The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Florida Bans Math Books Over CRT Concerns | Janelle Monáe

Episode Date: April 19, 2022

Florida bans math textbooks over concerns about critical race theory, Ronny Chieng rails against America's taxation process, and Janelle Monáe discusses her book "The Memory Librarian."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. Hello there. You're about to watch an episode of The Daily Show. That means there's some news and some jokes on the way. So if you like laughing and news, you're in the right fucking place, honey. Coming to you from New York City, the only city in America. It's the Daily Show. Tonight, Math is racist.

Why Tax Day is Weird. And Janelle Monet. This is the Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Thank you so much for today. Thank you so much for the-in-law. Thank you so much for tuning in. Thank you for coming out in court. Good to see you. Get to see your faces. Pop your faces.

All right, take a seat, everybody. thanks. Thank you so much for coming out in court. Good to see,. Good to see your faces, pop your faces. All right, take a seat everybody. We've got a fun show for you today. Ronnie Chang is going to be telling you why you're doing your taxes all wrong. So it's going to be just like the IRS, but funny. Plus the amazing, Janelle Monet is joining us on the show. And this time, not, not, not, not, not, not, not, not, not th for th for thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, not thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we thi, we thi, we thi, we thi, we th. We th. We th. We th, we th, we th. We th. We th. We th. We th. We th. We're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thi, we're thin, we're thin, we're thin, we're thin, we're toda. We're today, ta. ta. today, ta. today, a book of short stories. Yeah, which is amazing, right? Yeah, and in case you're confused, it's not stories about short things, but rather

short stories about things, right? The things can be long, but the stories are always short. Anyway, I've said enough. Let's jump straight into today's headlines. Okay, people, let's kick things off with the big education news. By now, you've all heard about how school systems across the US are banning critical race theory. And if you're still not sure what critical race theory is, don't worry, neither other people banning it. Now, the state of Florida has announced that it's officially begun its purge of all things CRT, but some of the targets have taken people by surprise. The Florida Department of Education is making ways after rejecting 41 percent of submitted math textbooks because of touchy and prohibited subjects. The state says more than 50 of those books include references to critical race theory,

among other things like Common Core, and therefore are prohibited under the new standards. CRT teachings, they were banned from Florida's classrooms last year. Orange County Classroom Teachers Association President Wendy Doromel says she's baffled. I can't imagine what is in a math textbook that would indoctrinate a child. I really love to see some of these rejected books and see what they highlighted. Yeah, so would I? Because I mean this makes no... Florida is banning math textbooks because the state says that they teach critical race theory and I'll be honest. I don't even understand how that works. I don't. Like I get finding critical race theory in history books or social studies but math. How? How? Well,

think about it, Trevor is just a bunch of numbers that rejected their slave names and now go by X. How? Yeah, Trevor. Also, numbers can be very triggering for white people. Think about it. Whenever a black man dunks on a white man, what's on his shirt? That's right, numbers! And don't get me started on the violence inherent in math. I'll never forget the day seven, eight, nine.

Scarred me for life. I'll be honest, man. I don't know what Florida is trying to do here. But any sane person can agree. This is getting out of control. I mean, it was bad before, but this is getting out of control. Because now it just feels like the state sees critical race theory everywhere in everything. You know, it's almost like a hypochondriac.

It's like, this milkshake is critical race theory. What? Yeah, look, it's trying to tell us that the white part is keeping the brown man down? Well, maybe the chocolate just needs to work harder. Maybe you need to relax, my man. Also, think about this. Let's play with the logic. If they were trying to sneak CRT into the schools, why would they do it with math? Math textbooks would be the worst place to do it. Because who remembers anything they learned in math, huh?

Do you remember how to use a hypotanuse? Do you? If I said nobody leaves the studio, no one, until you show me how hypotenuse works. We're dying here people. World dead, there's going to find corpses. Nobody remembers math from school. Nobody. Even Liam Nisen, his particular set of skills did not include hypotenuse. Yeah, he's like, I will find you and I will kill you. They're like, well, first you have to solve math problem. Ah, it's fine, I'll find another daughter. You know, I actually wish, I actually wish there was CRT in math textbooks. I actually do. Yeah, because then we could have solved racism by now, just by cheating and going to the back of the book with all the answers in it, you know? Just be at the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back the back th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I'd thin, I thin, I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I th. I th. I th. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll th. I'll thin, I'll to to ti. I'll te. I'll te. I'll te. I'll too. I'll too. I'll te. I'll te. I'll ti. I'll thin. I'll tithe back of the book with all the answers in it, you know? Just be at the back and be like, what is it? A black Batman? Oh my God!

