Breaking Bread with Tom Papa - Episode 197 - Donnell Rawlings

Episode Date: March 5, 2024

Tom and Kira engage in a candid and humorous conversation with guest Donnell Rawlings. They kick off with playful banter about Tom's bread-baking endeavors, leading into discussions on a variety of topics including the intricacies of comedy, personal growth, and the nuances of navigating the entertainment industry. Donnell shares insights from his journey in stand-up comedy, touching upon his new special, the impact of historical context on comedic content, and reflections on fatherhood and personal identity. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Donnell: Donnell Rawlings is a force both on and off the stage as a comedian, actor and podcaster and this year, Donnell is fire -- debuting his first stand-up special A NEW DAY on February 27th for Netflix produced by his long-time friend Dave Chappelle. This is one of four specials Dave is producing for Netflix who stated, “I’ve been doing this a long time and comedians like Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career. Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment.”   About Tom: Tom Papa, a celebrated stand-up comedian with over 20 years in the industry, has made significant strides in film, television, radio, podcasts, and live performances. Notably, he's a regular on "The Joe Rogan Experience" and various late-night TV shows. Papa's literary skills are evident in his books “We’re All In This Together” and "You’re Doing Great!: And Other Reasons To Stay Alive," a collection of essays, and "Your Dad Stole My Rake: And Other Family Dilemmas," a comedic look at family life. His latest stand-up specials are “Tom Papa: What A Day!” and "Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great!" on Netflix.Beyond comedy, Papa's engagements extend to hosting "What A Joke With Papa And Fortune" on SiriusXM and appearing on NPR's "Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me." His love for baking led to hosting the Food Network series "Baked." As an actor, he's worked with notable figures like Rob Zombie and Steven Soderbergh and has appeared in several films and TV shows, including the HBO film "Behind the Candelabra." Additionally, Papa has contributed as a writer to projects like "Bee Movie" and various TV series. Residing in Los Angeles with his family, Papa continues to balance his professional life with personal interests like baking. About Kira: Kira Soltanovich is a multifaceted talent in the entertainment industry, with a career spanning nearly a decade as a correspondent on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," where she became known for the Phony Photo Booth segment, the show’s longest-running comedy piece without Jay Leno. Her collaboration with Leno continued in the reboot of the "You Bet Your Life" game show, now syndicated on FOX. Soltanovich has also made her mark with stand-up specials on Showtime and Amazon, titled "Here Comes Trouble" and "You Did This To Me," respectively, and has served as the sidekick to Donald Faison on Netflix's game show "Winsanity." Her recurring roles on FOX's "Punchline" and "The Drama," regular appearances on TruTV’s "How To Be A Grownup," and her work on the Facebook series "The Turndown" highlight her versatility as a comedian and actress.Beyond her television work, Kira has been a staple in the comedy scene, from her early days on "Girls Behaving Badly" to being featured on Comedy Central and winning the Big Sky Comedy Festival. Her comedy has also been celebrated at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. A unique aspect of her career includes writing jokes for Joan Rivers and her origins from the former Soviet Union, adding depth to her comedic perspective. Currently, Kira is focusing on creating and producing her own talk show, "Let’s Get Sweat!," set in a sauna, and preparing to record a new comedy album. This journey from a Soviet emigrant to a celebrated figure in American comedy showcases her remarkable adaptability and creativity in the entertainment world.Get in touch with or go see Tom live on stage!Radio, Podcasts and more: https://linktr.ee/tompapa/Website - http://tompapa.com/Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/tompapaTwitter - https://www.twitter.com/tompapaFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/comediantompapa#TomPapa #breakingbreadwithTomPapa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Hey, it's our dough. Hey, it's time for breaking bread with Papa. Hey, don't you know? Hey, it's also a show. Hey. What do you mean that my baking bread is pervy? It's pervy. It's therapeutic, but it's something that, and I hate to say this because I represent the streets, Tom.

Yes, I've always known that about you. And it's just the way you do it, you know, and I know your friends know it. First off, I feel like I, when you're. Whenever I watch you make bread, I feel like you're trying to seduce me. Right? In certain cultures, that would be offensive. And my culture is offensive, but we don't play that shit. All right.

But it's the way you do it. You would need, right, the way you need it. And then where's my camera? Right here. My camera? Yeah. Like, you put attention to the bread, and then when you really go in, you look into the camera.

That is true. I'm telling you, look at it to the camera, and it's just something about, The separation of the breast, I mean the bread. What is that thing called? It's a knife. It's got to be a special. A bench knife. A bench knife.

Yeah, that separates. Yeah. You separate that and then you have them apart and then you go back into the camera. And somebody caught me. It's like, caught me watching you make bread. You know, I was looking like, oh, my God. It was like, what are you doing? I was like, nothing, man.

Is it weird that you sometimes hear me muttering under my breath? Hey, Dinell. Yeah. Yeah. It's a different. different tone, but I've learned to accept breadmakers. All right, good. And you're the only person that knows it makes bread.

I brought you my favorite bread because I just got off the road, so I couldn't give you my bread. But this is from Lodge Bread. What is it? Bread. Whose bread? Lodge bread. Lodge. I know what Lodge means.

And you said that to me like, I don't know how to read or write. You asked twice. No, no. Let me, I don't want to make this ratio. Yes, you do. Yes, you do. But when a white man is look at you in your face and they're not making bread, and they look at you like lodge, like I understand the word.

And the reason why I literally like that because how do I get, no disrespect to lodge bread. Right. I want your bread. I know you do. And when I came here, we were thinking about getting some lunch. And first off, I was on time, not like a lot of other people that you, you know. I was on time. You're always on time.

Right. And I said to myself, you want to get, I was like, no, I know Tom. is going to have some of that breast bread. The booby bread. Yeah, the brooby bread. And company with some breast milk and my espresso, then I'm winning, buddy. Well, I was worried, I was coming off the road, so I was a little press for time. Yeah, that's good.

Yeah, these are my guys. Take it out. Take it out. Reveal it. Easy. Have a set up. Can I see your baguette? Way people edit.

I heard your baguette is big. This could go crazy. Take it out. Take it out to now. Let me see that big old baguette. Oh, yeah. Ooh, that looks good. Yes.

The girth in this bread is a really good. And it's that dark and vainy line is going out in the middle. And I'm the pervy one. I just follow your leave, bro. That's so great. But thanks for the bread. You're welcome. Well, I knew you were traveling too, so I didn't know if a loaf of bread was going to be good.

It's going to be all right. I want to thank you for having me on the podcast. It's so good to see you. I love you. And congratulations. This really, I mean, a lot of people have specials. and things going on to promote. Wait a minute.

I'm sorry. I don't mean to cut you off, whatever, but you look like this is about to be really personal. Yeah. Wait, you're special? No, the tardy thing. Oh, me, no, it's totally fine. No, I don't think so.

Oh, no. Listen, you got dropped off. She was, hold on. Kira was late. You got dropped off. I was not late. I was not late.

I got here 10. So what's, you're a star, I get it. What is triggering you? What is triggering you about the word late? Listen. I get it. And you are a big deal.

And I'm going to remind you where we met in a minute. So I'm in an alley. I'm in an alley next to this building. And there's a massive, way too big, like compensating for something. I wasn't driving. The only way you compensated if you're driving. Listen.

Listen. Someone booked it for you. And it's sitting there. And I'm like, let's go. And I'm waiting. And it's blocking the app. And then you, my friend, come out. And I was like, really? It was you.

But you know what? It was you. And your driver, not your fault, but your driver left the vehicle. She left the vehicle. You know she left the vehicle. I saw her with her little blonde ponytail. But you are. And she leaves the vehicle.

