TRANSCRIPT 🔗
WEBVTT
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First of all, I just want to welcome you out again.
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Clap your hands, give it up for y'all.
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Come in to the whip to second year of the What's Funny Comedy Festival! Year two.
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And what's amazing about this is that this podcast was birthed from the festival.
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And I've been enjoying everything about what's funny comedy today.
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It's just an amazing, amazing, amazing podcast.
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And I think it's gonna keep growing as we keep having all these amazing comedians on here being honest, showing love.
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It's been just a really, really, really great episode.
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I've been enjoying myself and knowledge and Sean and the rest of the crew have been doing an amazing job.
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But tonight is special because we are honoring our what's funny, festival uh really icon, honestly, is Mr.
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Bob Sumner.
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Y'all give Bob Sumner some love.
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So we're gonna do the podcast as it usually is done with uh knowledge doing its thing.
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But before we start that, we want to make sure that we give uh our award to Bob.
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We got an award.
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Last year, Mary Lindsay was our recipient.
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And this year, this dude, I mean, look, once again, like, you know, I was just talking to Sean about this maybe, you know, just uh a little while ago.
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But like Def Jam really started what this whole culture of everything is, especially with black comedians.
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They didn't have anything to perform on until then.
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They was all on like, what was it called?
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Uh The Night at the Improv?
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That's what it was called, whatever it was called.
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That's when they all had the code switch to do that.
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The Sunday comics.
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They uh did have Martin sound like, yeah, man.
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You know, it was that it was kind of crazy to watch.
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But Dev Jam was where, hey, you can be who you are, what you've been doing, when they when you saw, we're gonna get into that.
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So, but this dude is a legend.
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Definitely gonna get into it.
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Even with me, when I first started, you know, just to get a stamp from Bob was a big deal, and that was a big deal to me.
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I want to present, me and knowledge, want to present.
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Thank you so much.
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We want to present Bob Sumner with the Comedy Icon Award presented by the What's Funny Comedy Festival, September 15th, 2025.
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Mr.
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Bob Sumner, here you go.
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Give it up.
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Spelled my name right.
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You know, seriously.
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Nah, no.
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You know how many emails I get sent back because it didn't, you know, summertime.
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Oh my god.
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They put the double M.
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You know how many uniforms?
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You know when you had your uniform made?
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Wow, this is great.
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Thank you.
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Man, we appreciate you.
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We had to do this for you, bro.
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We appreciate you.
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This is really different.
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Yeah, we this is this is better.
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This is not, we just I don't know where Knowledge got this made at, but it's nice.
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Thank you, man.
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This is a nice award.
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This is how an award's supposed to look.
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And it's heavy, ain't it?
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That's that's that's Oscar Wade.
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What's funny, comedy, funny comedy, are you not in the lane?
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We're not gonna rock in the lane.
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What's funny comedy podcast?
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Are you not in the lane?
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It's coming in up.
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A lot of people put your hands up from the proposation.
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We're gonna be undefeated, sit down for live interviews, what the coaching needed.
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A new monopoly for black comedy.
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What's happening?
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Welcome back to the What's Funny Today Show.
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This is your man, Knowledge Beckham, sitting in the host seat today.
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But man, we have a special event.
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This is What's Funny Today Show, live from the What's Funny Comedy Festival.
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We have a live crowd, live audience.
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Give it up, let the camera hear you.
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Appreciate it.
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So we'll start at the far end.
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So if you've watched this show, this is our resident comedian.
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Um, he takes a lot of hits for the teams in terms of his hot takes.
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But anybody who knows Sean, he's a real
Load full transcript
one, super respected across the board from what he does on stage and makes this podcast what it is.
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So give it up to Sean Morgan.
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Next, the homie here needs no introduction.
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Um, he is on big screens, little screens.
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Um, everywhere, if you are alive, you are seeing this man put out his greatness.
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Uh, him and I go back to 2006 when we met.
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We had a great partnership for about seven or eight years when he was in the Chicago.
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We launched him.
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He went to New York, LA, and the rest is history, and he's still doing amazing things.
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If you did not check out, unfortunately you've missed it.
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But we've had two screenings during the festival.
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One for a movie he has that is out now called Code 3.
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Make sure you all go check that out.
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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.
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So make sure you check that out.
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Give it up for my brother Lil'Reen.
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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?
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Like this goes back, didn't even have any idea who Bob Sumner was.
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I knew Russell Simmons, but I didn't know Bob, right?
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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.
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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.
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And so super excited to talk with him today.
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Give it up one more time for Bob Sumner.
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I love that.
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Love it, love it, love it.
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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.
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You've you've been in the comedy game for 25 years.
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Give us your thoughts about Bob and just how he's actually impacted the culture when it comes to black comedy.
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Yeah, I mean, you know what's interesting.
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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.
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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.
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Uh but the Peppermint in New Jersey, and he's like you had to go to these places to find the comics.
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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.
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So it was just these spots, and he had to go find these comics like around the country.
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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.
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Like, I gotta ask you that, Bob.
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Was it did that in the beginning, was it like that?
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Was it comics just running up and you just start telling jokes?
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Cause they knew who you was.
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Can I first say what I was getting ready to say?
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He was thinking about the whole time, too.
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I just see it.
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You gave him this intro, he was just like, Bob ain't heard nothing we said.
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I heard every, can them, can we cuss?
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Yeah, we want to I heard every motherfucking thing.
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Nah, but seriously, um I just I just wanted to say, we're gonna get into that for real.
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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.
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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.
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Okay.
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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?
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We're best friends, passed away.
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And I'm trying to figure out how I can get to Chicago and get back for the home.
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My whole thing was when is the home going?
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Because I knew I had to be here.
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And God has put me in a place where I'm out of here on the 18th and the home going is on Saturday.
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So, you know, just keep me in your prayers, man.
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Absolutely.
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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.
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So y'all have me here helping me get through this.
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And I just applaud y'all for that.
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Now, let me take it there.
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Yeah, if you don't mind.
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Let's do it.
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Okay.
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This is real talk.
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This is real talk.
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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.
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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.
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And it's a whole story to that.
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That was af that was after Def Jam came out?
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The peppermint was like The Peppermint was the week after Def Jam came out.
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So the week after the it was Def Popping that No, it wasn't that popping.
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I'm gonna tell you the story.
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Okay, I'm asking.
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This is a conversation.
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It wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't that that the peppermint was popping at all.
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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.
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Oh, wow.
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You know what I'm saying?
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So it was one of those type spots.
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But because I was on the radio in college, I used to come over there and do some things.
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So that's how I ended up at the peppermint.
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But I actually was at Club 88 with Bill Bellamy.
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That's what I'm about to say.
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But before Club 88 and Bill Bellamy, we were at another place.
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I was at a place called
Terminal D.
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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.
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Wait, you was the you was the DJ at the comedy show.
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I was the DJ, it was my comedy show, and I had records because I was on the radio.
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Like I had I was a DJ before any of this.
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You know what I'm saying?
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So a whole lot happened, but so it was a lot of it was a lot going on before all of that.
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However, in in 1989, okay, 1989, around that time, I got a job at Def Jam Records.
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Okay, I'm working as assistant to the president at the record company, right?
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But I'm still in 1985, 86, 87, that's when I started doing this comedy thing, right?
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And then in 19, I guess it was 1988, Bill Bellamy had just graduated from Rutgers and he came down to Terminal D.
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And a lot of the uptown comedy club comedians, they all used to come there and do comedy and stuff.
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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.
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And the place went from six people to standing room only on Tuesday nights.
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And then you know how the club owners start feeling like they the ones that didn't shit, right?
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I'm dead and serious.
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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.
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So I used to come see them a lot, and they knew I was packing this joint down here.
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And I said, you know what?
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I'ma just leave here and show them that I did this shit, right?
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And I looked at all these comedians.
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Bill Bellamy had just graduated from Ruckets, and I said, You, I'm taking you with me.
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And I made him the host because he needed a place to, you know, become whatever he became.
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So that's where we started rocking out.
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But at the same time, I wasn't even thinking about deaf comedy jam.
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I was just working for the record company.
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Right?
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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.
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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.
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And one day there was a duo named Arsenal and Mitchell.
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Okay, and and and Mitchell's son actually is a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts now, right?
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But but Mitchell and them, they were like my guys.
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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.
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I was doing rooms.
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Her name was Adele Givens.
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Okay, I had never, you know, didn't know Adele.
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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.
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I'm like, how long are you planning on staying?
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First of all, let me see if I can fit this in this fucking Toyota, right?
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And you know, she came to the uh and she was killing the game, right?
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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?
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And stand, they're interested in doing a comedy show, and they already know I'm doing this underground thing at Club 88.
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So I started having people come through there and looking at people.
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I kind of had an idea what I was gonna do, but it couldn't just be a New York, New Jersey type thing.
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We was gonna make this thing national, okay?
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Where's the best place to start?
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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.
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She said she had a friend named Bernie.
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I called her friend.
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Talking to Bernie, Bernie said he's at a place called Spices at the time.
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Yeah.
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Okay.
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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.
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Um, so I call Bernie and I told Bernie that I'm getting ready to do this new show.
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I don't even know what the name of it is.
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Now you see everywhere you turn around, it's a comedy
jam.
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Everything's a comedy jam.
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We'll talk about that too.
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All right.
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I should have got a license on that, right?
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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.
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So Bernie said he could put something together for me.
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I said, cool, but I need to go to Atlanta to work at this convention for Def Jam called Jack the Rapper.
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There used to be a convention called Jack the Rapper.
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So Bernie says to me, he says, I'm gonna be in Atlanta, right?
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I said, where?
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He said, the Comedy Act Theater.
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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
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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.