Why didn't I think of that? All right, but let's move on from that madness in Florida to something that's affecting all of us. Inflation. Thanks to inflation, practically every company is raising their prices right now. For instance, here in New York, thi, thi, thi,. Yeah, no, no, you think it's minor, but it's actually a nightmare. Because now, you either have to carry around an extra quarter with you, or you've got to give the guy two dollars and now you're carrying around three quarters all day. What am I supposed to do with that? Do you see slot machines out of the streets of New York?

You're killing me! But everyone's raising prices, everyone, even Amazon. They just announced that they're charging an extra 5% inflation fee to its merchants, who will presumably pass that extra cost onto the customers, which, I'm sorry people, is bullshit. Because Amazon made 33 billion dollars in profit last year. If there's any company that can do, it's just just little too absorb the cost of inflation, it's them. You know, Amazon, if you're trying to save money, next time I buy a toothbrush,

maybe don't package it in a cardboard box the size of a minivan, huh? Maybe, some, you can save something. You've seen the size of the boxman? I'm like a giant box for a tiny thing. Now I've got to take time off to fold it, put it in my recycling, and I'm sad because I thought someone bought me a car. Now, get this, according to a new report, and this is really sinister, man, some companies aren't just raising prices to keep up with inflation.

No. These slick assholes are using inflation as an excuse to gouge their customers and make even more profits than before. Because, you see, they know they can get away with it right now. Think about it, a year ago. If you saw that the price of something shot out out of nowhere, you'd get mad at the company. But now, when you're paying $100 for detergent, It's brilliant. It's brilliant. And here's how you know. Here's how you know that companies don't have to raise their prices. They don't have to. Because one company is refusing to,

and they're still getting rich. You go to the supermarket, you'll hook just around, and you know that nearly all products are getting more expensive. Except Arizona iced tea. The beverage is staying 99 cents a bottle, regardless of the rising inflation cost. The company's founder and chairman says he is not budging on price, on principle. The company is privately owned. The owner is absorbing the higher costs of everything, including the aluminum that the can, that the ice tea is in.

And they're making cuts in other areas. Don Voltagio, Arizona's 70-year-old founder and chairman, told the Los Angeles Times, quote, I don't want to do what the bread guys and the gas guys and everybody else are doing. Consumers don't need another price increase from a guy like me. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's exactly what I'm talking about.

You don't have to squeeze every lost dollar out of your customers. This guy's keeping his product 99 cents despite inflation, and he even puts it on the can so the store can't mark it up. Yeah, as opposed to Florida iced tea, which does not put its price on the can, because those numbers are critical race theory. And you know, like, it's so rare to see a company that's just like, you know what, we make enough money.

Yeah, we don't need our customers to suffer. I bet Snapple could do that too, if they didn't waste so much money researching those dumb facts. I, guys, I'm here to fill my body with a month's worth of sugar, not to learn. I'm put information information information information information information information information. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm tha. I'm thi. I'm thi. I'm going to to to to to to to to to to to to to to thoomereen. I'm going to to to tolden. I'm tolden. I'm tooomomomomomomomomomomomomomereen. I'm tooomomereen. I'm a sugar higher. And let me tell you something, if this Arizona ice tea company can do this, then a company, like Amazon has no excuse. Yeah. In fact, you know what I think? You know what I think? I think we should all boycott Amazon. Yeah, and only order, only order, only order like three things in the day instead of five. Yeah, make them feel the pain. And obviously if you need something, if you need something, you should still order it. I mean, no matter what.

No, no, I mean, there's no need to run out of like bubble bath bombs. That goes without saying, but aside from that total boycott of more than three things per day. Yeah, I should put activist in my bio. tho-naked. This was a big weekend, a really big weekend for a lot of people all over the world. Because you see, you had Easter, Passover, and Ramadan all at the same time. Yeah, it was basically the Coachella of religion. And if you celebrate Easter, you probably know that it marks the end of Lent. A 40-day period when many Christians give up a personal pleasure or a luxury as a form of spiritual devotion. And typically people who observe Lent, like many Christians give up a personal pleasure or a luxury as a form of spiritual devotion and typically people who observe lent like they give up something like sweets or alcohol but this year one church came up with a

much more innovative form of sacrifice a church in Illinois fasting from whiteness to observe lent of course a Christian tradition that involves giving up something for 40 days ahead of Easter and First United Church of Oak Park chose to give up white music meaning they aren't playing any music written by white people. The church released a statement saying that the goal was to lay aside usual frames of reference and open the Florida voices of black people, indigenous people and people of color. This has been a a season of the best church that I that that that that that that that that that that that that that th. th. th. th. th. And th. And th. And th. And th. And thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi. And thi. And thi. And the the the thi 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 thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. teei. tei. tei. tea. tea. tea. te. thi. te. th people, indigenous people, and people of color. This has been a season of the best church that I can remember. Oh man, you can see these fea's like the best ever.

That's right, Reverend, of course this was the best season. You guys were rocking out to black music this whole time. Of course it was, yo, what seems like a more fun church service? This? Or this? See, you feel the spirit right now! You know, they say they're doing this for Lent, but you realize now that they've discovered this, they don't have to go back to boring songs, right?

No, you don't have to. They said it was the best. The reverend said this is the best service they could remember, so why change it? Make all your music, black music. Yeah, I mean, just be careful, just to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be their to be to be to be to be to be to be the best. The reverend said, this is the best service they could remember. So why change it? Make all your music, black music. Yeah, I mean, just be careful, though. Just be careful, not every black song works in church. Gobble me, swallow me, sweep down the side of me. Whip, whop, whop, whop, whop, when I's pussy. Oh, oh, oh, oh. And while we're talking about church music, there's a video, you probably saw it that went viral this weekend, right?

It's of a youth pastor who's on a flight. There's a video, you probably saw it, that went viral this weekend, right? It's of a youth pastor who's on a flight, and he decided, with, I guess, his band members, to surprise everyone on the flight with an impromptu performance. This in-flight video is getting a lot of attention on social media, with commenters wondering if other passengers were okay with the performance. Watch this.

A youth pastor shared this video of a group of people singing Christian songs earlier this month, obviously on a plane. Of course, everybody zeroed in on this one dude. A youth pastor shared this video of a group of people singing Christian songs earlier this month, obviously on a plane. Of course, everybody zeroed in on this one dude. Let's just see the picture of man. Oh man, that dude was not having a good time.

Do you see his face? That's the look of someone thinking, oh, where's bin Laden when you need him? Oh man. And he's not the only one who felt that way. A lot of people online are saying that it is inappropriate for a group to randomly start playing music in the middle of a flight. And some people, some people were even more angry that it was religious music. They're saying you can't do this, you can't just bring religion for everybody on the plane. But guys, honestly in my opinion, I think the most logical place for

religious songs is on a plane. Yeah, I don't care who you are. That's where you need God. Because who the hell knows how to fly planes, huh? Who even knows how planes work? There's only like two people on the entire plane who know how that thing works. I mean really no. Two people. If they get diarrhea at the same time we're all dead. We're gone. Yeah on the ground you can believe whatever you want to believe but in the sky we're all religious. All of a the I don't care who you I've seen people check in as atheists. Oh they got all this swag at the chicken. I don't believe in God. Then in the air the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right right right right right right right right right right right right right right right right. the right. the right. the right. the right. the right. the right. the right. I the right. I the right. I the right. I'm the the right. I'm the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the they. I'm they. I'm they. I'm they. I'm they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I they. I the they. I the the the the the the the the the the they. I the the the the the the the the they. I the the the the they. I the the the the then in the air, the right turbulence hits, and then all of a sudden it's like, oh, Jesus, oh, please, Jesus, please. Jesus, please.

I'll never masturbate ever again, please. Please. You know who you are. All right, that's it's it for the headlines. But before we go to a break, let's check in out there. What's going on with the market today? I am crushing the market.

I'm crushing the market. I got a hot tip for you and I got a head tip for all you as well. I don't usually share it, but I'm a hot tip for you. But first, I want to talk to you. That music on the airplane, right? I mean, how did that guy that that that that that that that that that th airplane, right? I mean, how did that guy even get a full guitar back there as his carry-on? You know what I mean? I'm not even allowed to have a six ounce bottle of Dessani water,

and he's got a whole good, maybe I should start putting my water in the guitar, you know? Is that what coaches like back there? that the airplane? Okay, okay. Look, as a warning to everybody, we don't want what happens on the subway to start happening on the airplane, right? People play music on the subway. We shouldn't have that on the airplane.

People start breakdancing on the subway. We don't need that on the airplane. People hold the door open for their friend. Do that an airplane, Trevor, okay? The inflation. They're going to raise our prices? Here's an idea for Amazon. Why don't?

Instead of delivering all our goods to each of us, put it all in one central location, and then we'll all go to that central location. Okay? Bring the whole family maybe put a movie theater there? You can have different types of food and and they would battle it out for our business we would be like a food court so to speak? I think that's a mall. A mall? That's a great name. Because because it's got a mall right there. That's why you get to sit down. I get it. I get it. It's a good name. Just tell us what's what happening in the market? Look I'm crush, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, because, th. the, the, Just tell us what's happening in the market. Look, look, I'm crushing the market. Okay. All right. So now, my high school cut a lot of its math programs and math books. So to me, this is just a lot of letters on a chart, but there is something I'm seeing. You see this right here, this S&P, this thus and p. Okay, that means that means means means means thi sa, thii. 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. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. 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. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. to. too. the. thi all right? Everyone's used salt and pepper.

Everyone's going to continue to use salt and pepper, so I would buy S&P salt and pepper big time. There you go, Trevor, that's the hot tip. That's the money. You're welcome. Thank you, Michael. I'm starting to wonder about your expertise. All right. When we come back, Ronnie Chang is gonna be talking about money. You don't wanna miss it.

That's what, it's not a couple of things. Yeah. Welcome back to the Daily Show. Income tax, it's the reason they threw blade in jail. Today is tax day here in the United States, and the IRS deadline has Ronnie Chang thinking about America's weird relationship with money. In another installment of America, WTF. I love America. It's the only country where you can get a burger and a liposuction at the same drive-thru. But as someone who's also lived all around the world, I feel a responsibility to let America know that a lot of the things it does are super weird to the rest of us.

And one of those things is how America does money. It's tax season, which right off the bat is a sign that something is wrong. Okay, because taxes shouldn't have a whole season. Seasons are supposed to be for exciting stuff, like baseball season or wedding season or season two of Bridgeton. I can't wait to see which British person is jizzing on who this time. But America decided that filing taxes should be as quick and painless as getting a root canal at the DMV. I mean you've got your 1099s, you got your form 1040s, you got your schedule C's, you got yourD2s, you got your Blink 182s.

You spend days trying to figure out what you owe the government, and then the government tells you if you're right because apparently they knew the whole freaking time. It's like the world's most pointless game show. Aside from the price is right, obviously, because nobody should get a new car for knowing how much catch-up costs. Look, I hate to break it to you guys, but in a lot of other countries, the government does all that filing for you. Yeah, they do the math, they send you a statement, and if it looks good, you click okay, and then you're done. It's so easy, a baby could do it.

But they don't have to because they're lazy, freeloaders who don't pay tax, tax, tax, taxaxaxaxaxe, taxes. It's not just your income taxes. All taxes in America are weird. In a lot of other countries you see a price on something and that's how much it costs because that's the whole point of a goddamn price. But no, not in America. When you pay for something in America, they hit you with the surprise sales tax. They're basically catfishing you. I know that $600 TV looks good, but it's lying. It's $6.50 and it has a secret family. But don't get me wrong. Taxes are far from America's only insane money issue. Okay? I know you guys are used to it, but I need you to realize that the way you tip in this country is not normal. Everywhere else, a tip is a show of appreciation. Not a goal

fund me for someone who doesn't earn a living wage. A waiter a waiter a waiter a waiter a waiter to to to to to to be to be to be to be to be to be a tip is a show of appreciation, not a go-fund me for someone who doesn't earn a living wage. A waiter's ability to pay rent shouldn't depend on how generous Becky feels after three martinis. And the real issue is how arbitrary your tipping is. You tip the guy who delivers your food, but not the guy who delivers your packages. And you tip the person who made your coffee, but not the person who made your Big Mac. And don't even get me started on tip jars. Okay, you don't have to put money in, but if you do, you gotta make a big show of it. I like to shoot my cash into the jar like a basketball while shouting, he tips, he scores.

If you bank it off the cashier, they usually notice. But as weird as taxes and tipping are in America, let's not forget their actual money itself, because American physical currency sucks. I don't know if you know this, but in other countries, every denomination is a different size, because it makes it easier to tell them a pot, especially if you're blind. But apparently blind people don't need to use money in America, because look at this shit. Same exact size, all of it.

You gotta look over each individual bill to figure out which slave owner to hand over. And while we're talking about your strange money, who decided a pyramid if a freaking eye was a normal thing to put on the dollar? Hey, rule of thumb America, if Nick Cage can make a movie about your money, you're doing it wrong. Not to mention the pennies. Like why do these still exist when everyone's just trying to get rid of them? Even convenience stores have that take a penny, leave a penny dish.

It's like an animal shelter for unwanted money. Did you know that America actually loses money making pennies? If you're gonna have a hobby that loses you money, get a gambling addiction like a normal person. Okay, listen, your whole financial system's stupid and I hate it. All right, the money, the tipping, the taxes. That's why I found a way to avoid dealing with it all together. All right? The secret is they can't tax you if they don't know you have it. So much easier robbing a bank in Europe.

Thank you so much for that, Ronnie Chang. All right, when we come back, the one and only iconic Janelle Monet is joining up on the car. Thank you so much for that Ronnie Chang. All right, when we come back, the one and only iconic Janelle Monet is joining up on the car. Thank you so much for that Ronnie Chang. All right, when we come back, the one and only iconic Janelle Monet is joining up on the show. Thank you. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is Grammy-nominated artist, actor and author Janelle Monet. She's here to talk about her debut book, The Memory Librarian. Please welcome, Janelle Monet. Welcome back to the Daily Show. That's what I say every time I see you. This is huge.

Hi, Trevor. This is fun. We're back, you know? Welcome back to the people and the... I'm happy to have you here. That's what I say every time I see you. this is huge. Hi, Trell Moneau.

I'm happy to have you here. Because like when I talk to you over Zoom, I don't get like, for those who don't know, Janelle Monet always looks like this. Like just always, no, you are easily one of the most glamorous, stylish people I have ever come across in my life. Like you looked like how we're justally paid him to save this. You know, we're in the pandemic. He was trying to make some extra money. I was. My side hustle was complimenting Janelle Monet. Welcome back to the show. How is life? How is everything treating it?

Because you are one of the few people I know who just seems to excel in everything you do. Music, you excel in music. It's your own type of music, it's your own vibe, it's different, it's not easy, you know, and then movies, you excel, everything, hidden figures, I mean now you're going to be in the new knives out. It's just like, your life is a dream and now a book. Oh my God. That's already got started. Well, tell it to my therapist, because clearly, clearly, there's a lot of tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha 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. thi. thi. thi, thi. thi. thi, thi. thi. thi, thi. thi. thi, th. th. th. It's th. It's th. It's th. It's th. It's thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. It's thi. It's thi. It's thi. It's thi. I's thi. thii. theeeeeeeeeea. It's thiii. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. th amazing. Yeah. I'm amazing man. I'm gonna say that. And I'll say this. I used to kind of just say that, you know, because it's it. How you doing? I'm doing great. How you doing? But I am like in the most, I don't have to prove anything space. Ooh. That I've ever been in in my life. Yeah. and it took me a while to get there

because, you know, as public people, we try to inspire people with our words, but I don't feel like I was really living what I was saying. Oh, I like that. I wasn't really believing in it myself. I was saying it. I was dealing with a lot of rejection and abandonment issues just from like my childhood things that I had just kind of kept in me and they were just coming to the surface and I think one of the things that the pandemic has done

is forced us all to go in, stay in. Yeah and so I'm at this place where I'm at this place where like I'm ready to celebrate if we th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm at th at th at th at th at th at th at th at th at th at th at thi thi that thi. I'm thi. I'm at thi. I'm at thi. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at thi. I'm at thi. I'm at thi. I'm at thi. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at th. I'm at thi. I'm at thee. I'm at theeeeeat. I'm at theeeeeat theeeeeat. I'm at theeeeeat theeeeat thi. I'm at th. I'm th. I'm at this place where like, I'm ready to celebrate. If we're not talking about vacations, I don't want to talk. If we're not planning a vacation, I don't, it's just like, what are we doing? We are supposed to be living our best lives. I'm young, I'm creative. Hey. Hey. Ta-ho!

Right? No, seriously. We're supposed to be living our their thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be, I, to be, to, to, to, to, to, to, I's, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, to, th.. And, to, to, thi, thi, to, to, to, to, to, to... to.. to-s. ta. ta. to-s. to-s. to-s, to-s, to-s, to're supposed to be living our Earth's experience in the best possible way in. I think when I first started my career, I was really serious. Like, I have to prove a point. Yes. I have to prove that just because I look like this, I can do this type of music. I can say these things. I can talk about science fiction. I had a lot to prove. But now, man, I'm floating. We feel it. I love that. That's beautiful. You know what, it's interesting because you start to feel that with artists when they hit that groove, you know?

Because I think everyone goes through a phase of you have to prove. Yeah, I'm sure you understand that. Oh yeah, definitely. Because initially you're you're you're you're you're you're you're you're you're you're th. th. 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 th. I tho. I thathea. I tho. I th. I th. I love. I love. I love. I love. I love. I love. I love. I love. I love. I love. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I the. I thea. I tho. I th. tho. tho. I th tho. I the. I love. I tho. I love. I the. I love. I the. I yeah, definitely. Because initially you're going, will I keep the job? Do I belong here? There's imposter syndrome. Over time you develop a trust, yourself, the audience, your experiences, the book feels like the perfect representation for me because I knew that you liked science fiction. You know, I mean like, you know, your loves science fiction. I do you co-wrote with with some amazing authors. Yes. Let's start with that. How did you even

begin this process of going you know what I want to write like a future book? So this short story collection is from the soil of Dirty Computer my album that that that thou that to thii thi th. th. thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi 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 to to to to tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooe. the the the the the the the the the tooo. too I knew I had more to say. Set down in the pandemic 20-22, excuse me, look at me, don't even know my dates, I'm from the future, sorry, I set down in the pandemic 2020 and I finally said that there's more and you know I was on mushrooms and I just came up with all of these thought experiments, you know, where I was like, what if there was this black woman, she was a memory keeper of this city. She knew all of the people's memories before they were cleaned, before their identities

were wiped clean. And she wants to fall in love. What does that mean when you want to fall in love, but you know everybody's secrets? That's the first story. What does that mean? So that's the first one. It's called the memory library.

Imagine that first. You see, you already like, ooh, first story. Yeah. And then, and then, what if you lived in New York and there was a room that you could go into, you didn't even know existed, but when you went into this room, time stopped. So, ooh, yeah. So you could, it kind of speaks to time poverty in a sense. You know, black and brown folks, we've been spending our life fighting, right, to be included all these things. What if you had an opportunity to steal time, to get time back? Would you rest? Would you show the community this place? How would you, if you could get time back, how would you use it? I love how you've used the stories in

the book to delve into topics that sometimes are too dense or too like, you know, they're fraught with politics and they don't let us just think about them. For instance, the first story you talked about, it's in the future. There's this woman, she's got all these memories, how does she trust people, how does she know people? And all I found myself thinking, I was like, man, I feel like that's what social media is slowly slipping us into is people have the way through I have existed online. So now do I have any anonymity? Can I write my own story without other people writing it from my posts? Yeah, I mean I think that social media is a virtual reality. It's a whole nother world. Like people create and

we curate the type of people that we are. I think being human in my opinion is performative. I'm performing a version of what I think Janelle Monet should be Told you I'm from the future Yeah, no It gets deep it gets deep. It's all feedback. We're getting feedback from how we should be how what we've seen we didn't like what it's and it's like Ah now I'm this person because of that information, but that's a whole not the story I think you're right. I think that there is some gathering gathering th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th some th some th some th some th some th some th some th some th some th some thin thin. thin thin. thin. thin. their is some their is some their is their is some thi is some their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their is some. their is some. their is some. their is some. their is some. I th. I th. I th. I'm th. I'm th. I th. I th. I th. I'm th. I th. I'm. I'm. I'm their th. I'm th. I'm th. I whole other story. I think you're right. I think that there is some gathering done there with our memories. And with this book, I'm just challenging everybody to be their own memory librarian. Like, I started to look at my life and I started to think about,

man, I wasn't in the moment in so many ways. I was so in the future here. I was in the future here for like the majority of my career. I was in the future and so how can I create memories now? Like our memories are the things that determine the quality of our life. Without them, who are we? You know, when you take away somebody's identity and who they are, it's just like, that was their life's experience, you know? That's deep. Wow. Who are we? I want to shout out out out the the the the the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory the memory to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the memory the memory the memory memory the memory memory memory memory memory memory memory memory memory memory the memory the memory the memory somebody somebody somebody's identity. I their their identity. I their identity. I their identity. I their identity. I the memory. I the memory. I the memory. I the memory. I the memory. I the memory. I the memory. I. I. I. Somebody. I. Somebody. I. Somebody. Somebody. I. I. Somebody. I. Somebody. I. I. Somebody. I. Somebody. Somebody. I. I the memory. I. Somebody. I to. Somebody. I to. I to. Somebody. Somebody. the. Somebody. the. the. Somebody. the. the. Somebody. the. Somebody. the. Somebody. the. the. the. the. Somebody. the. Somebody. the. Somebody. the. the was their life's experience, you know? That's deep. Wow. Yeah. And I want to shout out, Eliah Don Johnson.

I wrote the memory librarian with her. And I wrote this entire collection. Each short story I partnered with a writer. How did you choose them? I'd love to know. Well, friends who were writers? Because I knew like, OK, there's a story called Nevermind and there is an incredible writer by the name of Danny Lour and non-binary and they are just really really good when it comes to action like they're doing some stuff this

James Bond graphic novel and I was like okay Danny will be great for that and then Eve L. Ewing I did Timebox with Shirey Renee Thomas I did time box altered with Johanka Delgado I did save changes.. Sheree Renee Thomas, I did Timebox Altered with, Yonka Delgado, I did save changes. Imagine if you could go back and there was this device and you wanted to just like, I don't want to give too much away, but these stories are just incredible.

And then, you know, I said, a liar down John. I just want to make sure I shout them out because this was a super innovative way of releasing a book. It really is. You know what I enjoyed about it is when you go from story to story, what you've done is, there is the common thread of Janelle Monet. I can feel the future you in all these stories and the way you think, but then it's infused with like different elements. If you know the author it becomes, it, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you know, thi, thi, you know, you know, you know, you know, you, you, you, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to, to, thi, to, to, to, to to to, to to to to to to to to to thi. thi, thi, and her style, you can feel it in some of the dialogue and some of the moments.

If you know the author, it becomes, so it's almost like you've created the first book that has like features on it. Yeah, it's like a compilation album. It really is. It is. It's like a mix tape. see why it's getting rave reviews, I can see, like now the question is, are you going to turn this into, I know it started with the album that's a movie and then now there's a book but now this book seems like it's begging to be turned into a TV show? You think so do you think it could be a TV show? Every time I was reading this I was like, wow, okay guys, okay guys, everybody we're gonna 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 thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi tho, I thi thi thi thi thi tho, I tho, I tho, I tho, I tho, I thi, I thi thi, I thi thi thi thi, I thi, I thi, 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 th thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thiiiiiiiiiii thiiii thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to make this happen. We're going to make it happen. We're going to make it happen. Thank you so much for gaining me on the show.

Thank you for being here. Give them a round, you go! Give them a round, your happiness! Tenelle L'O-Nay, everybody, the Memory Librarian will be available April 19th. We're going to take show for tonight. Thank you so much for tuning in. Before we go, millions of families in Ukraine have fled their homes in search of safety.

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multiply the hypototenuse by X. Watch the Daily Show, weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast.