Breaking Bread with Tom Papa - Episode 338 - Ali Siddiq

Episode Date: August 4, 2026

This week we welcome Ali Siddiq to the table! He and Tom talk all about building a comedy special, the first celebrities they had crushes on, and of course, fatherhood. Enjoy! Our thanks to: Monarch: Start a free trial, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core Tier with code PAPA at monarch.com IQ Bar: Text PAPA to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thank you for being here. Oh, no trouble. This is a very special day for me. I, how long have you been doing stand-up? 29, yeah. 29, right. I've been doing it 33. I was not aware of you as I was making my way as much as I should have been.

And I got tipped off on your comedy. Like, I didn't see you go through the clubs. see you rise. I'm a plant. You're a plant. I knew it. It is real. You are so good.

Thank you. And I respect you as a comedian and as a person. And we must have been just struggling at the same time in different parts of the country. Yeah. And never really crossed paths. and I am so happy that we have crosspass now. And who tipped you off? If at the end of this, it goes well, I want your number.

Because you are one of the greats right now. And I want to make sure that if you continue to succeed, I'll be able to capitalize off of that. At some point. Who tipped you? I don't know who's the sniff. It was a slow burn. It was a slow burn. Your new special is fantastic.

Oh, thank you very much. My father just dropped, and it's so good. Thank you. It's really good. Thank you. Do we cut this bread? Do you want it? Yes.

Is that knife usable? This knife works. It's a little janky. It's not as good as my real knife. I'll cut it for you, though, because it's going to be a struggle. Do you like olive oil? Love olive oil. All right.

Maya, sorry. She's on olive oil duty. I just baked this bread last night. The knife is a little janky. So that knife, right? That type of knife. Yeah. It's a bread knife.

And, you know, people with class know this. Yeah. And my son thinks that he has class, but he used this knife to cut open a five-gallon water bottle to give the dog another water container. But he heated the knife up as he was cutting.

And now it has melted plastic. I was like, yo man, you are horrible. And I asked him like, yeah, what are you doing? Okay, I was cutting over the water. I said, with a bread knife, he said, is that a bread knife? You're insane, sir.

I like when you talk about him because you always talk about him being a little boozy. But still not knowing nothing. But also a little dumb. Which one's open? This one. Okay. Yeah, this is good stuff.

How many kids you got? Nine in total. What? I started early. Nine. I started very early. I wanted to get it out the way. Before the troubles.

Yeah, actually, yeah, I had a... So in Domino Effect, too, one of my specials. Yeah. I revealed that my sister-at-pants, my eight-year-old sister-old pass. But four months after that, my first son that passed. No. And I didn't say that part. Oh, man.

How old was he? Nine months. Nine months. Yeah. Oh, so you fell in love. Yeah. It was a thing. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. You baked this today. Last night. You need a little bit more salt. That's fantastic. You good? Yeah. All right, go.

How long it take you to put together my father? Because it seems like it was right on the, not that far long from the previous special. So Mondays, the special Monday, my father, and then there's another one we'll put out later called The Dog. We filmed all three of those in the same week. What? Yeah. I think you're going to have to leave. In the same week?

Yeah, we are. So how are you putting together that amount of material when you're out touring? You just... Okay. This is the great thing about my brain, I think, that I still do things like in English class. I write down the topic. Then I go A, B, C, D, and then I put A, one, two, three, B, one, two, three, C, one, two, three. And those are the stories that I'm going to do.

So D and E are stories if I don't like A, B, and C. Okay. But it's... They'll get moved up. Yeah, they get moved up. But it's easy because I'm writing on one topic about something that's pertaining to me. Right. So it's not political.

It's not current events. Yeah. It's not, you know, shock values. you is just me. I got to talk about my dad for at least 10 hours. I felt that. When it was over, when you got to Valentine's Day, I looked down because I had it in my ear.

First I was watching and then I was walking around. And when I ran and saw that it was almost over, and I felt like we were just getting going. Yeah. So I will probably do another portion of my father. But he was, the importance of him. Yeah. It's so me. Like he is, the old I get, the more that I see the parallels between me and him,

with the exception of me not being absent in my, in my kids life for no period of time. You know, but my dad struggles, you know, and me still living with him. People don't realize that I had lived with him. Right. You know. You made the choice. Yeah, I made the choice to live with him. And it was, it was a good one, but it was a bad one that's the same thing.

Because he wasn't ready. Like he thought it was, you know, and I give him, you know, an aid for that effort, but my dad was still, you know, not. balance. How old was he when you were, when you start, when I lived with my dad. My dad had to be what I'm 10

to my dad was like early 30s. Early 30s. Yeah, like 32. It's so funny because you were the comic thing of when you're 10, you can just picture you being in all those situations, being in the back seat with the hammer

and going to the concert, all that stuff is, you know, everybody grows. up and has those memories of whatever they however they grew up but the comic brain you don't even realize that when you're 10 but you are

highly observant right when you're a kid you're sensitive and you're observant and to be in his orbit you must have been collecting stuff oh my dad was nonstop my dad is the reason

I know every time somebody say I have a place with a walk-in closet. I'm like, what is a walking closet? Because I've never known a other type of closet. I didn't even have to say you walked in. It's a closet. And then somebody would show me in a apartment

where the door just slides and it's like a slide door and they're closing hanging. I'm like, oh, that's not a closet at all. Because my dad's closet was walk in and how he had his clothes set up. Right. You know, because he only wore Taylor-made suits.

He only had one pair of caches, one pair of jeans, and that's what one was when he was working during his carrier service. But other than that, he always wore tailor-made suits and only white shirts, button to the top. Amazing. I've only seen him in the tie one time. I think he was at...

And when I looked at the picture, I'm like, I don't even know when this picture was. Like, when was this picture? And my sister was like, oh, that was at my wedding. I was like, oh. He wasn't changing it. Is that why you wear no tie? That's why I wear no tie.

Because you go up with no tie. It looks good, sharp. Yeah. Yeah. That run is really funny just about guys back then. Oh, geez that didn't dress, like they dress. When you called it a blouse. My uncle Alfred, every time I think about it, so I started writing, I'm not going to get the title away, but I started writing stories down from that particular part of my life, how men dressed at that time.

