Club Shay Shay - Club Shay Shay - Sheryl Underwood Part 1

Episode Date: January 22, 2025

 In this candid episode of Club Shay Shay, Shannon Sharpe sits down with comedian, actor, and TV host Sheryl Underwood. Sheryl opens up about her journey in comedy, from working a 9-to-5 while performing late-night gigs to breaking through on Def Comedy Jam. She reflects on the grind it took to succeed, including her groundbreaking role as the first female finalist in the 1999 Miller Lite Comedy Search. Sheryl and Shannon reminisce about their first meeting in 1993, when Shannon was starstruck by Sheryl’s comedic talent. They laugh about their early friendship and their first date. Sheryl shares how mentorship from Damon Wayans and her ability to connect with audiences propelled her career. She also discusses balancing adult and clean comedy, inspired by legends like Bernie Mac and Bob Saget, and her mission to unite men and women through relatable humor. The conversation takes an emotional turn as Sheryl talks about the impact of Monique’s performance in Precious and pivotal career moments, from her Def Comedy Jam debut to overcoming illness during her iconic Showtime at the Apollo performance. She also opens up about the challenges of acting, landing her role in Beauty Shop, and the support of Sherri Shepherd. Sheryl advocates for more opportunities for comedians like Earthquake and D.L. Hughley to reboot classic sitcoms. She shares stories of working with figures like Master P and Warren Beatty, emphasizing her commitment to authenticity. She also credits Tom Joyner for giving her one of her first radio opportunities and stresses the importance of radio in Black culture. Sheryl highlights the need for more women in leadership roles in media, especially in radio and sports. Sheryl reflects on her early recognition of Katt Williams' talent and her advocacy for him, alongside her gratitude for mentors like Uncle Luke. She discusses her business acumen, shaped by growing up in an entrepreneurial household, and her responsibility to care for her disabled sister. This sense of duty shaped her work ethic and drive to succeed. #volumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Stewart is back in the host chair at The Daily Show, which means he's also back in our ears on The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend John Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is a second term we can all get behind. Listen to The Daily Show Ears Edition on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast. Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Stars. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Burke and Demers. Jason Demers here and after playing 700 NHL games games I got a lot of dirty laundry to air out. Hey I got a lot to say here too okay each week we'll get together to chat about the sport that we love. Tons of guests are gonna join in too but we're not just gonna be talking hockey folks we're talking movies we're talking TV food and Ed Nads favorite wrestling it's all on Le Table. Listen to NHL unscripted with Burke and Demers the I heart radio app Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts

So what's the dating scene like for Cheryl underwater, okay, go ahead let's play the role action ask now and now My name is Shannon sharp All I gotta do is take these muscle relaxers All I gotta do is take these muscle relaxers. I don't know why you even think you need to have me. Y'all like, I'm already taking my clothes off before I even got in the car. Why is this bitch naked on the curb? All my life, I be grinding all my life, yeah All my life, been grinding all my life Sacrifice, hustle pay the price Want a slice, got the bowling dice

That's why, all my life, I be grinding all my life Hello, welcome to another episode of Club CheChe I am your host, Shannon Sharp I'm also the proprietor of Club CheChe Today we're at the beautiful 8 Lounge at Resorts World Las Vegas. Stopping by for conversation and a drink today is one of America's most loved television personalities.

She's broken barriers as a comedian for over 35 years, daytime Emmy and NAACP Image Award winning television host, a talented actress, a hilarious performer and entertainer, sought after public speaker, multi-talented media personality, an acclaimed executive producer, prolific writer, savvy businesswoman, and successful entrepreneur, multi-faceted philanthropist, a member of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, a proud diamond life member of Zeta Phi Beta

sorority, one of the most entertaining acts around, a legendary comedian, the one, the only, Sheryl Underwood. Then why the f*** we ain't married then? You don't get all my damn credits Now here's what you thought was gonna happen on your show This is Club Shay Shay, it's Club Cheryl Cheryl Now we sat in the car in Denver I'm gonna tell the story right, cause when you came on the talk

You walking out with the flowers looking all dashing and s*** And I was like this is the same dude I was trying to pull in the, uh, 1993. Yeah, man. Yeah. Okay, ladies. This is how it happened. You want to tell, you tell it.

Okay. Um, I saw her on Def Comedy, on Comic View in 1992. And she was performing in Denver. Me and a couple of my teammates went to the, they was like, man, Cheryl Underwood performing. I'm like, man, she funny as ish. I said let's go check out so we go check out Yeah, and so at the end of the show is late I mean, you know, I think I saw it saw the light show and I say bang, you know I want to go back here and meet it like do she know you guys like nah

She don't know me but she's like, okay, so they knock on the door you come in I introduced myself Hey, I'm Shannon Sharp. She's like, Ian, I know who you are. You ain't gotta do all that for him. Now that he's proprietor of Clos Shayshay, he don't know how to say no more. But that's all right. When we was in the car, you should know how to say it. Yeah, because we was in the car.

We was in the car. You ain't telling the story right. Hold on. It was late. And she's like, OK, I'm going back. I said, you know what? I'll give you a ride to your hotel. I thought I was just going to give a ride to the hotel. We talk on the way to the hotel. She get out. She like, ah, nah,

Ian, you finna talk to me. Listen, he ain't telling it right. Let me tell you what really happened. So you walked up to me, big sexy ass black nigger. Matter of fact, what you need to do, put some lotion on your ashy ass hand right here. hand I did yeah, you knuckles looking like Wesley Snipes get it together boy You're too rich to be looking at shit. No two dark skinned Negroes wearing glasses Don't need to be ashy on this. I'm actually like yes. I'm done Listen you better know it so here's what happened, okay? What I'm looking at you is your sexy butt and it is quite late. Yeah.

Right? So then you said, well, what would you like to do after this? So I thought to myself, you know, what would any other woman want to do? I said, I would like to go on a carriage ride. You said, I will take you. I said, hold on, let me finish selling these CDs,

these tapes, these cassette tapes, these posters. Remember that? And so you are walking up the stairs and I'm still trying to get my money. And some women, you go, come on if you gonna go. And I go, who the fuck are you talking to? Right? Cause we just met.

We not in a relationship. You talking to me like we've been together for years. Cause you go, come on if you wanna go. Cause if you going, I'm'm going I gotta go to work in the morning. I got all night. Okay, and so the women go, you know, he's calling you He's I sound good. I've been sure long before long before so then we get in the car can't find the carriage, right? Right, so we talk it and we talk all all right We talked for about two hours sure did and we became good. Okay friends. We became good friends. We exchanged numbers until this day. That's right. Every time, if I'm somewhere and she's there,

we're gonna find a way to connect. Absolutely. Absolutely. She's been this Cheryl since I met her in 1993. Yes, and I'm very proud of you and what you have achieved. The question I have for you is, what the is in the cognac to make these dudes come on this show and bitch up like they talking about each other

When did men start gossip that Shannon what is in this that make people tell stories first of all that clink on it? Cuz two country Negroes drink a brown liquor isn't America great Unbelievable was see I like sip mine you like choke yours down now. you sip it. I was trying to build cosmic you one night, but you wouldn't go for it. I said, go on drink it, go on drink it, go on drink it, go on drink it, go on drink it. And we never had the Instagram accidentally press the button. There you go, Sharon. No, because I'm too savvy for that. Listen, ladies, every red light ain't no smoke detector You gotta know about dudes. You gotta look under bed

You gotta see if there's people in the closet. You know say I came to talk to you now. There's three more teammates What are we supposed to be talking about move my lotion cuz you look like you need some more What is in this? You're like you're trying to find chicken. Let me ask you a question. Yes. What is in this that makes, I'm not against dudes coming on here, but what is making them tell these stories that they telling? I think the fact is that they want to get this off their chest. They've been holding this for a long time and they wanted a safe space that they feel they could share this. What I love is no women come on here beefing

like these dudes beef, which I think is very entertaining. But I have said in my comedy show, The Mix and Mingle Tour 2025, if we could get as many people that watch the episodes of all the great confessions to vote, we would be in a different political space. We would've. So I need you to use your platform right to encourage good things now

I notice that you kind of throw it out there and then let them get full of this liquor and then start talking and Pop it off in the mouth. No, no We tell we toast to begin. Yeah, we toast. Okay, we toast you right that's it Now if they want to pour a little bit more, I don't pour them anymore. That's right. Yeah, they want to talk, I let them talk. And you let them just talk the way they talk. Yes. But don't you think it's, well, for me, I'm glad there's no females doing this. I'm glad we don't come on here. I really had a whole lot. I'm trying to get more. Who are you trying to get? Shout them out.

I'm trying to get some more. Adele Gibbons. be great They'll give it to me and Adele got long stories. You mean some more long stories You heard about when I accidentally died. Yeah, we go get we go get to that get to it. Yeah Let me do my job do your job Okay, let's start off with this. What is it true? Mm-hmm That you started off as a lingerie model in Chicago? Oh, yes. That's what we were calling it. It was lingerie modeling. It was a tavern off Stony Island.

OK. I answered an ad. I was trying to pay my way through school. OK. My dad was giving me a place to stay and helping me as much as he could. And I needed to make money. OK.

And so I answered an ad. And you know, I can't walk in heels, everybody know that. So what happens is you put on a lingerie, you model it, and then the guys tip you to take it off. That's what it is. You stripping! Hell, you're the one who talked about you did the lingerie.

What the fuck? Can't you see? I just got off CBS. Can you calm the fuck down? I'm trying to get back on daytime TV. What are f***? I just got off CBS. Can you calm the f***? I'm trying to get back on daytime TV. What are you doing? No, I was not stripping. I was not surfboarding. I was not. I don't have that kind of skill. That strength, you know. I don't have that.

What they call it now, okay, five foot, 20 for the top and 20 for the bottom. Take that off, okay, boom. So they were paying for you to take it off. No, they was paying for you to take it off. No, they was paying for me to keep it on because I was horrible. That's what happened.

I was horrible. That's when I knew I was funny because God let you know what you not supposed to be doing. So I think I'm over here doing it, doing it, doing it, and doing it well. They was like, no, go home, go home. It's what you need money for school. Them hood dudes was like, here, take this money, go home, go home. This is what you need money for school. Them hood dudes was like, here, take this money,

go home, go to school, because this you cannot do. And I'm not good at it. That's why if you have sex with me, it better be lights off. And what Eddie Murphy say in the movie, can you make it darker? Because I do not show you certain things. People think because of the type of comedy I do is very sexual and profane,

that I'm just throwing it out there. I'm not, I'm not. I'm really kind of reserved, you know. But I was doing that to pay my way through school. So that's true, because I hear that a lot of times. It is a true story. I'm only doing this to pay my way through school. Once I get through school, I'm gonna be done with this.

Well, I only had a few days to do it because I was garbage. And that's what happened. And that's why I had to get into comedy. And you know, when you make a hood do laugh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, you funny. You done something.

You funny. Right. So that's when I knew I was funny. So check this out. You got an associate's degree from Fresno City College, a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a master's degree from Governor State University in Chicago, and an attorney, assistant,

certificate in UCLA. What the hell you need all them degrees for, Cheryl? I thought I was going to go to law school while I was working on my comedy career, and I have four honorary doctorates, three of them from HBCUs, Voorhees College, Benedict College, and South Carolina State, and one from my own alma mater, University of Illinois is Chicago. So I am a doctor four times, even though it's bestowed, but I wanted to be able to sit across from my lawyer and be able to understand the contracts. I want to sit across from my accountant, be able to understand the numbers. I want to be able to run a corporation.

We are corporations. I did not want someone to be able to over intellectualize my life when I didn't understand what was going on. So I felt if I got an education, I could stand toe to toe with anybody and I can talk to anybody. I've been to the White House. You know, when President Obama came in, the only reason I was cautious about going, because my father was not alive alive to see a black man

Become president of the United States and that that kind of made me feel melancholy But when you're talking about where we come from who we are to be able to do what we're doing There is some sophistication to that most comics very very smart athletes very very smart But people don't want to portray us as that. We created all knowledge, all law, medicine. Go back to the motherland and you will see what we created. Navigation, we were in countries where, go back and look at everybody's statues and you will show that we were there. It's a statue of somebody that looked just like you

in every country out there. Every country, your ass was in Game of Thrones. in every country out there. Every country, your ass was in Game of Thrones, whatever you were doing. So you wanted to do all this. Yes. But comedy got you sidetracked. No, comedy is where I made my money.

Comedy is where I found I can make money. I mean, I had jobs, I was a waitress, you know, I did my jobs on campus and things like that. But where I found that I was most prolific was comedy and I remember calling my father And telling him I was going to do a show called deaf comedy jam. Okay, and my father, you know, very spiritual family You know and I said daddy I'm gonna do this show on HBO. He said what is that? It's called deaf comedy jam What you gonna be doing? I said, I'm gonna do comedy. You? Yeah. I was like, yes, sir.

Yes, sir, I'm gonna do comedy. The only thing he asked me was, was I good at it? And I said, I'm one of the best at adult comedy. I'm good at it. He said, because he called me his son, because I'm his first born. He said, son, as long as you are the best at it, I will support it. And I'm going to pray that God gives you time the way he gave... You know, we country people talk, Eddie Murphys, you know what I'm

saying? And Richard Price. So he prayed for that. But he never came to see me live because after he got saved, gave his life to Christ, he said he told God he would not go into a nightclub, a tavern, a bar or anything. So he never saw me live, but he would watch me on TV and he got a kick out of the profane. Because he said people would love to see you with your little glasses on with a Bible in your hand, but that's not what you're portraying. That's not what you're calling. That's not what I'm portraying, but I do sprinkle God in the show, because I believe God knew me before I knew myself. So for me, comedy was the thing that paid my bills.

Comedy was the thing that I loved and has loved me back unconditionally. And I believe I'm good at what I do. And I never planned to be a female comic. I wanted to be a great comic. And when Chris Rock says on the 25th anniversary of Def County Jam, the two people he didn't wanna follow, Bernie Mac and me, that's a badge of honor.

Wow. Cheryl, when did you know you were funny? Were you funny as a kid? No, I'm doing an impersonation of my father and my brother, my oldest brother. All my family members are funny. My uncle William, uncle Junior, uncle Bill, all my uncles, uncle Cliff, all of them are funny on both sides of my family. Mother, father, you know, everybody's funny. So I

would just sit in the kitchen and I was trying to figure out, I started as a singer. You know, singing in the church choir, you know, but when you black and you sing, you got to sign. You can't just, yeah, you can't but when you black and you saying you got to sign you can't just Yeah, you can't just play around right? So I had to really find something I could do. I started as a dancer That's how I got into what I call sexual interpretive dance. Yeah, you were good. I wasn't good at that I'm gonna be Lola felana, you know Paula Kelly, you know how old I am Yeah, I thought I was gonna be that but then when I couldn't cut it that I said I gotta find a way because I knew I want to be that, but then when I couldn't cut it to that, I said I gotta find a way, because I knew I wanted to be in the entertainment business, because I wanted to be in a business

that would appreciate all of my talent as performer and producer. So once I got the comedy and found I could do it, and there was a certain type, it was political, sexual, and spiritual. That's what I do, and I found a way to do it well. And then get dropped on a daytime talk show. Yeah.

Hello, you had all these jobs. You interned for Oprah at WLSTV. Wow, y'all dug deep. Yeah. Yeah. Did you have interactions with Oprah? Absolutely. Absolutely.

And Oprah is a very smart and prolific person with a great sense of humor. But see, I was living in Chicago. So I remember when Stadman was a model and he had a billboard across Cottage Grove and he was playing basketball thing overseas. And they would bring all the, go up to Trinity Church. We Church of Christ, we 87th Street Church of Christ, they Trinity. You can go to all churches. I go to all churches because I want to enjoy the word of God,

preached by somebody that know the Lord and with some great music and a good dinner after it's over and be able to buy soda. But for me, seeing Oprah Winfrey and then becoming a talk show host on my own, I think she opened the doors for us. But one of the things that I remember is when she came to Chicago in the eighties, it was the Bud Billiken parade and it was raining and we were all looking at the TV going, we hope this sister makes it and look at what God has done for her life.

Did you, when you were interning for Oprah, did you have any idea she would become what she later become what she is today? Yeah, you can see it. You can see it. And I believe in friendly competition, you know, for people say, oh, she knocked off Donahue. No, what she later become what she is today. Yeah, you can see it. You can see it. And I believe in friendly competition. You know, for people to say, oh, she knocked off Donahue. No, what she did was elevate the game so it could go to a different level.

And I would like to do the same. And since you're over here giving people podcast jobs and all kinds of jobs, OK, how can I be down? And I need my money in cash training, because you know, if we wasn't going to kick it like we should have kicked it, I'd need my money in cash. You try to do a pond? I would you gonna produce it? Yeah. Okay now listen to me don't don't be just cuz we you know where the camera I need to look at this. This your camera right here. You've been in TV for 25 years. Now I need to sell the world. This is a

commitment brothers and sisters something that he doesn't do well. So you've heard him say it. That's CJ, CJ Hamilton's club share in the podcast. You would do one? Yeah, absolutely. Okay, what would you suggest that I do? Because I have an idea. Well, that's on you. Because if you do it authentically, if this is something that you really want to do as opposed to me telling you what I think you should do, it's got to come from here. I know what I want to do. I want to be everything I couldn't do in daytime,

I want to do it at nighttime. I want the language to be relaxed. I want to be able to ask, I want to be able to have one question. What the f*** was you thinking? That's what I want to ask. To me, that is the show. What the f*** was you thinking? That's what I want to ask. To me, that is the show. What the f*** was you thinking? And I want to be small, cozy, with a little bit of audience, and whether you are a social

media phenomenon or a politician, I want to ask Republicans, now that y'all won, you broke it, you bought it, what you gonna do? What you thinking? You know what I'm saying? I want to ask Democrats. So when you lost, what you gonna do now? You know what I'm saying? I want to ask Democrats. So when you're lost what you gonna do now? You know what I'm saying? I want to be able to ask athletes Questions like oh boy with the girl, right? He love her. You know who I'm talking about

He's about to agree with the with Drey or Michelle. No the other girl Travis Travis on her. Yeah, okay. He loved her don't yeah Okay But now he won't be able to sample the greatness of the buffet that God is about to lay in front of him Will he if he stick with that one girl? He might that's all he won't he might just his palette. That's all he won't right now. His palette might not be you know Listen to me. Okay Go ahead my camera. Listen to me. I don't went through two different conferences different leagues. I don't know four five Super Bowl rings

I don't win Fencing deep Listen, I'm not diving people out, you know, wait, I lost somebody over misunderstanding Okay, so I'm a night. Well, I don't know if I want to name names cuz I don't know no name But what was the misunderstanding? Okay, so I don't know if I want a name name because I don't know. You ain't got a name or name, but what was the misunderstanding about? Okay, so I thought I was dating the quarterback

of a football team. Okay. And I was really happy then. I thought I was gonna put on an apron and live happily ever after while I still work in comedy. Things were going well. I taped Laugh-a-Palooza with Jamie Foxx. Jamie Foxx, Marcus King had a great set,

great political set, thought I was going to bomb because everybody was doing their club set. And this was back when Baby Bush was in office after September 11. And I was doing some very sophisticated hood political material. Go get the tape and you'll see what I was doing. Get a standing ovation in the set. David Allen Greer comes around the corner. I can tell the story because he tells it too. David Allen Greer comes around the corner. I can tell the story cuz he tells it to David Allen Greer comes around the corner. I think he's going to hug me to congratulate me He slaps me down tickle them tonsils all the way down in the In the epiglottis all the way down in the intestines all the way to where I was trying to find David Allen Greer that night

And and then when the tape when the show comes out, I get a phone call. I don't think this is going to work out. I said, what are you talking about? And he said, you kissing other men. Who did I kiss? Then he tells me, I didn't kiss him, he kissed me. Why didn't you tell him though? You said, look, there's gonna be a situation

that I did very well in my set, and a friend of mine, he came and he gave me a kiss. I didn't think Jamie and them was gonna leave it in the footage, I thought it was congratulations. I thought it would have been me. They left it in the footage, so I didn't see it. I don't watch me after it's edited and everything, because I be like, oh, they took out the joke

about the frog in the diaper. I don't do that. So when they left it in there, and then what bothered me is you didn't ask me anything. You just told me, why do strong athletic men get upset about the littlest thing? You win a damn Super Bowl, it's all over you. I'm not going gonna be mad. But you know what he tongued them down. Yeah, but if you want to, you can. Matter of fact, I need for you to tag in because I'm not doing all this work. Tag in. Come on, get this.

Did I say it? Come on, get this long stroke because I'm not doing it. I'm gonna go outside and make sandwiches because you look like you're I'm not doing it. I'm going to go outside and make sandwiches. Because you look like you're going to be hungry after this. I'm over there massaging shoulders. You can handle this, girl. I've been taking this pound in every night. You can do it. Come on in.

If you and I was married, if let's say you and I was married, and you wanted to, what would be the freakiest thing you would want to do? Because I know you're freaky. I ain't really that freaky. Shut up. Public. I like the thought of being caught, but not being caught.

So the problem is somebody walking by and actually seeing me. Oh, you're voyeuristic? Yeah. You want somebody to see you? Yeah. OK, would you want to do a fivesome? No, no, no.

You and four women. Nope. Why? One on one. No wonder I dodged the bullet that night. I wasn't taking all of that. No, when you got out the car, I said, God damn. And then I said, thank you, Jesus. And then when you was like, well, I'm going to go home and go to bed, I was like, woo, because I wasn't taking all that. Because you know, I'm short, you know. Your big blockin' out the moon. I was like, oh, thank you.

Thank you. I wasn't takin' all of that. And for all you women that wanna have sex with that guy, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm. He ain't bringin' nothin' to show up. What's up, guys? It's your favorite dog here, Shannon Sharp. I wanna let you guys in on something. I'm proud to be a role partner,

and today we're talking confidence, because confidence isn't just how you walk into the room, it's also about how you handle business once you're in the bedroom. You know what they say, if you stay ready, you don't have to get ready. That's where RoeSparks come in. RoeSparks is a two-in-one prescription treatment

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For full safety information, visit ro.co.info. Jared Springer, were you on Jared Springer? Yes, I was. How did you get on Jared Springer? So I used to do this, do jokes about my complexion. Now people say, well, why do you talk about the way you look? Why do you talk about, because self-depreciation in comedy is a standard to talk about yourself. I really don't do you talk about, because self-depreciation in comedy is a standard.

Right. To talk about yourself. I really don't like to talk about people because people get their feelings hurt. They do. You know, they get the feelings hurt. But I will talk about people generally. But then at that time I was talking about being darker skinned. You and I both had this same conversation.

We are pretty black. Am I right? Yeah. Body look all one color. If you lay down on the table right now you're going gonna disappear because your body is all one color, right? Yeah, so I was doing jokes like that. So then someone said would you come on Jerry Springer? We're gonna talk about light skinned it verse dark skinned it and me and my sister Went on there because my you know, we all have that in our family. One of us is this, one of us is that.

And it was a great experience, and it taught me how to do TV. Because I was hitting them jokes. I was hitting them jokes. And that's how I got a reputation to be on TV. And if it wasn't for Jerry Springer's appearance and the view. Wow. If it wasn't for the view, I don't think I would have landed on the talk because they may not have seen me or

may have felt because my comedy is so adult that I couldn't do daytime TV. John Stewart is back in the host chair at The Daily Show, which means he's also back in our ears on The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. The Daily Show podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and

a roundup of the weekly headlines. Listen to The Daily Show, Ears Edition on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When did you find out you could get on stage? And you know what? I can actually make a career, I can make a living doing this. When I got paid for it. When you paid me for it. I can do it. That's right. I can do it. And you know, first you get a little bit of money, get enough

money to fill your gas tank up. And I remember working at Republic Insurance in North Hollywood in California, and I was an underwriter. So I would work my eight to five job, keep my club closed in the trunk of the car, go drive and do a gig, and sometimes drive to three different cities in Southern California that night, and then come back to the job, sleep in my car, and go to work. But that's what a college education did for me, but a street sensibility, that grind, that hustle is what made me do it, what made me, I have to succeed. Even getting on Def Comedy Jam, I was trying to get on Def Comedy Jam, and they heard about me, but I was performing under two names,

my maiden name and my married name. So I think they thought it was two different people. So by the time my husband dies and I move to Los Angeles, I'm still trying to get on the show, and me and another comedian, Andre, we drove to New York. We missed the audition at the Peppermint by an hour.

The Peppermint had closed and I remember we came back, my cousin Babydow and my other cousin Ernest Lee took me to the Peppermint lounge and my cousin Babydow worked for a Hush production, that's Melba Morris a company, management company with Freddie Jackson in them So we get there I think I'm a bomb because Marvin Dixon gets up and you know, he does that Jamaican dance I'll grow up thing tears the room apart Bill Bellamy brings me up and they tell me to do seven minutes I think I ended up doing because I think I drank about a triple shot of gin. So

because I think I drank about a triple shot of gin, so neat. A triple shot, neat. And I just went on autopilot and I did 10 minutes of political humor and 10 minutes of sexual and spiritual humor and got a stand-upvation. And that's when I got Apollo Comedy Hour, Uptown, and Deaf Comedy Jam, same day, same night. You mentioned about all the, okay, you work at 8 to 5.

You kept your clothes in the car. You go do a gig. You drive to different cities and you do other gigs. You sleep in your car. You're highly educated. You got multiple degrees. The grind, a lot of people don't want to grind like that, especially, man, somebody just need to give me a job.

I got all these degrees, but that wasn't your thought process. You like, hey, I'm gonna grind, I'm gonna make it, even though I have all these degrees, I know the grind, I know what it takes. Oh, I'm grinding right now. The talk is off the air, but I wanna take that experience to produce content, movies, unscripted, everything, TV shows,

but you got to have that grind because you're gonna get no more than you get yes. And people are dependent on me. My sister depends on me. My disabled sister is depending on me. So I gotta make this work. Where does she go if something happens to me? Now, would I like to have a man by my side that helped me build and run this empire?

Hell yeah. But the average man, and this is what we hear, you're intimidating. I don't know no true man, no hard-legged dude is intimidated by a 5'2 woman that talked for a living. Am I right? No. Okay. Why am I not right? No, I'm not saying you're right, because he shouldn't be. Because if he has his own, why is he intimidated by what you're doing? And he don't have to have his own. He can work at the damn gas station. I know I'm gonna get free gas and honey buns and don't read off and all kind of s*** if my man work at the gas station. But here's the thing.

What? The way we were brought up is that the man takes care of the house. The woman doesn't take care of the man. I don't probably, you grew up in Arkansas, if I'm not mistaken. I grew up in Georgia. Yes. And every situation that I saw is that the man, uncle my grandfather everybody that knew the man ran the house the man took Care of everything and so to have it the flip side. I don't know a lot of times men ego and their pride Well, here's what my dad told me. He said listen son He said you gonna have a problem because a man goes to work Monday through Friday, get his check, want to take his gal out for dinner or a movie or something and go to church on Sunday.

You will be working those days. But if a man truly, truly looks beyond that and see what we can build, young or old, what you can build with a woman by your side that understands, I'm that when I'm working. When I come home, I'm going to fix the meal. I'm gonna fix your plate. I don't eat before a man eat. I did not eat before my father ate. A lot of women go, you stupid as fuck.

No, that's just the way I was raised. Respect for a man. And if you are a real man, you will understand I'm not out in these streets doing nothing. I'm not going to different cities doing nothing. What I want is a man by my side that will help me build. And that's what I'm looking for. And I think there's a man, there are men out there,

that I think would be with me. The only thing is, if you think that's what I am, if you think I'm argumentative because I'm so good at what I do on stage, then get to know me. That's the biggest problem. We don't get to know each other. And then I think sometimes as women,

we so used to be in the man and the woman in our relationship that we don't know. We don't know how to fall back and just be the woman. There you go. And I know how to make a sandwich. You want cheese on your sandwich? What you need, what you need. I know what to do.

I wanna pick up the dry cleaning. I wanna do what I saw my mama mama who raised me and who was married to my father. I want to do what they do. I want to be the wife. While I go out and slay a dragon, we back to back on slaying these dragons. That's what I want.

So how can I find it? And who are you? Call right now. Don't y'all have a toll free number? What? We're going to put one up at the end of the're gonna put one up at the end of the show. Put one up at the end of the show. That's why the tour is called the Mix and Mingle Tour.

Because I want people to mix and mingle. There are a lot of lonely people out there. But you know who's lonely the most? Men. Men who don't want to take the chance of getting to know a woman and saying, that's my girl. That's what I'm looking for. So why not? And if you can take me without a wig and saying, that's my girl. That's what I'm looking for. So why not?

And if you can take me without a wig and makeup, because I look like Joyce Jefferson without it. Yeah. If you can take that, if you can take the fact that all I want to do is watch the news. I watch sports all day long. I watch news all day long. I watch old movies all day long.

But I'm going to do what I need to do as a wife and a woman that love you, but I work around guys. Ain't nothing happen to me. I don't who I pay. What kind of dumb is that? You think I'm this dude? Well, yeah. Come and get it, come and get it.

Get this money, get this money. Your job is not over. Come get this money son. She's not as bad as she thinks. Usually I tell people, I tell, you know, ask me, when we get to dating, we need to talk about dating and maybe I'm doing it wrong. Maybe that's why I'm, you think,

cause I will tell a man, you know, whether I'm giving up some ass or I will tell him, you know, it's not going to be as great as you think. I got one good move, one good, one good. No, I got one and a half, one as you think. I got one good move. One good, one good. No, I got one and a half. One and a half. I do one thing very well. Yeah.

Why you frown? I ain't frowning, because uh. You could have had it, but your ass jumped out the car like you was, you jumped out the car like you was on the Dukes of Hazzard or some kind of s***. You did jump out the car fast. I was at midnight, I gotta go to work and things. You was gonna sleep wherever you was. I was gonna drop you. I got one good move.

I was gonna drop him that night. I mean, I'm old school, Sean. You don't do that on the first day, on the first night? We had been talking from one night to the next night. Remember you said it's midnight So it was two nights It was two nights You need to pay attention See I had a strategy Ladies I had a strategy

I'm gonna talk him All the way till he got too sleepy to drive That's it What? Do you remember your first time on stage? Uh well The very first time you got on stage You mean paid as a comedian or just on stage?

Yeah getting paid your first gig Oh probably was the Humminbird in Chicago You mean paid as a comedian or just on stage? Yeah, first, getting paid, your first gig. Oh, probably was the Humminbird in Chicago, but I have been doing comedy everywhere. I've been doing comedy in high school. I was the rally commissioner at Water High, Castle Air Force Base, and I somehow pedangled my way into being the rally commissioner.

And there were big productions. That's when I knew I wanted to produce content. We, as the Falcons, we weren't winning the game. You know, Merced High School was always beating us. The Bears was always beating the Falcons. But the rallies were low attended events. When I became rally commissioner, everybody was getting up early in the morning to come to rallies, because I was doing comedy.

I had music in it, dancing. I had at least 500 people in a gym every Friday when we had games. So that's when I knew I could produce. And it was funny, my principal, Mr. C.J. Groves, he said, you know, you're very, very funny. Don't let these young people pull you down the road of blue adult comedy in my mind I was thinking it's too late mr. Groves I'm already there because who I loved in comedy the Richard

Pryor yes you know the pig meat Markham's you know the the comics that I loved and want to be like I want to be Gregory Richard Pryor, but I wanted to be some of those comics that I wanted to be able to talk about anything, anyway, with a language that the street will understand and bring people together at the same time, even if you disagree with me. Miller Comedy Search. Yes.

How did you get discovered for that? We heard that there was a competition, and normally you don't have a lot of females in the competition and I remember that was where I met Damon Wayans. Okay. And he's a great mentor for me and he was trying to produce a sitcom for me to be in and all the males who understood what I was trying to do, they always encouraged me. When people say, well, do you think it was hard for you because you was a female?

No harder than it was for anybody else. You had to be funny. Did I think that it was going to be an easy way? It wasn't an easy way for a lot of people. Ask Kevin Hart, was it easy for him? Ask Steve Harvey, was it easy for him? Ask Sedger, ask Chris Tucker, was it easy? When you get the opportunity, you gotta be ready

for the opportunity. So getting the Miller Lite Comedy Search, even though I did not win, I placed enough to be respected. So if you look at the history of comedy, the great comics sometime do not win comedy competitions. They may place or they may come in dead last and it gives them that

drive to go oh I'm gonna come back. I was in the Barry Black comedy competition I think three years in a row. I placed in the top five three years in a row and I was told that a woman will never win it. Okay cool I ain't got to win it all I need to do is win over the audience and that's what I did. That's what you're trying to win. That's right. Damn the competition if I win the audience they're going to come see me at a later date and time somewhere. Oh I like to win competitions when we won an Emmy on the top I was like oh yeah that's what I'm talking about when we won the NAACP award I was happy about that. Winning competitions is it's the cherry on top of it's just like you winning Superbowl. Yes. It's the cherry on top of

everything you're doing. It's the validation of all your hard work. That's right, that's right, that's right. But in 1989, you were the first female finalist for the Miller Lite Comedy Search. Absolutely. What do you remember most about that experience? Because you said although you didn't win, you got some great mentorship from Damon Wayans, but it drove you because you had won the audience. Because even though you didn't win, you felt you won the audience that at a later date and time,

when you got your own thing, they going to come see Cheryl Underwood. Absolutely. And the fact that I could bring men and women together. In the beginning, I was telling so many sexual jokes. Women was popping out of my show like the great punk, I'm not doing that with no man. Well, that's why you're man looking up here at me.

And I ain't defined as broad in the world, but I'm the most focused. I'm gonna do what you don't do. Well, while this is a part of my personality, it is the type of material I love to do, adult comedy. To me, you have to be a really good comic that can come from adult comedy to clean comedy. Clean comedy, if you look at, what's the guy named

Bob Saget? Yeah. Bob Saget and I, when he was alive, God rest his soul, good dude, but we would talk about adult material being in daytime, us being in daytime and family stuff. Right. But the most fun is to tell an adult sexual joke. Why? Because there's only two, maybe three ways to have sex. Four if you're really creative and short. Only five, too. It's only a few ways to do it. But to be able to talk about it humorously and make everybody laugh.

See, I'm doing political material, but what brings the audience together? Sexual relationship material. And that's what does it. Bernie Mac, Adele Given, Central Entertainment were also participants in the Miller Light Comedy Search. Did you have did you have interaction with those? Absolutely. I remember talking to Adele and uh and on the west side I think they did a round of the Miller Light Comedy Search in roses and she was like I want to do what you do and I remember that night because

I was going through things in my marriage that night but I always knew my father said nobody cares about what you're going through in your life you are the entertainment that they paid to see so swallow all of that and get you you hear me say swallow and get of that and get yourself together, right? So that night I remember meeting Adele She said she wanted to do it. I said do you? They can't steal you they can't steal your life and don't let nobody tell you you cannot do it and people say well What do you feel about other female comics? I want us all to win and succeed I want us all to make movies. I want us to do sitcoms. I want us to open

the door for each other. Monique is one of the greatest actors, not actress in my book, actor. What that did in Precious. Listen to me. When I saw her, I said, I want to fight you so bad because everything I've done. Yes, but everything I've gone through in my life. Yes, but everything I had gone through in my life, molestations, rape, everything, that I could see that person, you know, and I've been around that person, I've lived it, but that girl is such a talented,

that woman is such a talented actor. When you're talking about the skill of Samoa, the skill of Adele, the skill of Tiffany Haddish, the skill of all female comics, but why are we not making movies? Why aren't the guys that can do it, Kevin, can produce? Why aren't they producing us together in something? And we've got to put aside any differences that we have for the greater good of us getting a bag for our families,

our mortgages, our children going through college, our retirement, we need to come together. Right. Bernie Mac, the legend, everybody speaks nothing but highly. He's held in the highest, highest of regards. Absolutely. What do you remember about your interaction with Bernie? I knew Bernie when we called him Blue

because he was so black he was blue. And he was friends with Denavious Cobb on the street that we lived on in Chicago. She lived across the street from us. And he was always a family man, integrity, a good guy. He was like the father figure to us, like the older brother figure. And he would ask, sure, why you don't dress up? I said, listen, let me tell you something.

If these jokes ain't funny, it don't matter what I'm wearing, right? So but but I would always take his advice and counsel. I'm kind of feisty, you know I say I am my mother's daughter and my father's son So I'm gonna talk back to you because that's what mama did You know But Bernie was the kind of guy that if he felt he could help you get that joke tighter or Advance your career. He was that guy and and maybe I'm kind of I don't know if you're this way to I'm kind of reclusive. Mm-hmm. Would you say I'm gregarious?

Yeah, when I need to be gregarious, but most of the time I'm private and I'm reclusive I tell people I explain myself to people like this. I'm the most outgoing introvert you're gonna meet. There it is me too, me too. You're not gonna know too much about me you you may have shaken hands with somebody I dealt with and I'm not gonna disrespect you or him you know I just don't you know I talk for a living but but I don't talk about everything. Deaf Comedy Jail mm-hmm that was the pinnacle Martin and so many of the comedians that we see today, they got their start there. Yes.

Do you remember much about that? I remember driving to New York, staying with my cousin Ernest Lee and my cousin Christina, and going, after I got Deaf Comedy Jam, they asked could you stay over and do Deaf Comedy Jam, and when I, they said they would give me some money because I didn't have any clothes. So what you see me wearing, that little bitty orange shirt,

and them stretch pants, and them boots, them superhero boots that I was wearing, that is what I wore to drive from Los Angeles to New York. Wow. Because I couldn't find clothes and what money they'd give me. You know, when you don't know a city, you don't know where to go. Where to go. Down to the alley or down to the, you know, the place to get a $5 shirt and some $10 slacks,

you know what I'm saying? Right. So what I'm wearing is what I'm wearing. And then I remember they would do the walkthrough, but when I came to do the walkthrough, I could hear people whispering, that's her, that's her. That's the girl that tore up the peppermint. That's her, that's her. So we get there and Martin is reading the script

on what they're gonna say. And so they asked you, what was your first joke, what was your last joke? And I think my first joke was two drinks, no, either. Bitches need to suck my dick. And it was two jokes. First joke, last joke. And everybody was laughing, They were like snickering. And then I said, I said,

Martin, I said, Mr. Lawrence, because I had seen him perform. I've watched him do a show in Chicago, Adele Givens, Martin Lawrence, and Chris Rock. One of the greatest shows I'd ever seen. So I said, Martin, I said, can you just change, because they had me from Chicago. I said, can you just change? I live in Los Angeles now. And he was like, okay, cool. So it was asked of me why. And I said, because if a promoter is looking for me to book me, I need him to know where I am. Because I'm always about my money. I'm always about my business. I'm about my paper. And I had to learn that night pacing. So because I was gunning them jokes. Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow. But I was gunning them so hard that

people have to take a time to breathe. Yeah. And once you learn that technical skill of how to do a TV show set, then you can you can always clean it up. So when I did Showtime at the Apollo, oh they was getting ready to boo a sister. And I had the flu when I did Showtime at the Palo, oh, they was getting ready to boo a sister. And I had the flu when I did Showtime at the Palo, but I was determined, you are not going to boo me. I'm going to get to these jokes. So by the time I get to the things that I've done where my set wasn't great, it didn't bother me.

When I did Indecision 96 with Bill Maher, they wanted me to only talk about being a black Republican. But there's jokes above and below that that you have to do. So I love the fact that my career is always a work in progress, even now. Even now, the Sheryl Underwood legend is what fuels me to always be a good comic and understand, what did it say, any given Sunday?

Any given stage time. You may not get them that day, but you better have some jokes that always bring them back to you. So Def Comedy Jam, and that was also the first time that they told me I couldn't take my purse on stage. Yeah, tell people, you explain to me, I kinda know the backdrop of it, and I wonder why you ain't got that cheap ass purse

that you had in Denver. It ain't here, it ain't here, it ain't here, we got it. It's over there, and what cheap purse are you talking about? That's why I still have money. Well listen, that's why I still have money. I have purses, like I have boxes of really classy Louis Vuitton's and what's it? Louis Vuitton, La Boutine or however you pronounce this. But if you spend all your money on that you will not have money right my

little Ponderosa is paid for if I get one good income tax check my car will be paid what is my debt to make sure my sister has 24-hour count right so I can adore myself this is a synthetic Amazon wig look good don't it and it's anchored down but I have custom-made hair I have the finest of the finest for my work synthetic Amazon wig. Look good, don't it? And it's anchored down. But I have custom made hair. I have the finest of the finest for my work. But I also know how to manage my money. How to manage my money. And I want to make some more of it, too. But you asked me the question about the purse. Really, it was a

feeling of not just security. But when I finish what I'm doing, I'm going to walk out of the venue. I saw Richard Lewis when he was alive, great comic. He would only come into the club when it was time for him to perform. I watched all comics. Mitch Hedberg, oh my God, in love with Mitch Hedberg, thought I was gonna marry him.

I watched all comics to study them, to study their greatness. Marshall Warfield, she had a skill that I wanted to learn how to do. So when you're talking about telling jokes, yeah, the joke is, why do you carry your purse on stage? Because white folks steal. Any race of people take land from the Indians,

and sure enough, take two or three dollars off your purse. That's a joke. Yeah. That's right, it's a joke. And the second joke that goes with it is, I fear for my life when I'm when white people get on The elevator remember it was when we get a little bit. They click it. That's right With so I reversed that joke white people get on the elevator. I grab my person call out for the love

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wagering and eligibility restrictions, terms and responsible gaming resources. You got the gig at Comic View, you were the host. Yes, but I had lost it. Remember I had lost it I think two times. Did I lose it two times? But I was not mad. I think it was, what's the baby name?

Young lady, Montana Taylor. Montana Taylor won and Samoa won. Right? And people say, well, are you against female comics? No, I support female comics. But like the Bible say, everything ain't your time. Everything ain't your season. I just had to learn how to pull myself together and go, okay, go back up the bat again.

By the time I got it, because people didn't believe that these Sheryl Underwood could do a clean set. They didn't believe it. They didn't believe the material that I was doing. I was out there telling OJ Simpson jokes long before anybody else. I was telling God rest his soul, Kobe Bryant jokes,

but I was telling it from a different point of view. Matter of fact, I did Midsummer Magic. Remember Magic Johnson? You had Midsummer Magic out in LA? And I was telling these jokes from a different position. I wasn't trying to hurt Kobe's family. It was just things that I knew that I wanted that humor to come off. And I put it in the direction I felt that it should go. It wasn't all about him, it was all about a setup. Right. You know, and those jokes were getting standing ovations. OJ Simpson jokes, because we really wasn't cheering OJ, we was cheering Johnny Cochran because we needed somebody. And now who do we have now?

Ben Crump. When Ben Crump show up, matter of fact, you and Ben Crump need to do a movie and a talk show because both of y'all some thick tongue Intellectuals big gotta get that money though. Listen, he got no money. I ain't got no he got it You better know it you better get with y'all can play brothers in a movie And then had y'all as little babies and y'all whine and cry with a thick tongue And then y'all grow up tongue just to think make a lot of money. That would be great I might look into that look into it. You think I could be an actor? Hell yeah, hell yeah, you know what I like for okay out one thing. I don't do devil worship

That's why I'm not an actor now people say you act I was in beauty shop and I almost didn't get that I almost didn't get that. Let me tell you something. We had heard that they were looking for a Sheryl Underwood type. Well damn, why'd I get Sheryl Underwood? That's what the fuck I said, right? So I got my happy ass on the plane, flew back from the gig in Orlando, went in and auditioned and got the job. And matter of fact, it was Sherri Shepherd who,

she knew how to do movies. And one day I went to her trailer, and I just burst into tears, and she said, what's wrong? I said, everything I'm trying to do, either they've given it to somebody else, or they don't want to do it with me. I said, I don't know how long I can do this. Maybe I need to go teach school.

And we both got on our knees, and she prayed for me that day. And that's when we went out to do the scenes. And you remember when I said monkey bread? Cause I was catfish reading with the monkey bread. And it made everybody laugh. And Queen Latifah said, okay, you can keep doing that. And then they kept writing a bigger and bigger part for me. And that's how I get it.

You negotiated comic, they was getting a thousand dollars instead of a hundred fifty. Why did you feel you feel you need at that moment this was what Sheryl Underwood needed to do? We had heard that there was discussion I think it was Comedy Central with the white comics and and in these meetings, there were black comments going, well, what about Comic View? And being in a Greek letter organization, we know parliamentary procedure. We know meeting structure.

And so when we went to the meeting, they said, well, you black people handle that, right? So we go, OK, we're going to handle that. And in the discussions, we put together our committees, we review laws, you know. See, that's why a college education, and if you went to an HBCU, you really got a good education. You got life and education. Correct.

And culture. So those of us that were in Greek letter organizations and went to college and in HBCUs, we came together to form a sub, unofficial subcommittee. So when it came time for certain things, and we had Tim Allen signing our petition in Variety, Jay Leno, we had the comics backing us, big time comics backing us when all we wanted it to be fair. But there was one thing, one line I said I will not cross.

We will not picket Bob Johnson at BET. We will not do that. We will not give them the photo opportunity of us against another black man. Right or wrong, I just didn't feel that that was the right thing to do, and I felt that he would do the right thing, and he did. Wow.

People run up on stage fighting comedians. Miss Pats says she done fought comedians before. Where are you, I mean, somebody, has anybody ever run up on stage on you, got Miss Pats says she done fought comedians before. Where are you, I mean, somebody, has anybody ever run up on stage on you, got mad that you was saying something during your set? Has anybody ever got mad at you, Sherri? I was in Monrovia, California, and I didn't know what kind of location Monrovia was.

It's the kind of location that you don't see a lot of us in. You know what I'm saying? This was long before Trump was making America great. This was long before. So I was booked to do a gig. I did the gig. And I guess a white man didn't like what I was talking about. And he threw a beer at my head. And it passed my head and bust on the wall. And it was beer splattered everywhere. But I'm gonna tell you where a well-placed joke goes. I was telling so many good sexual jokes. other white boys whooped

that dude's ass. What? Yeah, whooped his ass and then went finish your show. Good comedy is still good comedy if you would just let us get to it. There are people that disagree with me on my political stances or they may think that the show is too sexual but once you walk into a nightclub, a comedy club, I'm doing Harris, I want to do all casinos, I want to do all comedy clubs, not just for the money, but for the career. And so when you come into a nightclub experience, my job is to move food and drinks and entertain and not let people get up and walk out.

So I will instinctively scan the audience to see what's going on. That's why I have two male acts with me, Kyle Irby and Mike Washington. Why? Because I don't want a man to come into my show and go, ah, here she go. It's an hour and a half, a nigga's ain't shit. That's not what my show is about.

It is a love fest. It is a party. It is a house party. It's me talking shit like we talk shit, you know what I'm saying, and having a good time. And then at the end, guys get up, you can walk across the stage, and you might win my money. That's why we mixing and mingling

But I will say this the people who have been upset with my show I I've tried to polish my performance to a point where you go wait on me Something in my set you're going to enjoy right just wait on me Hold on and do I need to buy you a drink? Because I was lighting white women up. I was lighting them backies up. And I saw you talking to Donnell Rawlins about does he date him? Is that what he doing?

I think so. You think so? I think, I don't know I think she might be Latino or Hispanic or something like that. I'm not really sure. That's one of us. That's brown. That's brown. That's brown on both sides. Black and brown.

But my thing is, I think we should let our men date whoever they want to date. If that's what you like. Yeah. I like who like me. That's me. That's how I feel. When I was dating white men, do you think I sought them out? No.

White men want to date the darkest of us because they feel like that's the uncut, that's the bomb, right? I'm not saying that that's what I want to love. I mean, in dating them, it was a feeling that I had, but I wanted to be with who wanted to be with me. Yeah. I mean, what's wrong with that? Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at The Daily Show, which means he's also back in our ears on The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. The Daily Show podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious, satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports, and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and a roundup of the weekly headlines.

Listen to The Daily Show, Ears Edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I would say there is something wrong when it only goes to the bedroom. Why do you only like me sexually? You might like me intellectually and sexually. And I've been in situations where white men, well, I'm taking you to the country club and you're going to go to the country club. I don't want to go to the country club with you.

Why? I'll meet you at the 19th hole. I'm going to sit down. You know what I'm talking about. I play golf to enjoy the course. I'm not a great golfer. I just want, I hit it where it land. If I really get my game together, I can do pretty good.

But I don't really play golf to talk to people. I play golf to enjoy the course. But if you're taking me to the country club just to show how liberal or progressive you are, that was an uncomfortable feeling for me. So if you were a Latin man who was in love with me, I've had a lot of crushes in my life, Latin men, white men, Asian men, all kinds of men, black men, but that's what I love. That's what I think understands me, understands when things don't go well. But I've sampled everything God had made on the buffet of love.

But I'm not against our men dating outside of the race. What I'm against is when you down us to uplift somebody else. And that's why I was telling those jokes, where you get the worst that you can find. But I can't be what I am. I'm too talkative. I'm too ambitious. I'm too strong. I'm too strong.

I gained five pounds, you don't f*** with me. But you get with Becky, that's two sizes of me. And you sit, remember, what's the show where, is it Maury? Maury Povit. Oh, listen to me. It's always a brother on there. Well, what if these are not your children? I'm a love like that one.

I'm a love baby. I've been to these kids like, I'm the only dad they know. They look just like me. Look, they got my eyes, they got my nose. And this girl is the worst of the worst of the worst. If you're going to get one of them, get Taylor Swift. Don't get the worst one. I'm not against you white girls pulling our men.

But some of these girls, I just want to look at a brother and go, I see it. I see why you got her. That's right. That's that. Absolutely right. Get her her. I see why, that's right. That's that absolutely right. Get her together. Put this on a treadmill.

Do something. Get her to eat some vegetables. Or don't get the worst of the worst and then throw it in my face. That's what I don't like. And I don't think most black women like that either. Let me ask you this. If you, if I had said, okay, Cheryl, give me your gold comedians, it could be male, men, or women, give me your four comedians

that you would consider Mount Rushmore. Too many to name, and because of my personality, why she didn't name this person, why she didn't name that person. There's your Liz! Well, I don't really have, first of all you're gonna have to have a bigger, there's gotta be a mountain range,

it can't be just four motherfuckers on a mountain, because there's too many of us that are too good for too many time periods. When you talk about Moms Mably, one of the greatest female comedians that made people feel good about all those adult jokes, he was telling. But then you put up against Whoopi Goldberg, who was, to me, her dialogue was so amazing. Her ability to go in and out of characters so amazing But I don't want anybody feel I like somebody more because I can't do what Sherri Shepherd do that And I'm sorry girl cuz I know there's some comedians don't like to be called bitch

But I got to give your properties and speaking of that Milly Camacho one of greatest comedians I've ever seen Hope flood greatest comedians. I ever seen. There's too many out there tonight, and we haven't gotten our shot. So that's why I wanna produce something that gives people their shot. Who would've thought somebody would've called me to be on daytime TV and I'm a nightclub performer, and I'll be there from season two to season 15

of the talk on CBS, the most conservative network. All we need is the shot. So in answer to your question, there are too many great comics that you see these comics. And we've been sitting around with each other. You know how hard it is not to choke laughing at Jamie Foxx when he gets on a roll and all of us have been friends, but then we talk about him when we show the picture of him

with the Jerry Curl. That's comedians getting together. So I really couldn't name who would be my top four. Let me ask you this. Are there, you mentioned Hope Flood, yourself, and Samora, and Adele Givens, and Chocolate. So many of the young, I remember so many of the women comedians back in the 90s.

Are they an upcoming crop of new women comedians? I think all these young ladies on social media, they got one coming called, Don't Call Me a White Girl. I think this got a line, I ain't gonna say it because I want y'all to hear it out of her mouth, that I was hosting a show in Pennsylvania and when she dropped that line on the people, I ran out and tackled her because it was such a good line.

I'm a technical comic. I will listen to somebody saying, oh damn, I wish I had wrote that. You know what I mean? So there are some great female comics, but also you need time. You can write jokes every day. You can't polish every day.

You need stage time. You need to understand why those of us that were doing adult comedy were doing adult comedy and and don't separate don't say Well, this is a clean comic. This is are you a good comic, right? And then there are comedic actors who are decent stand-ups. That's why I'm not gonna name names Okay, they know who they are. You're a decent stand-up, but you're a great comedic actor So don't are they two different things? Yeah, that could that could act and be funny be funny in front of the camera but you are a great comedic actor. So don't put us- Are there two different things? Yes, now.

A guy that can act in front of- Yes, and be funny. Be funny in front of the camera, as opposed to getting up there and it's just you and an audience and a microphone. Absolutely, absolutely. And I'm gonna tell you something, what people say, like, I don't know why

Earthquake has not been put in a position to do a redo- That's my dog. Of Sanford and Son. I would be on Asper, and all you're doing is picking up junk, right? You can do that today. D.L. Hughley, great comic, George Jefferson, today.

You can do these things now. Why is it that they get to reboot everything and we don't? You can do, that's my mama. You can do That's My Mama. You can do What's Happening Now, which is nothing but Cooley High. You can do this today. We need the opportunity to do it. And there's some great comedic actors,

but we need the directors, we need the producers to be able to take what we're already doing in our head. See, a stand-up comic is the writer, producer, director in their head, right, and the performer. We just need to be able to be produced in a way where we're confident in what you're doing. Because I already know what I can do for myself. How do I get confident enough to do it on screen

and not want to turn to the audience? And that's where your cameras are. You're acting with the person, you're reacting to the person and I know what you're thinking out there, you can be an actor, you saw me and I got the hook up, you know damn well I didn't have no business. But that was Master P and I'll tell you a story about that too. AJ Johnson, God rest his soul, little aunt. Me and little aunt, we were good friends, right?

So he's talking about Master P got this movie, right? And so I was taking care of my sister, and I couldn't find a caregiver and everything, so I had to go to the artist. I took my sister to the artist. You know, disabled people, she in a hot car, so she fighting, pulling everything, pulling hair. And I said, you gonna sit your ass right down here

so I can go up here and get this job, right? So I get up there, and there's a you gonna sit your ass right down here so I can go up here get this job Right, so I get up there and there's a line and everything and I said listen I need to do this right now. I said who the fuck is Master P now. I don't know who he is I said who the fuck is Master P? So he's me. I said what the fuck is Unn? No, no, no, no, there ain't no lyric DJ Quick, Kumo D, them lyricists, those rappers, producers, everything What the fuck is that? So he's laughing because I'm talking to him the way I'm talking to him and they write a whole new part for me to do this. And that's the second time it's happened. The first time it happened, I was performing in the Melrose Improv and I was there to showcase for Brandon Tartakov when he was alive. Brandon Tartikoff when he was alive. And Brandon Tartikoff is who, Eddie Murphy, and okay, so I'm there to showcase for him. And he tells me, I see you walking in on the scene in the sitcom, throwing up the joke,

and walking out like Marla Gibbs. See, you're talking about a comedic actor, great woman. So I was like, oh, you really do that. So when it's my turn to get on stage, I get on stage and I see Annette Benning and Warren Beatty Sitting in the audience. So I start telling these jokes about a bugsy, you know But you're right when she threw that ashtray at it. I said you black I said only a real sister throw my fucking ashtray with a lit cigarette and that

Mother is here. So I'm telling all these great jokes. So one baby comes out making a movie, gives me all his information. I want you to come have a meeting with me. I'm making a movie I want you in it. Now how many times have we heard that boys and girls? So I go alright so I take the information and something led me to call him and he goes I want you to come drive up on Mulholland. You know I'm not the greatest driver in the world. Yeah. You know so because if you don't shift right you're gonna roll all the way back down Mulholland. Am I right? So I go to the meeting. We're talking what I thought was a 15-minute general meeting. We end up talking about four or five hours like me

you did in the car. We end up talking about politics. I'm a registered Republican who is really a conservative Democrat. He is a liberal Democrat. We're talking, but he's remembering things that I'm telling him and he's adding them to his script. So we're talking. Then the part that they wanted me to play, I think I was supposed to curse in a church. I did not know you're not supposed to tell the casting director, I'm not doing that.

No, you can't do that. Okay. Why am I not supposed to tell them that, Shannon? Because they're the one that's going to get you the job. Well, I'm sorry. I fear God more than I fear man. God don't know I'm down here doing a movie. God looking down going, what? Why is she in my house cussing, right? So I told him I wasn't going to do it. I said, I'm not going to do it. I said, I'm not gonna do it I said and no self-respecting black person will be cursing in their neighborhood church I'll curse in the parking lot, but I'm not cursing in the sanctuary. It's not going to happen

So they write a part for me. They write a whole different part for me where the white dude I think his name is Oliver Platt. He's an actor He's supposed to bump into I think he was in a Time to Kill yes with Matthew McConaughey okay so he bumps into my arm and I'm supposed to say break yourself fool which I don't know who came up with break yourself I don't know about this stream okay so did he did he come up with it he's the first person I heard say it really okay then Matt maybe Smokey said it is okay's okay, so break yourself. Break yourself, boo. Okay, so that's the line I'm supposed to say, but I can't get it out the way they want me to say it.

I keep saying, excuse me. So, because that's the way I was raised. This was supposed to be an after hours, private black club with some white people in it. So obviously you must be guests of somebody in this club. So Warren Beatty directing, you know, he goes, cut, Cheryl, I need you to talk the way you normally talk. I said, what is that? And he said, I need you to be more animated. I said, really? And he said, I need you to be more profane.

Why? I said, you believe that black people only settle their differences with profane language and animation? I said, that's not true. Now remember now, all of the extras are black. So they all looking on the ground like, oh my God, this is talking back to Warren Beatty. I said, I'm sorry, that's not how this goes. If he bumps into my arm, knocks my drink out my hand, I would expect him to replace it with a higher level on the shelf, top shelf drink.

So people are trying not to laugh. So Warren Beatty goes, but what if I called your mother a b----? I said, what you say? He said, what if I called your mother? And he names my mother. Uh oh. He names my mother. I bet you got in the role.

I bet you got in the character then. Listen, I said, listen, I laid that mother fucker out. I said, I don't give a fuck about Splendid in the Grass, Reds, Bonnie and Clyde? I said, if you ever say my mother's name and in a sentence ever again, I'm gonna jump across this camera and whoop your ass.

And he goes, I need you to do that right now. Action. And that's when I did it. That's when I did it. And we became friends. And we became friends that day. You did radio with Steve Harvey. What was that experience like?

Well, really how I started was Tom Joyner. Oh, really? Yeah. It was Tom Joyner that gave me one of my first consistent radio jobs. And then I wanted to, I want to do radio. Like if we really do a podcast together, I wanna merge it with terrestrial radio. I do not believe you can do anything without radio

because black people do not believe that Jesus is coming back until they hear on black radio. Am I right? And it's still in your car and it's still in your homes. And I believe that we can do some good merging, podcasting with radio to build that audience. So Tom Joyner gives me a job, then Rashaun McDonald and Steve Harvey say, okay, why don't you come work over here with us and I go where the money is.

It's no dislike of anybody. No dislike. Matter of fact, would you be willing to bring your podcast on the fantastic voyage that Tom Joyner cruise? Would you want to? So we podcast on the fantastic voyage that Tom joined the cruise? Would you want to? So we can benefit some HBCUs. I'm just asking you, would you consider it? Oh, you're asking me for real?

Yeah, I'm asking you for real. Would you consider it? Sure. Would you consider it? Because what I... How far are we going out on the cruise? I think I know, I don't know. Let me find the information.

Can I be on Zoom while y'all on the cruise? Why, you scared of water? Yeah. Well, I can tell you,hy ass a bit into water. He never had that one. Didn't he ever have that one? You better somebody water your ashy b----. Y'all scared of water here.

You scared of being on a boat? Yep. Well, why don't you get on the first part in New Orleans and do it from there and then you can go home. Okay. Okay. Okay. Well, I'll tell you what, I'll find the cities. Let's see if we can make it work.

But I will tell you this, Tom Joyner being a radio man and I wanted to do radio, but they don't, I don't see them. The only girl that I see doing, I think Cafe Mocha is doing it. There's some other sisters that are doing radio, but I don't see them leading their own show in a way that you see the guys Aditi McGuire is the only one that I see doing it and I'm so proud of her But I want to do what Ricky and DL. Oh, okay Lead a show but on the other hand Steve Harvey gave me those opportunities all that footage from the hoodie awards

He I was gonna get past the step. I thought I'd be a great first lady. I'd give up drinking, cussing, at least in your presence, brother. But I wanted to do those different things. But what you see is the opportunity that people really respect. And it was Steve Harvey, when I thought somebody was playing on my phone and I did not believe that it was CBS calling me for an interview for the job. You thought you were getting pranked by Kevin Hart, Steve, Jamie? I called they asses every number I had and stopped playing on my phone. Steve was like, you might want to call him back, it might be CBS. And he was right.

And he was right. So I never want us to be pitted against each other, I do want us to help each other we should be doing cooking shows We should be doing sports panels We should be doing everything because we're funny and we're smart and we can do it all Beauty shop Queen Latifah Dale Givens Laura Hayes Sherri Shepherd. Yes, because Laura Hayes wasn't she on on comic you yes That was a yes, Miss Laura. Miss Laura. Okay. Yes and toe-up deaf comedy man Yeah, Kimora Lee Simmons, Omar Hedrick, Lisa Ray, Octavia Spencer, Birdman. Yeah, how was that experience? It was a great experience to watch

great producing You know to watch Queen Latifah pull that together with her team and to watch us as an ensemble Alicia Silverstone the girl that was in Clueless, that girl was funny as I don't know what. It was a really good experience in one of my first movies between Beauty Shop, I Got the Hook Up, Two Can Play That Game, Vivica Fox gave me a lot of jobs too. And I really loved being in Beauty Shop because they let me ad-lib, but I also could understand the parameters of the script. What I tried to do, the one thing that I was taught was I really loved being in Beauty Shop because they let me ad-lib, but I also could understand the parameters of the script.

What I tried to do, the one thing that I was taught was do what's written on a page first and then ask them, can I show you something? And then stay within the parameters of the script because if you ad-lib so far away, then the other actors can't say they line or do what they want to do. That's why I want to produce. I want to produce, I have gospel play scripts, I have people that I pay, I'll write the idea, they'll write the script,

because I want to put people to work. We can do it like Tyler is doing it. Tyler got the studio, come on, let's all work together and help each other. There's enough money out there for all of us. So that's what Beauty Shop really poured into me. Why don't we work together more? Because you won't say it in front of the people.

That's your camera. You won't say it in front of the people. Because he won't. If he would just give me a taste, a little taste, I would come to work early. No, I'm just kidding. Why don't you and I work together? No, why don't we work together? Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you meant why we, like me and you,

don't work together. We, the community. We can't work together because whatever in your life is going to be mad. Why is she here, Ike? That's what's going to happen. That's what's going to happen. I think that, I think we have the money. We have the pull and the influence. Back when they were making what they call black exploitation film, Sweet Back, come on man, baddest movie in the map,

was really about some brothers up in Oakland, run a club called Sweet Jimmy's. We can do that again. Superfly, we can do that again and have a soundtrack. And it doesn't take a lot of money. One thing I would ask everybody to do, don't come in and try to make the money, make up the money that you haven't got. You're going to price us out, right? We have to understand that's a business. Do the movie and take the percentage, right? Promote the movie. We can make a movie in six weeks.

But if we come together, the writers, the producers, the hairstylists, everything, we can fry the chicken for the craft service. Do what we need to do. And if we do that and our movies are making money, they will invest in us again, because it's about commerce. And I think we can change that narrative. And I know you can, because you took a little show,

Club Shaysay, and I'm calling it a little show, because it wasn't as big as it was. And then here comes Cat Williams. I remember Cat when he was Cat in the Hat. And let me tell you a little Cat Williams story while we talking. I remember Cat when he was Cat in the Hat, doing the jokes about the short dude in the car

and all that stuff. We knew he was funny then. And I had got the host job for Comic View. And Cat Williams performed, I think it was me, Cat, and Michael Cargier. And I think Mike Washington was on that show. We have the comedy connection. I think it was in Greenbelt, Maryland.

If I'm not mistaken, I stand corrected. I watched Cat Williams do a set. I called Stephen Hill. I said, get here as fast as you can. I have watched something great. Wow. They said, what is it? Cat Williams is destroying a room and I cannot follow him.

Now I got courage. I did what I needed to do that night, but what I saw was something special. I said, and so Steven gets there, and he's looking at, he's dying laughing. I said, I need that guy on my season of Comic View. And he was like, well, why would you do that? I said, because he's going to be big, and he's special,

and this is his shot. And everything propelled. He was already doing great stuff, but everything propelled. I just want us to, if we disagree, disagree in private. You know what I'm saying? And you can tell your version of the story. I'm telling my versions of the stories. But you notice that I'm editing myself because I'm not going to do it at the expense of someone's

self-esteem. I'm not saying Cat did that. I'm just saying I knew Cat Williams was going to be special because I saw it in him and I was willing to step back. You got to know when you can't follow something. You got to know it. That's why I host now. I got the hookup and I got the hookup too. Master P you mentioned, John Witherspoon. I love Master P. I love Master P.

Great businessman, very, very smart. Always gave me an opportunity. You know who else gave me an opportunity? Who did? Uncle Luke. Really? Yes, when I was first doing really, really raw, raw material, not like my stuff ain't raw now,

but this is where I was polishing. Really uncut. Yeah, yeah. And he said, Cheryl, I want you to, you know, record some material for us and put it out there. And you notice something odd in all the stuff that's going on with the sexuality, you know, and gaffling people and everything. Who name is not in it? Uncle Luke. He started it. But he didn't do it. He didn't cross that line. He didn't cross that line. It may have been a party atmosphere. Yes. But he didn't do it. He didn't cross that line. He didn't cross that line. It may have been a party atmosphere

Yes, but he didn't do things power Corrupts and we have got to start protecting each other and don't do that shit when you football player Do they did they still give you a handler a person that kept you out of trouble when you first got in the league? No, no I mean, you know they used to have these videos where they say, well, you know, obviously you can't gamble and be careful who you associate with. Absolutely. But I was very, very fortunate that I had an older brother that was in the league that

could guide me. Sterling. Yes. That could guide me and let me know, okay, bro, this is how you need to do it. This is what you need to do. Yes. Everybody doesn't handle that. But at the end of the day, you know, Cheryl, you know, grown men is going to do what grown

men do. Because it's kind of like you have a financial advisor and he might say, Cheryl, you don't need to do this. What is your, your Cheryl's money? And Cheryl takes the money and do all they can do is advise. Advice on council. But why do you have them? If you don't take advice on council, I'm gonna shout out my business manager, Larry Turner. I like the thank you. I thought he was black because he had his whole name on his card.

It was Lawrence J. Turner. I said, these brothers is doing the thing. They attorneys, they finance a planet. I walk in, a little Jewish dude. I was like, well, what's up? Grow my, if you can show me that you know what you're talking about, I have a saying, don't wake up in the middle of surgery

talking to the surgeon. Let people do what they gonna do. If you gonna take advice and counsel, take advice and counsel. Exactly. But sometimes you get so much money and power that you start to do things and people are afraid to tell you,

don't do that sh-t, you know? And don't record the sh-t. What is with the recording of sh-t, the documentation of sh-t? And I'm gonna tell you this. I grew up in Chicago. I was running these streets. We knew R. Kelly.

And it's a lot of stuff that we know about people, but how do we save someone from themselves and how do we teach with great fame comes great responsibility? Yeah, right and money and power and if you treat it right God will give you more You don't have to do this wild stuff that you're doing and you don't have to take it out on people people say well money Changes people know money makes you more what you already don't have to take it out on people. People say, well money changes people. No, money makes you worse. What you already are. There it is right now.

You are who you are. Absolutely. Absolutely. I've walked up on, I've bucked up on a lot of dudes and they be like, nah, sir, you're a good girl. I'm like, I'm glad you think that, right? I'm going to circle this bar one more time and if you're still here when I come back, it's on the block here, right? Let'm gonna circle this bar one more time and if you're still here when I come back, so I don't even bother, right? Let me buy you this drink, let's go, right? But

like you said, you have choice. But there's gotta be somebody there, especially these young boys, it could destroy their life. That's why I have a sports initiative, young boys, young as three years old, learning different sports, but also getting an education. But we need you men to come back into these boys' lives so they will understand you have somebody to talk to. You have big brothers out there. And don't put everything on social media. All you street soldiers out there holding all the money up, the IRS is watching and

they waiting on you. And if you had a PPP loan and now you in jail, but ain't nobody else in jail, come on man, we can do this better. Right. What else you wanna ask? This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it

to whichever podcast platform you just listened to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shae Shae Profile and I'll see you there. John Stewart is back in the host chair at the daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the daily show years edition podcast. Join late night legend, John Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines,

exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is a second term. We can all get behind. Listen to the daily Show, Ears Edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one Mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Stars.

So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music, and a little bit everything. Listen to lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everybody?

Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Burke and Demers. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We're just gonna be talking hockey, folks. We're talking movies, we're talking TV, food, and Edna's favorite, wrestling. It's all on Le Table. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burke and Demers on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.