The Questlove Show - QLS Classic: Deon Cole

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

Actor, writer and comedian Deon Cole talks about his show Black-ish, the art of the stolen joke and his time writing for Conan and The Tonight Show. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

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Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft. And we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else.

If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice Podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to.

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Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Quest Love Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. What up, y'all? It's Laia, and this week's QLS classic guests is actor, writer, and comedian Dionne Cole. Listen as he talks about blackish, the art of the stolen joke, and his time writing for Conan and a tonight show.

You don't want to miss this one. Oh, that's right, you already did. So catch up. This episode originally released September 20th, 2017. Suprema, Supraima, Role Call. Suprema. Supra, Supraima roll call Suprema, sub, sub, subprima roll call

Supremma, sub, sub, subprima roll call Because love is here, yeah, I won't steer you wrong. Yeah. When you cook my rice and beans, yeah. The radio better be on. Roll call. Supremia, sub, sub, subprima roll call. Supremma, sub, sub, subprima roll call.

My name is Fonte. Yeah. Watch how I kick it. Yeah. Hey, what's up, white girl? Yeah. I got your mayor tickets. Supremia, sub-sum, sub-sum-Role call.

Suprema, I'm sorry. Suprema roll call. My name is Sugar. Yeah. With Dionne Cole. Yeah. Full disclosure. Yeah.

Just smoked a big... Bola. Supraima. Submira roll call. Supremma, sub-s-s-s-s-sprima roll call. I'm unpaid bill. Yeah. And times is tough.

Yeah. What has a big dick. Yeah. And hangs up. Roll car. Suprima. Suprima roll call. Supriva.

Subrema, sub, subprima, roll call. It's lair. Yeah. With the plan. Yeah. Better watch out Dion. Yeah. Because I love me some Diane.

Oh, call. Suprema. Subima. So, sub, sub. Subrima roll call. Suprima. Surma. Superma.

Sur. My name is D.I. Yeah. And I'm with y'all. Yeah. I don't rhyme much. Yeah. But who knows that?

Yeah. Supriva. So, sub, sub, sub, sub, subprima roll call. Suprema, sub, sub, supremo roll call. Supremma, sub, sub, supremo. Hold it. Ladies and gentlemen, check out unpaid bill trying to flex on us. Like, of all your friends.

Roll call versus you never. I thought that was so perfect. It was. I felt like you were doing it despite us because you know that we always judge you for not being on subject. Right. Whoever the guest is. But I was on subject today. That's amazing.

Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. This is Quasloaf Supreme, only on Pandora. Welcoming you guys, I'm here with Team Supreme. Yes. Cigolo, Sugar, Steve. You cool. My tooth is going to fall out.

This one over here. Let's just, Just finish the show. And you went real Jewish real quick. Let's just finish. Finish the show. I don't think you're saying that right now. Get him some matzabal suit.

And play through the pain. Okay. But thank you. I'm paid Bill with his relevant verse. So relevant. And it's Laia. Wait. Yo, that might need me her name.

Can we buy it? Yes. It's finally founded. It's Lair. It's the shortest version. You know? It's Laia. My name take up space.

My name's Laia. We're saying your new name on the show is now. It's Laia. You know what's funny. I wasn't. And Laia. I'll take it to its upgrade. No, it's Laia.

All right. I tried that once with Kamal from the roots. It was going to be, it's Jimmy. Oh, wow. But then he became fake Muslim, so then he... Oh, word. You said a J word. Ooh.

Yeah, that was his name, James Gray. Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, we are honored today to have our guests. I have to say that, full disclosure, this was a surprise for a lot of us. Happy's a welcome surprise. But a very welcome surprise. A very welcome surprise because I wanted to let you know that your Netflix half-hour special on the stand-ups is one of my favorite things ever. Your history with Conan, I'm a Conan fan and, you know, all the things. You were actually writing on the Tonight Show.

Yeah. We're in there. But ladies and gentlemen, please, from Blackish, from Angie Tribeca, one of my favorite comedians, this is Dionne Cole. Jackbox What? Thank you. Thank you. Honored right now.

I'm blown away right now. I ain't gonna need me bullshit. I'm blown away. We're fans. We are fans, dude. We are fans. This is great, man. I'm fans of y'all.

This is great, man. I'm confused. I thought Dion Sanders was coming. I don't know who the facts. Yo, part of me. Yeah, I was going to say, is he going to do a must be the money reference? I got to let him know.

No, man. All right. It's cool. It's cool. You know, I'll meet him sometime. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry for the love down, brother. How you doing?

How are you doing today? Man, I'm good, man. Just got off work. You know, I was supposed to say you literally came from the set. Yeah, yeah. We're shooting Blackish, man. This is season four. Yeah, season four.

Yeah, season four. Yeah, so, yeah, just left the set. Come on. Came on over here, man. You're shooting the first episode of the season right now? No, we're actually on episode. four. Yeah, studying five.

We just got to quasi disclosure. I believe that the roots are involved in the premiere episode. It's slavery. It's about slavery, right? Yeah.

I'm just saying, that's what the big pro-ho is in. You didn't have to say that with such alacrity and clarity. I mean, you know, your roots getting involved and you know, slavery sitting on the porch. I mean, you know, that doesn't make sense. Oh, okay. Yeah, we once were in

It's Laia. Thank you. It's Laia. Did you see the, The roots plate the porch monkeys in the shit out. Okay. I would call it that. That's not what they called?

It's Drey Day on course love supreme right now. Everybody celebrates. So what is? That's hilarious. Well, I want to know about your routine with Blackest, which, you know, I feel, is it almost blasphemous for me to, say that I feel that this is just as important Cosby show?

Go ahead. Can I say that? I think you can. Just as. I'm fucking Louly. I would even say it's more important. Oh, now you're tripping. Oh, no, no, no, no. In the sense that the Cosby only got deep with like the joint episode. A different time, guys.

No, it was a different time and Cosby was important but I think the thing with Cosby, the difference between Cosby and Blackish that I see is that Cosby Show was a show that could have been about any family. You know what I'm saying? They could have been white. They could have been whatever.

But Blackish is specifically about a black family. You know what I mean? And to me, that makes a huge difference. And I see it in the characters. I mean, my kids watch the show and they love it. Yeah, that's great. And they can, it's very different. It's very different.

Yeah, yeah, that's great. Well, I love it, you know. And I was afraid to say that. I felt that it was, not only as important but probably more important, more relevant to this generation than way more relevant.

Y'all seem more free, so that's a great advantage. Don't you think, Dion? Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, this day and time, I mean, I think with the Cosby show, it was the fact that we had a black family with good jobs, with a whole family. Like, that was important

to see that. I think, and for that to be a pioneer show like that, that's what made that great, I mean, important. I guess you could say we follow in the same footsteps but I think we tackle harder issues and more relevant issues that apply to everybody

today. Y'all talk to the audience I think like the whole scene where Anthony were the Obama, the inauguration, I think was a Donald Trump episode. Yeah, the documentary episode where he talks about, you know, seeing Obama and how everybody was every black person was nervous and shit.

Like, that was real. And the conversation at work. That was a great one about how you couldn't avoid it. Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely. But it's important to show both sides, too. You know, not just show it from my perspective. I think that's important with what we do, too. We also show, you know, a chick who voted for Trump

and why she voted for him, you know, in order for people to get clarity on, you know, why, you know, people feel as though that was the way to go, you know, as far as voting is concerned. So how long have you been doing comedy? about this October would be 24 25 years

yeah she started back in 91 yeah 92 90 yeah yeah like 92 where were you born Chicago yeah I'm from Chicago

still stay there yeah oh so you're still home yeah when I ain't filming I'm always back home I just left home I just left home

last weekend we did a big benefit with chance he gave away like 30,000 backpacks backpacks with supplies to kids and, you know. He stayed doing that, Chicago. Stay doing that, Donnie.

Him and Ryan Fest too, right? Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, to get in there. So, yeah, I'm always there, man. I was trying to be as active as positive. Oh, Chicago. So I know that Chicago is, uh, it is a big city for comedy. Yeah.

I know that at least 50% of, um, the SNL alumni. Mm-hmm. Or whatnot comes through, I guess, is second city out there as well? Absolutely. So did you have to get into that fraternity to... Well, no. Like, is it different for black comedians?

Because I don't hear much of black comedians going through the groundlings or... No, they don't. I mean, because it's a north side thing and the south side thing. That's more like north side. A lot of Southside comics, they come up the ranks just doing bars and whatever clubs that they can or whatever. But we fortunately had the opportunity to go through second. But we created our own sketch troupe called Forgotten City. And we used to perform that.

Is that in response to Second City? Yeah, basically. So is there a politic game going on in there? I mean, I'm, well, honestly, to be real with you, I think it's just a lot of cats couldn't afford those classes and couldn't afford to get in there. So that's a school. Yeah. And you have to pay for it.

All of them are, all of those kind of places, even out in L.A. What are those classes run? Like, what's the average person? I forgot. I can tell you because I'm broken. I pay for them. How much? Wait, what?

Yes, Mayor, I've done like, like, improv roots and stuff. Yeah, like, it's like a good $300 at least. Something like that, yeah. UCB, what's it called? Out here, you know. I-O, UCB, all that. Not shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Wait, Tom, this is a Muppet Newsflash. I'm not saying that because we're live on Jim Henson Studios. So you. Philly, fit, Philly, uh, improv. Mm-hmm. Really? Mm-hmm. How long?

