotify and Apple Music now! And while you're at it, give a big middle finger to the bigots in your life Follow us on Instagram @worldsavingpodcast For more information on Andy Frasco, the band and/or the blog, go to: AndyFrasco.com Check out our good friends that help us unwind and sleep easy while on the road and at home: dialedingummies.com Produced by Andy Frasco, Joe Angelhow, & Chris Lorentz Audio mix by Chris Lorentz Featuring: Marina Ahri Findling

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hi Andy, this is Marla from Shomrei Torah Jewish Hospital. I wanted to call and thank you so much for agreeing to come to sing songs for the kids after your festival show. We know you're incredibly busy and we're just super excited to have you there in September after the festival. excited to have you there in September after the festival. The kids are going to absolutely love it. I just know it. We know you're busy, but for you to take time for cancer patients or children, their kids, it's something really, really special. We're incredibly grateful. You're the best. Thank you so much. Bye. Hey, Andy, this is Bill Dun dumbard down here the promoter of get out festival i want to tell you i found out you were doing a little charity event for kids down here and i want to tell you uh we're gonna have to go ahead and cancel that we have something in the south called
Starting point is 00:00:55 radius clause and any positive press you generate will have to go through our official name 30 days before and after the festival also do our radius clause you will not be having sex 30 days before and after the festival. Also, due to our radius clause, you will not be having sex 30 days before or after our festival. Basically, we don't want you having sex in our town. We're not going to tell you why, but I think you can figure out why, okay? It has a little bit to do with your background. And three, no more kissing your bandmates. You know what?
Starting point is 00:01:22 Actually, that's okay. We're coming around a little bit on that in the South. You can go ahead and you can kiss all you want. Do you have any more questions? Just send your manager our way. We know that he will bend to our will so he doesn't lose any of our connections for his other artists
Starting point is 00:01:35 that are more likable here in the South. All right, and we're live. Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast. I'm Andy Frasco. How's our heads? How's our minds? Are we staying out of trouble? Are we feeling good about ourselves?
Starting point is 00:02:02 I think that's the most important thing. We got to feel good about ourselves, I think that's the most important thing. We got to feel good about ourselves. You know, we could always do everything to distract us from our heads or do everything to distract us from how we actually feel. And we could give all this love to everyone else, but you have to take a step back and realize, how are we feeling? So why don't we take a step and realize, take a deep breath right now and ask yourself how you're feeling. I'm out here in like butt fuck Utah right now, almost done with this tour, this little mountain run, watching the fucking lightning go. You know, something about lightning is very therapeutic. I could just like zone out.
Starting point is 00:02:44 And I was thinking about this so i started recording like how am i feeling you know i'm a little tired i had to do i fucking got food poisoning last week i had a gig like fucking two or three shows while i'm just puking and fucking it's coming out of everywhere i know it's gross to think about, but I had to rock. I had to rock. Rock and roll does not take a day off. So I was thinking like, damn, you know, is all this worth it? And you're like, oh no, Fresco's about to quit right now. No, I'm not about to quit. I'm just saying, you got to know how you're feeling about things because life is going to push you, push you, push you, push you, push you. And if you're doing something
Starting point is 00:03:25 and you don't want to do it and when life brings you down like this, then it's going to be a lot easier to quit. And I'm thankful I do something I love. I'm thankful that I do something that I really care about. That all these hard things
Starting point is 00:03:41 are just testing me and testing me to see how badly I want this. Well, I fucking want it, people. Let's go. We got this. We're in this. No stomach flu. No.
Starting point is 00:03:53 No all-night bender is going to stop me from getting out there and rocking the next town. Because you got to find what you love. You know? I think that's the most important thing. You got to find what you love. And if you don't know what you love, that's okay, too. You got to keep what you love. You know, I think that's the most important thing. You got to find what you love. And if you don't know what you love, that's okay too. You got to keep searching for it. I mean, what's the point?
Starting point is 00:04:12 What's the point of living if you can't really do what you want to do? I know that's selfish to say a lot of people are like maybe stuck in a relationship or stuck at a shitty job. That's okay. I mean, you're doing it for different reasons. Probably doing it for love. Maybe you want to stay in the same town. That's okay. I mean, you're doing it for different reasons. Probably doing it for love. Maybe you want to stay in the same town. Maybe your parents, you know, where there's a lot of reasons why, you know, we get stuck and it's okay. Just make sure when, um, when it comes down to it, you're doing things because it makes you happy. However way you want to make, however way
Starting point is 00:04:44 it makes you happy. You know, maybe you want, what makes you happy is making other you happy. However way you want to make, however way it makes you happy. You know, maybe what makes you happy is making other people happy. Maybe what makes you happy is supporting your family. Or maybe what makes you happy is staying in that same town because your parents don't want you to leave. All that stuff's fine, you know, as long as you feel good about it. But the minute you don't feel good about it, that's when we got to start making moves. That's when we start got to say, you know what as long as you feel good about it. But the minute you don't feel good about it, that's when we got to start making moves. That's when we start going to say, you know what? Not today, devil. We're going to get out there and we're going to find what we're looking for. Even
Starting point is 00:05:12 if it takes us fucking till we're fucking 80 years old, 90 years old. You know, I see these, I love when I see old ass people just fucking, just still fucking hiking or playing fucking pickleball or like, you know, working. Like my grandpa worked until he was 90 years old. I remember he had, he had like a lung cancer or something. And he was like, he was on his deathbed and he was still talking to me about business investments. He's like, I got this property, Andy. I think we could go in on it. And I'm like, Grandpa, you're dying. That's what kind of man he was.
Starting point is 00:05:51 That's what kept him alive. Find stuff that will keep you alive. Because the minute we stop learning about ourselves, the minute we stop using our brain, I think that's when we start dying, when we start being compliant. I was feeling that a little bit. I was having a rough patch with my manager.
Starting point is 00:06:14 I'm having this existential crisis right now because I like to work. I like to be in there. I like to manage and stuff. But sometimes how I work is not healthy when I'm having a business partner. And it gets me frustrated. It's like I was born to work. I was born to change this industry up. I'm not just here to settle just because the idea of the music industry is having these suits run it.
Starting point is 00:06:45 I mean, I want to find out a new music industry or new entertainment industry where the artists have the power as well. And we're afraid. A lot of people don't want to learn the business, which is crazy to me. You're in a music industry, you're in the music business
Starting point is 00:07:01 or you're in the entertainment business and some of these artists don't want to learn the business. They just want to do the art. And's great i just i don't know it's crazy i want to teach artists that we are in control and we are in we have we have the front seat as well you know so i don't know how i got onto that rant i was thinking about how a lot of these musicians and these artists got fucked. I'm talking with Sashir Zamata. She's on the show. Sashir Zamata.
Starting point is 00:07:31 SNL. She was on SNL for four years. She's an amazing artist. We talk a little bit about the actor's strike. We talk a little bit about what's going on. I'm glad that actors are fighting for this thing. know the royalties for netflix and the streaming is fucked and especially they were telling me about the ai stuff which is crazy like musicians don't have to deal with this kind
Starting point is 00:07:55 of stuff yet not but i mean i see i see all these fucking videos where like two you know all these ai's like tupac singing frank sinatra i'm like oh fuck we're done for here we go here we go pessimistic frasco i'm like we're fucked guys we're fucked but um so sheer was talking like we gotta you gotta take the power back and i'm glad they're striking musicians don't strike um as because we don't have a union at least like the actors and the writers guilds have a union. So shout out to all the actors out there fighting for those screenwriters. Shout out for the screenwriters.
Starting point is 00:08:31 Fight, damn, this lightning is fucking wild out here. I think the earth is fucked right now, dude. It's like 120 some places and there's lightning and flood and I'm like, what the fuck? Aliens are coming, let's go. It's about to be wild these next five years. I have a feeling. Enjoy the ride, people. That's what I'm like, what the fuck? Aliens are coming. Let's go. It's about to be wild these next five years. I have a feeling.
