Fuld transskription af The Man Behind Def Comedy Jam Tells All | What's Funny Today S3E1

one, super respected across the board from what he does on stage and makes this podcast what it is. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:22.399 So give it up to Sean Morgan. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:31.680 Next, the homie here needs no introduction. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:34.959 Um, he is on big screens, little screens. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:39.839 Um, everywhere, if you are alive, you are seeing this man put out his greatness. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:43.120 Uh, him and I go back to 2006 when we met. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:47.920 We had a great partnership for about seven or eight years when he was in the Chicago. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:48.879 We launched him. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:52.959 He went to New York, LA, and the rest is history, and he's still doing amazing things. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:56.000 If you did not check out, unfortunately you've missed it. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:58.160 But we've had two screenings during the festival. 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:01.839 One for a movie he has that is out now called Code 3. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:03.519 Make sure you all go check that out. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:17.600 And then also, uh, we just did yesterday screening of a new movie that he has and the executive produced called Um Unexpected Christmas, which is an amazing, soul foolish type um movie that you all will enjoy. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:18.879 So make sure you check that out. 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:20.959 Give it up for my brother Lil'Reen. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:40.720 And last but not least, the reason that this worked out is that uh each year in the festival, the What's Funny Comedy Festival, we like to honor an icon in comedy, and it really gets no bigger than my man, right? 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:44.319 Like this goes back, didn't even have any idea who Bob Sumner was. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:46.720 I knew Russell Simmons, but I didn't know Bob, right? 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:55.120 But I'm in high school, and me and my guys, every night, we're tuning in to HBO to see something that this man has created. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:06:07.839 So when you talk about a full circle moment and being able to honor somebody who impacted us all, because it's not any of us who didn't watch Def Comedy Jam and all of the folks that we know today kind of came through this man's eyes. 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.399 And so super excited to talk with him today. 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:12.879 Give it up one more time for Bob Sumner. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:20.399 I love that. 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:21.759 Love it, love it, love it. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:29.360 So, Bob, I'm sure has a lot to share, but before we get into that, uh Rail, I want to throw it to you. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:34.000 You've you've been in the comedy game for 25 years. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:41.920 Give us your thoughts about Bob and just how he's actually impacted the culture when it comes to black comedy. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:44.879 Yeah, I mean, you know what's interesting. 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:57.600 You when you think about how like the internet and everything exists now, where you go see people on YouTube or Instagram and all that stuff, it was people like him that actually had to go to the clubs to see the comics. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:11.040 And when you think about at that time, you know, and he'll tell you more about this, but you're talking about like places like the Cotton Club in Chicago, that's downtown that Bernie was at, and uh the Peppermint, which is so crazy that all these things had these candy names. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:17.759 Uh but the Peppermint in New Jersey, and he's like you had to go to these places to find the comics. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:24.399 And if you think about it too, like it wasn't clubs like jokes and notes and all, none of that stuff existed for black comics yet. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:29.040 So it was just these spots, and he had to go find these comics like around the country. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:42.480 It was kind of like it's weird because it's it's like it's almost like when you watch those like movies like about Motown and stuff like that, and like they had to find an act, but people came to Motown, they just start singing in front of Barry Gordy in front of them. 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:44.959 Like, I gotta ask you that, Bob. 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:46.879 Was it did that in the beginning, was it like that? 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:49.839 Was it comics just running up and you just start telling jokes? 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:51.680 Cause they knew who you was. 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:57.360 Can I first say what I was getting ready to say? 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:00.240 He was thinking about the whole time, too. 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:01.199 I just see it. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.519 You gave him this intro, he was just like, Bob ain't heard nothing we said. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:09.120 I heard every, can them, can we cuss? 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:12.000 Yeah, we want to I heard every motherfucking thing. 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:21.199 Nah, but seriously, um I just I just wanted to say, we're gonna get into that for real. 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:37.600 And see, what I have to do right now is because it's been such a ride, I'm gonna take you all the way to the beginning, you know, of it, so you can understand how it all went down. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:55.279 But before all of that, I just want to thank y'all again for having me here because when knowledge called and asked me to come through here, you know, we looked at the dates and everything and I saw what would work for me. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:55.919 Okay. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:10.720 But in the meantime, last Monday at 8 o'clock in the morning, I received a phone call that my best friend from kindergarten played in the same backcourt in high school, right? 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:13.600 We're best friends, passed away. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:20.559 And I'm trying to figure out how I can get to Chicago and get back for the home.

00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:22.960 My whole thing was when is the home going? 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:25.039 Because I knew I had to be here. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:34.399 And God has put me in a place where I'm out of here on the 18th and the home going is on Saturday. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:38.320 So, you know, just keep me in your prayers, man. 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:38.639 Absolutely. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:46.480 Because this is like my best, like, you know, that God that you grew up with and y'all did everything, yeah, it's like that. 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:51.759 So y'all have me here helping me get through this. 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:53.759 And I just applaud y'all for that. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:00.159 Now, let me take it there. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:01.519 Yeah, if you don't mind. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:02.240 Let's do it. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:02.960 Okay. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:06.080 This is real talk. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:08.080 This is real talk. 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:28.480 I get a job, and this is just a little bit of the whole how Def Comedy Jam came about, and it's some things prior to that, because when so many people talk about the peppermint, it was a couple other spots before the peppermint. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:45.360 The peppermint was the place that became popular because the second week of the uh after the Def Comedy Jam premiere, I left a place called Club 88 in East Orange, and I went to the peppermint. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:47.600 And it's a whole story to that. 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:50.320 That was af that was after Def Jam came out? 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:54.720 The peppermint was like The Peppermint was the week after Def Jam came out. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:59.039 So the week after the it was Def Popping that No, it wasn't that popping. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:10:59.919 I'm gonna tell you the story. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:00.960 Okay, I'm asking. 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:02.000 This is a conversation. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:06.720 It wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't that that the peppermint was popping at all. 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:21.600 The peppermint was a place, because I graduated from Seton Hall University, and the peppermint wasn't far from there, and that was a place where our parents and stuff used to hang out, or they might have a Mother's Day show with Bobby Warmack or somebody. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:22.080 Oh, wow. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:23.039 You know what I'm saying? 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:25.200 So it was one of those type spots. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:29.759 But because I was on the radio in college, I used to come over there and do some things. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:32.320 So that's how I ended up at the peppermint. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:36.639 But I actually was at Club 88 with Bill Bellamy. 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:37.440 That's what I'm about to say. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:43.600 But before Club 88 and Bill Bellamy, we were at another place. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:45.840 I was at a place called

Terminal D. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:54.240 That's where it all started, and I was the DJ there playing at the comedy show, and that's how I put Kid Capri on on Def Con. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:57.440 Wait, you was the you was the DJ at the comedy show. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:01.600 I was the DJ, it was my comedy show, and I had records because I was on the radio. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:04.159 Like I had I was a DJ before any of this. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:05.679 You know what I'm saying? 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:12.399 So a whole lot happened, but so it was a lot of it was a lot going on before all of that. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:24.879 However, in in 1989, okay, 1989, around that time, I got a job at Def Jam Records. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:30.080 Okay, I'm working as assistant to the president at the record company, right? 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:37.440 But I'm still in 1985, 86, 87, that's when I started doing this comedy thing, right? 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:45.759 And then in 19, I guess it was 1988, Bill Bellamy had just graduated from Rutgers and he came down to Terminal D. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:51.600 And a lot of the uptown comedy club comedians, they all used to come there and do comedy and stuff. 00:12:51.840 --> 00:13:00.000 And it was a time where, like, when we first started, like Shaquille O'Neal's uncles and everybody, they was all North Police, they all used to hang in there. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:05.039 And the place went from six people to standing room only on Tuesday nights. 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:09.759 And then you know how the club owners start feeling like they the ones that didn't shit, right? 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:11.600 I'm dead and serious. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:23.679 They started acting like that, and I saw the writing on the wall, I started paying attention to all of the young comedians, and anybody knew me as a DJ, even at this one club, I used to make cassettes for the manager. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:27.919 So I used to come see them a lot, and they knew I was packing this joint down here. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:29.600 And I said, you know what? 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:34.399 I'ma just leave here and show them that I did this shit, right? 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:36.240 And I looked at all these comedians. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:41.679 Bill Bellamy had just graduated from Ruckets, and I said, You, I'm taking you with me. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:47.519 And I made him the host because he needed a place to, you know, become whatever he became. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:49.840 So that's where we started rocking out. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:54.240 But at the same time, I wasn't even thinking about deaf comedy jam. 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:56.320 I was just working for the record company. 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:56.879 Right? 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:12.399 And then all of a sudden, Stan Lathan and Russell started talking about they were gonna do some TV projects, and Stan took a liking to me after they had tried some other things, and that's when I started building the Deaf Comedy Jam brand. 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:22.639 Okay, but while all of that was going on, there were different comedians that would come perform, you know, at the clubs that I was doing on the underground. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:28.240 And one day there was a duo named Arsenal and Mitchell. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:35.120 Okay, and and and Mitchell's son actually is a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts now, right? 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:39.600 But but Mitchell and them, they were like my guys. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:50.000 So I got a phone call from them because they had a young lady who wanted to come play my room in Jersey in New York. 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:50.960 I was doing rooms. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:52.639 Her name was Adele Givens. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:55.679 Okay, I had never, you know, didn't know Adele. 00:14:55.840 --> 00:15:09.279 And it was crazy because Adele came, I I had was driving a little Toyota Corolla, I'll never forget, and I picked her up at the Port Authority, right, in New York, and she had a big ass trunk. 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:11.279 I'm like, how long are you planning on staying? 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:15.120 First of all, let me see if I can fit this in this fucking Toyota, right? 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:20.879 And you know, she came to the uh and she was killing the game, right? 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:31.440 So now in the meantime, I get a uh uh a call from Russell that they are interested in doing uh a comedy show, right? 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:36.720 And stand, they're interested in doing a comedy show, and they already know I'm doing this underground thing at Club 88. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:40.480 So I started having people come through there and looking at people. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:46.159 I kind of had an idea what I was gonna do, but it couldn't just be a New York, New Jersey type thing. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:48.960 We was gonna make this thing national, okay? 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.039 Where's the best place to start? 00:15:51.279 --> 00:16:00.639 Let me call it down and let me see if it's somebody in Chicago I need to who can help me do a showcase in Chicago. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:03.360 She said she had a friend named Bernie. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:05.919 I called her friend. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:11.759 Talking to Bernie, Bernie said he's at a place called Spices at the time. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:12.159 Yeah. 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:12.720 Okay. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:27.039 So he's at Spices, and this is where it gets really good because, and Bernie actually, in his in his first book, I didn't even know he had talked about this this particular time, but this is what happened. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:35.360 Um, so I call Bernie and I told Bernie that I'm getting ready to do this new show. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:36.879 I don't even know what the name of it is. 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:39.759 Now you see everywhere you turn around, it's a comedy

jam. 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.120 Everything's a comedy jam. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:43.039 We'll talk about that too. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:43.600 All right. 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:46.320 I should have got a license on that, right? 00:16:46.720 --> 00:17:11.119 But anyway, um, so I I tell I tell Bernie that I we're getting ready to do this show, and I already have you know New York and everything on lock, but I want to like move around and I identified Chicago, uh, DC, Atlanta, and a couple other Miami might have been a city, and of course the Comedy Act Theater in LA. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:15.440 So Bernie said he could put something together for me. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:23.200 I said, cool, but I need to go to Atlanta to work at this convention for Def Jam called Jack the Rapper. 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:26.319 There used to be a convention called Jack the Rapper. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.319 So Bernie says to me, he says, I'm gonna be in Atlanta, right? 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:30.960 I said, where? 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:33.039 He said, the Comedy Act Theater. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:36.000 I'm like, I thought the Comedy Act Theater was in LA. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:39.440 He said, no, they have one in Atlanta as well. 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:47.359 So I said, cool, so when I'm finished doing my work for Def Jam, I'm gonna um come over to the theater and meet you. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:49.440 This, that, and the other, right? 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:50.720 Yo. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:57.680 Now we ain't have cell phones at the time, but I could not wait to get on that hotel phone. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:01.599 I didn't give a fuck how high the bill was gonna be. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:04.960 I needed to call Bill Bellamy, okay? 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:10.079 Because I had just witnessed the funniest person I ever saw. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:12.160 His name was Bernie Mack. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:12.799 Okay. 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:16.559 No, this is this is real talk. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.400 This is real talk. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:25.440 I I said, wow, I said, Bill, we're off to the races, bruh. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.000 He was I said, Bill, wait till you see this dude. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:28.480 Okay? 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:34.400 So to make a long story short, now I'm setting up the first showcase with Bernie. 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:35.119 All right? 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:43.599 And I had to laugh when I was coming out here today and I got on Michigan Ave and we rode past the Congress Hotel, okay? 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:47.519 Because I never forget when they picked me up. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:56.880 Bill, I mean, Bernie was with uh uh his guy was driving, and they was driving in the same Toyota Corolla I had. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:59.279 The same one that I picked the Dell. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:09.200 I had they had one just like and Bernie wanted before they took me to the hotel because they had just uh was watching the

uh the bears was hot at that time. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:11.839 This is 1991, okay? 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:16.079 And they was watching the game, then they came, you know, to pick me up and everything. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:21.599 And Bernie wanted to stop and get um uh some Miller genuine draft. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:22.960 I'll never forget this, right? 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:25.039 Before they take me to the hotel. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:27.519 So I ride past the hotel. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:44.400 I ride past the hotel today, and I just laughed because what happened was when they dropped me off at the hotel and it was on Michigan Ave, and Lake Michigan is across the street, and I'm like, damn, this is my first time in Chicago, right? 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:49.359 I said, I can't wait to open up my window and just look out there, right? 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:54.720 Bernie and Joe uh Bernie hadn't pulled off yet, right? 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:56.720 I called, right? 00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.039 Come get me. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:03.119 Because I'm not staying in this room. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:06.559 I pulled the blinds back, it was a brick wall. 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:09.119 It was a brick wall. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:11.839 I mean, it was like, yo, y'all don't even know how I roll. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.519 I'm from Death Jam, yo, we do it. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:14.640 You know what I mean? 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:15.839 It's like crazy. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:20.480 So they came back and picked me up and took me to the Intercontinental, right? 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:21.440 That was so cool. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:26.640 Then when we get the spices and we get ready to do this thing with Evan Lionel, Ron Baker Jr. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:27.839 That's what I was about to ask. 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:28.559 Who was on that list? 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:30.960 I'm telling you, it's it's these dudes, right? 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:35.519 But there was the guy who was drop uh with Bernie, right? 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:44.799 He um was doing the taping for me and everything, and they put me, I didn't really know Bernie, but they put me in this booth, right, by myself. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:50.160 And then some lady came in and Bernie and us asked me, could the lady sit here? 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:57.759 And when she looked at me and I looked at her, right, she said, Bob, I said, Phyllis, it was Phyllis Hyman. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.000 Wow, it was Phyllis. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.920 I knew Phyllis from my seating hall days from the black student union and the radio. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:05.359 I used to do shows and stuff. 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:10.720 So Phyllis and I sat there at the first Deaf Comedy Jam audition ever. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:11.599 Okay? 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:23.200 And the guy who kept the um was doing the camera and stuff for me, the next time, because Def Jam had done so well, I get a call from Ray Lambert, right? 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:31.759 And they want to open up a comedy club and using the Deaf Comedy Jam comedians and stuff, and they open up this place called All Jokes Aside. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:34.240 Okay, that's when this place happened. 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:44.559 But at the same time, now they haven't, because I'm traveling the country, I'm coming back to, I don't have to go to Spices now, I could go to All Jokes Aside, right? 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:50.640 I get to All Jokes Aside, and the dude that was taping is the host. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:53.039 I'm like, you never said you was a comedian. 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:54.720 It was George Wilbur. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:00.880 I mean, so I sh I put him on the next season of Immediately. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.759 You know what I'm saying? 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:04.240 But George could have been on that first season. 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:06.799 The one take me out to the ball game and all that. 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:07.519 Yeah. 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:12.799 But that's why I say Def Comedy Jam was built in Chicago. 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:13.680 You heard me? 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:16.000 And my and then. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:27.920 And just to add a little bit more to it, the first tour show that we ever had was at the Chicago Theater. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:32.960 And that's when I we we we we found out who Bishop Don Juan was. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:45.839 I can't make this up, but one last thing before, since I'm there, and we'll continue this, but now I have the show, and Bernie's hosting, and Adele's on the show. 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:47.680 It's cold as hell out there, right? 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:54.160 But the show's about to start, and we're on that side, you know, that side door at the Chicago Theater backstage door. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:59.119 Bill Bellamy and I are standing there, and this is our first tour show ever, right? 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:04.000 And the door opens up, and this big dude walks in, right? 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:06.720 And you know, everybody happy to see him. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:08.480 It was Richard Dent, right? 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:10.079 So we're like tripping. 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:11.839 This is Richard Dent, right? 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:14.480 So somebody else is coming behind Dent. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:17.920 This dude was playing baseball for the White Sox. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:19.440 It was Bo Jackson. 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:23.519 Like, and I'm looking like, what the hell is going on here? 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:26.160 It's like a Forrest Gump moment, you know? 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:27.759 So that happened. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:31.599 So Bill and I is like looking at this, going, This is deep. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:35.119 So then this other dude comes in, right? 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:39.839 And he has on some black slacks and this dope ass blazer, right? 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:44.559 And then he pats

Bill on the back and he goes, What's going on, Bill? 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:45.039 Right? 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:46.079 Bill looked at me. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:50.559 Now, this is Bill Bellamy now, who done now been on MTV later on. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:56.160 But at this time, Bill wasn't really used to whatever gigs we was doing in Jersey and shit, right? 00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:03.359 Bill Bellamy looked at me and Bill said, Bob, Michael Jordan knows my name. 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:06.319 I can't make this up. 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:10.720 So those were some of the that was that was the beginning of Chicago for me. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:11.920 Can I ask you something? 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:15.519 Because that's it's it's actually a couple questions with that too. 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:20.079 Because Def Jam, the format of it, right? 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:32.400 The way the crowd was set up with that audience, you know, so close and the way that stage was, like, was that more or less because that's the spot y'all use, or was that something y'all really like did intentionally? 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:34.640 That was the incredible Stan Lathan. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:37.119 Stan Lathan had been in the game. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:38.880 Give it up for Stan. 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:47.279 Stan, Stan had been in the game, you know, and he knew what to do, how to do it. 00:24:47.519 --> 00:25:01.279 And the crazy part about this, this is how dope Def Comedy Jam was then, and still remnants of Def Comedy Jam is still happening. 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:08.559 And how it's really happening is all them damn Emmy Awards that David and Stan done won. 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:14.079 You know, that's how Dave Chappelle met Stan at Def Comedy Jam. 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:23.279 And when Dave was doing his first um special, of course, he was gonna bring Stan on, and they have made beautiful music. 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:24.400 Yeah. 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.200 Wow. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:29.119 Because you know, because like that, it was so personal, right? 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:39.599 And I need you to do this with me too, because I guess not rumor has it, but when you when y'all first was developing Def Jam, it was Robin Harris was supposed to host, correct? 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.079 That was that was wishful thinking. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:51.920 Because when we were first starting to put Deaf Comedy Jam together, nobody knew nothing from nothing. 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:52.960 You know? 00:25:53.359 --> 00:26:09.279 But at the same time, if we were gonna do a show, at that time, Robin is who we had in mind, but we were still a long way from that, and then Bay AKids came out, and then Robin was gone. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.319 You know what I mean? 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:20.960 And the crazy part about that is that was during the same time that House Party was was was popping, you know, all during that time. 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:24.720 And those guys had a tribute to Robin. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:37.839 They had a tribute to Robin, and you had the um in Living Color comedians and all those guys, they were the ones popping at the time, and they had this other guy on the bill named Martin Lawrence. 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:39.119 You know what I mean? 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:52.400 And that's when I saw this, and I hit Russell and Stan, and they checked with Eddie and Arsenio, and and Martin and um uh HBO was looking to do something with Martin because he only had a special. 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:53.440 He had a half-hour special. 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:54.400 Wait, okay, okay. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:56.079 So let's go back to that for a second. 00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:56.960 Come on now. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:57.839 Now my bad. 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:02.079 But it's so you was at a show, they had all the Olympic color people out there basically. 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:08.559 And Martin was like just like the He was he was one of the yeah, but he was he's but he was he wasn't he wasn't where they were at, right? 00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:09.759 And he fit what we do. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:11.440 That's why I was able to do it. 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:25.599 That's why when you look at Def Comedy Jam and you look at all those superstars now from the Kings of Comedy, Queens of Comedy, the Chris Tuckers and all that, I saw something in them that nobody saw. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:34.079 You know, and that's what made, that's why, like right now, I could do, I traveled, some of these, I was in Chicago already after the pandemic. 00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:42.240 I got a list right now that if somebody called me and say they want to do a new version, and I'm not talking about social medias. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:55.440 I'm not talking about, I'm talking about guys that's been in the rooms trying to do, and then you also have, you also have comedians who are vets now that wasn't vets then, like Michael Collin and J. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:28:09.680 Anthony Brown and even Bernie, them guys was already kind of established, and that's why they kind of stood out, you know, and now you have the same thing with the the Tony Tones and the JJ Williamsons and the Tommy Chungs. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:22.079 Them dudes was youngins then, but they still funny as hell now, but nobody really knows who they are because everybody got caught up in to just who they see on TV, who was on Friday movies and all that stuff. 00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:23.599 Let me let me jump on this box. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:24.319 Come on. 00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:26.720 Because this is uh this is a conversation I want to get into. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:28.079 I want to toss it over to Sean. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:30.240 So you guys are talking about platforms, right? 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:32.559 That's what Rail and I are trying to do at the festival. 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:34.160 You all did with Def Jam. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:36.240

For comedians, like that, right? 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:44.960 Have been in the game 20 years, 25 years, that maybe came on the tail-in of deaf jam, tail end of comic view, like platforms. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:53.839 Sean, talk a little bit about the platforms that are available today and how you navigate that as someone who's been in the game for 25 years. 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:57.119 You have the comedic chops, right? 00:28:57.200 --> 00:29:01.359 Um, you're respected across the country, but there are no deaf jams, right? 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:02.559 There are no comic views. 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:04.480 How do you navigate that world? 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:11.519 Um, it's it's tough, you know, uh, because it you it you uh Bob just nailed it. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:16.480 Uh it's become uh more of a popularity contest than actual talent. 00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:26.640 Like I'm used to uh jokes and notes where they didn't have anybody on the flyer and it was crowded every week because they just trusted that Mary was gonna have funny people there. 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:29.680 And so now you you have it up for that. 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:41.440 You have these comedy clubs that are basically just reaching, you know, for the for the easy money instead of you know uh the more talented people that's out here. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:52.640 So it kind of put uh people like me, uh Ray Lepowski for lack of, you know, and it that's my friend, so I don't know how everybody feels about him, but uh he's my friend. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:59.200 But it put people like me, him, Tyler Craig, Marcus Combs, it put us in this weird vortex, right? 00:29:59.359 --> 00:30:02.079 Because we was too young for Def Jam. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:12.079 I remember when I when I said I want to be a comedian, I just turned 21, and all jokes aside, and and Jasmine's was what was cracking back then. 00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:13.759 Uh, they had just closed. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:25.279 So by the grace of God, uh through Sidney McCurdy, uh Bob Tina, uh Ricky Hughes, like they've they seen something in me and they put me on on certain things. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:30.400 Um, so that helped because it established a foundation. 00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:41.440 So even though I'm not a household name amongst people, the Bobs and the Rails and the Kevin Hart's, like they all still know who I am. 00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:45.680 So that's how I'm able to exist because I'm still in a room with those people. 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:56.640 Now, if that changes, like if by you know, not saying nothing negative, but if Kevin Hart and all of them fall off and I gotta depend on the Bubba Dub, I'm fucked. 00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:01.200 No, none of them niggas know who I am. 00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:06.559 So I'm just happy that that the Mike Epps and all these people still are around. 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:14.079 And hopefully uh we Bob, somebody comes along and revamped something. 00:31:14.160 -->

00:31:23.680 Uh maybe Bob will agree with this, uh, but I feel like the reason that Def Jam was magical, I feel like I'm gonna end it. 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:24.799 It's quick. 00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:31.680 Um I feel like the reason Def Jam was magical was because it was unknown people with hunger. 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:34.000 And that hunger showed in their sets. 00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:34.799 You know what I mean? 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:40.799 It wasn't coming back with Dev, uh I mean not Def Jam, but Comic View and you know, some more hosting. 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:45.680 I love some more, but she touring, so she's not gonna give you her tour jokes for this sitcom. 00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:55.279 So I think that if we go back to that basic, that we won't have to navigate because the comedy circuit can resurge with with hunger. 00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:56.319 Does that make sense? 00:31:56.559 --> 00:32:00.720 Yeah, I want to toss a premise out that you've had and said on podcast. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:02.640 Sean says a lot of shit on the podcast. 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:07.519 So I agree with a lot of it, but it's it's a good perspective. 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:09.519 I'd love to hear Bob and Rail. 00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:22.480 Um so Sean has a premise that nobody, and if I'm wrong, correct me if I say it wrong, nobody has made it off of stand-up in how many years? 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.759 No comedian. 00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:24.880 Or restate it. 00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:31.279 Well, no comedian has made it off comedy since the Death Jam and Comic View era. 00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:32.559 Like right at the end. 00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:35.599 When they start having Bruce Spruce dance, that's when that shit was over. 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:44.480 Let me, let me, can I, can I so Arvin Mitchell will probably be the last star from that era. 00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:50.799 Let me address, let me, let me address something, and and I I have to be clear about this. 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:52.799 And I just finished saying that. 00:32:52.880 --> 00:33:00.000 I traveled around the country right after the pandemic because I listened to JB Smooth on Shannon's show. 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:10.400 I listened to Chris Tucker on TI's podcast, and they were all talking about can they get back to them golden years of what Def Jam did? 00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:14.000 The truth of the matter is it was a formula. 00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:16.319 Like I said, I traveled the country. 00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:19.119 I didn't go to just Hollywood in New York. 00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:23.039 I brought Hollywood in New York to Milwaukee. 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:26.880 I brought it to Birmingham, and I saw Roy Wood Jr. 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:27.759 You know what I mean? 00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:29.440 I saw Ricky Smiley. 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:30.240 You dig? 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:40.799 And the thing is, all of the comedians that really made it off of Comic View were all hosts who you first saw on Def Comedy Jam. 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:41.519 You dig? 00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:44.319 And I'm gonna be straight up with you. 00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:46.160 And I'm gonna be straight up with you. 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:55.200 All those comedians that used to be on Comic View every night, okay, because you got five nights with all these comedians. 00:33:55.440 --> 00:33:57.440 How could you have a show full of quality? 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:17.440 Now they're making you laugh and giggle and all that, but I'm telling you, on Monday and Tuesday after Def Jam aired on on um on Friday and Saturday, from Monica Swan to Alexa Fogle to Robbie Reed to Kim Coleman, they were all calling me. 00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:20.079 That's how Chris Tucker got the Friday. 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:26.079 It wasn't through a casting, it was these people sitting here watching quality performances. 00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:28.000 And I'm prepared to do it again. 00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:39.280 And like I said, with the vets who are now vets who were youngins then, along with it's some fresh talent out here, right here in Chicago, that already know. 00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:48.079 I saw, I saw a guy who's older now, but I had never seen him a day in my life, and he was a clean comedian here. 00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:53.679 And when I talk about, I said, I can't wait to find a place for him, and I hope nobody hates on it. 00:34:53.760 --> 00:34:59.920 But this dude named Stefan Rackett or something, Steph Farackett, that that cat is funny as hell. 00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:05.440 But nobody really, nobody really knows who he is, and it's other comedians too. 00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:16.400 But I'm not saying like Comic View was cool for me because there is comedians that I didn't have a place for on because I'm trying to find stars, not just funny people. 00:35:16.559 --> 00:35:28.960 And the other part, and this is very important in terms of how I work, and excuse me for this, but I don't care how talented you are, your character is very, very important. 00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:38.320 Because, because, because when I'm doing the production, we have craft services, we have wardrobe, we have makeup. 00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:44.320 And I can't have your ass driving my staff crazy and they don't want to work all day again. 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:45.199 You know what I mean? 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:50.000 So just don't think that it's all about you and your talent. 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:52.559 You gotta look at everything that comes with it. 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:53.360 Cool? 00:35:53.679 --> 00:35:54.400 Thanks. 00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:57.519 So I love that, Bob. 00:35:57.679 --> 00:35:58.559 Appreciate that insight. 00:35:58.719 --> 00:35:59.199 Real. 00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:01.760 Um, how do you respond to that? 00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:05.039 So you're someone who made it after the era. 00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:17.039 Um kind of kind of give some insight into your journey for those that

don't know how you got to the level you got to out of these Chicago comedy clubs and Chicago streets. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:28.719 Well, that's why I like too, and I it's tough, Sean, because I understand what you're saying too about people blowing up from comedy, but like that's what I did. 00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:33.599 Okay, you do know this show is a no-cap zone. 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:37.599 No, but no, but let me let me let me let me finish what I'm saying. 00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:45.039 The reason why I'm saying I'm actually this interesting because it's funny that even with me saying that and you sitting here, we we all work in the same circuit. 00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:47.760 Sometimes we get too familiar with people, right? 00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:53.760 You started with me, you saw me broke as hell, living in Harvey, that's all you think about, right? 00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:57.119 You don't realize we all did the same shit. 00:36:57.679 --> 00:37:04.719 Now, the difference was, and this is where I want all y'all to hear this, you got to learn the fucking business. 00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:06.800 The business. 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:14.239 That is one thing every podcast, everything we hear people talk about all the time, either they talk about you sold out or did some crazy shit. 00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:16.480 Some of us just do really good business. 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:21.840 And it's because of people like Mary Lindsay, who I love to death, because Mary taught me business. 00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:24.000 She taught me how to run a fucking night. 00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:30.000 Because to be honest with you, I like I hear like a it's weird because I think something's come back in this rotation, right? 00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:33.599 The reason why we started this festival, you know, and knowledge will tell you this. 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:40.880 When him, me and him talked about this in LA, what is it over a year ago, almost now, two years ago, and he brought this up to me, and it was just kind of like showcases, really. 00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:42.800 And I was like, fuck that, let's do a real festival. 00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:45.519 Because I felt passionate about sharing knowledge. 00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:47.840 You know, real not knowledge, but knowledge. 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:52.320 Pause, I guess. 00:37:53.199 --> 00:37:53.679 Pause. 00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:55.039 Sure. 00:37:56.159 --> 00:37:56.960 Sure, guy. 00:37:57.760 --> 00:38:05.360 Uh, but honestly, it's it's, you know, because it's like, I think you have the opportunity to create something that used to exist. 00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:18.719 When I hear Bob telling these stories about, you know, a lot of these cats with what Bernie had these rooms and stuff like that, the era of everybody begging to be a headliner at these comedy clubs, they really don't mess with black comics. 00:38:18.880 --> 00:38:20.400 They use black comedians. 00:38:20.559 --> 00:38:21.920 The improvs, the funny boom. 00:38:22.079 --> 00:38:23.199 I don't give a fuck about saying it. 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:23.679 They did. 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:24.400 Right? 00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:25.039 They did. 00:38:25.199 --> 00:38:25.360 Yeah. 00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:27.119 They let you have a night there, right? 00:38:27.199 --> 00:38:30.159 And then they start telling you, I'm gonna book you and get you in these rooms. 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:33.360 And as soon as they got the audience, because that's they do that with black people all the time. 00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:34.960 It's happened with network TV. 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:37.039 It's the same fucking format. 00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:38.000 Even with movies. 00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:41.599 Like, you know, people talk about like the fucking dolomites and all that shit. 00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:48.079 If it wasn't for those movies, those black exploitation, the black exploitation, the black exploitation film saved Hollywood. 00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:49.599 Yeah, point blank fucking period. 00:38:49.840 --> 00:38:59.199 Can I just say something to you real quick about y'all dope ass festival that I see and I can't wait to see what's rocking tomorrow and the next day? 00:38:59.440 --> 00:39:00.719 I want to say this. 00:39:01.119 --> 00:39:13.920 Deion Cole, Corey Holcomb, uh uh, um, Deion Cole, Corey Holcomb, Mike Epps, and and Craig Robinson, okay? 00:39:14.320 --> 00:39:22.480 I took all because I couldn't take everybody at once because on Def Comedy Jam, and I didn't even know Mike was from Indianapolis at this time. 00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:28.960 I saw him in Alaska, I saw him in Chicago when they was having uh one of them festival competitions things. 00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:36.880 And I took, I took all of them and gave them that opportunity, and that was because I was able to come and see them. 00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:37.760 You know what I mean? 00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:41.280 And that's what you guys are bringing that that thing back. 00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:43.760 So again, I applaud y'all for this. 00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:46.559 And that's that's what that was. 00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:50.960 Well, Bob, that's why I love hearing what you said about how you have a list of comics, right? 00:39:51.039 --> 00:40:01.360 Like, even just, and I'm telling y'all business again, and this is crazy, but when I shot that special last year at the festival, that was independently, okay? 00:40:01.599 --> 00:40:08.719 I sh I I put my bread up with the two people that go to my church and I mentor their son, helped me pay for that special to get done. 00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:11.840 And I use the local filmmakers here to help me do that. 00:40:12.159 --> 00:40:15.119 Okay, so I had a game plan before I even did that. 00:40:15.280 --> 00:40:21.280 I was watching Tubi like a crazy person, and I'm just like, yo, Tubi is the new, this Tubi got the streets. 00:40:21.599 --> 00:40:22.400 Like, who wouldn't? 00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:25.599 It'd be

smart for somebody to put an original special here. 00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:29.039 So I have my manager, and I don't want to, you know, Ivy in the bill, shout out to Ivy. 00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:32.880 But I'm like, and I know he probably thought I was crazy at the time, like, yo, I need a meeting with Tubi. 00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:34.079 You know, like, okay. 00:40:34.320 --> 00:40:40.320 And I met with them about this way before I shot that special, way before I even knew I was gonna do it, even way before I knew the festival. 00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:43.679 Just discussing with them, like, yo, let me curate your comedy shit. 00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:44.719 He's like, What you mean? 00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:46.960 I like I want to be an executive over here. 00:40:47.199 --> 00:40:50.320 Yo, Toobie playing Deaf Comedy Jam like it's brand fucking new. 00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:51.119 But that's smart. 00:40:52.239 --> 00:40:54.960 Well, because they they're like the new bootleg man in a way, right? 00:40:55.679 --> 00:40:58.000 And people forget the bootleg man made stars. 00:40:58.079 --> 00:40:59.599 People could talk shit about the bootleg man. 00:40:59.679 --> 00:41:02.480 The bootleg man was selling your movies, your stand-up sets. 00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:03.920 He'd be like, man, you know I got that, blah, blah. 00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:04.719 He could do your bit. 00:41:04.800 --> 00:41:06.719 You'd be like, oh shit, this is gonna be a good Cat Williams thing. 00:41:06.800 --> 00:41:07.519 He just told me the joke. 00:41:07.679 --> 00:41:09.679 And so, but I'm saying Tubi represents that. 00:41:09.920 --> 00:41:11.360 What I'm saying is we just gotta take advantage. 00:41:11.440 --> 00:41:15.039 Like a lot of times, people love to talk stuff like all these Tubi movies, this and that. 00:41:15.119 --> 00:41:16.480 But all the eyes are there. 00:41:16.639 --> 00:41:17.519 That's what I saw. 00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:24.239 Then I started looking at the numbers because I love business, and they got like the most descriptions out of all these streamers. 00:41:24.480 --> 00:41:26.079 So I was like, shit, I need to know. 00:41:26.320 --> 00:41:30.400 So when I made the deal with them, you know, that's an original, that's I'm their first original special. 00:41:30.480 --> 00:41:33.920 But it's a guinea pig because I want to do more specials with y'all. 00:41:34.320 --> 00:41:36.320 It's all tied to this festival. 00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:38.639 You know what To B remind me of? 00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:41.760 To be reminds me of Blockbuster. 00:41:44.559 --> 00:41:46.800 You're going in and just try shit out. 00:41:46.960 --> 00:41:47.280 Yeah. 00:41:47.679 --> 00:41:50.880 I think it's it's it's it's but then once again, it goes back to business. 00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:55.039 And I'm just to go back to that, like I I did all the comedy stuff. 00:41:55.119 --> 00:41:58.159 It wasn't no, I didn't skip any steps, to be honest with you. 00:41:58.320 --> 00:42:01.119 I did

all the showcases, I did all a lot of us. 00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:01.760 Did the same. 00:42:01.840 --> 00:42:12.719 There's so many niggas that did the same shit with me, which I think sometimes why if I get offended by anybody saying some crazy shit, but I'm like, no, I I literally had the most normal route you could think. 00:42:12.880 --> 00:42:16.320 I'm the most regular, whatever you think it is you can think of, right? 00:42:18.000 --> 00:42:18.320 Go ahead. 00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:18.719 Okay. 00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:20.559 No one said you didn't put in the work. 00:42:20.719 --> 00:42:21.519 No, I didn't say no. 00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:22.559 No one said that. 00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:23.840 But that's not what I was saying, Sean. 00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:24.800 But I made it from stand-up. 00:42:25.280 --> 00:42:27.599 It wasn't, it wasn't, it literally was from stand-up comedy. 00:42:27.760 --> 00:42:28.960 It wasn't just me. 00:42:32.480 --> 00:42:35.599 Is this you are a household name. 00:42:36.000 --> 00:42:40.800 You are a household name because of your films, bro, which we are proud of you. 00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:44.880 But the big black comedy show, I'm gonna tell you, this is true. 00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:50.960 The big black comedy show, volume three, me and you was on there right now on Tubi, since you brought up Tubi. 00:42:51.199 --> 00:42:55.519 And there were people who called me and was like, I didn't know that nigga from Get Out was a stand-up comedian. 00:42:55.760 --> 00:42:58.320 That's that's just a lot of people know you from the film. 00:42:58.800 --> 00:43:00.320 Okay, so no, you said no cap zone. 00:43:00.400 --> 00:43:00.800 You said no capital. 00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:02.320 Right, but you are a comedian. 00:43:02.800 --> 00:43:03.280 But here we go. 00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:05.199 This is why a lot of us see things differently. 00:43:05.360 --> 00:43:06.719 But here we I'm about to break something down, too. 00:43:06.960 --> 00:43:07.360 So let me answer. 00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:07.920 No, no, no. 00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:09.599 Sean, Sean, Sean, let me do it. 00:43:09.679 --> 00:43:10.320 I got you, bro. 00:43:10.719 --> 00:43:13.679 Kevin Hart wasn't a household fucking name from stand-up. 00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:14.719 But let me tell you this. 00:43:14.800 --> 00:43:16.079 Now hold on, hold on, hold on. 00:43:16.159 --> 00:43:21.360 To get in these movies, these fucking TV shows, you showcase as a stand-up fucking comic. 00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:22.719 So you make it from comedy. 00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:24.639 But that's not where the fame came from. 00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:26.400 But I'm trying to tell you something. 00:43:26.480 --> 00:43:31.519 I think a lot of times, see, I think we be wanting to skip steps so quick, thinking that's how this shit can happen. 00:43:32.159 --> 00:43:33.519 I think you misunderstanding what I'm saying. 00:43:33.920 --> 00:43:35.199 Sean, I understand exactly what you said. 00:43:35.599 -->

00:43:37.360 You are a good comedian who got opportunities. 00:43:37.679 --> 00:43:43.119 Sean, what I'm saying is that is but what I'm saying is that's the farm system. 00:43:43.280 --> 00:43:46.800 The only thing that's missing now from back in the day is the system. 00:43:47.199 --> 00:43:48.239 It's like what he just said. 00:43:48.320 --> 00:43:48.400 Right. 00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:53.280 They went to Dev Jam to, like, because Def Jam was oversaturated like Comic View was. 00:43:53.440 --> 00:43:53.920 Right. 00:43:54.400 --> 00:43:57.599 So you can actually go and that's why all them dudes are stars. 00:43:58.000 --> 00:43:58.960 Because it was the limit of the. 00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:03.199 When you say Bernie Mac, you think uh kick it. 00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:09.840 Like you kick, you think different things and you associate people making it from stand up because you remember the show. 00:44:10.079 --> 00:44:10.559 But here we go. 00:44:10.639 --> 00:44:12.000 This is where we get confused at. 00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:13.679 That still didn't make Bernie a star. 00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:15.840 Bernie was a star in our neighborhoods. 00:44:16.000 --> 00:44:16.719 Right, no doubt. 00:44:16.960 --> 00:44:22.480 When he became a star, it's because of stand-up, but it's because of the other things, right? 00:44:22.639 --> 00:44:24.400 The movies and all the other stuff, correct? 00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:24.880 Right. 00:44:25.119 --> 00:44:26.639 So it's all started from comedy. 00:44:26.719 --> 00:44:34.079 What I'm saying is it's like, I don't think, I think the world that we keep thinking exists as somebody just only blows up from stand-up. 00:44:34.239 --> 00:44:35.360 It's not fucking possible. 00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:37.599 Kat Williamson just blew up from stand-up, and that was. 00:44:37.920 --> 00:44:40.320 Most people saw him on Friday first, then you saw them do stand-up. 00:44:40.880 --> 00:44:41.519 That's the point. 00:44:41.840 --> 00:44:45.840 But no, I hear what Sean, I guess, shit. 00:44:48.079 --> 00:44:50.079 Welcome, welcome to the West Friday day. 00:44:50.480 --> 00:44:51.199 End of the day. 00:44:53.360 --> 00:44:53.920 End of the day. 00:44:54.239 --> 00:45:00.320 This is a this is if you watch if you watch the podcast, you have seen me say it. 00:45:00.480 --> 00:45:01.119 I see you say it. 00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:08.800 If you look at most of the household names today, you know them from film and going back to stand-up, right? 00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:10.239 That's the point that I'm making. 00:45:10.320 --> 00:45:12.320 I'm not saying that you're not a good stand-up. 00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:13.599 Kat was a good stand-up. 00:45:13.760 --> 00:45:15.280 That's how he got seen to do Friday. 00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:16.800 Mike Epps was a good stand-up. 00:45:16.960 --> 00:45:18.719 That's how he got seen to do Friday. 00:45:18.800 --> 00:45:21.440 But nobody knew them until they did Friday. 00:45:21.599 --> 00:45:22.239 That's what I'm saying. 00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:24.400 Who do you think who do you think Blue Air? 00:45:25.280 --> 00:45:25.679 Check it out. 00:45:26.239 --> 00:45:33.280 From the Def Jam era, from the Def Jam era, you knew people's names because of Def Jam synonymously. 00:45:33.440 --> 00:45:35.360 It wasn't because they went off and did shit. 00:45:35.519 --> 00:45:38.960 When you seen Chris Tucker, it was like, oh, that's Buddy from Def Jam. 00:45:39.119 --> 00:45:40.320 Now it's the opposite. 00:45:40.480 --> 00:45:42.400 Now you see a nigga doing stand-up and beat. 00:45:42.559 --> 00:45:43.599 Oh, that's Buddy from Civil B. 00:45:44.000 --> 00:45:46.239 Let me do this real Sean real quick. 00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:49.039 Because this is a conversation I've wanted you two to have. 00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:56.559 We still have to have our episode with Rail, so we're going to put a pen in this and finish this conversation. 00:45:57.199 --> 00:46:01.119 But since Bob is here, I want to make sure something always comes up. 00:46:01.280 --> 00:46:07.440 I know we have a couple of content creators in the room, and make sure we keep it, you know, low too, because we're recording. 00:46:08.159 --> 00:46:09.039 No, y'all need that. 00:46:09.119 --> 00:46:10.639 That's what's going to make this crazy. 00:46:12.639 --> 00:46:13.599 No, I'm sorry. 00:46:14.000 --> 00:46:14.719 How you gonna get there? 00:46:15.199 --> 00:46:16.639 You know what I'm thinking though? 00:46:17.119 --> 00:46:18.480 I'm thinking of this real quick. 00:46:20.000 --> 00:46:25.760 As they're talking about how you get to where you get to this, that, and the other. 00:46:26.159 --> 00:46:34.960 I just keep thinking about, you know, when when Bernie and George came to pick me up to take me to Spices, right? 00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:38.159 Bernie did what he did. 00:46:38.559 --> 00:46:45.599 But Bernie needed to get home so he could get ready for his shift at Wonderbread. 00:46:46.159 --> 00:46:47.119 Yeah, facts. 00:46:47.360 --> 00:46:47.599 Okay? 00:46:47.920 --> 00:46:48.880 No, I'm dead ass serious. 00:46:50.880 --> 00:46:59.039 But it became a situation that when we had that platform with Def Comedy Jam, right? 00:46:59.440 --> 00:47:03.760 I was able to create a tour off of that. 00:47:04.079 --> 00:47:04.400 Okay? 00:47:04.960 --> 00:47:16.239 Now, with that being said, when we were doing the Def Comedy Jam tour, everybody was expecting to see Martin Lawrence on tour, right? 00:47:16.559 --> 00:47:18.960 Martin was going out by himself. 00:47:19.199 --> 00:47:22.639 He was that popular that he wasn't checking for us. 00:47:22.719 --> 00:47:24.480 We're gonna have to figure it out ourselves. 00:47:24.639 --> 00:47:27.039 And I figured it out very easily. 00:47:27.360 --> 00:47:29.599 I made Bernie Mack the host. 00:47:29.920 --> 00:47:30.239 Okay? 00:47:30.639 --> 00:47:36.960 So now Bernie is the host, so he gets an opportunity to do his thing, right? 00:47:37.280 --> 00:47:45.840 He did

his thing so well that those same theaters that we were selling out, he started selling them out himself. 00:47:46.159 --> 00:47:46.480 Okay? 00:47:46.960 --> 00:47:58.719 And that's how when we were supposed to do the Deaf Comedy Jam reunion, the promoters changed it to the Kings of Comedy, right? 00:47:58.960 --> 00:48:12.559 And the reason they needed the Kings of Comedy is because Steve and Cedric and DL had shows, but Bernie was so dope as the hottest stand-up comedian they put him on. 00:48:12.719 --> 00:48:25.760 And that's why when the Kings of Comedy and Bernie started talking about everybody had a show but him, and then he ended up getting a show, and that's when he just elevated into becoming not just a TV star but a movie star. 00:48:26.079 --> 00:48:29.199 So it's elements to it, but you just gotta let it stay in its place. 00:48:29.679 --> 00:48:44.000 What else I was about to say too, Bob, just real quick, like, you know, a lot of times I think we look at it from this perspective of like when you was at a when you was a kid at home watching it, and then you start doing it, and then I think you kind of mix in all that. 00:48:44.239 --> 00:48:49.039 I look, look, Bernie was one of those cats who stood out because he was Bernie Mack, and people remember. 00:48:49.280 --> 00:48:56.159 If you think about on the real talk side, until Friday came out, even though people knew Chris Tucker was Chris Tucker, they didn't know his name. 00:48:56.320 --> 00:48:57.840 Yeah, he was what's up, man. 00:48:58.000 --> 00:49:02.239 And so that my point of saying that is nobody was a household name for real. 00:49:02.719 --> 00:49:03.760 And this is what you don't know. 00:49:04.079 --> 00:49:07.360 Def Jam, but Dev Jam brand, the brand was strong. 00:49:07.440 --> 00:49:13.199 And and real quick, Bob, even just talking about what comic view did after that, like that's just what business does. 00:49:13.440 --> 00:49:21.760 Once you create something like a Dev Jam, you knew everybody else was gonna try to find their own version of whatever they did that was and almost water it down. 00:49:21.920 --> 00:49:25.840 It happens every, it happens with every, it happens with movies, it happens with TV shows. 00:49:25.920 --> 00:49:38.239 It's just gonna be a version of, like, you think about the Cosby show, nobody talks about this, but if you look at all the family shows that was made right after that, that you don't even remember anymore, that was trying to be like the Cosby show, that is what happened. 00:49:38.559 --> 00:49:38.960 Let me do it. 00:49:39.119 --> 00:49:44.559 Let me give you this one tidbit that is really tripping me out when I'm thinking about the whole Bernie 2. 00:49:44.800 --> 00:49:53.039 Bernie was popular and he was doing his thing to a point where we shot a sitcom for Bernie with Adele. 00:49:53.360 --> 00:49:59.199 And I was out in Chicago uh a couple years ago, and I went to a restaurant called Pearls. 00:49:59.440 --> 00:50:00.079

Pearls, yeah. 00:50:00.239 --> 00:50:03.599 And and and and that was actually the name of the sitcom. 00:50:03.840 --> 00:50:05.280 I got it on VHS. 00:50:05.519 --> 00:50:06.800 I'm dead ass serious. 00:50:06.960 --> 00:50:11.440 So it's like, you know, the opportunities were there, but nobody really bit. 00:50:11.679 --> 00:50:18.159 But once Bernie, that big platform that Kings of Comedy gave him, that's when the Bernie Mac show happened. 00:50:18.400 --> 00:50:23.519 Bernie's brilliant, but that's Bernie represents like you really just saying what you want to do. 00:50:23.599 --> 00:50:30.159 If you want these people to see you, like him saying that on the Kings of Comedy, like literally when they're in their little circles, like, y'all ain't gonna give me a show. 00:50:30.239 --> 00:50:31.360 He just challenged them. 00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:31.760 Yeah. 00:50:32.000 --> 00:50:33.440 You know, I thought it was brilliant. 00:50:33.519 --> 00:50:34.159 It's so brilliant. 00:50:34.480 --> 00:50:37.199 Yeah, it was the smartest and most opportune thing to do. 00:50:37.360 --> 00:50:38.880 Like he sees the moment. 00:50:39.280 --> 00:50:42.480 And he then he turned his stand-up into the sitcom. 00:50:42.800 --> 00:50:42.880 Right. 00:50:42.960 --> 00:50:43.119 Right. 00:50:43.679 --> 00:50:44.159 You know? 00:50:44.480 --> 00:50:47.199 It was it was such a brilliant point of view. 00:50:47.360 --> 00:50:55.920 It's which honestly, it's you're saying something today that's so powerful, which is why like I think we're in an opportune time to recreate. 00:50:56.000 --> 00:50:57.280 I do believe we can recreate. 00:50:57.360 --> 00:50:59.199 I think it's actually hunger for. 00:50:59.440 --> 00:51:03.920 The problem is the studios and networks don't want to invest into comedy for real no more. 00:51:04.000 --> 00:51:05.119 They really don't believe in it. 00:51:05.280 --> 00:51:10.159 They don't even believe in it when it comes to the movies, is why you don't see a lot of comedies go to the movie theaters anymore. 00:51:10.320 --> 00:51:11.840 They don't think it's gonna make any money. 00:51:12.000 --> 00:51:19.119 But then what one of them days did this year, which was great, that it helped a lot because that was a shot with like a$10,$15 million budget. 00:51:19.199 --> 00:51:20.639 They made like$40,$50 million. 00:51:20.719 --> 00:51:21.920 That's a big deal to do. 00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:26.320 And it's showing them like, but but made it even more unique, it was black. 00:51:27.119 --> 00:51:33.440 And I, you know, I think, you know, even what I did last year with the special, I just want all of us to be okay. 00:51:33.519 --> 00:51:36.400 Like niche, niche gets it, like shooting your stuff independent. 00:51:36.800 --> 00:51:40.800 Even if things don't do what it do at first, just do another one. 00:51:41.119 --> 00:51:43.360 Just keep doing them, don't stop doing them. 00:51:43.760 --> 00:51:44.559 You know what I'm saying? 00:51:44.639 --> 00:51:46.239 Everything ain't gonna happen right away. 00:51:46.400 --> 00:51:48.880 Sometimes some things is just for a learning lesson. 00:51:49.360 --> 00:51:50.000 You know what I'm saying? 00:51:50.079 --> 00:51:55.199 You look, okay, I know how to sell this now, I know how to do this now, I know how to shoot it now, I know how much it costs. 00:51:55.360 --> 00:51:56.719 That's what we own right now. 00:51:56.800 --> 00:51:58.960 And it's not like you got to use these huge budgets. 00:51:59.119 --> 00:52:05.280 All my HBO specials I shot at least was like six to seven figures just to shoot it. 00:52:05.519 --> 00:52:08.079 I shot that special last year for$50,000. 00:52:09.519 --> 00:52:14.239 And it's it looks exactly the way I want it to, and it's exact because I know how to shoot now. 00:52:14.320 --> 00:52:16.000 I know filmmaking. 00:52:16.239 --> 00:52:18.000 And so I just took all that knowledge then. 00:52:18.079 --> 00:52:20.800 Like, let's let's think about Chicago real quick, just real quick. 00:52:21.039 --> 00:52:26.079 Resources, they're here, they're here. 00:52:26.400 --> 00:52:27.679 Y'all need to like comics? 00:52:27.840 --> 00:52:33.679 Link up with these independent filmmakers, star in their movies, network with them. 00:52:34.079 --> 00:52:35.840 They're looking for actors. 00:52:36.079 --> 00:52:38.239 Don't walk around here like you the shit. 00:52:39.119 --> 00:52:41.840 Humble yourself and work on these people's fucking movie. 00:52:42.719 --> 00:52:43.760 You understand what I'm saying? 00:52:43.920 --> 00:52:44.480 All right, that's it. 00:52:44.639 --> 00:52:45.119 No, that's good. 00:52:45.280 --> 00:52:45.599 That's good. 00:52:46.159 --> 00:52:47.199 I want to ask y'all a question. 00:52:47.280 --> 00:52:58.400 Yeah, uh is there another jokes and notes like happening? 00:52:58.960 --> 00:53:04.960 Like, is there because I mean that place, that place, I remember when I saw the freshman, what they called. 00:53:05.440 --> 00:53:06.800 That was Chris Red and them. 00:53:06.880 --> 00:53:08.960 He had a little group of comedians and stuff. 00:53:09.039 --> 00:53:09.519 Yep, right? 00:53:09.760 --> 00:53:11.199 Oh, you saw me jokes and notes, didn't you? 00:53:11.440 --> 00:53:12.639 That was that jokes and notes, yeah. 00:53:12.800 --> 00:53:14.320 And that that's what it was like. 00:53:14.400 --> 00:53:20.800 I would like be able to dip in there and see a plethora uh uh of stand-up comedians. 00:53:20.880 --> 00:53:24.639 And I'm just wondering, do they have anything knowledgeable? 00:53:25.280 --> 00:53:26.320 I want knowledge to speak to it. 00:53:26.800 --> 00:53:27.519 That can happen. 00:53:27.679 --> 00:53:28.480 It needs to happen. 00:53:28.880 --> 00:53:33.599 Yeah, we we don't even have, and and we addressed this before. 00:53:34.000 --> 00:53:42.159 Um, Mary closing jokes and notes left a gaping hole in Chicago comedy because we didn't know what to do. 00:53:42.400 --> 00:53:43.360 Well, she left.

00:53:43.519 --> 00:53:49.440 There's still no Fridays, there's still no Saturdays, there's still like we don't have weekend comedy anymore. 00:53:49.840 --> 00:53:52.800 But this is what I see to just start there would be a start. 00:53:53.039 --> 00:54:08.159 But this is what I see, and and I'm I'm gonna tell say this because I was shooting something in Atlanta and I ran into a club owner in Atlanta, and I said, yo, what's what's what's going on with the fresh new stand-ups? 00:54:08.320 --> 00:54:12.000 Why are you having all these, I call them social medians. 00:54:12.239 --> 00:54:15.119 Like, why why are you having all these social medians in there? 00:54:15.360 --> 00:54:16.320 You don't like the social media? 00:54:16.559 --> 00:54:18.079 No, no, no, no. 00:54:18.239 --> 00:54:20.559 I don't I'm gonna tell you what he said to me. 00:54:20.719 --> 00:54:34.639 No, I'm gonna what what he said to me is that because they have followers and my place is about food and alcohol, these joints are restaurants, you know what I mean? 00:54:34.719 --> 00:54:38.719 And they just trying to pack, they don't give up what is on that stage. 00:54:38.880 --> 00:54:39.679 You know what I mean? 00:54:39.840 --> 00:54:44.239 And that's why it's been a real difficult, you know, way. 00:54:44.559 --> 00:54:45.360 But don't give up. 00:54:45.519 --> 00:54:46.480 Well, it's coming back. 00:54:46.719 --> 00:54:47.920 I think it's coming back real soon. 00:54:48.239 --> 00:54:52.639 And knowledge, you could be honest about this, because we talk about this all the time, but that's why I'm tossing it to you on this. 00:54:52.719 --> 00:54:55.199 But what why do you think that doesn't exist for real? 00:54:55.440 --> 00:55:03.039 Well, I don't know if I'm gonna say what you want me to say, but we have we have a number of conversations, but uh there is no jokes and notes. 00:55:03.280 --> 00:55:06.800 And from my perspective, um, here's the challenge. 00:55:07.280 --> 00:55:14.800 When I'm when I met Rail, you don't need to do the math, but when I met Rail back in like 2006, it was a different environment. 00:55:14.960 --> 00:55:21.679 I was a younger dude, and I can take more risk and I can let shit bubble and grow over time. 00:55:22.000 --> 00:55:23.920 I really don't have that now, right? 00:55:24.079 --> 00:55:29.840 So even when you look at this festival, me and Rail built this festival, he talked about me doing showcases. 00:55:30.000 --> 00:55:44.239 What I was gonna do is get investors, raise as much money as I can, and bring earthquake, so-and-so, so-and-so, and so-and-so, because at the end of the day, I got more time behind me than in front of me. 00:55:44.480 --> 00:55:50.159 So the whole thing of doing it for the culture and helping comics, that was him. 00:55:50.320 --> 00:55:52.719 Meaning like that was the time that I had with him. 00:55:52.880 --> 00:55:54.960 I don't feel like I had that time now, right? 00:55:55.039 --> 00:55:57.440 I want I want the

yacht, I want this, I want that. 00:55:57.599 --> 00:55:59.920 And so that's the easier path, right? 00:56:00.159 --> 00:56:01.360 It's never easy promoting, right? 00:56:01.440 --> 00:56:06.719 And getting asses and seats, but I can take these brands that people know, right? 00:56:06.880 --> 00:56:18.880 If I want to go maybe on a less expensive path, then you know what Bob just said, then I know we have some content creators in the crowd here, and I'm gonna take it down to its most basic level. 00:56:19.039 --> 00:56:22.960 If I look at the podcast, my producer, he does this on the love. 00:56:23.360 --> 00:56:27.280 If he charged me what he charges to do this, I couldn't afford it. 00:56:27.440 --> 00:56:28.639 So there is no podcast. 00:56:28.719 --> 00:56:35.599 So everything that I'm doing that Rail loves and people watch week to week that's for the culture, I wouldn't be able to do it because there's a cost. 00:56:35.760 --> 00:56:42.639 So when I look at the numbers of the podcast, and I and you know the content creators and so forth, I need people to watch it. 00:56:42.880 --> 00:56:44.639 Well, guess who watches? 00:56:44.880 --> 00:56:52.800 Like, if I look at my top three, in addition to being comedians or social medians, who do you think has the most views? 00:56:53.039 --> 00:56:55.840 People that are super active online. 00:56:57.119 --> 00:56:57.360 Right? 00:56:57.519 --> 00:57:07.519 So at the end of the day, we can make the best episodes possible, but if only a hundred people seeing it, it ain't really working for them and it's not working for me. 00:57:07.599 --> 00:57:21.360 And so I think if you're trying to start a comedy club today, which me and Rail have now talked and looked at two or three times in the city, I'm always a little bit concerned is do we get choked out before we get there? 00:57:21.599 --> 00:57:28.880 Because folks that are not comedians that go and attend shows, et cetera, you may go look and see are they popping online? 00:57:28.960 --> 00:57:37.519 And if they're not popping online, or maybe a last TV appearance was 2006, 2007, they're amazing comedians. 00:57:37.760 --> 00:57:39.360 You may not plug in. 00:57:39.440 --> 00:57:47.679 And if you plug if you don't plug in, then yeah, it may have a six or eight month run, but at some point I'm gonna shut down because the business is not there. 00:57:47.760 --> 00:57:50.400 So I don't know if that's what you were saying, Rail, but feel free to pick it back. 00:57:50.719 --> 00:57:52.079 Well, I okay. 00:57:52.320 --> 00:57:53.599 Because I think about the shit all the time. 00:57:53.920 --> 00:57:57.920 Because that's it, that's a great point, and that's actually the most honest point, too. 00:57:58.079 --> 00:58:02.880 But also, too, y'all, like, you know, and this is for the comedians, y'all. 00:58:03.039 --> 00:58:19.679 You know, uh, you know, everybody missed jokes and notes, and and jokes and notes was great, but towards the end, and this is me talking to Mary about this, when everybody started having all these spots everywhere, there wasn't clubs, that wasn't comedy clubs. 00:58:21.039 --> 00:58:25.280 When y'all started moving around trying to, these people trying to repeat what she's doing. 00:58:26.159 --> 00:58:29.679 Because, you know, what happened was a lot of the loyal cats we left. 00:58:29.920 --> 00:58:44.079 We would we not we wanted to, but you know, and you know, one of the things I one of the reasons why I love Mary so much and why I love jokes and notes, you know, it's more of a basketball reference, but I had a home court advantage. 00:58:44.880 --> 00:58:49.840 Like, why wouldn't I just stay at a place that's organized that I can have a home court advantage at? 00:58:50.000 --> 00:58:55.280 That I could build relationships with comics all over the fucking country, where I could have producers and fucking casting. 00:58:56.000 --> 00:58:56.800 It was my stage. 00:58:56.880 --> 00:58:58.079 That's what Bob saw me at. 00:58:58.159 --> 00:59:01.119 It was, she created literally, it was my United Center. 00:59:01.280 --> 00:59:03.280 You're making me want to scream right now, yo. 00:59:03.679 --> 00:59:10.480 I want to say hallelujah, just listening to you right now, because it's happened to even me back in Jersey. 00:59:10.719 --> 00:59:15.280 Here I am, someone that can get you to wherever. 00:59:16.079 --> 00:59:29.360 And I got people saying they can't do my show because they getting ready to do, they chasing$50 or whatever the case may be, when you don't even know who's in my audience that can take you. 00:59:29.519 --> 00:59:31.039 But that was jokes and notes. 00:59:31.199 --> 00:59:39.679 Jokes and notes was that place that it wasn't about the money, it was about what came out of it, opportunity. 00:59:40.000 --> 00:59:43.039 And she and she had brought the Just for Last festival there. 00:59:43.119 --> 00:59:46.960 She did a lot, and so like and Mary wasn't making a killer. 00:59:47.199 --> 00:59:50.159 We know this, like we used to have business conversations with her all the time. 00:59:50.320 --> 00:59:52.079 She she really did love comedy. 00:59:52.320 --> 00:59:56.559 She was a very successful businesswoman that didn't need to have that club. 00:59:56.800 --> 01:00:05.760 But when she felt like everybody kind of was like, whatever, Mary, she man, she was drained, and that made her walk away from it. 01:00:05.920 --> 01:00:11.119 Now, what I do like is this is what I love about this festival, even the comics that's here today. 01:00:11.440 --> 01:00:14.480 I think we changing the culture again when we bringing that back. 01:00:14.559 --> 01:00:17.679 That's one of the reasons why it was very important for me to come back and do this. 01:00:17.760 --> 01:00:18.480 You know what I'm saying? 01:00:18.639 --> 01:00:22.000 Just so I can like talk to y'all, or at least y'all can kind of be inspired. 01:00:22.159 --> 01:00:22.880 You know what I'm saying?

01:00:22.960 --> 01:00:28.960 Like, it's hard to be inspired from a distance, but like for real, like just put the work in. 01:00:29.119 --> 01:00:31.280 The work, and because it doesn't stop. 01:00:31.440 --> 01:00:37.360 Everything I learned from knowledge and jokes and notes and outriggers and all that, that's the same hustle I'm doing in Hollywood. 01:00:37.679 --> 01:00:38.559 You know what I'm saying? 01:00:38.719 --> 01:00:47.599 Except I I literally, I realize even some of the cats I came up that came up before me that I look up to, that damn, I'm a better businessman than a lot of these cats. 01:00:48.320 --> 01:00:49.440 How about that? 01:00:50.000 --> 01:00:50.719 You know what I'm saying? 01:00:50.880 --> 01:00:51.599 Like I really am. 01:00:51.679 --> 01:00:56.719 Like even my movie stuff, like the the stuff I I mean, I don't want nobody rob me or nothing. 01:00:56.880 --> 01:01:06.719 But like the stuff I negotiated was really because of the confidence I learned from dealing with a businesswoman like Mary Lizzie, dealing with a businessman like Knowles Beckham. 01:01:06.880 --> 01:01:08.079 I learned from them. 01:01:08.639 --> 01:01:17.199 You know, so like you know, Ibi's a beast at negotiating, but if I like throw out some random shit they don't usually give people, I'll be like, fuck it, let's try it, see what they say. 01:01:18.239 --> 01:01:19.679 All they can do is say no. 01:01:19.920 --> 01:01:20.159 Right. 01:01:21.679 --> 01:01:24.239 So we're we're getting to wrap, we're getting ready to rap. 01:01:24.400 --> 01:01:26.800 Uh, but we have Bob here, so I had to get this off. 01:01:26.880 --> 01:01:28.800 I'm gonna see how honest Bob is. 01:01:29.679 --> 01:01:32.880 Uh so Bob, man, you've seen everyone. 01:01:33.280 --> 01:01:38.000 Your top four, your Mount Rushmore are stand-up comedians. 01:01:40.800 --> 01:01:42.719 See, I'm about to date myself with that. 01:01:43.199 --> 01:01:43.679 That's okay. 01:01:43.840 --> 01:01:47.599 I mean, let's do let's do black comedians as well because you're very versed. 01:01:48.400 --> 01:01:50.159 Let's do black comedians. 01:01:52.239 --> 01:01:53.440 Black comedians, correct? 01:01:53.760 --> 01:01:55.199 Mount Rushmore, four. 01:01:55.840 --> 01:01:56.480 All right. 01:02:00.559 --> 01:02:05.840 It's kind of easy for me to say the first two. 01:02:06.239 --> 01:02:06.559 Okay. 01:02:07.119 --> 01:02:07.440 Okay. 01:02:07.920 --> 01:02:12.159 And this is just mine because again, I'm I'm going through all of the years. 01:02:12.400 --> 01:02:19.519 And I don't know if any of you know, but I'm curator of comedy at the world-famous Apollo Theater. 01:02:19.840 --> 01:02:25.199 And I that's where I first saw comedy as a kid. 01:02:25.519 --> 01:02:26.079 All right. 01:02:26.400 --> 01:02:28.880 And um, I used to go over there with my parents. 01:02:29.039 --> 01:02:31.599 My uncle was in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 01:02:31.679 --> 01:02:33.119 He's in a group called the Platters. 01:02:33.280 --> 01:02:33.519 Oh, wow. 01:02:33.760 --> 01:02:34.719 Single group, yeah. 01:02:34.960 --> 01:02:40.000 And so my family always, we used to always, my family live all up on Linux and everything. 01:02:40.159 --> 01:02:42.320 We used to always converge over there. 01:02:42.639 --> 01:02:51.280 So before the actual music show, they would show a film and then they would have a comedian come on stage. 01:02:51.519 --> 01:02:56.800 And I'm like five years old, and there was a lady named Moms Mabley. 01:02:59.119 --> 01:03:05.119 I don't think that people understand that she was the queen of comedy. 01:03:05.280 --> 01:03:05.679 Yep. 01:03:05.920 --> 01:03:08.880 And damn near the king of comedy back then. 01:03:09.920 --> 01:03:15.280 Nipsey and Slappy and all them, they were all trying to, you know, follow her footsteps. 01:03:15.519 --> 01:03:20.400 So Moms Mabley actually is got the front seat. 01:03:20.639 --> 01:03:21.039 All right. 01:03:21.199 --> 01:03:21.519 Okay. 01:03:21.760 --> 01:03:22.400 I love that. 01:03:22.639 --> 01:03:27.199 And it's easy for me to say the second person. 01:03:27.360 --> 01:03:30.480 I used to see him at the Apollo as a young kid. 01:03:30.639 --> 01:03:36.320 And when he was a younger comedian, he wasn't as X-rated. 01:03:36.639 --> 01:03:42.239 But then he got to that and he became Mudbone and all that. 01:03:42.480 --> 01:03:43.920 And that's that's from Peoria. 01:03:44.159 --> 01:03:44.719 That's Richard. 01:03:45.039 --> 01:03:45.679 That's Richard. 01:03:45.840 --> 01:03:46.159 Okay. 01:03:49.519 --> 01:04:04.320 And it and it's funny because with this one, it's an extension of Chicago, even though uh this comedian's not from Chicago, but his director was from Chicago named Robert Townsend. 01:04:04.719 --> 01:04:05.199 All right. 01:04:05.440 --> 01:04:11.519 And that comedian on my Mount Rushmore is Charlie's brother Eddie. 01:04:12.960 --> 01:04:13.280 Okay? 01:04:14.159 --> 01:04:20.559 Because Eddie, Eddie was doing things that no one had ever done. 01:04:21.199 --> 01:04:27.440 And then, because I gotta, I gotta, I gotta keep it home and I gotta be straight up. 01:04:27.760 --> 01:04:38.960 And again, I gave Bill Bellamy that call about that dude I just saw in Atlanta who was driving a wonderbred truck when I met him. 01:04:39.360 --> 01:04:43.920 You best believe I'm putting his ass on that Mount Rushmore, and that's B Mac. 01:04:48.719 --> 01:04:49.599 That's mine. 01:04:50.320 --> 01:04:50.880 That's mine. 01:04:51.280 --> 01:04:57.039 So when we get out of here, Rail or Sean, you got one that you want to ask, Bob, before we get out of here. 01:04:57.119 --> 01:04:58.400 Any any question? 01:04:59.039 --> 01:05:03.039 Um yeah, I I wanna, I wanna I wanna ask this. 01:05:03.360 --> 01:05:18.400 With you being as exposed like to the the realm of comedians that you seen back then, like if you had to make a conscious comparison, right? 01:05:18.880 --> 01:05:26.559 Between the

the 90s brand of comedy and this generation, it kind of like rap, right? 01:05:26.639 --> 01:05:30.480 Everybody talk about the golden years and how mumble rap ain't shit. 01:05:30.639 --> 01:05:34.159 Like, is that how somebody from your perspective sees comedy? 01:05:34.239 --> 01:05:39.679 Like, do you see the 90s comedians and the 2000 comedians in 2010 and 2020s? 01:05:39.840 --> 01:05:44.000 Like, do you see it consistent or do you see it different? 01:05:44.960 --> 01:05:46.079 I dig it. 01:05:49.599 --> 01:05:55.599 I I basically I see comedy just like I always saw it. 01:05:56.079 --> 01:05:57.920 The only difference is the platforms. 01:05:58.639 --> 01:05:59.119 You know what I mean? 01:05:59.199 --> 01:06:03.280 How can they get I'm looking for that platform. 01:06:03.840 --> 01:06:08.559 I mean, my whole thing is if it's not broke, why try to fix it? 01:06:08.800 --> 01:06:17.760 And I'm gonna give you the example, and I I was not going to speak on it, but I have to speak on it. 01:06:18.320 --> 01:06:26.000 I said to myself, if I was ever able to bring Deaf Comedy Jam back, I would. 01:06:26.480 --> 01:06:28.639 You know, but it wasn't my call. 01:06:28.960 --> 01:06:50.480 So, you know, we we took that ride from 1991, aired in 92, and we stopped in 97, and that was the year when Kevin Hart won our contest, Coca Brown won our contest, Roz G won our contest, uh uh uh uh uh D-Ray Davis won our contest. 01:06:50.800 --> 01:06:56.159 That was gonna be the next season of Deaf Comedy Jam Comedians, you know? 01:06:56.400 --> 01:06:59.119 So we didn't have that opportunity to do it. 01:06:59.360 --> 01:07:03.760 So then years later, after, you know, I was carjacked in 05, right? 01:07:04.159 --> 01:07:11.840 And after that, once I got better, we went to Aspen and come to find out we were bringing Def Jam back. 01:07:12.000 --> 01:07:12.960 Remember them two years? 01:07:13.119 --> 01:07:17.920 One year with DL, one year with with uh with Mike, right? 01:07:18.320 --> 01:07:20.159 So that's when I introduced the world. 01:07:20.320 --> 01:07:22.800 Nobody knew Tiffany was doing stand-up like that. 01:07:22.960 --> 01:07:24.400 You know, it was just a showcase. 01:07:24.559 --> 01:07:26.960 Damon Wayans Jr., you you know what I mean? 01:07:27.119 --> 01:07:30.880 That was a different play, but it was still the right people. 01:07:31.119 --> 01:07:32.159 You know what I mean? 01:07:32.400 --> 01:07:41.920 So I I I just feel that it could be done again based on what I did. 01:07:42.159 --> 01:07:47.199 Traveling and stuff and finding the the veteran comedians, too. 01:07:47.440 --> 01:07:51.280 It could be done, but the opportunity needs to happen. 01:07:51.440 --> 01:07:56.079 And I can't make this up, and you might laugh at this when I say this. 01:07:56.639 --> 01:08:09.920 During that time when I was going back and forth to LA and I created trying to do what I did with the laugh mob shit and all that, it was like I'm down at the um grove,

right? 01:08:10.639 --> 01:08:12.880 And the craziest thing happened. 01:08:13.039 --> 01:08:19.119 I'm at the grove, and that little spot up there, Tony Rock, sees me, right? 01:08:19.359 --> 01:08:23.840 Tony Rock comes down to me, and know what Tony said to me? 01:08:24.079 --> 01:08:24.319 What? 01:08:24.560 --> 01:08:27.680 He said, Bob, did you hear they bringing Def Comedy Jam back? 01:08:31.520 --> 01:08:32.399 Hilarious. 01:08:32.640 --> 01:08:36.560 I was like, then he realized who he was talking to. 01:08:36.720 --> 01:08:46.960 And I was like, Def Comedy Jam, come to find out, they was really making all deaf digital seem like Def Comedy Jam was coming. 01:08:47.119 --> 01:08:52.079 They had the commercial, everything, and I'm looking, nobody ain't asked me nothing about nothing. 01:08:52.239 --> 01:08:58.880 And that made me feel like y'all think it reminds me of when I was back in when I left Terminal D and went to Club 88. 01:08:59.039 --> 01:09:00.640 I learned that shit in the 80s. 01:09:00.800 --> 01:09:05.920 That they doing at Hollywood, they did the same thing, and you see how long that show lasted, right? 01:09:06.000 --> 01:09:14.159 Yeah, and then if I would have came in with my formula, it would have just been what, and then I saw that they was even having conversations. 01:09:14.319 --> 01:09:15.680 Who's your favorite comedian? 01:09:15.840 --> 01:09:16.319 All that. 01:09:16.479 --> 01:09:22.800 I'm looking at this, and even the deaf comedy jam, uh, and this is stuff that I can talk about right here. 01:09:23.439 --> 01:09:26.319 Even the deaf jam 25, okay? 01:09:26.479 --> 01:09:31.199 The deaf jam 25, everybody's looking at me like I should have invited them. 01:09:31.359 --> 01:09:33.039 I was lucky to get an invite. 01:09:33.920 --> 01:09:36.800 No, Zendaya's father came with me. 01:09:36.960 --> 01:09:41.680 Next thing I know, everybody is going off on why they wasn't there. 01:09:41.840 --> 01:09:47.039 I barely had anything to do with it, but I can tell you this, and my business partner is here. 01:09:47.279 --> 01:09:56.000 They had called me and told me that they wanted me to come down to this studio and they wanted to interview me for a piece in that special. 01:09:57.279 --> 01:10:04.640 My piece, who basically built that shit, ended up on the cutting room floor. 01:10:04.800 --> 01:10:05.199 Wow. 01:10:05.439 --> 01:10:06.399 You know what I'm saying? 01:10:06.560 --> 01:10:08.960 So I'm I'm just being straight up with you. 01:10:09.119 --> 01:10:10.880 I ain't beat for none of it. 01:10:11.119 --> 01:10:15.119 But to have a platform to talk about it now, I ain't mad at you. 01:10:15.199 --> 01:10:16.000 I love y'all. 01:10:16.239 --> 01:10:16.720 That's right. 01:10:17.520 --> 01:10:19.119 Can I say something real quick? 01:10:19.279 --> 01:10:23.920 I I just want to say something while you sit here like to give flowers. 01:10:24.239 --> 01:10:35.279 Um, the one thing that I love about you, Bob, is when when we initially met through uh uh I think it was Bad Boys, is the first thing. 01:10:35.439 --> 01:10:37.439 Yeah, when I went there for a half a second. 01:10:38.399 --> 01:10:47.920 One thing I always loved about you, and what I always respected about you, is it was never it was never personal. 01:10:48.239 --> 01:10:57.439 Everybody that you picked, when you did Laugh Mob and everything, you had the best talent collective ever, right? 01:10:57.680 --> 01:11:04.880 Me, Rail and Our Prime, uh, Hot Sauce, Ray Lapowski, like the roster was insane. 01:11:05.279 --> 01:11:13.680 And and I really had hoped that that would have done more, and I kind of understand why it didn't, because the roster was so goddamn outstanding. 01:11:13.840 --> 01:11:16.239 Uh that was scary for a lot of it. 01:11:16.319 --> 01:11:17.039 He was deeper than that. 01:11:17.119 --> 01:11:18.560 I could tell y'all right now. 01:11:19.199 --> 01:11:35.199 I could tell y'all right now, and this is crazy because you know how like you take a Thanksgiving turkey, you think you take a Thanksgiving turkey, and then after Thanksgiving, it becomes turkey hash, it becomes turkey salad, right? 01:11:35.359 --> 01:11:38.800 It becomes turkey casserole, it becomes all of that. 01:11:38.960 --> 01:11:40.319 So let me tell you what happened. 01:11:40.399 --> 01:11:44.560 Y'all need to know this story because I'd like to give you some clarification on everything. 01:11:44.800 --> 01:11:47.680 All right, I mentioned that I was carjacked, right? 01:11:48.000 --> 01:11:51.520 So I had a lot of time to think about things. 01:11:52.159 --> 01:12:02.560 So I came back, I got a call from James Dubose, and I produced a show called Comic View, One Might Stand, hosted by Kevin Martin. 01:12:03.119 --> 01:12:03.439 Okay. 01:12:04.079 --> 01:12:09.840 So I was doing that show and it was going really well, and then my father-in-law passed away. 01:12:10.000 --> 01:12:12.159 So I had to leave, right? 01:12:12.479 --> 01:12:21.680 And they tried to continue to do the show without me, like bring other comedians in, and I get a call, Bob, you gotta come back because this thing is crazy. 01:12:21.840 --> 01:12:26.319 Because it's just the formula, you know, that that that I had. 01:12:26.720 --> 01:12:37.760 But with that being said, I decided that because think about it, if I would have managed Chris Tucker, Bernie Mac, all of them, I wouldn't even be having this conversation anymore. 01:12:37.920 --> 01:12:49.600 But I said, I want to now get back on the road and find some of the best comedians in the country that need their own footage. 01:12:49.840 --> 01:13:04.000 They need their own, they need real tapes because you find comedians, they wanted to get booked and do a quick set, then go in the lobby and sell their bullshit DVDs with their sets of when they were on Comic View and stuff like that. 01:13:04.159 --> 01:13:06.640 So we went to Philadelphia PA. 01:13:06.800 --> 01:13:10.479 I found some money

to shoot some specials, right? 01:13:10.640 --> 01:13:15.119 And we went down there to Philadelphia and I had the creme della creme down that piece. 01:13:15.199 --> 01:13:17.600 Carlos Miller, you, right? 01:13:17.920 --> 01:13:22.399 You like we were all down there trying to figure it out, okay? 01:13:22.640 --> 01:13:27.279 Some of them things got picked up, some of them didn't, whatever, but it was a it was a platform. 01:13:27.840 --> 01:13:32.319 But that platform, I go back to the Thanksgiving turkey, okay? 01:13:32.479 --> 01:13:34.000 That was just a piece of it. 01:13:34.159 --> 01:13:41.199 Another piece of that Thanksgiving turkey was taking that audio and turning that audio into clips. 01:13:41.359 --> 01:13:43.199 Corey Bell's here right now. 01:13:43.439 --> 01:13:46.479 I took a thing and created laugh mob laugh tracks. 01:13:46.560 --> 01:13:46.720 Yeah. 01:13:47.039 --> 01:13:47.760 You know what I mean? 01:13:47.840 --> 01:13:54.239 And it was it the only reason it stopped because the pandemic came and everything, uh, time on her. 01:13:54.319 --> 01:13:56.479 Like it was just a bad timing. 01:13:56.640 --> 01:13:59.920 But I continue to try to make things happen. 01:14:00.159 --> 01:14:02.720 And trust me, it's going to happen again. 01:14:02.880 --> 01:14:03.600 Like I ain't done. 01:14:04.239 --> 01:14:04.800 Give it up, y'all. 01:14:04.880 --> 01:14:06.720 Give it up, give it up, give it up to Bob. 01:14:07.119 --> 01:14:15.680 That's that's especially why I wanted to give you your props, because it wasn't about clicks, it wasn't about who who kissed your ass. 01:14:16.000 --> 01:14:19.279 It was really who who the talent was. 01:14:19.600 --> 01:14:28.319 And I'm grateful for that because especially with my my history, to have a person be objective with me was was dope. 01:14:28.399 --> 01:14:29.119 So I appreciate you. 01:14:29.359 --> 01:14:36.239 And that's, you know, the thing, the other part with you guys from Chicago, you know, I mean, it's not a far cry from Norway. 01:14:36.399 --> 01:14:36.960 You know what I mean? 01:14:37.119 --> 01:14:39.920 You know, I'm from over there, house music and all that. 01:14:40.000 --> 01:14:44.079 You know, we do, you should have seen everybody partying the Dion in Norwich. 01:14:44.239 --> 01:14:45.760 It was literally, right? 01:14:46.000 --> 01:14:52.399 But, you know, the thing is, it's something about Chicago that is so close to my heart. 01:14:52.560 --> 01:14:59.920 I remember when I used to go over to uh the Riviera, you know, back when I back in the day with uh World Wide West and them. 01:15:00.079 --> 01:15:05.199 Like it's just always been, you know, Minister Farrakhan's kids, you know, these are my people. 01:15:05.600 --> 01:15:06.640 You know what I'm saying? 01:15:06.800 --> 01:15:12.479 And um uh George, George, let me tell you, George Daniels is my uncle too. 01:15:12.640 --> 01:15:14.319 Yeah, everybody on the show. 01:15:14.560 --> 01:15:16.800 So it's like it's like a lot of love here. 01:15:17.039 --> 01:15:18.880 I love I I had to be here for y'all. 01:15:19.039 --> 01:15:22.000 And hopefully, things I said, you took, you know. 01:15:22.720 --> 01:15:24.560 I'm right, I'm gonna run, I'm gonna run, I'm right. 01:15:24.800 --> 01:15:29.359 We gotta we gotta wrap some, give it up one time for Shauna Morgan to resident. 01:15:33.760 --> 01:15:36.319 Give it up for my special game panelists today. 01:15:36.640 --> 01:15:47.760 Little reminder give it up if you so in time to come to your feet for uh Chicago. 01:16:07.119 --> 01:16:09.840 You are the man, let's just make it back as well. 01:16:13.920 --> 01:16:17.840 Just real quick, Bob, like, you know, just hearing everything that happened with your best friend. 01:16:18.000 --> 01:16:26.239 Hopefully today you felt the flowers, felt the love, and and feel that your, you know, your life worth living has created opportunities for a lot of us, man. 01:16:26.319 --> 01:16:27.199 So we appreciate you. 01:16:27.600 --> 01:16:28.800 Thank you again, Jack. 01:16:32.720 --> 01:16:33.840 Appreciate that, real. 01:16:34.159 --> 01:16:40.159 Um, for everybody watching, make sure that you subscribe, follow, share the podcast for everybody in the room today. 01:16:40.399 --> 01:16:45.840 If you're not following us, make sure you follow What's Funny Today Show on Instagram. 01:16:46.000 --> 01:16:50.079 Make sure you subscribe to our YouTube page, and we are signing off. 01:16:50.239 --> 01:16:51.439 Thanks again for the support. 01:16:51.600 --> 01:16:52.399 Peace.