And I'm like, and I don't honk because I am polite. Is that a honky? But I know it's you. No, that's what you know. Honker. Okay. Honker. And I know.

Okay. Okay. You are early. Why do you act like that as such a surprise? I'm not. I'm just saying now it's going to look bad because your earliness made me tardy. Oh. It's going to look bad for me because I'm looking for a parking spot.

So you were pushing it. You were pushing it. I was. You didn't give yourself enough time to compensate. Yes. No. I always say half hour early. You said because I'm a big star and you're right.

You had a car drop you off, which is amazing. I didn't have a car. Netflix booked me a car. I love it. But that blonde ponytail was bouncing around on the outside. Who's this driver? Red farmer's market, blonde. And I'm like this chick, she better get back in this car immediately because it's making me.

Every second she bounces around this big old escalade is a second that I'm later. So anyways, I was stuck behind your SUV, your car service. I apologize. It's not your fault. I apologize for that. You know, it's not. And I'm so happy that I wasn't the one that was tardy. Well, that's what I wanted to say.

Before we just keep rolling, sincerely, you're a new day, your new special on Netflix. Yeah. And you and I have known each other for a long time banging around clubs, doing stuff. And people have specials and it's cool and people release stuff and do whatever. Am I wrong that it feels like this is a special moment? This feels like for people like ourselves who I put us in the category of a slow burn. 100%. Fun, strong careers, always getting bigger.

But for you to have this moment now on Netflix, it just feels to me like this well-deserved mile marker. You nailed it. And the question I've been getting is like, first of all, when you hear the word special, it doesn't excite you like it used to be back in a day. when you heard of an HBO special. You know what I'm saying? That was back in the day. It was like three or four.

And it was all about that. And people abused the word special. A lot of times there's nothing special about it. The next time I hear God has been doing comedy for two years, I'm shooting my first hour special. I'm like, how the hell did that happen? But the question you asked me, like, and it's a very good question, does it feel special?

And it does feel special. And the reason why I feel special, I tell people this all the time, had like 20, 25 years ago when I didn't have, if you want to say, a name or whatever, and I was still grinding or whatever, I would have looked at it like, this is the calling card.

This is how I'm going to introduce people to myself. Right. This people are going to know me for this. But now after 32 years, and I've built somewhat of a name for myself where I'm not chasing that part. Right. And what makes it special is just like,

I feel like this is a project that not, like, I want it, but I think my mom. fans, my friends, my family wanted more to anything. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah. Not that you care about it, but the fact that you can make that statement and say, we've been, we've been a tortoise.

Yeah. We've been a tortoise, our career, but we've had hair moments. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. They lap us and then another year, we'll lap, and it's a slow, slow situation. But now I feel like it's deserving. I don't think that it's like a lot of, you see some specials like this.

Okay, what, what, who do we have to give a special now transgender comedian you know what I mean like it's what's going on there like we need an Asian ampute no disrespect you know I'm saying and it's like of the moment in the moment but I feel like and not just me saying this

but the people that's been following me for years yeah I think that it's it's it's I really believe that it's their time wow that's a good way to look at it yeah because and when I say like a slow burn I don't mean like failing in any way because you've had

this really strong career. That's a blunt, but go ahead. It looks like this really good career and people know you and it's been really solid. And the thing, the great thing about comedy is that you get better through the years and you just build it. And it's not like you're in a movie. Not all comics, Tom. The great thing about great comics that they get better. Right.

Everybody doesn't have that experience. And I said something the other day. I'm 56 years old, right? Right. And I still have the energy of a comic. that's doing open mic. And I said something on the platform, I said, I'm 56 years old,

and I said, and I feel like I'm about to blow up. Right? Yeah. It's hard for a guy our age to feel that way because we've been through so much. Yeah. And then from the generation that I came through, whatever, they can't feel that way

because they're not going to have their opportunity. And the reason why they're not going to have that opportunity because they don't have the right people in their life. They're not playing the right spots, and they are not going to be, in a place where people could see them. Right. And I'm not blowing smoke up anybody's blood or anything like that.

Yeah. But I still, I still have that hunger as if 20 years ago. Yeah. And somebody asked me the other day, they said, Donnell, they said, Donnell, with this special job, they said, what's next? I was like, I don't care. And the reason, the reason why I don't care is because I think, ultimately, a true stand-up comic, the thing that you want out of this business the most is to be able to put

your name on the marquee and create a good living for yourself. That's right. That's what I'm saying. To be able to look, I mean, I remember back in the day when I was just waiting for the phone and ring for a gig. Yeah. And it's like just a phone ring for me. Okay, sit a deposit.

You know, like I was living off a deposit money. I need half right now. I don't care what ticket you're on. I need half right now. Yeah. But to be able to look, this is what I feel like what making it is for me in this profession. Yeah.

Finding your God-given talent and being money up. To look at my schedule. and say, I am booked for the entire year, whether NBC, CBS, whether anybody give me a deal. At the minimum, I can still create a living off of something that you can't take away from you. Yeah, exactly. You've got a career. You've got people, your people and showing up, and this special is going to be,

it's going to solidify. It's going to bring more people in. When you say the people in your life that it's for them, who are the, who's on the top of that list? my immediate family. Yeah. Mom. Mother.

Sister. The mother of my child. Right. Mom because it's just, I'll be like, bitch I told you I was going to make it. I don't know. I don't feel like that way at all.

But they're still not paying me. Just to be clear. You left me up the wrong time. No, I don't feel that way at all. Just to be clear. No, but it's like, it's interesting. It's people that go back as far as when, like, when I used to live in.

Washington, D.C., when I used to be a security guard at a grocery store, is those people that urged me to go to a comedy club, to go to open mics. You know, those are the people, the ones that, as we say in the streets, those day one people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Those people are like, just, man, I know you're going to get it. You're going to get it. Those people. And those people get mad at the new people.

Right. I knew him when. Yeah, they know, you know, but it's those people. Yeah. And but for some reason during my career, the people that follow me, they really, they, like, really, become fans and supportive. Yeah. And I think that what makes them feel good about this is because they see a lot of people,

and I don't never compare or compete, they see a lot of people like, wait a minute, this person got that, this guy should have that. You know, I never get caught up in that because your time is when it's your time. Yeah, exactly. And that's why I tell everybody, the best thing you could do in this business is enjoy the journey. Yeah, 100%. The journey is fun. I mentor people.

And they're like, okay, Donnell, what I need? need to us like first off in this business you have to know how to be happy being broke you know what I mean because that's going to be most of your career yeah especially when we came up it's different yeah because you could just go viral and they see you know you sell an ad for like a house-bous pop yeah but you have to be happy with being broke and you got understand that there's going to be another there's going to be another part of it right yeah how do you know to know where did you meet we met why I'm so nervous right now I know I can I can only imagine.

I pull out a Moripovich envelope. You are the father. We met in London. We did? Really? Remember that show on Comedy Central World Stans up? I remember that, yeah. We shot that together.

And we rode on a train together. We did. And I got drunk and I forgot everything. No, did you get drunk? I don't remember that part. I remember going the night before we did the shoot. Remember, they took us to a pub out in the boonies, like out in the suburbs. Oh, gosh.

Go ahead. I'm sorry. Are you feeling bread? You said, oh, man. I watched some bread. Boonies. And we. Oh, it was like way, way, way, way up. Yes.

And we did a little pub show because they wanted us to feel kind of comfortable. Because it's, you know, it's a British audience. It's a little different. You destroyed. You destroyed. And then the next night was our shoot and the comic in front of you. And we don't have to say names. She got booed off stage.