In the improv route? I mean, yeah. How long? It's a program, so it's like two months. I was in an improv theater group too. We performed at Relish out in Philly at the Eaton Place. Are you still acting? When I'm not doing...

When I'm not doing Quest Love Supreme, I'm working on comedy and writing. Nice. There it is. I did not know this line. That's dope. Really? Yeah. Post it all the time.

Well, I don't be reading. Sometimes I at you. Well, I don't be reading. Quest not. You're not on social media. You don't see these things. Yeah, I don't be reading. It's nice to meet you 25 years

With that on the T-Share. However, this is one of the first shows of our second season and I'm shocked that you haven't Said that to you? Well, no, it haven't really pimp that fact With all the comedians that we've had on it Well, can I tell you something funny, Deion?

I think what was it? We had Gerard Carmichael on it. Who was the other comedian that we had? Chris Rock. I made a couple references and y'all shot me down real fast. I didn't think you were serious. I was very serious.

And I was like, oh, I started sweating and getting nervous. Like, oh, shit. He just shot down my whole dream. I'm out here taking classes doing flappers and shit. Okay, so as a person that's been in the system. So as a person that's been in the system and, you know, I don't know if you consider it thriving or just a continuing journey. But, I mean, you've been on Conan's writing staff and that sort of thing.

So you utilize the education that you got to get to that position. And Laiya as a person Coming up? Searching. Yes. So what is the, is, how does one even get into that world? Okay, first of you got to pay, do they accept anyone? Well, me, well, me personally, when it came to us with Second City, that was something that we did.

We wrote our own sketches and we did our own shows. So people from Second City came and saw us and gave us a night at their facility. to perform our sketches. And then we used to have people come there and we did that for a while. After the group broke up on... How many people were in the troop? It was like nine of us.

Were you the most prominent member? Were there other people? Yeah, it was some other... Yeah, we were all equally around across the board as far as, like, writing is concerned and as far as performing. We were all equal. I mean, that performance-wise,

creatively and all of that. Have they created a name for themselves now today that we were... I mean, they still rocking or whatever, but, you know, I don't know as far as, like, mainstream-wise, but they're still getting down or whatever. But we broke up on some E-True Hollywood shit. What happened?

It was nine of you? Yeah, yeah. I was like, 90-Witt. Yeah, yeah. He was. Were you making that? I was.

I was. I was met. Damn, who was you guys? Oh, yeah. So how did you talk about you? What happened? Well, man, we came out to L.A. We showcased for Puffy, and we showcased for Brilstein and Gray.

Yeah, we did. my dick. Oh, what the fuck? What was that? My bet. That was you. I didn't realize that I was actually watching your comedy special. That was just a weird soundbite.

Sorry. So, yes, y'all came out. Yeah, we came out here, we showcased it, and then, hey, they signed us and gave us some money. I think it gave us, like 80 stacks. And our manager went in and rent limos and had bitches and all kind of shit, man. Yeah, it blew our whole fucking thing, man. And then we all broke up after that. Yeah, it was crazy.

J. Y'all was already out here at that point. No, we just came out here to showcase and went back to Chicago. But then I had, I had, went through this other showcase called Aspen and ended up meeting this guy who worked for Conan. And he asked me to come on the show and perform as a guest. And I went on. And as soon as I got off stage, Conan asked me to write for him like two weeks later. I didn't have to submit nothing and nothing.

What was the time in between How much time in between y'all In that L.A. trip and then the Aspen situation It took them, no, it took about probably about Probably about two years after that Yeah, and then I rock with Conan Anything I've auditioned for and I never got Even to this day.

Like with Conan, I've always Fuck with people all vibes. People always been like, yo, you're a cool motherfucker that let's rock Or you're smart motherfucker let's rock And it's always been like that And they've never been like audition for some something and I get. Like with Conan, he just liked me and told me to show up and I ended up writing for him. Like I didn't submit nothing, nothing blackish. I went over there to write and

the guy that, well, actually it was Charlie Murphy was supposed to be playing the character that I play on Blackish. Really? Yeah, he didn't want to do it. That's why my name Charlie on the show. Okay. And he didn't, he didn't want to do it. So I ended up, since I was writing for the character, I knew how the character was going to be, and so they had me play that character once, and I ended up getting it. Then I got this other show, Carole, Carrey, and Gene Tribecta with Stephen Carell, and I was supposed to be the lieutenant on there, and Steve didn't want me to be saying a black screaming lieutenant,

a cliche lieutenant, so he wrote a character for me. I wasn't even in that show, and he just wrote a character for me. So this has been going on and on my whole. career where it's just never years man yeah it's never been like anything because I think when you audition for shit they look them for a certain type in their head and you just

don't match what they're looking for I think because you probably so original so different they really can't pinpoint you and shit you know so but they but you dope you know what I mean and they'll remember you laid on for some other shit but so how do you

make because I mean of all the the the arts that you can be acting, musician, chef. I feel like comedy is one of the hardest things like at what point are you saying to yourself I want to make it as a comedian

or are you even saying that? Hold on you originally got into comedy someone bet you 50 bucks. Yeah. I read that on Wiki somewhere. Yeah, yeah. Dude, because I never was like no funny motherfucker.

Like I never was like that. Like I never was. I always was quiet and kind of had my own thoughts, whatever. I overthought everything, though. And I think people thought that was hilarious. And my boy bet me they'd go on stage, and I went on there and did it or whatever. How many minutes you did? What was your first joke?

I did, like, four minutes. I did a joke about Sunny Delight. What was it? I was talking about how that motherfucker had. They was playing soccer, and they all rushed his refrigerator, and everybody was in his shit, grabbing shit. And I thought that couldn't be in a black household. And oh grabbing the sunny D

Yeah I was like niggas had to grab Waterholes Absolutely That was my first joke ever and I did that shit repeatedly Forever For like two years straight

Clos of it You just like kept it to the point When motherfuckers was saying it with me Like it's your greatest shit Right Everybody said the punchline With me It's shit

Right That's a fun joke. People know the joke and they still want to get into it. Yeah, but it was horrible. That commercial was everywhere. That commercial was everywhere. Yeah, yeah. So is it... The comedy is high. Yeah, I was going to say because you have to speak two languages.

Yeah. Like now, is it to the point where that you're juggling... Acting? No, with your black audience and also the white audiences that come in. Or did you just immediately integrate with... You just have to accept who you are. What's the comedy spot that's named after the guy, Harry Carey. I don't know if it's Harry Carey spot in Chicago.

In Chicago? It's not like Dangerfields. It's a comedy club. And his face, this guy's face is the logo. But it's like glasses. Hilarious Harry's? Hilarious Harris. What plays?

What place you're talking about? In Chicago, there is a... There's a famous comedy club that... In Chicago? Yeah. It's... You're talking about all jokes aside. No, it's...

I was about to say that's back in the day. That was close. I'm trying to... Rhymy toes. Chuckles? Yeah, Harry... Is it not Harry Carrey? Harry Carrey ain't open up no goddamn comedy.

All right. This next community is hilarious. This is like Quest Love Breaking News. There's no place like that. Okay, whatever. It'll come to you when this is all over. Yeah, yeah, yeah, when I leave. I had a bowl to you.

Oh, only in our dreams. Yeah, we'll get it in the group chat like two days later. Alarious. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the Ford.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations,

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends,

Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed I will be his last target.

He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Wode. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman,

Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. Woo! Woo! My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day. And I was like, and dad, I think I want to really give this a shot.

I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall, and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit.

If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

So what was your household like growing up? Man, black as shit. Just regular same black shit. No, I grew up, no, only child found out I had a half sister later on. I had a place that's growing up. She had passed. But I grew up south side of Chicago, gang infested, all that shit. My mother moved me to the suburbs because she didn't want me to get caught up in the gangs

because my cousins and shit, they were all affiliated. So she moved me to the suburbs, which became almost a cultural shock because I, ended up fighting more in the suburbs than in the city. And I was fighting for the one black person out there? As the only black person. So I started fighting a lot more. Because I heard your job was slow. You slow on the whole integration.

Yeah, I got out there. They used to pull their cars on our lawn, spin the tires to fuck out. And it was this family called the Gabarsix and shit. They used to throw like batteries, like Gabarsix. They used to throw like batteries. Oh, like the barz cousins. Yeah.

It's like, Polish shirt. It sounds Polish. It sounds Polish, yeah. Yeah, it used to be real messed up. But I wouldn't have had another way because when I moved out there, I stopped. There's this dude named Rich,

and he used to turn me on to, like, Zeppelin and, like, a whole bunch of cool-ass rock shit. Like, like, like, Floyd and Stones. And I used to teach him. I used to play hip-hop for him. He ain't no shit about hip hop So me and him became like real tight

Because I just hang out with him every day On some cool shit And just vibe out with him And I just learned a lot And learn how to be You know like In a way not biased But understand

Me and him had an understanding That I wish everyone else had You know what I mean Cultural exchange Yeah And he wasn't trying to be black And I wasn't trying to be white It was just

Yo we would very much interested into each other's culture. Yeah, so I guess that formed us to who we are today or whatever. We're at now. You know what? I haven't seen Rich and I don't know how long or whatever. But back then, we used to be... He didn't try to Twitter, you like, remember me?

