Joe and Jada - Angie Martinez IRL - Anthony Anderson: STOP Wanting — How You Actually Get What’s Meant For You

Episode Date: January 28, 2026

Actor, producer, and television host Anthony Anderson tells Angie Martinez about his career in Hollywood from shows such as ‘Black-ish’ to starring in ‘Kangaroo Jack.’ He is now hosting ‘Star Search’ on Netflix, with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jelly Roll, and Chrissy Teigen serving as judges. Anthony tells the story of how he and Kenya Barris came up with the concept of the show ‘Black-ish.’ But mainly, Anthony Anderson discusses how you must claim something as your own–and if it’s meant for–you’ll receive it. Angie asks Anthony about his relationship with Rocsi Diaz. Anthony answers a fan’s question about breaking into the entertainment industry. Angie asks some “In Real Life” questions.Visit your nearest Boost Mobile store or https://promo.boostmobile.com/webuiltanetwork/ytb/All lines provided by Hard Rock BetVisit Walden https://waldenu.edu to learn more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. I've never been upset at another actor or another person getting the gig that I was up for. Because it wasn't mine. And I always tell people, I was like, you can't compare yourself to anyone else and you can't judge them or judge yourself. I was like, that's their journey. That's their path. And I was like, that was destined for them.

That was predetermined for them. And you can't worry about that. no matter how you feel it was going to change your life, no matter how big it may have ended up for them, it may not have been that way for you. Thanks for watching, guys. Today's episode is brought to you by Boost Mobile. Today's guest has been keeping us laughing for over three decades.

As an actor, his work has become part of how we experience film and television and through shows like Blackish, he's helped redefine how we see the Black family on screen. He is currently holding the record for the most NAACP Image Award, for Outstanding Actor. Yes. He's also a pretty great golfer. Depending on the day, you know, no.

But he's been a familiar and trusted presence, and he is now stepping into a new chapter as the host of Netflix's Revival of Star Search. Please welcome Anthony Anderson to IRL podcast. All right. First off, I didn't know I held the record for most NACPM awards. You did not know that? No.

I'm here to tell you, according to my research. No, your research is pretty spot on. I got a gang of them. I got a gang of them. I didn't know I had the record. There are a lot of other accolades, too, but we would be here for so long. Yeah, we would be here. And I want to get all in your life.

We can talk about the 13 Emmys that I'm 0 for 13. I'm the black Susan Lucie. Yeah. You make jokes, but does that suck? Oh, no, it doesn't. It doesn't suck? You're okay with the nominations? I'm okay with the nomination.

Is there at least something to acknowledge? that acknowledges that you have been selected to be nominated. And people are like, you should keep that certificate. I was like, for why? Doesn't hit the same on the shelf. No, it's like a participation trophy. I'm like, for why? No.

Well, I have a, in 97, what year was that? Ladies' Night, we got a Grammy nomination. Okay, yes. So I have, back then, Grammys, they'd, give you at least a medallion. Okay. It looks like you ran a race. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay. So I don't have a Grammy. No, but you got a Grammy medallion. But I have a medallion. And I put it in a little case and it looks like something. Oh, there you go. So maybe it's all in the framing of the case. No, no.

You deserve at least five of those Emmys. Thank you. You know what I'm saying? Do you feel like that? We all feel like that. We all feel like we, first off, we don't do what we do for the trophies. You know, they're great to have on a mantle and you can brag about them and show them. But once you get them, they just sit there.

But now, that's not why I do it. I just like talking about it, though. Does it humble you? It does. You ain't all that. You ain't even win one of them. You ain't not one. You don't even have any, all that great television you did.

Yeah, all that. But it's good. But it's good. Not everybody realizes how. much that really was your show. I mean, we know it's your show as the start, one of the stars an actor of the show, but you really at the inception of the show. Well, can you, can you, Kenya, Kenya Barris and I? Yeah, we did. You know, we sat down at, at a, at a table at this little restaurant, uh, on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood called Laurel Hardware. And we sat

there and we talked about the landscape of television and what was missing from that landscape for us, he and I, what we like to see and what we missed, uh, um, and we sat there. Um, and we talked. Um, from television. We were both and still are Norman Lear fans. So we talked about those shows. We grew up watching good times, all in the family, the Jeffersons. And then fast forward to Cosby, a different world and things like that. And we were like, you know, those are the shows that we liked and we grew up on. And those are shows that had social commentary. Those were shows that had leading actors that were unapologetic in who they were and, you know, had something to say. And, you know, we sat there and we just talked about our families. And, um, um,

We had a lot in common. Keny's from Inglewood. I'm from Compton. Both of us are first generation successful. You know, both of our families were living a privileged life. Both of us were the only African-American families in our neighborhoods. Our kids were in private school. We were one of few black families in the private schools that we went to. So we were sharing these stories living independently of one another, but down walking the same path. And we just talked about that. Yeah. And he was like, you know what, man? You know, he's like, and he made the comment. He said, you know, I feel like I went from raising a black family to a blackish family. And we started laughing. And at the end of our meeting, he called me a couple of weeks later.

And he's like, you know what? I thought about what we talked about. And I think I have a show for us. And we should call it blackish. And I was like, let's do it. And eight years later, 100. 173 episodes, two spinoffs. Yeah, here we are.

Wow. When you say that what was the term you just said, first generation successful? Mm-hmm. What is that like? Interesting. Yeah, because a lot comes with that. A lot, a lot comes with that, a lot of responsibility.