No, we have to. Whoa. No, we're in the world. We have in the world now. when we expose people at least in my community we expose, we clap back you know what I'm saying

I don't want to get canceled I know I know you know all the mental health words now because I watched your special she got booed off stage and she cried and it was heartbreaking and then you followed her she wasn't supposed to be there

maybe not but maybe not no in all seriousness probably not and no we got to say her name because we have to make her relevant no we're helping we're helping

absolutely not No, go ahead. But you, I'll never forget the bit. First of all, you came out and you, you talk to these Brits, you were like, you guys are fucked up. You guys, yes. They booed her offstage. Oh, and then he came up after. And then you were next.

And I don't know how they're going to cut it, right? Because I'm watching this. I'm like, how are they going to cut this? What if they don't cut? But why did they boo her? Well, why do comics get booed? Some of them chose it under pressure of the lights. Okay.

You know what I'm saying? And some people we got some of, they misread the audience. Okay. Some of them think they are something bigger than what they really are. Okay. So there's your reasons. All three of them. Some of them just suck.

Maybe. And some of them just not supposed to be here. Are they still working? I think so. How did she get there? Was this before, this was for me too. Did she blow somebody to get on the show? I could not.

It wasn't me. She didn't blow me. That's just saying that back of the day, that's how you, that was an audition. There seems to be a big thing going on now in common. where people are calling each other out. If they had success, they must have blown somebody. Where did you get this information? Because I just had an incident with a comic about that.

You did? Oh, my God. We talked about that. It's true, right? Like, Kat was talking about it. Yeah, but there's a theory. Uh-huh. Right?

And it's usually, not saying this is exclusive to Matt. These people create these theories, a lot of times they're bitter people. A lot of times there are people that had opportunities and they blew it. So they have to make excuses on why. they aren't at a certain place. Right, because they're not blowing people. Yeah. And I just had a conversation with that,

and I don't, I feel like you, I don't want to say that person's name, whatever, right? But I got triggered because this comic was going, just going around, he's just like, he's upset with everybody.

And he always, God damn it. The other day I went to his show and he said, if you a comic, no, if you. Is he saying this on stage? Yeah, he said,

if you've been in over three movies, you gave someone fallatio. Okay. But he said it in the streetway. He said, I'm sorry. So off the dick. Right. All right.

And I was triggered by that. Right. And the reason why? Because I was looking at my IBMD. I've been in a bunch of stuff. I've been in three movies. I was like, wait a minute. I've been in three movies and I stayed dick free.

Yeah. What's wrong with me? Right. Why are not good enough? It's the trend. That's what people are. That's the thing. But then I was like, wait a minute.

You didn't really. proof this joke because I looked at his IBMD and he'd been in six movies. So he didn't do the math. So he would double-fisted. Or maybe he did. Maybe he's experienced. He had a double-fist.

I think he double-fist. Maybe he's talking from experience. I think that this thing is that notion is exclusive to black comedians. It seems to be a recent trend. Yeah. And the reason why is because

black people are very homophobic. Uh-huh. I just, got over like 10 years ago. Right. I just had to quit. There was no place for me to be homophobic anymore.

There's no safe homophobic spaces. Yeah, I was just like, I threw the towel. I fought for it too. I fought so hard. The last bit of the homophobia for me, and I know this sounds so stupid, I thought that there was gay chewing gum. What? You know the big freshen up gum with the jelly shit in the middle?

Yeah. I call it the bus off gum. gum gum I call it cum gum right and I thought I'm very upset right now because that was my Nana's favorite gum

she always had some in her bag she always had some in her bag I got it in my eye for I'm telling you gave me I got a piece of that gun one time and it popped in my mouth and I felt so violated but then nobody

understood my pay so I had to I just had to let it go but it is true like yeah yeah it seems like it's like a recent like slam like you know yeah but where's it come from you you never heard that from your community no there's also yeah well i mean no of course it's been around sleeping around to get a job that's been around no no no no yeah but it seems like it's a comedian slam against other comedians

who are like you know in cats cat's infamous uh interview he was saying i think this was specific to men right okay that's what i thought it was right right right right right This is going on for women for a long time. Yeah. For careers have been built on it. I'm sitting here going, do these guys just realize right now? No,

no, no, no. They're asked for blow jobs all the time for decades and decades. But there's a lot of, there's not a lot, but there's a bunch of comedians

kind of like throwing shade against other comedians and they're saying they're only successful because they must have done this. Okay. Well, you know what? You are so PC. It's not a bunch of community.

It's a bunch of black comics. Yeah. You don't hear this. You don't hear this. In your community, you haven't heard this. And I'm just people, like, I don't like it. I don't like the dark cloud of a black comment or black comments. I just, it's, it's awful.

And like, for you to make that notion, so you just take it away from like, so I got this situation because I did that it has nothing to do with my work ethics. It has nothing to do with me studying. It has nothing to do with me stand out of trouble, nothing. The only way I could be in this position because of that, I think that's BS. Right. You know? It seems like the rap thing.

like it's like we're calling each other out. There's like white comics, all comics have competition. You're seeing people you want to move up and stuff like that. And white people mutter it to each other. The anger and the hate. That guy's not shit. Yeah, but do that what they do?

People say this. It's like, yeah, why black people tear each other down? White people don't do that. Yes, they do, but white people put it under the umbrella of a roast. Right. Right. Right. Right.

Right. Yeah. I hate you like, I hate you. Yeah. Let's do the papar roast. And that's when they go in. It's cathartic. It's like, yeah. Let it out.

It is awful. Yeah. You guys are way worse. And it's like a subtle smile. Like you say something that just questions the person's lobby, whatever. It's like, it's just jokes. But they hurt me. I don't want to be hurt.

Yeah. Yeah. So what do you think it is, though? Why do you think? Why? For some reason, I believe that. In my community, we only think it could be one top dog at a time. Right.

You don't want to share the stage. You don't want to think that like it's only, like, it's only one person could be there. And you're competing with that person opposed to just competing with yourself. There's room there for everybody. But everybody, they say it's one thing. It's like, oh, it's almost like this. Okay, it can be Eddie Murphy, and then it can be Kevin Hart, then it can be Cat Wins. But to be quite honest, it could be everybody at the same time.

Right, exactly. And it is, but I think, okay, I'm going to push back a little bit on this. I feel like sometimes the black community is more inclusive. Like they'll say like, okay, we're going to do, you know, Monique and Friends or Tiffany did that. I did that. I was a part of Monique and Friends. Right.

And Tiffany Haddish was like, they ready or whatever. And, you know, I know Chappelle takes people on. And I feel like you guys are actually, you do look out for, I'm sure there's still competition, right? Because we've now learned the backstory of, you know, the King. of comedy. Right. Now that we all know, there was massive competition.

I thought they were all friends. Oh, no. And then I find out absolutely not. They were all friends for a check. And I'm not disrespect. They're all friends because, like, separately, they all stood on their own.

But it's just something about that phrase, kings of comedy. Yeah. It was so strong that there had so many different options that were like kings of D.C., kings of Wyoming. It was just like, when you're so sure they were kings,

It's a group of them. But you got to realize that's with anything. When you put that many people together, there's going to be some dissension. There's going to be some people with attitudes or whatever. Yeah. If eventually it's going to fall apart. Yeah. Because everybody wants to be a star.

And also, I think that the comedians that are currently working and doing their stuff, you don't hear that talk. I think it's a lot of times when there's bitterness, when there's people who are like feeling like maybe they're on the outs. Then those things start coming up. comedian to comedian just on the scene hanging at the cellar at the comedies or whatever you don't hear that.

But the bitterness and the anger comes from you can be mature enough to say to yourself this is the reason why I am not in this position because I did this and I did that but when you see somebody

that has surpassed you or whatever especially if you think that you from that same generation and whatever their success is a reflection of your failures in what you haven't done right right You know what I'm saying?

It's like you don't mean it that way, but I, it's like you're rubbing it in my face. Right, yeah. I remember, I remember being at the comedy seller once, and I was sitting with Nick DePaulo. Oh, that was a nice segue. Speaking of anger. Yeah, right. Yeah. And he was, and Nick, he was really pissed off at somebody's success.

Just what you're saying. Right. And I was like trying to be like, I was like, but you know, Nick, there's a lot of time in any business. you know, somebody who doesn't deserve it gets a promotion over somebody who does deserve it. It happens in every business. And he goes, yeah, Tom, but in other businesses, you don't have to see that guy's face on the side of a bus.

Oh, yeah, that's true. That's true. Or on a billboard or whatever. But I always look at it like this, I've never been in any competition with anybody but myself. Yeah. And then especially with people that come from where I came from. Yeah.

You know what I look at them as an example like, you know what? This is an example of it can happen. Right. You know what I'm saying? It can happen. And even when everything was going with the cat Williams and then all the naming of these comics

and this person, first off, some people feel like you have to have the same path as they had. Right. You know, like, you didn't come from the streets. You came from the festivals. Right. You know what I'm saying? But that's a big argument.

Yeah. You didn't, well, Kevin Hart, he didn't come from the streets. He didn't do the same grind. And whenever I get really defensive, when you make comments like about Kevin Hart, when you make comments about Deja Pell, Especially when I see these comics to think they are so funny.

And they're like, that guy, they're not funny. I'm like, well, look at it this way. This non-futney person has made themselves a multimillionaire. Yeah. Right? They have to create a generational wealth for their entire family and everything. And I mean, remember, you said this non-futney person. Yeah.

Now you as the funniest motherfucker you know are here. Maybe you need to stop focusing on funny. You know, it's just, it's like, it's, it's, it's, um, how was, how was the experience when you, when you guys were doing the shows in Ohio during, during the pandemic? And like, you guys were the first ones to kind of put up a stage, find a space. Dave was like, we're still going. And I would only see it on social media. But what was it like performing in those shows? I'll tell you this, man, for a lot of people, 2020 was the,

the mercy of their life. And I have to honestly say this, 2020 was one of the best years of my life. It looked like it. And the reason why I said, because, because first of, that camp was one of the first people to create a bubble. But we could not let people know how much fun we were having

because they would say we were being irresponsible. Right. You're going to kill my grandmother. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I don't believe you. And it was so bad. Like, the people got mad at me because I have rich friends. You know?

Right. Somebody said, like, Dave got a hold of a rapid testing machine before the government did. You know, like, before the government. Like, no, we had a rapid test for 20 minutes, right? Yeah. And here's the thing. He's out there in the country. The idea of the thing that someone came at first, it was like he wanted to see his friends.

Right. And he spent a lot of money to see his friends. Yeah. I mean, a lot, hundreds of thousands of dollars. Like, but the thing about it, you can't give him. a black man, a test of me, shit like that for the first time, he was crazy with it. I felt like he was raping my nose.

Like he got into, like he was going way back here. And then the minute, we post a picture like, look at them. They don't got no mask on whatever. But we just tested. Like, we just tested. Yo, but you can't do that. Y'all not being responsible. Somebody told me, oh, Donnell, it must be nice to have rich friends

to afford tests. I was like, you're absolutely right. 100%. And I love it. But the measures he took not just to make us safe the entire town. Yeah. Like he would like give free, remember when people's ideas, I can't get tested. Right?

Oh, it's like a week. Like he was, not just us, but everybody around it. The hotel where he would send people. And did he did like, he would like, man, this dude was had jets coming from New York. Yeah. Atlanta, L.A. Yeah. Right?

And it was just such. I remember when John Stewart came for the first time, right? John Stewart was like, this is the first time I had contact with anybody. Yeah. But I'm going to tell you, man, that feeling of getting that negative result and hugging somebody. Yeah. It was the best. We had that moment.

Remember when we did that corporate gig at my house? We did that Zoom thing. And it was like one of the first times we were around someone and we hugged each other goodbye. Yes. I still feel that hug. Really? I still feel that hug. I'll tell you what it did, what it did for me,

and I think a lot of people, it made you realize how I consider Hollywood to be overrated. And when I say that, it really gave you what this, like you had to appreciate some, during the pandemic, if you didn't appreciate the simple things of life, you are out of control. Simple things like to drive down the street

and see playgrounds, empty. Yeah. Swings not swinging. Oh, that was hard. Nobody had to, like to go down, to go down Times Square. And it was like, you can see tumblewees coming down like that. We're past it now.

Yeah. But that was a moment of history that you, like, what the hell to just happen? Like the entire world shutting down. And how's it going to affect? Because you have a son. How old is your son? Yeah. He's eight.

Okay. So I have an eight-year-old daughter. So they were at a very important time in their lives. They were starting kindergarten. That's how I was. We had to bring his son back. How is it going to affect them? Well, it affected us.

We had to, but he was young when he started. But his first school, it was kindergarten. And he just couldn't do it on the laptop. No. I took my kids off. We took it off. We brought them. We said, all right, because he started so young, we can pass that year.

But it was just like he was too distracted. Yeah. And at that age, whatever, it's hard to get a kid to be in front of a laptop or whatever. But I would tell people and people like, oh, it must be. This was a big deal for me. They were like, oh, it must be, I know it must have been hard for you not to work. I didn't care about working. I cared about money.

But the reason why I was like, during the pandemic, since my son was born, that was the most time I spent with my son consecutively since he was born. I was like three months with nothing, we got so connected and everything. That was the beauty of it. And we did a whole, when we were out of Yellow Springs, that first year, We did like 60 shows. Wow. Right.

The bubble didn't pop. Yeah. But Dave is so greedy. He's so greedy. We wanted to go through the summer. We got through the whole summer. Right. 60 shows.

Yeah, we did it. He was like, yeah. Let's get another week. And it was that week, the bubble popped. Oh, really? Bob Sagitt had came then. Right. At that time.

Right. R-I-P. Bob Saggett, like, we were supposed to, because I was doing, like, I became the River Ninja, right? I was doing outside activities. You know, with everybody being there, you got people in the same town, but we had to do stuff. And Dave's wife started doing, like, she was like the scout leader at first. Like, we were like, oh, we're going to do sipping wine. I was like, I might want to do no goddamn sipping wine.

And then I was not down with the activities until she took us, we said, we're going to do canoeing and kayaking, right? And I hadn't done it I don't think I've ever done that Yeah I went down there I fell in love with the river Oh wow I fell in love with that peace

I fell in love with everything And that's when I became The River Ninja I just roughed that job What does that mean? The River Ninja It's like I just was a guy that

Love the piece Okay first off I said the river something else But that wasn't socially Except That wasn't accept. Okay.

Can we sit there? Do you want to write it on a piece of paper? Slip it to us? They were like, can we get another word? I was like, man, this is who I am, right? Like, you're the river ninja. Oh, okay, gotcha. Gotcha.

Yes. And I'm going to tell you what connected me. I was floating out of river one of my friends, right? And this was when we was reflecting on what was really important in life. And we were smoking and joining where we passed the joint. And the dude was like, man, this is life is all about. He said, Donnell, this reminds me of. you know,

crawdad fishing with my dad jumping ramps with my dad. And he thought I was like, oh, but I'm like, you know, those years my dad was locked up. Right?