I need $2,000. No, I mean, I don't know where it is. I didn't even bullshit. I wish I did, though. So did that play kind of a role in developing your comedy? Like, I mean, it did? Because when it came to writing, I didn't want to write just black shit. You know what I mean?

I wanted to write that was like for everybody because I felt like I would have to do it anyway. So why would I just, why would I bullshit and write all black shit now? I could just take my time, focus, and write for everybody right now. Write that joke for everyone. If it don't work, make that motherfucker work. And if it don't, leave it alone. Yeah. Go ahead.

Well, who's mentoring you by this point? Like who's teaching you as far as coming? I mean, after the $50 bet and you're like, okay, I could do this for real. George Wilborn, Adele Givens, Bernie Mac, Kenny Howe, Tony Schofield. These are the people that I, that mentor me coming up. Steve Harvey used to come to Chicago all the time, man. He used to always be there and, you know, take me under his wing or whatever. But it was, it was George Wilborn and Adele.

And like I said, Bernie. Bernie had like tough love. but he used to really look out for us. And he used to be like this, we used to have this place called the Cotton Club in Chicago in order for you to follow Bernie. I mean, the only way you can get on stage is if you can follow Bernie.

And Bernie would dismantle that motherfucker. You would have to go up at them. And if you couldn't do it, you would never play that motherfucker again or whatever. They boo or they just be silent? Nah, they'll be sometimes boo, sometimes silent, whatever. But if you was horrible, you just had to get the fuck up out of that or whatever. but it was so great, you know,

because he used to have a lot of people that came there, and his night was so great, it ended up being a television show called Midnight Mac. It used to be coming on HBO. Yeah, I remember that. It used to be so great. He used to a place called Miltraniers, where he had the dancers and the Mac dancers,

dancers and the band, and yeah, he used to have an old show that came on HBO because of the room that we used to do. Phyllis Heiming used to come in there. It used to be crazy. She used to come on stage and just, be like, while you're in the middle of your set, she'll just come grab the mic and be like,

oh, we need a waitress over here. Where's this bitch at? And then get the mic back and go shit back down. Like, you'll be like, who the hell are you? Like, a lot of people need to know who she was because they're so young. She'll be like, she'll come up there, light motherfuckers on fire, too.

Was Robin Harris still around that time? Was this, I'm trying to get time. Yeah, Robin was around at that time, too. But he wasn't, like, at the club out there. He was, like, more in L.A. He was in LA around that time. Did you ever get a chance to see him in the city or see some of his...

Not Robin Harris. No, no. I never even ran into Robin Harris. No, no, no. So Bernie was the main... When you came on, Bernie was... Bernie was... Yeah, Bernie was, yeah.

That was the motherfucker forever, right? Bernie, yeah. I wanted Adele to be like the... I just wanted her to have... Adele was fired, too, though. Man, that's what I'm saying. I always wanted her to be bigger. From deaf comedy jam.

She did deaf comedy jam like three times. Oh, Adel was fired. Kenny Howe was fired too. Kenny was a monster on the road. A lot of people didn't want to follow Kenny Howe too. He was a beast. So back then, I mean,

was your aspiration to eventually, like, one day I'll get on deaf jam or, I mean, deaf comedy jam, or,

like, I'm sure early you had to choose what circuit you were going to do. And I don't know what the, the Chitland circuit is for black comics versus, mainstream comics. You know, whereas like in New York,

if you start working out at Boston Comedy Club or Catch a Rising Star, chances are you might hit that mainstream, you know, lane. But there's also the danger being stuck in the black lane that doesn't allow you to go outside of... Yeah, no, you can get caught on the south side of Chicago

doing bar after bar at the bar, and the next thing you know, all your material is is geared towards who's the next bitch walking in the door and then that would be your whole set but white people do this but then you had to take your own initiative and go like I said in the gate go

if you're going to write a joke and you're thinking about being around for a while you're going to write a joke that's for everybody at that time so it was important for me to hang out up north and do stuff up north northside Chicago where it's predominantly white or whatever, I mean, where it was white,

and, you know, keep your chops up like that or whatever, because, yeah, it would be hard to get, I mean, it would be easy for you to get caught up into that shit in the circuit. So for your creative process, how do you develop, how do you develop or protect a joke or an idea? So say like 94,

what was popping? Okay, it's OJ. Tom and 94. So I'm certain that there's seven of you at your particular. spot that are like trying to figure out what your angle is going to be on OJ. Like now I'm always certain that like Chappelle for instance mainly works at like five secret spots that he knows that Hollywood writers won't be at. Like he won't do no LA spots because he's afraid that he says that some of his jokes

wild-born family guy. Yeah, mine too. I had a joke called Balls Deep that I used to do on a-Ball's Deep that the Cleveland show balls deep? I have a joke. You can look at it on the internet while I talk about Wesley Pipes, the poem style. I know Wesley Pipes. Yo, and I talk about how he'd be talking when he'd be fucking, how he'd just

be saying crazy. Are he's a real person? Yeah, yeah. He got the outlandish. He got the guns on his side. But he'd be talking to women crazy when he'd be hitting them. Nothing touching me. Yeah, he'd be like, come on, don't make me look bad, bitch. What's you doing? Like, but he'd be saying outlandish shit. And so I was talking about how he was talking about how he was

a woman to go balls deep or whatever. And next thing I know, I say a few years later, that shit was on Family Guy. A whole song about it. Yeah, because when Tyra Banks came on our show, we did Balls Deep as her walk-on song. Because Junior's saying, Balls Deep.

Yeah, that song there. I have a whole skit about Balls Deep and I used to do that shit all the time. Wow. So how do you protect that? How do you... There's really no way to protect it. Basically, you have...

You have to, I mean, that's why I don't like to write cliche shit, you know what I mean? Because I know if I think of something that easy, it's 17 million other cats that's going to be thinking the same thing. So I try to stay away from shit like that unless I have a very unique perspective on it or whatever. Other than that, the way that I think and the way of my delivery is, I try to make it where you can't even, you can't even twist that joke. You can't even make it yours in the sense. You know, you can probably take it and do a rendition of it, but you would never deliver it with my cadence or whatever, you know. But you can take it and you can get another idea from it.

And make a song about it. Yes, you can. So, because I didn't think to write a song. But as a writer, how do you feel, I mean, do you just like say, well, fuck it to the other writers who did do that? No, basically you just look at it like, you know, you believe in yourself and go for those who stole, you know, I'll make up some more.

So, I mean, how do you confront? Is there a confrontation method or whatever? Like, if you hear your joke, you just have to approach that person if you hear him say it. Have you had a situation where it's like... Yeah.

Yeah. One time I was in St. Louis with Kenny Howe and Kenny had like nine dudes with him. And I ain't know none of them. I just knew Kenny. And we walked in this comedy club And this dude was actually doing my boss's deep joke for verbatim. Line for line. And when he got off stage, I confronted him. Like, why would you do that?

Like, that's taking money on my pocket. Now, about if I come down here and I have to do that joke, everybody going to think that I instilled your shit when you're still in mind. And he's sitting up like, yo, man, I ain't steal your joke. And I'm like, you did. Like, I'm like, I'm getting ready to, like, put hands on this motherfucker. Yeah. They talk about this on Howard Stern all the time about, like, letter.

They said that about Leno all the time And how Bill, oh man, man, Bill that died The comedian, everybody's like one of them Bill Hicks. Bill Hicks, yeah. And how he used to steal jokes from him on the problem, yeah. Dude, it's a lot of, it's a lot of motherfuckers out here. Some of your favorite fucking comedians be out here

stealing motherfuckers jokes because they know that they're going to be in the last dream. Yeah, ain't nobody going to tell them. Then people gonna think they're your jokes. That's why, I remember I did another joke on my special when somebody was telling me somebody, it was somebody else joke. And I'm like, no, motherfucker.

You don't know who did it first. You know what I mean? I did that shit first, you know. So is that kind of the danger of working stuff out in clubs and stuff like that? It is the danger because sometimes you'll show up and there to be nine comics in the back of the room just sitting there. You know, and they'll be watching you work out. Some of them will come up to you and be like, yo, I got a tag for you. Let me help you and give you a bit of something.

And that'd be cool when they do that shit. But the other ones, they just be mad, quiet, go home and write something similar to that shit. or, you know, whatever, and now they got a hot fucking 20 minutes and shit. You ain't never seen them work out neither. So when you say a tag, what does that mean in comedy terms? I mean, like, if I do a joke and it's okay, but you thought of something clever, you can come up to me and be like, yo, that was funny, but add this on that. And I was like, oh, yeah, yeah, great.

You know what does that what? Brennan. Where? Bill. Brennan, yeah. Brennan's the king of walking him to, says, yo, why don't you do-da-da? And then say it like that. And then I'll see that happen.

Neil is my dude. When they come to writing, Neil had a room here on Sunday nights, man. We'll go up in there and work out on shit and always constantly having fresh shit, always working our shit. We'll come up to you in a heartbeat. He'll do it before he even go on.

Like, if you before him and you get off stage and he next, he'll tell you a tag on your shit and then go do his shit. You know, like that's how Neil is. He's like everyone's guru coach. You know what I mean? Yeah, Neil is the monster with that. Yeah, shout out to Neil.

So how long did you stay in Chicago before you broke out? I don't know, to New York or L.A. Like, where did you? Man, when I came out here, like, in 2007, it's been like 10 years. But when I first came out here, it was, I used to, like, hate it. Was it, like, starting over again? No, because everybody knew in the comedy world, they knew, as far as black comics, they knew exactly who I was, and they gave me.

you know, the proper do or whatever, but it just was so lame out here to me. I was just like, these motherfuckers lame, this shit, lame, fuck this shit. And then they're like Chicago, and I always be hollering that Chicago shit. And then one day, it's a comedian named Dominique saw me in front of the comedy store. And I was like, these lame motherfuckers out here, fuck this shit. This ain't like Chicago. And she was like, well, go home, nigger.

Yeah. And I was like, what? She was like, that's all I ever hear you talk about. Is Chicago this and that. and how LA that's this. She was like, L.A. was this way

before you came out here, it's going to be this way when you leave. She was like, you either play the game or take your ass home, motherfucker. I don't know why

that stuck with me, but that was the beginning, my career shifted. I think a month, two months after that I got Coney. Really? Wow. Yep.

So, all right, and I'm glad you're here. I want to have the L.A. Rabbit hole discussion. I mean, I'm always hearing people like, oh, man, I can't, you know, LA's mad phony, Mel, L.A.'s, you know, what, am I missing the memo? Like, am I the only one that enjoys Los Angeles? Now, here's the thing, though.

Your experience is so different than the average person. That's okay. Yeah, okay. No, but here it is. Los Angeles, to me, like I said, now I enjoy Los Angeles. At that time, I was comparing. apples to oranges in a sense and as far as my career

is concerned. Once I switched my mind state around and understood exactly what I needed to do and to do it then after that everything became easy and it became something where I was like okay I get it this is just another planet out here just like New York

is another planet to me. But are you judging from a perspective okay so from a musical perspective like I know that in the jazz world New York jazz musicians used to always look down on L.A. jazz musicians. And actually, New York session musicians

used to always look down on L.A. session musicians because there was just a different type. They were more easy going. Like a lot of that yacht rock you hear, like the sound of Toto, that smooth Michael McDonald's stuff. It's, you know, it's like... It's L.A. guys.

And it represents what L.A. is about. A breezy, sunshine, sort of state of mind, which is less gritty and raw than what's on the East Coast. So you're saying that is it the level of comedy out here or just... Well, the comedy... I'm from the Midwest where what we talk about is real blue-collar shit and this is what it is.

When you go on the East Coast, East Coast comics talk about different stuff. And I'm talking about the majority. I ain't saying all of them, but they would do more Haitian jokes. So they'll do jokes about... Dominicans of some shit. You know, each...

comic or go on stage and they'll have their Dominican or Chinese men or Puerto Rican shit. You come to L.A. Everybody had a, you know, audition joke or how the women are, the cars, or the weed. It's always that, you know.

And where I was from, we would look at all of that. And we had all of that. So we were more well- Well-rounded, I think. You know, as far as our experiences and our environment or whatever. So I think that's why when I came out here, I was more disappointed at the time, but then I realized that

that's what they know. They only know what they know. And I started embracing what they knew and started liking what they was doing and then started incorporating some of their stories in the mind situation. It's by being a fish out of water, you know what I mean? How did you know when it was, how did you know it was time? Oh, you tried? Yeah, yeah. But it's cool, though. I mean, you know, sometimes I put myself. and tripped out situations in order to write. Right, because it is such a difference.

Like, I'm from D.C., so it is kind of a culture shot coming to California. Like, I'll go to a dog race and just sit there just to write. Really? Yeah. I'll be the only niggas sitting in there just looking around.

It's just the dumb and shit ever. But I got a hot 15 when I lead it. So, all right. Dog race. I've never been to a dog race. He ever been to a dog race? Nope. In your mind,

in your mind is having a hot 20. Is there a pressure to refurbish it every month? Oh, absolutely. You have to, I try to refresh in every year, but I try to move out. And how hard is it to let go of your gyms? Oh, my gosh. Because, like, again, I'm not a comedian,

but I know that as a DJ, I know that these three songs, Clutch Records. They're gonna work. Like, you know, but then it's like. There's a crutch. Yeah, but then it's like one of the same, like my ninth appearance and people know like,

oh, okay, he's about to play Poison next by Belved. Yeah. They know what I'm gonna do. And it's, and it's so, one of the hardest things for me to do in December, I always take like my most popular joints and just erase them out the set. Yeah. And I got to start all over again.

So how do you, how, you know. No, it's the same way that you, you, you, it's so hard to get rid of those. gems but then again it goes back to trusting yourself you have to like when people steal your jokes you have to go all right well you know i'm gonna write another you know somebody wrote asked me one time in interview they was like what's your favorite joke and i was like i ain't wrote it yet and i really don't figure that i'd always keep that in mind i haven't wrote that motherfucker yet and so i constantly am in mold of being a sponge i'm not no silly dude like that but i'm always paying attention to anything

and everything that happened in order for me to constantly have that kind of material. So the times that we live in right now in 2017, in which news is constantly changing. Yes. We're living in a time period in which you literally won't be all that surprised if you're going to be told we're about to have a nuclear war. Yes. It's now to the point that if a riot breaks out in a certain place,

you're now all that surprise if wait wait wait is a riot breaking out yes there is right now in the Jim Henson Kermit and Piggy are fighting where he pointed to Steve pointed out of big Bill

like let's go let's roll it's glad we did this practice run now we know wait I'm about to say like is I don't know what the fuck just has been your partner in case shit goes down

like he's the guy you signal that man let's let's go I'm because I figured she screamed her way. I'm not going there with the fisherman. What the fuck? The fuck. Anyway, my point is that

it's like, A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the fourth. You might have seen the skits, the reactions,

my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brain. brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either.

We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of The Girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands.

I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the Girlfriends. Trust me, babe. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Ego Wode. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network.

It's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah.

He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know. The cat just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that.

There's a lot of luck. Listen to thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My point is that I've been spending like the last month or so observing all the comics that have been coming through Chappelle's residency at Radio City. Now, some of them have been complaining, you know, the thing is like when you're at radio, city you want to put your best foot forward yeah you know because Dave has hot lineups and you know all the celebrities in there and all so you want to put your best foot for it but then like a lot of them are getting myth because it's like damn Trump changing the news again making this joke irrelevant now I got a I got to scrap my my 30 minute set and

reset it for what's relevant today right exactly and it's not been tested at true right so I'm saying that you know I know that in bad times the worst at times are the better is for comedians at least to have subject matters to make fun of it but because the times we live in is so unprecedented

with constantly changing news how does that affect you as that hot 20? Like I said before I can't write a lot of just shit this in your face because it's too easy and it's too easy and I think everybody else is going to write something that easy.

So I don't have a lot of current topical material like that. So you don't do much crowd work. I mean, I do sometimes, but I'm not based on that. I don't like to get an audience what they want. I'm a type of comic where you have to come into my world, you know. Once you're in my world, then I can go wherever with you. but if I keep giving you what you want, then I'm a slave to you,

and then you're there getting fed what you usually eat. Right. Yeah. And what you expect. The way you describe the rhyme, like the kind of way you talk about the comedy is the same way I think about rhyming,

you know what I'm saying? Because it's like you can't be. It's almost like magic. Yeah, like you can't write. Like if you try to write about, okay, what happened on love and hip hop this week? And you try to put that and make that a punchline or whatever. Yeah.

That shit is old and a week. That shit is. So you have to write about, like, things that are universal, like things, then things that are timeless. Balls deep is universal. Balls always. That shit ain't never going out of style. So let me ask, because when I watch the Netflix special, I was so happy because one of my, and I hate this moment, it's like, like, you ever hate, like, when someone wants to tell you who they, they, you remind them

Like no one wants to hear like, no one wants to hear like, oh, you know you look like. And that they, like, shout out to Yamin all world. Yamin is the king of letting you know who you look like and you don't look like her at all. As long as they're like legendary or something. The reason why I loved your Netflix special

was that you kind of did this this random non-sequitreter thing that one of my favorite comedians Mitch Hebburg was the king of where you just had all these random

asides that weren't you know it wasn't of a time period it was about you but it was just you just going through a list of things and you know since Mitch Hebburg has passed away Stephen what's his name? Stephen Wright the choir was sort of in that lane where he would just let time go by

and then say something to And I was like, I always wanted to know, like, I cannot wait for a black comedian to take that lien. Yeah. You took that lien. I think the rhythm is no rhythm, you know. And that's the way that I looked at it as far as I was approaching it. I felt the lack of rhythm is groovy.

You know what I mean? And silence is good too because silence is great too. Don't trust silence and let Like how do you how do you do that? Silence is just as great as applause Right Because it lets you know that you have them And it lets them let you know that they're paying attention

And also you can guide them wherever you want You can make a left or right You can bag up Whatever you want to do at that moment And you need to test that throughout your sets That you need to be quiet sometimes Just to see where they're at And then also to get your thoughts together as well

you know but but in experimenting how do you what happens if you get turbulence in your set and you knew that didn't work but you don't want to give it away that oh damn that joke didn't work you just like well me personally anytime I do a joke that don't work I purposely do it in front of a joke that I know it's going to work so I'll do this but I know I got this fire one coming next or I'll do a fire one first. Well, I'll put it in between two. Yeah, I sandwich it between two in order to give it

the legs that it need, just in case it doesn't work. I'm going to put that right between two great-ass jokes, you know. So what's an example for you of a joke that you were unsure of or something that, for you that is something that you should have at this joke. I had this joke that I, and me also, another thing that I do is funny is funny regardless, and I learned this from Conan that, you know, every moment can be magical. If it was, then we wouldn't have magical moments. So I would think that I would take jokes that purposely wouldn't work. Just to set up the next one.

But that would be funny to have a joke that didn't work. Yeah, like a dead moment. Yes. I would purposely do that. I had a joke. It's like a DJ set. You know, for the real. I live for the dead song.

Yeah, yeah, because I think that that, you know, because that's a moment of honesty, that that's a moment of vulnerability that I show the audience that I'm not as together as you think I am. I had this joke that I used to always do, I used to be like, Tiger Woods doesn't want to say he's black,

but his father's black and his mother's tie. I'm just going to call him a formal nigga. Nah. Nah. Now, that would never get a laugh. I don't know why. Because you got to think for a second kind of two. No one laughed.

But I would purposely do that joke every time. Just and then I would sit there and would not move until people like, it made it funny because people were like, what? Like, what the fuck is you talking about? I'm going to give you a minute. But that was that I used to do. You know, back in the day, I would walk on stage. This one I first thought I'd walk on stage with like a saxophone. And would never play it.

I would do 15 minutes holding the sax. And then just leave. Just. Why didn't he play the, was he going to play it? He forgot to play it. Oh, I'll bring like a flute or a xylophone. I mean like a harmonica and would never play that shit and just leave. Just, you know, just twist it up.

Dude, you got to do that. You're the next special. Just wearing saxophone around me. You remember when Shabel. about the whole polarization thing? Yeah, yeah. So Chappelle does this trick where he polarizes his audience by, you know, when you see him perform, he'll take a cigarette and then he won't puff it.

He'll light the cigarette and won't puff it. And he does the thing with his knee. He's hypnotizing. Yeah, every time he hits his knee with the after the punch line. Yeah. Like that to me, yo, you with the saxophone and never use it. I did, man I used to do that a lot

when I first started just to keep people going What? What? So what was it like In the Conan camp Because

I know that his particular brand Of writers At least from My perspective You know I mean It seemed like it was part

national lampoons like you know like college uh ivy league level humor yep some you know like there was the the masturbating bear like kind of like Conan humor yeah um how first of all were you quote the only guy in the room and i think you know what i mean by i quote the only guy he mean black like the rest of the late night talk shows yes i was i was the very first and only to this day black writer that Kona has ever had. Yes. Yikes. Yeah. Wait, not even,

what's his name? I thought, what's his name was on the show for a second? Kirby enthusiasm. He does cooking and stuff. Was J.B. Smooth? Not a Conan Ryder at one point? No. Damn. Oh, J.B. Smooth was S&L. Okay. Do you have any parameters

or did he just say go for it? Well, when I first started, I was with all these Emmy Award winning writers that went to Brown University and all this shit. And I tried to write like them when I first started. Yeah, how do you find your tribe and your rhythm? I just was trying to write like them and like none of that shit was working.

No, I was working. And one day, they were writing this bit about Andy Richter going to October Fest. And I didn't know what that was. And I was like, what's that? And it was a German drinking day. And I was just like, why everybody got drinking day with black people? And Conan at that day was like, won't you write that up? And I was like, uh-uh.

I was like, really? He was like, yeah. So I wrote it up. And he was like, and I want you to come out on the show and explain that. And I was like, okay. And I went out and explained it, it blew up. Then I think something else came up where I was like, they were talking about a hunting house or something.

And I was like, that shit ain't scary to black people. This scary to black people. And they just like, write that up. So it became this thing where it was like my world. with Conan's world colliding, it was like the odd couple. Yes. So it was this dynamic that we had

that was funny. So it led to me writing my way that they couldn't write now. Yeah, you needed your voice. Like your perspective was something different. It became my voice and my perspective that they couldn't write. So then it led me to have my own lane,

you know what I mean, and doing my own thing or whatever. Yeah, it led to just this black dude from the south side of Chicago kicking there with this super white dude, Harvard graduate from fucking Boston and that's colliding. But being like damn their best friends, you know, so it worked. So assuming that no NDA was signed, both you and I have something in common. We both at one point, and I still do, work for. for The Tonight Show. Yes.

Now, that was a really weird preface. Where are you going? No. Where are you going, boss? No, no, no. It's a machine. The thing is, is,

what was the writer's room like when Word first got out that, ooh, we might not be on the show anymore? Because the thing is, like, once you get the tonight, it's such a legacy that everyone thinks like, oh,

it's going to be a 30-year run. You know, Johnny Carson, 30 years, David Ledman, 32 years. Yeah, and that's what we thought. And when you, yeah, you guys got to your second year and it's like, wait a minute, what's going on here? Yeah, like the writer's room was like, okay. You all moved to Los Angeles, but for that, like, did you come to New York at all for any of the? No, remember, like, they moved from New York and came here for the show. I came on as a guest.

I wasn't even a part of the camp when it came. And then after the, they were there for like four more. months and then that's when I joined down. Oh, then you were on as a guest. And then I got hired or whatever. But when we, when they wouldn't move that time slot and Conan was like, yo,

I'm leaving. It just, it, I was still kind of like not knowing that history was being made as far as television is concerned. Like, I was still like, yo,

let's bang these sketches out of it, whatever. Like, my life is wrong. I'm like, everybody else was like, we moved from New York to here. We didn't lost office.

They just sold their houses in New York, you know, to move that because they thinking it was going to be a 30-year run. Dude, I was there for their last day. It was crushing, right? But we went ham. We was like, okay, well, let's just spend all of their money. You were there for that last episode? Yeah.

We had the Rolling Stones song. Yeah. And we play, yes, we play repeatedly. During the whole show, so we had to pay for the license for that. I almost got in trouble. Well, yeah, when I watched that last episode, they had also played Julia by the Beatles. Four times.

There's five songs by the Beatles that are like untouchable. And it's near like $700,000 per year. That's what I was about. Okay, so that's how much. And I had tweeted that out. And that was the first time that the Comcast people or, you know, like call my manager, like, can we control Mirrors account? Because I kept up saying like, oh, shit, MVC about to pay. $1.7.5 million for this Beatles shit.

They're like, can you get rid of that tweet, please? We don't want our bosses to know how much money we're wasting. That's hilarious. Yeah, but how much did that last episode cost? because y'all did like, y'all destroyed a very expensive car. Yeah, I'm about saying, they had the car,

yeah, a Bugatti. A Bugatti? Yeah, we had, like, oh, they destroyed the Bugatti. Some of the horse, we had, like, this thoroughbred horse that cost, like,

millions. And we was like, fucking with him. No, yeah, we was fucking with them and shit. Like, you know, and they didn't want us to do that. We had these, uh,

ancient bones flew in, these, And the sore bones flew in. Okay. We was wilder, yo. Okay, give us some context into this because, yeah, give me some context to the late night wars or whatever. So Conan, you were a writer for Conan. Yeah.

And then what happened? The show just got canceled. Like, what happened? Jay Leno gave him the show. Okay. And then we had the show. And then they wanted to move the tonight show from 1130 to 12. Conan was like, it's been 1130 since the beginning of the tonight show.

How dare you move the time? And they was like, we want to move it. And he was like, no. Jay can have the 1130 spot. So Jay can have the 1130 spot. And they was like, he wasn't going to do it. He wasn't going to, you know, go against the integrity of the show. What was wrong with Jay Leno?

I lost him. So, Conan was like, yo, I'm out. And they gave him 45 million to leave and he left. Wow. Yeah. So I, it was crazy, you know, but we went on tour after that. Because he couldn't be on TV or radio and nothing like that. So we toured for like three months.

So were you on stage? Yeah, yeah. I closed. I went second to last doing stand-up. I was doing like 10, 15 minutes of stand-up every night. We was doing like between 2000 and 15,000 seats. It was like that was like some Rolling Stone shit because it was a movement because everybody loved Conan at that time and they knew that they did them wrong.

So everywhere we went. It was like crazy. And, like, every city we went to. Whoever the celebrity was that was known in that city, they would come out on stage with Conan. So we was with, like, Neil Diamond and Eddie Vedder and, like, all these people that I, like, beyond my comprehension of meeting, like, hanging out with them.

It was crazy. Like, I remember when we finished the tour, I got to my apartment and called my renter's place asking for chicken. fingers and shit. That's like, you better come fade his rim up. I was gone, boy. I was, we did Bonnaroo. We did like, because, you know,

Conan's a musical guy too. You know, they played a guitar and shit, you know. So we cut an album with Jack White. What? In Nashville. It was crazy, y'all. An album, like, it was crazy. Are you in Conan?

Y'all still cool now? Y'all still work? How many years did you do on the TBS show before you left? My show? No, no, well, for Conan. Did you go with Conan to TBS? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I went over there.

