The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Tasha Smith Talks 'Desire: A Temptations Story,' Tyler Perry, 'Survival of the Thickest,' TSAW +More

Episode Date: March 31, 2025

The Breakfast Club Sits Down With Tasha Smith To Discuss 'Desire: A Temptations Story,' Tyler Perry, 'Survival of the Thickest,' TSAW. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey kids, it's me, Kevin Smith. And it's me, Harley Quinn Smith. That's my daughter, man, who my wife has always said is just a beardless, d***less version of me. And that's the name of our podcast, Beardless, D***less Me. I'm the old one. I'm the young one.

And every week we try to make each other laugh really hard. Sounds innocent, doesn't it? A lot of cussing, a lot of bad language. It's for adults only. Or listen to it with your kid. Could be a family show. We're not quite sure. We're still figuring it out.

It's a work in progress. Listen to Beardless, D***less Me on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your kid. Could be a family show. We're not quite sure. We're still figuring it out. It's a work in progress. Listen to Beardless, it's me on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pipman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. I'm having conversations with some folks across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like Chairman and CEO of Elf Beauty, Tarang Amin.

Legendary singer-songwriter and philanthropist, Jewel. Being a rock star is very fun, but helping people is way more fun. And Damian Maldonado, CEO of American Financing. I figured out the formula, you just have to work hard, then that's magic. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

I'm ready to fight. Oh, this is fighting words. Okay, I'll put the hammer back. Hi, I'm George M. Johnson, a best-selling author with the second most banned book in America. Now more than ever, we need to use our voices to fight back. Part of the power of black queer creativity is the fact that we got us, you know? We are the greatest culture makers in world history. Listen to Fighting Words on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

From the producers who brought you Princess of South Beach comes a new podcast, The Setup. The Setup follows a lonely museum curator, but when the perfect man walks into his life, Well, I guess I'm saying I like you. You like me? He actually is too good to be true. This is a con. I'm conning you to get the Delama painting. We can do this together.

Listen to The Set Up on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Wake that ass up. Early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning everybody is DJ, Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lauren LaRosa is here as well.

And we got a special guest in the building. The legendary. Tasha Smith, ladies and gentlemen. She's back. Welcome. Good morning, Tasha. How you guys? How you feeling? I feel amazing.

I feel like I'm at home. I feel like I'm with family. I love you guys. I appreciate you guys? How you feeling? I feel amazing. I feel like I'm at home. I feel like I'm with family. I love you guys. I appreciate you guys. Your voice, what you do, I just really appreciate you. Thank you. Seriously. You are one of the most underrated people in this business.

You do not get the credits you deserve. For like the way you pour into people and the stars that you've helped become stars, I don't even know if people understand that part of it. Everybody's story is Tasha Smith did it first. Tasha Smith told me. Well, speaking of pouring into people, I don't know if you knew this, but right before Tasha walked in, Lauren was fixing a wig and almost

killing. Oh my god. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So she was asking Tasha for tips because Tasha be fly all the time. I get it. No, no, not about the wigs. Oh, sorry. You just came in here and started matching today.

Now you talking about being fly. Not about the wigs. You just showed up with the same color face. But she was fixing her wig and kind of wiping her eyes like she was tearing up. I said, what happened? She was like, you know, when I left TMZ, the one person I called was Tasha Smith. Oh my goodness. So you want to explain what happened?

What did you tell her? I think I texted you and I was like, hey, I'm thinking about leaving my job. So you wanna explain to her what you tell her? What happened, Lauren? I think I text you and I was like, hey, I'm thinking about leaving my job. See? See, he fixed the way crying, I told you. I was like, I'm thinking about leaving my job. The eyelashes ain't glued in correctly, but I'm talking. I don't have

my lashes today, shut up. I was like, I think about leaving my job, but just wanted to talk to somebody that like understands like, you know, career and like, you know, longevity and it. We had met and we talked before, but I was just like, you know, everybody has like such a great story of like how your perception of them and kind of what you see for them.

And I was like, I don't really know who I can call and I trust right now. And I reached out to you, I text you and you sent me a voice note back. And I remember I was driving into my garage and I pulled over and was listening to the voice note and you were like, whatever it is you're feeling, do it. You are a star, you're going to be great. Don't be scared. Do it and let me know when it's done and I and I here I am I am so proud of you can I just tell you that I am so proud of you when I saw everything that was going on I was literally singing your praises to have

the courage and boldness to make a decision to live your life in the way that you saw it. And I'm so proud that you took that leap of faith. And it's something I got to share something with y'all because when I was at, I was like meditating last night and I was thinking about you and I was thinking about Jess, not trying to like, but y'all are both my girls. You know, I play Jess's mom, you know, on a TV show and y'all are my babies. And when I think about just us as black women

and just how powerful and unique we are, I was meditating and I was like, what is it that I can say to women? And do you mind if I just share this? Please share. Okay, so what I ended up writing down was you are not in competition. You're in community.