Starting point is 00:08:45 Enjoy the ride, people. That's what I'm saying. There's no point of waiting to be happy. What if the fucking world ends? If it ends, whatever. I mean, it's a scary thing to think about. But if it ends, don't be at that last moment of life thinking, I could have just stopped overthinking in my head. I could have fucking
Starting point is 00:09:06 made that gig. I could have done that piece of art. I could have fell for that girl. I should have chased that girl or I should have fucking said I loved my parents. Don't be that person when the end is coming. I'm not trying to say the world's going to end, but even like in your life, if you're 90, if we make it, God forbid, we made it to 90, like hallelujah, if we make it to 90, 100, just make sure that when you get to that ending point, the final countdown,
Starting point is 00:09:34 that you're not regretting anything. So you got to get out there while you have energy, get out there and fuck shit up. That's all we got, right? To fuck shit up. Let's go get it. You know? So, there's my rant. To fuck shit up. Let's go get it. You know? So there's my rant. All right. Sorry, guys.
Starting point is 00:09:47 Let's go. Let's go. So sheer got me all pumped up. People fighting for artists and shit. But, you know, someone's got to fight for us. Or we're just going to get stepped on. You know? A lot of people, there's not enough money going around in entertainment anymore because, you
Starting point is 00:10:06 know, that if we don't take a step and don't, you know, take the power back, we're just going to get stepped on. So learn your industry, learn how royalties work, learn how to book a tour, learn how to manage a band. I know this is like, it'll frighten your managers a hair, but whatever. Learn all this stuff so when they send you contracts, you just don't say, oh, yeah, yeah, that sounds good, and then they send it to a lawyer. Like, read all that shit. Don't be fucking lazy about that
Starting point is 00:10:38 because there's a lot of musicians who's gotten fucked because they didn't read the contracts. Our man George Porter lost all his royalties when he was a kid lot of musicians who's gotten fucked because they didn't read the contracts our man george porter lost all his royalties when he was a kid because he was so excited to be a rock star and uh the record labels and the publishing companies fucked him you know we have all this knowledge now if you don't want to read it have ai read it for you let's take advantage of ai say hey ai ask ai show them the conjures am i getting fucked right now maybe i'll be like well actually this part of the contract does not save for art blah blah
Starting point is 00:11:11 have your way you're gonna learn learn read all you need to know about the music industry by donald passman i read that when i was in eighth grade and it changed my life it and i read gorilla marketing when i was in eighth grade i loved the music industry industry so much. I wanted to know everything about it. I still don't understand publishing. It's kind of weird to me, but I'm learning. I'm asking Floyd is like the master at publishing. He's like, he scores all these TV shows and stuff. So I always pick his brain a little bit, what's going on.
Starting point is 00:11:37 But know all this stuff. So when you're managers, if you have a manager or if like a company comes to you, you're prepared and you're not just going to say yes to everything and then you're going to get fucked. So that's anything in life. Prepare for the worst, prepare for the best, but most importantly, prepare for happiness because we always settle. And what's the point of settling anymore? You know, I'm done just settling. That's why we get so heated up sometimes. I'm like, I'm fucking done settling. I want to fucking live. I want to have passion. I'm done being bored. You know, I'm going through this little boredom in my life right now.
Starting point is 00:12:14 It's like, it's like, ah, I've done this shit. I've been to every town, you know, and I, and it's all my brain. It's not everyone else's. I mean, life is mundane. We got to find the beauty in the little things or find a new way to look at things. If you feel like your mind state is getting bored, find a new way to look at it. Maybe when you're looking at a flower, oh, you're looking at the petals first.
Starting point is 00:12:43 Now maybe look at the twig or whatever the fuck that's called. Or maybe look at the thorn. Look how pretty that thing is that could hurt you. You know? Find details in life. I think that's how we're going to not be bored. Because I was going through this. I'm like, damn, I'm fucking bored.
Starting point is 00:13:00 I've been doing the same gigs. I've been in the same towns. And I didn't know if there was going to be an end. I'm just going to keep doing this circle. And I'm a guy who likes to fucking... What's up, Sean? Smoking weed? Everyone's in here.
Starting point is 00:13:17 Yeah. I'm a guy who likes to always have some new shit going on. I like to keep my brain healthy. I likes to, um, you know, always have some new shit going on. You know, my, I like to keep my brain healthy. I like to keep my brain moving. I feel the minute I get stale is the minute I start thinking about these deep, dark, depressing things. That's why I always work so much. I think because at the minute I just keep my brain still, it goes dark because I'm bored and I don't want to be bored. I love what I do. I love my work. I have to, I have to change my mind. Like I say, my month, I said last Monday
Starting point is 00:13:51 about perspective. I'm saying all these Monday motivations for myself as well. People, it's not like I know all the fucking answers. I'm just as confused as everyone else. I'm just asking myself these questions So I can You know Try to stay happy forever You know Or I mean That's not existing You're never going to be happy forever
Starting point is 00:14:11 But at least I can know how to control my sadness And try to get back to happiness And that's just asking those questions And that goes back to the beginning of this Little sermon or whatever You got to ask what you want. You got to know what you like. And you're not going to know what you like if you don't ask yourself these questions.
Starting point is 00:14:31 What makes you happy? Why am I doing this stuff? What do I need to do to improve on the stuff that makes me happy so I don't get bored about it? You know? I love writing songs. I love being on stage i just gotta you know like anything in life when you do something for so long you start overthinking it like oh my god there's way more like i never had a girlfriend well i no that's wrong jill was my girlfriend
Starting point is 00:14:57 but like i've had one girlfriend i'm 35 years old i was i've distracted myself with all the music and then i hit this point when I turned 35. I'm like, oh, fuck. I've been doing one thing forever. And then I got a little freaked out. I think that's why I got bored. I woke up from that little nightmare in a sense. And said, all right, maybe I should find some more love in my life.
Starting point is 00:15:20 Maybe I should get better at the piano. All this stuff that keeps us inspired. We got to stay inspired. life. Maybe I should, you know, get better at the piano, you know, all these stuff, you know, that keeps us inspired. We got to stay inspired. We got to keep going in life. The minute we feel stale, try to find something else that gets you where you need to be. Because I don't want people to end sooner than they should. That's all. So keep going, keep fighting, keep doing things for you. And, um, you know, everything will fall into place. I swear. All right. We got a great show for you. Uh, so she is a Mata. She is a bad-ass. Um, I love that she wanted to be on this show. I'm a big, uh, I'm inspired by her heavy. Um, she's an SNL. She's a standup comedian. She's a writer. She's
Starting point is 00:16:06 on that show Woke. I mean, she's the shit. And I think you're going to really love this conversation. We talk about anxiety. We talk about the writer's strike. We just talk about life as an actor. I mean, she grew up a Navy kid. She traveled around and she didn't really have a home. She kind of reminds me of Sean. Sean didn't have a home too. She traveled around, and she didn't really have a home. She kind of reminds me of Sean. Sean didn't have a home, too. He got moved around every three years. So you're going to really love this interview.
Starting point is 00:16:32 Our sponsors. Here we go. Dialed in Gummies. Yes, our people. Me and Nick, they're very nice. They're helping us with our race for Indiana 2034. Dialed in gummies were made special gummies, special edibles for Nick and I. And yeah, they say Frasco 2034 on them.
Starting point is 00:16:54 Mine are fucking, mine are good. You know, I hate to say this, but I think Nick's flavors are a little better than mine. I got a little too courageous with my flavors. Nick's got, he went simple like he always does. Just fucking, you know, hit the basics. And his are, I forgot what they're, but they're like strawberry or something.
Starting point is 00:17:12 They're really good. And so if you're in the Denver or Colorado area, go grab, they're everywhere. Go grab our Frasco 2034. I think mine's called Frasco Annapolis. And I think Nick or Frat, I forgot what mine is called, but Nickyapolis. And I have mine. So go out there and go try them out and let me know what you think of them.
Starting point is 00:17:34 Also, if you really want to get down and dirty, go to volume.com, guys. Watch. Want to see the lightning hit while I'm staring at the lightning? Want to watch the sheer spiller heart out about the industry? Head to volume.com and watch this interview on video. And they're all stockpiled, so maybe you want to re-watch, re-listen to the podcast, but you missed a couple things. Put it on while you're cleaning.
Starting point is 00:18:00 Put it on. Get out there. And if you're a content creator, why don't you sign up for volume.com? I mean, there's no, it doesn't hurt to get more content out there. Live streams are extremely important. Nowadays, getting your stuff online is important. So you might as well, you know, YouTube, there's billions of videos on YouTubes. But if you go to all these different sites like Volume and put your stuff out on there, it's only going to help because every site has a fan base too,
Starting point is 00:18:32 just like YouTube. Might as well get your stuff on volume.com. Or if you're not a content creator, go and just watch all the live streams. I mean, there's so many good shows on there. There's so many live shows. You got Daniel Donato shows. You got George Porter shows. You got all these great shows that are stockpiled on their website. So go check out volume.com and go watch the greatness that is in our music scene.
Starting point is 00:18:56 And like I said, all our podcasts are stockpiled in there as well. I got a couple more shows in the next couple of weeks. I got to promote this one. Yubo, Wisconsin. People Fest. People of Wisconsin. I'm coming back. It's like two hours from Madison. I'm playing there August 11th. A lot of great bands, a lot of bluegrass bands, all my friends, Leftover Salmon, yada, yada. Infamous String Dusters, I think. They're all playing this festival with us. Wisconsin, show up. Let's go eat some fucking cheese. Let's vibe.
Starting point is 00:19:28 You know what I'm saying? Let's go out there. I'll be there on the 11th. I get there on the 10th. I'll be partying in Madison the night before. If you guys are in Madison, hit a brother up. And then 8.13, I am at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Yes. Power set.
Starting point is 00:19:42 I'm playing for like 40 minutes. And we're the second of four bands. So get there early. I think it's almost sold out, but I think there's still like 800 tickets left, but it's going to be 10,000 people. I'm bringing my A game. I'm going to show the reggae scene. What the fuck is Gucci? You know what I'm saying? Come on. I'm bringing my A game. I'm like, Frasco, I want to talk about this right now. Frasco, it doesn't matter if you have an hour and a half set.
Starting point is 00:20:08 It doesn't matter if you're an opener. You will bring that fucking headline energy to that fucking venue. The rocks is mine. I'm taking no prisoners. I'm going out there. I'm kissing babies. I'm crowd surfing. I'm doing the whole fucking nine In 40 minutes
Starting point is 00:20:26 Jesus That's crazy A lot of those bands I feel bad about For pop punk bands There's like six fucking bands On each one of these shows They're all playing like 20 minutes
Starting point is 00:20:35 Like how do you get seen But You know That's why I was thankful To be in the jam scene I get a little spread I get a little People like want longer sets
Starting point is 00:20:42 But in the reggae scene And the fucking pop-up scene They're like, nah, you get 20 minutes I'm like, alright, whatever bro, cool Then We are heading to the Dinosaur Festival Legends Valley, Ohio Secret Dreams
Starting point is 00:20:56 That's gonna be dope Next week is an episode for Secret Dreams We have Matty O'Neil on the show We talk about Secret Dreams It's gonna be a Secret Dreams sponsored episode So we'll talk a little bit more about it If you don't know what it is, it's in Legends Valley If you don't know where Legends Valley is in Ohio
Starting point is 00:21:11 It's a fucking awesome venue The Stones have played there I think the Dead have played there A lot of great fests This is more of an EDM festival, Secret Dreams And they're putting us on late night Throw some curveballs Shout out to those guys for letting me play it. Let's fucking
Starting point is 00:21:25 go. We love to see it. We love to see variety at festivals. Not the same fucking shit like normal. So head to Secret Dreams on 817 while playing the late night. And then Chicago, I'm coming back. Cultivate Fest. It's a new festival hosted
Starting point is 00:21:41 by Riot Fest. We're opening for GZA. Wu-Tang, baby. Come on. Let's go. Frasco and Wu-Tang. Let's fucking go. hosted by Riot Fest. We're opening for GZA. Wu-Tang, baby. Come on. Let's go. Frasco and Wu-Tang. Let's fucking go. That's fucking exciting.
Starting point is 00:21:50 And in Chicago. I fucking love Chicago. That's August 25th, people. Come on out. All right. I've been on for 20 minutes. Guys, I love you. Stay safe.
Starting point is 00:22:01 Stay sane. Don't let the demons in your head get you down They're demons for a reason You can always shoo them away With kindness Just gotta be kind to yourself Sometimes we don't get kind to ourselves That's fine But just be a little kind to yourself
Starting point is 00:22:17 That's all I'm asking Because this life is too hard already For you to be not kind to yourself Everyone's gonna be throwing shit at you Marinating it. You're going to have shitty times with your jobs, shitty times with your relationships. But
Starting point is 00:22:31 at the end of the day, you're the one who has to put yourself to bed. Anyway, stay safe. Stay sane. I love you. Enjoy us as Shears of Mata. This is going to be a great interview. A little different than the musicians, but it's a star-studded show. We're getting bigger and bigger. We got
Starting point is 00:22:47 fucking stand-up comedians from SNL. Let's fucking go. Let's go. All right, guys. Enjoy it. Have a great day, and I'll see you next week with Matty O'Neal. What's up, Sasheer? How you doing? I'm good. How are you?
Starting point is 00:23:04 I'm doing well. How's it going out there in Mexico? You just taking a vacation? I am. Everyone's on strike. I'm sure you heard. Yeah, yeah. Taking advantage of this obligatory break. Right. Do these strikes stress you out or do you feel like there's going to be a resolution? Do these strikes stress you out, or do you feel like there's going to be a resolution? I really hope the fact that the actors and SAG have gotten involved that that puts pressure on the studios,
Starting point is 00:23:35 but also I have no idea. I've never been through one of these. I've witnessed them. There was a writer's strike years and years ago, but I wasn't in the guild yet, so I have no idea. Aren't unions crazy? Like, it's like, it's like, yeah, it's like, it's
Starting point is 00:23:51 great to have this, this like, companionship, but it must be scary that someone's like leading this thing, and hopefully they're leading it into the right direction, you know? Yeah, and our leader is the nanny, you know? Yeah. And our leader is the nanny, you know? So we're like, I hope.
Starting point is 00:24:10 Yeah, I hear that. I hope. Yeah. What is the nanny then? I mean, she's done a lot. She's doing great. But it is like, we're just waiting for the nanny to get things done. Yeah, it's like, you're like looking at the emails in the morning, like, well, when is this going
Starting point is 00:24:26 to happen? Is this going to, they're saying it might last all year. I don't think, I don't know. What do you think? I don't know. Cause nothing, I mean, there is a lot of content out there, but I feel like eventually no new stuff will be created. So I, I don't, I would hope that also the people that the the patrons who are watching this stuff
Starting point is 00:24:47 also put pressure on the production companies and they realize how valuable these artists are right you i i have hope but i also have i'm also like i don't know i have no idea do you want to explain kind of the what's going on in in the industry i hear so at least my listeners who don't know. I have no idea. Do you want to explain kind of what's going on in the industry? I hear so at least my listeners who don't know what's going on with the strike is at least on board. Yes. A couple of months ago, the Writers Guild of America, they went on strike. And there's a list of negotiations that they wanted that weren't met by the producers and the studio heads. And some of those things were like, you know, regulations on the use of AI to create things because there are already ways that AI can like write screenplays.
Starting point is 00:25:46 And then that puts writers out of jobs, which is crazy. I saw a tweet recently that was like, can some of this AI like clean the plastic out of the ocean? Or do they all want to be screenwriters? What is happening? Exactly. Like,
Starting point is 00:25:59 yo, why can we use these AIs or something like not, you know, that could at least like help us live for another thousand years? Truly. They all want to be artists? What's happening? Use them for something good. So yeah, things like that.