I was over there like six years. Okay. Six years, then I had my own show called Black Box, and then at the Black Box. That's when I left and went to Black Box. That was a sleeper, Black Box. Kenyon and Steve. They didn't get behind me at all.

They was trying to promote it. Like, it was some old kicking the nuts at show and shit, you know. You were, was ahead of your time. Like a Tosh, but we was doing, we was doing topical shit. We was talking about what was in the news, but they was promoting us as if we was showing all these, yeah, like some Tash shit. And it wasn't like that.

We were talking about Amanda Binds and all kinds of shit, anything that was in the news, you know, but it was a great show, but it was an all-white network at the time. And, you know, TBS used to be a network for baseball. And so all their shows used to cater to the white American baseball guy. and then I come along. They're like, what? So wait, are those two guys, I know y'all talk about them all the time on Vice?

They're like a kind of like a... Jesus of Muriel? Yeah, yeah. Seems like they might have been inspired by. That's dope. Yeah, yeah. A win is a win. A win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either.

We always say that, trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care, so they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no.

I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Ego Woden. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman,

Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. Woo! My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with him one day, and I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this.

a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar. of, you know, the cat just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be.

Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. How did you come across Kenya? Bears for it. It was an agent by the name of Tam McGowan. She was talking to Kenya.

Kenya was talking to her about some writers that she needed. And she was like, yo, Dion just finished up on. Conan, you should go, you should have him come over. And he was like, all right, but Kenya had, knew of my work, and I knew of Kenya, too. And so I went over there for an interview and talked to him. Like I said, that's when we met about talking about this Charlie character and all of that. And then, man, it just, I thought Charlie didn't want to do it. It's just that's what it did.

So did I hear you write, you write for yourself for that character? No, I don't now. Okay. At that time, you usually. Used to? No, I never did. I was just writing for, I was going to write for that character. Okay.

But the way that I envisioned the character of being, me and Kenya only knew how that character should be. So when Charlie didn't want to do it, Kenya was like, well, I want to find nobody else and try to show them how to do it. Why don't you just be that character from me? And how did he describe that character to you? Like, what was he to be?

Well, he just told me that it was this guy that works with Anthony and he's just a friend that come, that came into the office and that, you know, just chops it up with Anthony. And I was more, and, you know, actually the character is mainly based off of Kenya. Kenya is that guy. Really? Wait, I thought Kenya was Anthony. Your characters are like a half stoner and half. No, Kenya, Kenya, Kenya is, yeah, Kenya.

Oh, that's really. Yeah. It's like a split personality thing with Kenya. Yeah. That's really. Kenya is that awkward guy in the office. Yeah, Kenya was that guy with his family situation, you know. And that's right.

So he was responsible and irresponsible at the same damn time. But that's the great thing about Anthony's character on the show for those that watch it. When Anthony's at home, he's an idiot. When he's in the office, he's brilliant. Yeah, and he just, he plays this, he flip-flops this character. That's, you know, great to see him, you know. So is that typical to have one person write for one character? Because I know that in the case of 30 Rock, Donald Glover's job was to write and be the voice of Tracy Morgan's character on 30 Rock.

Really? And just write for him. So, you know, like when you're getting this job, before you were on the show, your job wasn't to contribute an ideal line for the story, for the plot or anything, it was like, what would this particular character say it worked? Well, I don't know, because I didn't get that far. The furthest I got was, hey, it's this guy named Charlie, and I never wrote on a sitcom.

Oh, okay. I never only wrote for late night in sketches and stuff. Yeah, yeah, it's totally. Late night is current. Late night is fast-paced. Next thing you know 12 hours is going by, and you're like, God damn. You got to do it all over again.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got to do it all over again. day. You're in the news. You're getting premises sent at you. You got to write this script. It's like that. With television, you know, you got months to prep beforehand and then you get these scripts. So it's easier? I mean, yeah, because you got basic training versus. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because you got to be funny, funny within minutes. Like every second's got to be funny on late night. A monologue, set up, punchline, set up, punchline, and you got it. And then after that, you got like just a few minutes and before, you know, the guests come out, you know what I mean?

So, yeah, you got to hit it. Like, like, tonight's show now that y'all won. Like, it's got to be snappy, you know. But television, yeah, you got time to prep and write and, you know, get it together. Did you, was it a transition for you going from writing to, like, now having to act? You know what I'm saying? Like, now, like, you actually go. Well, I was always, like, loving acting, you know what I'm saying?

And writing, writing was more stressful to me than acting. Really? Yeah, because you had to be funny. You had to, like, constantly come up with stuff and constantly be funny. And not be funny to yourself. You got to be funny to the world. Like, it's got an old, young, black, white, man, women. Got to check all the boxes.

So are you trying to pander to the room, knowing that culturally, their brand of humor is a little bit different than yours. Like, do you have to skewer the degrees a little bit so that you're like, okay, if it hits these, I'm assuming you have 10, 11, 12 writers in Conan's room? Are you in your mind saying, okay, I got to adjust, okay. Oh, that's good. I have to adjust to them or they don't know what funny is.

Let me just. No, it's, no, it's, you're thinking demographically and you're also thinking about Conan. You're thinking about how his humor is. and then you're thinking about your demographic that's listening to this and you have to make sure that your material. So if he thinks it's funny,

then you're like, I'm cool. You don't care about the writers or your head writer and that sort of thing? No, because you're already thinking what Conan might think. You're thinking what the head writer would think too, but your main purpose is what Conan thinks. It's not even the demographic

because you can have something edgy and Conan might let it slide through and go, oh yeah, yeah, I like that. But you ain't even thinking about because it's been many times where I didn't wrote sketches and I thought they were brilliant and Conan like nope you know like one time I had this thing where I had like 50 suit coats come in where Conan had to try on 50 Steve Harvey suit coats that I was going to have him that I want him to do the whole show in yeah yeah we're like eight buttons.

Conan as tall as he is and a Steve Harvey? That would have been awesome. Was he just like, I don't get it? No, no, he's got it. My audience won't get it. He got it and he just was like, no. And then I had to get

all 50 in them suits sent back. Oh, wow, you had already ordered the seats. Yeah, you got to, because when you first think of it, when you get to work at like 9 in the morning, you're looking at 200 premises, and then after them premises, you write up a couple jokes.

Pitch it to the head writer, he'd go, that's funny. At that moment, you got to write a script and send a heads up to the whole department, which is casting, props, electrical, whatever. And they look at your script, everybody's building, casting, everything, shopping, all while you writing this script. Dude, lunch come, you go downstairs, and you rehearse that shit. Everything got to be in order.

And that's just one bit. That's for one bit. But what's coming in? Let me tell you something. Conan come out and he'd look at that shit. And if it ain't funny, send all that shit back. Let me tell you something. All right.

Steve and I can relate to this what he just described because nothing is more painful than when a sketch, especially when music is involved on the Tonight Show. And the writer makes you slave over a mix. And it's cut. You put four or five hours behind this shit. Oh, my God. And then you realize by the fifth hour that you're just doing a demo that's going to be submitted to Jimmy to see if it makes it.

And it doesn't ever make it. And it just like they struggle like, okay, it's fine. It is the worst. And I'm like, I know that, I know that pain, man. Arranging melodies. But it's weird though that because even as you say that, I'm like, yo, doesn't Conan really? realize the viral gold of

seeing him in a Steve Harvey suit that that will last on the internet forever all the memes and all the gifs that will be made but like were they even thinking that far ahead to the future because like the stuff we do now

it's it's you're thinking in so many compartments of like okay is the sketch genuinely funny will this will they change the channel after this thing But then it's beyond that. It's beyond, are they going to watch it in the morning on their iPhone in the gym? Yeah, exactly.

Is there something visually funny that we can freeze it and then it will be made a jiff? You know, there's so many levels of marketing. Yeah. Yeah. Because the way people consume is so different now. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I want to ask you, like, does that, how does that inform comedy? Because, I mean, that's like Amir was saying, it's no longer, comedy now is no longer I go to one spot and I see a guy on stage or I sit at home and I watch somebody.

it can be a Snapchat. Dude, it could be an Instagram story. Everybody's funny. Right now there's like a little tension with comics and a lot of Instagram people who come out and they do a video and then all of a sudden. It's viral. It's viral and now this person is getting booked. It's booked in a club and people coming to see them do what?

Like I don't know. And it's like taking. Catch me outside. It takes food out of it. I guess comics who can honestly do stand up and really deserve to be there, it takes food out their pocket. I guess it's similar to models

models versus Instagram models. It's every industry though. Models versus filters. What were your feelings like for like those vine stars? Like because there's at least eight or nine or ten of them that could have. There's one in particular that's like extremely popular that

when this particular person took a meeting with developing our own show I guess HBO called them in to develop something it was like a fish out of water situation because it's like this person's hilarious in a seven second vine scenario but couldn't adjust at all in the real world of the half hour.

They ain't black. Yeah, that's a different thing. That's a different, yeah, that's two different skills. Yeah, it's two different things. But they just think, hey, he's got followers. He's got this. Then, yo, let's throw him some money. Let's get his followers.

If we can get his followers, then, you know, we can add those followers followers to what we got going on. Right. You know, and I think that's what it basically is. I think they just get him for that, I think. You know, but when that vine shit was popping off, I didn't even realize how big that was when it was going on because I wasn't on it like that

because I didn't know the magnitude. We're doing real comedy. Yeah, I was out on stage. But you take advantage of like social because I follow you on Instagram. I know, yeah, I fuck around on that. Yeah, definitely and mess around. But that's just my world and shit.

You know what I mean? Like I don't be like, you know, and people that I like, I follow them. and look at stuff that they do or whatever, but... Don't put real jokes up in now. No, I would never do that. I never do that. I never do that.

A good buddy of mine in Chicago, I have a lot of, see, I don't know what it is, like a lot of my comedy homies in Chicago, Dave Helm. Yeah, Dave, I know that. Yeah, Dave, and shout out to Neff Atari too, she who put... Yeah, thank you, Neff did it, shout out. Thank you, Neff did he, shout out.

Yeah. How do you know, Dave wanted me to ask, How do you know as a comedian when it's time to move from another city? Move, leave Chicago and maybe go L.A. or New York. Like, how did you know in your journey? It's like, okay, now it's time for me to move. Well, I wasn't one of the motherfuckers that believed in myself. I ain't going to need bullshit.

I waited until it came to me to make me go. Yo, let's go. You know what I mean? I wasn't going to just go. You know what? I believe in myself. Let me pack up and go. me and my dreams and all that

and all that. I was like, yo, it has to like come get me and go, yo, come out here and come do this. I ain't going to buy a time

before that date. Yes, and that's exactly what happened. You know, it came and got me and was like, okay, you need to come out here

and do this. And I was like, all right. And so that's what I did. But as far as just jumping up myself, no. Hack up your dream.

And I ain't knocking nobody who do that, but I just, I wasn't, not secure with myself like that, you know, because it wasn't like this was something that I had, you know, from a kid, I was like, I want to be a, like, someone bettered me and I did it. It was like, whoa. You know, so.

What did your, what did your folks do? Like, what was their, were they supportive of your career? Yeah, I was on television, jumping out of limos, walking right in my mama house and taking the garbage out. Mopping the floor. She had no idea. of what was going on. My mother, the Christian, you know, she went to church

three times a week. You said that like you had to be in the day. She had no idea what was going on, like nothing. All she knew was her baby boy didn't work. He woke up at one o'clock every day, but he had money to put on the rent and the bills. And she was just like, yo, you better not be selling drugs and I don't know how you're getting your money.

And I used to tell her I was doing comedy. She's like, you can call her. whatever. Parents never believe. You never believe, right? Well, now, I mean, I hope she's proud. Oh, yeah. And talk to all her girlfriends telling how proud she is.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I can't keep off the phone, man. So when, during the period in which you took your last quote, last day on Blackish, because Andrew Tribeca was around the corner. Mm-hmm. Then you came back to, thank God, Blackish.

Like, how did that work out? I wanted the same question, yes. So Blackish was always in second position. Andrew Tribeca was the show I had first. The only reason why I went over to Blackish to write is because I was waiting on Angie Tribeca. They was taking too damn long? Yes.

Okay. And they allowed that? They allowed you to... So the character I play on Blackish wasn't even supposed to... supposed to be like always. It was supposed to be like a one time ordeal, but the character blew up that they kept, I kept going back.

I can't imagine the show without it, me. Yeah, when you left for like, the, what was it like a one or two? How many episodes was it? No, I left for about eight episodes. Okay, that was enough. My kid, no, it was a lot.

No, no, I appreciate it. Yeah, but when I, when I, when I left, I had to go do Angie Tribeca and it kind of like went crazy a little bit. And so it got to the point where they had to like work with each other. Well they didn't have to, they just made it work. TBS was kind enough to go, okay,

we'll let you all use him for this long again. So that's just what happened, you know. And they went back and forth every season with how many episodes I can do and can't do. And then it just balanced itself out at the while. Don't seem like there's any, a lot of actors in Hollywood that have that privilege. No, no, it was unheard of.

A lot, I think a lot of cats now are starting to get it or whatever. I remember, I was talking to Tiffany Haddish once that she was like yo I'm trying to get that

Dion deal she's about to yeah no Tiffany yeah she's out of here Tiffany white hot right now

since we on blackish though can I ask you like so as far as shooting scenes do you have like a favorite

actor that you like to shoot scenes but I mean of course the people love the Diane moments yeah

but is there like somebody who you really like to man my office buddy Peter McKenzie and Jeff, like, you know, and Nelson, we and Anthony, those office scenes, man, they are so crazy because those guys is just as racist as funny as we are, yeah, like,

but it'd be real shit that we'd be, you know what I'm saying? And so, man, working with them guys, man, it's fun. It's here. I love playing that character as far as, like, with those guys, man. Yeah, it's cool. How much stuff gets made up on set and how much stuff. has written, stuff like that. And to be honest with you, all of it's written.

Like, the script, the writers are, like, incredible. They're so brilliant, man. And, like, after certain takes, they'll go, yo, you can freestyle a little bit, and they'll let us go. I mean, they're really open to us freestyle or whatever. They'll give us our moments where we can add, live, and throw some stuff in there, definitely. But the script be so tight sometimes that we don't even really...

Y'all don't even... Yeah, we don't even have to. you know, because sometimes you can kill a joke with a joke. What's the episode you're most proud of? I love the lemonade episode, which is the one about Trump being voted on. And another episode I really like is one where I had to babysit where I went to watch the kids.

Yeah. Yeah. She did good, too. She did so good. Whose idea was it for that? Because I was like, I would have loved to have been in the writer's room. Talk about Ambrose. Ambrose, my love is just, thank you.

That was Kenya and Anthony. I remember my showed up to work and seen her. On time? I was like, yeah. Oh, you be on time over at that month, but I remember I showed up and seen her. I was like, Kenya, can I talk to you from her? I was like, what is she doing here? Like, yo, that's going to be.

I was like, what? So you didn't know until you got on sick? Oh, I had no idea. That Kenya, they'll do that shit. They'll surprise you and shit. You know, I'm like, why? You wanted your genuine reaction? Man, I don't know why I was so nervous, too.

I was nervous. She was nervous too. Fine. I tell people, I'm like, man, TV. TV, she looked nice on TV and in that, but seeing her in person. Yeah, real life. Like, you can look, you'll look at her and go, I get it. Yeah.

I get it. I get why I, yeah, lost this. I get it, I get it. I get why all these niggas is going crazy. I get it. Chris Rock got to think about her. And she is sweetie pot to her credit. And she's nicest shit, man.

Fine as far. Shout out. Until you said that shit about Philly, boo. Oh, yeah, I see. You're from Kelly, right? You ain't from Philly. What? No, I'm from D.C.

I can't get caught. Yeah, I was going to say. You ain't for soup, man. Yeah. Who do you like now? Who do I want to ask you, who do you like now? Like, who's your, like, cats. That you'll come out the house for.

Yeah, that you like. That I go see. Or, I mean, or just cats that you did. Man, man. This is so. Man, I like Harlan Williams. You ever go see Harlan Williams, the white dude? I know who is.

I've never seen. Harlan Williams is hilarious, man. I like JJ from Mississippi. He's hilarious. My man, Tony Schofield, it's funny. Tony is hilarious. And, yeah, those are, like, comics that I look at and get inspired by watching. Chris Spencer, it's funny as hell.

Is he still doing, is he going out and still doing the clubs? Yeah, he still do shows and stuff. Yeah, he's actually now writing on my other show, Grownish, that we start shooting in September. Say what? Grownish? It's a spin-off from Black. It's two spin- wait, hold up. Oh, because you're on the, this is your, this is your-it's not called college-ish no more.

It's called Grownish. Oh, so that's, okay. It's gonna be your different world. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, yeah. Wait, so Charlie's gonna be on it? Yeah, he played this a Jux Professor at night. I'm done.

Man, hell no. It's crazy. He got like all prostitutes and methamphetamine addicts and trying to get their life together. Trying to get their life together. But Dionne, Charles can't leave black. Does that mean you doubling up again? Are you tripled? Yeah, no, I do both.

The studio's right next to each other. How are you? All right. So wait, what's your, I take, like, who's your lawyer? A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw,

unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok. Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes.

And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves.

Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Wodom. My next guest, you know from Stepbrothers, Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. Woo. Woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and dad, I think I want to really

give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much. luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where

you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat, just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Yeah. Listen to thanks, Dad, on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What is your it, what is your itiner even? Like, what time do you have to be up? So, right now, like, I'm at, I'm at.

Right now, I'm doing blackish. And then, like, the days that I have off, if I can, I go over to Conan and might do a bed or whatever. And then it's September. Wait, you still work for Conan? I do bits. I do bits. God damn.

You are me. Yeah. I do bits. Like, if something in the news or if they. call me and be like, yo, can you do this? I'd be like, yeah, I come through and do an office, something that I think is funny. I'd be like, man, I think we should do this real quick. And then when they go, all, fine, cool.

So I'll go over there if I can. If I got the time, go over there and do a bit. But I do Blackish now. And then September, I start, Grownish. And I'll be doing Blackish and Grownish at the same time until December. And then December, Angie Tribeca start. And then I do Angie and Blackish all the way until the spring. ring and then

I got my other show Face Value on BET with Wanda Sykes and Tiffany Haddish that starts September the 27th What's the premise for Facebook?

We shot 24 episodes already at that It's a game show man, it's funny It's just We're paying people To profile people That's it

What? Is this a racial profile show? Pretty much It's like, what? What? It is, man. It's funny, though. It's like we get these people and Tiffany interviews them out the Vegas strip.

And before they can answer the question that she asked them, we ask people in audience, I mean, at these contestants, what do they think? And if they guess what they think they might say, then they get. Okay, yeah. I've seen the previews. Yeah, yeah. Black, what would you do? Yeah, it's like, and then we break.

Well, the whole show is you start getting to know these characters. And then the next act, we'll say something that somebody did, and you got to guess who did it. And then the third act, it's like, you know, who said this? And then at the end, whoever wins those three rounds, they go to the bonus round. And then they get to choose who they think they know the best and answer as many questions as possible. And then they win 10,000.

It's a derivative of black, white, or other? What's that? It's a radio game. where you tell somebody a scenario and you have to guess what they are. Well, it's Indians and Jews. No, no. I said it.

I said derivative. Yes, she did. I used the big word. She said other. I said other. We all filled out there for them. That's the other. Come on.

I mean, I can't even ask what's in your future because you have six jobs. You know, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo. Why am I sitting here jealous as shit? You ain't the only one. I'm like, wait a minute. I'm the only one that's telling you got 19 jobs. I don't know.

No, it's your single? Yeah, yeah. You know, I'm just chilling, you know. No, okay, you're dating hard. I'm not. I'm just chilling. Just chilling means like. I know what it means.

Trying to figure it out. Right. It's like we just bumping. You know, just trying to figure out the world. I got my dreams in the suitcase. I'm ready to go. Wait, excuse me. Excuse me as I asked the female questions.

You got babies? I have a son. Okay, you don't treat him like you treat him on blackish. No. Oh, hell, no. How was your son? No, he'll be 15 to September. He just started high school.

This is first year. I just took him to school last Wednesday. He started, you know. So, yeah, so I want to ask, so how do you go, because you still, I mean, Chicago's still home? Yeah. So how do you balance it between here? Like, how long are you out here? He come out here or I go there.

Like, my mother. I'm booking a flight soon as I leave here, bring her out here. And then, you know, when we had these moments where like they can come out here during the week or I'll go there, you know, just, you know, just, it's spurred a moment all the time. You know, it's nothing like, you know,

we plan months in advance because we can't do that. So how often, what's your timeline like in terms of your shooting schedule being out here and then you say, okay, well, I got a break, I can go home, like how long are you out here for? Well, no, I'm, I stay. I stay out here until like I'm done. Like right now I'll be out here until like the spring.

But I'll go home like Thanksgiving, Christmas and then whatever little moments that I can get home. Then I'll do it like a weekend or a couple days during the week. Gotcha, if that can happen. But that window to happen for that to happen is right now until like September. Until when September hit and I start doing like both shows, then it's going to be really tough. And then still doing stand-up on Saturday. You know, it's all right. Take that a beer.

Yeah, no, I'm like, I'm predicting me, Dion, Lowe, and Tiffany Haddish are all going to simultaneously host the BT War. Right, right. You know. That would be great. That would be, yo. Yeah, man, that would be crazy. You literally, yeah, dog, I, that exhausted me.

And just for knowledge, your son's starting high school in Chicago In the Burbs Yeah, yeah, in the Burbs. He and the Burbs. Which I ask, was he strapped? I don't want to make sure he's safe. No, I was asking as he's safe.

Well, how do you feel because I have Chicago Tribune updates And it's almost like their method of informing you Usually on Sundays they take a grand tour. It's almost like Jerry's kids. It's almost A fetish level.

It's crazy. 63 people shot this week. Shot this weekend. Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-d-d- You know. Like, how do you do you sleep easy at night? Like, knowing that, oh, damn, I don't know.

Nah, I don't never sleep easy, you know, knowing that I got a kid that's out that way, you know. But I stay in his life, you know, fully. I'm always into everything that he does. I talk to him every day. You know, his mother is the same way. She keep keep her foot on them, which is great. Keep his mind, keep his mind, you know, involving great things.

He's a great kid, you know, and just keeping busy, you know, and showing them proper love. Because I think that's the problem nowadays with all the gangs in Chicago and all around, I mean, around the country, period. I mean, they bring in all the national guards and all these people to protect people in Chicago from all the gangs. but I've said it before, there will always be gangs as long as there's no love in the household. Right. Because they would,

they're going to find that love within the gang. So if we don't provide them with proper love, then you can bring it as many national guards as you want to. Right. You know, they're going to find that love in that gang. Don't make a difference. So, you know, we provide them with that. And so I, you know, I rest okay with that, you know, but still, it's always a job being the dad.

Man, you ain't never lie about that you. You know what I mean? Or I guess last up, like, do you have any movies in the future that you're going to work on? Just finished the movie with Nicole Parker and Kimberly Elise and Loretta Devine called Her Hair Shop. We just shot that. and I did a movie with Whitney Cummings called

The Female Brain Yeah so we're waiting on that To come out too So yeah Cool We shoot those Shot those And just in the ending can

And waiting to come out Cool Do you have a podcast and No podcast What the fuck? Do you want I'm like a clothing line You got clothing line

You got a nail shop Some shoes When is your mixtape coming out It has to come. Like, I mean, we need the whole packers. You might as well go all the way with it. I mean, I am on Vicks' album.

Oh, Vic Minter. Oh, shout out to Vic Mintsa. Yeah, go check it out, Vic. In your face, me. You got me, man. Well, Dion, thank you for making me feel lazy. No. I need more jobs in my life.

Thank you very much. This is a honor. y'all for having me, man. Thank you for coming to little. That's so short notice. Shout out to Nuff. Thank for me to happen.

Yeah, shout out, Neff. What up, Neff? So, umpey Bill. What? What have we learned today? That Diyah do a lot of shit. Don't do shit. Yeah, Diyah do a lot of shit.

And a beer don't do shit. Beer, claim it all your fucking 7,000 jobs. Diad got enough jobs. No, he stayed. He stayed to us. Humbley. What did you learn today? Are you still bold up?

He looks like a lot. No, he does. Yes, he does. Oh, wait. No, no, no. Time out. I know you know it, too. I know you know it.

No, if you watch the way that the Netflix special is lit. It's so fucking funny, by the way. You have to watch it. The same way that I feel about, the same way that I feel that if Leslie Jones makes a move in four years to play Nina Simone, right, right, right. I believe that he can play Ronald Richie. And he got a story.

Everybody, they'd be thinking that. I mean, one time I was checking in this hotel, this little white girl ran out to me. It's like, oh my God, can I get your autograph? I was like, all right, cool. And I'm signing the autograph. And she goes, I love your daughter. And I was like, oh, shit.

It's like three different shades different. I don't know. And one African knows, because Lauer Richie got a hell of an average. Everybody thinks that shit. Watch the Netflix special. Okay. I know I missed that I got. It's a little bit different.

I'm sure there's powder and stuff. He looks like Lionel Richie. No joke. Okay. I'll see it, but everybody else do, I guess. What Lionel says? What a feel? Lionel.

Lionel says shit to me. So what did you learn like you? Damn. So much I learned that Dionne Cole is probably my hero. Especially that late night shit just amazes me because I always had like a hidden thing of writing more questions and shit like that. So you got a mentee?

What? What? A minchi, like a mentor. It's Laia. That's what I just thinking. Yeah, I ain't know what that was. A mince? You know, there's a tessing.

Is that a mintoes? It's a small minceo? Wait a here. Hold on. Hold the fuck up. Hold the fuck up. Minty is a whole fucking word. I know the minty.

I know. We know. Okay. It is. But I'm scared that you can shirt over in your lesson. It's a whole. I want to know. I want to know what.

We have to be in time. Time is few. Time is you. It's a whole word. We can say that after the show. You all the artist is a lot. No, I just want to know if you had a minute. Shoot a shoot.

Well, Dion, I've heard a lot. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You learn that we want to hold you back. All the time. All the time. God damn.

I learned that Dion is actually different than the character of Charlie. Oh, shit. You play it so well. I'm like, yo, is this really how this dude is? Oh, well, thank you. But you're night and day from him and, like, you're, like, really a smart cat. Like, this, I mean, this is the first time we've ever met.

Yeah. But, like, you play just like a, you play an idiot so well. Oh, but thank you, brother. A lot of experience. A lot of, but, no, I'm a super fan, brother. Thank you for coming to me. Thank you so much. Man, thank you so much, man.

This is great. Thank you. Well, on behalf of our unpaid bill, boss bill What's the other bill name Boss Bill? Vacation bill German

German bill October 1st bill October 1st Bill Sugar Steve Paw Ticalo and Laia It's Laia Thank you

Need a job Mentee Mentee T I'm trying to get off the couch Dion Okay Let's keep it real

I'm just I've learned that I need more jobs in my life Thank you This is Questlove On behalf of Questlove Supreme And Team Supreme, thank you very much

We'll talk to you on the next go around Only on Pandora. See you. Quest Love Supreme is a production of I-Heart Radio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. For more podcasts from IHeart Radio, visit the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Cliford show

on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft, and we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East-West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galko, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects.

From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make, to the players flying under the radar, this is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the iHeartRadial, app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice of Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of

fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg, a lesbian, Michael Ranchini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police.

As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.