The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Michelle Buteau & Ilana Glazer Talk 'Babes' Movie, Motherhood, Broad City, Wokeness + More

Episode Date: May 21, 2024

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Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning everybody it's DJ Envy Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha Guy. We are The Breakfast Club. We got some special guests in the building. Who keep a job, both of them. From the new film B.A.S.E. That's out everywhere May 24th. We have Michelle Buteau. Did I say that right? You did. Okay, alright. And Alana Glazerana glazer hi hey good morning how you feeling this morning good feeling really good i mean this is it's like it's like kwanzaa every day like there's a movie out it's crazy you wrote it you started it you produced it she's a powerhouse not just being thrown out on some screaming platform correct that's correct yeah yeah i'm

excited about that too also press is like such an insane part of the job but to do it with michelle we have been just laughing so much i don't i haven't figured out my dosage yet but i don't need it just do press you know what i mean it's great but it's fun because we're also comedians and so we don't mind saying something or talking about something like 12 000 times and it's an important over and over every time sort of just like well it's like married sex you know you gotta use your imagination to get it right oh my goodness come on so we gotta ask some of the questions i can't wait did you write the questions not marriage in marriage sex we at least we try to switch it up we We try to do new things. Back shots, missionary, 69, sometimes take an edible.

Bro, nobody asked. We didn't need no details. Oh, I love them. I was like, absolutely. Me too. No 69 when you got a hemorrhoid because that's too vulnerable. Good morning, everybody. Let's talk about babes.

With a hemorrhoid to babes. Okay. Now tell us what Babes is about for people that don't know. So Babes is a movie, a heart comedy with a lot of heart, about two best friends, lifelong friends, who are in very different places in their lives. Michelle's character Dawn is married with two kids. My character Eden is a free spirit, spontaneous,

totally naive to the responsibilities of parenting. And when my character Eden gets pregnant she decides to keep the baby and it tests their friendship in a crazy way

was it a one night stand that you got pregnant yeah that's right one night stand yeah a very special one night stand

that touched this person yeah Eden that's how I like met my husband too so like one night stand yes

I always say open your mind your heart and your legs to love because you never know when you're going to find it. That's right. But you are of a certain age when that happened, right? What are you talking about? I'm talking about because there was a certain level of experience and growth that came with making a decision.

Yeah, I was late 20s, early 30s. And so you have to be responsible too cute for bacteria get checked out totally totally on your sexuality definitely have you know hard conversations with people i am interested i'm not interested and what i do love about this movie is that you know i'm the only child so i really call my friends my chosen family and so it's always different when i have an argument with a cousin compared to like a best friend because i'm like i don't i don't like this confrontation and i hope we're still friends after this right and we're we've been friends for a very long time and this is the first time we're really working together and you know you work with your friend you hope it ends well oh

my god do you know what i mean it was like stronger like a kelly clarkson song thank god because i like, we don't know how it's gonna go. But it was amazing. That is like such a risk. Like Michelle was, it was so busy. Having just written and preparing to shoot her first, the first season of Survival of the Thickest, her hit show on Netflix. And they've seen it. Yeah, she was up here before promoting. Yeah. Don't touch the mic. So we really had to like work it out to get Michelle, which was amazing. But the other thing is like the risk of like how could it turn out in the end. But we're like closer than, even closer than before. Thank God. Yeah, thank God. Yeah. And it's also just beautiful working with just bomb as women who have a vision and want to tell a story about, you know, what happens to our bodies when we get pregnant in our relationships, not only with our partners, but with ourselves and then our friends.

And then, you know, what kind of like isolation you might be going through when you try to have a kid and can you talk to anybody and can they relate? And how do you go back to work and have all this responsibility so it's really like educating everybody you know whether you have a kid or not or whether you know somebody with a kid or whatever it is and it's entertaining and um once Pamela Adlon was um attached as a director I'm like this is gonna be good yeah Yeah, it was fun. Because, you know, she has five seasons of better things, and she's just a powerhouse, too, when it really comes to leaning into the truth

of what, like, a real female experience is like. And, Alana, you wrote this, right? Right. Is this like a, I don't want to say an extension of Broad City, but Broad City told a very specific story of people in their 20s. Yeah. But now it's like a woman in their late 30s. It's totally related, the vibe. And my character, Eden, is definitely

similar to Ilana Wexler, the way she's born out of me. I co-wrote it with Josh Rabinowitz, and he also wrote on Broad City. And with actually the late, great Kevin Barnett. They were a writing team. Oh, man. Rest in peace, fat boy. Yeah, yeah. And the character Claude is based on Kevin.

Wow. The character that my character Eden gets pregnant by is based on Kevin, and it was really fun. We were kind of writing in Kevin's voice. And Stefan killed it. Yeah, Stefan James killed it. Killed it. Really, I think Kevin would be thrilled that Stefan killed it yeah Stefan James killed it killed it really I think Kevin

would be thrilled that Stefan was being portrayed was portraying him yeah was there any thought like this is what Eden is what Alana would be doing now it like kind of you know like it's totally related and she's you know she's chill she's a stoner she's weird you know in the same way that uh anything that i um make that's like really in my voice is going to be related to me in that way now michelle you have babies so did you enjoy pregnancy because some people enjoy pregnancy they love it and some people just absolutely positively hate it like jess is not here today because uh every once in a while she gets tired of pregnancy she's six months pregnant no it's one of those things when you ask her if she's okay she's like yeah i'm good like most women do and then yeah take a break it's hard for us to say no because there aren't a lot of

opportunities for us especially to get paid equally and so we got to show up and grow a body and like hopefully our uterus don't drop out on the floor we're trying to interview somebody and be cute exactly and so pregnancy for me this was like a very interesting um movie for me to do because um my body couldn't carry my kids so we went down the circusy route and so you know for me i really want to honor what it was like to be pregnant because i never had that experience so i'm also learning as a woman what what that's like but what I did bring to the table was being just a tired ass mom of five-year-old twins where it's like if I didn't have kids I'd probably play this character like hey everyone I got applesauce but when you're tired just like who want it open it go get your applesauce you

know what I mean and so you know just even the nuance of like loving your family but the way you really talk to them when you're tired like that and um especially as a comedian i want to make it light and bright and funny and fun and so the great thing about the writing with josh and alana and then also the directing with pamela she's just like you ain't gotta say anything just be still onians, it's hard for us just to hear silence. And I'm like, shouldn't we fill it with a joke? And she's like, no, you are tired. Stare off into space.

And I was like, oh, that's why I go to the bathroom and take my phone when I'm at home. That's right. It's my me time. Your me time. Yes. And the movie opens up with this unbelievable labor scene that Michelle does. And the way that you conjured. It's so funny because it's so real. The way that you conjured it's so funny because

it's so real the way that you like conjured that I love physical comedy it was that's the only kind of cardio I began is physical comedy it's so fun it really is fun I feel like people just don't let themselves fly anymore but I also love these conversations too because I even have family members that will forget that I did not give birth because I am so in motherhood and there's no shame to this story I think it's there's beauty and alternative family planning and alternative love and you don't have to be blood related to somebody to love them which is like you know what babes is about too and so yeah I mean I don't mind at all and it's not a mistake or a mishap on anybody it's like it's my story and I don't mind sharing it at all. And like I, it was, surrogacy was not legal in New York when I was going through it. And so I stumped

with Andy Cohen in Albany and it's overturned now. And so, you know, gestational surrogacy is legal. So if you, you know, have to go down that route, like whatever you want, like whether it's a kid or a career, whatever you want, I want that for you. Just be a crazy bitch and go get it. I'm not a woman, so I can't speak to this totally. Oh, we know that. That's right. But I would feel like, you know, I feel like motherhood and carrying a child

is two different things. Because you can be a surrogate that carries a child, but you're not taking the journey of motherhood. And also, like, how hard you work to get to that place where, you know, it took you years to get to this place that you worked so hard. Five years, four losses. Ooh. you worked so hard five years four losses you worked so hard to to get your babies yeah and also did comedy at the same time you know what it

is oh my lord i'm sure you guys have been through hard stuff i don't know what you've been through sometimes we don't you share so much every day you have to keep something for yourself right but you know i think there is power in sharing because then you do uh make people feel less alone right and also it's cathartic for you. So I don't mind. I'm learning a lot by watching. I mean, I'm married with four kids, but I'm learning a lot by watching Jess because she comes in here every morning. She does the show.

She's flying to Charlotte to do Stand Up this weekend. Wow. So it's just that grind. I'm like, damn. Wow. Oh, you know what? We talk about this all the time. Rest is also

productive that's okay sit down she took a day off this week and I was happy because most people don't want they feel like they don't want to lose the opportunity right but she hit us and she was like guys I'm fine everything's okay I'm just taking the day right and I respected that yeah yeah that's the hardest one you know we have this like pulse and pulsing and pulsing to go go go especially in New York. And you, yeah, you want to like show up as though you're at the front of the line, too. So it's a real act of strength. Yeah, I hope she gets a nice foot rub.

Me too. You know, Alana, Michelle is in this film with you. Y'all been friends for 20 years, right? When you write something, how do you know this is the best person for the role? Or this is my friend? Like, how do you know? You know, like when I was writing this with Josh, we were also kind of writing it with our producer, Susie Fox. So Susie was the dawn in between us because Josh's wife and I were pregnant at the same time. We didn't know. I can't believe you have four kids. Mazel Tov. Four daughters. Oh my God. That's is cool how many bathrooms do you have one two five oh

that is a sign of royalty yes that is empire building made it that's your that's your ancestors dream that is incredible that's the 40 acres in the new oh my god bathrooms um uh so suzy was like was in michelle's uh role had a one and a three-year-old josh and i josh's wife was pregnant i was pregnant so we didn't know we were like my character who didn't know how hard it is to raise a kid and work and also be a person if you can manage it um so we like kind of had our character dynamic filled as we were writing it. But then when, once we started getting to casting, we like wrote it and we're greenlit to make the movie quicker than I think usually happens. And when we were in the casting mode, like, you know, I was getting these, we were talking about lists of actresses and lists of actresses, women that, you know, I admire who I've, I've

watched in movies for years, but to see them like on a list it was so flattening um I've been saying like do you remember when Mitt Romney was like I have binders full of women oh McConnell no no Mitt Romney it was Romney not McConnell he was like running I guess for president oh yeah that is so Utah it was so that's very Mormon it was it was Mormon it was uh and he was like talking about binders full of women and that's like what it was and i was like this process is um yeah is like so this is not hot you know especially where i come from in comedy and like being inspired and writing characters based on people and michelle came to me in a dream it was like the thing so

obvious it's right in front of your nose and i became obsessed like literally like her she forced me into it i was like this is a great script i love you i'm busy she's like no bitch you can do i said i'm i'm potty training three-year-olds right now i don't even and i'm not a forceful person i do not like to force i love consent i do not like to force people it was consensual by the time she said yes. By the time I said yes, yes. But I was just like, damn, I really can't see this as anybody but you. Because Michelle is so funny, but so emotional and has such a big heart. And she was the only person who could capture both sides of this.

And you really wanted a major movie release because with so many people doing Netflixes and Tubies and YouTube movies and this, you wanted to be in a major movie. I mean, I could only dream. I could only fantasize about that. The fact that Neon wanted to do that was so exciting. And they've expanded the theatrical release bigger than we thought. We thought it would be I think 500 theaters max, but

they've expanded it to like a thousand so far. So we are praying. I think it's a great time because I like going to the movies. Like that's just something I enjoy doing. I get good for my mental health or late night. I like going to matinees, you know, but I don't mind like a six o'clock. Right. Yeah. Because I like getting my popcorn, my PM and M's.

So I'm at the point now where I'm looking for because so many is so many limited movies come into theaters. I'm just looking for things that seem good to go see. Oh, yeah. I hope you like it. Yeah're gonna love it it's dope i got seven bedrooms too by the way i just thought about it wow wow and you have you have a housekeeper every day you have to have somebody coming in every day you do no it's adulting i just graduated wow because i need to help you know yeah yeah yeah that's okay you don't fold to, you know. That's okay. You don't fold your laundry, do you? No. No, you're too busy for that. No, but you know, God is good.

Seven bedrooms, four girls, two parents. Yeah. That's amazing. Now, Alana, I read what you said, your character on Broad City, also named Alana. Yeah. You said people thought that was you. Yeah. It took you for that for years.

Do you think that if you had to use a different name, people would still feel that way? I know. I think it would have changed things for sure. For sure. Yeah. And I guess it's because we also started as a web series that we were just being ourselves. It was less reason to be protective or something.

But definitely. And I get it. I get why people mix it up. I mixed it up. You know what I mean? I was like, I'm her. And then you know, I get it. I get why people mix it up. I mixed it up. You know what I mean? I was like, I'm her. And then it took a while, especially it took it ending

to realize that I was me. Ooh. How long did it take to get a character like that out of your system? Like probably three years. Yeah. To like realize, you know?

It's baked in your DNA when you do something and care about something 24-7, 365, it's baked in your dna when you do something and care about something 24 7 365 it's very hard to let it go yeah and and like doing a lot of work to grow into a new person thank god yeah it's like a lovely breakup it's like a part of time yeah yeah just kind of put her down yeah you know yeah and she's she's there she's in 50 episodes yeah did y'all talk about some of the cravings women have

like you know I know my wife wanted ice cream and strawberries every morning oh did she get it of course

yes Jess wanted tacos and she eats lasagna at 6 o'clock in the morning I'm done with the savory and burritos yeah yeah me too savory

you know what's so funny is that I called my surrogate and asked her if she had any cravings and she's like I hate spaghetti with tomato sauce and I just want it every day and asked her if she had any cravings. And she's like, I hate spaghetti with tomato sauce. And I just want it every day.

And I was like, they're my kids. Because I'm a pasta hoe. Like morning, noon, and night. I love pasta. Is it pasta or the carbs? It's just pasta. I don't like bread. But pasta, lo mein, cacio e pepe, a rigatoni with the vodka sauce

that sounds like a bowl right there oh my was it like a squid ink with like a lobster lobster shrimp yes

but like a good shrimp crab meat yes yes with a little red chili pepper flakes oh and a nice little buttery chardonnay

get a little green apple on the back alright we hungry now we hungry now. We're such a sommelier. What do you like to eat? What do you like? What's the difference between films and television, Michelle? I mean,

besides the paycheck and the time on set, just kidding. I think with TV, you have to tell a story a lot faster. You have to get to it. But with film, there's time to breathe and grow and think about what you could do and stuff.

And the editing process is probably harder because you have so much more stuff because you can play around. But either way, as a comedian with a lot of heart, I mean, it's really such a blessing to be doing this. I mean, I remember you from the Viacom days where we weren't even getting paid like Wendy Williams gong show at Caroline's or whatever I never got gonged you know what I got gone so like you know when people are just like how's it feel to be

doing all this stuff it's just like I've been doing all this stuff for free for like 20 years and now I'm just getting paid. You know what I mean? Thank God we age well because it takes a while. I loved, I loved you on, I loved First Wives Club.

I mean, I don't know how me and my wife just ended up going down a First Wives Club rabbit hole. Oh no, on BET Plus or Netflix? It was Netflix. Thank God.

I mean, no, no shit to BET Plus. Thank you, this is the best $11.99 you'll ever spend, but it's easier to find no we gotta see

the Martin rerun somehow but like Netflix is such a great platform and so I'm so glad so many more people got to see it because Jill Scott is so funny

the whole cast though yeah I know and you're Ron Rico Lee yum delish and I was gonna ask how did being a mom change you just in life right I always say when I have my Yeah. Ronrico Lee, yum. Delish.

And I was going to ask, how did being a mom change you just in life, right? I always say when I have my kids, you look at money differently, right? Because you think, damn, I got to pay for high school. I got to pay for college. I got to pay for this. So how has being a mom changed you just in life? And everything scares me now. The other day we were walking in the city and my daughter just graduated from college. Congratulations.

Thank you. That's so sweet it was nyu so they block off the streets so they have like this huge thing and while she's enjoying herself with her friends i'm like what happened if a car breaks through this barricade i'm like looking at everybody with a book bag you turn to liam neeson in every movie absolutely absolutely you check all the perimeters and you think you could do it something if something does happen i'm like you're thinking like i'm gonna dive and grab her and push. Totally. Look, I will drive over a bridge when they were like little babies and be like, okay, we get off this bridge.

I'm gonna go on the back, get both car seats at the same time. Stick them in my bra and start swimming like a plus size mermaid. Like think of all types of stuff. But for me being a parent, I didn't think about money. My creative like process, I felt freer i was like

life is beautiful and it's meant to be lived and it's a miracle that we're here so let's just fly baby and um thank god like that's that's when the money started coming so right yeah and i think that's like not uh not a coincidence you know there's like this like magnitude that you're pulling where you're like i'm in my own. And like then you become the sun just pulling in the other element. Yes. Come on, yoga class. I've been like taking so much more pleasure in comedy and like less stress, less like more from the inside out, I think is what becoming a mom has given me where it's like, and that same pull too,

where like, you know, I don't know, I used to like stress or be like more anxious about standup and TV and film. But now it's like, I'm really like drinking it in. And my baby is three years old. So I'm still in that like sort of baby phase and just enjoying how like insanely cute it is. I can't even believe, but I know I'm still in that like sort of baby phase and just enjoying how like insanely cute it is. I can't even believe,

but I know I'm going to be a wreck in the teen years. Oh, I'm very anxious. I'm a helicopter, a lawnmower. And I used to, like, I'm not even like- A lawnmower? Yeah. I get called, my oldest is 15. She calls me a helicopter dad.

What is a lawnmower dad? I mean, lawnmower is like, I will drive over you to get it done. Like, I'm glad that you think you could climb this tree. You can't. Let me get you down. Okay. And my husband's European.

And so it's very different being married to a person that grew up in a place where the government actually takes care of them. So he's like, let them see what happens. I'm like, no, no. Okay. We don't have a PPO. Let's just not do that. City MD is open 24 hours, but I don't want to find out so like you know I do want them creatively I'm just like fly baby but physically he's just like let them see so we're doing swimming lessons and stuff but also

one thing I realized as like coming from a big Caribbean family I'm telling kids, you don't have to say hi to everybody. You know what I mean? You don't have to kiss everyone on the cheek. You don't have to sit on their lap. You don't have to hug. Like this is your body. So if you don't feel like doing all that, you don't have to,

because I was always just, you know, same, same, you know? Yeah. And that's weird for a lot of like my Caribbean family, but I'm like,

I don't care. Let them do what they want to do. Yeah. It's, it's gross. You don't, you don't have to, you don't have to, your your body you don't have to sit on everyone's lap we could yeah totally so you don't let them say hello to people if they want to yeah no they're polite they're actually very you say hello i get the kiss on the little i know exactly what you're saying i even think about how when we were raised like like, give me a kiss. Yeah. Don't kiss her.

Yeah. It was just like, go over there and say hi. That's your uncle. I've never met this man. Yeah. Totally. I got to be enveloped by some man. Yeah. Like, no, I'm good.

I mean, they're very polite and they like people, but they get overwhelmed too. Like, I just did Colbert the other night and every, like, the whole team was in the room and they're like, mama, do I have to say hi to everybody? I said, no, you don't. You could just go like this or just look the other way yeah protect yourself that's right yeah i think that we have this weird thing in our mind where we think um you know you learn boundaries at a certain age right right if a two-year-old i got a two-year-old at home too if a two-year-old says no yeah give me a hug no i don't want to yeah respect it exactly exactly same yes and and

us creating a safe space for them to put up a boundary is nice too. That's right. Because, you know, I live in the Bronx. My kids are going to be going to public school. You know, they're going to have to learn boundaries and protect themselves with the kids and the teachers. Send your kids to the Bronx public school? I need you to do more movies, Michelle.

Is that? We need more movies, more TV. Your kids are going to go to the Bronx. No, I don't need more. We need more federal funding for education so I can go have my kids go to a public school. Jesus Christ. No, I went to a Catholic school. The Bronx is the only place I'm all for gentrification.

Jesus. Their faces. Their faces. I'm all for it. Oh, my God. I know because I went to public school too. And I'm also like private school is just such a foreign thing to me. And I'm like, how do you learn what the world is like? I went to public school too and I'm also like private school is just such a foreign thing to me and I'm like how do you learn what the world is like

I went to Catholic school and there was like more people there was more girls doing fast things and more drugs and yeah I mean I played soccer with this like we played soccer against this like all girl Catholic high school and I remember so many of the girls got pregnant they needed a maternity uniform

what that's crazy isn't that insane girl Catholic high school and I remember so many of the girls got pregnant they needed a maternity uniform. What? That's crazy. Isn't that insane? So I don't know there's something nice about public school where it's like shared community but also please have a metal detector. The Bronx though? Wow. She's right though you need to invest more

into the school. That's right. I shouldn't have to make more money to send my kids somewhere nicer. This is the country we live in. I'm voting. Yes. Yeah. I shouldn't have to make more money to send my kids to a nicer. This is a, this, this, this is the country we live in. I'm voting for you.

You know, you have my tax dollars. I don't want potholes and just like, you know, tired teachers, you know, healthcare shouldn't be a luxury. Right.

How important is the female bond and friendship when you have like these big things happen in your life, like, like giving birth, like these big life changes. I mean, it yeah it's like the the foundation i think yeah and and also like um just to hear like the real minutiae and the real details of how you're doing it that was something when we were making babes between pamela and you and me to talk about how we actually get it done it's like new ideas for like lunches or whatever yeah

it's like so useful yeah it was definitely um i realized that all of us use our time very wisely yeah right and for me being the first time um creator starring in working with pamela who's a creator starring in five seasons then also alana i was like this is just like a beautiful ass master class and then going to my set and working with tasha smith and garcelle bouvet i'm just like you know there is um a sisterhood no matter where you're from and it's like if you don't talk about it like my therapist my therapist isn't always available and she's expensive so you gotta talk to your friends how much you know how much an hour oh my god an hour? Oh my god, really? Get there. Okay.

It was $250, now it's $175. $250? Well, I got a lot of feelings. The cameraman said that's what I was paying. $250? Even the cameraman's like, see, yeah. Oh no, you gotta heal me for $250. You gotta heal me for $250. You need some Reiki and stuff.

Yeah, it was a lot. Damn. Is Survivor the tickets coming back? It is. We're in the a lot. It was a lot. Damn. Yeah. Is Survivor of the Tickets coming back? It is. Okay. We're in the writer's room. We're going to be filming season two. And I got like a crazy ass show coming up at Radio City Music Hall. Yeah.

June 6th. Did I read that right? You're the first woman? The first woman ever to tape a special at Radio City Music Hall. Wow. Congratulations. Yeah. Thank you so much.

June 6th. Get your tickets. Yeah. I'll put you on the list if you can get a babysitter. You all got a lot of kids. Would love to. Okay. Why did you choose Radio City?

Just for the historical aspect of it? No. No. You know, I opened for Jonathan Van Ness, who is on Queer Eye on Netflix. I opened for them in 2019 and didn't even realize that I could play a stage like that because I've never been given the opportunity before. And I got a standing ovation after a 15-minute I was like what is this feeling right this is like why am I doing this unless I'm challenging myself and so I always had my eye on the prize but never thought I could

do it because you know I don't want to constantly talk about what women are not getting paid but it's like those dreams aren't always in the budget and And then I realized like, I'm not doing this for money. I'm doing this for like higher power, a greater purpose. You know, for me growing up, it was like, we'll be Goldberg and Sinbad.

There's gotta be more, you know? And so I just always want black, brown, fat, queer, whatever, you know,

whoever to like, at least see my set and be like oh my god radio city i don't even know i can go see the rockettes let alone film a special there and so when i just i just want to look at the place you know you ever go like on a on a housing tour and just look at the the house you can't afford to see what it would look like and feel like and so that's what it was like and i was like who else um like what other females performed here and taped a special? You know, it's kind of like looking at an apartment and be like, anyone die here? And they were like, no one.

And then I got the goosies, the right nipple got hard because that's the one that really is awake now. And I said, OK, I got to do this. I got to do it. And so June 6th, yes, everybody come out and, you know, bring 2,000 of your friends. Let's go. And let's make it happen. I'm excited. Come on, New York.

I also want to take a hot shit every time I think about it. That's good. I mean, it means something to you. Truly. Yeah. Is that like one of your rituals? Yes. A hot shit and anxiety kicks in?

Oh, yeah. It keeps me regular. It's like a ritual. It's beautiful. Alana, the title bab in. Oh, yeah. It keeps me regular. Now, uh... It's like a ritual. It's beautiful. Alana, the title Babes. Yeah. Like, some people would say babes can be a derogatory term

depending on the context. It can be offensive depending on the context. So why the title Babes? I mean, we went through a lot of titles. I'd love to be called a babe. I was gonna ask,

is babes derogatory? I mean, I see what you mean. Some people can... It's not widely considered, but some people, depending on the context. Like diminutive or something to a woman. But I love it. We just had a list of titles. Yeah, you did.

They were good. And they were sort of like also like punny and it was like, ew. And Josh pitched Babes and you know, it was it was like also i think the scope we were going for like we really wanted to make a studio comedy that had a lot of heart something really funny but that you also could tear up or cry at and babes just felt like it was um putting the movie on the map where it was supposed to be yeah yeah that's a good name name. Babes, I know Josh. Babes having babes. Yoshi. Do y'all care about wokeness when you're writing now?

Do you worry about things like that? Oh, here we go. I'm just asking, do you care or do you just write? I mean, also wokeness at this point, the term, what is it? Who is slinging the term changes the meaning of it but i feel like um uh i don't know just holding values of like humanizing characters and letting different kinds of people be complicated and complex keeps it uh keeps the dignity in both the writing and

then for the people performing those roles so other than than that, I'm not even sure what that means. Yeah. I think wokeness, you know, the term woke is, I think a lot of performers are sort of weaponizing that word because, you know, it's a lot of like, you can't say stuff. It's like, you can say stuff, but is it funny? Did you work hard enough on it to make it funny? So, you know, we can talk about things and we can say raunchy, hard, whatever stuff.

But, you know, make it funny. If not funny, then thought-provoking. Don't be lazy when you're making that much money is all I'm saying. That's very true. Does comedy have to offend to be good? I mean, I don't. I feel like hot have to offend to be good i mean i don't i don't i feel like hot sauce should offend to be good but i don't know about coffee like it's really burned yeah like make me feel something that's a great analogy by the way you know what i mean like i guess offense

like offending is subjective because it's like pushing an edge against up against what you're normally allowed to talk about. So I guess it would offend people like people are calling this movie so raunchy and and and I don't know, raunchy, raunch calm. And I'm like, it just feels real to me. So if I'm not offending someone else to make a joke, I'm using myself and someone else happens to be offended by it you know what i mean um so i i guess it does have to be offensive in that way because it's it's pushing up against what's normally allowed i've seen people say the movie is raunchy and it makes me wonder do they really think it's raunchy or is certain topics about women just make certain people uncomfortable i think that's it yeah that's it like you know women go

through your shit but be quiet about it right you know show up but don't be you know don't be too sexy just be sexy enough that you know we can tolerate you right right um have the baby why don't you want a baby okay but get back to your baby weight you know what i mean it's like right what are all these rules we have on our bodies also can we just live and talk about it yeah you know yeah yeah we really talk in the movie oh like we talk like yes yes i see why i see why that would offend some people you know yeah it's also like you know we play like lifelong friends from queens and so i'm from jersey she's from long island this is just how we like speak to each other, whatever.

And so people find that, people find it offensive when I say hello. And I'm like, and I, and truly, cause I'm married to a Dutch guy and I, I used to make a joke about it. Cause he's like,

why are you so aggressive? I was like, I just asked you how you wanted your eggs. Yeah. How do you ask it? How you want your eggs? That's aggressive. That's aggressive.

But in my mind, like I think he only heard DMX. Like how you want your eggs? That's aggressive. But in my mind, I think he only heard DMX. Like, how you want your eggs? Whites, whites. This is how I sound. That is an interesting point, though. You can make people uncomfortable just by forcing them to have a discussion. Yeah. I know you know.

So now we got to talk about these issues yeah right yeah why do you think people are so afraid to sort of run into the burning building of conversation i don't know i think that we need to open it up i think we need to set buildings on fire on purpose sometimes just to have the discussion i think people don't want to be truthful though and i think they fear truth because with this society you get canceled for saying what you believe and so I think a lot of people they look at what social media goes to yeah they follow like sheep which makes me wonder if you even believe what you say you believe because if you say you believe something exactly you would have no

problem saying no problem no so there's it's almost like everyone has like a dual personality, who they are with their friends and who they are on social media. Right. Yeah. You know, it is hard too, though, because social media is a revolving resume. So if you do speak truth to power, you could lose jobs and representation and friendships. Right.

And so, you know, I always thought the hardest part about being a parent would be like, you know, raising them the hardest part about being a parent would be like you know raising them the money the bullying the racism but also like trying to figure out how to teach my kids how to define their worth and power without likes and followers is something i don't even know how to wrap my mind around right now like i don't even know how, especially having four girls. I don't let them use social media. Oh. No. What?

I don't let them use it. Especially when you read all these stories about how a lot of these big tech guys, they don't even let their kids use the chat phones. Right, right. And I'm reading this great book. See, Jobs didn't even want his daughter to have a phone. Right, right. There's a great book now called The Anxious Generation.

That's right. And it just talks about how social media, and we knew this already, but it just really goes into depth on how it's just ruining people's mental, emotional health, especially kids. Right.

So why would I let my kids use it? Are you on your phone around your kids? Yes, but I try to practice good habits and not be. Yeah. So I try to just put it away. Yes.

You know, especially like tonight, we got this cuddle time tonight. We'll be watching movies on the couch. Yes. Yeah, I love yeah i love that come on moana let's go i teach the older ones to use it as a tool right okay i have a one that just graduated from nyu and she's 22 she's doing real estate so i teach her how to use it as a tool to promote herself i have a 20 year old who goes to university of Miami and I you know teach him how to use six okay oh my goodness my wife been together 30 years so god bless you but the younger ones

not you know but they're into dance so but that's how they communicate with their dance friends because they send each other dances through YouTube but as long as it's private I don't have a problem with it but I tell them teaching to use a tool. Okay. And they've been pretty good with it and not letting it affect them and I think that's the best. And even conversations around sex, the male gaze and even owning their sexuality,

if they like want to wear a bra or not and a crop top and stuff, is that something that you leave to your wife or do y'all do it together or sometimes you do it too? Like, because you can't stop doing it. You got to keep having that conversation,

right? For me, it's my wife. Okay. But I give my kids the jokes regardless. Like, they give me jokes. I give them jokes. It is whatever it is.

But when it comes to that sex conversation, my wife definitely a thousand percent leads. And I just fall into place. Right. Because it's still uncomfortable. Like, my daughter's 22 and it's like she has a boyfriend. I don't want to know. If y'all having problems, whatever, go talk to mom. Can you look at the boyfriend and know if he's a good dude?

He is a good dude. Okay. I do like him. They actually, the last semester, they've been staying at my house. Same bedroom? Same bedroom. Wow, dad, you're so progressive.

Love you, dad. But I'm going to tell you why. I was 30 years old in separate bedrooms until we were married. But you know why? Me and my wife, we were together in college. She went to Old Dominion. I went to Hampton University.

So my last year, my parents and her parents were like, yo, they're always together. Why are we paying for separate places? Put them together. And we did.

And it's the same thing. They've been together for three years. They're always together in our house. Wasn't y'all married though? In college? No. I thought you got married early. No, we't y'all married though in high in college no got married early no we got married at 22 but we were in college 19 20 21 we were together i mean

it took me longer to graduate college but i do appreciate that yeah so they they do stay in the same bed and he does stay and i like him because i can see how he's around the other kids i see how he's around when he's with my wife if groceries come he's grabbing the groceries if there's dishes there he's washing the dishes he's he's gotta earn his feet you're giving him free room and board he better but you can't teach thoughtfulness no you can't like you just have it you know and i always said i don't need to marry somebody rich i just need somebody with ambition and who's thoughtful because money can always come. That's right. You still feel that way now? Yeah.

Okay. Yeah, I do. Yeah, I feel like I wouldn't be able to be with someone who didn't have, who wasn't excited about something for themselves. Right.

Like have your own life. Yeah. Like I push him out all the time. I'm like, go out with your boys because he doesn't mind staying home. I'm like, go out. And that's the thing about this movie too. All the men in this movie are good men that's right like my character has a supportive husband who's like you should go out stop trying to breastfeed nothing's happening get stressed go

and i and i love that representation from especially brown man because hassan minhas yeah he plays my husband and it's and it's just like and it's very queens if you think about it it's giving queens public school for real for real but yeah i feel like we don't see enough of that because it feels like it's always like oh what am i gonna do the baby's coming right oh i said my favorite thing is ruined it's like your favorite thing is surf and turf shut the fuck up and we'll go to sammy's do y'all like to go out do y'all like to go out in your own relationship do you like to go out with girls night? Or do you say, nah, I'd just rather be home with the family?

You know, I have friends with the same amount of men and women, especially when you do comedy, you're friends with just a lot. So it is what it is. And comedy is like a night out. So if I do a show, I'm like, the kitten heels on. You know, give me the white wine put some ice in it so it can last longer yeah and so yeah i like to have people over i'm yeah i'm a host now me too i like yeah i like to i mean i don't have three bathrooms but i'll host yeah i like um

in the bronx god is good i know wow yeah i know i like to say i like to cuddle like Charlamagne does. But also, if I'm going out for comedy, it's like I'm out. I'm seeing the whole community. I'm seeing the people. Yeah, the v-neck is on. Yeah. We're doing it. Were you all intentional about the men you chose to be in a film like this?

So you got Hasan Minhaj and Oliver Platt and John Carroll Lynch. Were you intentional? Hassan was intentional for sure and also like you know in comedy and in this movie and in my experience it's all so derived from real people that I know who've been doing it and in comedy for so long

so Hassan I called and asked yeah and I've known him for a really long time we used to do the road together we did colleges together because they would book us for like Black History Month, LOL. And he also is, you know, working with two kids. Right. And so it was nice that we all brought our tired parent experience and added comedy to it.

And he's such a good actor. He's such a good actor. Such a good actor. It's nice to see comedians in a different light. I know. He really like gave it. He really gave like the heft to his character, too. And he's not just this great husband who's so happy to be there.

He's also annoyed. He's exhausted. It's a lot. He's upset or whatever. He was great. And the other guys kind of came later. Oliver Platt, that was really cool. Real New York cast.

Oliver Platt, John Carlin. Sandra Bernhardt. Crazy. You're from Long Island, right? What part? Yeah, from Suffolk County, North Shore. Suffolk, North... You're from Jersey, what part?

Yeah, Trenton. Trenton, New Jersey. Okay. Hood. You know what? I was on the other side of the tracks. Okay. Was Trenton the other side of the track in Trenton?

I didn't even know there was an other side of the track in Trenton. I go there for my daughter's Chilean competition and it just looks like a very, like a factory town almost. Yeah, Trenton the world makes whatever the what is it trenton makes the world makes the world take i don't know i'm dyslexic it's i'm glad i'm not there i was in best state for a while and i love the community in bed style but i was like you know i have dogs and kids now. I was like, I need

windows and doors and stuff. You live by the water. Yeah, and I live by the water. The Bronx is interesting. There's a different soul to the Bronx. You live on the other side of the Bronx. She's not the Bronx that you're thinking of, Charlamagne. I'm in City Island. So if you want to come over and get gout,

come to City Island. We got all the crab legs. You can eat like a fat king. Come on. Always the craziest people in America come from the Bronx and all of Florida. What's that? The craziest people in America come from the Bronx and all of Florida. Oh, my God. I went to college in Florida.

What's my God, Michelle? I actually went to Florida. No. What a life. I'm a mess. Thank God I have freckles so I look friendly. But she crazy. I went to Florida International University, but I want to go to U of M because all my cousins went there, but I wasn't smart enough.

And so, you know, it was interesting. But it was fun. What I love about South Florida is like closer to like most Caribbean countries than like U.S. states. So you get this like crazy flavor of just like loving your body and celebration of your body. And, um, it's a very interesting, it's a good education.

I think outside of school too. That's when I started going to like strip clubs for fun. And I was like, Whoa, this is crazy. There's a pool on campus. Like my son is having the best time ever. So cool.

What a party. Yeah. The coolest thing. Yeah. But babes comes out this week, May 24th, this week, Babes comes out this week. Go see Babes, man. May 24th. This week, Babes comes out. And we appreciate you guys for joining us.

Thank you so much. Thank you. One last question. What does success look like for y'all in regards to Babes? You know, success has changed. The question you asked before about having a kid, how it's changed me. Success has changed for me into like taking pleasure in the process so babes is already a success for me i'm having so much fun and had so much fun thank you for doing it you are so funny and amazing so thank you for having it's a

success what about you michelle i mean to be honest i feel like this should be a jump off. Like more female powerhouses should be telling stories about their bodies, especially with what's happening in America. It's like, you know, culture means something. Books are getting banned. Laws are fucking being made. So make the movie and the TV shows while you can. And let's not stop there. Like let's have a hilarious comedy about trans people, like transcom, transromcom.

I don't know. Or like non-binary people. Like, you know, as we are evolving and learning about like what we can and cannot do or whatever, it's just like, let's just tell more stories for us, by us, so we can educate and entertain. We need Republican Congress people to be mad at Babes. Love it. Love it. One to get mad about it. Breitbart.

Where you at Breitbart? Let's go. Well, thank you guys for joining us. Thanks for having us. Babes, May 24th. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning.