The Breakfast Club - Taraji P Henson Talks Mental Health, Wellness Pods, HBCU's, & Parenting + More

Episode Date: September 20, 2023

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We on BET now. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy Charlamagne. The guy we are, The Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building. The legendary. Taraji P. Henson. Welcome.

I'm legendary, but not legendary enough to be on this wall. That's not true. That's not true. We got the whole room. We're doing this whole wall. You'll see. I should have been first, but that's okay. You know what?

You ain't wrong when you're right. That's right. Thank you. How are you? Yeah, how are you feeling i i feel great i feel great you know whenever i come to new york and especially when i'm coming for boris lawrence henson foundation you know we coming to spread joy spread a message that it's okay not to be okay that's right you started that conversation for people who don't know what the boris lawrence Foundation is okay yes it's a Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation we launched in 2018 oh my god 2018 um and it's really to eradicate the stigma around mental illness in the black community and to bring more awareness to

mental wellness in the black because you know we don't talk about it. That's right. We suffer in silence. We isolate. And we try to be strong. And we're dying. So out of my own necessity, for my own help, mental wellness, and my son, I realized there was no real help out there for us. So I had to do something about it. So my best friend since the seventh grade, Tracy J.

Tracy. We launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to hopefully help help a under underserved community how's your son doing he's doing great he's doing great so great yeah he's so great he's maneuvering through you know trying to become being a young black man in America you know when those rose-colored glasses come off. I'm sure you remember those days. But he's maneuvered through it pretty well. Did he have a moment?

Oh, he had a huge moment. But I was, he picked the right mother because, you know. And it's interesting because I had an older gentleman tell me years ago when I was on the television show called The Division, it was my first series regular, and i came and upset about something with marcel he was little at the time and this guy said don't you ever give up on him don't ever give i don't even know if mark is still alive to this day but i just remember him i never forget him saying that every time i would have these issues with my son i would

be like wanting to choke him i would hear his voice don't ever give up on him. And you can't give up on your kids. You just got to pray. Tracy sent me something. Oh, was it you or Pam? Somebody sent me something about, I think it was a pastor who was saying, don't give up on your baby. I don't care if they strung out on drugs. I don't care if they, whatever their problem is, you wrap them up in prayer.

Don't ever give up on your children. So what if you have to, damn, can you set, you made me think, can you set boundaries with your kids if you need to? You have to set boundaries. You must set boundaries. Are you kidding me? What type of boundaries? Boundaries.

Like, what are you willing to accept and not accept? You have to because these kids nowadays come so privileged. They're not like us. Now, I was talking to somebody the other day. I was like, I don't even think, I can't remember the last time I saw a group of children playing outside. That's real, yeah.

I make mine go outside. You have to. Yeah. Because they have these devices now, which is not good for the mental. So these kids aren't even, they don't even know what fresh air is anymore, I don't think, you know?

It's just a weird time to be a young kid. That's true. You don't even tell kids. I mean, you smell like outside. Yeah. Because they don't go out. They don't go outside, no. I can't remember the last time I seen girls playing double dutch or just riding bikes

or anything. Damn. I was going to ask, when you talk about setting boundaries, you know, some people will say that it's difficult to set boundaries because kids get into that phase where they smell themselves, right? They feel themselves. And sometimes that's the hardest part because that's where they can go left or they can, you know, you can wheel them back in. What's your thoughts on that? Well, the thing about being parents is once you cut that unbiblical cord, you are really letting go. You are literally letting

go. And you can preach, you can, you can do, you can do the best job ever and they still have choices but one thing i always would tell my son and it's the things that you instill with them in them when they're young and it'll come back around once that fog is over and they start and they start to not stand that stench that they smell it that's right that's right yeah you know what i mean? They, they usually, they come around and I would always tell my son,

I'd be like, son, listen, train yourself to listen to that inside voice. Cause that's your God voice. That's the voice that's going to save your ass. And if you can't hear that one, at least hear mine,

you know? And so the only way they will really realize or really want to even listen to the voice or hear your voice is if you've set boundaries. If you've given them a blueprint, you know, they're not going to always follow it the way that you see them to follow it. But eventually they'll come around. If you stayed on them, they will eventually come around. I guess the scariest thing is you don't want them to make any mistakes that's going to really cost them while they're coming around. Absolutely.

That was your mother's fear. That's every parent's fear. That was your father's fear. That's all of our fear forever. My mother to this day, she tracks me. I'm 53 and she tracks me. She's like, I just feel so much better knowing where you are. When I see you're not moving, I can sleep at night.

It never ends. It never ends. You know, we don't talk about enough the resources that are available for the friends and family that have to deal with folks who have mental health issues. Exactly. You know? Because it takes a toll on them, especially parents,

because you feel like I can't fix my child. It's something that I did wrong. It's really hard because that's your job, to protect your kids and save them from mishaps. And when you can't, you feel inadequate or you feel like you're not doing your job. It's hard. Parenting is not easy.

And then being a single parent, I promise you I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy i wouldn't i just wouldn't it's it's first of all children need both parents boy boys and girls i don't care you need both of your parents if you're not living in the same household you you still need both i mean you know regardless of whether your relationship works out that has nothing to do with the kid you still have to show up both parents for that child um and you know, regardless of whether your relationship works out, that has nothing to do with the kid. You still have to show up both parents for that child. And, you know, I was unfortunately my son's father was murdered, so I didn't have an option. But, yeah, it's it's hard. It's tough, especially me being a boy mom.

I need the man. I can't teach him how to be a man. I don't know how to be a man. You know? And that was the hardest struggle for us because when he was becoming a man, he's looking at me like, you can't tell me anything. What can you tell me? You're a girl.

You know? It's just the dynamic is, it gets a little difficult in the young adult years. Like Charlamagne was just saying, you know, so what do you do to make sure your mental is good?

Remember when I went to Bali? I do do you there for a long time i went for a whole month yeah i had to i had to i was coming apart at the seams and i didn't realize it because i was working and and god is god is amazing because god will put you in a situation where you have to sit down and I have been working in this doing this for over 20 years I have been working non-stop my entire career right and it was just this past year where I didn't have a lot you know I did color purple and I was just kind of like sitting around and not sitting around I had other stuff do, but as far as like a call sheet and showing up and knowing lines and that kind of work, acting gigs. And it was for a reason because I needed to take care of me. I was not in a good place mentally.

I just really wasn't. And thank God I had that time to take care because Lord knows where I would be if i didn't have the time to really listen to myself and take time for myself and i think we live in such a grind society it's all about grinding you can sleep when you in that box well if you don't sleep now you might get to that box a little sooner than you're playing when you when you finally slow down were you were you surprised that you weren't happy uh i was at first but then i wasn't because once you sit down and you go well how did you expect to be happy if you weren't paying attention like i wasn't tracking my feelings i was just working and you know when you finally make it

you have this dream i don't care what it is you could be it could be a to be a chef or whatever but you have this dream and it finally comes true it's like I can't stop now because what if the phone stops ringing you know what I mean so you're not really paying attention to you're not doing a mental check and then like I said God did it for me I didn't have the jobs piled up and I literally had to stop and check myself I wasn't doing well and I knew because I was looking at the people around me and they were like walking on eggshells. And I'm a cool person. Like I'm the most fun person,

but they were concerned because I was a short fuse. Any little thing, I was like, I'm so annoyed. I was annoyed about every little thing. And it was like, like I could even feel myself wanting to get into like arguments on the streets. And you know, nowadays that's not safe. Not at all.

It could be the end of your life, you know. And so it was things like little things were triggering me. Little things that once upon a time would just, you know, be water under the bridge or water off my back or whatever. But I was literally everything was just I felt like I could just run through a wall. But you had to self-awareness to know it was you, though. A lot of people don't. A lot of people would be like, that's everybody else. No, no, no, no.

I'm the type, like, if I don't feel 100%, I stay home. I don't put my shit on other people. Like, if I'm not in the best mood. I want to be the type of person, when I come into a room and I leave, everybody's much better after my presence. Right. And if I can't give that, then I need to stay home. I was going to ask, you know, how difficult was it taking off for 30 days? Because you said you've been working since you were probably a teen and you've never stopped working. It's always been something even during the strike. There's something to do.

Yeah. But to actually sit down for 30 days has to be the most difficult thing ever. No, it wasn't at all. Really? I was in the middle of a rice field. And honestly, I didn't want to come back. I cried. Like, literally, I can't. Okay, when I go on vacation, you get about seven days.

Seven days usually, yep. And that sixth day, I'm literally at the airport with my bags packed, ready to go home. It was like the 30th day and I wasn't packed and it took me forever to pack because I did not want to leave I was scared to come back to the states and then it's I started kind of like paying attention to the news and I could feel it triggering me um because I was so peaceful I didn't I didn't have to worry about crime or racism or anything for 30 whole days and then it was time for me to come back the first thing I saw on my feet was a mass shooting in LA and I was like

yeah here we go back to the bulls back to the BS exactly so it wasn't I didn't I honestly didn't want to come back and when I got back I felt weird I felt I had to train myself to get back into the American ways because I was so free over there I can't explain it I was really free I would go in places and I didn't feel like the only black person no one cared No one cared about what my hair looked like or what clothes I had on or all the things that you have to worry about in the States or especially in what I do. All the vanity was stripped away. I didn't have to worry about it. I had my little Jesus shoes on and my linens and I was happy. I guess that's the biggest

issue, right? Like always trying to figure out how to find that peace you have on vacation, just walking around every day when you're back on the grind. Have you? Do you know what that is or what to do to tap into that? Absolutely. I mean, the great thing that I walked away from Bali is my self-awareness. Because I went alone, it forced me to be present. I couldn't, you know, I couldn't preoccupy myself with conversations with my girlfriends.

Oh, you were by yourself. I went by myself. Oh, wow. Yeah. And I had to stay present. I met new people. I stepped outside of my comfort zone, and that was therapeutic for me. Me, especially me, because, you know, wherever I go, I'm always having to hide and not talk because they know my voice and I'll never be able to buy my bananas in peace.

You know, so it was just beautiful to go over there and just be and meet new people and have conversations with random people. It was it did me. It did my soul good. What was the decision to go by yourself? How did you come up with that? Because that's that has to be a tough one. Well, no, because I was clear on why I was going. It wasn't a vacation. It was literally it was a vacation, but it was literally a soul-searching for me and and respite for me like I needed to focus on me and only me you know cuz I take on my friends problems you know cuz I'm an empath so I just I literally wanted to go by myself hmm people thought I was crazy but I feel

like you've always had such a awareness of self though like I feel like you've always known who you were oh it's not that I didn't know who I was it's just knowing when you're struggling I'm very clear on who I am right but you know when you preoccupy yourself and busy yourself with other things then you kind of ignore really where you are mentally when did taraji have that uh uh i made it moment like what was that i still don't feel like i made it i ain't no made it on this wall so clearly i ain't made it that is not true you are a legend an icon not on this so you still haven't felt like you made it there wasn't a moment like not on this one.

So you still haven't felt like you made it? There wasn't a moment like? No, I mean, I guess when I stopped auditioning. Okay, okay, okay. But I don't ever feel like I made it cause then I stopped growing. Got you, got you, got you. You know what I mean? Like people always go,

what's your favorite role? The next one. I guess a better question is when did you, when did you give yourself a chance to breathe enough to say, okay, I'll go take 30 days to myself? When I went to Bali. Okay. That was the first time.

It wasn't a particular moment. It was just you, your personal. It was just me, my personal. I had gotten to the place where I was like, I didn't care. I was like, I don't give a shit about work right now. I have to be okay or work is not going to get done. So, yeah, I chose me. Now, how are you holding up with everything that's going on in Hollywood the strike and everything how are you holding up with

that I can't stay too close to it because everybody has something to say I'm just like call me when it's over but I'm 10 toes down and supporting of course what we're fighting for is very important but I can't be in the throes of every day it's too much for my anxiety what are you doing to stay creative I'm moving back into my house I did a huge renovation to my house and finally it's done and I'm back in the house so I've been unpacking I've been on the boxes yeah what is joy joints joy Wow. What is Joy Joints? Joy Joints. Okay. This is what I love because this is a time for us to really celebrate us and to find that joy and remind ourselves that that joy is our birthright. It's something that we were born with and it's something that is ours.

And so across the nation, we want people to, have if you're at work it can be an office group it could be friends remember how i said we don't see people playing outside anymore that we're trying to recreate that get the kids have kickball you know go outside and play kickball or spades games double dutch whatever it is that brings you joy get a group of people and do it um and we're all connecting through the boris lawrence henson foundation to raise awareness of just finding your joy tapping back into your joy so it's like a party it's a huge party and a nationwide party got you got you got you and you'll come with kate spade on this yes kate spade has been our partner since 2022. And they have really just been incredible partners.

K-Spade New York, just been everything. They are the reason why we're able to erect these wellness pods at HBCU campuses. They've been our partners in that. And just our partners in getting the message of mental wellness. And talk about that, what you're doing on those HBCU

campuses and the first campuses you started with. Yeah, we started with getting the message of mental wellness. And talk about that, what you're doing on those HBCU campuses. Okay. And the first campus you started with. Yeah, we started with Alabama State University. We erected the first pod back when was that? April. And it's been a huge success. We're interested in universities that have, who are very serious or invested in, you know, their students,

their student body mental wellness, because it's one thing for us to bring the pod, but now we need your help to keep it going and make sure that the kids are getting, you know, the help and the resources that they need. And our next stop is Hampton. And we're doing this one in November. And this is our second university. Are you allowed to do it at Hampton? Being a Howard?

I knew you was going to bring some. He got, he's trying to get me back because he missed me on this wall over here. Wow. See how people take it too far? Negroes always got to take it a little too far. I know y'all lost last weekend. You know, it was a Hampton-Howard game. But that's okay. It's not

like y'all number one in anything. Bam. It's okay. Joy, we're here to spread joy. Joy. He tried it. Did he put his helmet up there? With the helmet up there.

With the ass helmet. Get that water bucket out of here. Anyway, he threw me off my joy. I'm back. So what are the pods exactly? Oh, so they're like these containers. You know those containers that everybody's making into homes now? Yep, yep.

So we found a company. What's the company again I'm sorry SI Container Bills and they are amazing we had a student from Alabama State University who's a visual artist and she made the whole mural which is so beautiful and it was designed the interior designing yes and oh yes we said that already which is so beautiful. And it was designed, the interior designing. Yes. Oh, yes, we said that already.

Oh. She's talking to Tracy. Tracy Jane, by the way. She's not talking to herself. I know people are like, who is she talking to? Exactly. But if you're watching the show, you can see. That's right.

Tracy's over there, the yellow. But anyway, so yeah. But anyway, yeah. But it's, so in the respite pod, you can have meditation, you can do yoga. We have two actual rest pods. We're, because you know, when you're in college, you're always around people. That's right.

You know, you have roommates, it's the study hall, it's the students. And sometimes you just need to get away from all of that. And so we have these rooms where you can go respite. You can rest. You can meet with a therapist virtually or in person. Or you can just go in there and just relax and chill. Sometimes you just need to disconnect. Yes, yes, yes.

So it's a safe space for students to go when they feel stressed or when it's too much. And how many HBCUs are you going to's too much how many hbcus are you going to huh how many hbcus are you going to how many how many are we going to we're four this year that's dope yes that's dope yeah students need that because i mean because it gets stressful and especially uh for students that's never been alone never been by themselves going to those schools and not knowing people gives you anxiety having to pass and knowing that if you get a lower grade than a certain you lose your scholarship and then meeting new friends so i think that's that's amazing yeah

and it's also for students to feel um like they belong correct um the dropout rate is insane um and it's because i think it's a lot of it is, you know, it's a lot on these students. And now throw social media in the mix. Oh, my God. On top of all the other things, you know. So we're just trying to help. We're just trying to save us and save our future by saving these kids. I feel like you should come out with a line of pre-rolls called Joy Joints.

Joy Joints? Yes. Okay. Hey. of pre-rolls called Joy Joints. Joy Joints? Yes. Okay. Hey. You don't think so? Joy Joints. A line of pre-rolls? Why not?

I got it. A lot of people are using plant-based medicine for their anxiety and depression and stuff like that. Yeah, they are. That'd be dope.

She says she thinks they're Joy Joints. They're probably already Joy Joints. You're not the first one to come up with Joy Joints. You also have the One one to come up with the Joy Joints. And you also have the One Million Hours

Joy Challenge. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, you started that last spring. Yes. How did somebody join that? BorisLHensonFoundation.org and you can find out

how you can sign up for the Joy Joints or how you just, if you just want to donate. You know, Tyler Perry spoke about something a couple of days ago. I just got a question. Now he was talking about women

should be talk about women dating men that aren't as financially. Well, you don't know how to take a hint. Do you just keep going? Lord have mercy. We got Snoop Flakes, y'all. We got Snoop Fruit Rolls. That's right.

Poops, fruits. And you were saying, what were you saying, Charlie? Can you talk about your Broadway show? Oh, I can totally talk about John Charles. Okay, okay. I am so proud to be a producer of a Broadway show. What I love about this show is because it showcases these women, to be a producer of a Broadway show. What I love about this show is it because it showcases these women,

and I love bringing life to hidden figures. And I grew up in D.C. and I used to get my hair braided, but it was always over somebody's house, a friend's house. I never really knew about the hair braiding salons. I hung out millions of times in Harlem and about the hair braiding salons I got millions of times in Harlem and I would walk past the salons I just walk past them you know but this play brings such a light to these women and another thing when you think about ice and deportation you never think about us because the

only images they always show of the Latin community, right? But this play showcases that. These women are undocumented. They're in this country, and they're trying to make a living, and this is how they're doing it, braiding hair. And in the play, you see that they have an issue with ICE and their documentation, and I never think about that. Do you think about that? No. One time when they I

think it was was it the Haitian migrants who they say were coming over that was a couple years ago but it was like a mention it wasn't it was just a mention but whenever ice shows up you never see it's always they're coming down on the Latin community so I never even thought about that I never even thought about undocumented black people in the U.S. you know what I mean and these women literally just trying to make a living and so that was very interesting to me not only that um yes bringing life to their their story and their lives these incredible women but I love hair I almost became a cosmetologist I mean I almost went to school for cosmetology, but I missed it by one year, and I have a hair care line, so it really made, it was a no-brainer for me to produce this show.

And congratulations on the hair care line. Thank you. Won a bunch of awards. Yes. Congrats. Are you using it at your household? I did try some, my kids as well. You know what, my daughter had a problem with.

Boy, the Hampton people lie for a second. No, no, let her finish. No, no, I'm going to tell you why. Because I actually had to go and get everybody's hair product because my daughter had what is it called?

I don't know what it was. But she had something in her hair. And we went and got everybody's hair. I mean, I done got the brat. I didn't even know the brat had a hair product.

I done picked up the brat hair products. Portia has hair products I picked up because my wife sent me to the store and I just looked for anybody black

and I just got all the products. But you love TPH. But anyway, that's what you forgot to say. This one here. What makes TPH stand out from everybody else? He gonna get that water bucket. Man, put that water bucket away.

He gonna get that water bucket again. What makes TPH stand out from everybody else? Because TPH specializes in scalp care, honey. You got to clean your scalp first. And you have a head that is naked. You can see. Do you have anything for him? No protection.

Do you have anything for him? No. He has a scalp, doesn't he? You still got to clean your scalp? You do. Absolutely. You still have to clean your scalp. And moisturize it so it don't get dry.

Absolutely. That's what TPH is here for. You got something for him, boy. She should get an award for that one now. This is what I came does. You got something for him, boy. She's getting a walk for that one now. This is what I came for. Go, go. But that's another way to bring joy. Oh, absolutely.

I believe self-care, hair care is self-care, especially for women and women, cultural women from ethnic backgrounds because we have curly, thick, big hair, and we look at doing our hair as a chore. And so with the TPH line, it's more of, it's like a spa experience. So you pamper yourself from scalp to toe. That's because you don't have a body line too.

So the whole line was created to change change the narrative of you know taking care of yourself as a chore and look at it more as self-care like take yourself to the spa and and the reason i came up with that is because my care care line launched during the pandemic people were afraid to go to salons and be around other people. So it was more like bring the salon home to you. At an affordable price. At an affordable price. Can men use it? Absolutely men can use it.

You have a scalp, right? Yes, but I'm talking about guys that use like the Just For Men and the Beijing. Like will it wash it out? It'll wash it all off. Damn. Yeah, I hear soap and rain. Here comes the stab.

Here comes the stab. Yeah, you trying to be funny. No, that's him. We had a whole conversation about this because I think a lot of guys are doing this now. They're getting the hair transplants and the Beijing and the Just For Men. And I'm like, why?

Like, who are y'all doing this for? And so a lot of women called up here this morning and say they don't even like that. They'd rather the guys just... Just be bald. Be bald and grow their salt and pepper beard. Just like y'all'd rather us just wear our hair and not wear wigs and stuff.

Oh, I don't care. You know, I know, but I hear that, you know, a lot of men are just be natural. They don't believe that. I think they just be tough. I think you should do whatever it is that makes you happy. That makes you happy. Unless you a man. If you a man, you should let the salt and pepper grow up.

How come men can't do? Because it looks ridiculous. That's terrible. They haven't learned how to blend it in. Like it don't look natural. Well, if it looks good, you don't mind if it looks good. Because it looks ridiculous. That's terrible. They haven't learned how to blend it in. Like, it don't look natural. Well, if it looks good, you don't mind if it looks good? If it looks good. Right?

Yes. Because some of those wigs look really good. I'm trying to say this with a straight face. I'm really not trying to be funny. Because I believe people should do what makes them feel good. And if women can't wear lace fronts, men can too. I haven't seen a good one yet. I haven't seen the baby hairs. They've been going crazy with the baby baby hairs a little out of

control little crazy baby they're bangs they're not baby baby is going down to your mouth like this you know like your cheeks like I haven't seen oh yeah it's crazy you know what you know what it when the baby here meet the eyebrow that's getting crazy now it's it's a little but you talking to somebody judge some people like it and if that makes you happy, wear that baby bang, baby. Because that is a bang. I just wanted it to look natural.

That is a bang on your forehead. But if that makes you feel good, wear that bang, baby. And get you some TPH products to slick it down. That's right. That's right. That's right.

Now, World Mental Health Day is coming up. Yes. What are some things people can do in their communities to create their own joy joints and joy challenges and all that good stuff? Get the best group. If you like space, you like Uno, whatever it is that brings you joy.

It could be sitting outside, sitting on a stoop, talking. Whatever it is, whatever brings you joy. I can't tell you what brings you joy. I know what brings me joy. I want to play. I want to do double dutch play i want to do double dutch i want to jump double dutch you still doing that play jacks i haven't in a while but i would for this to bring myself joy i'm willing to do anything people don't ever bring you back

to your inner child absolutely never let your inner child die people don't double that nor do they know how to double dutch i know and that which is crazy because when we do the um events i bring this double dutch team a husband and wife and they teach people how to double dutch. I know. Which is crazy because when we do the events, I bring this double dutch team, husband and wife, and they teach people how to double dutch, men and women, and they teach you the easy way how to, you know, because I'm double-handed so I don't know how to do it. But it teaches you because it's fun and it's an exercise and a lot of people, they don't know how to do it anymore.

No, they don't because people aren't playing outside anymore. That is correct. I like what you said about that because, you know, a lot of people are afraid to do that because their inner child is so broken. Yeah. So what do you do when your inner child still needs to be loved? You have to nurture it. You have to nurture that little child.

Pay attention to it. That child cries out for attention all the time. You have to pay attention. I play still to this day um that's what my salon is about i have a salon in my house and i get my friends tease me all the time because i have a square like a register it's just i used to play register when i was a kid and as i grew up i was like i'm gonna always purchase the things that I couldn't afford when I was a kid I was good I was told no so much because we couldn't afford it and when I can afford I'm gonna get it and so my salon is more like my playroom and that's where I go when things become

too much I go in there and I tell people don't call me I have clients and what do you do you go through a whole like appointment book and I make up appointments I go there I let my inner child play and I have these dolls these heads and I do their hair like one may have a wet set appointment one may have a die I may have to cut. You do by yourself? Yeah. Wow. I went to the University of YouTube and I learned a lot.

I graduated magna cum laude, so I know a lot of things. I'm going to bring my girls over to your house. You should. I do nails too. You do nails? I'm going to leave them over.

I do it all. Yes, bring them over. I was like, why didn't I have a girl? You know what I mean? Girls are hard, man. My son be like I was like, why didn't I have a girl? You know what I mean? Girls are hard, man. My son be like, miss me with all of that. I'm not interested.

Girls are hard. I got four of them. And my oldest is at that age where she don't want nothing to do with daddy. She's 15. Oh, my God. And that's heartbreaking. Put your seatbelt on. Damn.

Yeah. My wife says it'll go away. But how long though? Jesus. You never know. Yeah. She's going to get a boyfriend. It could be five years. It could be ten. It's usually a ten year.

Ten? Pretty much. Wait till she's 25? Then she's going to get married. You're not. Yes. Because it's true. Then she's going to have a baby. You're out. You're done. Hang it up for the 20s.

That's right. You're done. Just don't. What? Just wait for her to come back like 28, 29. Stop crying now. Yeah, I don't think people realize how heartbreaking. That's something that fathers don't talk about enough.

That's heartbreaking when your little girl all of a sudden don't want nothing to do with you and acts like they don't even like you. Yep. You know? I understand that part, the not liking part, though. I get that. I wanted to ask you about this quote, Taraji. Oh, another quote.

Somebody else? No, no, no. It says, healing can be so hard when your inner child wants love, your teenage self wants revenge, and your current self only wants peace. Ooh, that's deep. What comes up for you when you hear that? Oh, it's facts. It's real.

It's triggering. Because that's so real. I just never heard it. The anger, the teenage anger. Ooh. Get ready. Lord have mercy. Jesus Christ. Would you say that the

boards law intensive foundation is your life's work yeah definitely my life a life purpose a purpose mm-hmm you know a clear purpose like I thought it was acting I'm gonna touch the people through my work and of course I did but I just felt like that was to bring me here because this feels really fulfilling. Because you could do a performance. Will you touch somebody? Will you change my? I don't know.

I hope so. But this is the work that is really changing and saving lives. And I feel good about what I'm doing. I feel important. You are important. Absolutely. For a number of reasons. I know, but this really makes me

feel like I have a life purpose beyond vanity and being pretty in front of a camera. What does she have on? Are you almost tired of Hollywood? Almost. Almost is anyway. almost is

anyway but I still got some jobs to complete I have some things that I'm working on but I know it's getting to the point where I'm ready to let these kids have it I'm looking for my exit strategy I don't want to be doing this

not on a grind I want to dip back in when. Not on a grind. I want to dip back in when I'm ready. When it's a project that I feel so inclined that I will come out of my retirement. But I'm literally ready to go stick my toes in some sand somewhere and let these kids have it.

I literally feel like that. You never see that in Hollywood. You feel like you just see people keep going, keep going, keep going. You never see nobody just say, you know what, I'm done. Yeah, but I have other things I'm working on that's not just acting. All right. Acting will not be my exit strategy. Like, that's not going to be my nest egg that I can lay up on.

It'll be a little bit of it, but my nest egg is going to be my brand. When somebody comes and buys TPH for a billion dollars or something like that. Did you hear that from your mouth? How can people donate and contribute to the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation? Always. You can always go to www.borislhensonfoundation.org. That's right. We appreciate you joining us.

Always. You are loved valued and appreciated absolutely i will know that when i'm up on this wall but we appreciate you ladies and gentlemen from howard university ain't you you know period get that water bucket out of here it's the breakfast club good Morning. Hilarious. I love the work you guys are doing. I'm so glad you're on my television.

That's all I watch is TV. I even