And I think that men are not as free fashion-wise as they were then. Right, yeah. because it was no judgment. It was like whatever you want to wear, that's when I first saw a net tank top. It's like, what's talking about? Then you go to Jamaica, all of them have them. Yeah.

But in the States, you know, it was like, you wear a net tank top. It's like, what's wrong with them? Tucked in, you know. Pants on no belt, no belt loose, just fit for their waist, two buttons on the side. I'm like, this is a strange outfit. But everybody was just, it was so much more.

My wife is always pointing that out. She's like, they had so much more fun. The cars were different colors and the clothes were every color of the rainbow. Every color. You didn't have to, you wasn't boxed in or anything. Nothing. I remember when I was going through my dad's album collection. Because I like, when I go back to his house, I remember his house in great detail.

Yeah. Like, it's like if somebody gave me a. All the thing that I would put his house right back together. Uh-huh. Because my dad had, and he had these huge windows, right? It was every type of plant that you would want to. Like, I never went to a man's house that didn't have plants. Right.

Because all my dad's friends had plants. And a lot of elephant ears, they had big plants in the house and had plant food. Like, like, you know, that's one. I don't think most of you even heard this type of choice. Make sure you put that plant food in plants. You would stick plant food down and water. Those little pegs. Yeah, you know.

And so he had this huge real-to-reel stereo system. Wow. Huge big speakers. Wow. You know, he had a real stereo system. So TV on the floor. And I remember HBO, I think that was 83. I don't know if HBO started then,

but that's when I first. ever seen cable television. When it was connected to the wire, to the box? The box. Yep. And when you didn't pay for certain channels, it would be fuzzy, but you could still hear. Uh-huh. You key it in on the side?

That is definitely porn. Something's happening. It'd be all wavy. Yeah, and a porn outfit was a one-piece bathing suit back then. He's like, oh, something's about that happened. She slipped it out of her shoulder. But my dad, you know, living with him and his friends was a fun time that I can remember. And I remember their clothes.

Right. And it was always something. And I'm going through his record collection going back to that. And I was like, yo, what type of outfit is this? My daddy was like, what? Man, that's one of the colds outfits. It's Isaac Hayes. in a gold chain blouse with honey on him.

I'm like, and I remember my dad like, yo, we go on to see Tina Turner. And James is this huge boxer. He was a heavyweight boxer. I had never even seen James that happy. James got there. Are you ready to go?

I'm like, so this is who you're going to the Teen Eternal? I said what you're like, legs. I was like, two grown men going to see Tina Turner's legs. Like, man. It's like, but then I go back to, this is like, if I saw Diana Ross. Right. Diana Ross, it will never leave my mind when I watched on TV.

Yeah. And she was in Central Park. It started raining. And she had this red dress on. And I was like, yo, this got to be the sexiest wet dress. I've ever even seen. The only thing that compared to this is the Jamaica poster, the lady coming out the water in Jamaica.

But it was like Diana Ross was, I was glued to that TV. I was like, Dan Ross is everything. Yeah. I was just watching a rerun of that Tina Turner documentary. Have you seen that? What love got to do with all the actual one? The newer one on HBO. And, yeah, legs.

Oh, my God. And the way she used that. them. She danced like nobody else dance. She did these like little kicks that nobody else. It was just oh my dad. I love Tina Turner. Yeah. But that was the thing about the era. I love R&B because I listened to so much R&B, so much blues, so much jazz in his house. Yeah. He put on the records and

you wouldn't define by these, by these things. No. You like R&B music. It's on much more. Like, why would something be wrong because I like, I want to be? Yeah. You know, and he liked... I remember I was watching

Liza Manelli. I was listening to something with Liza Manelli and my friend was like, why are you listening to Liza? I'm like, rest. Because I remember. I was like, yo, La Zanelli was... I think Michael Jackson Davis or something.

I don't know who was going. I'm like, short-haired because he's like, Her and the lady from Three's company. Yeah. Them hair, because, like, I think that was my first, oh, I like women with short hair. Right. I'm like, yo, this is a nice look.

What are you saying this special when it changed what you liked about women? Like, you started off liking what your dad liked. My dad liked short brown women. Then I saw Rosalind. Then you saw Rosalind. Still to this day. I'm talking dark

I don't even think she was tall but she was just long sleek I was like yo I remember looking at Rosam like this like

what is this they can look like that they can look like that I've never seen one like this before I'm like Raza I'm like whoa not thinking after that

I saw like an appointment sister because they look like Rosalind to me. I'm like, whoa. So when you're growing up in Houston, in your dad's spot, and you know, you paint this great picture of the way he's living

and what he's doing and, you know, it's not your traditional upbringing. Did you feel, though, it sounds like he was just treating you like a roommate, like a peer. Did you feel, like would he come down on you as a parent?

I was crazy. I don't remember, and I keep trying to. I remember, have I ever really been fussed at by my dad? Uh-huh. And I think the only time was the candy incident. Right. I don't really remember him ever being, like, mad at me. Wow.

You know, it was more like, so that's what you wanted to do. Right. You know, and it wasn't a punishing thing. He's like, well, I don't think that's going to work out for you. Right, right. Because I think my pops was too busy really living his own life to really deal with certain things. Yeah. And so.

Do you think it made you grow up quicker? Like, did it make you more mature? I don't know. Like, where did you get your right and wrong in your head? My mom. My mom was very present. Right. Like, even when I was living with him, my mom.

my mom was still She was like the great gazoo She's still So you think that's like It was always It was always her And if he I think one time he said

You know we're going to tell your mom about this And I was like What? Like when did y'all start collaborating? On things Like what's up with you? And he's like I'm just saying

I was like The main person who always tell me Don't tell your mom about nothing and now you want to tell us about this. I'm just saying. And I remember my mom came over and she was so mad at my dad. She was like, yo, he's not healthy.

And my dad was like, what are you doing? You know, he's good. And my mom was like, that's the problem. He's fat. He was? He's like, he's talking about me. He's like, he's like. Are we talking about you?

She was talking about me. He's fat. Like, when I brought this boy over here, He was lean in me. Now he just fat. And I was like, am I fit? Like, my mom was, because I think she was so mad because he said, because I was in like slim jeans. It was only, it was three sizes then.

It was slim regular and husky. I rocked some husky. She bought me some husky jeans. She's like, he fat. I was like, I like, I like, I like. And see, my mom wanted to know what I was eating. And my, to watch my dad describe, he's on, look, okay, there's a chicken place right there, French, eat baked potatoes, you know, we eat crab,

you know, fried fish. And just like, you haven't named a vegetable. You know, you haven't named a balanced meal, you know, at all. Like, what's he taking to school? You know, I don't know what he eating at school. He got his money. Yeah. I was like, yo, man, you are not making this good, bro.

And my mom started regulating what I was eating from her house. So how far away was she? Oh, maybe I could walk. Yeah. If I really just had to put the pedal to the metal. We walked everywhere back then. Was she upset that you decided to live with him? No.

No. She was okay. She just was like, okay. Did she love him at that point, like even though they couldn't live together? I think my mom always loved my dad Yeah Yeah I think she always did I think she always cared for him

I don't want to give up the line Because people are gonna see the special But you know the line Yeah I fell out on that one That one He is nuts I know but

The hope The hope Like he believed it And it's like It's still his kingdom You know what I mean And he's like Still taking care of her

From the distance Like, in his mind, that relationship continued, right, for decades. That is one of the funniest line in the special, I think. I remember when I knew that how much he cared, too. You know, my sister passed. We had to, everybody at the funeral. How old were you? I'm 18.

18. We come outside, and it's like, you can see across the parking lot in the distance. My dad is standing in this long black leather trench, and he's like, you know, he's just shaking his head. Like, but he's in a, being a space that when you come out, you're going to see him. Uh-huh. But it's in the distance. It's like. And in my mind, I'm like, look at him over there, being mysterious.

But he didn't want to be intrusive, you know, for my stepdad and, you know, but he just wanted to let me, my sister, and my mom know that he was there. What a tricky spot for him at that moment. Imagine making that decision? Do I go? Do I not? Like that? No, I think he probably didn't, in his mind, because he was dressed too nice to not know that he was going. Right.

He's like, yeah, I'm going. Yeah. You know, but I'm not going to go in. Yeah, yeah. You know, I'm not going to be intrusive, but I'm going to be seen for support. So he was, that's one of the things with him, too. I remember I was in this weird, I was in this weird space, and I didn't understand the space that I was in. And I just called him.

I was like, yo, man, I need you, man. I need you to talk to you. My dad came in town and I picked him up. And I just need, I probably just need to see him. You know, we talk. How old are you here? Huh? How old are you when this is happening?

I'm like 47. Oh, this is. So you're you. Yeah, I'm even, not about, man, I'm going to say about 44. I'm a grown man. And, and. I just needed I just needed

I probably just need to know that he would come and so he came to Houston we talked for maybe two hours and he was like it wasn't even

I'm talking I'm just saying what I'm saying and then all of a sudden he's like you good I said yeah drop me off over here

you know and my dad was in the city for the rest of the for like a week just hanging out kicking it with his friends and he called him like, you need to talk? But you can hear like a party in the back.

If he needed to come, he would, but it was like, yo, I'm here, I'm in town, so you need me, I'm here. But while I'm here. Right. We might as well hang out a little bit while I'm here. You know, but so nuts, man. You know, but that was. his thing.

Yeah. He, I think he understood me a lot. I remember, you know, because this would be like in the next, especially when I really I got mad because he, my sister called me crying. And I was like, what's

wrong with you? And he had called to borrow some money and she didn't have it. And he got mad at him. So she called me. And I remember, I remember calling. him going completely off like yo let me tell you something man don't call my sister

swan z so i'm going off uh-huh and then i hang up the phone and he calls me like like three days later he's like you calm down i said yeah why what's up and he's like well i told you told you that, well, you're sticking to my words, ain't you? I said, tell me what? I always told you, take care of your sister, even if it was against me or your mama, you're sticking to it, man. You talk to me so crazy.

And I was on the other phone like, boy, he's wild. I'm like, oh man, what is wrong with this dude, man? You're like, you're standing? I'm like, man, my son is a jeep. So my, there's another story about what happened

with my grandmother and I had said something I called him about his brothers and he called me and my dad told on his brother like he snitched like this who did it and I tell and so I'm at the funeral when my grandmother died and they said um does anybody have any words and my uncle who had stole something from her was in front of me and my dad is about five rows back My uncle Alfred is in the front row. My uncle Mac is in the front on the other side. My sister is next to me. And when the preacher said that, my sister knew my dad was in the back, like, man, come on, man.

Just going with the service. Don't ask that. Does anybody have anything to say? Oh, no. And I pushed my uncle. I said, you ain't got nothing to say, thief? And my dad said, come on, man. I was like, yo, because he knew, he knew when that was saying that I was about to say something.

He was like, yo, man, he just, come on, man, no, no, no, if anybody, man, just put it on the ground, man, we good because he is in here and he is not rap tight. I'm like, my dad is. Well, that's like the hammer story. Yeah. Right? Yeah. Like, because you paint the picture of your dad being, you know, so capable. to deal with life and stuff

and then to picture you little surprising him with how far you're willing to go. It's really funny. Because of my Uncle Mac. To this day, my uncle Mac

is so crazy. He is so crazy and he, in his mind, everything that he's done in front of me, he's right. I showed you. Yeah. But when he sees me,

as much stuff as he's done in front of me. You know, the first thing that he says to, I'm like, literally, after we speak, he's going to bring up. Remember I used to take your turtle fishing? I said, turtle fishing. Is it turtle fishing or is it turtlene? I was like, what is it?

Turtle catchers. I just think you to get turtle fishing. he'd get turtles. Because he did. And that was, this is huge bayou in Houston in the Heights. And it's so many, you go down and there's so many ways.

You can literally get lost. Right. And I would be with him. And we would just be walking. And then we'd go down this long hill and this, it opens up to this. He's like, yo, this where you catch turtles at. and a turtle is not as easy to catch as people would think

because you think a turtle is just slow and no but turtles are pretty quick when you're trying to catch them and it's like I've never snuck up on the turtle it's like they're not an animal that you can sneak up on this is not a tortoise Right. They big, you know, a box turtle, a red snapping turtle, a soft shell turtle. Any of these turtles are very quick. Uh-huh.

And they sit by the bay like, yo, I see you coming. And it's like they're playing with you. Like, I'm in the water. Like, what are you going to do? Jump in here. So when we would have this net, at first we didn't have a net and then we started getting that net. Because as soon as they jump in

You got a chance to grab them then But that's not even easy Yeah But when you 10 It was like And he would just He knew I wasn't gonna catch one At 10

He was like Yo, you're foot heavy Like what? Like you're walking too hard man Like At 10 And this when you realized That your mom was right

You're too husky Why should run Call me fast Yeah So it's like, but he could catch him. Yeah. And he's like, yo, I've been doing this dog. But he's so muddy when he's doing it.

I'm not willing to do this. I'm not going to mess with my chucks. Because back then, your chucks was like $12,000, low top of eight. But you get them dirty, then they're shot. Now you got to wear them like that. So we would go and we would catch turtles. And he always brings this. This is a very fond memory for him.

Right. And he doesn't let that go at all. Yeah. He doesn't care nothing about what I'm doing now. Uh-huh. He was saying, we can be proud of people. Yeah. Remember I used to take your turtles?

Is he your mother's brother? Right. Your dad's brother. Yeah. On my mother's side, the crazy one is Morant. You know, he was a groomer. for like these dog shows. Oh, really?

Yeah, he has a lot of championship dogs, the Shih Tzu's. Oh, wow. He used to do shih Tzu's for this lady. But he's always had dogs. I definitely remember him always having various. The first time I ever saw Alaskan Husky was he had two of them in his house. I was like, it's a wolf. Yeah, exactly.

This is definitely a wolf. And he's like, no, Alaskin Husky. But, like, it's crazy. Yeah. Big. But Mac is my dad's brother, but he's definitely my mom's favorite of the three of them. Oh, yeah. Oh, really?

Like, she, my mom, like, always. Because Mac is a good time. Yeah. And he's, he is, I would never forget, Mac told me that, yeah, got two white girls. and when he's at my grandma's funeral, he gets out the car right, and he does have two white girls with him. Both of him are nurses.

Like he had his hip. He had someone who's over his hip. And he's like, and he's talking like, like these are like ladies that work for him or something. I'm like, they got on scrubs. And then he walked by me knowing, yeah, you leave them white girls.

I was like, this is a, He's so crazy. Did he work? What was his No? Never? I don't know no job

My uncle back as ever had. I can't even think of a job. I can't even think of nothing that he can do. It's like that's weird

to have longer that you've known forever that you never have to like, hey man, what is your occupation?

What? Occupation Why is that important? Is he proud of you? Very. Yeah. We was in Alexandria, Louisiana. I did a show.

After the show, it's late. And, like, Dre, got to go to his address. I got to go to my uncle's house. It was like, it's late. I don't know, I still go. I knock on the door. And I hear him.

I knew you was going to come. Oh, really? You didn't even contact him or anything to show up. I didn't call him or nothing. Really? I come in the house, he said, yeah, man, I didn't get a chance to come down there see, you know, doing concerts. Because he got tubes hooked up to him.

Yeah. He's like, I knew you was coming. And I told, I told folks that you were coming. And he calling people saying, he right here. I told you this come. Yeah. And they can't believe that, you know, I came. Yeah.

But he knows that I'm going. He knows no way in the world I'm going to be that close in the same. Yeah. And not come see him. Yeah. Well, that's great. You know, my grandma's gone. My dad's gone.

and he's like, this is my nephew. This is the only, me and my sister are the only nieces and nephews that he even have. Wow. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, I don't even know if he has kids.

Really? Does he live alone? Yeah. I don't know if my uncle Alfred has kids. I don't know. Right, right. As far as my grandmother is concerned, We're her only nieces and nephew.

We're her only grandchildren. Right. My dad was the only one that I knew. I had kids. Yeah. You know, so even my little brother, they don't know my little brother. They don't know. And then Naomi is my little sister.

She's 22. He knows her. I called her and say, hey, you got to take Uncle Max. She said, I'm going to go over there and end up over there all day. with him. So he knows her. He's going to be cooking something up. Yeah, he knows her.

But for her, it's just been me and my sister. Yeah. You know, so when he proud is not even the word. Yeah. That's deep. Yeah. This episode is brought to you by IQ Bar, our exclusive snack, hydration, and coffee sponsor. IQ Bar Protein Bars, IQ Mix, Hydration Mix, and IQ.

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It's beautiful, though. Yeah, bread products. Go get it. Back to your stand-up. You started in Houston, stayed in Houston. Didn't take the bait to go to other cities and stuff. Did you fall into your style early, or did that kind of emerge later? Because you have such a great...

I was, um, unique style. I was, I started, when I look back at it, like 99, I kind of was still, I was still all over the place. But it's the development started. Yeah. Because of the people who I looked at and I admired for the complexity of what they were doing in positioning. Not their words. It's like, When I looked at Des White, guy named Des White,

Des White, when I started it was all these people who was, you know, trying to garner attention being as energetic. It was a whole energy thing. You got to be energetic. So comedy is something that you have to learn, you know, and you learn it by being actively in it. You know, I don't think there's a class that people can, you know, go to to learn style and being charismatic.

You learn, you gain things as you go. So I was all over the place, and then this guy named Des White walks in to a comic club. My first time I was seeing him. He's from Houston. He walks in, he sits his drink on the stool, and he never takes the microphone out the stand. He just stands in front of the microphone and just talk. He doesn't move anywhere. And I was, but you can do that?

And then after that it was Paul Mooney Come and sit down on the stool And talk from the stool And I was like, you can do that? So it's a Yeah Okay, it's a standing still And it's on the stool

Then it's Cosby Mm-hmm Come down, sitting in a chair And I saw them do it And I was like Cosby's in a theater when I saw him Yeah Jones Hall of the symphony opened up for him

And he walks out no introduction, no music, no nothing. He walks out and sits down and starts talking. No, no flash, no nothing. I'm so in control. I'm so good at what I do that I walked and he sat down

and said, when me and Camille first started? dating. I took her to a show and we were sitting. He's pointing to where we're sitting. He was sitting, way up there.

He said, you're no start bleeding when you got the ticket. And then he said what he said and then complimented us for being up there. But that's when those tickets was $4. these tickets. I know I'll pay the hundred.

I'll have to pay it a hundred. I'm like, yo, this is a... And he just goes. And then he stopped. I remember him stopping in the middle of a story saying, it's cold in here. Y'all cold?

Walks over to the side of the panel of the thing. This secret door opens up and he said something. Then he goes back and sits back down and then he starts. And I was like, at this point I'm not even listening to what he's saying right I'm looking at the command yeah I was like

yo this is this is different and I'm sitting next to Marcus Wiley another comic and I'm like you know are you seeing it Marcus is like but I'm trying to listen I'm like I get what you doing but the command so it's the progress of standing still to the to the stool to the chair yeah I said, I want to develop like this. And so I'm out with D.L. Hughley, to fast forward, I'm out with D.L. And Gary, his security at the time, I'm telling Gary, I said, Gary, I'm going to start sitting and telling these stories. And Gary's like, whatever. I'm like, no, care.

He's like, we're doing now. don't wait, do it now. The audience is they're doing now. And don't use no music. And I was like, what? No music. I ain't to that part yet. He's like, just walk out.

And I'm hosting. So it's like it's a two-man show with D.L. So it's like host middle and then DL come up, but you're doing both positions. And you're used to pumping him up with some energy. And he's like, do it now. And 2000. Eight was the first time I walked out on the stage.

No music, no introduction, no nothing. Sit down. People still coming in. And I said, I was like, no, I don't think I want to start like that again. And that's when I said the first thing I ever said when I got on stage, when I started just choking, comedy cafe. I remember that day

it's an open mic and it's an Apollo night so people are doing everything they're singing they're doing so at the time it was no set comedy open mics it was like

it was combined with everything so I go up and the first thing I said was hey and they start booing me and they and I learned um how to evaluate

on the audience at that time because I had on a suit and all these are college kids and they're like it's like a professor at the coming on stage and they booed me right and I went and sat down

and I waited two weeks and I came back to you didn't get through the set oh no they booed me it was done from hey like they booed me from hey it's no

nothing else it's like a and it was a wave it was like to boo and then it didn't priest. Yeah. And I'm like, in my mind, I'm trying to compute it because I haven't said anything. You're not trying to hear it.

So then I waited two weeks. I come back, t-shirt on jeans, sneakers. I don't write down on the list of what I'm doing. I just write my name down. Same guy brings me up and give it up for Ali. He don't remember either. Go up. I said, hey.

And then I went right into the jokes that I had written. And after that... Are you sitting? No. I'm standing. I'm all over the place. So after that, I come back the next week, come back the next week. And by February, I'm the co-host of this night.

Uh-huh. And then the next month, I'm on the main. shows. I'm on the weekend. Uh-huh. And I just start rolling from that. Right. And still very energetic. The things I was doing then seems insane now.

There's an old tape of me like first starting. And my wife calls it. She says I didn't know your crazy brother did comedy. Long hair all over. It's lunging. Too scared to stop because I don't want to hear them not laugh.

So I just kept going 100 miles an hour. It's a totally different person. I had a story back then that I was getting body slammed. And I would do this breakdance move called a suicide. You jump there and you're laying on your back. And I would talk from that from being on the ground. I'm like, who turned out the lights? And I was like, it's.

No, like in my mind, like, there's no way I would still be doing that right now. No way. There's no. I was, I would be in a wheelchair. The worst is when it's not, like, when that move, when you do a big move and it doesn't kill. And you're on your back and you're like, oh. They didn't get it. They didn't get it and I got to get up. Like, why is he on the ground?

And it was, it was so crazy when I think about it. Yeah. But you're finding it, you know. you don't know. You know you got these stories. You know you got. Was it jokes or stories at the time? It was a mixture of both.

You know, I was, you know, my first, my first thing I ever wrote down was about having my first child and how it turned so different, so fast. Like, she loves me so much. And then next thing, you know, I was the worst person on the planet. Like, everything about me, she hated. I stank, I was ugly. He's like, you smell. What are you talking about? I just say, I hate that cologne.

I hate your jeans. I hate your face. It's like, this loving woman has turned into a savage. Because I didn't understand. That's what pregnancy does to be. So it was a base, like it was, but it was more joke than, like if you had written that now, it'd be stretched. It'll be so long.

It'll be so long. The development of it would be crazy. Yeah. I might need to go back in, because I have the paper of all the things that I wrote. Oh, yeah. But when I never forget, I was in another room and she hollered at me. And I came in her, I'm like, what's going on?

You know that I'm thirsty. What? I'm in a whole other room. How am I supposed to know that you thirsty? And I remember like, what do you think I'm telekinesic? Like, she, that was the most insane thing. That she was like, you know that I'm thirsty. And you're doing nothing about it.

But I'm in one room and you're in the room that you can clearly see the kitchen. I had to walk around a corner. I was going to know that you're thirsty. What do you want to bring them toilet water? Like, it wasn't. Like, this is a. mean later.

And so I just and I think what I would describe what was her transition a little better. Yeah. You know,

yeah. It would definitely be very, very thought out. When I saw Cosby, I only saw him once in the theater. The thing that really

struck me when I was watching him was how long he was going without a laugh. And he was just I was like, this is getting, this is getting long. Like, he's telling the story, we're all in it, but, like, he's, I was used to, you know, every 30 seconds trying. And it just went.

And then when he got to the laugh, because he had built it so long, the roof came off. The laugh was so big, so gigantic. He just, and he knew, right? And it was just building and building. and it exploded. That was the most impressive. I've never seen anyone do that. Yeah, it's a thing.

Mm-hmm. And I operate in that same vein because I'm not rushing it. And now what's weird, the difference between me and Cosby because I still trying to achieve this level of brilliance that he had. It's parts that people laugh

in the story. I'm still telling the story. I'm still in it. I'm still locked into where I'm going. But it's things that people are laughing at that I have no idea. Like, that's not the part. Yeah.

And I keep saying in my head, like, that's not, not yet. Right. And then I go in there and laugh at something like, not yet. Like, you know, y'all, y'all not. And now I'm not. I'm thinking of how big is it going to be at the end

if they're laughing at these little parts. And sometimes I will pull back expression. And now... To not sell it? To not oversell it. Yeah. Now I'm in it. Because when I'm telling the story, like, in the special, right?

The going to get my father with their paperwork. It's in my mind it's so funny to me. Yeah. But it's so true. Like this is a 100% true story. And like, but the funniest part to me is my mom calling me. Like, this is something that you get an attorney to do. You get somebody served.

Yeah. Why am I? Why do this My God Like all the stuff I got to do You put this on my plate And the fact that he thinks that I'm coming To see him

Just because I'm out of love Like no I'm a I'm serving you papers I'm hearing in a different capacity Sir And the funniest part of that I tell you When we're not on here but it's

it's it is Joanne give me a Coke like do people understand what's going on

right like this is this is insane he's a he's a crazy person and like and the fact that he's so like

what and this is why you came out of trying give me a Coke like like yo man I just, I think about this and I'm like, yo, this man

was insane. And do the stories, do the stories, do they grow once you get on the memory of it? Do they grow or do they show up most of the time pretty baked? You know what I mean?

I remember, I remember more details. It's like I know, I know the story and then when I start really thinking about it and then I start saying it I'm like oh it's something else happened right here right right you know what is that what is that piece that I'm missing writing because something happened before this happened

yeah and things jogged my memory right then I'm like I know what happened right and do you say it or do you not say I'm like I gotta say it because it's a part of the story and I don't I don't want people to think that this is not I know in comedy

people make up so many stories I get it but in storytelling in my world it has to be I remember I was so mad like this is industry story I was so mad when I was doing

I did a special was Comedy Central bigger than these balls I'm so mad when I get the cut because they have moved stuff around. And I'm telling them to put it back. I said, no, y'all have to put this back.

So they're not understanding what I'm saying. And I remember getting on the phone. I don't know why my mind is like this, but this is my art. So I'm not playing with these people. I said, don't worry about it. I've been in New York in the morning to explain to you. I'm saying?

So I catch a flight. to New York. Like I bought a flight, very expensive because I'm leaving the next day. I get there and they have me in the studio. I'm like, yo, so let's run it.

Let's run it. And they run it and I said, take this piece and put it back there. So now it's the continuity of the story happens because if you put this anywhere else, now I'm lying. I'm saying, and I'm not doing it.

Good for you. And I was, was so mad and I remember I remember what it was saying so you couldn't explain it on the phone I did explain it on the phone but y'all wasn't listening to me

and I want to see you hit the buttons so put it back yeah and so it was a lady that had nothing to do with it and she's listening she listened to the first version and then I told her put it back and then she's like

oh that makes sense Oh, God. And I was like, see, she doesn't even know what's going on. And I'm like, I'm buried. And the director, I remember he's like, you were talking to me very harsh, and I don't appreciate it. Oh, God. You're destroying the continuity of this story. So if you move this, then 16 minutes down the line, it makes absolutely no sense.

Yeah. And, bro, I can't do it. Yeah. And so once they put it back and they, and we look. looked at it, they was like, oh, and then I just flew home. I'm like, yo, bro, I wasn't having it. I guess you see you getting on the plane, getting something to drink. So I did this other show, I did this other show.

And this is what, you know, like I said, you grow in this business. This is another thing that taught me about having some sort of power to in the editing room, having last. Yeah. So I'm doing this show. show and I remember I remember the show very very well because I remember what happened. So on this show is Eric Griffin, Tony Roberts, Gina Yashrom, Rudy Rush, Rob Stableton, D.L. Hughley, Bill Bellamy, and George Wallace. We're doing a tribute to Robert Townsend doing this show.

I remember the initial list came out of the order run-of-show. And then I saw that they changed me and Tony Robbins. They put me up first. And I asked, like, why did y'all change it? Oh, well, Tony has all this energy. And I'm like, but what does that have to do with me? Tony can still go out and do his energy thing and what does that have to do with me? And Rob Stapleton is like, yo, he, he's not.

going to take that well and so he was saying things and d l was like i wouldn't do that if i was you because he's feel disrespectful this is why he's not talking like i i haven't said i hadn't said the word that's how y'all feel okay cool and i'm i am super locked in i'm like okay so tony goes out I mean, I go out first. Yeah. I get a stand ovation in the middle. I get an applause break. I get another stand ovation.

Tony Robbins, when I come on stage, Tony says, I'm not going to lie. I just heard the producer say, where do we go from here? The first comic just got two standing up. And so, and they, And then D.L, when he's like, yo, he just got a stand ovation.

Diel came out of the room, said, what did y'all think he was going to do? Like, this is my protege. Yeah. I know, this man used an open for me, so I know what can happen with him. This is why he doesn't open for me anymore. This is a, y'all have started a problem. And so I went out and I was cooking. So the show come out.

I'm in Houston, I'm promoting that this show was coming out because I want people to see what's about to happen. Yeah. Oh no. Everybody was supposed to get 11 minutes. Uh-huh. I'm the only person on this show that they edited down to four minutes and 37 seconds. This is how much I remember.

I know down to the 11 minutes in. in 37 seconds. And it's a butcher job to where I'm watching it. And I'm so enraged that I'm in tears. I'm so enraged. Because if you look at it, you wouldn't know why they were standing up. Like it's like, come, jump, jump, like. And like, why are they standing up?

So I went on the radio the next day and I apologized to my city for that poor performance. I say, y'all, that's not what happened. And I apologize that I embarrassed y'all. Because I'm so, I'm, like, I don't really talk to that person who did that editing of that thing who was over that show. I don't really talk to them that much to this day. Was it a comic in charge of it?

Yes. Yes. Oh. And it has. It did something to me and Bill Bellamy's relationship because Bill was an executive producer on the show. And I'm thinking in my mind like, how did you let this happen to me?

And I was the host of your Ladies Night Out Tour at the time. But I had no power. Like, I wish they would go back and reap, put the whole set up. Put it up, put that whole set up somewhere and see how surgical I was because I was mad. Yeah. You know, I know

this is like, this is like, this is like, um, Matumbo telling Jordan, you will never dunk on me. Okay. All right, Matumbo,

you, you will ever say right. We're going to see. So I was like, yo, man. And I said, I will never give people this power

over my material. Yeah. Well, that's what's so beautiful about your story. I mean, you're just, you're doing it, you're on your own,

you're putting up these specials on YouTube. This one just dropped and it's over a million people have watched it in two days. And you just built it. And that just,

as soon as it's over, you're like, where's the next one? Like, you're gaining people. There's such a truth to it. it. And this is why I'm perplexed why I'm just able to say all this now. Like I've, I kind of, in a way, it's kind of great that I didn't,

that I just found you recently because, uh, you're so fully baked. You're so, I don't know, you know, I'm stumbling on my words because I'm, I respect the hell out of it. I'm very impressed. And I, I appreciate you. that you finding out about me at all. You know, in this world of comics, you know, it's so many comics, and it's so often that guys who are of similar nature

don't come in contact with each other and not familiar. And so I'm finding out about new comics in the course of not even, they're new to me. Right. Like, yo. It's also the culture, the way everything's spread out. And you go. And you go to place and you like, yo, why?

Because I love comedy so much. Right, exactly. And I go to my mind, was I too busy trying to achieve that I didn't stop and look at those who were growing around me as well? Yeah. You know, because it's not like the NBA. We don't get a chance to play each other. No, there's no All-Star game at the end once a year where we all get to hang. So, I mean, there's, I mean, yeah.

And we were, you know, we're at the similar path. And that's a thing that I think that with me, I would love to be on a show, would you. Yeah. You know, like to be in these different audiences with different, like, yo, you may, y'all may not know him. My audience may not know him, but his audience is his well. So it's this journey that we can ride. because I remember when I first opened up for Bill Burr. I'm in Austin,

which is the whitest town in Texas. And I hadn't played Austin much. Yeah. And I remember Jeff Sewell, Bill Bird asked me like, yo, I need the strongest guy that y'all have. And Jeff was like, okay, I got him. He called me like,

you want to open up a Bill Burr? I'm like, Yeah, cool. You know? Yeah. I come to Austin, and at the time, I used to just wear all black and get on stage. Yeah. And I remember my first thing I said was, oh, I'll never do this again because people, I don't work here.

I have no idea what the rest of the room is. It's like four black people in this whole theater. Right. We had to pair of mountains. It's like, I am the fourth. black person, but I'm on the show but people talk to me like I work there. I'm like, I don't work here.

So I do like 30 minutes. And I'm tearing this place apart. And this is Bill's first time ever seeing him. He was like, yo, Jeff was right. Like, yo man, anything that you need just say, me, because you are,

you're a crazy person. Like, like, it's 3,000. Like, the way I just watch you run through this room I was like, I am a comedian. I don't have a, like I was doing Bobby Lee's podcast, and I said, Bobby Lee, you don't realize our, how we met. And I told him the story, and he was like, I remember this.

He said, because I came and asked you, were you a host or were you a headliner? I said, I'm a headliner in respect to, you know, I put butts in the seats and people know me. He was like, but why? are you hosting? I said, because I love stand-up. And then that's the only way your audience is going to see me. I said, so before this, it was, I had opened for Angela Johnson. And before that, I opened for Mars Gibney. And then, and before that, I'd open for some other random guy. I say, I was just coming

and still in audiences and being in front of audiences that would never have seen me if y'all wasn't coming. So I didn't have a, I don't want to be locked into, oh, you just, you just, have a black audience. I'm like, that's not, comedy is broadened that because somebody asked me, Richard Price is on the list, but he's not the first person on the list

because he's not the first person that I ever saw in comedy. You got to go to Carol Burnett first. Right. I got to start Carol Burnett. Yeah. And then I got to go to Bob Newhart. I got to go to people who was on TV

when I was young watching them. I'm like, oh, I'm like, these other people who I saw first. Yeah. And then I would, my dad would watch these roast and I was always privy. I'm like, yo, this is a little short guy is crazy. Don Rickles.

I was like, yo, he's insane. Isn't it? So then it's filtered into everybody else, the Red, Foxes, the Richard Prize, the Cosaries. But these people were first. Yeah. And I was, and like, I loved Philist Della. Right.

Like, I was like, yo, this is like comedy. Yeah. That's the greatest thing about it. It's just all in this giant soup. Did we? At Desjardin Insurance, we know that when you own a nail salon, everything needs to be perfect from tip to toe. That's why our agents go the extra mile to understand your business

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All right. It started to make me nervous when you're talking about Bobby Lee. I'm like, because we hadn't, right? Bobby Lee was. Did you know who I was? Yes. I'm a very strong student. I've watched pretty much everybody.

And I'm like, because then I'm like, that's who I'm doing. I'm like a kid. That's who I'm, I'm like. So I'm doing a landau. probably like I'm coming all the shows are sold out and the um the the manager calls me he says hey Ali do you you have everybody I say yeah you know I got my feature you know no I don't do no host it's just too man show he said okay perfect um would you like to add somebody I was like no not really he said no somebody wants to open up for you and I was like who it is and he said my

Ron White and I said well I don't know him And he was like, you don't know Ron White? I said, I know a Ron White, but there's nobody who would be open a man. Like, he's just some new guy. I'm thinking it's a new, it's not Ron White, White. Like, it got to be, it got to be somebody else. It got to be some guy who has the same name. And he's like, no, it's like Ron White.

They're like, so I'm like, oh, yes. Then I get off a phone call Marcus. I was like, Marcus, Ron White wants to open up for me. And he's like, who's still in that white man day? I'm like, no, it's the Ron White, Ron White. Ron White gets there. Literally, he has this tour bus outside with tequila. I'm walking through that little dressing room.

He has a bus outside. I'm like, and he comes in. He can't mind about coming in. I'm like, yes, you're wrong. Yeah. So he's talking like, yeah, man, I just want to go out to a little bit of time. I'm, you know, I just want to work with you

and see how your process is like. And in my mind, I'm like, and I'm still trying to keep it together. Yeah, yeah. And Ron White goes out, he kills. Markers go out and kill. And then I come out and I'm like, yo. And I get on the same way I feel.

Does everybody feel the same way I feel? And it's people like, they know I'm going to like, yeah. I'm like, you just saw Ron White. And he asked the open for me. Like, it's crazy. So I'm still like generally like. Yeah.

Excited. Because I think when I started, I was the freshman that was playing on varsity. Right. And I would meet everybody. Yeah. And I was like the kid in the room. And I'm like, yo, I still. feel like that.

Yeah. And even though if it's said in the room and DL in the room, they'll go out and it's like, let the kid close. Right. And I was like, and my mind, I'm like, yes, you know. But I'll be like, no, you're going to work. I'm not working. And I'm going to do 2025.

We're going to eat pretzels in the back. You sweat it out. No, that's why, yeah, I mean, genuinely, I mean, I know I'm repeating myself, but that's why I got so excited because I just love comedy and great comedians. And, you know, there's, you see some and you talk yourself into it. You see some funny stuff, but this was another level. You're another level. And, yeah, before we go, I just want to talk about Earthwind and Fire and P-Funk. Have you seen the new dot that's up for Earth Wind and Fire?

No. Quest Love directed it. It's so good. It's really great. Oh, I'm going to watch it. Yeah, you got to watch it. I'm watching it together. And there is a, yeah, there is a, there's a moment when Earth Wind and Fire is making it.

They're making their way. And then they open for Funkadelic. and earthwind and fire you know they got it all going it's all starting and then the spaceship lands and Clinton comes out and just holy cow like they had a real moment of we got to step up our game these guys are here but you know it's really cool about it in in um not just that you talk about it in your act but also the sitting thing the calm thing against the the energy thing, that they went out and they went out and played a festival. Like, it was like a, no, it wasn't a festival.

It was kind of like an Apollo-ish kind of thing where everybody, they let you know within 10 seconds whether they're into you or not. And they're kind of spiritual trying to change the world. Maurice is like, we're doing this. And they come out in their garb and the place starts booing. And he tells them all to sit down. and they all sit Indian style, the whole band. They sit Indian style.

And they just start to meditate in front of this crowd that's, this Apollo type crowd that's losing their marbles and booing the shit out of them. And they wait it out. They do it for like five minutes where the booing starts to stop. They just waded out with their energy, with their positive energy. And all the booing subsides. and then they get up and tear the place apart. Crazy.

The power, right? The power. When you've got it, when you're truthful and you know exactly what you're doing and why you're doing it. Wow. You got to watch it. I got to watch it. It's so good. You know, another thing I want to say, you know, when you have all these moments with guys,

and I think if somebody asked me what is my most fondest moment in stand-up, that George Wallace knows who I am and he calls my phone and he'll say stuff to me and then he always asked me my name at the end

what's your name again but he calls me and then tells me all this stuff and then ask me my name again like he's the best man and I know that he still has Christmas tree up.

Like, it's year round. Like, it's up year round. He's so nuts. It's so crazy. Out of nowhere, I get a phone call with him. And it just... It's a beautiful day. Just want you to say hello to you, my friend. It is a beautiful

day. What's your name again? Like, yo, oh, man, you are nuts, but that's, that's one of the things that you know and I remember me and Dick Gregory talked for like six hours. Wow. And no, no, let me rephrase that.

I listened for five hours and 40 minutes. Right. Because I only remember talking for a little bitch. And it was like, yeah, what do you mean about that? It is amazing, isn't it? Yeah. You all of a sudden are in the phone of these people that you idolized. You have these conversation.

I always said comedy was like this back door into show business. It's like all of a sudden you're just sharing the stage with these legends, you know, all these people that you grew up admiring. Yeah. It's wild. And you walk in the room. I remember the first time I did comedy, I remember who was in the room. and they had no idea.

If I go back and I'll tell the story what all happened in that room, they were like, oh, you were there? But now they know when I'm in a room. Yeah. It's like, it was,

I never get it because I know. It's like, why are we doing, why are there a show after these guys? Right. We're in Atlanta. It's Bruce Bruce, Bruce, On his, J, Earthquake, Jamario, Jamario,

LaVelle Crawford. Oh, my God. Why? Why are we doing a show after them? Like, okay, they're taping their thing, then we're coming for what? Yeah, why? You know, like, and it was the lightest,

I know this, I know center stage was packed when I looked out there. It's the lightest audience. It's like four rows of people. They're like, just make it happen. Center stage is to the roof. And the energy. And I never get this,

the show before, this comic thought that he was really, killing it because we can see you on screen and then I remember Bruce said he gonna come in here and ask how he did don't nobody lied to him and Levelle I'm out there and say

nothing to them and then early like I mean look he's been at ass me Jamario was in that room and then the guy walked in and said hey man how I do the room is totally silent

and then you just hear Jamario say, Jamario, Jamario, he's saying a damn thing. And I'm on the other side room. I'm falling up like, yo, that is insane. Why are they so crazy? And I was like, boy, this comedy business.

And this is, I started in December 97. This is September 99. And it comes to, it airs in 2000. And I'm sitting there like, Wow. Yo, man. That's quick. I don't even think that I'm supposed to be.

Yeah. But my little four minutes, I was ready. Yeah. I was the last comic on the last show. Oh, man. Of the season. Oh, man. I'm telling you, it was, I think they, you know, this is when I didn't know about seat fillers.

I think they had set, like, the people who worked there. I think they did. If I look at that audience, I know it's clearly people who have on center stage shirts. Like, Badges. I was like, oh, did you just give me a drink?

I was like, this is, oh, man. Cop is such a nutty business, man. It's so good. Well, this was really a delight.

This was really great. Oh, thank you very much. And let's do more of it. I can. I can. I'll get it from Wallace. He definitely has it. It,

Are you going out on tour now? Is there anything that we want people to know? Yeah, I'm actually getting ready to go on vacation for six weeks. And then I start back up in August with finishing up the custom fit tour. Having a great time. You know, we add some arenas in Chicago, the Win Trust, and we add some spots in Atlantic City. Great. Doing an arena is different from doing a theater and doing a theater, different from doing a club.

And all of it is different from doing a bar. Right. And somehow it's all the same. And somehow it's all the same. Yeah. So, yeah, you can look at on ali-sadik.com and look up all the tour dates, you know. And I just know I'm having a great time being out here. Well, make sure you, any time just come back, we'd love to keep talking.

Oh, perfect. Yeah. You know. Yeah. And when are the, so you taped five specials at the same time. When are the next one's coming out? So the next one will be the dog, and then we have family vacation coming. Then we have my first true love, which is about my mom.

Then we have In the Shadows 1 and 2. That was the tour that I did in 25, so we recorded that. So we have some. They'll be coming. Yeah, we have some stuff in the phone. Very impressive. All right. Well, I'm just going to cancel my vacation and work a little harder.

All right, we got it, kids.