The point I make with that is that I didn't have those experiences with my dad, but it immediately made me think that I want to have those experiences with my son. Yeah. It would make me feel like that

I'm not excited about Hollywood anymore. You know what I'm saying? Like I could deal with being in Ohio with a simple life. I could deal with a town of 2,000 people where a grocery store closed at a certain time you got one strip where you're not getting in trouble. I really got connected to that.

And doing that whole process, it was something that was so connecting about the river. One thing, to see black people from the city going on the river for the first time, not knowing how to dress, like Taliban's and white socks. Like brand new tip, nobody had no Tivas, right?

And then I said to myself, Joe, I don't care about Hollywood. I said, this is what I said, I'm about to go from the streets to the creek. I'm going from the hoods to the woods. I'm going from hordes to oars. I'm going from Adidas to Teivas. I was a River Ninja.

That summer that I was in Ohio, I never thought I would get excited about the simple life. I got it. I used to get erections in T.J. Max parking life. Who hasn't, though? Just for the year? I'm going to tell you who has it? Who from Brooklyn?

Just from McGear? Just know, I was like this. I need a pink Himalayan salt shaker. I need a. I need something that's on clearance. I was like, oh, red tag, 1999. Oh, I was experiencing my bread the way you were out there. And I was like, I fell in over that.

We did, we did all those shows. And then when the bubble popped, and this is what's so dope about Dave. Now, all these people that were having these sushi dinners and being flown in on a private jet, and we're playing kickball, and we're doing kayaking. And they all people are like, yeah, Dave, you're the greatest. When the bubble pop, and everybody was like, oh, God. Right. What did I do?

Fuck you, Dave. And people, like, was kind of trying to hold him responsible. Oh, geez. And then I said, I said, I said, Dave, I was like, he was the only person that had a cool head, right? You right? Like, everybody's freaking out. I said, Dave. I said, I said, damn, man.

I said, we almost did it, man. We almost, but he said, I said, he said, Donnell. he said don't let anything take away from what we did he said and this is what he said he said this is the reason why we test right yeah yeah yeah exactly to understand so did everybody get it when you say the bubble pop everybody that first time no everybody didn't get it okay right the thing is once it pops you think it's going to keep blowing and blowing right I think the first day we had two negatives third day like three negatives or whatever and then look four and normally when it's supposed to balloon it started going down

The reason why, because we started quarantine. Yeah. Right. And I'm saying? We found it before it could go crazy. Right. And for that, nobody got like, nobody died. Right.

Some people just, they was fucked up a little bit. Yeah, sure. But for the most part, we got through it, right? Yeah. That was the first time the bubble pop. Here's Dave pushing it again. We did a residency in Austin, Texas. Yeah.

Right. At, what is it? It was a stubs or whatever. It's like a pavilion type of situation. Right, right. We had the whole floor. Yeah. We had the whole floor at the line hotel.

We were doing all these shows, and we was good. We was good. And then the bubble pop. Right. And it was so funny because backstage, we used to have so many people back there. We had food set up and everything. Yeah. It was like, ooh, ooh.

And then when, in lunchtime, we used to have dope lunch. And I was the D.L.C. Director of Craft Services. So I would coordinate meals. I love how you always have titles. Yeah, because I make them up. I just like, I'm going to be the DOC. Anything I acronym, I'm like, oh, I didn't know you were the DOC.

Right? So we would do, and I would coordinate these lunches there. It was so funny because that was the meat, everybody went there like, Donah, what's for lunch? And it's so funny, it was like, 26 people. Then when a bubble started popping, it went for like 26 to like 20, to like 15 to like four people to like everybody's on their own. Right.

Eating in the room. Backstage went from like all these people about. I did to like a couple people. Yeah. And we was like, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. It was popping. Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.

And everybody, nobody. And then I remember, it was, we was like, oh, we're still good, right? And I remember one day, seen a Dave's road manager. No, it wasn't him. He had already popped. He was gone.

So now it's like me, one other comic and a DJ. That's who's in the green room. Then Jake's security, he came up. He said, he didn't have to say anything. I just saw COVID the look of somebody tested positive on his face. He came in like this. He was like, I knew what that meant. This meant Dave got it.

Right? That's the last person we was trying to say. He was like this. He said, I was like, what? He said, boss man got it. I was like, it's over. But this is the level of responsibility that Dave took. You know what he could have done?

He could have. stayed in this truck. Yeah. Went up on state with nobody around. Went up on state, did the show, we shut it down. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But the funny part was, it's a packed house. And they're like getting the answer that they wanted the show to go on, right? So then I know the show is not going on. So Sina comes up to me, and Cina never really shows him that much love, right? He's like, hey, Donnell!

He was like, I need you to, that's what this motherfucker said. He said, I need you to go out there and tell the audience there we won't be no show. I said, oh, no, no, no. I said, you got a DJ for that. I'm the DLC. Yeah, DLC, DLC don't do that.

And I was like, because I knew, I was like, not that I said, I can't do that. The reason why, because if I go out there and they see my face, they think it's showtime. Right. And it's going to be hard for me to be a comedian to deliver bad news. Yeah, you need someone with a clipboard. Yeah, a clipboard or a DJ like a Ooku, Oka, Oka, Oka, because I'm like this. I know if I go out there, it's going to be, because that crowd loves. me.

Yeah. The minute I break the plane of that, ooh! And I'm a performer. So I'm not going to be. I'm going to do a set anyway. I'm going to do five minutes before I let them go. It'll be a show.

Right. They're lighting. Yeah, yeah. Like, no, COVID, get out of here. But I will say, man, if there's any way to get COVID, it's to get COVID with a group of people like that in a hotel where you, you have two floors running out. It was like, it was like COVID.

camp. And it was like when it happened, it was like okay, this is what you got to do it. The minute you go to your room, right? They would sit and you go to your room, maybe 10 minutes like that, you got vitamins, you got everything you need, you got testing it was like, boom, you locked up. Yeah.

You know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah, you're locked up. It was almost like having a big like a measles party, like everybody get together. Yeah. And we did that and man, I became a chef in my room. I was, I was just taking advantage of everything. They were so bad that they gave us COVID.

I was like, yeah, go give me a microwave with some groceries. I was making egg, my muffins in my room, went to microwave, then I had a pulley system, right? Where I was sending stuff to other people. It must have felt, it must have felt after all that time, and then going back on, like, the recent tours, where you didn't, you no longer had to test, you no longer had all of those problems,

and it was just, you know, you're headed towards your special, Dave's doing his 200th special bringing more friends along with you that had to be such a like a liberating time especially for the ones who you were in that like you went through something together I know this sounds weird but after we left a bubble

we went back to hating each other again what? No, not hate each other I was like man fuck you man I could go over here I'm telling you we was forced to be friends right We was forced to have camaraderie and everything, right? But I'm going to tell you something. That's funny.

I will say I did miss the part of being around each other like that. Yeah. I was like... A different level. I even thought, I was like, you know what might be cool for this world? I think like once a year, we should just have lockdown. Yeah. You know, like a week of lockdown.

Yeah, we're going to do March. Where you stop? I'm glad you didn't say Black History much. No, I almost did. I almost did. I was going to say February and then I saw your job. and I went to March. Women's awareness or whatever it is.

It would commemorate. It would commemorate it. March 12th or whatever. But it was like, I clocked it. It was something like, and like even although after that, we still did the summer camp shows, but we couldn't repeat history.

It wouldn't be the same. It wasn't going to be the same. It was just something about that. And we were like, we had to nina-na-na-na-na-na. Yeah. But it was dope, man. That experience, it was dope. It was really dope.

Now, your special, which is a new day on Netflix. Yeah. joyful, funny. Like it's... You saw it? Yeah. You've got a... First of all, it's the craft that you've honed for all this time, which is just, you know, you're just a killer.

