Breaking Bread with Tom Papa - Episode 236 - Lil Rel Howery

Episode Date: October 29, 2024

Tom Papa and Lil Rel agree—comedians are weird. Like what you see? Watch last week's episode with Henry Winkler: https://youtu.be/LeZH5h4-vU0 Watch Tom's new special out on Netflix NOW! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:35 New Netflix Special! 0:01:32 All comedians are a little weird 0:03:50 Got my (road) life together 0:08:35 We lost a lot of funny people to the comedy lifestyle 0:12:47 Comedy has become more siloed 0:13:10 Lil Rel’s Incredible Festival Achievment 0:18:10 It’s scary right now 0:21:13 It’d be nice to make money doing good, not evil 0:23:56 Dressing sexy & body image 0:27:06 Get Out 0:29:00 Becoming a “Great” 0:30:45 Chicago 0:37:00 How to be a comic-slash-dad 0:41:43 Grief, aging, and sibling relationships 0:46:22 Coyotes 0:48:04 Uncomfortable moment… 0:54:22 Not giving off weird energy 0:56:51 Avoiding the noise 1:01:35 TikTok-ing with your kids 1:02:30 Taste Test 1:07:10 Glad to be friends 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/tompapa Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/tompapa Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/comediantompapa #TomPapa #breakingbreadwithTomPapa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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It is weird. I don't think it, I hate that it was, it really was nobody business. Right. How some of us don't like each other. Well, I got to say, as a white comic, it was kind of fun to hear because I didn't know you guys didn't like each other. I know y'all has sung that all of us hung out, go, boys. We're like, wait, wait a minute.

Even the king's a comedy and about his suits together. It's breaking bread. Hey, everybody. It's finally here. My new Netflix special, Home Free, is streaming right now, right now. And any time from now until the end of time or streaming, whichever comes first, probably time. Home Free, I'm very excited. I recorded it, as you know, from listening to this or me anywhere. I've been talking about it since June. I shot it at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. It's super funny. I'm super proud of it. and you should go check it out. Also go to tompapa.com.

I've got, I think, about six more dates on the books through the end of the year. And then, yeah, I think Indiana and Wilkesbury and Niagara Falls, a couple places. If you want to come hang out and see some shows and then pick up some merch for the holidays and maybe just write me a note about how much you loved my special.

Thank you for being here. Oh, thank you. I'm very excited. This is great. Yeah, I have been a fan of yours for a long time, but we never really crossed paths. Same, yeah. Yeah. It's funny because I think, you know, I've seen you, but it's like, I'm weird. So I think all comedians are weird, which is funny when we're all, like, when they used to do it to Just the Last Festival in Montreal.

It's our basically woodstock or whatever we call these concerts series. But we're all weird. Yeah. And so nobody's really, people looking at each other. We're so awkward. So you just go to the group. You know? Yeah.

And there's also the part, you have this too, where you're like, wait, I must, I think if I, I think I do know him because we see each other like peripherally. And you don't want to be like, hey, we just met and be like, dude, we hung out. We hung out in L.A. a couple of times. What? Yeah. But I'm a huge fan. And it's been so cool to watch your journey and everything.

and I'm very excited about this. And I'm going to tell you, as comic to comic, I had a show last night in New York. I have a show tomorrow in Spokane. Oh, wow. I should be in Spokane or on my way to Spokane. Wow. But I got on the 6 a.m. flight to come here to meet you.

Oh, wow. That's how much I like you. Wow. Yeah. I know your schedule is crazy. It's so funny because the schedule kept changing. I got a schedule too. No

Yeah But no But seriously though Because I am I am a fan So like this is this is really cool Yeah it's very cool I'm very happy

That it finally worked out We have an espresso and water Yeah now if I hadn't been on the road I would have baked you bread with my hands But this is from Lodgebread in Culver City It's one of our favorite places And I will bake you bread I like really good baked bread like this

where it looks like it's been cooked You know what I'm saying? It's good Yeah I think you're gonna really like it Put those phones off And But you are

You're slim You're tight, you're in shape What happened? Got my life together Why'd you go and do that? Got happier Oh man You know what's crazy

I was telling other comments that I live a better road life now, which is very interesting for me, because I used to be, like, out and about and eating craziness. And so, like, I have so much energy at my shows now because I really sleep. I work out maybe, like, a couple hours for the show,

you know, and just have, and then I don't eat the comedy club food no more. Yeah. What about the after show meal? You know, so it's funny, too. It depends. Like, if I get something earlier, I try to save some of that.

So also I get a nicer room with it like a microwave. Yeah. Or maybe a kitchen. Depending on what city we in. Someone's in the sweets. Well, you know it's funny, depending on what city we're in. Sweets ain't like other sweets. You know what I mean?

If you in a small town, that sweets is like three beds. They put three rooms together like, yeah, this is a sweet. Right, exactly. And they put like one chair. Like, oh, you can entertain people over here. In between the doors. And maybe you want to have a business meeting. It's a conference room.

Y'all have made this into a tweet. In Dayton. Yeah, but this is pretty great. I really got the sense that you're going through a really positive time in your life. It seems like there's been a big shift. Not that you were, you know, but it's a change. It's a change that had to happen. You know, it's interesting because sometimes we're told as comedians we're only going to

be funny if everything is terrible and always bad and this and that and we have to live this type of lifestyle and this and that. Or crazy. Yeah, I'm happy. I was just, I was literally editing my last special right now. And I'm like, dang, do I title this the happy special? Because I just look happier. Yeah.

It's really, it's still, it's probably one of my favorite specials because it's really funny and it's a lot of energy. Yeah. But it's really interesting because I've been looking to like old footage of myself too of just like when I first started. And it's almost combining. energies, right? Because you do, you know, I'll be 45. And I'm a lot more chill than I was in the beginning. I was hype and I wanted to, you know, I wanted to, I wanted to crush every time.

Like, now I don't know if I even think about it for real. It happens. Yeah. But it's not like a, I'm going out here to crush. I'm really like, let me just have a good time. And hopefully I'll y'all along for the ride. Right. You know what I mean? But I remember in the beginning, it was just about crushing. Yeah. That's all I thought about. Mm-hmm. I think that there's I go through the same thing. And I don't fault the younger version because you kind of had to be that way to get to where you are now.

Like you have to be, you're young and you're energetic, but you're also pretty aggressive and you're hoping you get to stick around. So you've got to fight really hard and do all the things you've got to do. So it's like... But do you see, oh, this was part of my therapy session.

Mm-hmm. Yes, I go to therapy. How long have you been going? Man, it's been a couple years now. It's consistent, you know, and my therapist is amazing. But that's funny you say that. It's like, but I don't know if you can stay like that. No.

And I see a lot of my friends that still in that mindset in a crazy way. And that's like you can't do that. Because it doesn't even make sense once you're, you've accomplished things, you've done some things to still sit in this to carry my, like while I'm still competing with young comics. Yeah. I can't compete with that hunger. That's just a different. No.

That doesn't make sense. No, it doesn't make sense. But also, you're wiser. I always, I always, and this is, it sounds like an arrogant analogy, but I think all comics that, you know, when you kind of developed your craft and you got to a certain age and you've done some things and now you're approaching it a different way. You're working smarter. You're kind of like when Jordan was all the sudden, people were like, why isn't he running back and forth?

It's like, he knows what he's doing now. He knows what he's doing. He's conserving his energy. And when it's time to really explode, he's going to explode. But he's wiser now. And I really see with my comic friends who've gotten a little older and stayed in the game, they just work smarter. You know, they're not boozing. They're taking care of their life.

and they approach their act with a different sense. We lost a lot of funny people because of the lifestyle. I know. And I think that's a quiet thing sometimes we don't talk about as a collective as comics. I mean, I just did a comedy festival I put together in Chicago. And one of the panels was just a mental health panel at a comedy festival. It's great. And it's great to have that.

I think, and it was so, I wish it would have been a bigger turnout. But the comics that were there, though, man, it left just, it was tears in the room, actually. It was kind of deep. I was surprised that we actually went there. But I did that because I'm like, so many comedians that want to have these conversations. It's a little embarrassed about it or, you know, we joke around it, you know. But, man, we've lost some, I've lost some really good friends. I know.

Comedians? Comedians, man. Who's in your top list of? dead comedians. I've got mine. That I miss Kevin Barnett, one of my really good friends.

I think about him all the time. I've been thinking about him a lot lately, actually. I think more or less kind of being on his journey. Why now? Well, first of all, I miss talking to him about my creative stuff. Right.

You know, you have people you can call where you know have good ideas and you throw an idea. So I've really been missing that. Yeah. I think I miss that our friend group,

I don't know if we're necessary, we have recovered from that loss. We're all doing well and doing things, but we were all really tight. And sometimes loss is like that. Everybody kind of goes in their corner to deal with them in the way. Yeah.

And so I miss a lot of them, actually. I miss them a lot. Yeah. Don't you always think, like, when things happen, like, things happen, like, and culturally, like, of what they would have said about it? Like in their act. Like Patrice in New York, it was Patrice and my good friend Greg Geraldo.

And I think Greg would have been in such a position now. Like, he would be the host of the Daily Show. Like, he was so smart. And when all of this stuff happens, I was like, oh, I just constantly walk around. Like, what would Greg say? Like, what would he be thinking? I love that you see that, too. That's another thing I think I'll go through with Kevin is that I know,

where he would have dominated. I'd be like, yo, this dude will be kidding. Just seeing the success for other people and stuff. Like, oh, this person would have been amazing. Because it's crazy that, like, we think about people like Patrice and even Greg, this would have been a great time. Yeah. For that style of comedy.

Yeah. That honesty. That they would have, it had been funny watching them become the mainstream. Right. Yeah, exactly. Because that's what we've seen happen. That's right. I mean?

That's right. It would have been really interesting. I thought about, I think about that a lot of. Yeah, they would have matured into the role now of the, of the thoughtful commentator on this stuff and make sense of it all for us, you know. When I saw D.L. Hugley become that? Yeah. Like, who would have ever thought that he would be this political? I swear to you, I go to D.L. Hughley for my news.

Yeah. That's my news source. Before I go to the New York Times, before I go to anything else, I'm like, what is D.L. saying today? What do I have to keep my eye on today? But, you know, thoughtful, smart, take on everything. And it's crazy because this guy was the, you know, D.L. was the guy, he hosted the first year of Comic View. And all he did was roast people. His whole best of comic view is just destroying people on all of it.

Yeah. Which is so crazy, too. Even when I think about that, I'm like, wow, he was a crowdwork guy, too. Yeah. who never even, he'd even blow up from that. No, no. That was just one of his skill sets. Yeah.

That was a part of being a comic, which is very interesting. It's funny seeing that comedy has been able to break into these different categories. I know. And at one time, you just had to know how to do all of that. Yeah, I know. It's becoming, it's becoming like music now. Like, it's really, like, there's these specific lanes now. Yeah.

Of, of all of it. It's really, it's great. but I do miss the universality of it. Like, you can know of somebody that you love, and it's like, how do you guys not know who this is? You know what I mean? They're selling a lot of big things. How's it changed for you?

So your last special was super funny. Thank you. And then, so where did you shoot this one? I shot it in Chicago again. Okay. It was the last show of our festival. So my special taping was the close-out show, which is hopefully it was really interesting.

I mean, look, and I've been anxious to talk about what this festival was, but it was one of the, I've done a lot of my career. One of the greatest accomplishments I've ever pulled off was doing a seven-day comedy festival of Chicago. Where did you get the idea? What happened? My old manager, shout out to Knowledge Beckham and my partner, he came to L.A. to visit, and we went to just have, you know, hang out and just talk. And he was like, yo, think about doing a comedy festival. But then he was going to do it like somebody's promoters have been doing what they've been doing like these fake festivals. They call into the festival, but it's just two shows. Right.

Because, you know, the Netflix is a joke thing. You know, promoters can't wait to jump on something. That's hot. And so it was kind of like what he was going to do. And I'm like, no, dude, if you're going to do this, like, do this and let me be a partner. Bring in a comedian to help partner with you because nobody's ever done that. Nobody's ever really asked us to partner with them. They want to book us.

Right. But who's asked us to partner with us? So it's like, please let me bring my expertise and let me bring to this festival, like everything I've always wanted out of a festival. That's great. It's so bizarre that that's a new idea. Right. You know what? It's so funny because I've been having these conversations about even just like, because now I have this big dream.

Like, after this festival was, man, was successful. And it's still. I'm so proud and so happy that we put it all. We had a great team. How long to take you to put it all together? 90 days. What? That was it.

That's it? It felt like, let me tell you said, 90 days we're just together. Uh-huh. Our first year felt like year four. Right. That's how organizing great it felt. And it's because all the comedians bought in. Uh-huh.

We had a great team because knowledge is, who's my business partner, but he's so good of putting teams together because he's a good business man. Yeah. And then like even every he didn't, every ideal I had that scene kind of crazy or far fetched, we figured it out. And then we had these, we volunteers. Yeah. People who just love comedy. That's great.

Were so great and helping us get all this stuff done. That's so great. So. Wow. How many comics? 64. Nice. 64 comedians from all over the country.

Most of Chicago, like 70%, 75% Chicago comics, which is great. Which that's why I wanted to do it there too. because we have the plethora of comedians there. I also, you know, I wanted to do something where, honestly, the black comics were in the forefront of it. You know, a lot of these festivals, they kind of usually give us like a few of the little shows. The urban show.

Yeah, yeah. And so, like, I wanted, without saying it, that is what we did. And it just was, it was like doing stuff, you know, we did stuff at the Laugh factory, but then we had stuff at the hood. And it was all sold out, packed. And the audience and a comic. I've never seen comics so, it was so much love.

It almost made me uncomfortable. How happy everybody was. Maybe let's turn down the joy a little. Why is everybody so happy? And it was people who weren't getting alone, maybe a week before that all. It was just, it was beautiful. Everybody was supportive of each other. And you sold all these shows in 90 days?

90 days. And then I was able to close out doing my special that I co-directed and produced and, you know, self-financed. Where did you do that? at the Dusarba Museum. So we, the Discibo Museum, which is a black museum in Chicago on the south side, they also have a theater in that. That was actually one of the first places that let me headline. Oh, really?

Years ago, yeah. And so it was a full-circle moment to do it there. We did our main shows on the weekend there. My friend Sherry Shepherd did her show on the love. Like she called me and said, whatever you need me to do, I'm coming for free. Oh, that's great. You know, just pay for my makeup artist. I'm a hotel.

But she was great. She came in and rocked out. But it was that thing. So great. Yeah. So many comedians just showed up along with, it was just, I can't even describe it. So what did that do to your head when you're walking out there to do your special? Like, after, it's one thing to roll into a town or just a night and do your thing. But to have that week, that cresting wave.

And I didn't go up and none of the other shows. No. No. I just went on stage to thank everybody and stuff like that. But like I didn't perform. You're feeling this. You're feeling the positivity of it. It was the most beautiful. I was so inspired by all the other comedians.

Yeah. It was, it was, you know how you have your brain is like, okay, I want to do something with good intentions. And that was one of the things I said on one of the panels is like, I think people think it's weird that you can't make money from doing the right thing. Mm-hmm. You know what I mean? You can only just be evil. I know. And make a profit.

But you can have good intentions and make money. Yeah, right, exactly. It's been on my mind the last two days because Elon Musk is losing his marbles and saying such horrible things. And I'm like, I got to get rid of my Tesla. I'm like, I got to get rid of this guy. I think I have to get rid of it. I loved it so much. I had one of the first ones in 2015. And I was all in. And it was such great intentions. And it was like beautiful thing. And when he said that stuff with Tucker Carlson, I was like, I'm out. I'm out. And I really was thinking... Tom, it's scary right now. It's scary in a way with, like... And let's think about it.

I'm in a beautiful place, too, where, like, I try not to fall too much into Republican Democrat because I think they all the same. Quite honest with you. But at the same time, we just... Some people...

It's just some is just evil. Like, where's the humanity or something is, right? It's beyond party. It doesn't make sense. It's beyond party. And so, like, I think, you know, it's so funny because I had like a... an actor that I did a movie with that came out.

And, you know, he just endorsed Trump. Which I'm not surprised. I mean, I knew he would be that. I knew that on set. It's probably why we didn't get along. But people, you know, everybody was texting each other like, you can't, I can't believe. Like, no, I could.

You're like, no, I'm happy. That tracks. That tracks. But, you know, it's one of those things with, like, I don't care who you. what your reasons is for. I just, I don't like the aggressive meanness about picking somebody. Yeah.

No, exactly. Like in your face kind of attitude. It's just weird. Instead of like, instead of, hey, this is going to be, this choice is going to benefit all of us. Yes. That part is disgusting. But that's what I'm, you know, I'm going to tell you something. I end up loving John McCain, which is so crazy.

If he would have lived long enough to run again, I might have voted for him. I keep calling it. I keep saying we've got to get in touch with Romney. What's Romney up to? What's Bush doing? Can he come back? I mean, seriously, it's very interesting. It's like I felt bad about it.

Because you know what's crazy? I think maturity comes with understanding that it's a game really to politicians. They all vacation together, hang out, go have drinks. We're all like, brr. They mean it. They're literally having drinks at the club. club they hang out at it's professional wrestling to them yep it's it's the game yeah which is which really upsets me even more but back to the let's go back to the let's get out of this let's get out of this mud

you said the comment that uh you could actually make money uh without being evil without being evil yeah it is an it and that's like the dsla thing it was like well yeah i i don't have to invest in this guy there's a lot of other great places that you can and have a positive thing. That's still electric cars. Yeah, right, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. But so when you walk out after this festival is just all good intentions and stuff, and then you go out to do your special. Did you do one night? One taping? One show. One show. This is what I want to do. I'm so sick of the two-show thing. Why not just do one show? It's real.

Most of my specials are my first show. Most of them are. Like, you know, people who are like, I don't want to. to say real comics, but like people who've really been grinding this out a long time. To be quite honest with you, a lot of the, like my last two specials, I didn't tour like make this the material. I kind of just did it. Yeah. Okay. And this one's interesting because I think I could do a part two to it.

Uh-huh. And I want to do it at a smaller place. Why? Because it thematically or just you have that much material? Yeah, I think now I want to, because, you know, I was talking to Gerard Carmich about this. I was telling Gerard. I said, Gerard, you was my inspiration for this next special because I wanted to really dive into some very emotional things.

And I was trying to, but the place was too big. The laughs was too loud. Yeah. To go too deep. Yeah. I wanted to go there, but they were just so hype and happy. Yeah. It was like, part one is happy.

Yeah. You know what I mean? Part two. They'll kick half of these people out. Yeah. I need a smaller 90, maybe just a 90-person seat place. Well, what he did the blue note, right? Yeah.

And that was so beautiful. So beautiful, so intimate. Yeah. And I think that's where you could kind of sit in the thoughts and sit into like, do I feel like diving into this part about my dad a little deeper? Yeah. And so it's a whole other group of material that I didn't do on this other one that I think will. It's so interesting because I never thought about doing a part too. But now that I'm like self-financed and self-directed, I don't feel like I'm obligated to anybody to do something the way they want me to do it.

Is it an idea of a direction we want to go or you already have like an idea? You already have. You know, going to the edited process of this, I'm watching stuff like, oh, I didn't do this. Oh, I didn't do this. Oh, I didn't do this. So you already have it. I already, it's already there. And it's, it's going to be fun because I think this one, this one is beautiful.

It's very, it's going to look. I wanted, the look I went for is making it look like maybe raw, like just an 80s special. Yeah, yeah. Theatrical special. Yeah, I love that. Yeah. It's smoky. Like, you see a smoke in the spotlight.

Right. How did you dress? Oh, so I kind of went sexy on this one. Yeah, now you're in shape. Yeah, I did. I just wore a vest. I had the guns out. No pants, no, just a vest.

Pants and just dig out. No, no. I said the special's called Happy. Yeah, but I just wore some dress pants and some jodicey boots and a vest. Nice. And that was beautiful too because that was me being comfortable in my own skin. Oh, I would be so uncomfortable to dress like that. I was so comfortable.

Yeah. And it was crazy because I would have in a past been very insecure about something like that. You've always been stylish, though. You've always. Yeah, but it's been. I remember when I did my first sex. I'm sure insecure. Uh-huh.

And I was like, and I was still kind of insecure about my weight and like, you know, I'm asking, can I wear tank top? Yeah. I don't want to, do I got to take my shirt all the way off? Yeah. You know, and it's weird, and it's not that I think about it. I'm like, dang, I had a chance to be, just to be a sexy guy. Yeah. But I wasn't confident.

Mm-hmm. It's so crazy. I know. Yeah. I literally was on stage on Saturday, and I was talking to the audience about how you never really feel that great about yourself. Nobody really feels that great. I don't feel that great right now. I said, I feel fat. I'm having fun, but I feel fat. And at the end of the show, I was signing books in the lobby, you know, and several people came up and they're like, sincerely like, you're not fat. You're not

fat. And it was like, it was kind of funny, but in another level, it wasn't funny because I always feel fat. I was fat as a kid and I always feel fat. And that's so funny for me. I didn't gain weight until that's divorce weight. I was always kind of like a Right. And so when I, I just happened to start blowing up at the worst. When you were hitting. Man, I was a hit. I was more depressed than I ever been. Oh, man. But it was like Carmichael show. But all that was happening.

Yeah. I'm taping stuff where I met the saddest I've ever been. So weird. It's so weird. It's so weird. Right. It is good. Because now it's documented, right? You're like, oh, get out as one of the biggest movies ever. And one of the most insecure times I felt about myself. But you were so good.

So maybe that emotionally kind of. Well, the gift always shows up. Yeah. Comedy, look, comedy helps any very insecure person. Yeah. That's what I love about stand-up. Stand-up has always built me out from maybe going way too far on my depression. Yeah.

Yeah. It just made me laugh. And then the crazy part is I wouldn't even do a material about being big. Because in my brain, I still looked a certain way. You know what I'm saying? But to be emotionally in that raw place, it kind of, you know, I mean, you use whatever you're using at the moment. I'm not saying you couldn't have a great scene now that you're a little more peaceful, but that would inform it. But that time, that's what informed it.

I still was able to do something like, you know, and I bring up Get Out, get out is still like this gift that keep giving, man. Every time I just saw, I was listening to a podcast with Jordan Peele and Ryan Couguiler. Uh-huh. And just for Ryan to like casually mention my name. Yeah. And it's like, I'm always going to be a part of this conversation of this really great movie. It's so great. And how many stand-up comics can say that, though?

I know. They've been in an Oscar-winning film. It's so crazy. And you was a big part of it. In a dark movie, you're comedic, you bring the comedy to it is what makes that works. You were so happy to see your face. come out and take us out of the worry for a minute. And we're just like, yeah.

Can you imagine? Like, as a movie fan, right? I'm a big movie fan. Yeah. To, like, to have a stamp in movie history where I'm like that, like, you gave the audience a real theater going to experience. Yeah. I still love going to watch people watch Get Out in a theater because I like hearing them

cheer at the end. Yeah. Even when they saw it, they still have the same energy. Oh, it's, I mean, I look, I love stand-up comedy. I think it's the greatest forms that we have. But there's no denying that it doesn't have the lasting power that a film has. And they're going to be playing that film on Turner Classic movies when you're in a nursing home. Yeah.

Like, for real. That's going to keep going to generation after generation. Our sets, as great as they are, they just don't age the same way. It's a strange thing. So, yeah, that is a blessing that you were in that. Man, oh, man. That's crazy. So great.

I mean, just, you were so good. Even if we look at it from the stand-up part of the world. Like, because sometimes I have this thought, right? Because I, like,

I look at like a lot of the stuff I've accomplished. And I'm just, I mean, Tom, it was a time where I was like, dang, how am I not in a conversation as late? Mm-hmm.

Like one of these greats or something. And not to say it like that, because I look at like who we consider all this stuff. Oh, what my heroes have done. Mm-hmm. And like, wait a minute now.

Yeah. Well, it's hard to feel it for you. Yeah. It's hard to kind of take stock. You know, you'll have, I'm sure you have young comics be like, they kind of tighten up when they're with you and like, oh, hey, and they're looking at you the way you looked at other people. And you're like, but I'm not like those other people.

You kind of are. Yeah, and it's interesting. But it's hard to feel it. Well, you just think about it, I know it and I'm such a fan and nerd it is. That's why I'm like, I did get to a weird place. I'm like, why am I not in the conversations, right? You know, we all do. I go to specials.

I had a sitcom. I did everything that's in the category of what, on purpose, because of my heroes. I'm like, I got to get my own show

named after me. Okay, I got to, like, these are like, very intentional things I thought about when I was 19

and I started stand-up comedy. I had a list of things based off the heroes. Okay, I got to be in a sketch series. Like, I'm still waiting

to host S&L. That's like, maybe one of the last random things from young me, my young list. I have a different list now. But young list, that might be the last thing.

It's just, it's as anil, actually. It'll happen. It'll happen. Everything else happened. It was weird because it was like random stuff on there. Like, like being a while or down. We'd like to thank the good people at Quince for sponsoring today's program. If you spend a lot of time cooking at home, it's time to elevate your game.

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That's Quince, Q-U-I-N-C-E dot com slash Papa, P-A-P-A, for free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com slash Papa. I'm going to go wilding out. I'm going to freestyle my whole episode. Which I did, right? Then I never did it again. He was like, you want to come back? Like, nah, I'm good.

Because that's how I want to do that. I just want to do it one time. Yeah. It seems like it's a real gift to have come from Chicago. Yes. I am pretty envious of watching the pride, the roots, the legacy of it. And it, like, just from the outside, it looks really. really cool. From the inside, it's got to be even deeper.

It's so deep. I mean, like, and, like, I guess just doing this festival, too, and it's one of those things where I don't recognize, you know, you know, I don't sit in who I am. Yeah. And being around all these comedians, like you said, they're like, oh, hey, real. And I was like, oh, they're like, man, you were so cool. Or you don't know they feel that way that you see him post a picture with you. Like, he was so cool. Right, exactly. He was just like a normal guy.

Yeah. And so, like, you're like, dang, I'm a part of the history of the guys who came out of here. Yeah. And then also I've seen history. Like I look at somebody like a Hannibal Burris is a great example of, I remember when Hannibal was in college and he opened for me. Yeah. I was only like 22 headlining school. Yeah.

But he was my opener. Yeah. So great. Hannibal Burris. And I was like watching his, that was one of my favorite people. to watch do this. And it was so crazy because at one point, he was doing way better than me.

I was still in Chicago. He's doing like the talk shows. And he'll call me like, yo, how do? I'm like, all I did was comic view. I don't know how to tell you how to do a letterman. That's a different stage, brother.

But I just remember that. And then I watched him actually create from him these other comedians that follow him that kind of came behind that guy. I know. It's crazy. That style. And it's like, wow, I watched this guy.

I saw who had a running car. I said, hey, man, you're doing something this summer? You got a car, cool. Come do these Peoria shows. Yeah. So, of the guys that came before you, who is the godfather of it, the grandfather of it? The grandfather.

Is it Bernie? Well, it's so funny because I could get very specific with Chicago, right? Because you've got the guys everybody know. like Bernie Mac, who we all look at us like just, it wasn't just Bernie being great, you know, when he did Def Jam and the movies, but like having a really successful room in Chicago. He had that room that everybody,

every week it was packed and it was crazy. They was doing music and it was stand-up. And it was like hearing that a Robin Harris had a room like that in L.A. And a Bernie Mac had a room like that in Chicago. Yeah. I mean, and just around the country, all these different comics had these different spots.

Yeah. It was really fascinating. So Bernie started in that room became a big deal to us to have a good, strong following. God, he was great. Great. And then, like, you know, you look at people like Damon Williams, you know, Dion Coe, DeRay Davis, you know. And for me, a lot of the cats like T.J. Miller and all those guys, we all around the same class. Yeah, right.

You know what I'm saying? But, like, before that, it was, it was like. Did you- George said some very real, comedy is so new as an art form in a world. Out of all the artsy things. Yeah. Like with music and stuff. No.

Stand-up is such a still a new. No. Like we're still having first a lot of things. Yeah. And there were a generation, like maybe two generations before us, there were no clubs. No. The comedy clubs didn't even, like, exit. It wasn't a chain of impromes.

Right, exactly. They were just showing up on shows. Yeah. Like, where there was. music and all the rest of it. Wow. Yeah. Did you cross with Bernie? I met Bernie once, and it was like in a quick, but he was already like kings of comedy,

movies. So he would just show up and you just stare at him. Yeah. Look at that cool. He got a cool car to get on. Yeah. I heard he passed when I was leaving a, like, a daytime gig in Chicago, and they drove me to the airport. And in the car, the news came out.

And it was just, I know, just being like, just being in Chicago and hearing that news was so upsetting. I could only imagine, like, the depth of kids that lived and came up in Chicago. It was heartbreaking. It was so sad. Because I really wanted to, like, sit down with them. Yeah, I know. But what I love is in this, I became good friends with his daughter. And that only, let me tell you how it happened.

It's so funny, too, because they was doing a black woman's expo in Chicago, and they asked me to host a show, like the only dude really in this expo. It was like no men. It's just all black women. It's one random brother. And they had a panel with Bernie's wife and daughter. And I had, like, time in between the thing I was host. I was hosting some.

I don't even remember what I was hosting. And I said, I'm literally in this room with his panel, literally the only guy in there. I'm about even lying to you. It's so crazy. And man, when I tell you, she had so much of her dad's person now. She was so funny. She was honest and that she got to talking about what happened. And, I mean, everybody in there.

It wasn't a dry eye in the house. I'm in there, like, literally the only guy in tears. And I reached out to her. I think I DMed it on, I guess it's X now, but Twitter at the time. And that's how we became friends. I was like, man, you touch my heart to hear everything you're saying. And to watch it from this daughter perspective. Mm-hmm.

Like this kid who comes from Bernie and how you could just see her in him. It was just fascinating. Yeah. And, man, me becoming friends with her became one of the best friendships I could have had because even like questions I had about comedy and how I felt about certain things. She had answers from, she was a daddy's girl. Yeah. So she knew a lot of the things that he was going through in the stand-up world. Did you get any perspective of how to.

be a comic slash dad? Oh, 100%. Yeah. 100%. That also... You have three, right? All right, well, three, and then I got four bonus daughters. So now it's seven.

Four bonus. We are it. We are good seven bucks. Wow. Yeah, it's really, it's like, so now it's five girls now. Mm-hmm. Two boys, yeah. And how old's your oldest?

So, Dale's 22. 22. That's my oldest. 21. uh, Britney's 15. Danny's 14. Judas 14. Russi.

She's 13. Dana. And Harlem is 7. So 22, 21. 15, 14, 14, 13, 7. So the older ones, they saw, uh, they saw you. Well, those are, but those are the older ones come into the bonus daughters. So my, my oldest 15.

Brittany and Judah, 15 and 14. Okay. They did, they came through the ranks with me. Right. They saw everything happen as it happened. And they're so cool. Like, they're so cool about everything. Like, I can't even, I like how, like, I can see the pride in their faces all the time.

But also, like, how creatively over the years I've been able to lean into them. I let them see stuff ahead of time. Yeah. Ask questions. This next special interest because I kind of go in because now. I need teenagers so now they can have real opinions. Like, what you say?

Yeah. You know, for years, I could say whatever I want and they didn't see it. You know, they didn't care. They didn't care. So it was going to be really interesting. You're like, well, how would you talk about my draw?

But it's going to be really interesting. But I like that they're, like my son, Judah, he's so smart. He loves TV and film. He's so intelligent about everything. So sometimes I reach out to him just to pick his brain. Isn't it amazing?

Like you can talk to someone that you made and they have sound advice for like whether something's good or... Great pitches. Yeah. It's crazy, isn't it? That's a good angle. Yeah. I love that. And just like, you know, just even with Brit, Brit, like, just, you know, I love her.

She's such a, like, my kids are my friends, man. And that's so funny because I'm trying to. develop that with, you know, my stepdaughters. I want to figure out what that did. That's a whole, which that's going to be so, these new emotional moments, because now that all of us at one house, now it's like real conversations we got to have. They're like, we don't want to feel like we bothering you. They're all in the house?

We're all in the house. No, so Britney, Judah and Harlem are with their moms. Okay. So they, I get them for the summer. Okay. But right now is the four girls and wifey. We're all in one place. Got it.

And it was crazy when they all came in and moved in. I was doing, I did like three movies and then the festival. So I was gone for like a few months. Right. So I wasn't there when everybody came in. So now it's like, it's funny watching them adjust to me. They're like, are we bothering him? Because I like sports.

Like I'm a dad, dad. Like, you got to come holler at me. Like if you want to, you know what I mean? Like I'm just going to break out of my spouse. I'm just chilling. And everybody's like, is he? Is he mad at us? Like, no, I'm not mad.

I'm watching the Bulls game. I'm mad at the Bulls. Unless you can DM one of these guys. Yeah, yeah. But that's what I've said, like them getting used to whatever that is. Yeah. You know, my babies that will raise with me. Yeah.

They know my energy and they don't care. Right. They know I'm irritated. They still going to walk in. Dad, I'm like, hey, you don't see how I'm yelling at the TV? Yeah, I know. Cool. But anyway, and so getting them, like, it's so funny that we have this conversation,

but like tonight is going to be one of our first family meetings. Uh-huh. That I want to. just put so many things on the table. An official meeting. Just an official meeting. And ask them, what do you guys want out of a step down out of me, as a death, you know, as far as that goes? What do you want? Wow.

Let's have this conversation. Because we haven't had it yet. It's very mature. I mean, it's good, mature. But that's what I love about where my comedy is going to because I think it's so funny. We don't know. We only think people relate to certain things. And it's so many other people that's going through this.

seeing that. Right. So it's cool that I can position myself to find the humor and all this. Yeah, yeah. Which is what I love about comedy. Oh, it's going to be so, yeah, it's just going to keep feeding you 100%. Man, it's going to be crazy. Yeah.

Yeah. When did your mom pass? My mom passed in 2009. 2009. 2009. Yeah, it's, it's, and it's so crazy. I was just thinking about her the other day. Because I guess every year, I don't know.

The energy changes. Certain holidays it may feel harder than others. Lately in the last few years, Mother's Day been hard. Oh, yeah. Not necessarily her birthday or any other day. Even just like the, you know, I don't, it's weird because I don't think about the day she passed a lot.

Uh-huh. I don't at all. I don't even think about the funeral day. I don't even think about those dates. Right. I don't know if I even know the exact dates. I just have a feeling. Right.

And then, you know, I got one of aunties. You know, you got one of black aunties that want to just keep bringing stuff up. Where are the days? your mama, she's like, okay, Anjini, I love you. This is sad. Me and my brother don't even ought to be smiled.

We had to text each other separately. You and his group text with Aunt Jenny. She won't leave us alone. She's making us sad. We know what they're dead is. Because, you know, they do all the details. You know, she was on her last breath, and we all, I know what happened.

Leave me alone. Leave me alone. I love you what I don't want to talk about. And then we went to the funeral. Leave me alone. Get out of here. But older people do that because when they get older, all they can think about is death, which is so crazy.

I know. Well, it's got to be a weird. That's weird for them too, because they start losing all these friends. Everyone around them. Everyone around. I know. Every time I call my parents and they're like, they take a deep breath. They're like, I'm like, oh no.

All right. Who's going first? Who's in the hospital now? Who's going in? Who didn't come out? Oh, I know. Which is scary because I'm like, damn, am I going to be like that? I know.

That's so funny. You hear that. You try to get your story. Yeah, yeah, so anyway, I got a deal with a... Right, exactly. I had a great show last night. Yeah, but did you hear about Don? Oh, no.

What happened to Don? And the longer you go, like, you're the last one standing, you know? It's weird. They're like, you know, it's everybody around them. It's like, yeah. And you get it too because now, like, even as you grow in your family, you're like, damn, I'm like heightening who I am in his family now. Yeah. I'm a part of decision making.

Right. This and that. I'm calling a meeting tonight. I'm calling a meeting. We have to figure this out. I got to call my brother to the cell. Like, man, we got to help his funeral. It's his daddy.

But, I mean, I guess they ain't daddy. So, you know, what we're going to do, man? And that's interesting that be of our brother. My youngest brother, man, man. Man, I love me some Matt, man. We just sibling well, because we just have these real discussions about days. I'm like, damn, when we become those guys? How old?

Matt is about 40 now, 40. Dang, that's crazy. And so, like, you know, I was just at his house, he has a, which that's one of those things, too. Like, when you brought up my mom, and I was just at his house recently, and he's got his pool built and just, I'm just proud of him. Yeah. And I'm just like, man, my mom will be like, look. Look at us, man.

Yeah. And so I guess, too, I'm at that age where, like, everything's emotional because I'm the oldest, too, so it's like, oh, mama would be so proud. Yeah. Oh, look at this, man. I'm just, I'm chilling that. You know, you can have all your accomplishments, but literally to be, like, to be relaxed at his house made me really happy.

What do you mean? Like, I just felt so comfortable. I was at his home away from everything, and I felt so relaxing, just comfortable. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I'm sitting in his man cave and just watch. That's good. I'm just proud of him.

Yeah. Well, that says a lot, too, about where your head's at. Yeah. That you're at a place where you're not chasing, you chased all the other stuff. Yeah. And, you know, gave you satisfaction, I'm sure, at certain points and seemed like it. But ultimately, it's not really what satisfies you or makes you peaceful. It's the little stuff, man.

Yeah. I remember we were, um, me. in here was shooting hoops at my house, which is a proud moment because I'm like, dang, dude, we wanted to do this at the park, but we had to be in at a certain time because we didn't know what was going to happen outside. And so, like, trying to be here,

and I can just cut the lights on. You know, we can sit here and just shoot free throws for hours. Yeah. And I have to worry about any of the other stuff we had to worry about. Now it's so fast. Coyotes. Oh, especially if you've got the little dogs.

You know what I mean? Yeah. And so, like, one of the girls got the little dog, and they wanted me to take it outside yesterday. I'm like, I don't have an energy to watch him and I get captured by a coyote. Right. So if he got to pee, you got to wait till you, I get back.

You know what I mean? It's funny to think that the little, like, the little dog is like, you as a kid being nervous about what's out in the streets. This little dog's like. My good friend, J.B. Smooth, live, like, maybe around a corner from me. Oh, really?

And he was walking with him and his wife. He was walking their dog. Right. He came bad at the house. Does he wear a hat when he walks the dog? Yes, he did. Yeah, he does actually. He actually wears that.

He had a good hat on too last time. Man. He's a good hat guy. Oh, my God. I'm like, you can't be walking around that hat. I haven't on several flights with him. And it's like, how did they let you have three hat boxes as your one personal item? Like the whole up like, yeah.

Who got all these hat boxes on, Jamie Smith on this life? It's just because it's J. But that's who told me that the coyotes exist out there. Like I didn't realize it was a thing because his wife had like a, she had like a taser. I said for the coyotes. Yeah. She had a, and a golf club. So he's walking the dogs with a golf club with a fanny pack with a taser and then for the coyotes.

I like coyotes. It's so much, once again, when you're from the hood, it'd be new stuff. I'm like, wait a minute, not the gangs. I'm more scared. Wait a minute, wild animals. Not the gangst of disciples? I'm worried about a coyote. My life has changed.

And it's scarier for some reason. I don't know what to do with a coyote. Yeah, this is too new. You spent your whole life figuring out how to deal with people on the street. This is all new. Wait. A coyote? How many are there?

That's so funny. Yeah. We do a thing on this program called an uncomfortable moment. We have my crackerjack staff go and do some research on you. And you had such a funny joke. I think it was your last special, probably the timing had to be, of talking about the Will Smith slap. Oh, yeah. And such a good funny perspective.

of the slap and white people's reaction to the slap as opposed to black people's reaction to the slap. And it was really good. But then not only culturally was, did you have a funny take on it? And made me think that maybe you and Will are tighter than you thought than I thought. And somebody pulled out this photo.

Is it true that you were originally going to be cast in men and black? Let me tell you something. I wish. I wish I was originally cast in black also it's funny that

he got men in black glasses and I got on my regular glasses so if they do the little

thing I'm gonna be I'm gonna forget everything too yeah because yeah that's how

how do how do maybe that's why you forgot that you were in it that's why you were in it

that would have been great gosh I would have love to be. I love to work with Will Smith. I know. I feel like, but I'll want that, but I just don't want the deep

conversations all the time. I know. Yeah. Can we just have a regular conversation? You know, because if you look at life this way, it's like, yeah, but you slap Chris Rock. I don't want to hear no deep, inspiring advice until you tell me why you did it.

The split of that, of the slap, and And then the Cat Williams throwing bombs on Shannon. You know, I always look at comedy as just comedy of just, you know, but there is a different, there's a different brotherhood, I think, in the black comedy scene. Yeah. That is, that those kind of events where I think seemed to like shake stuff up and call into things that I wasn't really a party of.

It shook so much up in the black comic community. It still has. It's still people not talking. Yeah. You know, and cats interest because, you know, he just tended to just, you know, he's so little to be such a little bully. You know what I mean? He's so little to be a little bully. But he's so funny.

So it's just, when somebody got delivery they good, they could just, I would just, I would. wish he understood his superpower. Yeah. I wish he understood like the same energy he put into all the stuff he said. Uh-huh. That interview still could have been positive. And it would did the same numbers because people love to hear him talk. I know. And so it's interesting. You just wish people knew that real power sometimes. Yeah. And I guess it feels cool to feel like you did this and that, but it's like, you know, I just, I didn't like the way it separated everybody. And then like, I end up doing club, Che, Shee, and I had some things to say that that stirred some things up with other comedians. And, you know, it's just weird, man.

It is weird. Because it's, because comedians always have, like, a shorthand with each other. Yeah. And it's a little bit more of, you know, it's family. I don't think, I hate that it was, it really was nobody business. Right. How some of us don't like each other. That's what was, well, I got to say, as a white comic, it was kind of fun to hear because.

I didn't know you guys didn't like each other I know y'all I know y'all assumed that all of us hung out We're about clothes together Like no Even the king's of comedy In about these suits together They all had separate dressing roles

So they see what do you win But it's interesting Like it's it literally And it's tough because it's spiraled In the way where it's this thing And it's only a I hate that's a mom black That's one of the reason why I wanted to do the festival too Because I was trying to hone

I wanted to hone in some brotherhood. And for me, I was waiting on like the guys that came before me to do what I did. I was literally waiting on one of them to be mature and say, let's all have a conversation, some type of way. Yeah. Because it seems like that's almost the generation, the older generation was more camped out than in separate camps than... But it influences that, though, because now, you know, people who take sides. Because even when I did the festival, I think one of our panels that we talked about, some of the stuff.

Yeah. And I mean, one of the comics like, man, everything Kat said was real and it was the truth. And I'm like, but it wasn't. Uh-huh. But a lot of that wasn't true. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, damn, but a lot of y'all who taking it in comics. Right.

From wherever you at, you're like, but that's Kat. So I'm just everything he said has to be the truth. Right. When, you know, most of us that's in this business, you're like, no, he can't put that in this contract, man. Right. He was like number 10 on a call sheet. Right.

You can't negotiate that. You're not even starting a movie. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it just doesn't make. Yeah. I'm like, dang, but common sense ain't common to somebody who's reaching for something. They don't know what the truth is. Right, exactly.

And so it was tough because it was, once again, for me, it was a lot of my favorite veteran comics. Yeah. And they're like, dang, they, and they're all like millionaires. Yeah. Which is even more stupid. I know. You just watch it and then you're like, as he's going through it, he's dropping names. You could just see like Cedric looking up from his from his plate like, wait, me?

I mean, I mean, I saw Dave Chappelle. It might have been like, was it the color purple premiere? It was one of those, one of these movies. He's like, oh, he didn't get us, did he? I was like, not yet, Dave. I'll be that soon. You know, cat come to cat. They keep playing the cat over and over of that Instagram.

2024, they're all going down. All these people are going down. It is interesting. too because I think it's funny too like because everybody now's like he told us about diddy right but I'm like well he didn't say anything that nobody didn't necessarily know yeah but also real perspective on this time and I'll leave it alone yeah but it's interesting people who know all this information which means you had to be like every time I hear somebody say they approach I got approach to the party I told them no and I know not to do this I'm like well that never happened to me because

I'd never give off that energy. Mm-hmm. I wasn't invited to the weirds, Doug. Guess what? I'm not weird. You know what I'm saying? 100%. I don't know what you're talking about.

You know what I mean? Like, even if I'm bit to a, you know, it's so funny because everybody like, oh, the celebrities are quiet that went to the day. Because Diddy threw a lot of great parties. But it was all of us saying shock like the rest of that. What was the freakoffs there? I know. Like, I only went to the party that had the regular DJs and the food. It was baby

I thought it was over I thought it was over at midnight I mean but I think you learned something Like I think an 80 party you go to in a hospital At the certain time You just ain't supposed to stick around I know It's like when entourage was popular

And like my friends from back of home Say wow is that what goes on in L.A.? I'm like apparently I'm in studio city with a six year old And a four year old And they're braiding my hair. But I think that's going on.

Yeah. I snuck out and did a spot at the lap factory. It's very interested that, like, and I think about that a lot, because you know, famia called me like, hey, you're okay? I'm okay. I wasn't, I'm okay. I wasn't that none of this stuff. That's so funny.

I'm not weird. I have one of the most regular rises to fame that you can think. Like, nothing was weird. Nobody ever asked me to do anything, which is so funny. I guess I'm not that attractive. because ain't nobody else you do nothing. Well, I hope that your festival is one of the things that unites everybody like that

because it really is so silly to have like camps. It's not like, you know, this isn't East Coast, West Coast stuff. This is comedians. It's comedians and we all, like, it's interrupt because it is this thing too. Because I guess that's how long, now that comedy has found success, I guess it was this was going to come, right? It's people that came before us that made some,

bad decisions in their career. And so they made bad decisions. So they're like, well, you made a good decision, but you probably did something crazy, even though you probably just did the right thing. Yeah, yeah. You might have just been more professional. You might have been, like, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah.

It's a very interesting time with black comics and whatever that is. But, you know, at the end of the day, like, that's why I did this festival is to bring us together to create opportunities. Yeah. And like year two, I can't even wait for even more opportunities that I'm going to create. I just don't want to be a person to just talking about what the industry is doing and I'm not doing something better.

I mean, that's one of the reasons why, like, I've been on this very big run of, like, apologizing to Tyler Perry because I feel bad about, like, talking crazy about his movies and saying all this crazy stuff or where his art should be when I don't think any of us

should be judging anybody's creativity. No, I know. I mean, it really comes down to this conversation. I always feel as comics, it's your conversation with your audience. All the rest is noise. Like, you know, he's got his audience and he's making films for them and they are very happy and they're very successful. And then you have your people that you're talking to.

And that conversation, you should be, it's a blessing that you have people that you can communicate with and have a career back and forth with this fan base. It's a blessing. There's no one way to do this time. Right, exactly. Exactly. And we're all creative. Like, I can't tell somebody what. honestly, I should inspire to be this guy who's raised enough capital to do what he won't.

Yeah, right, exactly. All the rest is noise and rumor and it's just like gossip. It's gossip. It's gossip. And it's none of my business anyway. No, exactly. Exactly. I love that you're getting cool voice work because your voice is so distinct and so great.

But to see like the, I mean, just to hear you and Harold with the purple crayon. And then you have another one that's coming out. Oh, dog man. Dogman, right? Yeah, I saw a little clip of that. And it's so cool. Like, you should be in the Pixar universe. You should be on the speed dial.

I think it's so funny. I'm doing, I just, I'm doing a movie now with Ryan Reynolds and Jason Memorial. That's a, it's more of an adult animation, but it's so funny and so crazy. For adults? Yes. Really? It's so funny. Wow.

It's so like. Can you say what your character is like? Nah, I can't, I guess, really. But it's really funny. It's like, I was like, do I tell you the whole movie? But it's really, I don't know what I can say yet. Yeah, okay. But it's really, really, really fun.

I literally was just there last week. Oh, cool. Yeah, that's great. I think, yeah, it's so funny. Some people have a voice like that and you're like, why they should be? And then once it happens, it seems to happen. I can't wait to see how families enjoy Dogman. They just showed it to me and it's so funny.

Oh, yeah. So good. And so I think my kids are going to absolutely look. Because they love me being irritated because that's what they're laughing now. Like, so, you know, teenagers are mean. You know what I mean? Like, they literally crack up with me being annoyed. They will be at restaurants and I'd be like, here you go.

And wait, you said something that doesn't make sense to them. I beg to different. Because it's like, I'm really like a black version of Larry David that people don't know that. It's kind of weird. I'm just always annoying. I mean, I hear you. You know, it's that. I've been watching curb.

It was like, I've never. related to a white man so much of my life. I love Harry David. Yeah, but it's sobering when your kids call you out on it. I got in an argument with a barista, which I'm low friction. I'm in the world. I just wanted to go smooth in and out. I'm not there.

I just wanted to go quickly. And this kid was like peppering me with questions. I'm ordering a black coffee, nothing more. And he's peppering me. And I miss the last question because I'm, out, you know, and I said, I'm sorry, what did you say? And he just, like, stared at me. He was like, hot or iced?

Now I'm under attack. So I'm like, hot. And we walk away with my daughter. I'm like, I was with that guy. She's like, dad, he's autistic. I'm like, well, I'm old and confused. Why are you taking his side? You know what I mean?

Daddy's autistic. Yeah, why aren't you on my side? I'm your father. Oh, that's funny, yo. You ever have your kids take pictures of you just around the house? Oh, I got a bit I do about, on this news special about doing TikToks all through my house and I don't know where they're propping the phone at. And so the bid is the way there's a time. true story, but like I went to go check up my daughter's

TikToks. I found myself in the background of a bunch of of them out of my business. Like, I'm in my draws, going through cabinets. They're doing little dances. I'm scratching my ass. Yeah. So, yeah. And I hate that. It's the worst. There's so many random pictures

of me taking naps or sleeping. Yeah, or just those angles you hate of yourself, like, from the side with your chins and the worst. Or you leave your phone somewhere. They take like weird selfies. Yeah. Or they rename, my daughter renames all the devices under her name.

No, I don't even know how that happened to my devices actually. My headphones, everything is... They're all Charlottes. Britney's AirPods. Like, why? I know I put dad. Yeah. Okay, before we go, we also do a thing on this program

called a taste test because we like the finer things in life, but we also like junk. And I know you're you're dialed in, but this is, The Chex-Mix people are going crazy. And they've come out with a thing called Muddy Buddies. It's not just a Chex-Mix people.

It's everybody's making things that don't make sense. Why is this a flavor? Yeah, why are the Oreo people making 20,000 of these? Okay. Smells weird. Cookies and cream, Checks Mix. Yeah. I do like the, I am a fan of the Chex-Mix people.

I don't know. Why, they're not selling the other ones, no more? Why are you doing this? Why are you jumping into the cookies and cream business? It reminds me to something, but it's not a food. It tastes like an Oreo cookie, but the checks flavor still to it. Do you ever have color forms when you were a kid? Color forms, no.

What's that? You're too young. Yeah. It was a plastic toy. It was like you would peel off little plastic pictures of like cows and stuff, and then you'd put it on a, on a, Like a background? Yeah, I know what you're talking about.

It was like synthetic, plastic, oily little designs. That's what this tastes like. That's funny. Yeah, if it fell in some ice cream. You don't have to take the buddies home, but you do have to take the bread home. This will be good for the meeting. Yeah. I like how it looks warm, but I know it's not.

Who cooked for you when you were a kid? Who's the big cook? Who's the most memorable meals? My grandmother. Oh, yeah? To this day, Viola Howard. I call her grandma. Just grandma.

But she made the best pot roast. Oh, yeah. Her and my Aunt Joyce, but for the longest of my grandmother, it's still food to this day. Like, my wife, she makes a good chicken and dumplings, the old school way. And for years, I wouldn't eat chicken and dumplings because nobody made it like my grandmother. And I described it to a wifey, and she did it. And she pulled it off? She pulled it off.

Wow. But man, chicken and dumplings and a good pot roast. Pot roast. And she made homemade ice cream. Homemade ice cream? Yeah. Oh, God. Yeah.

So good. She just wanted to be the favorite grandparent. You know, she's interesting because she was like a, her backstory. We're trying to figure out, oh, this is random having this conversation. But like, me and my brother is trying to figure out her history because we have the history of my grandfather. there and it's like we're going to have to really track her to really see even just her her funeral program doesn't have enough information oh really so it's like who what the degree did you kidnap you like like you like but it's like we got to figure out what's your story

because like who did you come from yeah yeah who are we only know everything from the howery side of things uh-huh but i don't know her backstory that was my dad's mom so it's very interesting Because, you know, she was a smoker and everything, but when we were born, I think she had forgot about one of us. It might have been me. She's supposed to feed me or put me in the wrong room. So she used to get drunk and smoke cigarettes. And she stopped doing all that and just became a grandmother. Oh, really?

Yeah. My mother's one that told me like, yeah, your grandmother was, she was pretty dark. But one day she forgot about you somewhere and she stopped everything. Quit smoking, quit drinking. It scared her, you mean? Yeah, she was very, she was traumatized that she didn't want to, like, not take care of us well. And she just became an extra great-grandmother. Wow.

I thought she was always that. Right. I mean, I knew she was into something because she used to mess with snuff. I don't know what you were. You know, people don't know what snuff here. No. Like that tobacco. And I was like, what is snuff?

Because I didn't know what snuff was. You know, a kid, you just see it. Like, what snuff? And then your brother dare you to try it. They tried. And I was like, why are you eating tobacco? I don't know. I thought it was gum.

I don't know what I thought it was. It looked like Big Chew. It came in the Big Chew thing. Yeah, I know what it is, but why is grandma doing it? Like, did she used to do drugs? Like, because now that you think about it was like, was that like, tobacco was cocaine. Right. Yeah, exactly.

Back there. Before all the other drugs. Just keeping it going. It was just like, you know, take some of this snuff. Well, good luck with the meeting tonight. I'm excited about the meeting. I think you're going to do very well. Yeah, I'm going to be very honest.

So we'll see how that goes. It really seems like you're in a real good place, which is very cool to see. I'm glad I'm glad I met you at this time in your life. If we had met earlier, you would have been like, Tom doesn't party. Yeah, what's Tom talking about? But now you're... I like me just everybody else with dad energy. Right.

Exactly. You know what I mean? It's like... Dad bods and dad energy. Just updoing dad stuff for no reasons. Checking all the garbage cans. Talking crazy. You know, why they don't know when to just tie this up?

So they're going to overfill the garbage cans And now I've got to put the top down And that's how the little fleas come around Like, you know, I'll be thinking about I just think I'll be just complaining Just a complaint But that's going to be a part of the conversation It's those garbage cans and a wash schedule

Because they wash a lot of clothes All the time And that drives me crazy And that washing machine at 12 midnight Yeah, yeah No doing that And good luck with the coyotes Damn coyotes J.Bus Swibble

Let me tell you something Coyote's a kitchen man You better watch some coyotes, man Especially you got the little dog Snatch it up them and them eagles Eagles and the crows What crows? What other animals is in the valley?

Come! Even though it's a crow I feel like that followed me from West Hollywood To out there It's a random crow that keeps like shitting on my car To say full-blown, not like regular Like light bird like

Like intentional Come see me, boy You know what I mean like Yeah I said, what I do to the groves? You think you got out of here? This is really great. It's so much fun.

Yeah, thank you. And when you have something else, when your next big things, which there's going to be plenty, I'd love if we could come back and do it again. This was such a fun conversation. Yeah, thanks very cool. Got it.