Starting point is 00:26:15 Residuals. TV has changed a lot over the years. And it keeps changing. We still only have three channels. Then there was cable, then there was, uh, you know, streaming. So like each time something changes, new rules need to happen. But we like came upon this streaming boom and things didn't get updated. So there's like, you can write it on a show,
Starting point is 00:26:42 but then you don't get residuals for that show. And you used to be able to sustain your livelihood by being a writer on one show because you got residuals for every time that was played on cable TV. But on streaming, they don't count numbers like that. They don't count numbers for like Netflix and shit? I mean, I think they have numbers, but they haven't like broke it down in a way that makes sense of like how much residuals to give their writers or their actors or anything like that. Or even like if you had a show that was on network TV that is now on a streaming site, you may not get residuals transferred now that it's on a different platform. That's so, that's some robbery shit. That doesn't taste well.
Starting point is 00:27:23 Yeah. And so the actors are doing essentially the same thing. We have the same request, which also includes scanning ourselves. There's different production companies who want to scan the likeliness
Starting point is 00:27:38 of background actors or actors and use their image in perpetuity. And I used to be an be extra i started as an extra so like say for example i did a i did a job on like uh csi or something and then they scanned my whole body and my face and then my career went the way it went and now i'm an actress they still have my image so they can still like plug me into whatever episode or movie or whatever because I signed off on it because they have my image or my voice. And that's what you paid for that.
Starting point is 00:28:15 Yeah. You make your money. Yeah. Harrison Ford looks young as fuck in all these things now. That man is like 100 years old. He's looking like he's 50 again. I'm like, this is some Terminator shit. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Which is like, if you sign off on that, that's okay. But we don't... There's like some tricky stuff happening where people aren't aware of how much their likeness is going to be used.
Starting point is 00:28:38 Right. And it goes back to like that. I know. And it goes back to like, you know, it's kind of like the gold rush. No one knew what was going on or like the internet boom. No one really knew what was going on. So they're signing. They're like, oh, yeah, this is just a likeness thing kind of like this.
Starting point is 00:28:52 And then they realize, oh, shit, I'm in a database that's going to use my likeness forever. I'm not going to get paid. Truly. And also actors are like the easiest to take advantage of. We're hungry. Yeah. We're desperate for jobs. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:29:06 And I think for people on the outside of this, you know, to some people, I think they're like, oh, these greedy actors, you know, they're making millions of dollars. But we're not talking about like Brad Pitt. Yeah, Tom Cruise. Millions of dollars. We're talking about the working actor who needs this to pay rent. Right. Who's doing five different shows in a week where they have five lines for each thing. Right.
Starting point is 00:29:32 And they're just trying to make ends meet. There's so many people who just need to be able to make their livelihood and they can't because they're not getting paid accurately. And the producer's like, screw it. We're just going to have computers be the background. That's so fucked up. That's so fucked up. Some of them are like that.
Starting point is 00:29:54 Yeah. I saw some greedy. I saw like, I saw like some quotes, one of the producers or one of the networks were like, yeah, we're just going to let them starve. I'm like, what? I know. I know.
Starting point is 00:30:09 It's so cruel. I mean, I think there's like a disconnect because they're not like really thinking about the humans that are involved. They're thinking about the numbers and the, like, they can plug anybody in or anything, any AI in. So they don't care. To be honest, too,
Starting point is 00:30:29 when have they ever... When have they ever cared? Yeah, when have they ever cared about fucking humans? They're just caring about dollars. That's what's sad about this country. We're so worried about the profit line and people are starving and the street's over.
Starting point is 00:30:45 And art was supposed to be to heal people. And the artists that were making the art was supposed to be to show people that there's a different way of thinking and the people fucking them is just like, it's such bullshit. Yeah, but I think the pendulum will swing in the other direction.
Starting point is 00:31:02 I think the power of the crowd, of the consumer is really powerful. The fact that The Flash didn't make any money in theaters because people were like, no, we really meant it when we said we don't want
Starting point is 00:31:18 to see this movie. And that affects the studio. That affects them. So like I think, I feel like I'm seeing more people in the general public say things like,
Starting point is 00:31:31 I don't actually want AI to create my art. Like whenever I see like a post that's like, Gucci used AI to make an ad. Like all the comments are like, why? So you didn't want to pay like a photographer, models, makeup artists, a location. Like, cool. We're just seeing how cheap you are.
Starting point is 00:31:52 And that's the general population. So it does give me hope that people are like, I don't want to watch a TV show written by AI. I want to feel a human experience because I'm human. And I want to connect to that. Exactly. I'm going to clap to you. Let's fucking go. That's what I'm talking about. Let's go. That's what I like to hear. Art is about the human experience
Starting point is 00:32:11 and you can do whatever you want to talk, how to go sideways or take the long road to it, but at the end of the day, that's why art is so beautiful because it is the human experience. Yeah. I agree. And you're also a podcast host.
Starting point is 00:32:29 Aren't people... I heard you can't even do podcasts. You can't be guests on podcasts. You have a podcast with Nicole. I do, yeah. So are you still doing it? We are still doing it. We are not allowed to talk about like specific...
Starting point is 00:32:44 We can't talk about SAG stuff, SAG produced stuff so we can't be like here's a recap of the show we watched we can't like do that because that would be outside of the strike guidelines but if we're just talking to each other which is what our show is our show is best friends we talk about
Starting point is 00:33:00 our friendship other people's friendship that's fine that's like outside the guidelines so we're still good to do the show That's like outside the guidelines. So we're still good to do the show. We just have to be careful. Like if we're like, oh yeah, I saw a movie and we're like, nope, I did it. I did it. Oh my god. I wonder how, yeah,
Starting point is 00:33:16 I mean, you can't even promote movies right now. Like what are they really thinking? Like what are these people thinking? Like your actors aren't getting involved. Yeah. I mean, the Emmys are coming up soon and the nominations were just announced, but no one can promote their show and no one can promote
Starting point is 00:33:33 their nomination. So I'm hoping that really shows how powerful our presence, our faces, our voice is Because people are aware of the show But they also need to be promoted too
Starting point is 00:33:50 Right We're taking the power back Let's fucking go I love it Enough serious talk I don't want you to get I don't want your union to point a finger at you Like don't be talking about this stuff But I'm like no one's you to get a, you know, I don't want your union to point a finger at you like, don't be talking about this stuff.
Starting point is 00:34:05 So, but I'm like, you know, no one's going to give a shit. I do want to talk about like your younger life. I do want to talk about, I got a lot of things I want to talk to you about. I'm a huge fan of you. I think you're super talented and everything you do is just amazing. And I want to first talk about, you grew up in Japan. Were you like a Navy brat or what? Air Force.
Starting point is 00:34:27 Air Force. I was in the Air Force. Yeah. He was a colonel? I was born in Japan. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Yeah. Was he strict?
Starting point is 00:34:35 So. How strict was he? He actually wasn't. Really? He actually wasn't. No, he was the lax parent. My mom was the strict one. Because she was with you all the time.
Starting point is 00:34:45 Yes. I think, yeah, because there would be times where he would have to bounce back and forth between whatever base he had to go to and home. So I think he was like, I hope you're still doing good. As long as you're like, okay, I'm good. So yeah. Did you move around a lot? Yeah. Yeah, I was born in Japan.. Did you move around a lot? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:35:05 Yeah, I was born in Japan. Then we moved to Lexington, Kentucky. And then San Antonio, Texas. And then Hampton, Virginia. And then Riverside, California. And then my parents split. And me and my mom and my brother moved to Indianapolis, Indiana.
Starting point is 00:35:21 And that's where I stayed for like middle school and high school. And my mom's still there. And then I moved to Virginia for school. College. UVA. College, yeah. And then moved to New York and then LA. Nice.
Starting point is 00:35:39 Moving around at such a young age, was it hard to find friends? Was it hard to communicate? Or were you someone who was very outgoing and you could find friends wherever you were? I do think I developed a skill where I could make friends. I never liked being the new kid, so I would quickly latch on to somebody. But I was generally shy and then I think knowing that I had to leave soon uh like made these relationships superficial because I'm leaving so like why would I why would I deepen these
Starting point is 00:36:13 relationships or like try to like actually like have best friends if I'm gonna go in like a year so was it hard something I had to work on in therapy. Yeah, I bet. I mean, my guitar player, he was a Navy brat, and it's hard for him to build relationships because he was always moving. It was like resentment towards his parents and like, but you made me move all the fucking time and blah, blah, blah. I really think that it's very hard as a child to, because you're still building how to have a relationship
Starting point is 00:36:45 with everybody. So, have you ever latched on to a friend when you moved into some town and realized, oh, this is a psychopath.
Starting point is 00:36:52 I picked the wrong person to latch on to. I did. I latched on to a girl in Virginia and we were best friends. But it was like second grade. So like,
Starting point is 00:37:04 I don't even know what our qualifications were for best friendship at that time. But we were just like, But it was like second grade. So like, I don't even know what our qualifications were for best friendship at that time. But we were just like, we just were like, ah, that's such a strong bond. And then we stayed pen pals for years. Like I kept moving around. We kept writing each other. And then I was visiting Virginia, visiting some family. And we agreed to meet up.
Starting point is 00:37:23 And I think we were like in middle school at this point and, um, or maybe fifth grade or something. And we were so different. Like she was very like, I don't know, into boys and a cheerleader and like, which is nothing wrong with that. But I was like, so not that I was very shy shy and not even thinking about boys. I was like, how many more books do I read before I get to college? What books were you reading? What books was I reading? I was reading Fear Street.
Starting point is 00:37:56 I was reading a lot of goosebumps. Hell yeah. Yeah, we're the same age. So yeah, that was R.L. Stine. So continue with that was R.L. Stine was... Yeah. So continue with this Virginia story. She was...
Starting point is 00:38:09 It just wasn't working. Yeah, we hung out. We tried to hang out. It was very sweet. But I think we both realized like, oh, we have grown apart. We are not the same people we were in second grade. So it's okay if we drift apart.
Starting point is 00:38:24 It's fine. I think that's the only one I tried to stay in second grade. So it's okay if we drift apart. It's fine. Yeah. I think that's the only one I tried to stay in contact with. And then I was like, never again. Why am I doing that? Is it hard to communicate? Yes and no. I think it depends on the scenario.
Starting point is 00:38:39 Like, I have social anxiety. So it depends on the day, my mood, how many people are around me that I know, how many people that are around me that I don't. But I've had panic attacks in parties where I know everyone, but I just really can't predict it. But I also feel so comfortable in front of strangers. I do stand-ups. But I also feel so comfortable in front of strangers. I do stand-ups. Sometimes I feel more comfortable being on stage,
Starting point is 00:39:14 speaking to hundreds or thousands of people and being fine. But if I'm at a bar and someone I kind of peripherally know talks to me, I'm like, oh my God, I'm sweating. Do you think psilocybin helped with your social anxiety? What's that? Do you think psilocybin helped you? I read an article about how you like shrooms. I take psilocybin because I had social anxiety as well.
Starting point is 00:39:47 And that helped me actually not fear The stranger next to me sometimes But it's so weird Because I have that same complex Where I can go play for thousands of people And entertain But if I'm at a bar by myself I'm like heart palpitating I don't want to talk to this fucking guy Do you think it helped a little bit?
Starting point is 00:40:02 I've honestly never thought about it like that I feel like I've gotten many benefits from mushrooms. I'm not sure if I can tie it to social anxiety. Maybe. I feel like my anxiety journey is something I'm still working through and discovering on how to manage. Like I had these palpitations for years and didn't know what they were. And then they like increased during the pandemic. And I was like, I got to check this out.
Starting point is 00:40:35 Like I thought I had a heart problem, which thankfully I did not. Like I went to the doctor, had to wear a heart monitor and did all these tests. And they were like, no, there's nothing physically wrong with you. It's your brain. I was like, oh, good. Like everyone else. Good, good, good. What do you think the pandemic, what happened in the pandemic that made you start overanalyzing, having a little more anxiety, a little more depression? What was going on?
Starting point is 00:41:02 I think I was just doing a lot of like self-analyzation in general. I was doing more meditation and therapy and group therapy. And I think I was just like in my head a lot. And then also like in my house a lot. Like everyone was in their house. And I love being home. Like I was like thriving during the pandemic. I was like, oh my God, I don't have to go anywhere.
Starting point is 00:41:28 I don't have to lie when I'm getting invited to places. I could just be home. This is amazing. And then I guess like people coming over or me going outside or that like was creating a new level of anxiety that I didn't anticipate. So I think it was like a mixture of a lot of things. Were you in New York during the pandemic?
Starting point is 00:41:49 No, I was in LA. Okay, cool. A little more spread out. Yeah. I had like outside space to go to, which was really nice. And parks. I guess there's parks in New York, but I did have more space. But yeah, I think once I actually went to the doctor and they're like, I think this is like linked to anxiety.
Starting point is 00:42:11 Just putting a name on it did help ease it a bit. Because when I did get palpitations, I'd be like, okay, so you're feeling anxious about something. And you would kind of die down. And yeah, I think just like understanding it a little more and labeling it was super helpful. Do you remember your first like major episode? You're like, I need to go to the doctor. Hmm.
Starting point is 00:42:33 I mean, my first panic, like big panic attack was at Disney World. Pandemic Disney World too? It looked like apocalypse out there probably. What happened? I worked at Disney World during college. And I was a character performer. I was friends with, that's what you're supposed to say. I was friends with Pluto, Eeyore, Mrs. Incredible.
Starting point is 00:43:01 And then I was tasked to wear the Buzz Lightyear costume, but I was like a little too small, but they didn't care because no one liked the Buzz Lightyear costume. It was like too big. The chest pack was overbearing. It was bad. And so I was arguing with my manager about it, and she was like, you're lying.
Starting point is 00:43:21 Everybody's trying to get out of this costume, which I was like, then that's a sign that the costume is bad. She didn't care. And I went out to these kids. I'm like sobbing underneath this costume. You're looking yourself in the mirror. You're looking yourself in the mirror just with a Buzz Lightyear outfit on just crying.
Starting point is 00:43:40 I'm not the best Buzz I could be. So you were looking yourself and you're like, what am I doing? Did it just freak you out? I still had to work. I had to go in front of these kids and stamp my autograph on their books. And I was miserable. And the character attendant, who's like our eyes and ears, was like, hey, Buzz, are you okay? Like thumbs up or thumbs down.
Starting point is 00:44:03 And I gave a big thumbs down. was like, hey, Buzz, are you okay? Thumbs up or thumbs down? And I gave a big thumbs down. And then he tried to usher me off the stage, but then Woody was blocking the door and hamming it up with the kid. And I guess panic ensued and my
Starting point is 00:44:15 lungs stopped working. And then I started hyperventilating. And you could hear it outside my costume. And they just picked me up and rushed me backstage and took all the gear off of me. And they're like, we think you had a panic attack, which I had never had before. So I was like picked me up and rushed me backstage and took all the gear off of me. And they're like, we think you had a panic attack, which I had never had before. So I was like, I guess I'll take your word for it. And then some old worker at Disney drove me to the medic and was like, what happened to you? And I was like, I think I had a panic attack. And I was told
Starting point is 00:44:41 there were a lot of retired military vets who worked at Disney because I just wanted to like be around happy people all the time and I don't know if this was the guy who was driving me but I was like yeah I think I had a panic attack and he goes you don't know panic I was like I guess I don't I guess I don't I have no idea what you've seen. We are strong out here in Disneyland. We are powerful, fearless mascots, friends of Buzz Lightyear. Oh my God. I just see the scene, like the backstage of wherever everyone's taking their break or everyone's like taking off their masks and just like smoking a cigarette
Starting point is 00:45:20 with like half their Pluto outfit on or half their Buzz outfit on. Like, man, fuck this job. Dude. Especially the Buzz Lightyear one where you're wearing a big ass mask. I mean like, I would hypervent if I'm like already having a panic attack and I'm wearing this big ass fucking outfit.
Starting point is 00:45:38 Nah, hell no. So what do they do? They just like pat you on the back and say, get back out there? Well, after the panic attack, all these managers came and analyzed me in the costume, which was like hanging off of me. And they're like, we realize that you probably shouldn't wear this. So I got discharged from the costume. But I was like, I can't believe I had to like break down. I can't believe I had to like have a panic attack for you to realize this probably wasn't a good fit for me.
Starting point is 00:46:08 Right. Did you tell your dad? Your dad's probably, like, you know, Air Force. Like, I got discharged too, Dad. I got buzzed, like, you're out. He's like, that's my girl. Wouldn't you? I tried to do my best at service, but they had to let me go.
Starting point is 00:46:30 Where in Disney? I mean, you said college? It was a college gig? This was college. This was 2007. And this was Disney World in Orlando. Orlando. Because you were in Virginia.
Starting point is 00:46:41 I mean, that's a tough school to get into. So you stayed in Virginia? Yeah. Or what? And you just worked in Orlando Yeah it was like the Disney College program So it was kind of like an internship For a semester and a summer
Starting point is 00:46:53 And I got back to I was studying theater at the time And so when I got back they were like Good job but you still have a lot of credits To make up We don't know what these Disney credits are. Oh, shit. But I did it.
Starting point is 00:47:10 What did you learn? I learned a lot. It wasn't... Honestly, it was more social skills because I felt like starting college over again. I was with all these other students from other places and international students. So it just felt like kind of a whole new world. Oh, here we go. Let's go. I'll clap to that. That was a good one. There we go. Full circle, queen.
Starting point is 00:47:33 No, I hear that. So I'm very fascinated. When did you start getting into wanting to be an actress, a comedian? Who was the first one that inspired you that you really loved that just made you, maybe it was an aunt, maybe it was your mom. Who was it? Ooh. My family is very funny, but not on purpose. I don't think I looked at anybody and was like, wow.
Starting point is 00:47:57 I'm going to be that. I'm going to tell those jokes. I'm going to be that. Quite the opposite, honestly. Yeah? No. I was a big fan of I Love Lucy. I love Lucille Ball. She's very funny and obviously. And like quite the entrepreneur of her era. I did watch The Nanny a lot.
Starting point is 00:48:17 I was a fan of Fran Drescher. I love Matt TV, SNL. Deborah Wilson is someone... Deborah Wilson probably is like the first like ooh I could do that because she was a black woman doing sketch comedy and I hadn't seen that before and she's so hilarious
Starting point is 00:48:37 her impressions were impeccable and yeah I think that was the first person I saw who I was like that's someone like me I'm like saw who i was like that's someone that like me like i'm like seeing myself on tv and that's something i would want to do i had no idea how to do it i was like a fan of comedy but had no idea how anyone got into it um and then i started doing improv in college at uva and then a touring company of the Upright Citizen Brigade Theater from New York came to perform and teach classes and stuff like that. And I remember someone asked a question like,
Starting point is 00:49:14 how do you get a career in comedy? And Bobby Moynihan, who later got on SNL, was like, you move to New York, you go to UCB and you work really, really hard. And then months later, got cast on SNL, and I was like, he knows what he's talking about. So I did exactly that. I moved to New York, started classes at UCB, and then, yeah, things kind of just fell into place. People saw me on stage. My agent saw me on stage. My manager saw me on stage, and then started booking commercials. And then eventually you realize, oh, this is the path
Starting point is 00:49:45 that a lot of the people I looked up to took. The UCB in New York feels like you have a better chance of making it on an SNL versus the one in Chicago because all the talent agents are there. Talent agents definitely go to Chicago, too.
Starting point is 00:50:01 There's a ton of Chicago comics who are all over the place. Yeah, I think the Chicago comedy scene is really bred for that. They take a very theatrical view of comedy, where New York is absolutely very serious about the comedy scene. But I don't know. It feels more experimental or something I'm not quite sure how to compare them Because I also never
Starting point is 00:50:29 I didn't come up in the Chicago scene But Yeah I think people will People who know comedy Or like Casting comedians I think they do know to go
Starting point is 00:50:39 To New York And Chicago And LA To find The crop Yeah The crop of the, of the scene.
Starting point is 00:50:46 Cause wasn't SNL like dealing with like a, they needed more diversity in what, when the years in auditioning. So were you getting like when you got the gig, was there like, like racism involved in it? As I'm trying to say, like, was there like, Oh, I wouldn wouldn't say racism i would say maybe like blind spots yeah um i i got cast in 2014 but i think the first time i auditioned
Starting point is 00:51:18 for the show was maybe 2011 or 12 or something. They had already known me and other black women too. But I guess there was like a sudden surge of public outcry for a black woman on the show. So, you know, they had this rushed audition,
Starting point is 00:51:41 which was funny because as I was putting my tape together, I was like, this is my last run. I'm going to try one more time. And if I don't get it, I'm moving to LA and trying other stuff. And I remember I put my character reel together and sent to my manager for notes. And they're like, funny story. They need this right now. And I was like, what? Oh, okay. I didn't know they were doing it was like september or something or october i didn't know i was like i didn't know they were doing auditions because usually that happens like earlier in the year um but they were
Starting point is 00:52:16 they wanted to hire someone that season to i guess rectify the lack of of a black woman and so my tape in they liked it we did a in person testing where you're like in front of the camera in front of Lorne and producers and other people and I
Starting point is 00:52:39 feel like I blacked out like I don't really like a raccoon in lights. Yeah. Oh my God. That's so scary, dude. I definitely left the stage feeling like that was the best thing I've ever done. Like I was like so confident that I couldn't have done better.
Starting point is 00:52:57 I was like, if they don't want me, that is not my problem. Like I did it. I put it all out there. And then there were like interviews after that. not my problem. I did it. I put it all out there. And then there were interviews after that. And then I think in January. So all that happened in December. And then in January, I got the call that I
Starting point is 00:53:14 got cast. And then that was in there. Oh my God. I'm clapping for you because that's badass. Let's go. Perseverance. What did you... For the first three years, you know, looking back, did you feel like you were ready
Starting point is 00:53:28 those first three years of auditioning until you got it there? Did you feel like year four of your audition, like, I fucking nailed this thing now? Yeah. I feel like I got cast when I was ready to be on the show. I think if I got cast the year before,
Starting point is 00:53:43 the year before that, I don't... I think... I think I the year before, the year before that, I think I was too new, too green. And honestly, I still hadn't been working that much when I got cast on SNL, but they also like hiring
Starting point is 00:53:56 newbies. So I felt like I was in a sweet spot where I was ready to adapt and learn and grow and try to thrive in this environment. And I feel like I left that place a better writer, a better performer, a better communicator of my ideas. I grew so much because it's like a boot camp for everything.
Starting point is 00:54:21 I really left that place feeling like I can do anything. And it's like a really good place to be how cutthroat were the writing rooms I mean it's like a numbers game because there are maybe like I don't know 18 writers 17 cast members everyone's writing at least two sketches right and then they can only read like 40 sketches during table read we can only rehearse like 12 or something and then maybe eight go on air or something like that i'm sure the numbers are wrong i haven't been on the show for a long time but uh yeah i mean i guess it's cut throat also it's like, there's no way to know how things are getting picked.
Starting point is 00:55:08 Like sometimes sketches get chosen because there's something super topical that week that we have to talk about. Or this makes the host look really, really good. So we're going to use this kind of sketch because they're good at this character. Or like, Lauren thinks it's funny. So we're going to do that sketch. But it doesn't necessarily mean like these are bad sketches that we're not doing. This is like this week went this way
Starting point is 00:55:33 and the next week will go a different way. But I also think it was good for me learning how to kill my darlings and not be so attached. Because it's like, alright, this has nothing to do with me. I can't predict this. It doesn't mean I'm not good at my job.
Starting point is 00:55:49 It just means this is how it's going. So I can't get too like attached to this. Any sketches that you're like, damn, that was my, I love that piece and it just didn't get on air? I'm sure many. I'm sure many. I'm sure many. I do remember I had a fun Maxine Waters update. I can't remember what the game was at all,
Starting point is 00:56:20 but I remember getting all the prosthetics on to make me look older in a costume, and it was fun to do, and then it just got cut. And that's also a possibility. That's how that goes. I do remember one like huge win for me. I pitched this Stranger Things sketch. And the idea was like,
Starting point is 00:56:42 I guess I was thinking about Stranger Things and like how they were like running around looking for monsters and stuff like that and I was like where are the black kids parents like where's Caleb's parents because my parents would be like what are you doing like where are you going
Starting point is 00:56:58 why are you always riding your bike at night with these white kids like where are you going and so I basically pitched that and and was like it's stranger things but like the parents are like what are you doing and people laughed really hard and then i wrote the sketch and and it was like the only sketch that i've written where it stayed the same until air like sometimes things get changed like during rehearsal, during the day of, during dress rehearsal, but it truly stayed the same until it aired and it did so well. The audience
Starting point is 00:57:34 loved it. Lauren loved it. Yeah. I just felt like so proud of that. I was like, ah, finally a win. Well, who were your mentors during those years? Did you have a mentor that was kind of helping you through everything and kind of inspiring you to be great or anyone? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Kenan is wonderful. He's like, he's so, he's such a wonderful human and so
Starting point is 00:57:58 knowledgeable about TV because he's been doing it since he was like, what? It's crazy how long he's been fucking doing it. 14 or something? It's crazy. He's been doing it forever. was like what crazy how long he's been 14 or something like it's crazy he's been doing it forever so he's like and he has a very chill vibe about himself too which makes which was putting me at ease like oh okay he's not like taking in all this stress and feeling like it's a rat race and whatnot he's kind of just like it's his job you come to work you do what you do a good job and you go home and i was was like, I can do that. Yeah. And yeah, I feel like I got a lot from him. Bobby Moynihan was a huge support system for me.
Starting point is 00:58:30 It was like awesome that like Bobby's the one who planted the idea of me like moving to New York and doing UCB and I got to work with him and we got to be on the show together at the same time. Like that was really amazing. So rad. Full circle moment. Everyone's great. Yeah, everyone was really amazing. So rad. Full circle moment. Everyone's great.
Starting point is 00:58:45 Everyone was absolutely rooting for each other. It was just like a interesting environment where only some things got floated to the top each week and some things didn't. But I think the people wanted everyone to win.
Starting point is 00:59:02 How was your anxiety level during this time? All over the place. I don't remember having any panic attacks while I was there, but also I do remember at some point reading about panic attacks because I hadn't had a big one in a long time. But I read something that was like, you can also have little ones where your tongue is tingling and your fingers go numb. And I was like, oh can also have little ones where like your tongue is tingling and your fingers go numb.
Starting point is 00:59:25 And I was like, oh, that happens to me all the time. And I was like, oh, shit. I've been having little panic attacks for who knows how long. I have no idea. Isn't it crazy? Like we've been dealing with this part of our whole life. My first panic attack was like 30. But I was probably having them when I was 10, 15, you know, like it's like all of a sudden someone tells you.
Starting point is 00:59:44 Yeah, we just have the language for it. Yeah. It's like anything in life, right? Mm-hmm. Like, I feel like you get better at writing. It's like you finally become a writer in your brain. Like, you've always been writing, probably. You've always been making sketches up in your head.
Starting point is 00:59:57 But someone says, now, you're a writer. That's a good point. Or you're a comedian. Now you're like, oh, fuck yeah, I'm a writer. I'm a comedian, you know? Yeah. Yeah. You get to put a name on it and it feels
Starting point is 01:00:05 more official, I guess. How was your stand-up chops during this time? Did you have time to work on your chops? Were you doing spots and stuff? I was, yeah. I feel really thankful that I did stand-up before I got on SNL and I just kept doing it throughout
Starting point is 01:00:22 because that felt so satisfying. It was like instant gratification. If I had a bad week or even a good week at the show, I could go to a stage and perform and get immediate feedback from the audience that I'm funny. And I'd be like, okay, okay. It's like, we're back, we're back, we're back.
Starting point is 01:00:42 We're back, we're back, we're back. We're back, we're okay, we're okay. Yeah, and I do feel like I developed more of my voice during that time. And yeah, just kept doing stand-up. I'm very thankful. Because I think if I had just worked at the show and the show was my life, it would have been a lot. But thankfully, I was able to hit the stage whenever I needed to, to get out some other energy. Totally. And so after 2017, those three-year period before the pandemic, what were you mostly focused on? What was your brain wanting you to do? Writing, acting, comedy? I would say kind of all of it i i released my first special pizza mind yeah 2017 um and i was touring
Starting point is 01:01:28 and i yeah i was really like in the zone as far as stand-up goes and i also wanted to be in a different show so i was like auditioning for all these pilots and i i think the reason i moved to la because at first i was like i'm in in New York. I'm a New York baby. If someone needs to find me, I will be here. But then all these jobs kept pulling me to LA and I was like, okay, the money's in LA. I will be in LA now. Yeah, it's crazy. I grew up in LA. I grew up in Calabasas, West Hills. And it's just so funny, the rat race in LA it's so different than New York right? It does feel different yeah I'm very lucky that a lot of my friends already moved from New York to LA so I kind of just like
Starting point is 01:02:13 absorbed myself into their ecosystem already but yeah it's different Any shows or movies you auditioned for that you regret not taking during those time? Or maybe, or regret, like, damn, you wish you got that part. Hmm.
Starting point is 01:02:35 I mean, yeah. But also, like, I feel like everything happens the way it's supposed to happen. Like, there's things I wanted for sure, but then that thing comes out and it's like, oh, it actually wasn't that good or it wasn't that well done. Or if I had gotten that job, then I wouldn't have had time to do this other job that I actually loved or whatever.
Starting point is 01:02:57 So yeah, I think there's always things that I really, really want to do, but then it doesn't happen for whatever reason. But then it's also like, it opens the door for other things that actually need to be happening in my life and in my career. And when did you meet Nicole through all this? I met her pretty soon after I moved to New York, like in 2009. And we were both doing UCB stuff she was
Starting point is 01:03:26 like one of few black girls that were there and we kind of had a friend crush on each other we were just like oh my gosh she's so cool and she's so cute and she's very funny and we asked each other to perform
Starting point is 01:03:42 and we performed a couple times and then there was another black woman Ke Keisha Zoller, who is hilarious and killing it. And the three of us became a trio called Doppelganger. We called ourselves Doppelganger because people confused us for each other, which is ridiculous because none of us look alike. I know, what the fuck? We just are black women. So wild. It's wild.
Starting point is 01:04:07 Isn't that shit wild? Does that offend you when shit like that happens? It used to, but I have absolutely made that mistake with white people. So I'm like, okay. I'm clapping for that. Let's go. There we go.
Starting point is 01:04:24 That's what I'm clapping for that. Let's go. There we go. That's what I'm talking about. I've definitely been like, wait, that's not Jessica Chastain. Like, I'm so, what? So when did the relationship get so close where you wanted to like work with her all the time? Pretty immediate. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:04:44 She's so amazing. She's so amazing she's so amazing i love her so much person who i could see her all day and still want to talk to her at night like there was a time in new york where we'd go to the same commercial auditions we get lunch together we go to ucb and take classes we'd go see a show or go do a show or go have rehearsal. We'd go have dinner. And then we'd go home and call each other on the phone to talk about our day. And I don't have that kind of relationship with anybody else. She's someone I can truly talk to forever, which is why we have a podcast.
Starting point is 01:05:20 Because we can talk to each other uninterrupted for hours and hours and like still have fun yeah it's amazing i mean you you do have a wonderful voice and like i i found out this um i found out this you're you're one of the voices in call of duty as well do you like doing that voice work that's so crazy i was such a random thought do you was very fun. Do you like... It is random. It was very fun. I don't remember... Because I guess they were casting comedy people. I remember the show that I did, or the game that I did, had Jay Pharoah, Seth Green, who else?
Starting point is 01:05:58 Ike Barinholtz was in it. So, yeah, they were looking for funny people. And it was like a I really don't know how to describe it It's like a side game within Call of Duty Yeah, like a side quest Yeah And it was more like cartoony and light
Starting point is 01:06:18 It wasn't so, you know, kill, kill, kill You did kill zombies, but it wasn't like, I tried to actually, I had never played Call of Duty and I had a friend who had it. So I was like, oh, I want to see what it's like.
Starting point is 01:06:34 And however it started, like your person, your player, like jumped off a cliff or something or like into a hole and then got a knife and like stabbed someone in the eye and you watched the life drain out of their face and i was like this is what this game is this is america that was like before the the actual game started i don't even think
Starting point is 01:07:00 you were controlling it at that point that's just like a pre-setup to whatever mission you were about to start. And I was like, oh my god. Okay. Well, my part's not like that. My favorite thing, woke, was amazing. Were you proud of that? It was fun to do. I was very proud of it. Yeah. I feel like we were
Starting point is 01:07:19 finding a really good groove and it was a show that was talking about like touchy issues and we weren't shying away from stuff um yeah and i just had a lot of fun like the cast was genuinely so funny um like lamorne and i had a really great like on-screen uh like chemistry slash like hate. Yeah. That was fun to play into.
Starting point is 01:07:49 Yeah, it was super, super fun. But, you know. Did you help write it? Come and go. Did you help write it? I didn't, no. No, they at least, they did. They were very open to improv, which I love.
Starting point is 01:08:01 And everyone on the show is good at improv. So we did like improvise a lot of stuff. But no, technically I was not a writer. Why do you think it stopped? I don't know. Yeah. It's, I can never predict. Like sometimes like people who work at the networks change over
Starting point is 01:08:20 and those people don't want to keep the shows that they didn't have anything to do with, or it's a numbers thing where it's like, Oh, we didn't get as like high of a, of a watching when this came out or I don't know. I never got a why. I just,
Starting point is 01:08:37 I wish we did get a third season. It would have been nice to like round it out. We would have been able to like finish a story, but that, that happens sometimes. Yeah. It's so crazy. Yeah. Cause you don't, for the writer too, it's like, round it out. Yeah. I feel like we would have been able to, like, finish a story. But that happens sometimes. Yeah. It's so crazy. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:08:47 Because you don't, for the writer, too, it's like, all right, you're done. You couldn't even have closure on it. So now you have, like, this open-ended book of a show. Yeah. Which was such a beautiful show. It feels weird. It does feel a little weird. At least, like, give the option to finish it up.
Starting point is 01:09:04 What are you working on now? What are you working on now? What are you working on now? Are you writing some stuff? Are you acting? Give me the deets for what's going on now. Well, you can't right now. My special. Yeah, your special.
Starting point is 01:09:12 Yeah, I'm not writing or acting, but my special is done. And it's coming out August 15th. And I'm super proud of it. My last one came out in 2017. And I feel like I've grown so much as a comedian, as a performer, as a person, and I think
Starting point is 01:09:31 that's really reflected in this special and I'm just really excited for people to see something new. Yeah, and how long did it take you to make it? How long were you working on the material for before you said, I think I'm ready? That's a good question.
Starting point is 01:09:46 I guess since 2017. But some of the stories are old stories that I didn't know what to do with. I talk about this car accident that happened to me when I was at UVA in college. But I didn't know what was funny about it yet and I didn't know what I wanted to say about it so yeah sometimes I have stories just like sitting in this bank on my phone and then eventually I'm like oh this connects to this idea or like oh this thing that just happened to me reminds me of this thing that happened to me in the past or whatever so like I just like find new ways to like thread it with the other material I'm writing.
Starting point is 01:10:26 Yeah. So it's like, I guess I've been working on it for four or five years, but also some of the stuff is very old, some of the stuff is very new, as of days before I actually got on stage to record the album. Oh, really? Yeah, there's a punchline in there that I had never done.
Starting point is 01:10:42 But I was like, I believe so strongly that this is right. And it worked. Did it kill? It did kill. Let's fucking go. See sometimes like. Why are we afraid to.
Starting point is 01:10:52 Are you a person who is afraid to trust their gut? Or like when you feel something in you. Do you go out there and go attack it? Yeah. I trust my gut immensely. Because I feel like it's been. Like what's helped me in my career and my life thus far. Yeah, I can trust my gut more than I can trust anybody else.
Starting point is 01:11:17 Do you feel like you have to work harder being a woman in this industry? Hmm. I guess yes and no. Sometimes people are looking for a woman. So it's nice because I'm like, here I am. playing to a room full of people who are not like me and maybe don't understand my viewpoint. And that can not get me a job or not get me whatever because they're like, I don't get it. Which is fine. They don't have to get it. But yeah, it's just like sometimes people get things
Starting point is 01:12:04 because whoever's paying the thing or hiring for the thing, they're like, oh, I want to hire someone who reminds me of myself. And then we get in this cycle of people who look the same getting the same kind of jobs. But if you think it's changing, it's just like bias. That's just how it is. Yeah. Like people don't know they're doing that or they do and they don't care but uh i think most of the time people are like oh i just saw like a scrappy young man who reminded me of me but not thinking i should probably make an effort to find people
Starting point is 01:12:37 who aren't like me because they have valuable voices too yeah but i do think it's getting better and um i'm absolutely seeing more diversity in comedy and in the entertainment industry and I just hope it keeps trending upward. I feel like this whole idea of creature of habit is ruining
Starting point is 01:12:57 evolution in a sense. Because if we just keep on doing the same circle and we're not growing ideas and trying to find different Opinions and different feelings How are we going to grow as a society? This is I 100% agree
Starting point is 01:13:14 Yeah, we need We need diverse voices because the world is diverse And we need to be reflected In the art that's being created Right, this has been so wonderful Thank you so much for being on the show I really appreciate it I got one last question
Starting point is 01:13:28 And I'll let you go get out there Get some sun in Mexico Go have fun Fuck the writer's strike Don't even worry about it Go out there and be beautiful Even though it's stressful I couldn't even
Starting point is 01:13:38 Musicians don't get a union They're like Oh, you don't want a gig? You really need one I know We're stuck, dog We gotta go play in like D'Kipsy, Kansas If there's a union. They're like, oh, you don't want a gig? You really need one. I know. We're stuck, dog. We got to go play in like D'Cipsy, Kansas if there's a union, you know, or like it's some bullshit.
Starting point is 01:13:52 Yeah. Yeah. From what I've heard, the music industry is not great either. Yeah, it's horrible. So my last question for you is when it's all said and done, what do you want to be remembered by? Wow. I want to be remembered for doing things that feel authentic to me.
Starting point is 01:14:13 I hope people see the work that I do and they're like, oh, that feels like Sashir. That feels like Sashir would make that thing. It feels like Sashir would do that thing. It aligns with her personhood and her values. And yeah. And I relate to it. I hope people can relate to what I'm doing too. Authenticity.
Starting point is 01:14:32 I love it. Thanks for being on the show, Sasheer. And have a great day. And keep fighting the good fight, queen. We got you, dog. We got you. Hell yeah. Have a good one.
Starting point is 01:14:40 Thanks for being on the show. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Have a good one. Thanks for being on the show. Thank you. Bye.
Starting point is 01:14:44 Bye. You tuned in to the World's Health Podcast with Andy Fresco. Thank you for listening to this episode. Produced by Andy Fresco, Joe Angelo and Chris Lawrence. We need you to help us save the world and spread the word. Please subscribe, rate the show, give us the crazy stars, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you're picking this shit up. Follow us on Instagram at world saving podcast for more info and updates. Presco's blogs and tour dates you'll find at andyfresco.com. And check our socials to see what's up next.
Starting point is 01:15:15 Might be a video dance party, a showcase concert, that crazy shit show, or whatever springs to Andy's wicked brain. And after a year of keeping clean and playing safe, the band is back on tour. We thank our brand new talent booker, Mara Davis. We thank this week's guest, our co-host, and all the fringy frenzies that help make this show great. Thank you all.
Starting point is 01:15:37 And thank you for listening. Be your best, be safe, and we will be back next week. No animals were harmed in the making of this podcast. As far as we know, any similarity, interaction, or knowledge, facts, or fake is purely coincidental.

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