The Daily Show: Ears Edition - David Alan Grier On “The American Society of Magical Negroes”| Renée Elise Goldsberry On “Girls5eva”"

Episode Date: March 17, 2024

Tony Award-winning actor, comedian, and star of the new film “The American Society of Magical Negroes” David Alan Grier stops by to discuss how his latest project satirizes the “magical negro” trope in film and TV and his experience auditioning for those types of roles in Hollywood. Plus, Tony Award-winning actor and singer Renée Elise Goldsberry, who stars in the comedy series "Girls5eva" stops by to give a peek at what Season 3 has in store and how her music career is coming full circle with her debut album release later this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The Weekly Show, coming out every Thursday. We're going to be talking about the election, earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. Our guest tonight is a Tony Award-winning actor and comedian who stars in the new film

The American Society of Magical Negroes. Please welcome David Allen Greer. Oh my goodness. There we go. Nice. Nice. Nice. Hold on. We are big fans of yours, as is everyone in this audience. Thank you. We are very excited to talk to you about this film.

We are very excited to talk to you about this film. But before we get into that, we have to talk about the last very cool job that you just had last week. You were the voice of God at the Academy Awards. Yes, yes, I was. Yes. It was really fun. It was really fun. I mean, I never, I can't tell you who did it before me. I never was like, the voiceover guy was amazing. So Jimmy Kimmel was an old friend.

He texted me and he asked me, did I want to do it? And I said, being the whore that I am. Of course. Of course, how many tickets? I'm in. It was really fun that. . I was in. In. It was really fun though. It was really great. I got to take my daughter. I was 16.

Oh, it's great. So was she over the moon? Yes, she really was. She walked the carpet with me. And it was great. When she was a little kid, she told me that she wanted to go to the Oscars. And I was like, sure, th. thu thu thu thu thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thu. thi. thi. th. th. to to to to to to to to thi. to to to to to told. to to to to to to to to to. to. Was. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to to to. to to to. to to to. to to to to the the to t. to. to. to. to. toe. toe. toe. to. to, toe. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. am I going to know? So I was glad to make good on that promise. This film, I'm calling it the new satirical film starring David Allen Greer because I'm afraid to say the word Negroes.

Why? I just said it. You know, it's so strange to me. But tell me a little bit about this. Well, wait, it's so strange to me that I call Negro the the the the know, but... Maybe that's why I'm afraid to say it. What? It's really not, I mean, it's amazing that people are afraid to say Negro, but not afraid to say, f-shund. So that's the word you should be worried about.

Yeah, I don't say it. Negros's fine. Don't worry about Negro, it threads the needle perfectly of hilarious and informative and sentimental. Was that a concern of yours when you read the script? Are we? Um, no, I mean, I just, you know, when I read a script, I just want to be surprised. I mean, the worst script is when you read, you know, what's going to happen, 10 pages before, and they're going to fall you know, what's going to happen 10 pages before,

they're going to fall in love, someone's going to trip and die. They always trip and die. Exactly. But, so this really took me by surprise. It's quirky, different. It was a great read, because most of them aren't. The premise of the film, that's very true by the way, not that I get sent very many scripts.

Oh, you will after today. The premise of the film was inspired by the trope that we often see where a black character exclusively exists for the sole purpose of affirming a white lead. And also, you know, magical Negroes have a strange array of knowledge. You know, like they can fix, they can fix like spaceships, golf swing, you know, South Wars, but they have no family, no home, they just appear. No, that's right. When I saw this film I said, shit, I have to throw away my legend of Bagger Vance VHS. Well, actually, you know, most of my younger career, I auditioned for those roles, man,

because those are the ones where everybody, they would get nominated, oh, the, you know, this black character is so sympathetic, it made me cry, you know, driving Miss Daisy and stuff like that. I never got them. Because I was too crazy or something. They were like, David, you're not magical Negro material. So. Speaking of roles that you auditioned for, I heard that you auditioned for the original version of the color purple. I did.

And did not get it that time. No, I did not. You did just in this recent. I did, but, but, but, but, but, but I audition, but I audition, but I audition, but I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I auditioned, I did. I did. I did. I auditioned, I did. I did. I did this recent. I did but I auditioned for Harpo And I did not get a call back and I was devastated. I thought this is the last movie the last part It's never been and then when the musical came I auditioned again and I still didn't get it. So this time I was determined to get into it. So I just called my whole team. I said I'll get it. So this time I was determined to get into it. So I just called my whole team. I said I'll do anything and I finally got in 30 years later. So you have so many fans of you because of in Living Color, reboot reunion?