Yeah. Sometimes a lot of unwanted responsibility. Yeah. And just being, being in a position that other people take for, granted, family and friends. Well, you got it, so I got it. You know, and it was like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

For the most part, I have it, so we do have it, but I also worked for it. You know, and it's not about me having it and being in the position to just give it away because, or give it to you or hand it over. Because eventually, if I continue to do that, I won't have anything for myself. You won't have it. Right. You know, and then we will all be back. at ground zero again. So it's a lot of adjusting. Do you have a big family?

I have a big enough family. You know, I have two brothers and a sister, my mom, but then, you know, at the time, a wife, two children of my own, aunties, uncles. And so, you know, and you feel a responsibility. Yeah. You know, it was like, yo, this is my family. like, yo, this is my family. This is where I come from. So, you know, it's somewhat of my responsibility to make sure that they are okay. Yeah. But then you have to learn how to say no. Yeah.

You know, after a while. And we all go through that with our success. And then, you know, it's an adjustment period on both sides of the family. Right, because they got to get to know who this version of you. Yeah. Because you have to shift a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. Because you're in this like leader position, right? Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting because when you think about, because you've been acting since childhood, when you think about child actors trying to find who they are in the world, sometimes that gets complicated.

We hear plenty of stories about child actors who get lost because they never really grew properly out. But you were a child actor and first generation successful. There's a lot to kind of sort through to get to who you are and what makes you. You know, I wasn't really a child actor. This was a dream that I had as a child

that, you know, was pursuing it since then. Did you do a commercial at like five? I was, it was, it was later than that. But yeah, my mother had me on stage as, as a baby. So it actually was in my blood. It started young. So, yeah, I was a child actor. Yeah, I'll take that back.

I was. You just weren't a successful one. Yeah, I just wasn't successful. You weren't making any money. Yeah. You know, and something I want to add to that, you know, about responsibility. You know, I lost my dad or we lost our dad. So, you know, I became the head of the household.

You know what I'm saying? So I lost my pay. How old are you? How old were you then? No, I wasn't. I lost my dad. I was an adult, but it's been 30 years, 20, 25 years now. But just losing the patriarch of the family, you know, and then me being in the position that I am, you know, then I just like, okay. I got to. I got to step in. You know, I have to step in. So it's that adjustment as well. You know, I am my mother. son, but in a weird way, became my mother's partner and mate in a way, you know, and just navigating those, that terrain and all that. So just, I just wanted to add that in and what we were talking about.

Interesting turn in life. Yeah. It's funny, as we talk about on this show, a lot of like the roles of women and family and stuff like that, but that role that you just described can be, I'm sure, heavy Like, there's a lot of responsibility in that. Yeah, it is. It is. Heavy as they had the crown.

Heavy as the head that wears the crown. And, you know, I welcomed it, you know, but it's a lot that comes along with that, you know, being the oldest child, you know, being, you know, my mama's baby, you know, but also being her protector, you know, what I'm saying. but also her son. And, you know, sometimes the roles shifted. And, you know, I felt, and sometimes to this day feel that I can't come to my mother as a son. Aw. You know what I'm saying? Sometimes I just want to go lay my head in my mother's bosom and just be like, yo, you know, the weight of the world is a lot right now.

And I just want to come, you know, be a child again and just. You know, it's that. It's that. You ever notice how everything keeps going up? I mean, rent is going up. Streaming services are going up. Even like your favorite burrito place, all of a sudden wants to charge you for salsa.

You go to the supermarket. They want to charge you extra for the bag. It's kind of crazy out here. The good thing is, with Boost Mobile, you and your phone bill do not have to play that game. You don't have to play the, Will this Go Up Soon game? Why?

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Customers will pay $25 a month as long as they remain active on the Boost Mobile Unlimited plan. I love how self-aware you are, Anthony, and like... I've evolved into this. I haven't always been this way. I know. How did this become?

Life, wisdom. Divorce. Therapy? Therapy. All of that stuff. And, you know, having conversations with, you know, friends like you and other men, you know, before we started this, you know, you and I just, we had a brief conversation about how men don't share and don't talk amongst one another. And I was like, well, you know, I'm one of them. So I'm going to make that call. So, you know, it's that. It's that, you know, having a great support group in friends and in my brothers and that I know that I can go to. be judged and, you know, we can actually just share and sit and talk and sometimes cry. And I love it. You do? Yeah. How does that work? Just give me a, how does that work?

It just works, you know, sometimes we just meet, you know, and just like, you're like, man night? You have like guy night? Yeah. Yeah. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. What happens on guys night? Guys night out.

Yeah. What happens? What do you guys talk about? You talk about women to talk about cars. We talk about everything. You talk about emotions? All of that stuff. Really?

We talk about life. We talk about death. We talk about, you know, all of the stuff that, you know, that's going on in our lives. And I believe that's what keeps our sanity. That's what keeps us sane. And we understand that, you know, this, sometimes you're sitting in a group and it's like, this is a rare thing for, you know, men to get together. I was going to say that. Why do you think most men don't do that?

What is that about? I don't know. Maybe because we don't talk about those things, so we don't know that we can talk about those things with people. And then you have a conversation. It's like, oh, wait a minute. I can, you know, share this without being judged and without feeling less of a warrior, less of a man.

It's okay to be vulnerable. You know, I don't have to walk around with this shield. up, you know. That's pretty impressive, Anthony. Yeah. Look at you being all emotionally evolved and... It took me 55 years to get here, but I'm here. It took 55.