But do you, did you intentionally make it joyful or was just what you were talking about? It felt that way. Yeah. And I'm going to tell you why it was a celebration. Because this wasn't my first stab at it. Like two years ago, doing... Like, the deal was doing summer camp, Dave was seeing me every night, right? Yeah.

I was the only comic every night doing different material. I was the only comic that would incorporate something that happened a day before into it. Right. He's always been a fan, but he was like, God damn. He's like, God damn. He came to me. He's like, man, I want to produce your special. Nice.

I don't ask him. I don't, the crazy thing is my friends, I know this sounds weird that I don't expect them to do business with me. Right. I don't want to talk about, hey, could you do this? Yeah. I would like to keep our friendship here. Yeah. Now, if you come to a point where you want to do that, that's one thing,

and that's how it was with me. Yeah. I never ceased I want to produce special. I was like, yeah, all right, fuck yeah, let's do it. Yeah, yeah. So during that time, he got connected me with that, and we were going to do it, but we were waiting. We was like, there's no place to perform.

So as the COVID protocol and restrictions started lifting up, you know, a certain video is like, yeah, you can do this at 30 percent. You know what I'm saying? You know how they were like this. Yeah. And this. So it was a Fillmore in North Carolina, right? Uh-huh.

You found the date there. And then people are like, why did you pick the film? I said, because I wanted to get a check and that was the only venue that we could get. Right. I was fine and spot. I was like this. Let's do it. Let's do it.

Right. So we did that special. And that, it started off, like, horrible because we lost half of our audience because of the restrictions. You have vaccination cards and you are you tested. Yeah. Also, we left half of the audience. And that first show, it was a good show. I got it off, but I had to work too hard.

Yeah. You know what I'm saying? It wasn't supposed to be like a half-thale crowd. Right. And then Dave was, Dave was upset with everybody. He was like, everybody. Donio, you're the only person that did your job. Oh, really?

Oh, man, he yelled at Robbie Pra. He yelled at everybody. I was like, they're not going to want to work for us. Yeah. So that was it. And then the first show, he didn't feel good about that. Then he was like this. He said, you know, Donna, this is before the second show.

He was like, you know, if we don't get it now, we can shoot it again. I had made no money about a year. I was like, no, we're getting it right now. Yeah. I need it right now. I don't have, I don't know when we're going to do this again. So I stepped up to it and I ripped the room, right? So now we got that in the can.

And earthquake had did a special too. Right. So they did the double up. This is called a home team. This is Dave gave me an opportunity. needs to comics he felt the industry overlooked and they needed an opportunity right so earthquake was in the can already mine wasn't edited or anything but it was in the can so we had announced we had did some promos like the part of a home team series blah blah blah blah donna earthquake in fact it went to

press as we both are going to come out oh i didn't realize that yeah it went to press is like donnell and um earthquake specials coming under the umbrella of uh polyboy production whatever so maybe two weeks after the announcement of that, I'm like, I'm like, yeah, we're getting ready. Dave still hasn't really looked at the special. He's slow,

he's slow roll like shit, but I'm like, we're going to get to it. And then I was about, I was in Baltimore, about to perform. And he called me, right?

Five minutes before I was going on stage. He was like, yo, Dee, what's up? I was like, what up, Dave? Oh, shit, we're about to pop it. He was like, yo,

I want to shoot your special again. And there was just pause. And he's like this. Hello? Like he thought I hung up He said hello I'm like we're going to do what he said Yo D I'm telling you man

I know it's hard for me to say this I'm in editing right now we're gonna we I want to do it again And I said Dave And I shared this story on multiple Podcasts I said how do we go From me getting a standing ovation

chest bumping Stan Lathen Hugging my son I had brought my son So now at the end of the show, like at the end of it, like, hey, to that too, you want to do it again. He said, Donnell, listen, I can put you in front of any audience and you will rip it. Yeah. He said, that doesn't make it a great special. Wow.

I was like, what, it's funny. He's like, that doesn't make it a great special. I said, you got to talk more. He said, there's a lot of COVID jokes in here. And what we're trying to do is something evergreen, something that was standard test of times. Something that if you played it five years before, it'll be funny. Five years later, it'd be funny. Yeah.

He said, and he was like, and I've seen you do those chokes better. And I was like, I know I can do them better. I said, but what was that moment? And for me, practice for a special idea, there was no place where I could headline anything. So I was piecing and set together by doing 10 minutes here. Yeah. I used to do, you know, like, I'm like this, okay, it's 10 minutes.

I would have to do 10 minutes here. Then 10 minutes at another club, I'm like, but I'm going to bring it all together. Yeah, yeah. So I had to really deal with constructive criticism. But then when he told me that, I couldn't be too mad because the check had already cleared. You know, it wasn't like a pun delivery of this. That was my next question. Does it mean you get paid twice?

No. But the first check was enough to cover twice. It could have covered. Yeah. It was unfair. Yeah. It was not unfair, but for me to be a new jack coming into it, the money he got me, it was incredible. No, that's great.

Right. okay we're going to scrap it. I'm like, when are we going to get this in? So a year after that, we were doing shows in Napa Valley. Dave records everything for archive, history, or whatever. And he looked at one of the producers that produces show. He looked at it.

She said, Ricky, how many cameras do we have here? She said, we got five. He looks at me and said, yo, you want to shoot your special? Jeez. I said, when? He said, tomorrow. Where? You were in Napa?

Yeah, it was a performance art theater. He said when. I said when, he said tomorrow. And I'm first thing I'm thinking like, I don't have a suit. That was my first thing. I know it's going to be your first thing. He's like, what am I going to wear? What are we going to wear?

I'm like, what am I going to wear, man? The dream suit is out of it. That was the first one. T.J. Max. Right? But I was thinking, because then I was already on my little suit stuff, right? I was like, well, my problem was like, I need a tie, right? Uh-huh.

Because then I'm like, it's just going to be classic. Right. So I had to drive to San Francisco to get a decent tie. Oh, my God. shirt, but I was like this, I'm going to try it. Yeah. And the thing that excited me about it, because I didn't want to hoopla of, like, telling my parents or anybody like, hey, you know.

It takes the pressure off. The pressure. I was like, this. We were actually about to shoot a special that nobody knew about. It was only four people. And I felt that. I was like, I wanted to feel like that. So went up there again, ripped the audience.

It's great. Smoked to audience. Did the audience know it was a special? Nobody knew. Did the socks you wore, no? I wasn't on the socks then. I wasn't on the socks. Fox knew something special.

That color of pop was something different. That was amazing. So I'm like this. Nobody knew it made me feel good. I was like this. I wanted to feel like a regular show. That's great. And I said, take the press show.

Maybe that's why it felt very like conversational. It felt the second one. Okay. So I ripped that show, right? And I'm like this. Nobody knew where we were doing it. Not Netflix, but anybody. Right.

I ripped this show. So I called Robbie Pra. Yeah. Right. Mind you years ago, Robbie Prae. I was five years ago I said Robbie what do I need to do to be in a better to have a better conversation with you? I'm asking

them about the special without asking them he said Donnell I love you you're a funny guy he said but you got to understand and I respected it he said you got to understand we tell people no all day yeah yeah and I was like this I got to continue to be in his face

until we get to the point where he can't say no and that part came when it came to him and Ted Serena came to yellow Springs when they said whether Dave wants to produce a special not we want to work with Donnell it's so great but I knew that's the craftsman that's the beginning of the story yeah and I was like I had an option they would have probably never stopping never stopped they would have gave me a certain amount of money of which half what I would have did had to put it production I was like no let me wait

it out Dave's name attached to his expertise I'll get yeah whatever and that happened so we after we shot the show in Santa Rosa because Robbie was like this. When were we ever going to do a special? So I called him. I was like, Robbie. I was like,

yo, we got a special. He was like, let me see it. I was like, because nobody knew. I was like, you know, I was like,

you're going to believe what we just did. So let me tell you. Yeah. I was like, we got a special, right? He's like, nobody was going to be,

I was like, you're not going to believe we got a special. He was like, well, send it to me, right? So I'm like, we got this.

