The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Bruce Bruce Talks Comedy Upbringing, Bernie Mac, Katt Williams, Social Media Comics + More

Episode Date: April 8, 2024

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Wake that ass up, early in the morning, The Breakfast Club. Morning everybody, it's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, we are The Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building. The legend. Bruce Bruce. What's crackin' baby? Welcome, how you feelin'? Everything's good, man.

Everything is good? Yeah. Man, why are comedians always so early, man? That's something we notice. Well, yeah, I'm always prompt on everything, man. That's just why I was ready. Two hours early, Bruce Bruce. Oh man, that's why I'm doing it. My grandmother used to say, if you're on time, prompt on everything, man. That's just why I was ready. Two hours early, Bruce Bruce. Oh, man, that's why I'm doing it. My grandmother said, if you're on time,

you're late. Damn. That's fact. So you got to be on time. But then the traffic here is a monster. That's true. Nobody drives in the lane up here. Nobody. The buses, police, nobody. They just drive like they want to. And what's crazy, they got lanes. Some of them got their own lanes. And still don't drive in their lanes. Yeah.

This is the first time Bruce Bruce has been on the show for us. And I want to, you know, sometimes when somebody comes for the first time, I want to start from the beginning. Right. Okay. Now, I know your story because I've been studying you. I've been following you. But for people that don't know, how did Bruce Bruce get into comedy? And I want you to explain your job before comedy.

Well, you know, I used to be a chef. I can cook like a mug. And, you know, everywhere I go, I used to always be funny. So I hired this guy one time. I was running a barbecue restaurant. He's an older guy. Older guy. And he said, he used to watch me in the kitchen when I first started, when he first started. And he's watching.

He said, you need to go on stage. And I didn't pay him attention. He said, I'm going to bring you something tomorrow. He brought me this album. You know, back in the day, he had an album. He was a comedian. But he was ex-nave. He was an alcoholic. He said, don't waste your time on this job, man. You need to this album. You know, back in the day, he had an album. He was a comedian. But he was ex-Navy. He was an alcoholic. He said, don't waste your time on this job, man. You need to go on stage. You know what I did? I quit because I had a family.

I was young, man. I had three kids. Man, I went and started working for Frito-Lay Potato Chips, selling potato chips. And the whole time I'm selling potato chips and on the dock, I'm just funny, acting crazy. So good old white dudes say, you know, you need to go on stage. I see you here every morning. You're not a white guy. You need to go on stage.

You're funny. I look at comedians every Friday, Saturday night, you know, and you're going to stay. And when I took that step, man, I knew that's where I should have been my whole entire life. And what made me take that step? I was going through a divorce. You know what I'm saying? And my ex-wife said, you'd never make it. I'm like,

what? Why'd she tell you that? So I just looked at-wife said, you'll never make it. I'm like, what? Why'd she tell you that? No reason to say it. So I just looked at her and said, I'll see you on TV. You know what I'm saying? And it's been gone. I've been doing it now 35 years. And what made you, what made y'all get married if she wasn't supportive?

Because you said you never made it. Well, you know, we're young. I was young. You know, I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. You know, you get a girl pregnant. You know, you got to marry her, all this crazy stuff. And I did the You know, you get a girl pregnant, you know, you got to marry all this crazy stuff. And I did the same thing. My oldest son is 43, man.

Hey, my baby boy is 40. My daughter's 38. Wow. You've been going raw for a long time. I've been laying down. Pull out game was terrible. You know what I'm saying?

It was pull out, pull out game was terrible. I was just laying down. It was crazy, man. You know, I just didn't think just doing it, you know,

and when you're young, you just do that until you get somebody older. Hey, you need to watch yourself. You know what I'm saying? And that's what we need to start doing as older guys. Let them know, man, this ain't no game. Who taught you how to cook? My uncle.

My uncle, man, he was like five. Yeah, Uncle Paul. He was about five feet tall, about a 98 in the waist. You hear me playing? He looked like a head with a belt on. You know what I'm saying? He was my partner partner though, man. And he raised me. And he taught me about

life. He taught me about how to treat women. He taught me about being on time. Because he was a baker. He used to deliver cakes. We got to be there on time. But he would never, ever drive on the highway. Ever. Ever. I'm talking, we got to go straight back road.

Boy, they'll run your tail over on that highway, you know what I'm saying? He was real superstitious. I never did believe in that. You know, he'd see a black cat walk the street, but he'd go turn around. You put your hat on the bed, oh no, you can't do that. You sweep his feet, you got to spit the brew. You know, he was just super

superstitious. Don't never let a woman touch your wallet. You ain't going to never have no money. Man, ain't nobody believing in that crap. Don't let a woman buy you no shoes. Walk out your life. You know, the time is out your life. He was real superstitious, but other than that, man, he was a great, great guy, man.

You remember the first dish that you learned to cook? Oh, yeah, man. I can cook a steak and make a joke or cry. White folks be clapping. Oh, yeah, white folks be clapping, black people be hollering yeah you get the capital for the barbecue spot well I was I started down with John I'm gonna tell you how my mother is just me I'm the only child my mother ever had and we were struggling I was living the hood and I was in an area called bluff it was a man let me

tell you man she needed some help so So I went and applied for this job. This guy knew, worked at a barbecue restaurant. And I applied and I told him I was 17. I was 14. You know what I'm saying? So I was working, man. I was cleaning up. So I had been there about three months in this old white guy named Edwin.

I said, let me ask you something. He was the man. He said, how old are you really? He said, you work good and everything. He said, but you're not 17. I said, no, I'm 14. He said, why are you working? I said, good and everything he said but you're not 17 i said no i said i'm 14 he said why are you working i said well i got to help my mom he said well i tell you what it's gonna be our little secret you know he he kept me because i was a good worker everything

he told me to do i did it and i just kind of followed in and started watching these guys cook and i knew how to cook come on they had been showing me how to do everything next thing i know man i was running the pit, man. I was cooking barbecue and everything at like 16 years old. Oh, so you didn't own it? No. Oh, okay, okay, okay.

I was working there, man. Got you. Now, you also mentioned that you were an only child. Only child. Your father left at the age of five? Yeah, he was four or five.

He was in the Air Force and he was a medic in the Air Force and he was a, he flew choppers and airplanes and when he, when he got out, he was an anesthesiologist. Now he was, uh, um, he flew choppers and airplanes. And when he,

when he got out, he was an anesthesiologist. Now, was it important to, to mend that relationship before he passed? Or did you? I did. I did. My mother said,

I just wanted to know. I remember him. I'm going to say, what you looking for him for? You know, cause they'd be mad, but my mother really ran him off. You know what I mean?

She was just, she ran him off and she was a monster, man. You know what I'm saying? Did your dad say that? Oh no, I just told her. I told man. You know what I'm saying? Did your dad say that? Oh, no. I just told her. I told her.

You know what I'm saying? I'm like, man, this dude is cool. He was really cool, you know. But she's like, I don't want to, you know, everything he tried to do, she just knocked it down. Like, but she was listening to her girlfriends. That's why I try to tell all these young girls, don't listen to no woman that ain't got no man.

That's right. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? If you got a woman, if you got a girlfriend, you got a husband, she's not a true husband, but a woman that don't have a man, she can't tell you nothing. But he, I mean, he just left and he never, ever called us. Ever. And my

mother didn't even know she was divorced. He did a non-contested divorce because my mother just worked, come home, never went anywhere. So when she said, I think I'm going to get a divorce. And when she went to do it, they said, you're already divorced. You're non-cont contestant you put it in the newspaper for 30 days you don't answer the ad bam you're divorced

he was already gone he was gone man I got married three more times I found him when I was like 40 years old so he knew who you were he knew exactly who I was he knew exactly who I was no my son looked like him though my baby boy looks just like him but it's funny how I dip over you know what I'm saying but um he i met with him and we talked and we stayed in touch and he ended up

passing away about 17 years ago my mother passed away 14 years ago wow yeah you and your mom ever have to talk did you ever have to say to your mom mom it was you yeah she said you know i was wrong she said i didn't care she said but i had other boyfriend you know my mom fooled around see parents don't tell you they care. She said, but I had other boyfriends. You know, my mama fooled around. See, parents don't tell you. They try to tell you to do the right thing, but they'll do the wrong thing in front of you. You know what I'm saying? Those old dudes used to go with names. David, you know, had platform shoes with taps on them.

You remember platform? He had taps on platform shoes. He'd come up the steps, clock out, clock out. Clock out, how your mama doing? Then he'll tell me, hey, come here. Let me give you a few dollars. Go down and get you a Coca-Cola, you something like that I know what he's finna do finna get us some tail you know what I'm saying

he gets you gets you a tail I run right out the house you know I know what he's finna do I don't want no fool you know what I'm saying but he was cool he was cool to me he treated me very nice but she had this one boyfriend she's crazy but I don't know what's up with women with this one dude that they like and he ain't nothing I mean man he wasn't nothing man he dog my mom my man he was he was

married she didn't know he's married damn but she's over there he's over there every day every day eating yeah yeah god is a good god you know how to joke with you yeah god is a good god and let me tell you what happened when i was in school, four of us used to hang together, and we saw him in his truck. And my buddy said, man, that's your mama's boyfriend? What's your mom? I said, no. I said, that's my mom's boyfriend, but that's not my mom.

It was another lady. So I got out of the car, looked at him, and said, hey, you know I see you, right? He said, oh, hey, how you doing? Played a couple in my mom's house. I told my mother. I said, I seen it with another woman he looked me dead in my eyes that was not he did not see me and my mother believed it the reason she believed it because i didn't like him so she just kind of figured i made up a story about

him and she let it go but it took her girlfriend of hers to see him say i saw that dude with another woman you know i'm? They took her to tell me. She dated him like 16 years, man. Damn. And I don't want to tell you, my mother, I don't want to get married. Okay, you don't want to get married, but this dude's already married, so you can't marry this dude. When she found out, she was like, she was

toe up. Yeah. I heard her. You grew up in the bluff. How close to reality was Snow on the Bluff, the movie? Oh, my God. It was real close. That was the heroin, cocaine, I mean, crack area. But my mother told me if you touch it, I'll kill you.

So I was more scared of my mother than the guys in the street. You know what I'm saying? So I never touched it. I watched them do it. I watched them shoot up everything. No, I can't do that, bro. No, I can't do that. My. No, I can't do that. My mother's great.

My mother's a wrestler. I'm telling you. She have been on WWE. I know what I'm talking about. This lady can scrap, man. So, you know, that's the way. And that movie was really, really serious. But, you know, it was so funny in the hood, being in the hood,

because, you know, the crackheads come. I say, hey, man, dude had bought a video camera. You know, he was filming people and everything. Crackhead said, man dude had bought a video camera you know he was filming people and everything crackheads said man I got a camera like that he said bigger but it's got a two on it and I said what are you talking about he done stole the camera off the channel two news truck the two was

getting ready to do some news in the area he just walked off with the camera so we saw the white guy panicking walking around I said you looking for your camera he said yeah I said I know where it is I said you gonna for you camera man she said yeah I know it is I said you got to give some money get back inside get anything he's how you gonna he's how much you think hundred dollars $20 get your camera back Wow and do brought it back to him just walked off with the kids I gotta care like the number two on it yes the two on a had

channel two on it right it's great many dudes in the hood do had a whole bedroom suit walk down the street with the dresser. Dude make way about 1.30. He said, I got the mirror, the two nightstands and the bed y'all needed. We like, what? Somebody bought it. You know what I'm saying? Dude told me,

said, man, I got a typewriter like that, but only thing, mine different, it's got a TV on it. He didn't realize he had a desktop computer. He said, I got a typewriter like that, but the only thing mine different, it's got a TV on it. He didn't realize he had a desktop computer. He said, I got a typewriter, but it's got a TV on it. Like what?

I know back then, brothers had to press you to try to get in the street, though. Oh, yeah, man. They talk about you, say you're scared, you're punk, all this crap. Hey, man, I'm gonna have to be a punk because my mom didn't play. My mom, my aunt, the neighbors, they didn't play didn't play man you're more scared of your moms than anything oh my god my granddad i was scared him on anything he about six five black real black with roy blue

eyes so my mother said do i need to call your granddad no she would get him on the phone he'll say hey do i need to come up there all i do is hear his voice i ain't no sir she's living get another phone call to see what happened. That joker didn't play, man. Six-five, black, one-scalop, nothing. Warrior blue eyes. And you look at him, you'll drop your head like a runaway slave, you know what I'm saying? He was just that dude, man.

But when I got older, I realized he was really cool. He was a cool dude, but he just believed a child stay in a child place. That's right. And you said your Uncle Paul inspired you as far as comedy because he was the funniest person you know? Oh man, he was funny, man. Okay. He'd tell a lie. Everybody got to help him with his lie. Every lie he'd tell, did I tell him?

Yeah, he told me. Paul ain't saying nothing. Everybody had to help him with his lie, but he was one of the best bakers in the world. He practically raised Gladys Knight back in the day. And they used to call him the sweetbread man practically raised Gladys Knight back in the day. And they used to call him the sweet bread man. And Gladys Knight knew him.

His name was Paul Henson Jr. And he went by the sweet bread man because he was the baker in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the man. And he'd talk about Gladys all the time. But Gladys and I was really raised on the same street. The street was Chestnut Street. They changed it to James P. Brawley. I was on 415. She was on like

785, something like that. Just right up the street, like two blocks up. Did you know her? No, no. I was a little kid. But she lived there with her first husband, you know what I'm saying? But Gladys is a girl, though, man. Wow. How were you able to translate your funny to actually make a career of it with somebody like Uncle Paul, who was funny, couldn't?

I don't know. Uncle Paul was just scared to go. He was scared. See, black people back in the day had the skill to do everything, but they were scared to do it. They had so much fear. See, like young kids now, they'll do it. They'll be like, I don't care. I'll do it. So I just took it and ran with it.

My Uncle was one of the best bakers in the world. He went against bakers from France and Italy, you know, from England, and he beat them all out. You know what I mean? Then he went to, he had a cheesecake that he made that was one of the best cheesecakes in the world, and they tricked him out of it. And didn't have sense enough to get a lawyer and everything. Gave him like $10,000. They clapped, and he was all happy.

Yeah, when he could have got $100 million. You know what I'm saying? But just didn't have the sense and the knowledge to do that at the time. You know, I wanted to know as a child, was Bruce Bruce big as a child? No, man. They used to call me Lil' Bruce, man. I didn't get fat until I got married. I don't know why I got married.

All that kid younger? Oh my God. I wouldn't eat it, man. I was just a little bitty dude just running around, just messing with everybody. I was a little bitty kid, man. But when I got married, I got fat. You know, that's what happened to us as black men. We get complacent. We get complacent with jobs.

We get a job. Let's just say germotus. We make a little money. Oh, man, that's a good job. I don't care nothing about no good job. It's about getting out there, getting it, because it's more than that than getting a good job. I ain't like that question, by the way.

What you mean? I ain't like the question he asked. Wait, what? Was Bruce Bruce little as a child? Oh, that's right. Was he a big child? I wasn't no that question, by the way. What you mean? I ain't like the question he asked. Wait, what? Was Bruce Bruce little as a child? Oh, that's right. Was he a big child? I wasn't no fat kid, man. That's what I'm asking.

That's what he wanted to say. Yeah, he thought I was a good friend. He thought I just couldn't clap my hands. Of course, he was little as a child. He was a kid. Little fat kid couldn't clap his hands. Yeah, I'll clap my hands. Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta.

But no, man, I was a little kid. Little cute joker, man, running around messing with everybody. And, you know, we seem to lose focus, and that's what happened. You lose focus, you start eating crazy, but now I'm back at it, man. I'm 62 years old, man. Wow. Is that where the comedy came from? Because when Bruce Bruce does

a show, and somebody's in the audience saying something, or somebody's wearing something outfit, Bruce Bruce has no problem of attacking the audience if need be. Is that where that came from? I'm a little kid and I gotta start snapping at these kids? When I was younger, I was real scary. Most kids want to admit that I was real scared

to do anything. So people used to talk about me. I'd talk about them back. That's how I learned. I used to talk about this girl, man. This girl, man. She had a ponytail. And we had a ponytail about that long. Look. With a rubber band around it. I walked behind her. I said, girl, how did they do that? She said, do it. I said, make that ox tail right there i said i said you can start on your head your hair still won't touch the floor man this girl's i'm gonna beat you man you know i'm saying i'm

like what man i broke out running i you know i didn't know she was a track star man this girl caught me and beat the brakes off me man i didn't care because i was raised not to hit women so i didn't care she beat me up She laid me on the ground, throw my arms. You know how they throw your arms. I said, what's up now? I said,

your hair still short. So then she said, you're going to be my boyfriend. So I had to be her boyfriend, walk her to school every day. That's when I realized I had something there. You know, I joined her out and talked about it,

but she did like me. And my uncle told me, he said, man, that girl like you. That's why she, that's why she wants you to be a boyfriend. She's like you. I didn't realize that, but I thought she hated my guts, but me, he said, man, that girl like you. That's why she wants you to be a boyfriend. She like you. I didn't realize that, but I thought she hated my guts,

but she really didn't, man. She actually laughed about it. Then she grew up and be drop dead gorgeous. You know? Did y'all still? Oh, no, no, man. No, I can't. I can't do it no more, man. I ain't got it like that. But that's laughter, though. You know, if you can make a girl laugh, you can crack ass. Hey, man, you make them laugh,

you got them. Most women, they just want to laugh. You make them laugh. A lot of guys, when they see women, when they see good looking women, fine women,

nice body, instantly, most guys get intimidated. They be like, oh, she ain't gonna holler at me. She will. You ever see a real fine,

pretty girl with an ugly dude? Yeah. You know what happened? Because he said something to her. He walked up to her. Hey, how you doing? You look good. She's like, you for real?

Yeah, I'm for real. And he with her. You're like, how did this ugly? I know. I got some ugly partners. Oh, my God. I got some dudes scared the cold out your eyes. When you look at them, ooh.

You had to wipe your ass. My God, bro, what happened? You know what I'm saying? But they got the baddest women you ever want to see. But everybody got to understand, though, it's really nothing to it. Just talk to them. That's all they want. What's the most difficult city for you?

Because you're on the road, what, five days a week, four days a week, seven, seven shows. I'm on the road every week. What's the toughest city for you and why, if there is one? I'm going to be honest. I never had a tough city, man. Um, I've had some tough crowds when the comedy clubs hold these people hostage. You know, like let's just say for sure. Is it seven?

Second show is supposed to start at 10. I, they let the first show run over. These people come to the show at 10 o'clock outside waiting. So now they're pissed. They pissed, you know? So you got to really go to work to make them laugh

you know or go and say something like this say y'all ever been at work and didn't want to be there they be like yeah that's the way I feel now you know what I'm saying

so when you break the ice with them you got them once you get them you got them but you got to run the clubs on time and it's hard dealing

with us as black people it's hard to deal with our black people man but the white clubs they be on it bam bam bam because they realize the money they can make in the short length of time is black people. It's hard to deal with a lot of black people, man. But the white clubs, they be on it. Bam, bam, bam. Because they realize the money they

can make in the short length of time. Why is that with us, man? I mean, I don't know. It's hard doing business with us. I had one dude at a club, man. It was in November and it was cold and he had people outside. I said, hey, man, people are standing outside. The show was supposed to start an hour ago. He looked at me and he said, I don't

give a what they doing. I said, I'm like, what? So, matter of fact, I don't even do his club anymore. Because you don't have respect for the people. But we're the one working hard for it to make them laugh. Because it's hard to get black people to laugh. You know, especially when they're mad.

They better be funny. They better be funny. Especially when they're mad. You know, white people laugh at anything. Oh, he's hilarious. He's great. You can be terrible. You know you're good. You're going to be funny. Especially when they're mad. You know, white people laugh at anything. Oh, he's hilarious. He's great. You can be terrible. You know you're good.

You're going to be great. Because white people have a different way of saying no. Like when you audition for a show, they're like, how do you like him? Well, he's a good looking guy. He has great hair. That's a no. See, people don't realize that.

When they want you, they want you. They get you. Checks and't realize that when they want you they want you they get you checks are signed but when they breathe hard you know I was looking at him and smart guy but um no don't think we'll do it that's a no and that's what we all got to realize

you know you just made me think about when it comes to doing business with black people and white people because I love doing business with my people but I don't think we often look at it as business. It's almost like it should be a personal transaction. It's always a partner thing. People call my manager and be like, me and Bruce go back 15 years and I don't even know this brother. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, I met him at the gas station and

you don't know me, bro. Maybe I come across like you do know me, but you don't know me. They'll call and be like, we discussed a deal, and he said he would do it for this. That's not true, because I don't discuss money at all with anybody. But they always think it's like a partner thing when it should just be business. That's right. Do you remember your best show, and you remember your worst show? Yeah, man. I can remember a lot of them, but people don't know it.

I know it. I can remember my first. I mean, I come off stage and tell a guy, I didn't like that show. Well, people thought it was great, but I'd be like, I didn't like that show. What was your worst show? Because they said you don't write things down. It's just off of emotion. I come off the cuff.

One time I was in Houston, Texas, and I was doing this show, and I was joining everybody out, and this dude came up and joned me. And he was funny. His buddy said, man, go up there, go up there. You know how you would go up there and jone them? He said, I look like a pickle jar. And I started laughing. I'm like, damn, that's funny, bro.

I said, I'm going to keep that. He's telling me like a pickle jar. I'm like, oh, my God, that's funny. But the crowd loved it because I took it so well. I didn't go off. It was really funny when he said it. I ended up seeing him like 10 years later. He said, you remember I came

on stage, man. I saw you. I said, that was you? Let me take a picture with you. The best show I ever did was years and years and years ago is when Bernie Mac was red hot. Bernie Mac was super hot. It's a part of Georgia called Macon, Georgia. It's about Mac was red hot. Bernie Mac was super hot. And it's a part of Georgia called Macon, Georgia. And it's about

an hour from Atlanta. And Bernie was performing, had a 5,000 seater. And the feature didn't show up. And the guy said, hey man, my feature didn't show. Can you come down here and open one up for Bernie Mac? I said, yes. You know, I had been in the game there about five years. I said, yes. And I drove down there as quick as I could.

And I was on stage and I can remember Bernie Mac had his arm folded looking at me. He said, who's that dude right there? I said, it's Bruce. He said, he is funny. But Bernie went up and ripped it. And I worked with Bernie twice in my whole entire life. Macon and then I worked with him in Columbia, South Carolina one time. That's it.

But Bernie was a bad dude, man. and people don't realize when he did I'm not scared of you on death chair he made that up right then because everybody was coming up they was having a car hard time here in New York death jam they was getting it to him you know New York you know hold no punches you know and Bernie said man ain't scattered ain't scouting him up. And he went up and did him and Capri went together on it. He ripped it. Bernie was a bad dude. Was that the funniest comedian you ever worked with?

No, man. I know some funny comedians now. Like Tony Roberts is stupid. Funny. Tony makes me laugh. You know who Tony Roberts is? Oh my God.

Tony Roberts told me he used to date a girl. Her breath was so bad. It smelled like a horse's hiccups. So who think of that? Who think of a horse's hiccups? You know what I'm saying? He makes me laugh. Um,

Mike helps. Uh, Mike helps us wanted to do that. Train back in the day. Mike used to be on the road with me. Mike moved from Indiana to Atlanta. And, I used to take him on the road with me.

And then he moved to New York and he called me one day and said man they want me to audition for Fridays and I said what you waiting on I said looking for somebody like you and he called me a week later and said I got the part I said you're on your way Day Day that's my man you said something earlier when you talked about the pickle jar joke

you said I'm going to keep that so comedians do cover jokes yeah I don't I didn't keep it I just told him that but no Yeah. So comedians do cover jokes. Yeah, I don't. I didn't keep it. I just told him that. Okay, okay. But no, I've seen comedians just take bits and pieces of other comedians' jokes. If you do that and I see it, I know exactly where you got it from. I've been in this business so long. I know exactly where you got it.

I know who said it, how they said it, and when you said it. But no, I don't use any of that stuff in mine. Because I saw Bernie. It was a video circulating to Bernie. Bernie Mac. And he was saying, don't say your joke around. Are you a new comedian? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, man.

And see, a lot of comedians now, the veterans will look at the new jacks and take their stuff. And then it looked like the new jacks stole it from them. But that's not cool. That's not cool to do. Now, we've seen Cat Williams pulled out out his chop a couple of months ago. He was, he was, uh,

fired at everybody. What was your thoughts? Cause you know, a lot of that stuff was, was inside that became outside. Well, I think cat just told how he felt, man.

And what's been going on in, in his life for real. And he just got fed up with it. You know, when people, when people dog you out, let's just say this. I used to tell people

I had a club in Atlanta. It's called Club 559. And I used to tell my securities, I said, listen, when you have an altercation with a guy, be careful because they don't forget you. You don't be able to forget about them.

So if you throw them out the club, throw them on their head and they be like, I'm not going to forget that they won't forget you. You don't be able to forget about them. So if you throw them out the club, throw them on their head, and they be like, I'm not going to forget that. They won't forget you. That's real. But you be able to forget who that was, and you had to go to the store with your woman, shopping, he run up on you. You remember me?

You're like, no. You have to be careful. So Cat just went through some things, stuff that he never forgot that was done to him, and he's coming back retaliating, and he just told it like it was. I feel like, um,

I mean, there's a lot of different things you could take from that conversation, but the thing I took from it that I appreciate it, it felt like it put black comedy in a, in a, in a new life. Yeah. Like people started paying attention to the old G's like yourself,

Tony Robbins. Like they, I don't know. I just felt like it just shined earthquake and shined a light on the, on the people who've been doing it. And people got to understand something about Cat Williams. Cat Williams is not a dummy. He is very smart.

He's very smart. I don't know if y'all remember when he had an altercation in Atlanta with one of the Smith on V103. If you ever noticed, if you ever noticed, he never lost his composure. He stood there and drunk his coffee and he was killing her the whole time. And he's just cool like that.

He's very smart. He's a smart guy. Now, we always talk about the role ATL played in rap. What role did it play in comedy? Oh, I don't know. You like rap. When you said rap, you know, I thought you were going to say with OutKast and, you know, I did videos. They like my little

homies. I'm like their OG. They call me OG. And with Too Short made the song Shake That Monkey with Lil Jon and then, no, it was Too Short and then Lil Jon came out with Ying Yang Twins. That's because it's just love. Everybody show love

in Atlanta. Everybody show love. Like when I did the movie Idlewild with Outkast. It was gave to me. You know, it wasn't a movie I had to audition for. And then I did the movie Who's Your Caddy with Big Boy. It was a role that was gave to me because they just have that

kind of love for me. You know what I mean? And we all cool. And I stay in my lane, man. I don't get out. I don't do crazy stuff. You were talking about something else, but before we go ahead, how did you feel about all these artists mentioning stay in my lane man I don't get out I don't do crazy stuff before we go how did you feel about all these artists mentioning you in their songs I love it I love it were you ever surprised did you hear before when you heard let Bruce Bruce hit it

oh my god I just hate when dudes say it you know what I'm saying like let Bruce Bruce hit it bro bro you should be saying that your girl should say it but not me not you bro he said that on the text this morning. Because our producer was like, man, Bruce Bruce is already here. We were on the way in.

So he goes, well, entertain him then. Let Bruce Bruce hit it. I was joking. I forgive you. That's inside stuff, man. I just thought it was stupid. I felt he felt we cool, so he just told me. And our producer told him that he was going to HR.

I'm going to HR. I'm going to HR. It's going to be some breathing, that breathing hot. Why did you do that? Why did you do that? Why did you do that? And Biggie mentioned you in Hypnotize. Yeah, yeah.

When was the first time you heard? Did you have a relationship with him? What happened, I was in Jacksonville, Florida. I'll never forget this. And I wanted to meet him so bad because I was a fan of Biggie. And, man, he came in, and I was to meet him so bad because I was a fan of Biggie you know and man he came in and I was on stage clowning I was joining people I mean

I asked the dude I said that shirt silk I said is it silk or you iron it too much you know something like that he walked in he said just do this for me because if you ever really pay attention to Biggie he didn't really smile that much. You know what I'm saying? He just always had that look

like this nonchalant look. He smiled on the video when he was on the boat. Remember he was on the boat and he started smiling? He said, I'm going to put you down for real. And when I heard it, I'm like, what? What was the Bruce Bruce like? People were debating whether he... Yeah, what did he say that? It was like, Bruce Bruce who?

Do something to us talk goes through us girls do us want to screw us who meet poppy and puff it was just love he showed me he was a cool guy man and i actually saw him smile and laugh because i never saw him smile he just always had this like hard look like you know he read the fight but he was really funny it was fun to be around so he told you he was going to put you in? Yeah. Okay, so that's how you know it was. Yeah. But I heard him like, you know, when you hit on the radio, I'm like, and shorty shorty called me, the comedian

shorty, he said, man, Pinky just said your name. And I'm like, I listened to it over and over. I just kept commenting. I just kept repeating it. I listened to it over and over. And that was love. That was real love. I guess you answered the question, because when I say what role did ATL play in comedy for you? Like what role

did Atlanta play in the comedy? Oh my God. I think that's it. Well, you know who did it or who started it was Chris Tucker. And Chris Tucker when he did Fridays, first of all, he didn't do Fridays where he did House Party.

Remember House Party? He's the same time, man. You're going to give me the money the same time. It was an immature he did House Party. Remember House Party? Yeah, when he came to the door. He said, same time, man. You gonna give me the money same time? It was an immature, the group called Immature, and he went to the door to get some money. I'm looking for such and such, man. He just had that one scene at the door. And then he did Fridays.

And Fridays took off way better than they thought it would. It took off way better than they thought it would. And Chris, he's a good dude too, man. He's a good guy. I used to be on the road with him, but he fired me though, man. He didn't fire me, but he fired me. I was on the road with him back in

94, 95, and then he said, man, I'm going to come off the road for about three months because their presidents get ready to come out. That's okay. Then when he went back on the road, he just didn't bring me back. That's firing your ass. So that's, that's firing your ass.

You know what I'm saying? But it's cool. He's still my boy. But he did come back and apologize. He said, hey man, I didn't do that right

and I'm sorry. And I'm like, cool man, I'm good. I work. You know, I get down. You said you was a salesperson

for Frito-Lay. Oh yeah. They used to make you tell jokes when you, no, I used to join everybody on the dock. You know,

I used to, you know, we used to, I used to sell potato chips. You know, go from store to store to deliver potato chips. So we're on the dock. I'm joining everybody. I didn't care who they was. We had some good old boys. Y'all ain't got no good old boys.

We ain't got no good old boys. You're from Greenville, right? Monk's Corner, but I was born in Charleston. Okay, but you know, we got them. You're a comedian, huh? Well, I was. But you know, we got them. Hey, but are you doing you? You're a comedian, huh? Well, I was like,

you know, we got the boys like that. They'd be so impressed that you're a comedian. Oh yeah. Well, I'm like, that's their word. But we had it.

But one thing about good old boys, when they like it, they like when they don't, they don't. And it ain't a black, white thing. It could be a white, white thing.

If they don't like you, they don't like you. You know, so, but I don't see racism everywhere, man. It don't bother me. Remember your sales pitch? My sales pitch on Potato Chip? Yeah. Oh, yeah, man.

Let me tell you. I had a Walmart. I had just opened this Walmart. And in order to... I wanted to dress up as Chester Cheetah. You remember the Chester Cheetah tiger? In order to do this, you got to sell this huge display

to get the costume. You know what I'm saying? Because the company was charging different branches money to use cars. I was the biggest Chester Cheetah they have ever seen. Look, man, I was the fattest Chester Cheetah. One guy said, he must have done eight other Cheetos. This bitch is big

as hell. But I sold like, I think it's as big as a house I sold like I think it was if I'm not mistaken like $10,000 in Cheetos that's why they sent the uniform to us and it was great and it was a Walmart and it was a guy managed a Walmart named James Pike white dude the madder he get the lower he talk

so you know he said when I tell you to do something you be like what what did you say matter he get, the lower he talk. So, you know, he said, when I tell you to do something, you be like, what? What did you say? But he was cool. Everybody thought he was old redneck, but he was really cool. He ran that store, but he let me bring $10 hour of Cheetos in that store.

So that was my man. And what was your pitch? Hey, man, just me being funny. I walk in and I say hey man I need to sell some chips if not I'm going to start back stripping and if I start back stripping

the church members are really going to be hard on me about this I say you don't want to see me naked trust me when I tell you that you know what I'm saying they'll bust out laughing got him you wasn't really a stripper, though. No, man. If I was, my stage name would be Stretch Mark.

You know what I'm saying? But if I was stripper today, I'd go by Hard Candy. Why Hard Candy? This is a good name, Hard Candy. Why you asking that? I didn't want to hear, why Hard Candy?

I thought it was something behind it, like, you know, the church, old ladies in the church with Hard Candy. Why you asking that? I didn't want to hear why Hard Candy. I thought it was something behind it. Like, you know, the church. Old ladies in the church with Hard Candy. I don't know. No, church would be Lemon Pound Cake. I'd be Lemon Pound Cake. Yeah, Lemon Pound Cake. Now, out of Def Comedy Jam, Showtime at the Apollo, and Comic View, which one had the

most impact on you? Comic View. Def Jam first. Def Jam was the starting. Come on now. We got to give it to Russell Simmons. I mean, big up for him. Def Jam was good.

But when I did Comic View, see, Comic View started out as Coast to Coast. I don't know if y'all remember that. They used to go, they used to come out to your city and come to a club and film you and then take it back. And DL was the host there. And he's like, look, went all the way down to Atlanta at a club called the Comedy Act Theater. And we seen this guy Bruce Bruce and they show me

and I did the Coastal Code when they first started but I never forget the year that I host it was probably the best year for me that I have ever experienced in my life they went from 10 million viewers to 20 million viewers when I host

and it was great for me. It was, it was, it was good. Um, I made some money. They gave me money for wardrobe. That's why I dressed in all them suits. Cause I thought I was a pimp. You know what I'm saying? I thought I was a straight up pimp. How'd you get the gig? They call me. I mean, I had been doing comedy like seven, eight years. And God say, call me one day. He said, how would you like to host comedy for you? I said, I would love that because I wanted to do it.

But and I wanted to do it before then. And it just wasn't my time. But when my time came, it was perfect. It did well. It did very well. Was that the moment that you know that that was your big break? Like, oh, this is really going to happen. Yeah, I knew it was going to happen.

And it was good, man. Then I did more shows than anybody. I did like four to five shows a day so i was changing suits changing suits and i was working five days a week so on the days and we was off uh sunday monday so i was shooting commercials for them and i did this one commercial i like gators alligator skin shoes so i told this cab driver take me man i need to get me some gators and he took me to a real creek where alligators was. That was the joke of it.

And he dropped me off. And I'm like, what? Wait a minute. These are real alligators. These are real alligators coming out of the water. And it was really, really funny. That was a scene that I wrote. But, yeah, it was fun. So I still wear gator shoes. I'm old school, man. You know, I'm like my old player. So y'all can still wear suits with tennis shoes. I can't do it.

Nah. I can't do it, player. I can't do it. I never felt like Apollo was good for comedy Yeah, man, it just said I think what it was what Apollo those people are there all day Mm-hmm sitting so the first two shows you're gonna get love but like Third fourth and fifth show they wore out they booing everybody boo me the first time. Mm-hmm, and fifth show, they wore out. They booed everybody. They booed me the first time. I didn't care. I just started talking about people. It was a dude in the front dressed like a... I don't know what the hell was going on with him. I said, bro, what is your problem?

He was just like a woman and a man on one side. A woman on the other side said, bro, are you slow? He was before his time. Yeah. He was before his time. At Johnham, they laughed, but then I went back and did it again, and it went well. Yeah, I did it with Mark Curry first, and then back with Steve Harvey.

Is it too sensitive now for comedy? Depending on what subject you touch on. Because if you don't, like, let's just say gay people, you can't touch on that. You can't say anything disrespectful, and I wouldn't say anything disrespectful you know when I was coming up my uncle called him sweet pickles you know so we'd be riding these sweet pickles I'm like well we knew what it was

we're like what the world you know but but the thing is I mean I don't do any bashing of anything of sorts like that, but I see them all the time. Like I'm,

I remember one time I was doing a show at BET. It was in California and the makeup artists, two of them, they did makeup and hair and they was gay, gay dudes and everything. So, you know, one dude walked in,

man, I don't want no bags. Dude, doing my makeup. Gay dude got really emotional. So I'm sick of this. I'm so tired. I don't have to. really emotional. He said, I'm so sick of this. I'm so tired. I don't have to tell you.

He started packing his stuff, getting ready to leave. So I walked in the room. I closed the door on him. He looked at me like, what the? I said, hey man, let me tell you something. I said, if you're comfortable

with who you are, I said, be that. I said, but if you walk out on this show, they're going to blackball you. You won't work for NBC, CBS, TBS, nobody. You won't be able to work for nobody. I said, chill out, dry your

tears up, and I said, do my makeup. You know what I'm saying? I said, but if you walk out, they're going to do it. I said, nine times out of ten, at the end of the night, that same dude will be hollering at you. What if you would have said, I love black balls. That's what I want. I'd hate to run out of there.

I'd hate to run out of there. I'd hate to run out of there. I would have to run full speed. You know what I'm saying? But then after the end of the night, he's like, he said, thank you. Thank you so much for what you did. Because he was committed to go. He was emotional and everything. And the dude was like, man, I thought I wouldn't talk to the dude.

I said, man, chill out. Don't do that. You know, they got feelings too. That's just who they are. Why do you help so many comedians? Comedians talk about that you've helped so many comedians in their career, in their life. What gives you the energy? Because a lot of people be like, I ain't helping him because he might get bigger than me.

But you talked about so many comedians you've helped. Oh, my God, yeah. But so many helped me. I never forget when I first, when I was in the Comedy acting in Atlanta and John Witherspoon came to Atlanta and he looked at me. He say, you got it. He said, you really got it. He say, I like you. So he started telling me what to do and what not to do.

And he helped me, took me in front of his wing. Rinaldo Ray did the same thing. He helped me on BET when he was my co-host. People don't realize that Renato Ray was a college professor before he started doing comedy. He was extremely smart. He would tell me sometimes, he said, turn your body to the right

a little bit when you tell that joke. It'll work better. And I'm like, how's that going to work better? And it worked better. And then the last of the Mohegans who really told me, he said, you won't have to find her and they will find you his name was Paul Mooney

Paul Mooney he told me that Rodney Winfield y'all remember Rodney Winfield that my man he said a lot of these jugglers don't like you just cause you're funny he said keep being funny you gonna be alright he used to call me do shows with him you know back in the day, man,

somebody would say, man, we got a show paying $300. I'm like, let's go. These new kids now, you say, man, I got a show for you. How much they paying? Hold it, player. Hold it. You ain't been seen walking by TV much less on TV. So what is you talking about how much they paying?

If I tell you about a show, I'm going to make sure you get paid. Just that simple. You think social media helped to hurt comedy? Oh, it helped it. I wish Charlemagne. I wish I had social media 35 years ago.

Only thing we had was going to city early, do radio, try to do TV to get people in there. The social media is a platform that really helped a lot of young comedians. Now, veteran comedians like myself, they get pissed because

all the new young comedians are coming up faster. I've been doing comedy for 25 years, 30 years, and he ain't been doing comedy for three months. I tell them like this, if you can't beat them, join them. And they're winning. So you might as well follow in the footsteps.

They are winning. But that's why them young comedians feel like, that's why they're asking how much. Right. Because they're following on social media. But then the only thing about it, Charlamagne, is when they do get booked, only thing they got to say is what they did on social media. That's right. You got to bring out more than that. That's right. You know to bring out more than that. That's right.

You know, you got that seven minutes you got. Oh, it's fine. But what about this other 20 minutes they need you to do? You can tell when a person is bombing because they'll start talking real positive. You know,

we need to take care of these kids, man. You know, Hey man, support these women, man. Hey man, these women need to support.

They need to respect. They bombing like hell. Yeah. Cause they trying to to get positive that's the favorite part of a comedy show it is i do i like i like you know what it is i like to see somebody try to dig themselves out of a hole when they bomb oh my god if you see me laughing really hard it's probably because you up there stinking because i remember seeing you because i watch you guys all the time i remember seeing you on uh ridiculousness right and uh chanel west coast you made her so mad you see and you was coming you say i never seen you on anything i never seen you rap with i rap with snoop she got pissed they went to commercial i think it happened twice am i right no it was the one that was one time she was but do she rap

yeah yeah i think she did. Okay, but I didn't know it, but I looked at you and I'm like, oh my God, she's pissed. She got pissed. She moved that hair back into commercial and she came back. She was more calm. Yeah, we're back here. Charlamagne

pissed her off. He said, I never seen you on nothing. I never seen you with Snoop. I never seen you too short. I never seen you. She was pissed. I seen you in Too Short. She was pissed. I laughed so hard at that. That was so good. How do you feel about them rebooting Comic View? I just I like it but I think they're trying to do a new way.

I think they should have rebooted it and did it the old way. I think they should have had the host and introduced the show like we used to do back in the day because if you remember when that show was on everybody watched it from your mom, your mom, your dad, your dad, your grandma,

your granddad, uncles. I saw you on TV. They love it. So I think we need to go back to that platform. They're doing a new thing now where they wanted all hip hop and all that. That's cool but we need to go back to the old way. Now you're a huge car enthusiast. I am.

Classic cars. Yeah. What got you into that? And how many cars do you have? Back in the, uh, about 27. I collect Buicks. Buicks. I like Buicks. Why Buicks? Man, my granddaddy told me, he said, looking young, but nothing but a Buick. You know, old Joe, he used to have a Roadmaster with three speed on the column. I thought he was a

genius. When you change the gears on the column, you was a bad dude. He pulled it down in the first, then go to second. He looking at you talking. Then he go to third, get you a Buick, baby. So I always liked Buicks. And I like Skylines. Buick was a really good muscle car, too. People don't realize it.

I got a 70 Wildcat convertible. I got a 70 Rivera. I got a 60 Rivera. I got a 69 rivera i got a 68 deuce on the quarter i got a 68 skylight convertible i got a 68 skylight full speed got a 65 skylight convertible um so that's your addiction yeah and i like ford trucks i love ford trucks so you don't drink you don't smoke i used to I let it go my baby boy was born he's 40 I stopped 40 years ago really I used to get so drunk man oh envy I used to get so drunk when I when I get home I couldn't walk to drive to crawl I used to knock at the bottom of the door

and my ex-wife say gonna be me and I call one of us has got to go and I showed it miss her I did I missed the hell out of her who got a better collection you or Jay Leno oh Jay got the car but you know my man Envy got some car I like I got I've had everything Ford ever made from the Lincoln Blackwood truck

to the Doolies to the sailing truck I got a sailing truck I the sailing truck. I got a sailing truck. I got two lightnings. I got a Rapture. I got a Super Snake truck. I done had the Ford GT. You know, the one like a Ferrari. I had all that. You had a Ford GT? Yes, sir. Really? Yeah, I did.

You know why I sold it? Because you couldn't fit in it? No. Oh, I fit in it, but it felt like... Wait a minute. I'm going to tell you why I sold it. Because when I did fit in it. No. Oh, I fit in it, buddy. No, no. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I'm going to tell you why. I'm going to tell you why I sold it. Because when I did get in it, it felt like four people sitting there with me.

No. Michael Strahan had it. And I asked Michael Strahan why he got rid of this. He said because I couldn't fit in it. No, I could fit in it, but it was tight. But when I sold it, it was 06. When I sold it, it didn't have a 2,200 miles on it. And I had it for seven years.

So when I put it up for sale. Boy, I know you wish you didn't sell it now. Because if you'd sold it now, it would triple, quadruple the price. It's like 600,000 for it now. But when I sold it, I bought it for 200,000. I sold it for 250,000. And a guy in England bought it. It was canary yellow black stripes.

Jesus. Damn. And when I tell you it had the power, it had the power. Wow. That thing would run. That's the one you wanted to hold on to, though. No, I don't miss it. I can get another.

I don't miss it. I want a new one now. You could have sold it for like $600,000, $700,000. Yeah, I sold it for $250,000 back then. But I could have got $500,000, $600,000 for it if I'd have kept it. If I'd have kept it. With those miles? Absolutely.

How big of a deal is it now for a comedian to have a special? Does it even matter? Well, let me, you know, it's funny you said that, man. Uh-oh. Specials are good. I just got signed for a Netflix special. Okay. And the reason I just took it, I wasn't going to do it.

I was going to do it myself. Like, fit me, make them buy. You know what I'm saying? But they offered it to me. We're going to do it. We're going to do it, I think, around August. They shoot in Atlanta? No. No, no, no. We're going to do it. We're going to do it, I think, around August. Just shoot in Atlanta? No, no, no, no.

We're going to go somewhere else. I want to go somewhere where somebody think I'm a superstar. You know what I'm saying? In Atlanta? No, I'm just average. What's up, Bruce? What's happening, man? You see me in the grocery store.

Bruce, what's happening? But I go somewhere like Chicago or Texas. Oh, my God. That's where I want to go. In Atlanta, it's my city. I love it. I still live there. I had a place in LA for like 30 years. And

LA's just LA. They make you pay for the weather. You know what I mean? Everything is just so high. It's just ridiculous. But it's high here in New York too. It is. You especially don't need one though. I mean, it don't validate you in no way, shape, or form. But I'm going to do it, man, because I want to do a tour myself.

I'm always on somebody else's tour. I want to do a tour. I got two guys that opened up for me who is hilarious. And nobody know them. So I want to introduce them and bring them out and they can start out doing their own thing. That's what it's all about, man.

There used to be a kit for comedians. You needed a special, like an HBO special, a sitcom. I don't feel you need none of that no more. And some of the people who got them can't sell out a car. They live in a car. Can't sell a ticket. You know what I'm saying? They can sell people in their garage, but they can't sell a ticket.

You know, back in the day before Kings of Comedy, that's what you had to get. You know, you do real good, then they offer you a sitcom, then you do your sitcom, then you go on tour. And Bernie Mac was like the only comedian that could sell out by himself.

Cat Weaves could do it. Kevin Hart can do it. Kevin Hart is a good guy. But Cat can do it. When he did that interview, that podcast, it went crazy he just started sounding like everywhere

and well he got something to say and I think he should say it I agree they doing a live Netflix special with Cat but you know what Cat made everybody get on their toes though people like I thought you were going to say something about you I never had any conflict with Cat we always been cool

he called me one time. He said, man, I want you to go on the road with me. I said these exact words. I said, I would do it. I said, but why do you need me on the road with you? I said, you got it. They're coming to see you. He said, well, it's a big crossover. You got a crowd. I got a crowd. But Cat is, he's a

smart dude and he take care of his people. That's what I like about it. He take care of his people. And that's what it's all about. Can keep the money man you just think you're gonna work people to death and not pay him you got to pay these people we got families we got kids you know i got grandkids i mean you know grandkids my that's who i work for now they cool you've been getting money for a long time long time been in the game 30 years when did you start seeing the like that real real money? You know, when a juggler was giving me $1,000 a show,

I thought he was crazy because it was so easy to me. $1,000 to be on stage for 10, 15 minutes? Oh, this is where I need to be. Potato Chips Trump got to go. I'll tell you how I quit my job. I took a leave of absence. And I told them, I told my supervisor, I say, man, I'm going through a divorce, man.

I say, I just need some time to get my head together. Can I get a 30-day leave of absence? He got it approved. When he got it approved, we was inventorying the truck. He said, man, you coming back? I said, I want you to look at me real good. Next time you see me, I'll be on TV. And I left. And what's crazy, you remember back

in the day when you had beepers? Anybody remember beepers? Of course. I left. I had my cousin pick me up on a Friday. I said, man, take me by the bank machine. I got $20 in the bank. That's all I had in the bank. I went and got the $20 out to give him for gas. And as soon as I gave him the money, my beeper went off.

And I said, stop, man. Let me use the payphone. And I called. It was the club owner in the company at the 80 in Atlanta. He said, man, what you doing tonight? I said, I'm working for you. I ain't look back. You do a lot of manifestation, bro.

Yeah, I love it. You've been telling people you will see me on TV. Yeah, I used to tell them, Bruce. Yeah, I love it. Even tell people you will see me on TV. Yeah, I just tell them, man. You got to speak stuff. When people don't realize, you have to speak stuff into your life. And when people be speaking the wrong stuff in their life, the wrong stuff is going to come. Oh, I'm sick as a dog. Okay, we're going to be sick as a dog because you're going to be sick as a dog.

I love her to death. She'll be dead in about three months. So, you know, you got to love her to life. Whatever you speak, the tongue is very powerful. You know what I'm saying? So, people be hollering about church folk, but they be telling the truth. You know what I'm saying?

You know, you say you're going to be rich, you're going to be rich. Just keep, you got to believe it, what you're saying. So, I've always told people, you see me on TV, I'm not going to work this truck all my life. I'm not going to be this truck all my life. I'm not going to be delivering chips all my life. I'm going to be doing stuff I like to do. So what's your manifestation

now? What do you think? My key thing now is to make sure I make enough money and save enough money to leave for my grandkids when I'm gone. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon, but you know, I just want to make

sure they're straight when I leave because that's the way it's supposed to be. I know a guy now he's been married, white dude. He got married in 1962. His mother and father gave him a house that he still live in. He never

paid a house note because the house was paid for. The property was on like 60 acres with three lakes. So he's living the life. They left him money. That's the way it's supposed to be. You always leave your family in a position where they don't have to suffer and be in a

strain. That's why we need to get insurance. That's right. Oh my God. You ever see somebody die? They do GoFundMe. And the brother-in-law take all the money. He take everything but $60. They done raised $30,000. They didn't give him $60. Man, you know they left more than $60. And that's what we should be. We should always put ourselves in a position to live a good life, but also leave a good life for our family. Absolutely. I've got a couple more questions there's a stigma about black comedians wearing dresses to be funny or having to wear a dress to

get to that next level what's your thoughts on that well you know i'm gonna be honest with you man i did i did it's funny you said that i did um i did a tv show that i take one time never came out it's called bruce brounty Hunters and we did this scene I was a bounty hunter I played a bounty hunter I played a preacher called Reverend Get Money it was Reverend Get Money and I played a mother named Mother Marshall which was crazy but Mother Marshall

was a real lady in my church that I mimic I copied off her and I also played a I did it in Indianapolis and I did not in Indianapolis. And I did not feel comfortable in that dress. You know what I'm saying?

At all. And some people could do it. Some people, if it worked for you, it do it. Flip Wilson did it when he did Geraldine, you know, cause Flip Wilson show was a variety show, which I love because it wasn't a black show.

It was a show for everybody. And that's what people got to understand. But if they want to dress up in a dress, do your thing, but that's not my thing. Yeah, but Tyler Perry made it big. He's one of the best. But to me, I love Tyler Perry, but Joe is funnier than Tyler Perry, than my deal. When he plays Joe, when he plays Joe, Joe is funny.

Joe have an oxygen tank, smoking weed, coughing, and I say, thank you, Jesus. You know what I'm saying? When he plays Joe, Joe is the funniest dude. That's just me. I love my deal.

Joe is funny, too. Oh, my God. Joe is funny. And see, back then we used to see people in the dresses. I even see like when they used to do men on film on a living color. It was just funny. Like I never thought nothing of it. Men on film was the thing.

Remember they talked about Moby Dick? Moby Dick. That gets two snaps and a kiss and a roundabout. Remember the twist? Yeah. The twist. Yeah. How would you define this point in your life

professionally and personally? Oh, well, I want everybody to know, professionally and personally, this is me. And this is how I do business. I don't act. I don't put on. So if you see me on and off stage, this is Bruce. And I'm the same every day,

man. You know, I have problems just like everybody else. I have, I have problems just like everybody else. I have, I get a cold. Like everybody, you know, everybody, everybody think when you're in the entertainment, things are just perfect. No, it's not. And your family members and your friends are the worst. The Bible speaks.

If it ain't your family, watch your closest friend. They're going to get you. I got a cousin now. I'm just going through so much. I said, keep having some birthdays. You're gonna go through some more shit. You know what I'm saying? But they expect you to rescue them and fix them and not

pay you back. Who thought of that one? I don't know. I don't know who thought of that one. I don't know. They don't think. But if it was Flip, if I owe them, y'all know he owe me some money. He ain't know. They don't think. But if it was Flip, if I owe them, now you all know he owes money. He ain't gave me my money yet. But when you owe me, I supposed to be able to understand.

Well, you got it. Yeah, exactly. I'll be telling you. I told him I ain't seen a rich man with extra money. Dang. Never. Why do you have to say your name twice? Because my mommy's called me twice.

My mama said, if I call you a third time i'm gonna kill you so my mother said if i call you three times you're gonna die today and my mother was a little one about 140 i mean she was just but loving and knew how to make her way out of no way. Most mothers do. That's why it's always good when you do get successful and you start making money, make sure you take care of your mom. And one thing you got to realize, it don't take much like you think it does. That's right.

People think like, well, I got to do it. No, your mom don't want that much. She's want to make sure she's okay. She's comfortable. And,

and she got a little money. My mother last 20 years of her life, I made sure she was straight. Didn't pay no bills, nothing. But it didn't take much. You know what I'm saying? But then when your family members found out about it, they started trying to use you too. You know, my mom going through

something. Well, that's your mother. This one is mine. That's real. Bruce, Bruce Bruce we appreciate you for joining us no thank you and you're going to tour right now right

yeah yeah I'm going to show tonight tonight yeah and you know next week I'm in Tampa we got that I'm in Tacoma, Washington

we got that I'm in Raleigh I'm booked every week if I'm not booked every week somebody going to lose their job ain't nobody going to

be sitting at home drinking lemonade while I'm sitting at home that at home I need to go to work that's right yeah well there you have it it's Bruce Bruce yeah we've been trying to get Bruce Bruce up here for a minute man cause you know I've always just respected you as a as a comedy legend man you're an icon so salute to you Bruce Bruce

thank you for coming it's the breakfast club good morning wake that ass up in the morning