Yeah. What did it take? Like, I'm sure there had to be shifts in your life. I'm sure you weren't always like that. What we... How young were you, how old were you when you get married? Uh, I was 20... Baby.

Oh, hold on. I was in my 20s. My son is 26. So I was 20. I was 29 when I got married. I'm sure there's been a lot of evolution of you as a man since then. Oh, a whole lot. Yeah.

Whole lot. Because 20s is young, even late 20s. Yeah. For a man is really young. And we met when we were 18 and 19 years old. So yeah. What did you learn about yourself from that experience? Because I find that that changes people dramatically.

You know, it's crazy, Angie. I, you know, most people, I'm not going to say, I didn't want a family, right? That was something that I never dreamed of growing up in Compton, right? I had this dream of being a successful actor. That was my passion. Since I was nine years old, this is all I ever wanted to do. This is what I believe my energy was created and put on this earth to do to entertain.

And I realized that at a very young age. And that is what at that time my purpose in life was. wanted a family and all of us. Let me just say that. But what my driving force was this right here. And I picked up and collected a family along the way. It wasn't intentional. It wasn't, you weren't intentionally setting these goals.

No, not at that time. Yeah. Yeah. You know, but a family is something that I wanted. I wanted to be a father. I wanted to be a husband and all of that stuff. But my focus was on this, this was that. And so I collected a family along the way and, you know, we make mistakes and we learn.

It's hard to have that figured out by the time you're 20, whatever. Yeah. There's no way. And, you know, I met and got involved with my ex-wife at 19 and 18. I didn't even know who I was, you know? And you just figured those things out along the way. Yeah. What was your, what was the childhood like?

What was early Compton like for you? I never felt like I didn't. didn't have or I wanted anything. I mean, you know, you want to fly clothes, you want the Jordans, you want all of that, you know, but who doesn't want that as a kid? But as a kid, you know, the lights were always on. The house was always warm, you know, and we always had a meal. So, you know, things, yeah, we, when everybody around you, I'm not going to say it was

in poverty, but everybody around you is doing the same thing and living in the same way. It's just like, oh, we're good. You know, everything is good. And then you get older and it's like, oh, we weren't, we weren't that good, you know. Right. You're not good like now. Yeah, we weren't that good. But, you know, but we made it.

And, you know, my father was a hard worker. My mother was a hard worker. They instilled all of that in us. And, you know, it was a loving household, you know. I lost a brother. So it was three, it was four of us. It was three boys and a girl. My sister was the youngest.

I'm the oldest. So it was six of us in our household. That must have been tough. Living our life. Yeah. Yeah. But you lose a brother at what age? I was in my 30s.

Oh, you were older. Yeah, I was older. You know, a tragic car accident while he was away at college. And, yeah, yeah. And then a year later, lost our father, lost my dad. So, you know, it was back-to-back harboring. Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

That changes. Talk about life-shifting moments. Yeah. And then me being in the position that I am, you know, taking care of my dad who, you know, we lost him to complications from type two diabetes. And, you know, so being in the position to, you know, taking over the family as a patriarch, you know, before we lost my dad. And so making sure he was good and then losing my brother and then my dad after that.

So, yeah, really puts life into perspective. Yeah. All at one time. That was a struck. That was probably had to be a tough stretch. It was. And I remember driving home from my father's wake. I remember I had to pull the car over to the side of the road and just call home and have somebody come pick me up because I've never felt emotion like that before.

and I felt my heart breaking. And so I know what it feels like to have a broken heart. So anybody out there whose heart I've ever broken, I apologize and I'm sorry. And I never meant to put you through that. And I apologize from the bottom of my heart because I know how that feels. Did you not know before that moment? I did not know before that moment. Really? Because you had already been through divorce and right?

No, no, that was after. That was after. That was after. But I had, no, I had, you know, I had, I had no idea what that felt like. And I remember having to pull my car over to the side of the road, not knowing where I was. And I've driven these streets my entire life. I had to pull up a sudden. And I was like, where are you?

I said, I have no idea. I have no idea. And I just looked around. And I couldn't see through the emotion and through the tears. And I finally told them where I was. and my best friend came and picked me up. But yeah, I felt my heartbreaking. Yeah.

And yeah, so it was. Yeah, it was. It's interesting because when I think about actors and what you guys do for a living, like you have to pull on these real-life experiences. Yeah. I wonder if that moment you've had to pull that or use that. I can't think if I've had to pull that emotion out.

Yeah. I've touched upon it. You know, it's interesting in the world in which I live as an actor. It's crazy for what we do because we have to call upon emotions and everything that the average person wants to forget and keep hidden and never want to relive. But we have to do this on a constant basis. And, you know, that's why therapy is good. Yeah. Get in there.

Yeah. He's got to get in there. Yeah. It really is freeing, guys. I'm just putting it out there. It is. And that's another thing that, you know, me and my boys we talk about, you know, especially coming from the communities that some of us come from, you know,

therapy wasn't something that, you know, we thought was for us. And, you know, mental health, you know, I'm a proponent for that. You know, that's why I'm out in the community talking about those things. And, you know, I just want everybody out there to know that it's okay to not be okay, you know. It's okay to pull over on the side of the road. Yeah, it's okay to pull over on the side of the road. It's okay to make a phone call. It's okay to talk to your friends.

Say I'm not good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We need to know that. Yeah. It feels so much better to say it out loud than to walk around holding that inside.

It does. Yeah. For sure. What is that, what do you think, as you talk about your father so lovingly, what do you think makes a good, and you're a father. yourself. What do you think makes a good father? What has been your experience? Wow. You know what? Okay, I'm going to start out with me as a father. Yeah. Thinking that I needed to provide and give my children everything that I didn't have, right? That's what you thought. That was part of it. Yeah.

And it's a lot more than that. It's a lot more than the tangible things. And I'm having conversations with my children, my son in particular, you know, having conversations and understanding, that my presence is needed in more than just me being there, but to also let them know that they are being seen and heard, which is something that I didn't always do. So you didn't always do it? I didn't always do that. Did you receive that from your father?

No. No. So, you know, those are things that... Is he like an old-school man's man? Yeah, old-school man, yeah. You know, didn't understand my dreams and aspirations of becoming an actor because my father worked with his hands. He must have been so proud of you, though.

He was. Yeah. He was. But didn't understand, earlier on, didn't understand my dreams to become an actor. You know what I'm saying? That ain't real. That's not a job. Yeah.

You know, didn't understand that. But later on in life, he got it. He saw the passion that I had. You know, he saw this from the age of nine. He saw what I was doing this on my own. It's not like, you know, my mother. and my dad took me someplace. You know, I found acting schools on my own and conservatories and all kinds of.

So, you know, early on, this is, this is, I was like, no, this is what I'm going to do with my life. You were a little kid on a mission. Yeah, this is the only thing that prepared myself to do in life. You know, call it naivete, call it foolishness or whatever. It's one thing to be a kid with a dream to be an actor. It's another thing to actually create that dream to come true, but also then to have the actual talent. And the gift? Yes.

Like, do you believe what you have as a gift? I do. I don't call it a talent. You know, it's a gift that I have. And it's a gift that I'm supposed to share with the world. You know, that's my responsibility. And then someone told me about, and I was telling them about that. And I'm like, oh, so you must know about the parables of gifts from the Bible.

And I was like, no, I don't. And so they explained to me, you know, three men were blessed with gifts. this is the basics of it. One guy buried his gift in the ground. He kept it to himself. The other guy multiplied it by five. The other guy multiplied it by 10. So when the wise man came back, he said, what did you do with your gifts? And he said, I did this and I shared it and I multiplied it by 10. And he blessed him. And he went on. He said, what did you do with your gifts? He said, I did this? And I multiplied it by five. And he blessed him. He moved on. And he said, what did you do with your gifts? He said, I hit it in the ground and I kept it to myself. He said,

you are to be banished in the corner to grind your teeth for eternity. Because these gifts that I gave you weren't supposed to be kept for you. They were supposed to be shared. Had no idea about the parable of gifts. This was, but this was something that I believed since I was a child. And so that's, and I understood the connection that I had to God, to a higher power, to whatever it is that you may subscribe to. but I realized that I have a connection and I understood that connection at a very early age. And it was scary at times to feel that and to understand and to experience that connection that I have. I no longer want anything in life because all that ever did was create a want for it. I claim things as my own.

And I, that's how I live. No, no, no, I have to understand that. What do you mean? You don't have you ever wanted something, want to go someplace, wanted something, and never and never got it, right? And you want to know why you want those things, you never had? Because in wanting for those things, all you do or all you did was create a want for it. You never claimed it as your own. You never said, I will have this. I will have that bag. I will have that guy. I will have that girl. I will take this trip. You never claimed it. You never saw yourself having it. You just. I said, I want this. So you're just creating a perpetual want for whatever that thing is, as opposed to claiming it for yourself. A little thing that I tell myself before every audition or whatnot or meeting or whatever it is they may have, I claim it as my own if it's meant for me to have. That's all I can do. If it's mine, it's mine. And I'm going to get it. Trust and believe. Everything in this room is mine, except for this microphone, I'm going to. going to come in here and I'm going to take everything out of here except this microphone

because it's mine. It's not greed. It's not anything. No, I've claimed it and I've been told that it's mine, but you can't touch this. Cool. I'm going to leave that. And that's what it is. You've been told by who? I've been told by the higher power by whomever. Yeah. I've claimed it. Yeah. You know, I can claim a lot of things. And I'm claiming that bottle, the glass of water right there. It's like, nah, it ain't yours. Yeah, but I've claimed it. I'm like, yeah, but I understand it's not mine. You know what's, you know what's for you.

Right. You know, if that makes sense, right? Am I making sense to you? You know if you're claiming something that's not, if it's like a false claim? Is that what you mean? Is that what you mean? Or you just believe.

But sometimes I just put it out in the universe. Oh. You know what I'm saying? And I claim it. Okay. And if it's truly mine, it will come to me. I'm trying to think about what I, what is mine that I haven't claimed yet.

See how I just fixed. See how I just self-correve it. I was about to say, I'm trying to think about what I want. No. Yeah. And I try to change the way that I speak and stop telling myself, I want that. Because I understand that all, by saying that I want this, all I'm doing is creating a want for it. I'll never get it.

So I'm going to clean this glass of water as my. That's your own. Yeah. And if it doesn't happen, you change. And if it doesn't happen, then it wasn't meant for me. Yeah. And that's how, excuse me, that's how I've been able to get through auditions, And everything and all of that because it wasn't mine.

It's meant for you. It's meant for that person right there. What was the last big thing you claimed that actually became your... Star Search. Yeah. Even though it was offered to me, it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be mine. You know, hey, Anthony, are you interested in auditioning? Or not auditioning.

Are you interested in hosting Star Search? Yeah. Why would you say that? Well, they just got a call and said, you know, you're interested. So, yeah, I'm down. So I go through my thing. You know, I claim this as mine if it's meant for me to have. And at one point, it wasn't mine. Then I was like, okay, well, it wasn't mine. Then all of a sudden it came back. And I didn't trip off of it. I'm like, okay. It wasn't yours at that time. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I'll tell you, I'll tell the story. It's a long story. And I've told this before, but I like telling the story. at one point I was making

I've made 53 movies in a short period of time in my career who talk that shit yeah which is phenomenal and I was always making these movies and I was going up to Canada making these movies

and I would always say I want to leave the country and make a movie and I would always end up in Canada and one day it dawned on me this is a lesson in specificity and being specific in what we ask for. It dawned to me that I was doing exactly what I said. I said I wanted to make a movie in another country. I went up to Canada and made another movie, but that's not where I wanted to be.

You know, I was like, oh, Canada. Canada, all you needed to enter Canada was a birth certificate. It was like, okay, all right, you know what? I'm not claiming specific things for what it is that I see myself doing. I asked for this and it came to me in the most general form, which can still be of no use to me because it didn't come to me the way that I wanted it, the way that I needed it to. So at that moment, I said the next movie I make will be shot overseas

and I will need a passport to enter the country. Three days later, I got a call. Hey, Anthony, Jerry Bruckheimer wants to meet with you. You're on a very short list for a movie that he's making that's going to shoot in Australia for six months. Wow. Okay. What's the name of the movie? A movie is called, at that time, it was called Down and Under.

The movie eventually became Kangaroo Jack. So, before my meeting with Jerry, Bruchheimer, I said, I claim this as my own if it's meant for me. to have. Is this in prayer or this is just in your thoughts? It's in my thoughts. And it's in my thoughts. And I put it out loud. It's across the board for me. I go to have my, I go have my audition. One of the best auditions that I've ever had in my life. I walk out of the audition was about 45 minutes. I went in with Jerry O'Connell, who was my co-star, who was already cast as the lead. And I walked out of the audition, drenched in sweat. Like, I dove into a swimming pool. I don't know what was going on with us in this audition, but that is what happened.

I came out, drenched and sweat. A week later, I get a call. Jerry, Bruchhammer loved you, your cast in Down Under Kangaroo Jack. I was like, okay, cool. I know I'm going to be in Australia for six months. This is how I want to live in Australia. I saw myself living a certain way, and I said, I wake up every morning and when I go to sleep every night, the Sydney Opera House has to be

outside my window. I get to Australia with the family. We're in a hotel. I'll open up the window what's outside the window. Oh my God. The Sydney Opera House. Come on, Master Manifester. I don't, I don't want to sit. I don't want to live in a hotel for six months. I want the comforts of home. So I saw how I wanted to live while I was in Australia. I never told me. I never told to the realtor. But I called the realtor up and she took me to some places. The very first place she took me to was how I saw myself living. Took me to a bunch of places and I said, I want the first place. We get it. It's in the place called Potts Point, right? And the sitter on a hill. It's on the 12th floor. It's a corner unit. The apartment is about 3,000 square feet,

panoramic views, ceiling to floor windows, and outside my window was the downtown Sydney Skyline, the Sydney Opera House, North Sydney, Sydney, Harbor Bridge, North Sydney Island, and double bay water all around it. Wow. And so I'm sitting there one day. It's about 3 o'clock in the morning. And I was like, wow, this is pretty fucking dope. I'm looking around.

It's pitch black outside except for the everything. that's lit up. Life comes on. I'm flicking through the television. Now, life is my very first movie. I'm flicking through the television and life comes on. I was like, oh shit. Smoking a joint. I'm a little high. And I was like, oh my God, I haven't even come on the screen yet from my first appearance in this movie. And I was like, here I come. And I'm sitting there. And that's when it hit me. I had an epiphany. And I looked at, and I looked at, at how I'm living and I look at what I've manifested and I looked at what I've asked for

and I looked at what I've claimed. And I'm sitting here looking at my life while I'm watching the movie life, which was my very first movie, which was, in my opinion, my birth into the movie industry and because of what I did in that movie and the success of my movie got me my next opportunity. And those opportunities got me, Kangaroo Jack, and this is the life that I'm living now. And I look around and I see it how I'm living in life and I'm watching life, the birth into this industry. And that's when it hit me. I was like, okay, this is powerful.

And I understand my connection. I understand how I manifest things into my life and how I understand how I ask for things. and I claim things as my own. So when I talk to young actors and when I talk to people, I tell them about that. I tell them about claiming everything that they see for themselves as their own.

And it will happen. Stop wanting for things and claim those things. And you will have them. That's what I do. And I can sit here as a living testament to that. I believe. I'm going to restructure some ways

I'm thinking about a few things right after this interview. Yeah. That's so good, Anthony. Yeah. So has that ever failed you? Has there ever been a moment you claim something or really, I know the word want, but like really wanted something. And it and I don't, I don't see it as failure because it wasn't meant for me, Angie.

Yeah, got it. It wasn't meant for me. Yeah. You know, it wasn't going to open up the next opportunity or wasn't going to give me the experience that I needed in my life that I didn't probably didn't even know. that I needed. You know, and I, I've never been upset at another actor or another person getting the gig that I was up for because it wasn't mine. And I always tell people, I was like, you can't compare yourself to anyone else and you can't judge them or judge yourself.

I was like, that's their journey. That's their path. And I was like, that was destined for them. That was predetermined for them. And you can't worry about that, no matter how you feel it was going to change. your life, no matter how big it may have ended up for them. It may not have been that way for you. It may not have.

But my reality is I didn't get it because it wasn't mine. Was it for you? Yeah. And I know as long as I prepare myself the way that I'm supposed to prepare myself before I enter any audition, any meeting or whatever, because I am the only constant in the equation. Every equation of life that I'm a part of The only constant is me Everything else around me is going to change But I'm the only constant

So when I go to work Or when I go to prepare myself for work I prepare to the best of my ability And I go in there And as long as I give it my all And I know I did what I was supposed to do I can't Hands up

I can't do anything else about it Yeah I can't do anything else about it It's an easier way to live to like It is It's our sleep at night Yeah, good for you. I can't be like, oh, shit, why the fuck didn't I?

No, I'm gonna do this. I got it. Boom, I'm here. All right, I gave it. Fucking left an audition. Like I got sweaty. Like I got out of a pool. I was like, I left it all on the floor in there.

Yeah, now it's in God's sense. Now it's what's for me is for me. And it's all subjective anyway to whoever is there. I can just be the best that I can be. Yeah, for sure. That's it. What is it that in your life right now in this phase of your life? Like, what is it that you're,

manifesting for yourself now or what is it that you're, I don't know, working towards or claiming. What are you claiming that you haven't received yet? Constant. Not that I haven't received, but I just want constant peace in life, you know, and however that comes from, wherever that comes from. Golf course, maybe. Golf course, relationships, work.

All of that. I just want peace. And, you know, I'm 55 now, you know, I didn't know I've been doing this 30 years. You just, you said three decades. And I was like, she's lying. I was like, oh, wait a minute. Nope. I have been. We have a record of it. Yeah. You know, it's crazy. I think about my last real job before I got my first real book, my first gig, which was in the house with L.L. Kul J. and Debbie Allen back on NBC. Wow. Yeah. Well, I did that. I was working for Ticketmaster. And my last job, I worked in the phone, the call center for Ticketmaster. Thank you for calling Ticketmaster where MasterCard is the smart way to pay. This call may be monitored for quality assurance. This is Anthony speaking.

How may I help you? I had to do that eight hours a day, five days a week, making $5.50 an hour with a daughter. With a daughter. With a daughter. Wow. And a fiancé at the time. Wow. Yeah.

So, yeah, that was my. last gig and I think about, you know, the things that have happened in those 30 years. Yeah. It's so crazy. I didn't realize how much we have a, you know, my 30 years ago. I was, hi, my name is Angie. I'm calling you to ask you what songs you listen to on the radio. I'm from a music research program.

I did my version of that. Oh, yeah. In the space that I'm in this very soon. Yeah. No, that's crazy. That's amazing. I also, in college, I also had to call you at night and try to sell you encyclopedias and shit. Encyclopedias is crazy.

I was like, but it was a gig. But, you know, but I just, you know, I pray for, you know, what I want. I want more wisdom, patience, you know what I'm saying? Peace, understanding, happiness, joy. I want all the things that every, I would hope everybody else wants that. And that's where I am right now. show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet, Florida Sportsbook. The big game matchup is set, guys, and Hard Rock Bet has all the different ways that you can get in on

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Casino bonus credit has a one-time wage requirement must be 21 or older and present in Michigan or New Jersey to play. Gambling problem call 1-800 gambler. What about in love, Anthony? We've seen you on the carpet with Roxy, which is very cute and interesting, especially for those of us

that know Roxy for the years. Yeah. And to be friends with somebody for that long and then start dating them is an interesting dynamic. How long have this been going on? And, you know, it was something that just happened. It would, you know, we just happened to be in the same place at the same time, at the right time. You mean in life? In life.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. In life. Did you always kind of have a crush, though, even back in the day? No, you know, honestly, I did not. You did watch 106 in Park. I watched 106 in Park. He's like, oh, she a cutie cutie, but never it was like, I got to get my dad.

You know, we laughed about. That was like, no, it was never that for me. And we've known each other since. I met Roxy with Kevin Liles before she started 106 in part. Oh, wow. I remember I was riding with Kev and he said, I got to go meet somebody. And I was like, okay, cool. And this is crazy.

I was in New York. I was in the back of his Maybach and we pulled up. And it was Roxy that he was talking to. And we sit up there and I was like, yeah, I met you. And she said, yeah, I don't remember you. And so we laugh about it. But then we've become friends over, you know, almost 20 years, you know, play spades, games and all that. We're in the same friend group and all that.

And it just so happened that we just happened to be in the same place at the same time in our lives. And this happened. And I welcome it. And the difference now is I'm learning or I've learned to prioritize a better balance. in life, in my personal life, and not be just strictly about work and about what the next project is going to be, you know, because I'm no longer in that space. I do think there's something to be said about timing and you being at a place in your life where you can be in a different type of relationship.

It's like, I don't know. I don't think people talk about that enough, about the timing of connecting with somebody. Right. Whereas, like, Roxy gets to get like an evolved version of you. Yeah. You know what I'm sure? I'm not perfect. I'm not.

Hell, I get to get an involved version of myself. You know, it's crazy. And things happen, again, about asking for things and manifesting things in your life. At one point, not too long ago, I sat back and thought about the relationship that I would like to have at this point in my life. And I realized that I was never going to have that if I was to continue doing what I was doing. Not that it was crazy. And I was like, but hold on.

If this is what you want, these are the changes that you have to make. And I made those changes. And I believe you receive what you're asking for. And I ask for this relationship with whomever it was going to be with. And once I cleared a path and a way for that to happen and to come in my life, it happened. And this is where I am right now. I love that. Yeah.

And it's a beautiful thing. Yeah. Is it weird for you to be in a pub, for you guys to be so public? Because there's so much interest in it. Yeah. You know, is that weird to kind of balance? I've always thought it was weird that, you know, people wanted to know about other people's relationships.

I think it's not, it's none of my business. So, yeah, it's weird to be walking down the shit. Or just to, we all went to and played in the carpet. Yeah, the carpet. But even before that, we went to an escape room and went to had lunch. But it was my son, myself, and Roxy. But, you know, in all the photos, they cropped my son out. And, you know, made it, made a big news.

So it was, but look, we're both public figures and all that. And it's an interest of the public and all that. But everybody wants to be in somebody's business. Everybody wants a story to tell. Everybody wants to say. They love a love story too. Love story specifically. Yeah.

And hopefully this is a wonderful love story. Yes. But I made a way for it. I made a way for it to happen in my life and for me to have the relationship that I feel I deserve and a relationship that I feel that I need and want at this point in my life as a 55-year-old man. It must be nice to have. someone because she's, she's, she hasn't stopped working her whole career. She hasn't stopped. Not, not at all.

Her hustle is, her still, I see her showing up, set, doing, interviewing this, doing, working on this project. Is that a night, that must be a nice thing to have somebody who kind of understands that, that. It is. It is, it's great to have somebody who understands the business, who and who's in the business that, you know, support you and, and I support her. Did she cheerlead the first episode of Star Search? Is she like a fan of the show? Does she the type of girlfriend that comes home and goes, you could have did this better or that was really funny, babe?

Or like, you know what I'm saying? Do you get that kind of? She is a fan of the show. She was there for our first episode last week. And, you know, she supports it, talks about it on her news segment, on ABC News and Good Morning America and all of it. You know, we have a great relationship. Working and personally.

Look at that. Yeah. And Star Search must be fun. I mean, because you care so much about even the mentor, you talked about mentoring people. Yes. It just must be exciting to be around such young, fresh talent. It is exciting to be there. You know, I grew up wanting to be on Star Search.

They used to have an acting competition on the original version. That's right. I remember that. And I remember sitting at home, it was like, Mama, we got to get me to Hollywood. So I can audition for this because I can do this much better than than what they're doing. I can do this. And we never made it there.

But here I am now. Do you have a compassion for them? Like, do you, are they, I don't know, do you give them? You know, I try to give them notes as I can be. I'm not a judge, but I don't want it to seem biased or anything like that. So like, like the judges never see any of the performances until the show, until we do the show live. because we do the show live Tuesday and Wednesday nights on Netflix.

So in rehearsals or run-throughs and camera blocking, I get to be there with the talent. And so they perform and then they come to center stage and I go through my whatever it is telling people how to vote and all that. But I also get a chance to have a conversation with them about how did they feel about their performance, you know, how do they feel about the judge's reaction to them. And in that, I ask questions or I'll give,

I'll give them, I try to give them notes without them being notes and hopefully they pick up on it and hopefully they're handlers if they're the young contestants, their mothers or fathers or whoever is there with them. It's like, yo, that was a good thing that Anthony said. There was a young singer on there and I didn't see him connecting with the audience, you know, in rehearsal. Even though there was no audience, he was up there singing during a great job, but there was no connection. So when I brought him center stage, I was like, hey, I love the way that you connected with the people in the audience as if you were singing to them directly. I said, that's going to take you a long way while you're on Star Search. What do you think about your performance? So I dropped

little nuggets like that in rehearsals without being overbearing and all of that because I know what that means. And that's what our judges are there for. That's what Jellyroll and Chrissy Teigen and Sarah Michelle Geller is therefore to give constructive criticism and inside as well as judging or giving their one to five star. But it's fun to be the host of the show, you know, steering that ship live. It's crazy. Such an iconic, iconic institution. It is.

And to sit there and host this. And you're the perfect host. Look, I've hosted live shows before. I've hosted the Emmys. I've hosted 10 NACP Image Awards. You know, I've hosted the solo train and BET Awards. Those shows are live as well. So I have that experience.

But to do this with Netflix with no commercial breaks and the world is watching, not just America, the world. And for the audience to be able to vote in real time with these contestants on the show, it's pretty amazing. Because whoever's viewing show has a say in it. It's not just the three in studio judges. They have a say in it. from watching the show. And I love it. You're like the perfect person of the world.

I don't know who it was going to when it was out of your wheelhouse, but I can't imagine. I can't imagine anybody else hosting it. It wasn't meant for them. All right, so I have two segments. One is our IRL voice note. Okay.

Presented by Blue's Mobile. It is our, uh, it's usually a fan or a, I don't know, somebody from either from the show or from yours who has a question or comment. Hi, Anthony. I'm a huge fan. I was a big fan of Blackish. and my family watch it every week when it was on air. I'm an aspiring stand-up comedian and trying to look for acting rules.

How do you stay confident, saying no to opportunities that don't align with you when you honestly really need a job to pay the bills? What's his name? Got no name, got no-name, got on nothing. Not to the no-name actor slash comedian who called in. First, I would say, get a name and make sure the world knows your name. But, you know, here's an interesting thing. When I didn't feel there were opportunities for me, I'm not going to answer your question in order, but I'm going to answer it.

When I didn't feel there are opportunities for me, I went out and created my own opportunities. You know, let's not forget about that. You go out and create opportunities when you don't see an opportunity for yourself. And I have been fortunate enough to have had success in that with Blackish, with my very first television show that I created all about the Anderson's and whatnot. Never be afraid to challenge things and to take on a challenge for yourself. There were many a time when I was up for something in a movie or not even considered for something in a movie because the character, was it written black, was it written for me? And this is where I go with in challenging. I was like, well, why can't it be me?

You know, the ethnicity of this character means nothing to the story. It can be anybody. So why can't I come in and read for this? And I was able to change the minds of casting directors and directors and whatnot and get an opportunity to read for different characters than what they saw me as. And sometimes even be cast as that. But also, just be true to yourself and be your author. authentic self. And that's what I would say. And that comes in the form of telling your story, since you say you're a comic, a stand-up, you know, be your authentic self and tell your story

and tell it from your point of view and have a perspective on things. And that's what's going to set you apart. It's not about being a cookie cutter. It's like, oh, so-and-so did it this way, so-and-so did it this way. No, they did it their way. So, So do it your way as well. Hey, guys, support for this podcast is brought to you by Walden University. Have you ever thought to yourself, what if I could go after what I actually want? And I can really make a difference. Well, you are not alone.

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Come on, Anthony. Okay. And finally our I are a bowl of questions. Brought to you by Walden University. I don't have my glasses on. Let's see. I hope it's good. If we don't.

It's a long one. Uh-oh. If your heart had a rule book, what are two qualities that would be written in bold when it comes to a partner and why. That's intense. It is. My heart had a rule book. First rule would be to be honest.

To be honest about what it is, to be honest about who you are, to be honest about what it is that you're looking for, in a partner, and to be honest in what it is, that you want in a relationship, that's one thing. I'm gonna give you a whole lot. Be consistent in who you are. Be the same person that that person met

and that fell in love with. Never forget who that is and what attracted that person to you. You can't switch up midstream. It's like, oh, I got you now. No. So you have to be connected. consistent in all of that. Be patient, be understanding.

I think that that's enough. That's good, right? Are you all those things? I'm trying to become better at all of those things. And to be honest, it's an adjustment. You know, I was in a relationship and in a marriage for 33 years. So, you know, some of these things are, are they're hard to break.

They're not unbreakable. Habits. Just said, yeah, just old habits that you have to retrain, retrain yourself or train yourself differently. And, you know, some old habits you really don't want anyway, you know, regardless of the relationship. It's like, because we talk about evolving. It's like, you know, I want to change.

I'm no longer that person. But these habits that I have seem to bring me. back to being that person and I don't want that cycle. So yeah, it's, you know, you have to be cognizant of conscious and conscious of that in yourself. So I'm becoming a better me. I'm no, I'm no longer the Anthony Anderson that I was, you know, 10 years ago, five years ago, shit, two years ago. So yeah, I am, I'm getting better at becoming those things. What's fun to watch you. Oh, thank you. It is fun to watch you.

It's fun to be on this journey. Yeah. Yeah. It's exciting. It's exciting. It's exciting for me. Yeah. What is Anthony Anderson doing in five years?

Ooh. What am I doing in five years? I will tell you this. You and I are going to be playing better golf together in five years. I'll take it. I love that. I love that you will, that not only for yourself, but you put me in it. What the people need to know is that I was there when you, I don't know if it was the first

time you play golf, but I was there in the very beginning for you. It was tragic. And a year to the date, the year to the day later, I was there when you were playing much better golf at the same event. Yeah. So, and we've been traveling the world playing golf with each other and around each other. Isn't it such a wonderful, isn't it just like a wonderful thing to do? It is. I love it so much. So we will definitely be doing that together in five years. What will I be doing in five years? Hopefully, still doing Star Search Live on Netflix. And probably wrapping up or in the midst of another successful television show that people will be talking about 20 years down the line.

Like, they will be talking about Blackish, like they've been talking about the Cosby show, like they've been talking about All in the Family, like they've been talking about Martin, like they've been talking about all the great shows. ahead of them. So hopefully that's what I will be doing in five years and doing another five-year reunion on IRL. Yay! We'll do an IRL reunion. I'm claiming it for us. I love that. Yeah, I'm claiming it for us.

Well, all that's going to happen because you are the master manifest. Yes, ma'am. The master manifester. Anthony Anderson, the master manifesto. Sounds like an old episode of Seinfeld, the master masturbator. Excuse me. That was the episode. That would open a whole other line of questioning,

which unfortunately we don't have time for today. But thank you so much. And my final outro question for you, Anthony, is it's in the bowl, too. It's one of my favorite ones in the bowl. If God were to send you a text today, what would it say? Oh, keep doing what I put you on this earth to do? And it's not just entertaining. I'll say this about, I believe my energy was put on this earth to entertain.

I said that earlier, but that is why I'm here to share this gift. And it's crazy that I'm in the medium to do just that. Television, stage, film, movies, live shows. I've always said that I wanted to have an effect and an effect on people's lives with my work. And because of my work that takes me around. around the world to have conversations like this. So I believe his text to me would be continue to do what I put you on this earth to do. Anthony Anderson, ladies and gentlemen.

Well done, sir. Thank you. This is Anthony Anderson in real life. Hey, guys, thanks for watching. Make sure you subscribe, like, comments, and check out all of the other episodes we have on Andrew Martinez, IRO podcast. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.