I had the suit on. And I wanted to, I knew I was like, a wired mic. I say, let's make it simple. Yeah. Just a black stool. A spot.

Let's just make it simple. Let's just make it simple. Let the focus, not on the production of it, but me. Yeah. Jokes. Two weeks at that day, he was like, I want to do it again. What? Yo, did I say, why?

He said, I didn't like the production. I was like, you're the producer. Is this an example of self-hate, respect my boundaries, right? So that one's dead. I'm like, I ain't doing this. No, more. I'm keeping the money. That's all I know.

Y'all got to sue me or it just be like, you know, whatever. So I was like, oh, my God. So I was like, when are we going to ever get this date on? I'm looking at my schedule. I don't want to pass up the weekends. I'm making decent money now, right? So I said, okay, I got the New York Comedy Festival coming up, right? It's a dope venue there.

I was like, and then I looked at days ago, I was like, hey, why don't we just, we don't have to worry about it. It killed two birds and one stone. Yeah. We didn't have to rent a space out. You know what I mean? I'm like, just bring the cameras. Do you have cameras every...

Everywhere. Like five cameras on every show? Not every show. At least three. Wow. But I'm telling you, like, if you can afford to do that, like, when I tell you, whenever, and I don't want him to die or anything, but the archive, you know what I mean,

but what he's setting up for his kids. There's going to be some footage. Oh, my God. Right, so... Wow. Now, we're going to the third time, right? Now, all the homework he told me about those jokes. Like, I'm doing...

I was going to my homework. Yeah. Every time he had a criticism about something, criticism about something, I changed it. I changed it. When I did it, the first time,

I was dressed like a rock star. You know what I'm saying? It was like, you're a rock star. We had, like, oh, damn many a fire coming out of the backstage lights and everything. I come out like, yeah,

he was like, you're a rock star. Then he was like, did he saw me start wearing a suit. He was like, I don't think you're a rock star. You're a banker. Yeah, you know, that was disrespectful.

That was so disrespectful. You might as well say you were going to a funeral. Somebody dies. That was a sharp. Whatever I saw, I don't know if that was special number eight. I don't know how many you guys shot. Whatever I saw was sharp. But look, so now I'm like, I'm like, now, now I'm listening to everything that he said from,

not don't do these jokes, but think about this. And man, when I tell you I went to the drawing board, I was like things that I was always successful with being animated, which I didn't lose on a special. I could get away with a lot of stuff. Being animated, my voice is distinct. I could sell a joke.

I was like with my body, being physical. But I said now, Donnell, if you're going to crash this, he kept on saying, be precise, be precise. So then I was like, you know what?

Now and I got to work on my writing. You know what I'm saying? I was like, I want, just the words. I can't waste a word, Tom. Yeah. I say, I can't waste a word.

Any word I say has got to mean something. And I said, I want to write this where if somebody made this a transcript, you could read this entire set. Some white boy shit. That's what white guys do. I know what you're saying. White guys and Chris Rock, I had to turn it to you. I went through the same thing where I was, I stopped taking the mic out of the mic stand

because I'm like, how much am I just hamming it up? Right. And how much is legit funny. Then I was like, now if I take it back, then I know if I take it back to make it every word count, then I put the Donnell on it. It's going to be cruel. I said, and that set, you saw, you could literally read that set, and it would be funny. That's right.

You know? So I was like, what is going to make this difference? So when I got that down, then I was like on the clock, I was like, one clock, this is going to go to that. And then I think that what you saw was a combination of the first time, second time, and the third time. And even I tell comedy is very subjective on what style of comedy you like. And I'm not telling people, I'm not telling people it's the funniest thing in the world. But what I am telling people is the best feeling in the world. Right.

I'm telling you, it feels good. Yeah, exactly. Even a couple weeks ago, Dave said, I think it's a breath of fresh air. Yeah, that's what I mean, joyful. Did you feel like at the end of all of this and finally getting it out, what would have happened if you had released one of the earlier ones? I think it would have been dead in the water. Really? The first one would have been dead in the water.

The second one probably would have had some life. But if, I tell him, if I wish I had a copy of it. And I understood he was saying, he was like, Donnell, there's people not, he's big on production. He tells me all the time, don't skim on production. Right. Now, I had an excuse for it, not an excuse, but I had an answer to it. That first one, he said, there was, because nobody knew it was a special. So they didn't have an audience coordinator to say, you can't get up and go to the bathroom.

Right. So people were acting as if it was a comedy club. Like, oh, let me go get on my phone. Right. or whatever. Yeah. Right. But I was like this,

all I kept about saying, motherfucker, is it funny? Yeah. I was like, he was like, and then the lighting and this, I saw a shadow.

I said, can we handle it in post? Mm. Then he was like, and then the people, I was like, well, Richard Pryor live at sunset strip,

they didn't, you can tell, they didn't have an audience coordinator. And one of his biggest jokes is like, look at the white people coming from the bathroom. Right.

You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You know, oh hell, motherfucker motherfucker, where my seat. You know, and I wanted that energy.

Just a glass of water That one would have went But I'm so glad that I waited Because yeah The man Man The intro of this shit It's so dope

When you see me Break the stage It just everything resonates Right It's a new day Right It feels good Yeah

Yeah It don't feel like A guy's up to be like Well I got money for I got paid for this Or if like man I was so into that. There was nobody up in the balconies.

But I said, it's showtime, bro. Right. Yo, I was like, I was waving that people weren't even in. You know what I'm talking about over there? I was like, yeah, ah! But it felt good. Yeah, yeah.

And even though, the crazy thing about it was, you know, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to what we feel is the best of it. Yeah. That first set, producer came up to me. It was like, we got what we need. That's not, that's a good thing because, like, now I said, oh, I know what you're saying. Yeah.

You said, we got what we need. But Ricky Hughes, like, I know when she's excited about something, I see her dimples. And I didn't see any dimples. I was like, I need dimples. Yeah. Right? I had to see one. Yeah.

And I have my friend Kara, Hira Pearson, she was so good with me with the rights. She was like, like, when I got up to say, I knew I came up short. Right. And then Ricky said, we got with need. I was like, yeah, all right, whatever. I was like, everybody get out. I want Kerry coming right now. She came in like a coach.

I was like, what did I miss? Okay, you missed this. You did this. She was like this. And then she said, and then we talk about what the problem. She was like, yo, it was so funny down there. She said, after we went through that, I went out of the road, she said, I saw you. You just had your hoodie on.

I didn't want to be around anybody. I told everybody to leave. I wanted to get into my space because I know. This is it. That's the hardest part. So you had two shows that night. Yeah. Okay.

The first show I did it. And I know, and it wasn't bad, but I didn't get my thing off. I didn't need the bread, if you want to say. I've never done a special where I've had more than one show. Really? Never. I just never had the opportunity. It's not that I wouldn't want that.

I know some people do four sets, you know, two Friday, two Saturday, and they cut and they were in the same outfit, and they cut in between. I'm just like, what a dream. I've never had that. This is my first Netflix. Like maybe 11 years ago. I did a special where I just, when I look at it, it was a joke dump. I just dumped jokes.

It was these jokes I've been traveling while. I was like, just let me get out here. Yeah. No segways, no nothing. You know what I mean? Yeah. And that was a one shot, one kill. Yeah.

And I had to drop everything. I was like, well, they're going to have to figure out how to edit this. I'm doing all my jokes. I don't even think I had a big close. I was like, put it together. Yeah. But this one and that second one, I felt like, okay, we are not, there's no way we're shooting this.

The third time, there's no way. Right. And something happened. I took that goddamn suit off. I turned the lights off. I burnt a candle. I put that hoodie on. I told everybody get out of my green room.

And when they crack, you know, and then the song that I came out to, normally when that song comes on, the crowd is like, it's like, they're safe, but they don't know what's going to happen. but this car was so energized that they clapped the whole way until I hit the stage

I was like if you know when you get that energy how can you go and I was like let's go yeah and I I felt one thing you know it's the burial of your jokes

but sometimes now you still got to go on the road so you mix it up a little bit until it drops yeah yeah and I was like And I had to stop because I kept adding stuff. And I was like, I can't get condemned to this joke. Yeah. But I think in that moment, there was, I think that there was nothing else I could do.

Oh, that's great. You know, it's such a, it's kind of a, like the story you're telling about doing the special is really a parallel for your career. Yeah. Like, there's nothing wrong with waiting. You're just getting stronger. I always say it's like a slingshot. It's like, you just pulling it. Like certain bills.

You're just pulling it back. Yeah. I know. But it's potent. But it's potent. And it felt like, like I said, like it just feels, it really feels special, man. Yeah, yeah. Like, and I was like, you will beat yourself up, beat yourself up trying to please everybody.

Even Dave told me, I was like, man, this is what he said, man, the only thing we can do is put the best thing we can do out. Yeah. And it's up to them to the side. But when I look at it, and I look at it, I was like, yeah, all right, whatever. I got some ways I know. Because I was still doing the jokes. I was like, remember where I? do the joke. I was like, these jokes constantly kill.

Yeah. I was like, I was like, these are like, I'll say to myself, this is going to be an album with like seven banging singles. Right. Yeah. Right. And to be quite honest, which is huge. And I said, I want this to be like every bit I could have closed the show on. Right. That, yeah, that's a good mentality. All right. Now, let me ask you this. You were talking about my purvey bread and you were talking about how you were the the guy creating food

during COVID. When you accomplish something and you have an achievement, you're special. Now the special's out. What's the food that you celebrate with? Southern is so easy. Uh-huh. That's it. That makes you happy. Yeah.

Why should people eat makes me happy. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, I'm like, why should people eat? Like, I'm not a chef for anything. I just like to cook. and people always like when are you going to sit down? You know, and if you do it the same day, like when are you going to sit down to eat? Never.

Right. I'm not celebrating. So watching them eat something that you made. Yeah. Even when I host parties or whatever, people are like, when are you going to enjoy yourself? That's not what I enjoy.

If I want to enjoy myself at a party, I go to somebody else's party and take over. Right. You know, my friends are like this. You know, this is my birthday, right? I'm the one is the drunk as everything.

But my parties, I love just to see people interact. I love people to, embrace each other and have a good What do you make when it's your party? I'm all over the place, man.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm all over the place. Yeah. I know you got some type of fetichini or something like you slide like that. Yeah, I made meatballs the other night. Yeah, mine might be fish ribs,

you know what I'm saying? Rizotto. I was when I first learned out to make risotto, I was showing to every function with risotto. They were like this, it's a 4th of July barbecue.

Who brings risotto to a barbecue? I'm like me, motherfucker. I'm a black person. I've never made risotto. You know, oh. No. Because, I mean, you, because you talk stuff like this, you know it takes time. Yeah.

It's just like somebody doing gullbo. You got to stir. It's to ruin everything. But I'm so all over the place with it. Yeah, that's great. I like to watch people, like, as you would say, break bread and have a good time. That's great. And I can follow a recipe.

Was your mom a good cook? No. No. She was a creative cook. Uh-huh. You know what I'm saying? So it was just like, Westford dinner. And, like, she was looking at a cabinet, and, like, this was what used to piss me off.

She had a publisher's clearinghouse subscription, like, Betty Crocker, these cooking, these cooking cards. Yeah. And she had all these goddamn cooking cards, but never had this shit to make it. Oh, right. I was missing one ingredient. Yeah, we all were like this. That's the worst. Oh, man.

Like, no, it wasn't one ingredient. It was all the agreements. She's just reading you the card. Yeah. I'm like this, oh, man. Yo, when I get this special, right. I was like, I can't wait to get a job just so I can make this shit off of here.

But when I say creative, she would just like, just whip up like weird stuff, you know? Yeah. And it just made, I was like, she was like, like, she was just look at a cabinet. It was like, there's nothing here. Then it'd be like, check this out. Just salmon cakes and beans or something like that.

But I can't think that. That's what it made me get like excited about just the idea of just creating. You know Tony Woods, right? Yeah, yeah. Love Tony. Tony Woods. I remember one time he had a. one of his girlfriends at the time, right?

Because I had spent the night of his house one day, and I had whipped up something, right? And Tony's not really a cook, right? Yeah. And then she was like, mm-hmm. She was like this. Who made this? And then she told him, like, Don Hill made that.

She was like, you're trying to tell me? Yeah, it's a bitch involved somewhere. You're trying to tell me that motherfucker get cooked in? Yo, he got in trouble. Like, she didn't. Believe me. That's hilarious. Donnell, this was so great.

Thank you for coming here. I'm sorry for blocking you in. It wasn't your fault. But I am going to find that blonde ponytail. I have a few words for her. You don't know my reputation, not reputation, but I'm just saying, I'll just say I like to frequent the farmer's market. I love that you thought we met at a farmer's market.

No, that's why I used to meet white people. I did. Yeah, they call me 31 flavors. They called me Baskin Rawlins for years. No, but I'm happy. I'm telling you, you know, when you're doing these press rounds or whatever, you don't get excited about seeing everybody. Right.

It's some people, because I know I got one after this, I'm dreading doing this. Because I know it's going to be, oh, so what happened when you and Corey Holcomb and the fuck? But I got to do it. But when I knew you were on the list, man, I was like, yeah, that's my dog. Yeah, me too. And we saw each other in Montreal last summer when we were doing that airplane thing. The airplane table read. The table read.

And it was a crowded room. There was like a ton of people around. And it's just like all the chaos before we're doing the show. And Danelle and I just kind of like curled up. We're like, ah, ah, here's my people. And we could just, it made everything calm and joyful. I don't know. Yeah.

The festival not like it used to be. And I guess because it's not breaking talent like used to. Yeah. I think it's like a big reunion. Like, hey, remember me? I used to manage him and everything. But back in the day, it was breaking people. Like people was walking out of there with development deals and everything.

But for us to be like, it was just like, you just know each other and love each other. It was like it was a nice moment. Yeah, because it feels so, ugh, dear. You don't know, Bruce, you do a good job. Yeah. I was there for two weeks too. So you could tell. Well, that's too long.

That's way too long. That's too long. They trick you. Like, yeah, you got to. Because you're awake for two weeks. Because no one goes to bed at those. You know what I mean? It's just like 5 a.m.

I'm not opposed to going. But it was something like I've been in for a couple of days, do a couple of theater shows. but I was bouncing around like doing spots and stuff. Well, the next time I post a video of making bread, just know when I'm looking in the camera, I'm thinking about you. And when you do that... You guys are talking again next Tuesday.

Oh, yeah. Oh, cool. And then put parental advisory suggested. Right. All right. Thanks for having, man.