WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Episode 1055 - Chaunté Wayans

Episode Date: September 19, 2019

Chaunté Wayans has a last name that adds a lot of pressure to a comedy career. She also happens to be the niece and cousin of many famous comedians with that last name. That’s one reason she stayed away from comedy when she was younger, choosing instead to get into film and television production. When Chaunté was working as an editor, she started struggling with anxiety, which led to alcoholism, which led to multiple arrests. Chaunté talks with Marc about rebounding, embracing her own comedic identity on stage, and launching her stand-up career with encouragement from people like Tiffany Haddish and her uncle Damon. This episode is sponsored by Between Two Ferns: The Movie on Netflix, Spotify, The Righteous Gemstones on HBO, and the Hella Mega Tour. Sign up here for WTF+ to get the full show archives and weekly bonus material! https://plus.acast.com/s/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Lock the gate! Alright, let's do this. How are you, what the fuckers? What the fuck buddies? What the fucksters? What's happening? I'm Mark Maron. This is my podcast.

Welcome to it. How's it going today? What is it, Thursday? The week go okay? Everything all right? Are you getting by? Did you get all that shit done? Did you, how was the dentist?

Did that work out? Did you get the test back? Did your kid do all right at that thing? What, you know, what did you, what's going on with the couples counseling? Everything all right? You working through it or what? You know, you can, sometimes, sometimes you just need time. You just need space. Sometimes don't hurt yourself for God's sakes. What's happening folks. That was just a general

broad, uh, greeting to, uh, those who would apply to, sorry about the job, by the way. Sorry. So that was one other one just kicked in and you know, I hope uh yeah i hope it works out the uh the new thing very general that was very general so shantae wayans is on the show today uh she is a comedian uh she's part of the wayans dynasty she's she's actually the first weigh-ins I've talked to, which is odd. She's the newest weigh-ins in the game. And I saw her on Tiffany Haddish's thing. Tiffany Haddish presents They Ready. She was one of them. And I knew somebody who knew her, and she said she was game to do the show.

So it was great. It was interesting. Fun talk. It's coming up. so let's check in with stuff okay let's check in with mortality vis-a-vis monkey i took i've been talking about monkeys uh slowly fading away uh he's getting skinny but he's very lively he's 15 years old he and his sister lafonda these are cats by the way if you're just tuning in you but he's very lively. He's 15 years old. He and his sister LaFonda. These are cats, by the way, if you're just tuning in. You know, he's lively. He's eating. He's running

around. Him and Buster, the kitten, are playing, but he's getting really skinny. And I talked to you guys about this, and a lot of you sent in suggestions, but I took him to the vet, and because he's gotten so skinny and kind of fragile, he's a lot easier to handle. He doesn't have the edge he used to, monkey. I guess that's the same with all of us, huh? Cats, people. It's not that you're losing your edge. It's just the edge is not as scary if you're old.

Because then you're just an old guy yelling. So I took him in, got the blood test. He seemed all right. The doctor was nice. I'm waiting. As we speak, I'm waiting right now for results of that blood test. The doc seems to think because he's eating, it might not be kidneys. It might not be diabetes.

Could be this hypothyroid trip, which is medicatable. But, you know, I have to accept some harsh realities here about a lot of things myself included and there's lessons to be learned man both of my parents are still alive and sadly if everything works the way it's supposed to uh they'll they'll they'll pass before me so that's coming i i don't mean to be cold-blooded um it's it's sad it's reality but it's just the way this monkey my cat is 15 years old it's sad. It's reality. But it's just the way it is. Monkey, my cat, is 15 years old. It's the longest relationship I've had with anything, really, on a day-to-day basis, him and his sister. And he's old and he's had a great life. And 16 is getting up there for a cat, 15.

I mean, they can live to 20, 21, 22. But, you know, if he goes, he goes. And that was a quality life. to, but, but you know, if he goes, he goes. And that was a quality life. And then I started thinking about my own fucking life, sitting here, talking to you guys twice a week, going out on stage, doing what I want to do. I want to do it. I feel like I've earned it. I feel like I've worked hard to do what I'm doing. I'm happy to be making a living, but some days I'm wondering, do I want to do? Am I doing what I want to do? Does that still hold at this juncture in history and in my life? Does it still hold as we're staring down the barrel of a world in decline, of a planet in crisis, of a potential sort of like authoritarian reality for the planet?

So what have I got left? I mean, that's really the question. And I've talked about that on my old, uh, especially how much time do I have left, but really what do I want to do? What is the quality of life that I can give myself at this point? And what do I want to do with it? Like I'm going out on the road. I'll be in Toronto tonight. There might be some tickets left. I'll be in Chicago tomorrow night, Detroit on Saturday, Minneapolis on Sunday. You can get all those dates. The upcoming ones in Atlanta, San Francisco, Philadelphia, where else? Nashville, all of them coming up. Boston, Washington, D.C. at WTFpod.com slash tour. But how many of these tours do I need to do? You know, do I get, is there so many, is there so much joy for me in wrestling with myself

and with the world and with my thoughts and ideas for a year and a half to kind of ring another hour and a half of comedy out of me? I guess it's rewarding, but everyone's doing it. I guess what I'm trying to get to is a part of me i guess it's rewarding but yeah everyone's doing it i guess what i'm trying to get to is a part of me just wants to go cut and run sell everything i've got and just go get a place maybe on in northern ireland and just sit there and look at water and rocks for every day. Make toast. Look at water. Look at rocks. Walk around. Read a poem.

Maybe try to write a little something. Look at water. Look at rocks. Looking at water. Looking at rocks. Looking at water. Looking at rocks. Is this the life I wanted for me?s coming by the way clearly we're all gonna go monkey's pretty good right now my folks are okay i'm okay i'm gonna go do some comedy i enjoy it i like the

life i'm living i'm just wondering if at some point I should just pull out and go look at water and look at rocks and think and breathe and take a walk. Or do I just keep going nuts? I'm grounding. I'm grounding and just trying to figure out really what I want to do with my life. really what I want to do with my life. All right. Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you this other thing. We've got some new items in the merch store.

What do you think of that? The WTF merch store. There's a new WTF hoodie for the upcoming crisp fall days. And then there's a new key chain and a new stainless coffee mug, both featuring the draplin design that you can get on your shirts. Go to pod swag dot com slash WTF or go to WTF pod dot com and click on merch P O D S W A G dot com. Cool shit. More shit coming to hats because now I'm a born again snapback

flat rim hat guy. i think i'm probably a little late to that game and i wear it forward i don't wear it backward so however we're going to distract ourselves with uh kind of bullshitty fights along the lines of uh you know social issues i know there's a large contingent of uh comedians and and uh you know they're part of there's also the uh the great uh monoculture of free thinkers who uh you know there's a lot of pushback against pc there's a lot of people that really are angry and passionately defending their right to punch down because it feels good and it's fun to hurt people. You know, sadly, on some level, there is an innate reaction to vulnerability, discomfort, accidents, pain, tripping, embarrassment. That's funny. I mean, I don't know that you need accidents, pain, tripping, embarrassment.

That's funny. I mean, I don't know that you need to manufacture it. And also there's part of the human psyche. I think that causing pain in other people seems to feel like that's part of winning and the excitement therein. But again, we're civilized people and this doesn't have to be the way. But the point is, and my reaction to this, and whatever the guy's name is who got fired from SNL, I really am not keeping up on it. But people ask me, what do you think? What do you think? There's no, you can say whatever you want.

There's no constitutional amendment that says you can't say things. Yes, some things have been characterized as hate speech, rightfully so. It can be very violent and hostile depending on how it's used, but for the most part, there's no one, you can say whatever you want. And the pushback is going to be from a collective of people who react in a certain way on a grassroots level through social networking platforms or on a corporate level. But there is no censorship on behalf of the government or the Constitution. You can still say whatever the fuck you want. All right?

Now, if you have problems with corporations restricting your ability to say shit because it goes against their bottom line, well, go fight that fight. If you have problems with people whose feelings you hurt, who aggregate and push back, okay, fine. Fight that fight if you want. But the truth of the matter is, I think, what this is all based on, First Amendment stuff or Lenny Bruce, Lenny's intent was progressive.

Lenny's intent in terms of using the language he used, sure sure was about language. It was about freeing the language. But you're looking at an America that was about maybe one generation past that major immigration in the early 1900s and dealing with stereotypes and breaking them down through using the words that he used to level the playing field and disarm some of the hate and friction was a different thing than what's happening now. So you can't really use that as a source. What's happening now is there's a tremendous aggravation on behalf of a certain type of people, the majority in general, that they can't pigeonhole or compartmentalize or put in a box through language, marginalized people of different kinds or people with different points of view that are struggling to find definition in the culture. And God knows they need to be pushed back on and held down because it's funny for the majority to laugh at the vulnerability of marginalized or different people. Now, look, I've been guilty of bullying in my life.

Arguably, the nerd issue that I had a couple weeks ago could be seen as condescending and bullying. But the point is, you can say whatever the fuck you want. You're just going to have to deal with the consequences. You're not going to be put in jail. There's no thought police. There's no government agency rounding people up for saying things. Yeah, everyone's worried about, you know,

they can't say tranny or fag anymore, but nobody's, we're the puncher uppers. I think that if people were really to start punching up people with a podium or with a mic or comics, if they start punching up, they'd have to start with their own chin. And then move up from there if they recover from the fucking belt that they have to give themselves. But it's always interesting to me. The anger is like not like we can't criticize the government because so few people are really doing that in a general way because they don't know how to make it funny. There are select people

that do it, sure. But mostly it's about like, you know, why can't we make fun of people that are, you know, vulnerable and weird? You can. But my point has always been there will be consequences and you may end up only talking to people who like to talk the way you're talking. And that's fine. Look, you know, we moved past, you know, no one says Orientals anymore. No one says colored anymore. The culture has moved on and we're okay. We can do it. We can, you know, we can move past words that hurt people and be more respectful and still be funny. But if you need to say the words and you need to hurt the feelings and you need to sort of like really lean into, you know, making fun of the weirdos and marginalized, then your audience will be

people that enjoy that. And that's how they divide and conquer us. That's how it happens. That's the fight. You'll find your level, you'll find your people. And if you want to fight for the right to punch down, then, you know, then you can talk to those people and they'll come see you because they'll be excited at the hilarity of causing pain and as far as snl goes you know so if you've got a problem with snl that's a corporate structure then you know go fight that it's not a constitutional thing it's protecting the bottom line i don't know what you're going to do about that. That's just the market, man. The market's holding you down, you free thinkers. So enjoy the life you have left.

That's the trick. Maybe it's time to get your affairs in order. I think that's generally good advice in a broad way. You might want to get your affairs in order. I think that's generally good advice in a broad way. You might want to get your affairs in order. Always good advice. Sounds heavy, ominous, but I think it's generally good advice. So look, Shantae Wayans is the Wayans that I got first. She's part of the Netflix comedy special, Tiffany Haddish Presents.

They ready. It's streaming now. And I really enjoyed talking to her. This is me and Shantae Wayans. It's hockey season and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. Well, almost, almost anything. So, no, you can't get an ice rink on Uber Eats. But iced tea, ice cream, or just plain old ice?

Yes, we deliver those. Goal tenders, no. But iced tea, ice cream, or just plain old ice? Yes, we deliver those. Gold tenders, no. But chicken tenders, yes. Because those are groceries, and we deliver those too. Along with your favorite restaurant food, alcohol, and other everyday essentials. Order Uber Eats now. For alcohol, you must be legal drinking age. Please enjoy responsibly. Product availability varies by region. See app for details. Are you self-employed? Don't think you need business insurance? Think again. Business insurance from Zensurance is a no-brainer for every business owner because it provides peace of mind. A lot can go wrong. A fire, cyber attack, stolen equipment, or an unhappy customer suing you. That's why you need insurance. Don't let the I'm too small for

this mindset hold you back from protecting yourself. Zensurance provides customized business insurance policies starting at just $19 per month. Visit Zensurance today to get a free quote. Zensurance. Mind your business. Like you're my first weigh-ins interview. How's that possible? Get out of here. You're the first weigh-in. I was the only one available. No.

I don't think I've ever, like, I don't know that we've actively pursued any of them. When I started doing comedy at the Comedy Store, when I was a doorman there, I used to see Damon all the time. And I saw Kenan sometimes. He was sort of phasing out. And then like years in that. But that was it. And then I've seen Marlon, who does stand up? Yeah.

He does stand up. He started like six, seven years ago. Right. Yeah, because he could. He freaking could, yep. You could say fuck. Okay, say fuck okay and then the other one sean doesn't he does no sean does he does just yeah sean's been doing it with like damon and keenan for a long time for a long time but okay so so marlin was the one that jumped on you got

the name you can go tour with the name make some money money. He was touring with Five Jokes, making more money than me, and I've been doing it over 15 years. Five Joke Marlon. Five Joke Marlon, man. Do you guys get along? Well, let's break it down, because there's not a lot out there about you other than that set I saw. Yeah, yeah.

But it seems like there's enough there to go on. Oh, no, for sure. I mean, breaking it down, tree. Grandma had 10 kids. Five were rich. Five were poor. All right, wait. So wait.

So grandma. Grandma, grandpa, yep. This is the 10, your mom's parents. Yes. All right. So where were they from? All New York. So it was all New York.

Mm-hmm. It was like when my grandma had 10, then one of my aunts had a kid. And then me and my brother were born. So we were all kind of, it was like 13 my grandma had 10, then one of my aunts had a kid, and then me and my brother were born. So we were all kind of, it was like 13 plus two parents. And your mom's in the middle? Yes. I can't tell you that. I would have to kill you.

Because then that'll start adding up other people's ages that they don't. Oh, really? So there's certain people. Who's the oldest? Dwayne was the oldest. He passed away. Okay. And then Damon?

Then Kenan. Then Kenan. Then Damon. Then Damon. I can look this up. I can get it right here. No, here's the deal. There's like one or two that they made it a point for no one to ever be able to find.

Seriously. But I think it's Kenan. And they're men, aren't they? Exactly. But we have Deidre too, who's up there. I think she's third, and then it might be Kim. So it goes, okay, Dwayne, Keenan, Kim. Kim is the baby.

She's going to kill me. Keenan, Kim, Damon, Sean, Marlon, Nadia, Elvira. Is Kim older than Damon? No, I'm just reading the list. Oh, okay. Deid just reading the list Deidre Vonnie She's alright That's one of my faves

Is she not in show business or she is? So your mom was Elvira But the people who's not in show business are too real Like they don't have any sensory So like my mom used to uh she she came out here for a while and tried to get in the writer's room and stuff like that and then oh yeah i remember being on universal lot and uh steven spielberg did something and she like had

road rage with steven spielberg and i'm like mom steven spielberg i don't i don't give a fuck he's like okay you're not gonna make it. This business is not for you. This business is not for you, Mom. They're too real. What was that about? Just road rage. On the lot? On the lot.

In a golf cart or in a car? I think he was in his car. You know, he doesn't have like the Tesla type of ride and stuff. So it's like. Oh, he's in normal? He's playing pretendity. He looked like a regular white dude you know, Tesla type of ride and stuff. Right, right. So it's like. Oh, he's a normal? He's playing, pretending to be. He looked like a regular white dude. Yeah, so why not?

Yeah, yeah. Dump it on that guy. So, okay, so you grew up in New York. How many brothers and sisters do you got? Just one brother. I have a slew of them on my dad's side who I actually just met. Really? How old are you?

Do you say how old you are? No worries. I'm 37. That must be wild. I can't, like, that always fascinates me. on my dad's side who I actually just met. Really, how old are you? Do you say how old you are? No worries, I'm 37. That must be wild. I can't, that always fascinates me. It was a part of a healing process for me. You know, coming from like anxiety and depression and being an addict.

Well let's go back into that. So you grew up in New York, what part of New York? Manhattan. Right in the Manhattan? Right where Chelsea Market, like right across the street. Okay, and what's your mom do if she's not in show business? She was doing like clerical work. Oh, yeah?

You know. Regular job. Your regular job. But you knew you had these uncles. Yeah, but we grew up in the fame. So it was like, it's so weird to, because we, they were poor with us. And then they started to rise right because i remember where they was uh keenan was it was they were started in new york like at the comic strip

or somewhere or the yeah probably improv or uh not was there improv in new york at the time and maybe uh i would i caught the tail end of the improv in the late 80s. Silver, the original improv was in New York on 44th Street. I didn't know that. And Bud's wife, that was the divorce settlement was she got that one. And that was it. It was a beat up little place. Like on 44th between 9th and 10th. You won't do another improv again.

That's right. And that's that. So I don't know where they, I don't know where, I think Kenan started before Damon. But all right. So you remember them coming up. I remember actually being in the comedy clubs. I don't know if you remember like Daryl Heath. I seen him. He used to roll with him and Chris Spencer.

Yeah, I see Chris all the time. Yeah. Okay, so in New York. Yeah, in New York. And then, you know, they was doing the Hollywood Shuffle, the I'm Gonna Get You Sucker. Oh, Robert Townsend movies. Mm-hmm. He was from out here.

Robert Townsend? Wasn't he? Yeah, I think so. I don't know. Yeah, I don't know what happened to that guy. Yeah, no, he's coming back. Yeah? He's, like, doing stuff now.

Good, he's back. Did people just disappear for a while? Just, I think times are changing so much, people don't know how to, you know, Kenan tried to come back in the standup. He did? Why would he want to do that? He was doing, they were doing a Wayans Brothers tour.

Oh, so why not? Why not? And then just the frustration of where Hollywood is right now and people, you know, the millennials. I just saw them yesterday. And I walked in and Kenan goes, I seen your set. He goes, I got a joke for you. And I'm like, I can't do it now.

It's over. But it was funny. And Kenan's that dude. Like, I'll walk to his, I'll go to his house. And he'll be like, what are you working on? I'll say something. And he'll just, like, punch it up. Like, where have you been my entire career?

Where was he? He was around? He was around. It's just you. You never asked him? Kenan's just one of those guys you just got to show up. Right. He's like, why you don't come see me?

You never answer your phone or call me, and then you can just come. It's a nice resource to have. It is, but who wants to just walk up? I know. Yeah. Well, I mean, you just got to get him when he's just hanging around, I guess, having lunch. Who knows?

Just drop by, borrow something. By the way, I was in the neighborhood. Can you help me with this bit? get him when he's just hanging around i guess having lunch just drop by borrow something by the way i was in the neighborhood can you help me with this bit i need one of them doggy cameras to see what he's doing yeah like so you're okay so you remember as a kid going out to see the uncles yes yeah in new york yes and you did but you had no desire like how how young like real young i mean i mean so young like I didn't really know what the joke was. I just know like, I was like, oh, he's cute. And then like, that was like my thing.

But I didn't like the industry for a long time because I was, you know, it's the whole like trying to sit down, have dinner with your family you haven't seen in a while. And people are like, can I get a picture? Oh, right, right. So you knew when they became stars, they became stars. It was just hard. So when they move out here, how old were you when they disappeared into show business? I mean, I had to be like in, I want to say like middle school. Because they would come to all of our graduations.

So it's a tight family. Oh, it was beautiful. It was like, you know, people didn't want to be my friend. And then like midway through the graduation, you just see this whole family walk in and they're like no one like the parents don't even care about their kids graduate yeah yeah just see the way in so you didn't want to do comedy so what were you like what how did you get all fucked up I was a geek I was doing computer I wanted to be into computer science when you were in middle school when I wasn't growing up. I wanted to be a lawyer

and then I found out you go for four years and then still have to go four more and still just become a paralegal. And then take a test. That's not going to work for me.

Too long. Too long. And then I went to Seton Hall. I think if I would have got accepted to Rutgers, I would have stayed in college. I really wanted to go to Rutgers. Really?

Why? What was there? The basketball team was amazing. And I just, I don't know. Just like you were a fan or you liked to play? Both. Yeah. Both.

And, you know, I only got accepted to Seton Hall in the school. Where's Seton Hall? In the city? In Jersey. It's in South Orange. Yeah. So it's like moving, you know, going to college across the street. Right. It's like, you know, you want to get away from all these people you've seen for uh ever

yeah go have a life go have a life and then i i went and did a semester and was doing some of the same things i was doing last year in high school and was like you got bored yeah it was just boring and uh you know started doing my uh my teenage slash turning 21 soon BS. Yeah, which was? Just, you know, skipping class. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. I never did anything like super bad or anything like that, but it was just like, you know. Yeah.

I should have been cutting school and high school and stuff. Right, not in college. And I was like, yeah, you know. Yeah, yeah, because then it means something. Like in high school, at least you're doing something rebellious. In college, you're just sort of like, what's wrong with you? Yeah, yeah, it's like I just paid $25,000

to get in here for a semester. So you dropped out? I dropped out. My mom was like, you gotta go to Cali. Came to Cali. It was doing Scary Movie. I think it was Scary Movie 1. It was about to end.

And I jumped on there. It might have been Scary Movie 2. Yeah And I jumped on there. It might have been Scary Movie 2. Yeah. I jumped on there. Doing what? I was a PA. So your mom just said, your uncles will find something for you to do. Well, no.

My brother was out here. And so she was like, you need to, you know. What's he do? He directed. He writes. He produces. He does. Yeah, he act.

He was in a few movies. So, you know, he was like kind of starting his thing out. And then I came, you know, and as a little sister, but this was me like coming out of my lifestyle slash trying to get rid of dudes in my life. So, okay, so you're coming out as gay. Yeah. At that time. And you had to get rid of dudes? Yeah, you know, I had to let, got to brush them off my shoulders that time and you know you gotta get rid of dudes yeah you know i had to let

gotta brush them off my shoulders mark you know it makes it sound like there's a whole bunch of them like out you're out no i just she stays you i was just having this conversation with somebody but i said dudes i think when you have a lesbian girlfriend those are your those are like the ones for y'all yeah i want to marry this girl and so i had great relationships with guys but i was the one to go you know what i'm just not ready right now i want to impregnate you yeah and it was just like i had to tell them i had to go what is that my first real girlfriend uh was she turned out to be gay but then didn't stay gay or I don't know if, I'm not sure how you do this anymore. I'm not sure it's right to even label

people. She was fluid? I don't know. But I remember when I met her, she was coming out of a relationship with a woman. But I don't know that I would have thought that she's the one for me no matter what. Well, she probably wasn't that girl. I want to say that, okay, maybe more of the tomboyish

girls are usually the ones. So they had no idea. You kind of knew or you knew knew? Well, she probably wasn't that girl. I want to say that, okay, maybe more of the tomboyish girls. Okay, all right. Are usually the ones. So they had no idea. Yeah. You kind of knew or you knew knew? I knew, but I thought, how do you say this? Because I remember Cindy, they used to live across the hall from us.

We used to play mud house and do mud stuff. Mud stuff. You know, I remember the little, you ever made mud pies? Yeah, sure. It was our dinner. I used to come home from work and picking up the leaves outside. Yeah. I like the idea of mud stuff.

We used to do mud stuff, you know. Yeah, we used to do mud stuff. But she lived across the hall from me and I had to be like, I want to say like seven. Yeah. Five, seven. Yeah. It was. And you felt it.

I felt it. Yeah. And and then but i also felt guys for a certain moment yeah then uh third grade hit all right i'm uh i had this chick who was jamaican she had she was the only girl in our school that had a butt and breast right and she wanted me and so we used to leave uh we used to leave school every day after school and go to one of our houses and go to sleep. And literally, I would just rub on her boobs for like an hour. Nice. Yeah, it was just squishy. I was like, what is this?

Mud stuff and squishy. Mud stuff. We moved from mud stuff to squishy. But, you know, it was all leading the same direction. It was all leading to the same direction but i just always felt woman is something that it's like you know if i if i could have chose an easier life yeah i would have and that's it that's the weird argument against the choice thing like you know you choose your sexuality it's like would they though yes like who wants is that an easy road to hoe there right you know You know, I got to spend a lot of money on sex objects.

It's a lot of work. Equipment and pay for everything. If you're the top, you got to get the gear. Bro, this is so like, I'm 10 more years and I'm out the game. I'm tapping out. Mark my words. Then what happens? I'm going to go find me a dude that his thing is not working too right,

and we just sit on the couch and I cook. Okay. That's a good plan, I guess. But, okay, so it was kind of building up, and then you come out here, and you come out. How was that? How did the family sit with that? They were supportive.

They just roasted me. All the time? It was just, I mean, you can't have men on films and I'm like, I'm gay. And they're like, oh, we did the man part, but we never did the lesbian part. So, you know, I just had to grow tough skin. That's all. Yeah. Just for the family.

Just for the family. That was my first audience. Yeah. just for the family just for the family that was my first audience yeah so you came out here and you got into i guess it really is with those guys like a family business i mean it seems like it i mean do are are they all in the same operation kind of is there a wayans brothers production company is everybody in the you know in the building kind of thing or how does it work no i think everybody like wind up venturing off and doing their own stuff but um in in the building kind of thing, or how does it work? No, I think everybody wound up venturing off and doing their own stuff.

But in the beginning, they were doing projects together and so forth and so on. Yeah. But then there's this whole second generation, like my cousin Dwayne does music. Whose kid is Dwayne? Dwayne is Dwayne's. Okay, Dwayne Jr.?

Mm-hmm. We got artists who draw. Isn't there a Marlon Jr.? Marlon is Sean's kid, and then Sean is Marlon's kid. Marlon is Sean's kid, and Sean is Marlon's kid. Yeah, you know, the brother thing, they thought that was cute. It's like wearing the same outfit kind of thing. Right, okay.

So what was your work? In what capacity did you work when you came out here? So I started off as a PA, but the crazy thing, this is when Kenan was directing. Scary movie? Yeah. One or two? I think it was two. Yeah.

But Kenan, you know, I was a PA and I was supposed to be helping and blocking and, you know, being treated like shit. Right. And I basically would ask them, I would go, hey, you guys need anything? And they'd go, no, you just stay by Kenan. You know, because they were like kind of messing up stuff on set. So they were afraid to go ask themselves. So that became my job.

However, you were the go between. I was the go between. Yeah. But I would say, hey, do you need anything? They go, no, we're good. And then you just hear them get on the radio like we need chairs. We need this. We need like I just.

And so eventually it became about like, where do I fit in? Right. And then I found editing. I started in there. Just hanging out and getting the hang of it? It was like computers and, you know, like learning all that stuff. The Avid. The Avid, exactly.

Like, before the Final Cut Pros and stuff. And I wish I would have gotten to After Effects. I probably would have stayed there. Oh, really? But I didn't. What is that? What are After Effects? After Effects, like the special effects, it's like Avatar and stuff like there. Oh, really? But I didn't. What is that? What are After Effects? After Effects, like the special effects,

it's like Avatar and stuff like that. Right, right. Or putting explosions in. Yeah, yeah. But, you know, as an editor, you're just in this dark room. That's where I started to get anxiety and, like, getting super depressed. You're in there with one person.

You're just watching him. So you didn't have any of these psychological things before you came out here? Like, in New York, you were cool in college you were cool yeah i never had anxiety like like that i didn't understand what it meant and so what wound up happening so i was an introvert kind of you know growing up and i was shy and nerdy and yeah yeah i mean i had my moments you know but i was i was very i doubted myself a lot yeah um and then and then when i into that, being in the editing room, there was this lady who came to work. Yeah.

And I went from like an apprentice to trying to be assistant editor. Oh, yeah. And they wanted to have somebody to kind of be there, you know, that knew more. Right. So she comes in and for five years, she just was so mean to me. Five years? Yeah, she was there, what was it, five, maybe four hours. And what production, was this?

My Wife and Kids. Uh-huh. And so we would be in the- What's that? My Wife and Kids was a show Damon did on- Okay, so you were working on that TV show. And okay, got it. Yeah, yeah.

And so I'm in this room, and she would come up to me, and we had to have paperwork to bring the posts and all this stuff. And she would come in instead of asking me, she'll just like wave the paper in my face and wait for me to like respond. And so I started coming into this room and immediately felt like at a knife stab me. I'm like, what the hell is wrong with me? And I would go to the doctor maybe two, three times a week and I get to the doctor and I'm fine. And so that's where I kind of established. Like a chest chest pain i was like i felt like i was dying all because of this monster all because of yeah and and the funny thing is no you know everybody felt like i was

being a brat like you can't complain just because your uncle's in this business do you think that's one of the reasons why she was being rude to you that you absolutely she was she would tell me stuff like why why aren't you the assistant editor if you're Wayans? Oh, really? I never said anything about it. Like, what are you, I'm trying to learn.

Yeah. And eventually, I just befriended her and then she became crazy to everyone else and became a good friend of mine at the time. You worked the magic.

Yeah, I just, you know, you see a kid wearing goth um outfits and looking depressed that's the person i would befriend in school just in case yeah because you knew it wasn't easy yeah it wasn't easy and you know you never know them yeah so i i just started to befriend her and then she wound up turning on everybody and like towards the end of the year they were like i'm so sorry and i was like oh because you were telling them oh yeah could you take the knife out of me now so they didn't know because you were getting all of it they thought i was a brat they thought i was being uh yeah so so how what do you

do about the anxiety now uh i mean what'd you do then when you finally realized what it was how long did it take for you to get a diagnosis i don't even think uh i mean that's what the doctor wound up telling me yeah um but you know that that became a time of me like drinking a lot and yeah that was your thing booze booze never really been a pill pop or anything like no blow no i i've always said if i want to do bro for two reasons one if i liked it i know i'm done two i would be so mad to spend was it 30 40 bucks on a ball yeah and it goes away in 20 minutes yeah i would be so when i could buy you got friends right right exactly i would i could go buy a dollar 25 shot and buy 10 of those yeah and be set for a week how well how bad did it get like yeah yeah i mean duis

just you know you sober now uh yeah i'm i relapsed in february uh so are you doing the thing what it was going to meetings and stuff i am kind of kind of i'm very my sponsor just broke up with me not too long ago. Your sponsor broke up with you? Yeah, he broke up with me. He was like, Shante, this is. You're not doing it? What did he say? It was because I was sober for four and a half years, but I used to, I would smoke weed

and I wasn't going to AA's. Was it medical weed? Yeah, of course. Were you one of those people? Diagnosed. Right, right. There's a prescription for it. Yeah, right.

But I literally can't sleep so that was like my thing and they would tell me some people say you could do benadryl and stuff like that and i'd be like why would i it's still an addiction to me yeah because i guess you know it'll make me go to sleep so i'll probably pop that right but it won't alter your consciousness or make your life unmanageable no but that's but that's what I'm trying to figure out because they're like, you know, they told me, you know, you know what weed can lead you? To crack.

And I was like, I've never. Yeah, I don't know about that. I never wanted crack after. Yeah, I mean, crack leads to crack. Right. Right. But I'm in it. I'm working on it.

Yeah. I definitely am getting back into my AAs. Yeah, so you talked about jail on the special. I mean, that was a real thing? Yeah. I mean, one of the best experiences of my life, though, being around chicks. How long were you in jail for?

Like two days. Two days without your lady? Well, I did Atlanta, too, but that was 10 days. In Atlanta? Mm-hmm. Atlanta was a private jail, but you was able to smoke cigarettes in there. So it was still. So, okay.

So you went to jail on a DWI, a DUI? Mm-hmm. So how many DUIs did you get? Oh, Mark, man. Oh, really? I had to wait for another interview. No, I had three. But this was like 10 years, kind of 10 and seven.

It's a while back. Yeah. So the first one you get, you go to jail. First one, I went to jail for like an hour. You didn't hurt anybody, did you? No. Okay. Thank God.

The funny thing, not the funny thing, but the first one, somebody drunk driving hit another car and they flipped over and then spun out of control and hit me i just so happened to be drinking see and and i tried you got caught in the web i got caught they had me sitting down in the fire station and i didn't realize the bathroom didn't have like a door so as we're talking he's asking me questions like could you give me one moment and i go to bathroom you just and then i come back and i'm like, oh, so where were we? He's like, you're getting arrested. That's where we are.

I was like, dang it. Oh, because they heard you? Yeah, it's like right here. It's like me going behind this and just hurling. I destroyed a car drunk, but I didn't get, I got lucky. Yeah, I took a U-turn. I was fighting with a girlfriend and i was shit face and i i was driving i'm like fuck it i'm taking you home and i took a u-turn and i just

smashed into a parked car that was i didn't have the room to make the u-turn it was bad man and all these cops came but someone was robbing someplace else and they all left they were very excited to leave so that's what i'm doing the thing car couldn't fight couldn't drive the car and like out of nowhere another cop pulls up they're robbing the bakery and all these cops like kids are like let's go you okay right right right lucky i should have had somebody call call yeah and a 911 call so so okay so you go to jail and now are you like when you come out here, you're dating women. Everything's good. Yeah, I'm dating women.

I tried to. I was doing Kingdom Hall for a little while, so I tried to. What is that? You don't know what Kingdom Hall is? I don't know anything. Come on, Mark. Jehovah's Witness. I was trying to do that.

Did you grow up with that? My grandfather. My grandfather, my uncle. But was the family Jehovah's Witnesses? Not the whole family. Just some of them? Mm-hmm. See, you were going to do that?

You were going to, no dancing? Oh, listen, no singing, no, no. What the fuck? So, like, this is why, what, because you're drinking too much and you thought maybe I need to do that? I just, you know, when you feel like, you know, your life sometimes. Needs structure. Yeah. And then, you know, having part of my brain grow up in that.

And I've always searched for religion. I got baptized. Really? And the pastor tried to molest me, you know, like, but all these things was happening. I was like, well, maybe I'm just doing something wrong. He tried to molest you and you stopped him? I tried. Molest in the sense where he would just, I was staying at their house.

The pastor's? Yeah. When you were a kid? Yeah, yeah. And he would just very awkwardly make passes. And, you know, touch, but not like my body necessarily. Just let me touch my body, but not like. You felt the creepiness.

It was just. How old were you? It was like 15, 14, 15. Oh, she definitely knew what was going on. Yeah, I mean, it was just, I mean, it was some creepy stuff. Yeah. But, you know, I still felt like. He's not God.

Maybe it wasn't the right religion. You know, maybe I need to go to pescet. I'm just choosing. This religion's not for me. Not that's part of it. I tried to go speak tongues. Did you? I mean, I did. Did you Pentecostal?

I did. Where did you go for that? It was in Jersey. I forget where it was, but. But the rest of your family's sort of like, we're doing this thing. We're not preaching. Yeah, see, the Jehovah's Witness. Oh, so your folks were Jehovah's Witnesses.

Right. So, and you're like, that's not good enough. I got to go. I'm going to go to Jersey to be a pedophile. Yeah, yeah. I didn't even really do the Jehovah's Witness stuff until I moved out here. What happens when you go try to speak tongues? Bro, it's the weirdest.

It's the weirdest. It's like, you know, I don't know if you know how to speak Spanish or something, but it's like somebody just going, Mark, just start speaking. Just start speaking just start speaking no but but yeah but like latin like speak spanish all right yeah yeah speak spanish i can't just yes you can just whatever you feel and that's enough so i'm that's what i was doing and i'm yeah you know maybe it's the pre-comedian in me but i'm just sitting here like what so you went once i went once they they pushed me on the floor yeah uh you know when they do the thing this yeah the best the

best thing about that church was like going and seeing people swim on the floor and stuff right oh yeah crazy that's pretty interesting if i can get to that level yeah but what level is that right but i thought that's like third eye opening i'm like this is some godly thing oh okay so you believed it i i mean you're swimming on the floor how long yeah but you swim on carpet mark yeah but what why would god make you do that it's because it's it's i mean i get the trance state and everything but i mean if you really think like if you pull yourself out for a minute like so these people are closer to God and that's what they're doing. Mark.

Yeah, I'm sorry. Am I being condescending? Not at all. I just, for, you got to understand, me growing up, I thought if you can swim on carpet. Right. It means you're. I mean, backstrokes. Yeah.

But the. Mark. Okay. You got to see. I'm going to show you after this. Okay. You're going to show me some videos of the- No, I'm going to do it.

And I want you to see. I want us to do it together. Can we shoot a video of us trying to swim? Is it going to get me closer to God? I think so. I think so. Just out of the embarrassment? Hopefully you won't drown.

Yeah. I'm not concerned. So, okay. So the Pentecostal thing. Now, what do you think that is, though, man? Like, because I know people have this thing in them. I don't have it in me. My brother has it in me, this search thing, you know, that, you know, like, what is it in your heart that you feel?

That you're lost or that longing or that your life doesn't have meaning or what? Did you find it? I think I've come to an understanding. Yeah. And I believe in some of everything, but I believe we can heighten our conscious to a level where we can actually find peace and heal ourselves and so forth and so on.

So I do believe in the third eye. I do believe in reincarnation. Yeah. I believe in that type of stuff and i think i think one it was like i don't want to disappoint my creator which would kind of be like having parents you don't want to disappoint you do you have that feeling now no i mean now i just have a listen yeah especially you know being an empath and being through the things i've been through in my life yeah the fact that I'm not dead

yet and and you know somebody asked me this the other day like how could you do all this stuff and your career is still going and I'm just like I just feel like this is why I feel like I have to have my stuff together because obviously I have a purpose and a voice right I get that i get that i can you know i just watched some part of a documentary about about this uh this organization the the this jesus organization that's behind you know that sort of serves people in power but the idea is their politics they're it's political and i don't they're not good people but the idea I'm just referring to the chosen thing. Like, you know, once you start doing something, like when you start speaking your truth,

and especially the truth that you're sharing, you know, to the communities that need to hear that stuff, who are, you know, marginalized or feel, you know, hate, you know, gay communities specifically, women, you know, hate, you know, gay communities, specifically women, that you can immediately feel that you're providing a service, you're giving voice to something, you're helping people feel less alone, you're making people feel stronger, you know.

Absolutely. And that's a good feeling. And, you know, it's important, and I think it becomes a responsibility. But the weird thing about these cats was this chosen idea is that they will serve any leader like and try to put jesus you know to put the jesus agenda onto them because they think that anyone who is becomes a leader is chosen by god because why else would they be a leader right so that's why you have these evangelicals who are like okay with trump like he ain't he's not our guy right but apparently god chosen thought that you know he should be doing this it gets a little

crazy there i think that's a misunderstanding no i mean i don't i don't think anybody could talk to god the way you can personally and i think you know it's it's funny because i love like the show the vikings um because i don't know if you ever seen it so it's just like they you know it's about the vikings it's about the vikings but they you know there's these savages quote unquote that go and take different you know lands and stuff but this guy winds up meeting a jewish um uh i forget the religion but he goes and they take over this whole land. A Viking. So like Poland or something?

Yeah, something like that. Where there are Jews? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because I wanted to get 23 and me because I was hoping I had some Viking in me. I was hoping that some, because some of my family comes from Poland and I figured maybe, you know,

the Vikings got Poland. Right, right. Maybe they got a little something. Right. No, but they were super dope and they create, you know, they had sorcery, you know? So it's like the person that they were able to use to ask the gods, should they go do stuff and so on and so on. Well, you'll come to find out that later in the show, the season, Catholics were doing the same thing.

And everything is about you got these costumes. And then you also have somebody who speaks for you or to God. And you got to go through right no yeah it's the same concept which isn't warlocks which isn't more exactly yeah shamans you know but it's different coming from the catholics because so oh man the catholics that's a deep well of darkness there a lot of a lot of mystical bullshit going on there right have you been over there you've been in italy uh no man you go to any church in Italy, it's just filled with dead wizards. You don't even know how many popes there are.

There's pieces of people. There's a Saint so-and-so's finger. It's fucking dark, man. Yeah. It's some witchy shit. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, I like it.

You know, I like it and it moves me. I can feel the vibe. You know, I get it. I get it. But there's still part of me that's sort of like, man, but, you know, like it and it moves me i can feel the vibe you know i get it i get it but there's still part of me that's sort of like but you know i can choose you know not to be part of that magic can't i yeah yeah yeah absolutely so all right so you we're go let's go back because i think this is going to all connect so you get the one dui but wasn't really your fault but then you

you know you got a real one that was my fault yeah you know I was trying to well that's the second one was me trying to text this girl like hey you got off the wrong exit I don't think you're on the way to my house and I swerve very important stuff uh we've been out drinking and I just knew we was gonna have a great night and then because I you know as I'm texting I swerve and then they got me. And then the third one, I actually wound up running. Where's the Atlanta one? The second. Oh, yeah.

So was that the first time you went to jail? No. It was out here. Oh. Because, you know, like, Callie, you get arrested initially. Right. And then they have you go to court, and then they'll probably have you go in, like they give you 30 days or something. Oh, so you go to jail, and then you go to court.

And then you go to jail again. Right. You know. But when you got to jail, you enjoyed the social scene. I mean, I was getting free corn muffins, whatever those were called. You know, girls were trying to make apple jelly pies for me and oh yeah they just loved you it was it was very weird trying to get in my showers braided my hair offering me cigarettes uh for two days two days no that atlanta was worse because atlanta was the

one they was trying to get in the shower with me but you got like but you didn't feel threatened not at all oh really i had like the you know you got the butches and you got the girly girls just offering me extra stuff. Oh, yeah? We was only allowed like one juice and then everything else had to be water and they would sneak me more juice. They really loved you, huh? It was amazing. The cops are the worst part, the deputies. Yeah.

They're the worst ones. Yeah. What do you mean? Because they make it like, you know, you go to jail and if it's cold inside, they're the worst ones yeah what do you mean because they make it like you know you go to jail and if it's cold inside they turn the ac up like they just make you right uncomfortable and you like but she murdered somebody and i just was having too much fun like or even people for a ticket like they put us all in the same category but it's just funny to me that when you it's sort of sad and funny i mean it's like yeah obviously there that when you, it's sort of sad and funny.

I mean, it's like, obviously, there's a social life you have that revolves around parties and bars and stuff. But there's something so raw and immediate about whatever the gay scene is in a prison that for you, you were just a star, right? It's, listen, women know how to finesse their way through life sometimes. And so one of the chicks in Atlanta was very open to a lot of stuff in jail. And then she got out and you'd never heard from her again. I was like, I thought we was together. You know, and now she's with a dude. Now she's getting by.

Yeah. Safety and comfort. All you have to do is not mess with somebody, girl. Yeah. I never walked in and was like, where y'all at? It was just like if you came to me. But I was nice to everybody. Did you develop any lasting friendships or relationships out of your time? You're weak in prison.

No, not to everybody. One girl from my last one. Where was that? She gave me like a code to, it was out here. She gave me a code to call, to use the phone. Because usually you have to wait until you get processed. And she wound up hitting me up on social media and was like, Hey girl, I didn't know you was a comedian.

Here's my number, let's link up, I didn't know you was a comedian. You know, here's my number. Let's look up. Your jail buddy. She was beautiful. And did you look her up? Huh? We're following each other on social media. But when I was in Atlanta, the girl who was giving me extra juice was like, yeah, write to me.

And I was like, cool. And I was like, you know, by the way, what are you in here for? And she's like, arson and robbery. I said, you know what? I don't know if i should give you my address you know because then it becomes about if you find out i'm a wands yeah what's that world right so all right so you didn't give her your not at all so when did when did it sink in that you were fucked up the third one and you know i think we're when did i when did you start comedy i started comedy in 2003 so i was i was drinking a lot during that time um and then so the last time i got sober i met somebody who was like spiritual and she started getting me

into meditation and you know and she wasn't judgmental so i was like spiritual and she started getting me into meditation and you know and she wasn't judgmental so i would get drunk and she wouldn't be mad and yeah so i started going to therapy drunk um and real talk and my uncle told me to uh record my sessions and so i went in i would drink and i would sit there and i would just talk and i realized i would just go shut up like you're complaining about something that has already happened yeah you're blaming people for your life right and it was kind of like a take charge kind of thing and that was what you got out of therapy that's what I got out of therapy this is this is a racket right right listen to me it's like listening you know forgive me ladies but it's like listening to your girl or your wife talk and she's just talking about nothing uh-huh for an hour yeah that

goes for men too right all right thank you Mark thank you for chiming in on it that's a human thing yeah and I imagine they're thinking the same thing sometimes can't win that one but no that I get what you're saying that's a that's a pretty good revelation yeah to have but yeah but you think it was because you were drunk that you've noticed that no i just started to you you know when you feel like things don't work for you you know so it's like if i stop drinking and then i'm waking up every day at two o'clock in the morning staying up till six but then i got a full day and then you know so you're dealing with those things so like i'm used to

drinking i'm used to smoking and being able to go to sleep and wake up and start again oh yeah it's weird so you go through withdrawals you can't sleep you go through withdrawals you can't sleep

fucking worse yeah I got stuff to do and I'm like showing up tired and stuff so she would like I remember her putting headsets on me when I was going to sleep and listen to these meditation

or tone sounds and I would go you know this is not going to work, and wake up the next day fully rested. And so that became like maybe. There's something to it. There's something to it. Well, meditation I can get.

I don't do it, but I like the idea. I'm very close to doing it. You do it now? I do it not as much as I should, but even if you can sit for like two minutes. That's what people keep saying, and I don't know what the hell's wrong with me. I sit and play guitar and get into a trance with it. That's your meditation, though.

It kind of is, right? Yeah, I think it is, but I would like to try the other one. Do you do the TM or anything like that? I do two different. I learned that you can lay down. You can lay down flat because you got your chakras, so you can hold it um in certain places or you could sit up like this that you get comfortable and what worked for me was counting backwards so you count from 100 to zero and uh if you forget where you are you just either start over or start back from the number you remember yeah and that gets your brain

clear it just by the time you get to like 40, you're kind of like, all right, 39. And then you get, you almost just start coming into this peaceful moment at like 10. Oh. And then you just kind of sit with yourself. And then you stay there. And you stay there. As long as you can, though. It's not about.

So 2003, okay, so you're doing comedy. You didn't come out to do that. What made you decide to do it? I started to to other than your weigh-ins i know right no um well it was around me so much um you know and one day i went to a comedy club while working on my wife and kids and i went home that night and kept thinking of two jokes and that you wrote no no the jokes in my head oh yeah and i literally like sat up all night and i started writing them out.

And then I went back to the open mic the next day and then they invited me to the show. But that became the first time I felt like I can speak without somebody telling me to shut up and stuff. That's beautiful. I mean, I sense that about you. Because, I mean, in watching the set that I saw in Tiffany's thing, was that, like, I didn't get into comedy to entertain people. I got into comedy to have my own space and my own place where I could talk my shit, whatever it was. That's the great thing about comedy is that, you know, the only requirement is you get laughs. And when you start out, that's not even expected.

Exactly. So, like, I can own my place. Mm-hmm. Right? Mm-hmm. So that was a feeling right that was a it was it was one of the best highs i ever had in my life you know it's nobody and then and then to go against the grain and then people receive you still no matter what walks of life yeah because

we're a bunch of fucking weirdos we exactly comics are the biggest fucking we're doing it because you don't fit in anywhere else. Right, right. There's this whole generation of comics that somehow, there's some people that have jobs and stuff, and I'm like, what are you doing this for? Right, right, right. We're not capable of functioning in real life. That's why we're doing this.

Hopefully this works out and we can become part of the life that this entitles us to. Right, right. But it's a roll of the dice, man. Well, the crazy thing is I'm actually thinking about hitting Postmates again just to see if I could. Now, Postmates is where you deliver food? Mm-hmm. Well, you could deliver anything they can order from there.

So I've delivered like Apple, like iPhones and. But okay, so that was what you were doing as temp work while you were doing comedy? Mm-hmm. Well, recently, like just last year. I still have the cart. Like every now and again, I'm like, I just wanna make 50 bucks and I'll go. Oh, so it's like Uber, you can just log in and go?

Right. And then you'll get called? Yep, the difference is you don't have to deal with people and that's why I like it. Like no one wants to talk to you, they want their food. Well, it's nice that they have those kind of jobs now, I guess that you can. Definitely. Yeah, I mean, that changed everything.

Like when I was coming up, you just, it was either temp jobs or or whatever i haven't had a fucking job since 1988 right was when i started making money doing stand-up before that i just worked at a coffee place but yeah but this whole other world this whole other economy of being your own boss for you know not big bucks i mean but you can you're slaving for like right so when but you're but you're still working on the show when you start doing comedy right you're still working on damon show or no oh yeah yeah yeah yeah and what how did they respond when you oh my family listen my family when they like are into something they're into it so i was

able sean was the one who kind of sat me down and helped me you know with my writing and stuff like that and so i would be in new york and call them at like three in the morning like yo i did this joke and it didn't work and he's like well how did you say it yeah i'm like i did this and this and you know and he's like okay we'll calm down you know maybe try this and blah blah blah and then they would show up to some of my uh is your uncle sean sean yeah sean but i can call my brother like craig um i could call uh any any one of them that was doing the way in joke hotline exactly and they would they would be so excited to just you know what i mean like like answer and give me notes and they sometimes they would come to my shows and then be in the audience and i

remember trying to do this uh president joke, and I stopped. And they were like, well, what else? Well, what if she goes here? What if she does this? And then, like, that's what they would do. They were like. Right. Give you different options.

In front of an audience. I'm, like, sitting there like. But it was. They would do it in the audience? And they would be in the audience, and I'd be on stage, and I'd be like. And then I'd stop, and then they'd be like, well, what if she had a whole whole This is your family? Yeah.

Sean, I think Kenan was there and my cousin Lil Damon because he just started too. It was amazing. Yeah, it certainly keeps you on your feet. Oh, for sure. And sometimes they'll get a bigger laugh than you. Right, exactly. Come to the next show, I'll do that again.

But what I realize is the level of nervousness is different when you have people around you that you like right or or your friends is it better i think so i think is i used to kick them out of the room i don't want them in the front but i used to do stand up in new york if like a towel was in the back i'm like get out you know i'm tired you don't want to see them you know like these joke wizards i'm like i'm just trying to get through this right right right this is not going to help me with you guys sitting there i appreciate the support but i don't think it's coming from the right place that's right well you know then you get roast like they you know you got to go through that stuff you you well you know you do whatever you got to do to

get like it just used to like for me starting out, starting out, because I was angry and, you know, I wasn't, I've never been, it was a hard sell. I wasn't, you know, I was pretty raw. But I, you know, but I was unique. But when I see the guys that I respected in the room, my brain tells me it's sort of like, you're just looking to see me fail. Right, right, right, right. So you can laugh at my failure, because that's how sick comics are. Like, if someone's bombing, those are the best laughs because they're not even laughs. I used to do a joke about being on stage.

When a joke doesn't work, here's what you hear. Just something like, ah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They can't even laugh. They're so jaded and cynical. It gets stopped here and all they can do is enjoy your fucking struggle. But you get used to that. I mean, it's fine.

But I do that. I think we all do that in some sense. But I noticed like when I, if I go to a show now, sometimes I don't laugh, but I think it's brilliant. Oh yeah, no, of course. And so that's the mind frame I'm coming from. I'm like. We can't laugh anymore at comics.

Yeah, no, it's not even, it's like. I have a couple of times. I'm trying to think, you know, there's some, some people get, get me like it, but it is more of, cause we're part of it. But sometimes you're just like, oh, shit, that's fun. Damn, why did I come up with that? Shit. There's that one, yeah.

So they're showing up in the rooms, and they're helping you out, but your life is still sort of chaotic, right? And you're doing Postmates. So you're kicking around for how? Now, this is your first TV thing, Tiffany Singh. First big thing. For doing stand-up. Yeah, I've done a few,

like I've done While and Now. I've done, I actually just shot something in January on Netflix with AJ and the Queen and RuPaul's show. Oh yeah? With RuPaul. So I've done stuff like that. A lot of it's been stand-up and then I just kind of was like I

Never wanted to do a bunch of stand-up shows because I felt like I was building towards this hour And I like storytelling and like sure I don't want to give those pieces away, and I know yeah I've done stuff on like I did two jokes on wall now now you got people that's like I heard some of these jokes in Netflix and I'm like it's not even the same. What do you want from me? Yeah. But it's not even the same. Like, it's different. I grew.

No, I know. Look, I try to deal with that. Because a lot of times, even on the podcast, when I'm just talking at the beginning, I get ideas. And then I kind of, you work them. Craft them into jokes. Just because you heard the story. Right. It's not the piece.

Right, right. But I don't give, I can't even give a fuck. No, it's so annoying. Anyways. right anyway mark this my clip was two minutes and the girl goes i heard this already yeah but fuck her because like you know and it's just it what all it does the reason why we make a big deal out of it is because we know right and in in our hearts that like you know we we're aware of that yeah so, yeah, yeah. So when someone brings the delight, you're like, I knew it. I'm a fucking idiot. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But like, who cares? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fuck. It just, you know, it just sucks. Can't make people happy? Well, what do you, you can't fill all the content. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, all right, so.

Good. So mad right there. But this was the long one. It's like. Well, I think you like what's, you still seem pretty raw and like in it yeah yeah like it's all very immediate but i also like you know how candid you are in front of a you know a mixed audience and by mixed i mean straight gay you know black whatever but but you know you're sort of owning lesbian lifestyle in with swagger to where you know where a broad audience can kind of accept it even

if it makes them uncomfortable it's who you are and it's like dirty and it's good how long did it take you to get there honestly it took me probably eight years to go you know what I feel like I'm on to something and it was because like you know people are telling me to dress a certain way and maybe I shouldn't do these jokes I remember because, like, you know, people are telling me to dress a certain way. And maybe I shouldn't do these jokes. I remember this agent that came, you know, was with my uncle. We're in Miami. And he, before I get on. Which uncle?

Sean. Yeah. And he pulls me in, you know, outside. And he goes, listen, I think you should, like, chill on the gay jokes. He's a gay agent. Oh. And he's telling me, you know, you should probably stay away from those. I said, you haven't seen my set yet.

So he goes, I'm just telling you so i go on stage and this is in front of you know straight men you know buff men you know people you feel like you might be intimidated in front of me and so on and i pretty much get like a small standing ovation and so i come out back in and he's just like it's like nothing you can say but the audience decides and if i can have i don't care if it's a gangster it's the most conservative person in the room a pastor um i've had these type of people approach me and say man you just you're funny or you made me feel a different way about that lifestyle or yeah i appreciate your honesty. Right. And that was just like, well, screw the network and all these people that just don't believe it.

Right, right. Yeah, because they're nervous for whatever reason. They don't want to take any chances. You know, they can make anybody they want to. So it's like, you should see my compliments and comments right now. It's like, what do you mean there's no audience for this? Yeah, no, it's crazy.

And especially now where everybody sort of carves their own audience. Right. There's no general audience anymore. And everyone's not playing for the same audience. You do what you do and your people will come. And then you just try to hold on to your people. But in terms of like the black community in general, it seems like they're a little harder on gay men. Oh, they're hard on gay in general.

They are. Yeah. It's like, you know, it's church,. Oh, they're hard on gay in general. They are. Yeah. It's like, you know, it's church, like especially in the South. It's church thinking? South. Yeah. You know, that's, it's just like, I mean, it's almost like having a crackhead. We just don't talk about that.

Yeah. You know, we can look and. You can know. You can know. But you know. But if you say anything, it's like. Really? It's just something we don't.

Are you up against that sometimes um i have been you know more i feel like most of it's been because like i've showed up to comedy spots to headline and they got a picture of my hair straight and then you know i come out on stage and i'm like yeah i wasn't expecting this huh we've just got a whole church crowd in the audience but you know you still do. You still do it. I still do it. That's a good feeling, isn't it? Where you're like, this is not your night out, is it?

Listen, and I've had, I remember like kind of almost packing out for the first time in Richmond. Yeah, Virginia? Yep, which in Funnybone. And when the lights came on, half of that audience was gone. Like, you know how you can only see the first two, three rows? And I walking through the crowd before i got on i'm like hey look at me go ahead shante the end of that set it was like where did everybody where did they go you're lucky the lights were so that you couldn't see him leave man that would have been the worst i just i mean i was just ready for the show to be over oh yeah, yeah. You felt it, though. I felt it.

Yeah. You know, I was on stage, like. It's worse. Were you sweating? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hate that sweat. Yeah.

I had it not too long ago. It happened to me again. It starts on the back of your neck. Yeah, it's just, what is that? It's the worst is what it is. And your time slows down. Oh, it's the worst, man. And I, like, because I get, you know, you know, once you get on a roll, like, I haven't had that in years.

And I did a set at the Cellar's new room. And the Cellar is a hard room in New York. It just is. I mean, yeah, it's a great club, but it's not easy. You really got to be on top of your game. And I just kind of swaggered into their new room, and I'm just doing my shit, and the guy before me killed. And I just feel it kind of like, eh. You know, you put the jokes out. And I just felt it on the back before me killed. And I just feel it kind of like, you know, you put the jokes out.

And I just felt it on the back of my neck. I'm like, you got to be fucking kidding me. Yeah, time slowed down. And then your face is just acting like it's okay. Right, right, yeah, yeah. And usually I make light of that, but I only had 15 minutes and I'm like, I'm just going to have to fucking take the hit.

15 minutes. I'm going to take the hit. That's hit. 15 minutes. And take the hit. That's part of the job. It's so hard. Usually I'll just say like, what the fuck is happening? But for some reason I'm like, nope, just take it. Right. And I probably would have been in the audience looking at you like, look at him still going.

That is brave. You know, I'm motivated now. Meanwhile, you got this whole sweat. That was not the vibe I was getting. There wasn't hate or anything. There was just sort of like, eh. Yeah, yeah. It was just passive.

Why did he go up after? Yeah, the funny guy. Yeah. Gosh. Okay, so you sobered up for four and a half years. Mm-hmm. How was that for you? Amazing.

What years were those? So when did you stop? After which? the last one the last dui the last dui was recent all right so that's what got you that was the relapse yeah oh like that the universe works for me very well and it smacks me in the face really quick you get caught pretty good caught really good so from 2003 to whatever, for 10 years, you were just drinking and doing the comedy. Yeah, I was just swollen as all hell.

Is that another word for, what's swollen? Like getting inflamed and fat. Okay. Just, you know, you got. Yeah, bloated. Yeah, bloated, thank you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I just, it's like what's happening, you can't walk,

your joints are going. I felt like all those things, but you know, you could feel your body giving out. What are you drinking all day long? You get up and drink? When I'm bored, it's just like I need to move. I need to work. I need to, you know.

So sometimes like I'll be in a frantic, like if you told me an idea and I was like, oh, I got punch-ups. Like I just need to get it out. I'll be like, Mark, and you'll probably be like, Shante, like just calm down. But that's my energy kind of thing when I get excited. And so a lot of times, like if I'm just in the house or, you know, I'm not doing anything. Sure. I walk to that store. Yeah.

This sounds like it could feed itself. Like it sounds like one of those alcoholic kind of excuses. Like when I'm bored i'll drink how often you're bored a lot all day all day well you know you wake up at seven you're like what are you up for like what am i gonna do between now and noon right it's a lot of time now and i gotta be somewhere at eight you know what am i gonna all day but it just i think more so it's like you start thinking about my brain just goes too much. And so when you start, you know, when it gets back into that.

Beating yourself up? Yeah. Well, you know, just on past mistakes or man, I should have did this. Yeah, the worst. And I don't know why. Like, I know better. Your chest gets tight. Yeah, I just know better.

But then you get that first nip and then you're like, you know what? Who cares? Right. I'm going to put on some video games, some music. Yeah. And then, you know, three nips in, I'm calling people I shouldn't be calling. And you don't make that 8 o'clock appointment. Hey, Tiffany Haddish and Netflix.

Remember when we, it's like, why did you call that person? When did you meet Tiffany? I knew Tiffany for like over 12 years. So I met her out here. When she was just, before she broke? Before she broke. Well before she broke. Yeah.

That's when, you know, I always say this, but Tiffany was just, we had like, we had this relationship of just nobody kind of hated on anybody, you know? So it's like, hey, you got to audition. We should come do the same audition I'm doing or, Oh yeah. Yeah. Just like trying to help. Like I think you could do it.

And there was no, like whoever's going to win, let's win together. Right. You know, that's nice. Yeah. So she's been there for you a long time.

Tiffany's amazing. Yeah. The same person. So now what, what is happening? Like now you headline. Now, now that's what I'm doing. getting back on the road, setting up.

I'm doing a house arrest comedy tour. Who's involved in that? Me. I'm headlining, just taking, you know, the people I can on the road. Why that title, house arrest? Because, one, I'm a homebody very much. I don't really, I like being locked down. Yeah.

But I just figured I'm really big on like if anything ever comes out then i need to put it out myself and so house arrest even though i wasn't on house arrest it was kind of like that's the direction it could have went into right um and so those are the things that i just like to keep uh to kind of just make make me remember where i could have been oh yeah like at all the different i mean I could have been. Oh, yeah, like at all the different turns? I mean, I could have been in jail still right now. Yeah. What happened in the last DUI?

I went for two days. Oh, yeah. But still, you know, they were like smacking down on me. Like if you got another one, you'd be fucked. Oh, I'd be screwed, yeah. But still, it was like, you know, I was actually trying to get the scram bracelet because I knew that would help me not drink.

I couldn't drink for 90 days. It's like anti-abuse. Yeah. The judge was like, I think it would be better for her to go. I think it would hurt more for her to go to jail. And I was out in a day and a half. Yeah. And I was like, no, you don't understand.

I have a problem. I was like showing him. My sponsor wrote a letter. I wrote a letter. I had AA me. I was trying to do the 90-90. 90-90. Yeah.

What are we going to do? How are you going to get this straight, man? I've got to get my life together. Are you going to meet? I do. Do you go to meetings? I just had 20 years, man. You got some sound effects?

What is going on here? I've got my coin in my pocket. Usually a friend gives me a coin, and then I eventually lose it. Right. And I'm like, all right, well, I made it through. I'll carry it for a couple of days right I got my 20 platinum I got 20 I love that that's so dope 20 but you know like I eat my nicotine lozenges I drink my tea all day you know it you know I but that it's not the same but I have that personality but uh yeah I go I went to a meeting the other day, got my cake.

Yes. But I don't go as much as I should. Stay fresh. How do you start swiping? You got to get your head straight, Sean K. I think I was a little hurt from my sponsor breaking up with me. Get another one. They're like kittens.

They're all over the place. You know what I don't like? What? I hate the calling every day for the same stuff. It's like, hey, so how you feeling today i'm good uh yeah but you know but you know what it is it's that like some here's here's looking at me like you sponsor i don't i don't much because it's hard to sponsor because i'm busy and also i'm who i am and then when the phone when it for me because i'm not i'm not big on i'm not great with personal

boundaries so like the thing about that that relationship it really has to be just about booze and not drinking booze not like you know the career thing starts to happen then it's sort of like how are we talking now you know but uh but i talk about it publicly even though it's against the tradition i i don't care but the woman who got me sober used to say the first step is the only one you have to work perfectly so like you know how do you get to understand that you can't do it no matter what and and some of that has to do with the repetition of the shit right so like yeah it's tedious to talk every day or go to a meeting every day and yeah i used to get i was that guy in meetings where i'd be like you all stink i can't fucking stand this shit but you know but But eventually, the habit starts to happen

and you really start to realize that you're one drink away from destroying your life possibly in any number of ways. So in order to get that thing, that powerless thing in there, it takes repetition. You got to brainwash yourself

by doing that shit, even if it stinks. There you go. We just had a meeting. Gosh. Could you sign my card for me, please? I got to do 19 meetings. Yeah, give me the card.

It'll be fine. Hold on. You heard it first, guys. He's signing my, hold on. Let me pull out all this mess. I'm going to be the one to get you in trouble. There you go. There you go.

You want me to sign it? I can't. No, no, no. I just wanted to show you. You got my card. You got in trouble. There you go. There you go. You want me to say it? I can't. No, no, no. I just wanted to show you. You got my card. Your court card. You got your court card. You're getting.

I'm going to. I'm in this DUI program right now where nobody knows what they're talking about. Huh. Like they're teaching us absolutely nothing that they understand. Oh, this is a court ordered DUI program? Yeah, yeah. But it's not a meeting. It's a.

What is it? No, you still got to go to meetings. Right. But you know, one of those people that shows up like the last 15 minutes of meeting just get your car signed, are you? No. Okay. No, no, no.

Because I do know that you go to certain places and some, you know, when I find a good one, I love it. Yeah. You know, but I feel bad to go get it signed. You know what I mean? Or I'll ask. Walk of shame. Anybody with court cards.

And I could always get it signed you know what i mean or i'll walk a shame anybody with court cards and i could always get it signed but when i when i go late i go listen i showed up late it's still okay yeah uh but i don't i try not to right yeah you're not trying to run a hustle you just no i i love the yeah the direction i want it to sink in well can't you integrate it with this uh sort of uh random uh broad spirituality you have absolutely i know right absolutely uh my next life uh when i come down he's gonna be sober be sober yeah you better get sober in this one so the next one you have to do it all again i'm gonna be doing cocaine in the next one like no i said it's gonna take you 10 lifetimes to get sober you're gonna going to take your 100-year chip. Right, I know. It's like, no, you don't understand.

I was here before. Again and again. No, I want it, and I've been in and out, and I definitely understand that. You can get it, man. It's just when you're on the road, go look for them on the road. It gives you something to do, you know what I mean?

But when I go on the road, I used to, it's so funny when you go on the road, and you look up, you're looking for a meeting on the road it gives you something to do you know what i mean but you know i i'm when i go on the road i used to it's so funny when you go on the road and you look up you're looking for a meeting on the road you always end up at the weirdest wrongest meetings one time i was on the road and i found a meeting that was near where i was staying i walked over there and it was just me and another guy and he had just gotten out of the program and i'm like i guess i guess this meeting's not happening anymore and i'm like well there's two of us so let's do it let's do the thing then you guys are signing each other's cards yeah i didn't i didn't have a card yeah but i would have signed his card but i've been to some weird ones but it's like it gives you the you know if you can find it interesting like that and you're getting into new parts of town and stuff it gives you the incentive yeah to go check

it out there was there was one dope like i went to go visit my mom and i wanted to into new parts of town and stuff, it gives you the incentive to go check it out. There was one dope, like I went to go visit my mom and I wanted to drink. In New York? No, she's in North Carolina. And I go down there and I find a meeting and I find stuff that is complete, like it feels like it's against everything I look like, like it's always at a church,

but it's always like, you know, for me, you hear stories about like South Carolina and stuff like that. So like walking into a room full of white people that's older and right. You know, duis she was like i have five and you're like she's like i can never drive again but just this old white lady who's like connecting with me and i was like this is why this that's the beauty of it because i was judging yep and you know in the yeah and addiction and alcoholism and all that shit doesn't it knows no color lines no it's not at all it's a human sickness are you in a relationship now uh no single are you having fun no you can't you can't be in a relationship after a netflix special no oh really is that how that works yeah you gotta wait it out like saying that yeah no i'm actually like you know i'm dating um it's somebody i like but i also feel like uh because i'm not

already in the relationship yeah that uh it might be a little scary. Because, you know, you have to put in time and stuff like that before. Their needs and whatnot. Yeah. You know, all that stuff. But I'm going to New York soon. I'll be gone for a while. So I'm just a little scared to start hearing.

I'm like, what about me? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I think it's great. I think you're great. And I'm glad you're alive. Thank you. And now, you know. I'm glad you had me before I get to Tiffany's level. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I should have. I have a feeling that if I get you after that, the stories are going to get even. No, I think it's all going to get better from here. Yeah, for sure. I don't want to project in badness. No, I'll be fine. Yeah.

I know I will. And with the uncles and stuff are they they're excited about the special and everything they have they they saw it um they all love it you know my uncle told me he said you represented which one damon because you represented us well you represented your lifestyle and he's just like i'm proud of you and and that meant the world because you know everybody looks up to damon the most in the stand-up part of the family. Yeah, he was something, man. Well, good luck with everything. Thank you so much.

Take care. Thank you, you too. Well, there you go. There's an interesting point of view, interesting family. Shantae is part of the netflix comedy special tiffany haddish presents they ready and now i got my phase shifter out i got my earthquaker grand orbiter out yeah and the stratocaster here we go Thank you. Boomer lives. It's hockey season, and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. Well, almost, almost anything.

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