The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Deon Cole Talks 'Average Joe' S3, Grown Ups 3, 'Michael' Biopic, Comedy, Acting, Backlash + More

Episode Date: August 24, 2026

Today on The Breakfast Club, Deon Cole Talks 'Average Joe' S3, Grown Ups 3, 'Michael' Biopic, Comedy, Acting, Backlash. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hold on. Every day I wake up. The Breakfast Club. You're all finished or y'all's done? Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious.

Salomey Nagao. We are the Breakfast Club. Long of Rose is here as well. We got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed. He has his fan on right now, ladies and gentlemen. His portable fan. Dionne Cole, welcome, brother.

I'm good, man. How you doing, buddy? I don't think people realize manna paws is real. Man, it's real. It's real. I've never heard of it. Man, I'd be hot, job. Yeah?

So what happens to y'all? You get high and then what else? I don't know. I just get hot. Same thing. Sometimes fresh out to shower. Man, I get to the shower. Why am I still?

I'd be like, why am I hot? I don't know what's going on, but I keep my friend with me. How are you feeling, brother? I am good. I see your hat, man. He was at the concert. Were you there?

I was there. I was there all four days. Three days? Sunday was four. It was four. She's right. He's right. I went on four days.

He was there for a long time. What did you think about the show? It was crazy, man. It was great. I can tell this is an older crowd, though. We can got old. I saw a picture online, but I saw it in real life, too. Everybody had their tens off around midnight.

Yes. You can't wear them no more over 50. Them Tim's hurt. On Sunday that was a bad fashion choice. Man, it was a Sunday was crazy. That day people were standing up for hours before the show started. But you know what I wear now?

Orthopedic Thames. What you put in them? No, you buy them like that. For real? Yeah. They're comfortable as hell. Orthopedic, they still look like the regular Timmy? Man, go to Timberlin and put in orthopedic

Timbs. I'm not right now. You know what, Andrea, they're comfortable as hell. What makes an artist like yourself go for all four days? because, I mean, you could be working on the weekend, getting money. Like, I'm sure you, you must have had a weekend off.

So I hosted the Roots picnic, right? And then after that, I was like, man, we got to go over here and see Jay. My guy, James Samuels, man, he produced all the heart of the fall. Yeah, bullets. Yeah, yeah. So he was like, man, I think we're going to do this documentary with Jay. And he was like, man, you should come do it. And I was like, best.

So that's what started all off because I had just seen Jay. And I was like, but I'll go. and he was like, man, get it for all three days or whatever, but it didn't go through. The interview didn't go through, but I still had the hotel room and the tickets and all that, and I was just like, I'll just stay forgetting. So I just kicked it the whole weekend or whatever,

but I guess Sunday was crazy. You know, people, do you know people cards? I think you just broke news that you wasn't supposed to break either. Who, me? Bring him up? No, you said he's doing a documentary. Oh, no, okay. You know, he went to Rock.

No, you're waiting for Rock Nation. He interned to Rock Nation. Yeah, no, where am I. I'm a fan. I interned at Rock Nation. He interned at Rock Nation. He interned for Desiree Perrette. No, no, no, no.

He was going to do something. You're going to try to clean something now? Okay. And it didn't. And it didn't. How are you doing, no? No, the premise of something. What was the focus?

No, it was, man, you know, my God is. But the question I was getting at, what does that do for an artist like yourself? Because clearly there's got to be some type of inspiration there, right? But as far as what? Just watching the show. Oh, my, it's great. I mean, it's Jay. You know what I mean?

It's just, it's that feel that you get or whatever. And just to see him still rocking and doing his thing or whatever, you know, all these years or whatever. It was just, it was phenomenal, you know. And then to be in New York, Yankee Stadium, I ain't never been in the Yankee Stadium. It was just great. You know, I was. I was just taken back, man, the love that people had and all of that. So, yeah, it was just great, man, being there, you know.

Did you go? I went all four days, too. And I didn't even plan to. I said, I'm going to go reasonable doubt night. But it was such like a natural dopamine hit. I was like, man, I got to go see with the blueprint. I went to go see blueprints. And I was like, I got to see them stick to landing now.

I want to see how you did it. You got to go see it, right? Yes. You know people's cars was locked in at the fourth day? It was like they... Oh, because the parking lot's closed. The parking lots closed. Oh, I didn't even think of it.

And so they was like trying to lift the thing and get their cars out. I literally didn't think about that. Thinking about it, they'd probably close at midnight. Yeah, it was crazy. People to need to three. Oh, man. It was hard to even get, like, if you had like a car service or Uber, whatever, like, it was hard for them to get back to you at a second.

That was crazy. And then other people was trying to get Uber's because they couldn't get their cars. It was like, it was nuts. And the whole city lost money. because all the after parties, the after party was at the stadium. So then nobody even went to no after party. So it was, yeah, it was something else, man.

You ever been in a situation like that where you are forced to put on the show of your life because there's some type of delay or, you know. Man, yeah, I've had that happen where we was delayed weather-wise or people came in late and we had to wait and then when people wait around, you got to like, you know, really get them a show. But yeah, yeah, you have to go in.

I think that's exactly what he did. He was like, you know what? They've been waiting around. I'm about to go crazy. What are you doing that situation? Because that, as a DJ, you hate that, right? When people are performing, because the artists are always late. They're like, Inver, you got 20 minutes to DJ.

And then you look at the clock and you're at 25. They look at 30, 35, 40, be like, all right now. You work for an hour and a half. They're like, keep going. Keep going. Has that happened? Because you host these vinge all the time. You got to keep going.

You got to get the people what they want. man, absolutely. And you kind of feel for them, too. You know what I'm saying? They've been sitting around waiting all this time, man. You got to really go above and beyond or whatever, but it don't really work at casinos, though, sometimes. Like, I do a lot of casinos, and, like, people, like,

they lose their money and they wait. Pissed off. Yeah, you go up there. I be leaving. I do so bad. Sometimes I leave on a whole other name. Damn. Yeah, I'd be like, I'm Trevor.

You know what? I was like, we'd never see Trevor again. You know, I was interesting about you. People know you funny, right? But I'm not sure people understand how serious you are about being an actor. Oh, yeah. You think being great at comedy

has made people slower to recognize you as a dramatic actor? Oh, man. The way that I look at acting, man, it's like, if you're going to do it, you're going to do it. You know what I mean? I'm not going to just go be a comedic actor.

Like, I just feel like If you're going to act, you're going to act. Like a beautician, right? If you do black hair, you left some money on the table. If you're going to be a beautician, do hair. Do white hair, do Hispanic, do hair. There's beauticians that will only, they don't. Cross hair.

Yeah, but do not leave. I mean, it depends on how you're doing whatever is in that lane because they get money too. I get that. But if I was a beautician, I would do, I would learn how to do all hair. So you mean to tell me, you did, you did. You've been doing hair for 30 years, and in 30 years, you ain't learned how to do another. A white girl blowout?

In 30 years? Like, no. Yeah, they call blowouts. But if you go to school to be a beautician, you do learn a lot of the concepts that can go across all hair. But most people, it's like, you know, you grow up in the kitchen, and then you grow up in a shop,

so you just specialize in black people, so you just stay where you... See, I don't think like that. I feel like, yo, if I'm going to be a beautician, I'm gonna be a beautician. I'm not gonna be a black beautician or white beautician. I'm gonna be a beautician

and I'm gonna learn how to go, how to do hair all across the table. Just like when they come to acting, I'm not just gonna do comedy. I wanna do drama. I wanna be vulnerable, I wanna be funny, I wanna be ill, you know what I mean? I wanna play all these different characters

and all these movies that I've done characters and whatever, they all been different, you know what I mean? Was it hard for you though, on the casting side of it, for people to allow you to even, audition for the roles be able to do that because some comedians feel like they're only able to get the roles where they have to be funny yeah you got to have opportunity that's that's the thing you know what i mean somebody got to look at you and and see that you can you got potential to do that you know what i mean but they got to see deeper than what what you're showing them whatever like

even with um james samuel that was the first guy that really was like man come do this cowboy movie and i think you can be like super ill and it's because comedians they harper a lot of pain, you know, you can't go on stage to talk about how amazing your motherfucker day is. Right? Ain't nobody going to laugh at that. So it comes from, a lot of jokes come from pain, but somebody got to, like, tap in and go, yo, we see the pain behind, you know, we think you can pull this off. And from that led to, you know, other roles of people being like, yo, you can do this,

like, you know, Michael or color purple, you know, all these different, or the average Joe, where they can see me being something other than, you know, slipping on banana pills. It's crazy that comedians still have that stereotype, though, because you think about Jamie Fox and Ray, or you think about Monique and Brescia,

you think about Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, all the dramatic roles they played, why people would still have that stereotype of comedians? Like, they can't do that. That's weird. I think they stereotype you like that. You know what I mean? Like, I remember when Kevin did that one drum,

that was on Netflix. Oh yeah, he was like... He was a dad, the caretaker. Yeah, he was the upside, I think it was. Was it? No, not the caretaker when he did with Wesley Snipes. Oh, yeah, we were shooting people who she was. Yeah, like, yo, he really did a great job in that, you know what I mean?

But it's just, I guess people don't... I guess the powers that be, be like, no, we only want to see you this one way and this one way only, but that's up to you to be like, no, I'm not... I don't know if I really want to do that. And after Blackish, a lot of people came to me with... those Charlie-ish characters. And I just was like, nah, I want to just show something else.

Because if I do that, I'm going to keep doing that. I'm going to constantly keep doing it. But I want to show like another side or whatever. So, you know, the opportunity, somebody got to see you, give you the opportunity. Now, did I hear in the MJ movie, you were Don King, of course. They said that you did it after it was already wrapped?

Yeah. So how did that happen? Man. This is here. I was in Cape Town, South Africa. Shooting, shooting, shooting Average Joe. And I heard that they were shooting the movie.

And I was just like, man, I was like, I want them being that so bad. You know, I was like, I was like, but, you know, Coleman Domingo, that's my guy. I was like, we're going to support this, Antoine Fuquois. So my guy, Graham King,

all my people went in there. We're going to support it anyway. And when I came back from South Africa, I heard that they had to do the third act, And I was like, wow, and it was like for legal reasons, whatever. And I was like, oh, still not thinking of them. But then, man, I got a call that was like, yo, we need you. No, no, Antoine Fouca, I want you to come get down and play Don King.

And I was like, what? I couldn't believe it because I ain't ever heard of nothing like that. They had to gather up another 15 million to shoot that third eye. Really? You know what I mean? Yeah. And then everybody that was in there, you know what I mean? Yeah.

the third act, they had to, they didn't make, they didn't make the movie. They might make the sequel. I mean, I don't know, but they didn't make, they didn't make this first one. You know what I mean? And so to redo it and bring me in was like, that was like a power of God to me. You know what I mean? Like, how can you even fathom that happening? You know what I mean?

But you wanted something so bad, not to the point where I was tripping. But you said it out loud and it didn't happen. You know what I mean? And I was like, and that's it was like, and that's, you know what I mean? And I was like, and that. That ain't even how I manifest things. I manifest things backwards. You know, I say I'm not going to have nothing in it.

I'm not in line, you know. I do it all time. I'd be like, she don't like me. Like, for real, though, if you, I manifest things like that. Like, you ever go, like, leave your phone out and you go to the bathroom and the ring? Yes. So you'll be in your mind. And my mind, and I know this is going to sound weird, stick with me.

In the universe, I go like this. If I want my phone to ring, then I just, I won't bring it in the bathroom because I know it's going to ring, right? Same thing, if I'm driving, listen, if I'm driving and I drop my phone, right? And I want to grab my phone, I'm going to catch every green light. Because the universe ain't going to let me grab my phone. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I see what you say.

That's what you're saying. The second one got me there. The first one I was a little. So stick with me going on. So how about if I'm late somewhere? How about if I throw my phone down? Get all the green lights? I'm going to make all the green lights.

So I try to figure out how to make that work for me. Yeah, I get what you're saying. So you'd be throwing your phone and showing up late. If it was meant for you to grab your phone to the University State red light. There we go. So if I throw my phone down, I'm going to catch all the green lights and then I'm going to make it to my place on time. You think God here you'd be like, I don't go to. He'd be like, let me just show you.

Yo, I just think that it'd go opposite. Like if you're looking for a parking space, ain't going to find one, right? Mm-hmm. But if you ride by your favorite store, it's going to be all the parking spaces in the world because you wasn't even looking for one. You get what I mean?

Got you. Just like when you find your boyfriend or whatever, you probably wasn't even looking for him, right? You know, that guy that told me, yeah, the guy that cussed me out that day. He didn't even cussed. Which one? He didn't cussed, but he was mean.

What happened, lo? How long was it? Yeah, yeah, you want to tell everybody else business. I was like, do you go ahead. You give your rendition. No, no, see, he, now. gonna beat me up.

We didn't see me either. It was after the Roots picnic. Yeah. And what happened? Don't start it now. So, Dionne DM'd me. It was a little late.

It was very late. It was like 1 a.m. Yeah, but we was out. Y'all just left the Roots picnic. I didn't see you at the Roots Picnic, though. I seen you on stage, but I didn't like see you interact with you. Right.

So he DMed me, hey you. My phone's playing the music in the car, sitting up here on the, you know, the middle part. And I don't be high night. because I ain't doing it. He sees the DM. He ain't really like that. But listen.

So I didn't even know you were there. And he was like, oh, he's here. Let's go over and say hello. Because what's going on? Oh, so y'all was at the root's picnic. We left the roots picnic. My boyfriend had an after party for the roof picnic. Him and a couple people that he like throw parties in events with.

And Dion and them came to the party. So we were at the party too. So he's like, oh, hey you, let's, hey you in person. So, yeah. So listen. That ain't Dion, folks. Listen, listen. I was...

I was... Something a.m. is a little crazy. Listen, I was responding to my mother. You left me a message first saying, hey, you at the Roots picnic and I said something about your mother. You left me a text message saying about your mother wanted to say something.

Because I wasn't just hitting you up. No, no, no. Those DMs about my mom was up. It was like a month ago. That's what I saw it. And that's why he was upset. Because the ones about my mom, He knows my mom is a fit of him.

But why am I? I'm not hitting you up like, yo, what's up, girl? What's happening? What are we on? What you're doing? The DMs about my mom were April 22nd. The HAYU was May 31st at 12.11 a.m. They all busy.

It was the time of night for him. It was like, all right, but I wasn't on nothing at all. I swear to you. Have we ever even had any kind of anything? And I said that, but I think he didn't like it. Yeah, he didn't like that. I want to see what he said to you, D.R. He shouldn't have that kind of insecurity because of your line of work.

I mean, yes and no. I think he understands my line of work, but at 12.1 a.m. Unless if you call me at 12 1 a.m., you are going to pick. The first thing you're going to say is, yo, sorry for the late call. This is what's going on. Just saying, hey, you with no context. And I was like, what the fuck? But listen, we are out at the Roots Picnic.

I didn't even know you saw me at the Roots Picnic. So we lead a Roots Picnic and everybody out kicking it, everybody somewhere, everybody hanging out. You hitting everybody where everybody at. What's up? What's up? What's up? What's up?

See, I think, but if you had said, hey, where you headed after? Something like that. But I didn't know your man was like... But you know I'm not on nothing. It's given... But you know that he don't know you.

I know, but I don't know he got your phone. And I said, I mean, regardless of because I'm not like a... It's here. Like the phone is here. We plugged up. And then we're in a car for the people. So it's like... I don't know.

But I don't... My damn's on ring. By the phone. He don't even know if you had a boyfriend. My notifications pop up because I don't want to miss things. Even if he was trying to holler, how you know, he don't even know if you got a boyfriend? I don't know, but I wasn't even trying to holler. These are all things that, you know, we talked through.

And I'm just saying. But my point is he didn't like it. And if he didn't like it, I mean, But he didn't say anything to you. When I walked up to you was like, hey, what's going on, man? I said I was hitting you to find out what was going on. And he was like, yeah, I know you hit us, some shit like that. And I was like this.

Oh, that's corny. No, I said, I said I hit you. you and he was like, yeah, I know. It was like that. I don't think that that's corny. I think if somebody is, after 12 1 a.m., it's a little like. But if we out at a Roots picnic and I don't know that you with your man and I'm going, and I know you know what's popping and I'm going, yo, what's up?

But I think. So I shouldn't hit you at one if we had the root root's picnic. I didn't even know you saw me, Deion. That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. Hey you. You got to say, hey you. Hey you.

No. And then what you hit back? When the hate of you going up? What are you going up? What are you? It would be my name? I love starting trouble. You love starting trouble.

Well, we're here now. So we're here. I'm not going to hit you after. What time? Before nine? You called me late before. I ain't calling you no more now. Even if I call y'all late, I don't really call Charlemagne,

but if I call you late about something, I would literally say, hey, sorry for the late call. You good? Like, can you talk? Because even though I know, like, Gia knows I work with you, she knows our relationship. It's just that respecting. It's late.

I know you laying down. with your wife and your family. Do you understand my... Completely. Thank you so much. If we out... If we out... If we out...

I didn't know at the one o'clock at a concert in Philly that everybody's going to bed and everybody's sleeping. I don't know... I don't know you got a guy so I'm going, hey, what's happening? What's popping?

That's it. And also with your guy, let your guy know. I like vintage pieces, you know. Like, I'll only mess with women that text me good night Six o'clock. Them the women I mess with. Everybody know this.

This is what it is. Let your man know. I think he's a great guy. I just don't, you know, I'll let him know. I wasn't on that, dog. And by the way, you're Lauren LaRosa. You're the entertainment girl. You know everything.

You know what's going on. You know the city. A hundred percent. But I do think that every now and then it's like, because there have been circumstances where the hey you is not about where you headed. It's like, yo, what's up? How are you?

Have I ever came? You have never came off to me like that, but there have been other people who have also never came off to me like that. And now it's like, hey, like it's happening. Like those things do happen. Okay, well, not mean. Because he's seen that and experience that.

We just said he was more than to me. I just said what's up. A month prior to that was about my mom. So, but. And what did you say about you? You was like my mom wanted to say hey to you. My mom sent him a voice note. She loves D.

Thank you. But I do think, what am I. I, I, I, I, I, think here's what I'm going to say then we should move on. I do think that what I learned from this situation is I need to immediately follow up like what's going on is newsbreaking basically.

Bam, boom, simple as that. Have you ever dated a woman Dion who couldn't understand your line of work? Yeah, absolutely. But they don't understand what's going on. I don't know how to play their position, whatever. I was talking to Chris Rock and Chris Rock said,

Chris Rock said, he left this girl, he left this girl along because she didn't know how to chat. He was like, you gotta learn how to chat when I take you out. Like socially with other people?

Yeah, it was like, you can't just be sitting in the corner. It was like, bitch, go there, chat. He's just meme-bugging everybody. A lot of people, I feel like most guys like it when they bring, like, girls around and the girls just, like,

there for them. And, like, y'all love girls that don't, I mean, I think a lot of men like a mean woman, you know what I mean? Yeah, that's mean to other... That's like, that's chilling and, you know, just like not speaking and chilling and stuff like that. You know, I think a lot of guys like that. And back to the hey you.

Yeah, yeah. Like, you know, some of us, you know. That is insecure though, but whatever. I don't think it's insecure. I think you have to have boundaries. Like, I don't think there's anything wrong about. I think if he... It's insecure.

No, I think... I'm gonna say that. I was like that when I was younger, right? I was very insecure to my wife, right? But now it's like we're in an industry. You're in the entertainment. But even if he felt the way, on the biggest class of the world, not for him.

Well, I think he's... You know, if he felt the way about it, that's what you tell him. Dion, yeah, I know you texted it like that's... I think the time... I think the timeline of it was a little crazy. Unless you made him feel like that way for something else. No, we literally are getting out. We're in the car.

parking to go into the dang party and then boom you right there so it's like you're out then but you didn't know we didn't even have a conversation I didn't know you even saw me at the root picnic exactly but I'm like yo what's popping what's going on but you never hit me back so I think finding that middle point between like what is like all right this is work and this may lead to something else that's not work that has been a new area for me okay so have I ever came on to you have I ever winked at you you have I ever grabbed your shoulders, hey, girl, I never did none of that.

Exactly. No. Exactly. But he don't know that. I get it, but don't nobody know that he's knowing nothing. Like, I don't know nothing. I don't know. He got your phone.

He's looking at it. I don't even know you got him. I ain't even know you got him. I'm just hitting you like, yo, what's popping? Well, we're here now. Yes. Yes, we're here. And we're here.

And we're here. And we're here. And we're here. And scene. And scene. And scene. Now, I heard you say that the first. season of average Joe was difficult

because you've never been to lead before. Yeah. I mean, being number one on the car sheet, man, is it takes all your, it takes everything. You can't DJ, you can't do comedy, you can't be hanging out, you can't do nothing. You got to be there and you got to not only perform,

but you also have to make sure that everybody else is straight too. You know what I mean? So it was very difficult being number one on. the sheet because I was still trying to do everything else and I was coming in and sleep and tired. So, yeah, to make those adjustments, it was something else. So it's being the star more responsibility than privilege? Yeah, absolutely. It's way more responsibility because you ain't just dealing with your problems.

You're doing with everybody's problems. You want to make sure everybody's cool. You want to make sure your cast is straight and that they, you know, are on all cylinders when they performing or whatever, you know, so you do what you can or whatever. And, yeah, this season of Average Joe, I was able to, I was blessed to be executive producer on this. So now I'm even, I can help out even more with people and whatever issues they have, you know, on the show when we was shooting down.

That's even more responsibility, though. But now you got ownership of what the show actually becomes. Yeah, exactly, exactly. So, yeah, it's just, it's just making sure. If everybody comfortable with them. Behind every night spent making the kids' lunches, there's a lot of suspense. Will they finally eat the veggies?

Will the pasto survive the first bite? Will the lunchbox come home empty, half full, or come home at all? And will you finish episode 8 before you're done slicing the cucumbers? Get Bell Pure Fiber Internet with Craved Netflix and Disney Plus from $94 a month. Price guaranteed for two years on Internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit.

Visit bell.com for details and to check availability. Bill, connection is everything. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. I just remember this low, taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me.

I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming. They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. There's stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your for-you page are equally important to your personality, welcome home.

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From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a Trojan horse.

Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to pro society on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your book. podcasts. See you between the pages. On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinero and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility. Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people, and they were like, you smiled at us. Not a lot of people smile around here.

It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you're you get your podcasts. And we're going to get the best results. You know what I mean? So why not, when you're taking on all that responsibility, why not kind of like

not do a lot of the other stuff outside of that then? No, I quit. I quit everything. Yeah, but I'm talking about the first season. I was like trying to do everything. And I couldn't. This season, I dedicated myself. We was all the way in Cape Town.

And I just, I was locked in and made it definitely about the show. and nothing else. So being in Cape Town help too because we ain't know nothing. Yeah, we was away. Is carrying the whole show less fun? Because you're the guy that'll come in, steal some scenes, and be out.

Yeah, that's how I always did everything. But yeah, now, but the beauty about the average Joe is that it don't fall on me like that. You know, I got a wonderful cast, Malcolm Barrett, who's funny as hell. Michael Trucoe and Cynthia, McKay Williams, they all are phenomenal actors, and, you know, all of that falls on them.

I remember Tom Hanks saying this one time, and I added into my life. He was like, I just surround my, he said, I surround myself around amazing people and it make it look like I'm amazing. So that was basically what the, you know, what the formula was, you know, to grab these people and be amazing

and hopefully just hang in there with them or whatever. So, yeah, so, and I appreciate everybody watching the show too, man. Thank you. What was the decision you made on average, Joe, that you was an actor wouldn't have made maybe, you know, 10 years ago? Learning that my problems, people watching the show don't know about my problems. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That role is your role.

When that camera's on, don't nobody care about, nothing else you got going on. And the first season, I thought that, you know. I got fired the first season. The first day. First day on the set. For what? But not showing up. On top?

Yeah. I went to the wrong place. And they gave me a rent-a-car. And I'm like, if you wanted me there. You had a car service. You had had a car service. So you shouldn't be able blaming me. So they was like you, they was like, they was getting to know me.

And they was like, we don't know if he going to do this all the time. Is he on drugs? Just going alcohol. Let's just nip this in the bud right now. How late were you? That's like 20 minutes? How late were you? I was like probably like an hour late.

But I didn't know where I was going. I went to this other place rather than where they was having the table read. And I was like across town. So it took like another hour to get there. And they had like the network on Zoom. And it was a whole bunch of people. So he made it look crazy. So it was crazy.

But I thought I was going to the studio. I didn't know I was going. went to some hotel that they had. And so, you know, they was just like, yeah, no, I think we should replace them or whatever. So I was angry. The whole first five episodes, average Joe, like, I was like. How'd you get it back?

They actually, I'm saying. They actually fired you and then you got it back. Man, so my people talk to their people and they was like, yo, everybody relaxes, talk. They was like, he know the lines. He know everything. Y'all might as would just use him. He's not like that.

They was like, we'll give him one more chance and all this. And I was like, all right, so now I'm not got attitude because I'm like, how dare you get mad at me for not being here? And now you tell me I got one more chance. So every day on set, dog, I would do my scene and I would sit down and not speak to nobody,

just chilling, arms folded, like, not worried about nobody's nothing. You know what I mean? And then around that fifth episode, that's when I got that information, which is, you know, they don't care what you, how you feel. You know what I mean? You're doing your job. That's all they want. You do your job because that camera

and the people watching this don't care. And you're looking crazy right now. So like, yo, like buckle down. Stop being emotional and get to work. So how did you get over it? How do you decide, I let me stop playing around? Man, I did just that. I just was like, man, I just sat back

and was like, let me focus on this. Me being angry. I'm looking weird. I look like a princess and shit. Let me just chill. focus on this and I did and and and and the rest of the season became what it was and then this season we just in the pocket we zoning out everybody comfortable I'm not dealing with a whole bunch of this that and the third I'm not worried about getting fired and man we just all cylinders

on this season it's the same behind the scenes team like the same creative team yeah so they must have really like just respected you as talent to even give you those episodes to grow through that because most people would have been like, we don't feel like dealing with this? Yeah, no, they, but they knew that, you know, I put it in the work, you know what I mean, and that I was dead to work, you know,

so they just put away their differences as well and we just came to an agreement or whatever, you know, shout out to everybody that was involved in that. Shout out to Deb and daylight and Corey and Rob and everybody. So, yeah, it worked out. And you ain't growing up three? Yeah, we're filming right now. That's crazy.

Filming right now out here. Yeah, it's crazy. How you become with Adam Sandler friends? He only put his friends in movies, sir. I'm saying I'm not his friend, no, I'm slend. You know what? Every time I saw Adam, right, I would see Adam. Every time I seen him, I would always go, what's up, Adam?

And he would always be like, man, man, man, you're funny as hell, man. How you doing? I'm like, I'm good, man. And he always would be like, man. And he always would be like, man. And I'd be like, man, we're going to work together one day. He'd be like, yeah. I'll always say that to him for years.

Recently, we was at the Netflix. They have this big comedian. Oh, yeah, yeah. We see pictures all the time, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So we had that, and I saw him. And I was just like, hey, man, what's up? And he was like, we did the same dance.

You know, man, we just worked together one day. But this day, he was just like, yeah, we should. And he just kind of looked. Then that was it. Next thing, I know I got this call. And it was like, man, you want you to come rock with him. And I was like, words. Like, yeah, and I was just about to shoot my new special, too.

I was, like, gearing up, like, about to shoot it. And I had to put it on the back burner to go get down, you know, with this legendary cast, man, and, you know, with Selma Hayek and Chris Rock and Maya Rudolph and Kevin James, Adam Sandler, just go over there and just, you know, ping pong with them and just go over there, just go back and forth with them, man. It's like, man, it's like a dream.

come true, man. And, you know, I've had the privilege of working with some legendary cast, you know, and this is just, you know, another testament to that, to go in there and play ball with them, man. You've got an amazing line up right now. Man, this is great, man. When you say to Adam Sandler, we should work together,

do you really mean it? Or in your mind, you're saying, we shouldn't work together. So it's just the reverse man to do it. I walk away going, we ain't going to work together. That's what I do. We should work together. I know we ain't going to work together.

It didn't. Got you, got you. Got you. And then it happened, but man, it's, it's just, it's just good being around. You know who's large,

though, Selma Hyatt? Like, she is. I never seen her in person. She's large, man. Like, like, what do you mean by large? Like, her career or, like,

her nature? Like, he thought you would, like, you said I never, you said I never, you said I never, you said I was, man, she's fine, too,

but that's why I didn't want to tell. No, no. I didn't want to take it dead, but that's what my mind is. Nah, she's dope as hell, dog. She's so, like, all of them are super famous over there. They, like, Uber famous, dog. Like, we was on set one day. I know they're going to get mad at me.

We was on set one day, and we were walking from the set to the trailer, and she had, like, two umbrellas, two people with umbrellas on each side, one of the front. I guess they were blocking people, cameras and stuff. I was just like, damn. And then I walk all the sun in my eyes. I ain't got no umbrellas. I'm like this.

That's my trailer? All right, let me go. She still look good, eh? What? Yes. She said it three times. I don't know. That's a perfect thing in my mind.

Beautiful, man. Beautiful, man. But yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, yeah, to go over there, it's an honor, man. You know, go over there. rock with them, man. And it's love, too. My trailer big in my hotel room.

Yeah. I got stairs. In the trailer? In the trailer. I was in there. It's a stove and double refrigerator doors. So it goes upstairs into like a room? Or like it's like a overlooking, like a studio.

It's like a whole living room. And then you go this way and there's some steps you go up. And there's the bathroom and it's like this bed. And you get California. Oh, they treat you. Yeah, like, it's Adam Sandler. If you ever get a good chance of working at Adam Sandler, work at Adam Sandler.

Like, that's just the easiest thing in the world to do. Yeah, sure. Yeah, right. We're gonna get the opportunity to work at Adam Sandler. No, he's great though, man. That dude is amazing. I wanted to ask you, you hosted the NAACP Awards. How bad did the Bob's get on your ass after you made the double

They went at my ass? I'm not sure they're still coming at you. Dog, they're not like they was, but they was like talking about my mama. And it's like, that dead bitch. Like they was going crazy. No, they go crazy, dog. I was like, what is this? I could have told you that too.

So as I heard you say that joke, I said, oh, we're hearing for a long couple of weeks. I couldn't even believe it. I was like, so I was like, man, let me get my vintage ladies. Them motherfuckers were sleeping. and I got my kids like we can't be fighting and like I was like

I got a good fan base like this though but no they was like shit I could not believe that and then other people was telling me they were like no you never heard about how to they're gonna do it with this you're hearing but you don't

until you live it you go oh wow we reported something up here about her and I don't remember what it was but I had somebody like call my mom's house like because you know you can look up like certain things

I had to remove certain stuff from like certain profiles or whatever. They caught, my mom called me like, can you please stop talking about Nikki Minaj? I'm like, what? She was like, someone called the house and said, I'm like, yo, no, they like take it to the next level. That's crazy. I went to a gas station the next day after that

and the chick wouldn't get me gas. No way. I pulled up to the gas station. She said, we ain't got our delivery on gas yet. I was like, a dude just pumped gas and pulled off. She was like, yeah, we ain't got more gas. And then barbie, bitch. That's the only thing I can think of.

I was like, yo, wait a minute. But, yo, it was crazy. And the Tourette's people was after me. They were saying that. Yeah, because the, what is it, the Michael B. Jordan thing at Baffa? They never apologized to them. No joke. So, yeah, so I did a joke on it.

And they was coming at me. He said, if there are any white men in the room with Tourette's, I advise you to tell them to read the room. It might not go the way they think it. I think that's good advice. Yo, great advice. But they was like, yeah, Dion needs to apologize. And I was like, first of all, y'all apologize to your viewers.

Y'all never apologize to Michael B. Jordan or Delroy Lindo. These are like our top-shelf Negroes. You know what I mean? You can't just talk to them any kind of way. You know what I mean? This ain't like soldiers. or Ray J. This is

Delroy Lindo. You ain't never heard about Ray J. I mean, Solih No, okay, I'm sorry. Not Solih

Boy. You got to you're going to with the box, baby. No, no, I think Ray J. and Soldier Boy

is a phenomenal. Too late that. Too late that. You about to get a Soldier Boy rent and a Ranger no, I'm sorry, Soldier Boy and Ray J.

You got to go the box Ray J now. You got to go box. You got to box. You got a box. Soldier Boy is going to be online screaming at you. No,

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Sucer boy. You called them whale niggas. You got top shelfing in the well. Bottom shelf niggas is crazy. That is wild. The nigger bottom shrap.

That is crazy. That is God. God. No, I'm sorry, y'all. Look, listen, listen, I'm trying to say something. They did not apologize to them. And I was like, yo, I'm not apologizing you until you apologize to them. And they still haven't apologized to them.

So I stayed ten toes down and was like, You know, fuck it. This is how I feel, and, you know, y'all, y'all feel. Especially being that they could have edited it out. Dog, they could have edited it out, and they did not. They let it ride. And it's like, all right, with shit, you know,

we're going to stand on us, too. You know what I mean? Like, fuck it. Like, I say don't go over there no more. I mean, not go over there, but the bath and shit, like, man, until they apologize, because they still have it. You know, that's weird.

Have you not praying for Nikki no more? Do I pray for Nikki? You won't do it no more. Yeah, I'm done with the Nicky. I don't. Yeah, that was, that was crazy, dog. I was crazy. I was crazy.

I was, okay, I'm a lead Nicky. The only good thing about it now is you can trace those people now. Like, they used to could harass you and not deal with no consequences. If you want to, you can find out who's behind them phone calls and them tweets and all that. Really? Oh, yeah, absolutely. I can't even know where to begin to do that shit or whatever. Just find the worst one.

Find the worst one. and put some, put, put an investigation on. Da, they was on that motherfucker. I was saying that Ellis shit. I was like, wow. They, they, they came at y'all too, huh? Oh, yeah. Oh, of course, over the years, absolutely.

Damn, 100%. Has anybody ever scared, y'all? No. Be honest. No. Be honest. Nobody. Once I do this, it don't even matter.

You were scared? Somebody scared me for him. Oh. Okay. When the president mentioned his name, oh. they're definitely going to random search and pat his ass down every time you go to the airport.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember that. You weren't scared of that? No. Come on, man. I wasn't. That's crazy. I'd have been a little nervous.

You know, when you first read it, you're like, oh, shit. But then it's just like, oh, shit. That's what he'd do. It's not like he's a person that does that. It's like 50 cent getting at you. Like, you're like, oh, shit, they go 50 on my head, but that's what 50 does. But government attacks from the president, though?

That's different level. It's just a tweet. Yeah, I definitely thought at the airport, but then it'd be like little stuff. Like all types of stuff. I thought they were doing your ass. I definitely did. There's a tweet.

I never had no problems. What? Let me knock on wood. Yeah, yeah, that's not a problem. But after one that scared you with a Nikki? I ain't never witnessed nothing like that. I ain't never had nobody go.

They used to attack me in all the time. Crazy. Fuck you. Really? What? They used to go crazy. Daug. They didn't fuck your dead mama is crazy.

Dah. I don't know. I remember that one dude's like, yeah, we're going to dig her up, we're going to fuck her up, and we're going to, I was like this. Ow, oh, what a joke? It lasted for a week. Man, no, that shit lasted like three weeks, like a month. That shit was going on.

I was like, this is crazy. Like, over a joke. Like, nah, this is. And I can't get gas. Did you see if she blocked you? Are you blocked on her Instagram or Twitter? Did she block me? Yeah.

Oh, I don't know. I have no idea. I never even looked to even see it, whatever. Has grief made you funnier or less funny? Are you just... Grief? Yeah. Well, with my mom?

Yeah, yeah. No, no. It ain't made me like, yeah, yeah. Like, I can't, like, really think about that too much. Like, if I'm, like, writing or something like that, because then I veer off, you know what I mean? Like I get, like, get, like, lost into her and missing her and all of that. So, you know, it's, yeah, I try not to even, I try to separate it, you know what I mean?

Because I'm way better than what I was, like, way better, you know, but still, it's like the moment, you know what I mean? So, like, it would catch you just, like, out of the clear blue, you know? in the grocery store and you see something that she used to eat or whatever. You'd be like, oh, man, let me grab this for her. Then you'd be like, ah, man. It'd be like that. You know what I mean?

And still till today, like that happened. Something happened. I'm going to grab my phone. You know, it'll be like that. So I try to separate the one I'm writing, you know, material, whatever. Yeah. Don't tell people what their favorite food is

because the barbs will use that against you. Fuck the frost and flakey. Fuck your celery and peanut butter, nigger. Where did dealing with grief leave you in like your faith? You talked a lot about manifesting. I know with the Michael Jackson movie, you prayed to God and you talk to your mom. Like where did it leave you in your faith walk in dealing with grief?

I mean, we ain't never going to run from faith, right? We're going to always have it, you know? And we always going to believe God. It's a reason for everything. That's right. You know, and I mean, so you just got to, you know, bear with it and see what the outcome is, you know, and go from there, you know. Touching somebody else, giving them. you know, the type of love that I need it, you know,

and making them feel good about, you know, but making them feel like they can move on and go on, you know, dealing with that situation is something that, you know, I try to do now, you know what I mean, that people remind people, let these people that you miss live through your everyday life, you know what I mean, by naming whatever, your car after them or a pack. or whatever, you know, you

when you at them in your daily life, it kind of helps and, you know, as if they dare understand some problems. Yeah, that's what I try to do. Is that the name of your new special on your shirt? No, this is a thing that I

created called the Vintage Agenda. It's a site curator for people over 40 that's looking for things to do. And it's only for people over 40 and it has all different events. where you can go to check out art, concerts, parties, and every party on there is for people over 40.

And you can also post your party on there, and people will see it, and it's just curated for people over 40. That'll keep you from sending out, hey, you text. I have a young boyfriends. And I think that's why I made it. And I think that's why I made it. So.

You see what I'm saying? Yeah, so you can sign up. It's called The Vintage. agenda going there and they'll sign up and it's like every city any city you in you just put the city in and boom it's going to show you what's going on day parties night parties is going to show you for all people over 40 and then you just see what's going on everywhere and what's the oldest age you like it does it cap at like 60 65 they just go all the way up just 40 is where it's where it's started and you can't go in there no i'm thinking i was thinking about my grandma she's trying to

meet like she did she was a boyfriend tell her to go home My grandma is 88. She wants a boyfriend? But she gave, she give like 70, though. She give like 70. She gives 70. You wouldn't know she was 80. Oh, okay.

But she, yeah, she said she, she keep asking me, do I know any, do any of my friends have, like, grandfathers that are divorced? Man, tell her to go on there and see what she can find, you know. I don't want her out at no party trying, like your slide, though. I kind of want her in, like a. She's 88? Yeah, she'd be outside. She'd play cards every third.

She'd pay cards every third. She'd be on set of it sound like she's searching for something antique. Go on in. You can find. We got something, man, Tegan. She just wants somebody that could play cards and talk to them. Yo, it'd be some bingo joints on there, like, you know. Spades games.

Spades games. You know, she can find something on there. But, yeah, it's a great sightman. A lot of people are using it. And, yeah, it's just, you know, to find out what's going on where we can, we ain't got to be, you know, partying with a bunch of kids no more. You can find out what's going on in your age. It's all good.

Check it out. Yeah, do you ever laugh? This is my last question. Do you ever laugh when people describe you like you just got here? Like you ain't been out here working for 25 plus years? It's so crazy, dog. People, every thing. People be like, oh, who is that?

Or they be like, oh, it's this guy. Like, yeah, they actually don't be remembering anything that I probably did. You know, I'm like, I got like 10 NAACP awards, two Emmy nominations. Like, all these things, you know. And I've been around. for a while, wrote for late night television. Yeah, Coney-O-Bride, yeah, yeah. I'd been on three syndicated TV shows

that's still airing, you know what I mean? Like, it's, and people still be like, oh, that's the other Spice dude. You know what? But it's all love, because everybody knows me for every, for different things. And, you know, it's just, you,

in this game, man, they never end. You just keep on throwing and keep it going. You know what I mean? Like, I remember I had flex. Alexander on my funny knowing you show, right? And he was talking about how all this stuff he did and nobody know him for nothing but that Michael and the Michael Jackson movie he did.

And I fuck with Flex, but when you do something that bad, it's either one of the two things, you can do something that good where everybody remember you forever or that bad where everybody remember you forever. And that was Michael, man. That was a bad one. That was a guy. And it wasn't even his fault, I don't think.

But maybe it wasn't how he was. I'm about to say, you see some things and you got to know like, yo, it's no way how we should be doing this like this. He went along with a lot before it got to us. I'm sure it was a nice check at the time. He went with the money instead of going. He thought it was going to be great. But that's his dissident. And then, I mean, maybe not the maker, but he thought something.

Especially being that we don't got us a classic Michael movie now. Oh, no. You got to go through it a lot before it got to us. But look, look, but does that take away everything he did? Because he did a lot. He had one of the most signature hairstyles back. in the 90s that everybody got that hot top, drip flat top.

They got that from him. Yep, the sitcom, Mary Shanice. Like, he did, he was on, he was like everywhere. He was one of the dopest dancers. He went on tour with everybody. Yeah, he was the coldest dancer. He went on tour with salt and pepper and heavy D. He was like the dude.

You see him in the background in the video. Yeah, all of that is amazing, but that Michael Jackson rolled on the number one on the call sheet. He got to do something to erase that thing. Even if he wins the Oscar, I don't think he can erase that thing. No, no, I still do that. He iconic to me, man. Yeah, you got to hold that one, my brother.

You got to hold that one. Dionne Cole, one last question for myself. You're from Chicago, right? It's always a pizza conversation. I see it all the time. Best pizza, New York and Chicago. You really going to go there? I'm sad.

This one question. Chicago. And I hate to say in New York, but it's Chicago deep dish. It's something else. These slices in New York, they get your paper cut on your lip. They so thin sometimes. You should go to cuts and slices in New York City. I've never been.

You should go. Black-on-spot cuts and slices, man, amazing. I'm going to go to cuts and slices. Post a video about it because I don't know, I think, coming from Chicago. I don't know if you would like it. I'll go to cuts and slices and see. It's cut and slices. It depends what you like.

So they do something like, they'll do an oxtail pizza. Sweet chili oxtail pizza. I know what you think. You're looking at me like, yeah, I envy. It'll change your life. Jerk chicken pizza. They have jerk chicken pizza. So what's the one you got out there?

The salmon and. No, I gave you sweet chili salmon. I went there last night. Like that's what I love it there. Like I got salmon. Sweet chili salmon. Oh my God. It'll change your life.

But you don't like thin crust. They got thick crust. I mean, I'll eat some thin crust. We got thin crusts at the crib in Chicago, but I'll try it out. You should go. Cut. Cushing slices.

Cuts and slices. It's one in Brooklyn, but it's one right here on the... House and Street. House and Street. Yeah, yeah. It's the House and Street. Yeah, right on House. Definitely, definitely.

And make sure y'all check out Average Joe. It's on Paramount Plus. Please run this up, man. Not promotion. We need all the promotion we can, man. Please go tell somebody because the promotion, we... Anyway, just go.

We need your help. If you love the show, go see it. Go check it out. Run it up, please. Thank you so much. I'll lay you have it. It's the breakfast club. Good morning. Caboom. Hold up. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The breakfast club. You all finished or y'all done? I survived nine months in captivity, and I've spent my life

exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home.

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