And us as women sometimes we think we're in competition, but we're not in competition. We're in community, right? And also your light doesn't dim because someone else is shining. Like it's not gonna dim our light to let someone else is shining. Like it's not going to dim our light to let someone else shine. If anything, when all of us are walking in the room together, allowing ourselves to shine, that room becomes even brighter. Okay. The other thing I thought

about and this was you and Jess is that every woman is uniquely designed. I was thinking about my girls over here. That's Monique. That is my girl Venetia. And I'm like look at how individual they are. Look at how individual we are. We're all unique. We're all different, right? But we don't have to fear about anybody taking up space because there's room for every shade of brilliance. Okay. The other thing I wrote down was insecurity dissolves when we recognize individually as women our divine design, because we are all designed divinely by God, right? And when we embrace our uniqueness, we give others permission to do the same. So let's celebrate each other, you know that, right?

And let's allow ourselves to not be afraid of anyone else's light out, like outshining our light, because it can't happen when we walk in who we are. I love you, I love Jess and I love what both of you are doing. Your voices are so important to our culture and to our women so let's allow ourselves to remember and not that you guys feel like this but this is for all of us women that we are not in competition, we are in community, period. I just love you, I have to say that. Okay.

As you were saying that, I'm reading your arm and it says, trust God. And dream big. So these are two, like these were my first two tattoos that I ever got, right? Because, and I always say this, you may have heard me say this before, that we have to dream big, right? And how whatever our dreams are,

it's not a figment of our imagination, but God's showing us a glimpse, a glimpse of our future. And even you deciding to leave where you were, that was something that God placed in you saying, it's time to move. And a lot of times we get comfortable and complacent with where we are. But God's not always feeding us in the place that we've already been and in order for us to get that new food that God has for us, we got to make moves and go into areas that we're unsure of.

But that's where our faith lies and that's where we end up experiencing God in a whole another way. Could you imagine if you did not leave, you wouldn't be experiencing God the way that you are now in your life. So I'm excited. Let's go, okay? Seriously. Oh my God.

You know what I wanna ask Tasha because you're making me think right now, who did that for you? What you just did for Lauren and Jess, who did that for you when you was on the cover? You do it without, like, it's just you. Like, the first time I met you, I think, I don't even remember if it was at, I don't think it was Ernst's party, but the first time I met you, our first interaction, I was just like, she's really, like, this is just her. Like, if you just

pour in, like, effortlessly, like, who taught you to do that? You know what, a lot of people, and I'll tell'll tell us two things I want to share. One is I remember a while ago and I think I've told you about you know the time I had gotten born again and you know I went to ministry school and I thought oh one day I'm gonna be a preacher or something like that but I realized that my ministry is what I'm doing like is me teaching acting me empowering other people to pursue their purpose my acting my directing you know being a good leader like those are the things that I learned that I feel like I could utilize those gifts in the world that I'm in within this industry as far as other people that have done that for me I'm gonna be honest Angela Bassett and

Mary Ann Jean-Baptiste I don't know if you're familiar with Mary Ann Jean Baptiste, but she's an amazing actress from England You know, she's she's in a film right now called hard truths hurt hard truths And she was in a she she was nominated for Oscar years ago called secrets and lies, but she's a brilliant actress From the UK and I remember I was on its series and I never even shared this out loud I've never shared this publicly but I'm just I feel it I'm a share it I was on a show called for better or worse and I was tired of doing the show I like I just felt like God had more for me although it was a blessing at the time and I had a good time and it was a wonderful thing but in my spirit I kept

feeling like my voice isn't being heard as far as my artistic voice in a way that I feel like it could be and you know I was making money it was cool whatever but I said but I feel like I have to go and she was someone that I made that call to the way you talked to me. She was the one that talked to me like that and said, go and pursue your dreams. Go and do what you desire to do. You would act for free. You would be in acting class, acting for free, go and pursue what's in your heart.

And when I quit for better or worse, because I did, I ended up going, and that's when I started really pursuing my directing, and I made space for my directing. So me walking out of that space, not only did I end up getting Empire, which gave me a whole nother rhythm of acting that I could experience, but that's also the birth of my directing career

It was me taking that leap of faith and now I have this whole new, you know, like career Opportunity and all of that stuff, but it was for me making that one move that seemed crazy to everybody else I need to tell nobody they didn't even know when I came here. I had already had the guest hosting schedule. I didn't tell my mom, I didn't tell my grandmother. Because I didn't want to hear nobody tell me not to do it. I just quit and then drove home. And then I came here. And isn't that deep house?

Sometimes you can't tell everybody your move or your dream. Because think about it. Sometimes when you want to do something that might seem crazy to others, people will give you advice based on their own fear and their own insecurity. Like just because you ain't got the faith to go, don't project that on me. So sometimes, no, you got to keep your move silent sometimes because other people will discourage you out of what's in your

heart to do. So I'm happy for you, sis. What's your thoughts on, you know, a lot of people say that it's difficult for women to work with each other, and this is where this situation came from. And they say that women are always in competition and there's not enough community. What's your thoughts on that? Yeah, it's what I was sharing, you know what I mean?

I feel like sometimes us as women, they think it's about being competitive. They think that just because someone else is shining, it's going to dim my light. When that's not the truth. If we allow ourselves to embrace our uniqueness and our individuality, we will encourage other people to embrace theirs. Have you had that issue? I want to ask that. I've never been a jealous girl. It's just not how I've been. I've never been a jealous girl. Like, it's just not how I've been. Like, I've never been like a girl

where I'm like mad at somebody else. I mean, look at me, I'm an acting teacher. Like, and most of the women that I teach, from Mary J. Blotch to Andrea Day to Michaela Cole to FKA Twigs, I mean, I can go on and on. Like, God has placed some incredible women around me whose lives I got to pour into, but also they pour into my life just through the process of working. They encourage me to dream as big as

possible. But I also want to say something about self-love. And that's the thing I feel with some of us women that may cause us to be, you know, insecure or jealous because you know what jealousy does, it creates division and separation, right? But I feel like the lack of self-love sometimes could cause, could create the way that we go out in the world and if we don't have self-love, then I might be insecure around her or insecure around another person.

But if we embrace our self-love, we will allow everybody to be, we will grant people out of love, right? The permission to be who they are. Like I told my girls today, I said, y'all bitches better get cute today. I'm not even playing. I said, y'all bitches better get cute. My, my sister, Bernisha, she came around me the other day to do, the first day she got here to do my makeup. When I tell you she was covered up,

like she literally covered up her entire body. I was like, why? Was she cold? No, she was, she thought I would be insecure of her being a bad bitch. Because sometimes, you know what I'm saying? saying like going around like if you come and do Some women if so if you have insecurity and you see this this ass and this little waist and these titties and this fine girl Walking in you'll be like I'm uncomfortable, but no I actually love for my girls to be beautiful

I love bad bitches only around me. Okay. I just love beautiful. I love bad bitches only around me, okay? I just love it, I love it. Especially when they got all that melanin. Lord have mercy. You know what I'm saying, but we just have to. You are very beautiful. Yeah, right, right. But I just think lack of self love, you know,

and us not allowing ourselves to embrace our individuality and our uniqueness, and the more that we embrace that for ourselves, the more we can allow others to do that. Like I love like I when I think about Taraji, when I think about Angela Bassett, when I think about Janet Jackson, when I think about Naomi Campbell and these are all my friends. I can't be insecure with bad bitches like that in my life. I'm sorry because they're all incredible. Okay I saw you at your I think it was a birthday party

You had your whole sisterhood around my god and it was amazing We got a chance to celebrate me and my sister's birthday together and then Niecy's birthday was the next and we went celebrating her birthday It was like we were all team black women on Steroids, it was just awesome. It was awesome I think one of the biggest things that I learned from this past two weeks, everything that was happening, is how much we were paying attention. Because there were so many people that reached out,

even in private, and did what you just did. Hey, I wanna talk to you, I wanna talk to y'all, whatever. And I think it was crazy when it was happening, but now I'm taking a step out of all of it. I'm like, people are getting to realize that like sisterhood sometimes can look like we might have misunderstandings and we got, we, we, we have to talk about it. We got to figure that out. What has that been like for you and your career?

Because we don't hear a lot of y'all stories if there were misunderstandings between you and any of the other girls. Oh, and best believe it'd be a lot of misunderstandings. You know what I'm saying? It'd be a lot of misunderstandings. It'd be a lot of that, like seriously. And physically, people getting hands put on each other. Listen, but see that's why, like, and I'm from Camden, so it's some people I stay away from on purpose.

God dang it. Oh my goodness. We should have patched you down if you're from Camden. I know, but seriously, listen, because I always say as nice as I am is as nice as I'm not, right? You know what I mean? And it's some energy I know I just don't flow with. I just don't because if it's that kind of energy

that's coming in, I'm not a mean girl. I don't like mean girls. I don't like it. I don't like seeing women treating each other poorly or badly. It makes me sick. But I'll tell you one thing about me. I have never ran from a fight. Like I'm one, I'm not afraid of, you know, confronting, confrontation, having hard conversations. And most people, they will throw rocks and then hide their hands. I don't like that. I don't do that. I'm about that life of having conversations conversations confronting the situation Let's sit down and let's talk and let's deal with the discomfort of whatever it is You're feeling but most of the time y'all most people don't want to ever really sit down and talk

Because they don't want to have to be able to acknowledge What it is that they're internally going through, like whatever their internal struggle is. It's easy for people to run and act like they're a victim, but if people really confronted things and had honest conversations, they would realize that most of the pettiness is not because of something external, but it's because of your own individual internal struggle. And that's what's creating the external problem. It starts within you, period.

How do you deal with the noise? Because I think even with them to go out of their situation, but it was the noise. Oh my God. It wasn't the interior. Oh my God. It was the outside people with dirty mirrors and dirty floors. Oh my God.

You don't get noise though. Oh honey, can I just, well I try to, you know, I try to, you know. You are noise. I'll tell you this about noise. It's something you ask about noise. Were we talking about noise? I was just talking to my girls about sometimes it is so important for us to sit in silence. Think about when you're on the phone, bro, and it's a lot of noise going on.

What do you do? You'd be like, oh, hold up, wait a second. Let me step away so that I can hear this call clearly. And a lot of times, especially when you think about all the social media and all that stuff, we allow ourselves to stay in the noise and stay listening to the noise when sometimes we might have to put the phone down,

be silent, don't listen to anything, because in your silence, that's when you really hear the still small voice of God on the inside of you. But you can't hear God and how God wants to guide you to deal with the situation if you're allowing yourself to constantly listen to the noise. So the way I deal with noise is I try to allow myself to get as silent as possible.

You feel me? I do. Absolutely, 100%. I absolutely do. 100%. Have you ever had to get loud with a person? And what does that sound like, Tasha? Cause you already, I'm just.

Hey kids, it's me, Kevin Smith. And it's me, Harley Quinn Smith. That's my daughter, man, who my wife has always said is just a beardless, d***less version of me. And that's the name of our podcast, Beardless D***less Me. I'm the old one. I'm the young one.

And every week we try to make each other laugh really hard. Sounds innocent, doesn't it? A lot of cussing, a lot of bad language. It's for adults only. Or listen to it with your kid. It could be a family show. We're not quite sure. We're still figuring it out.

It's a work in progress. Listen to Beardless D***less Me on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. September, 1979. Virginia's top prison band, Edge of Daybreak, is about to record their debut album, Behind Bars, in just five hours. Okay, we're rolling. Five hours. Okay, we're rolling. One, two, three, four. ["The Last Supper"] I'm Jamie Petrus, music and culture writer.

For the past five years, I've been talking to the band's three surviving members. They're out of prison now and in their 70s. Their past behind them. But they also have some unfinished business. The end of daybreak, eyes of love, was supposed to have been followed up by another album. It's a story about the liberating power of music, the American justice system, and ultimately, second chances.

Listen to Soul Incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall. Hi, I'm Tia Sircar. I'm Taylor Gray. And I'm John Lee Brody. But you may also know us as Harrison Dula, Spectre 2. Tabin Wren, Spectre 5. And Ezra Bridger, Spectre 6 from Star Wars Rebels. Wait, I wasn't on Star Wars Rebels. Am I in the right place? Absolutely. Each week, we're going to re-watch and discuss

an episode from the series. And share some fun behind the scenes stories. Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve Blum, voice of Zabarelio, Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco, voice of Jai Kell, and many others. Sometimes we'll even have a live way debate. And we'll have plenty of other fun surprises and trivia too. Oh, and me?

Well, I'm the lucky ghost crew Stowaway who gets to help moderate and guide the discussion each week. Kind of like how Kanan guided Ezra in the ways of the Force. You see what I did there? Nicely done, John. Thanks, Tia. So hang on, because it's going to be a fun ride. Cue the music.

Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey y'all, it's your girl, Cheeky's, and I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheeky's and Chill. I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys. And I know a lot of people are going to attack me. Why are you going to go visit your dad? Your mom wouldn't be okay with it. I'm going to tell you guys right now, I know my mother and I know my mom had a very forgiving heart. That is my story on plastic surgery. This is my truth.

I think the last time I cried like that was when I lost my mom. Like that, like yelling. I was like, no. I was like, oh, and I thought, what did I do wrong? And as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties, and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheekies.

So my fiance and I have been together for 10 years. In the first two years of being together, I find out he is cheating on me not only with women, but also with men. What should I do? Okay, where do I start? That's not love. He doesn't love you enough, because if he loved you, he'd be faithful. It's going to be an exciting year. And I hope that you can join me. Listen to cheekies and chill season four as part of the my cultura podcast network available on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. She's already loud. So what does getting loud?

Potash it. I mean, is it loud? I'm a passionate human. Okay, okay. I'm a passionate human, bruh. And as loud as my goodness is, I put it to you like this, one time I cussed somebody out really bad. And I went to my pastor and I was like, oh my God, I feel so bad. And she said to me,

sometimes you gotta meet the enemy's aggression. That the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, but the violence take it by force. And sometimes some people need to get checked. So when it's time to get loud, like I said, I don't mind it. Boom. Boom. I don't mind it. I don't mind it. Boom. Boom.

I don't mind it. I don't mind it, bro. I swear, my loud can be loud. And honestly, when I get loud, people get traumatized. I mean, I'm serious. Like, you know when I said folks are throw rocks and then hide their hands? Absolutely.

Like, I've had situations like that. And when I've had to check people like that, then they wanna go run in the corner and cry and act like that. I'm like don't cry now big bad bitch don't do it. You was a big bad bitch though. You was a big bad bitch though. Okay? Like don't cry, don't cry now boo. Okay and sometimes it's the seed that you're reaping period. You know what the Bible say. That's right. Whatsoever a man soweth, that he shall also reap. And sometimes, you know, they reap that ass kickin'. I'm just sayin'.

Is that a chapelle chain? Yes. I was gonna ask about that. We were actually talking about that earlier today. You took my chapelle chain, y'all. That's dope. This was a gift from my brother, Dave. I love him so much.

He wanted me to, he was happy for me doing the show He was happy for a lot of the things that's been happening in my life And and this was a gift that he's gifted me and it's not many people that have a chapelle chain That's right And I don't know do y'all know like I've known Chappelle for like 30 years like we started y'all know I used to be a stand-up comic right yes Yeah, so I was a stand-up comic Dave was like he was he was literally a Mentor at like 18. I'm not gonna lie when Dave was 18 19 years old

He was I call my big little brother, you know And he helped me out so much like, you know Some of those people like and I should have thought it Dave cuz Dave was one of those people that always encouraged me Inspired me every time anything was happening in my life, I can't tell you how many times I've gotten calls about, I'm proud of you, keep going, keep dreaming. He's such a motivator, and he's been such a blessing in my life,

I cannot tell you. So yes, this is a chapelle chain. That's dope. I love that because we live in an era where people don't like to represent folks who have assisted them or provided them opportunity or helped them. And I don't understand that. I don't understand resenting somebody

that has helped you in some way. Yeah. Like, you should rep them. Exactly. I'm with you on that. Yeah, so I'm repping Dave. Now, you got a lot going on. I know she got to go fast. We got to get into some of the stuff that she's doing.

I want to start with Survival of the Thickest. I love that show. Yes. Season two. Yes, season two. You have like, now we're learning more about your character and kind of like you have your own storyline and things of that nature. I know, like, what was the decision to do that?

Because it wasn't like that in previous seasons fully. Like, we knew a little bit about what you had going on, but not as much focus. Well, I mean, I think for the writing team that they like focus more on her relationship. And you know, my character, I play a queer woman, right? And I've never been a queer woman before, okay? I'm just saying. Like I legit ain't ever been with a woman before.

Like, okay, like for real. So how'd you do your research? Well, I asked, I was rehearsing. No, let me stop. Who coaches the acting coach? Who coached me? But the acting teacher I worked with was a guy named Carl Ford, who I love deeply.

Okay, Susan Batson's son. I don't know if you guys know Susan, but anyway, so Jerry Johnson, I'll tell y'all this. I directed Harlem and I directed some beautiful scenes with Jerry and Gail Bean, right? And I was just obsessed. Like I knew that survival was coming up and I was just really pouring into them as a director. But while I was pouring into them, I promise you, I was dreaming.

I was like saying, God, please bless me with someone like these two women, like the way that they were and has as supportive as they were as Gail and Jerry were with one another. I wanted to experience that as an actor. So when it was time to see who my love interest was, Jerry was up for the job. So Jerry and I, I said, Jerry, we going to get together because what I saw you do with with Gail, I really want you to do this part. So she and I got together and we rehearsed. Michelle didn't notice. Nobody knew this.

We were rehearsing before her screen test, okay? So that by the time we did our screen test together, our chemistry was incredible. And I said to her, because she's a queer woman, I said, I need you to teach me everything. So the first thing she taught me when we were filming our love scene was how two women had sex. Because when they said it's time for y'all to have sex, bro, I opened up my lips. It's like. I literally was like, all right, let's, I was like trying to like, I was like, how y'all do that? How does this happen?

How does this work? And she was like, nah, you really ain't never had a boy. And then she went and was like, we do it like this. You know, the little scissors. The scissors, yeah, she had to learn the scissors. And so I was like, woo, thank god you was here. Because I didn't want to look stupid, sis. OK?

But it worked out for her because she got the role. She got the role. And I was like, oh, you know this rehearsal? Imagine you have to do all that and she didn't get the role. They were building their chemistry before she auditioned. But they have a sex, this is your first time being on camera in a female, female sex scene, right? Well, we had like the first season, I had some makeout scenes and stuff like that. But as far as like having like a full blown.

Yeah, that was my first time. But I gotta tell you, working with Jerry, it was just like easy, and it was just, it was fun, and it was wonderful, and she was just wonderful. That is my sister for life. Jerry, I'm giving you a shout out. I love you, sis. Women were trying to hold at you all the time now.

You know, I'd be like, stop. So when y'all were rehearsing, did you call it a dry run? Ah! What was it? I don't know. Well, we were rehearsing, did you call it a dry run? What was it? I don't know. Well, we were rehearsing that particular, like, we didn't do that in rehearsal. But that was when we were actually filming the sex scene. But did you give a woman a try?

Man, cut it out. No one talked to her like that. No, but it's okay. Because now she's into it now. It's okay for him to ask me that. But I'm gonna just keep it 100, y'all. Like, I'm like a gay man. What? I'm like a gay man. What? I'm like a gay man.

What do gay men like? Dick. I mean I'm not even lying bro. I am like the gayest man in the world. Like I am a straight Literally I mean Started it at me. Oh wait, let me just tell y'all so stupid? It's you! It's you! No, you started it at me. But wait, let me just tell y'all this. All right, I'm about to say something that's like a little... All right, so when a man goes down on you, it's great. I love it. But I be like, I'm not a lesbian, so we gotta follow this motherfucker back, you know what

I'm saying, with some penis. Like, I just, you know, it's just what I like. Because I've heard people say that women do it better on women because they know what I'm saying? With some penis. Like, I just, you know, it's just what I like. Because I've heard people say that women do it better on women because they know what the woman wants. But I be thinking like after that, it's like, now, like you don't wanna, yeah. What's coming after that? It's like now.

That's like having a salad, but you can't get the steak. You know what I'm saying? That's just me. Or no dressing. And okay, but you know what too, I'll just say this. It's awesome. I agree. I always think about that. Remember how I'll be having the conversation with studs?

And I'm like, so y'all be sucking this. Like, imagine having the scrap on on, and a woman is sucking it, and then the person with the scrap on is moaning. That just sounds true. Like, what is that? But if that's what you're into, maybe it fulfills you. But I be thinking about, like, girls

who are trying it for the first time, or like, you know, they're bi. It's like, so if you're bi, if you're bi, you know what I mean. Listen, let me tell y'all this. I think it's all about preference. It's all about what you eat. I don't eat... What you eat.

But no, wait. But you know how there are some foods, some people like chocolate cake, some people like vanilla cake. Some people like fish. Right. And some people like fish, some people like chocolate cake, some people like vanilla cake. Some people like fish. Right, and some people like fish, some people like steak, right? I mean, and for me, I just like what I like. And just like you can't like turn a gay man that likes what he likes to have a woman,

you know what I mean? You can't turn a straight woman to want something else. I mean, I just like what I like. But I love, you know what I'm saying? Like go get yours. And what about Desiree and the Temptation story? Oh, wow. You guys, I'm so excited about that. It's funny because I was showing Monique the trailer.

You love your girls. I do. You do. They are girls. Okay. Like seriously, but I was, I was showing Monique, I was showing you and Bernice last night I was like y'all want to see the trailer, you know, and when Monique saw it She was like I've never seen you in a role like that And so all these like years of being in this industry

I've never gotten a chance to play that role. So shout out to Derek Williams my producer I got a chance to produce it with him and he gave me that script and I was so happy he gave it to me and I'm so excited about it. It's a thriller. It's like fun. And I feel like it helped me tap into things that I've never gotten a chance to really reveal on camera. I feel like I'm just starting acting all over again.

I swear. You have a refreshing energy all the time, but I do feel like you're in a different season or something about you right now. I don't know what it is, but it's there. I think it's my self-love season, sis. I love that for you. You hear me? I love that for you. Now, you know who you need to reach out to? Who? Who sang you praises on Shannon Shaw. Charlamagne messes with them all the time. Oh, my gosh. Oh, wait. Donnell Rawlins. I love, do you know how much I love you and Donnell when y'all be doing that little stuff? When he be doing those, I mean, sometimes I be texting him saying leave my

brother alone. You gotta call him. He needs your coaching. Like that. I just want Donnell to have more confidence. Like Donnell is dope. He's funny. He's incredible. He's one of the best. And y'all remember I put him on BMF. BMF, yeah. I swear, I think he is so talented. I cannot wait to work with him again.

I swear to God, he is so interesting. He is so funny. That's a good example as far as allowing your uniqueness to shine. When I think about Dave and Donnell, and I remember I had a conversation with Dave Dave and it was, I'm rephrasing it but I was like, you know, what makes you work with him? Dave's like, I get sharper when I have to follow someone good.

Like he's not always looking for comics that are not good. He looks for comics that are great. That's what challenges him to be great. You know what I'm saying? So greatness around us, it helps stretches us. You know, and Donnell, I love you so much. I love you so much. He's somebody who needs to silence the noise.

Yes, no, no, he does. He needs to silence the noise around him. He's letting all these people get in his head. He gotta calm down. But he, I talk to you. I'm gonna talk to you, T. You gonna be all right. He might really never.

I wanna ask you something as an acting coach. Like when you have already great talent, right? Cause I don't know how often the great talent seeks acting coaches for every role. I don't know if that's a thing. Like does Denzel seek an acting coach for every role? Does the Jonathan Major seek an acting coach for every role? I don't know.

Well, I mean, I put it to you like this. I don't know individually all the way with, as far as how their process is, but it's a lot of us actors that enjoy the collaborative process because it's almost like you want to work with someone that can maybe see things that you can't see. You know what I'm saying? And the process of acting and the process of like researching a character and developing a character It's a fun process to do with a great coach or teacher just because Michael Jordan was a great athlete

It didn't mean that he did not need a great coach most of our greatest artists Have great coaches most of them have great coaches. Most of them. That's right. Most of them. So when you have a great actor you just teach them how to capture that role not necessarily how to act. No it's not about teach them how to act it's about us together looking for like all that we can find within the character. Is it fundamentals? Like redoing the fundamentals? It's not in every, for me, I'll just say this, as a teacher, every process is different.

Like it's a very spiritual experience. You know, you have your fundamentals, like your, you know, baseline, right? Like I come from Ivana Chubbik School, so we have something called the 12 steps that we do. You know, we have like a base. What is your overall objective? Your scene objective, your inner monologue is your overall objective, your scene objective,

your inner monologue, your inner thoughts, your substitutions, your ops, it's certain things that we are looking for within it. But outside of that baseline, there are other things that come up, character research, physicality, you know what I'm saying, like all kinds of stuff. So each person is different based on each character is different, each process is different. And it's like all of it is like an incredible, like spiritual experience. And I always say as much as you need the character, the character needs you. And everything is on the inside of us. Like all of it is in there. We just got to look for it and find it.

And as a coach, I just sometimes is pushing people to trust their instincts more. It can be as simple as that, you know what I mean? But we discover so many things through the process of acting. Absolutely. I know you gotta go, so I have one more question. I don't wanna go though.

I can see you with y'all all day. I'd love to have you here all day. Like serious, okay. Why did I get married again? Where are we? Honey, again? I'ma just leave it right there, girl. I am not again? Where are we honey again? Girl I am NOT talking about that cuz it's not happening probably not oh my god, and it ain't because I'm busy

Tyler take what three days to do a movie Who ain't got a weekend? All right. Do not get me started. You want to do it. Of course I want to do it. Why do he troll us like that? Why he troll me like that. So no calls, no nothing has happened. I refuse to answer any more questions concerning that. Cause I might get loud.

We've been having all these conversations about community. Do you think community is earned or a right? I feel like it's earned. Like I was, I remember I had one girl say, I don't have any friends. And you know, I go back, I always go back to scripture. I'm like a cussing preacher. No, let me stop. But you know, it's like if you want a friend, you gotta show yourself friendly.

How do you create relationship? How do you create friendship? You have to first allow yourself to give friendship in order to get friendship. And to me, like when I look at like acting or when I look at, you know, just people, what makes you really valuable? It's not just about your own greatness,

but to me, your value becomes based on how you're able to change other people's lives. To me, that's what makes you valuable. Like if I can empower somebody else to pursue their purpose, to make money, to feed their family, I just lifted up myself. But not only with that, I've also created community. I love my acting school, TSAW, because you know, for me, I'm always like what I say to you and everybody else as far as like we're not

in competition, we're in community, like we are all here together. The brighter we all are individually, the brighter we are in unity, like let's go. But I love T-Saw because the people that were in class like 15, 20 years ago at my school, I look at their lives now and they are all best friends today. Like when I think about Tabitha Brown who came out of my school, Natari Spencer, who's like, Nafisa Williams, Chasity Saunders. I mean, I can go on Aiman Joseph, Lance Gross, I mean Tiffany Haddish, but every time we're all in a room together, everybody's like, oh, come on, y'all, it's the family.

It's like community. But I feel like we earn that by how we love each other, period. You just casually threw out some of the- Word up, man. Tasha, we gotta, Tasha, we're the Lifetime Achievement Awards. I'm trying to tell you. Something gotta, BET, T, somebody gotta each other, period. You just casually threw out some of the- Word up, man. Tasha, you got to- Tasha, you got to do a lifetime achievement award. Something got to-

I'm trying to help you. B.T.T. Somebody got to do something to you. When you moved to LA, you were like, for real, man. Because when you moved to LA, they're like, we don't care if you want to act or not. If you're trying to be anywhere in front of people, you need to go to Tasha Smith's class.

That's how I found out. It was like, this is the thing you do. You do one church and you do T-Saw. That's what you do as a black creative in LA. But you have so many people and you're just like, yeah, I just did that. You know what we call TESOL? We call it the Church of Acting.

And I remember one time at class, right, I had left out because I had to go save Sidra in St. Martin. So I was not in class this particular night, but Mr. Denzel Washington had decided to come and visit class. And I wasn't there. I was pissed. But he came to class. And from what the teacher and the students told me, that he was sitting in the back of the class with the hat on, nobody knew who he was. And in my school, I had just pictures

of like every incredible artist I could think of on the walls because I wanted when people came into the class, I wanted them to look at the walls and dream. Like I wanted them to see where their life could be, what they could possibly do. And so Kevin, the teacher at the time, he was like talking about that in the class. And then all of a sudden they heard someone say in the back, I better be up on that wall. And then all the students turned around and it was Denzel Washington. Can you believe that? And Denzel's the one that told Mary J. Blige that she should come and study with me. But he ended up staying in that class and he ended up teaching that class for like until

like probably went two hours over and it was like so incredible. I don't even know how I got on that story. It was something that was being said but that was just such a blessing like to have him there inspiring all the students and just any opportunity that you know we get to pour into other actors in order for them to go and pursue their dreams. Like I see so many of my students that are so wealthy and thriving. Some of them have better careers than me. I've never been nominated for an Oscar. You know what I mean? That's never happened but I love seeing it happen for Andra Day, for Mary J. Blige, and hopefully, Micaela Cole and FKA Twigs with the stuff that they have coming up.

Like, what do you mean? Here's this money, Tasha. Here's this car. Here's this jerk. You know what? The only was, now, this is sad, OK? This is sad. But not, look, I don't look for kickbacks.

I put it to you like this. Like, my production company is called Camden Bridge, because there was a time I was teaching, teaching, teaching, and I got a little angry because I felt like people were walking over me all the time. And I remember I heard inside of my spirit that it's okay to be a bridge, that it's okay. A bridge has purpose, right? Sometimes it gets walked over, sometimes it gets driven over, but it's a connector of people and be focused and be a blessing at being a bridge. So my production company's name is Camden bridge

Okay Be a bridge What were we saying? I mean am I getting Okay, so alright I have to just be okay with being a bridge So I don't I don't get it for kickback, but the one person actually is the shame I'm not trying to shame nobody but the one person that gave me a very big gift Was Rebel Wilson. Mm-hmm. I remember one day Rebel Wilson had the white girl I remember one day Rebel Wilson had the white girl But no but twigs actually gave me this big crystal for Christmas

Last year this big beautiful like she said she said here's a little sparkle that you give to the world And it was like the biggest most beautiful crystal and look both of them are British and Rebel one day She hit me up and said You have a delivery coming make sure you're home and it was just this huge gorgeous YSL bag Okay, I mean it was just a big just a huge one. So I know she spent some money on that. Okay Okay, you know she got to go but we appreciate So much Well, you know, she got to go, but we appreciate you. We love you. We value you. We appreciate you, Tasha Smith. I love you. I love you so much. Where's Jess?

Jess is... I thought she was going to be home today. Oh, hang on. But you... Okay. Well, we love you, Jess. I miss you. I... It's Tasha Smith. I love you guys.

It's the Breakfast Club. Come on in. Thank you. Wake that ass up. Early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Hey kids, it's me, Kevin Smith. And it's me, Harley Quinn Smith. That's my daughter, man, who my wife has always said is just a beardless, d***less version of me.

And that's the name of our podcast, Beardless, D***less Me. I'm the old one. I'm the young one. And every week we try to make each other laugh really hard. Sounds innocent, doesn't it? A lot of cussing, a lot of bad language. It's for adults only. Or listen to it with your kid.

Could be a family show. We're not quite sure. We're still figuring it out. It's a work in progress. Listen to Beardless, S***less Me on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. You get your podcast. I'm ready to fight.

Oh, this is fighting words. OK, I'll put the hammer back. Hi, I'm George M. Johnson, a bestselling author with the second most banned book in America. Now more than ever, we need to use our voices to fight back. Part of the power of black queer creativity is the fact that we got us, you know? We are the greatest culture makers in world history.

Listen to Fighting Words on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pipman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. I'm having conversations with some folks across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like Chairman and CEO of Elf Beauty, Tarang Amin.

Legendary singer-songwriter and philanthropist, Jewel. Being a rock star is very fun, but helping people is way more fun. And Damian Maldonado, CEO of American Financing. I figured out the formula, I just have to work hard, then that's magic. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, y'all, it's your girl, Cheeky's, and I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheeky's and Chill. I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys and as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties, and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheeky's. It's going to be an exciting year and I hope that you can join me. Listen to Cheeky's and Chill, season four, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.