Could that ever happen? No, man, we can't do it this time. Everybody asked for that. The world has changed. You can't be doing that crazy stuff we did. I mean, we barely got away the last time. Because when the Living Color was originally on, you could call the station to complain.

You could write a letter, snail mail, or you could do the latest technology at the time, which was facts. There was no social media. Right. No, we could not do the show as it was now. So that's just the way it is. Maybe new version. Yeah, but that wouldn't be the show, because we were wild back. Yeah.

Buck, buck, wild. You can't do men on film? You can't do that. That is true. Not today. We turned it on once in the cost of family household. And my mom, after two minutes, was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And we'd show. You, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. that. that. that. that. that. that. You. You. off and then I would go back to audition for magical negroes. I've met so many

people who were kids either and snuck and watched in living color or they started the next generation they watched on reruns and it just kept going. I mean I don't know where it's on now but I never thought it would last this long I didn't. Well it's on now, but I never thought it would last this long. I didn't. Well, this movie is incredible. You're phenomenal in it. Everyone should go see it. Check it out.

It's really funny and great. Thank you. Thank you. I'm very good. Thank you. David Aligre. Hey, everybody. . Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The

Weekly Show, coming out every Thursday. We're going to be talking about the election earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient-to-bread ratio on sandwiches. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart wherever you get your podcast. Our guest tonight is a Tony Award-winning actor and singer who stars in the comedy series Girls Five Eva now on Netflix. Please welcome Renee Elise Goldsbury. All right. You are a Tony award-winning Broadway star of musical, the Lion King, Rent, the color purple.

No big deal. No big deal. No big deal no big deal Hamilton I miss Hamilton I suck at this job I love it this year right here I love that you missed it we missed it we missed it and girls by Beva season three dropping now today today today it drops today on t Today, it drops today on Netway. On Netway. This show is honestly one of my favorite comedy shows of all time.

It is so, so funny. There are so many jokes per minute. You almost have to watch each episode multiple times to try to catch everything. And your character is so funny. She's like the total standout. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the to try to catch everything. And your character is so funny. She's like the total standout. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. It's easy to say when I'm here by myself, but thank you so much. Everyone is very talented, but you have some of the funniest lines.

Thank you. The show is very dense. We call it JPM, the clip that you just saw at the premiere. I, thapapapapapapapapapap, th., th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. th. th. th. thi, thi. thi. thi, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. It, th. It, th. It, th. It, th. It, th. It, th. It, th. It, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, t, the, the, the. And, the. And, the. And, the. And, the. And, the. And, the. to. to. to. to. the. thea. thea. tell, thea. thea. And, tell, the. And, the. And, the. And, that clip that you just saw at the premiere and everyone missed the third joke because they were laughing at the first one. That's just how funny is you have to watch it several times which is good because it's streaming. Yes! It's really a dream come true of a job. We laugh hysterically. I just spent the entire night putting together my BTS reel to post on Instagram because now I can and I

just remembered it's how much joy we have. It's so fun. It's the season three is coming out now but you've done you did season one season two before that tell people if they didn't catch it when it first came out what it's about what is the show about wouldn't you like to know no you like to know. No. No. No. Girls Five Eva is about a one-hit Wonder group, pop group from the 90s, who discovers in present day that their one hit has been sampled by a rap star. And so they decide that they are back. In the first season, in the first season they decide they're going to stay together.

In the second season, they decide they're going to stay together. In the second season, they make an album called Returnity. And in the third season, they go on tour. That's what's hot and new. All three seasons are on Netflix, but the third season is hot and new. You find us in Fort Worth, Texas. We've written a song. We've written a song it's called tap into your Fort Worth. We do it because we discovered it.

Oh, come on. That's the Tony. That's the Tony right there. No, we basically discovered there's a hole in the market. It's like the biggest city that doesn't have a song about it. Yeah. I wonder why. So we make a song called Tap into your Fort Worth and you find us in the beginning of season three, Killing! She was also in Hamilton. Yes, good job. Good job. I wanted to ask you, because the show is frustratingly funny and seems at ease.

However, how are you reading the jokes in the script, and then saying, here's what I'm going to bring to it. I mean, is it the actors adding things, or is that all in the script? I mean, there's so many fucking jokes in this thing and makes me angry. I know, I know. So is that you, is it the script?

Is it all, is it everybody working together? Is it's it's funny that you to mention Hamilton, You were in Hamilton. I was. I say it as often as I possibly can. No, it's sometimes you find yourself in a perfect storm. The writers are brilliant. It's Meredith Scardino and Tina Fay. It's anybody like 30 Rock? Anyone ever do you? It's that team of writers and producers.

There's the greatest, just design team, the great, we have all these wonderful songs. Let me tell you about the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. It's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's, it's, it's, it's th. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's th. It's th. It's th. It's th. It's, it's th. It's th. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's greatest just design team, the great, we have all these wonderful songs. Let me tell you about the cast, Sarah Borellis, Paula Pell, busy Phillips. We have, there's a lot of flashbacks between the 90s and today so that we can just kind of figure out what went wrong. There was a lot that kind of went wrong in the 90s that we weren't aware of. Sometimes it's It's fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun the fun the fun fun fun fun the fun to just to just to just to just to just to just the the to just kind kind kind to just kind to just kind to just kind to just kind to just kind to just kind to kind to just kind th. th. to just kind to just to just to just to just to kind to th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the thi. the. the. the. toe. toea. to. to. to. the to. the to. to. the to. to. it's fun to just kind of tap into the misogyny of these pop groups in the 90s. Why'd you look at me when you say? It's unbelievable. You have to blame. No, it's true and you do touch on all of that. When you look back on how female pop stars were treated in the 90s, and the 90s and the 90s trying to be a pop star.

I didn't even have one hit, so I'm actually kind of proud of this group. But I do, I had no idea. I used to be in a group that was trying to get signed. And we had a song called, oh, yes you can, yes you can. Find you a good man. But when you do, you gotta treat them right. Make sure your love is out of sight now. Now, I mean, come on, you guys. Yeah. Yes.

You're laughing. You're clapping. But in reality, there are so many songs we could write about something other than finding a good man. Yeah, that's what we get write about something other than finding a good man. Yes. That's what we get to do on the show. Sarah Borrellis plays the character Dawn and we know that she's a brilliant Grammy award-winning songwriter.

But it's fun to watch her try to figure out how to write songs badly on this show. Your character is so faxed. She's so incredibly confident and really demands the attention of everyone in the room, almost to the point where she's sort of a little derange. Almost deranged. She is. She is very self-obsessed. Just shy of it. But on the paper, it could read like that, but you have a way of making her so

relatable and endearing. And you root for her. How do you do that? Well, I root for her. It it it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to, to, to, to, to, to, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. too, too, too, too, too, too, too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too, too, too, that? Well, I root for her. It's funny. I think our experience with anything is really about our perspective in the moment. Right now I am a woman of a certain age who would love to have a pop album, who would love to try to make it.

But I'm always looking at myself, like, that's a That seems ridiculous to ask. And I love the fact that I'm on the show where someone is trying. I love the fact that this crazy group of people gives themselves the license to dream. It's really more than funny in that way. So yeah, she's very obnoxious. She's very self-centered. She's the reason why the group broke up the first tree up tree up. But you know it helps you realize you know no matter how bad you mess up you have another you have an opportunity for a second shot and and

Yeah, and we can understand why anybody that ambition is so strong It makes you want to root for them. That's one of my favorite parts of these characters is they make fun of them themselves, but they still dream and they aspire and my question for you is Is that you in real life as well and how do we keep aspiring? How do we keep???? They them? them? them them their? their? they? they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they their? they they they their? they their? their? their their their their their their their their their their?? their? their? their? their? their? Yes? Yes? Yes? Yes? Yes? Yes? their? their? their? their? their? their their? their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their aspire. And my question for you is, is that you in real life as well? And how do we keep aspiring? How do we keep aspiring? Right? And I had this question.

And people said, are the other. And people said, are that. And I said, are that silly. And I said, I want to'm not gonna have to say. You can. They're optimistic, yet doing the, they're, they are aware of their faults and I love it. So, that's the key. Yeah, how do you keep aspiring? First of all, I think that's the beauty. You surround yourself with people that don't laugh at you.

Right. Or unless it motivates you're, to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. the to. the to. the the to. tho. thoom. thoom. thoom. thoom. thoom. thoom. thoom. thoom. thi. their. thoomoomoomoom. thoom. thoom. they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. they. they. they are. they are. they are. they are they are they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're their thoomoomoomoomoooooooooooooooooooooome. their their their they're they're their they're they're their their their their too. But you surround yourself by people that are trying to do what you're doing. I think that's hugely important and you have to talk about it a lot and what I love about the character Wicke I love that she just has these audacious ideas. In season 3 of Girls 5 Eva she books them a gig at radio city music call on Thanksgiving morning. Yeah big swings. She uses all the money they've made to do this. It's obnoxious. It's ridiculous. You kind of need somebody out there that takes big swings, because it's either going to decimate you or you're going to pull something off and move forward. And that's, I think, that's inspiring. Do you have situations in your own life where you meet a challenge? to channel your inner Wikiroy. Because I sometimes would love to be able to channel WikiRoy.

I put on a lot of hair. I put on a lot of hair. There it is. And I get somebody to put some eyelashes on. No, I actually turn the show on, believe it or not. That sounds so obnoxious. That's so obnoxious. You know, I feel love the audacity of these

women. I think it's super funny. We started doing the show in the middle of COVID when it was just good to be in breathing around other people. I think we gave each other a lot of crazy messaging during the last couple of years because we had to survive. And that was distance means safety. I think this show proves that that that th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, thi, thi, thi, thithis show proves that that's not true. And I just feel, I feel when I look at these women

that it's okay to have a license to dream. I think it's okay to be ridiculously ambitious. I think it's okay to join together with your friends at any age and sing harmony and dress alike. You talked about wanting to be a pop star and that's seeming ridiculous, but you have your own album coming out. I do, I do.

It's coming out in 2024. It is a... It is a... It's, yeah, I've been writing music for a long time. I've been a lyricist for a long time. And I've had the great privilege of being able to sing a lot of other people's lyrics like Lynn Manuel Miranda's and Jonathan Larson's and I was in Hamilton. Have I said that?

Did you know? So yeah, but I'm excited about the audience that we have on our own at the stage of our lives. I'm excited about the fact that I actually have more followers than Girls Five Eva. So why not not th. I I I I th. I th. th th. th th th th. th th. th th th. th th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to to to to to to to to to to thi. thi. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to thi. I'm to to to to tho. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I thi. I thi. I'm thin, thin. I'm thin. I'm thin. I'm to to to to to to to thin. I'm to to to to to to thin. I'm thin. I'm the. I'm excited about the fact that I actually have more followers than girls five ever. So why not try? But most importantly, I do believe that it's never too late to try something new. And there are women of every age that are killing it right now. I mean, look, there are just, there are just, I remember when we first started doing this show, Jennifer Lopez was doing pole dancing at the halftime show at the Super Bowl. Yeah. Like I love the fact that we are celebrating those women right now.

We should be celebrating those women because they're inspiring us that it is never too late. To have a country album, Beyonce. Yes. It's never too late to reinvent yourself. That's right. Well. Well. Well. Well. Well. Well. Well, thiiiiiiiii. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi?. thi?. thi?. thii? thi. thi, thi. to, to, thoen, thoe, thoe, thoe, thoe, thoe, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their. their. thi. their. thi. thi. thi. They's, thi. the. the. thean. toean. toean. toea. toea. Wea. toea. toea. thooooooooooooe. Wea. Wea. too late to reinvent yourself. That's right. Well, you are an inspiration. You're so funny in the show. Congratulations on season thea. Congratulations on the new album. Thank you. Thank you for being here. Three. One two, today. Three. Be sure to check out our three season with Girls Five By the Ne-Ell-Ea-Lease. E. their show. the daily show. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the th. the th. th. the the th. th. th. th. th. the the th. the th. the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. the. the the. the the the the the the the the the the the the the. the the the the the. th. the Daily Show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show, wherever

you get your podcasts. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Fairmount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. this has been a Comedy Central Podcast. Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The Weekly Show, coming out every Thursday. We're going to be talking about the election. Earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls?

We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come to to to to to to them them them them them them them th th th th th th th th th th them.. th th th th the. the. the. I the. I to to to to to to to to to the. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. thea. thea. thea. thea. tea. tea. teluuuoooooooooooooooooooooo' toea. th I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday? Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast.