Quinta Brunson Is Exactly the Energy You Need Right Now

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Now her show Abbott Elementary has millions of us laughing every single week. It's been called the show that is saving sitcoms, and so it's no wonder that she and her fantastic cast have Emmy and Golden Globe wins under their belts, and it's just been renewed for a sixth season. But I bet Quinta is the kind of house guest that will pull up with a story or two, but will leave. She'll leave you feeling inspired. Inspired to get working on that thing. You been waiting out. Come on in. I was just admiring your kitchen. Right? It's gorgeous. It's a beautiful sunny day here in the valley. It's hot outside. It's so hot. And I figured because it was hot, you maybe want something that's a little refreshing to you. Like Arnold Palmer's. I love it. I'm going to spike mine. I've got some tequila for mine. You want to vodka for yours, right? I'm going to take a little vodka with mine. Let's do it. Now when you do a Arnold Palmer, I know it's a joke on the show. Yes. Yes, in the show. It was hilarious. Thank you. The addiction to Arnold Palmer's. Yes. But do you, are you a half and half kind of girl? What's your wish? What's something about me? Quinta Brunson me. I actually don't know shit about Arnold Palmer's. I really don't. It's just. It could give it down. Yeah. I don't really know much about him. My stylist, she's addicted to them. And so I just thought it was a funny joke for someone that was a little chaotic to be really. She can't live without him. And so she drinks. And I'll be honest. I didn't really. You didn't really talk about me before that. I didn't know what was in him. So. It really? You said that's it? Yeah, I know. It really worked for Janine. When you were like, what else is? What is in me? Yeah. It's just tea and lemonade. Does it present as more exciting now? Yes. The way people go off about it? Oh, yeah. And also, I feel like there are people who feel very strongly about whether it should be unsweet tea and sweet and lemonade. The hardest. The hardest. That was an unnecessary I wrote for people with preferences about Arnold Palmer's. Thank you for the raspberries. Can I tell the funny story of how you asked what I'm pleased to eat here today? And I said turkey slices and raspberries and I'm sure you thought I was a carnivorous rabbit or something. So the thing about it is we eat and we drink on this show. You do. Yeah. And I know you know that. I do know that. That's when we were like, when do we want to eat? She was like, I'll take some turkey slices and some raspberries. Okay. And I was like, is she trolling me? No, I wasn't. To be fair, I got asked during awards ceremony season, which we're there. True. Madness. And you know that it's madness. So all I was thinking was my protein and my fiber. I didn't even think about the idea of eating a meal. I just was trying to get my protein in. She said, when I realized this morning, I said, oh, damn. Yeah. I watched Kyla Pratt eating a full meal. I was like, he probably was talking about this. Full meal. This far. Well, you're in luck because we're going to do, it's because again, it's warm outside. So we're going to do like chef salads and I'm going to make the dressing before we head out. You know what I'm saying? You're going to make it yourself. Yeah. For you. I love that. What are you going to put in it? I'm going to talk about that. Okay, I'm jumping. No, no, but it's what that. We'll talk about that later. I don't really entirely know. Oh. Is it going to be FDA approved? Somebody's FDA. All right. I'm not working right now. I can get food poisoning. The modem confidence. Why not? Cheers. Cheers indeed. Thank you. That's what I need it. Okay. Not to be Janine about it. Because the one I had on said as Janine, I was like, oh, I'm going to have a meal. I'm going to have a meal. Because the one I had on said as Janine didn't taste like anything, you know, it's food coloring and shit. Right. This is really good. See? You said, oh. Maybe this is my thing. Hmm. Hmm. Last time I saw you would have been at the GLAD media awards. Yes. What a fun time. Where you received the Vanguard award. I got to present that to you. Vanguard awards were people who are true allies, who use their work, their platform as a way to expand what it looks like for LGBTQ+ people in this country. Yeah. So it was an honor to be able to present that award to you. But I tell you, I lost my mind when I should have been that gray suit and you walked up on that stage in that gray suit and I said, I feel like the fact that we didn't coordinate that. But we're there. I'm very locked in with you because I think that you're one of the people I see in this industry who is doing something that's really, really unique. And people often will bring it up with me and like, Abbott. So when you actually get to see somebody else doing something that really is incredible, I don't know. It makes you excited and tend to wear the same color suit. It happens. I think we're just locked in. Locked in. So you know, we were going to call this game, say, less, but I'm going to call it locked in. Okay. And I want to know if we can communicate, we can stay locked in. Okay. Ooh, best '90s sitcom of all time, '90s sitcom of all time, best '90s sitcom. Okay. Best, what would you say? I'm going to say it. Do we, are we flipping this thing? One, two, three. Three. Fresh principle air. Whoa. Oh, you're showing off someone who's a little, a little scary. I mean, I didn't say favorite person. I don't know. In this day and age, that makes me think you love that guy. Perseval. Fuck y'all. Okay. The finish all with. Oh. Interesting. Okay. So here's the thing. What are your thoughts on Trump? I want to know now where I am. I want to do it. You're in a safe place. The thing that I remember that was so impactful about this show was that I felt like this was a family, a family unit, that in a lot of ways mirrored mine and didn't at all at the same time. Definitely. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember feeling like connected to that family. Totally. I feel the same way. And it wasn't until I was in a, it was a little older that the fresh principle air kicked in for me. Interesting. Okay. Kazmi's show was on and my I was told daily, nightly. Right. She was just part of the sitcom experience in the Brunson household experience. It was also very well written. And I think that's something we underestimate with these shows, you know, like that's why it stands the test of time because it was written so well. I go with fresh principle air because it's the most well written pilot of all time. Not out of sitcoms, not out of black sitcoms. It is airtight when I was a kid. I memorized it without even realizing it. Wait, wait, wait, wait. What? So I had it on VHS recorded before I even thought about going into comedy writing. I had it memorized. And then when I was older, I learned what a sitcom pilot was or what a pilot was. And I don't know, the fresh prints, there's always these conversations that happen around television shows and black sitcoms specifically. And Cosby Show, great example, but the fresh prints was an example of a show that was black but for everybody. Everybody loved the fresh prints. Everyone to be the fresh prints. Yes. And people often turn that everyone into just white people, but no, like I know Hispanic kids and Asian kids, everybody loved the fresh prints. And so I thought it was so unifying and it's definitely the biggest example of sitcom writing that I follow. I should have known considering it's also kind of a hometown hero situation for you. But you know what I mean? I should have known. I don't even factor that part into it. What? Maybe I'm biased. Okay, now lock in. Lock in. Oh, what is the best condiment? What is the best condiment? I did. I thought it said what is the best condiment first I did. What would have been your answer? Well, I think, I mean, you know, I think the commercial favorite would be Trojan. But if you're a man of a certain, you know, you have to probably move to Magnum's, I'm just a girl. I don't know. Whatever you guys want. I don't know. So whatever you got. Whatever you got, just use it. Just use it. Um, best condiment. Things that go, like, that take the meal up a notch, sauces, and we're not counting seasonings in this. No. Just condiments. Just condiments. Oh, Jesus Christ. Look at me. You know, I don't know that I know. You do think on everything. On everything. I mean, I'm gonna say. Yeah. It feels reductive, but. But it feels right. Yeah. There's multiple answers, but there's really only one answer. But of that one answer, there's a lot. Oh my God, there's so many. Okay, I think we might have the same one. You ready? Three, two, one. Bam! Bam! 'Cause I said, because I was trying to think, well, it's versatile. It really is, and after you come out here to LA, you learn about Siracha's place in the world in various dishes, and I still can't that as a hot sauce. Agreed. You know what I don't count? And I think we should just throw it away. Crystal? No. Trabasco. What are we doing? Oh, what are we doing? Oh my God, what are we doing? I think you gotta have it in the house. No, you don't. For what? You don't find that tapet anti-black? Trabasco sauce? I feel like it's in every black household, no? You know why I sent it in black households? It's not. It's for a white company. I never buy it, but it's somehow in my cabinet. It's been there since you were born. Do they give it to you for oysters? They'll give it to you at a hotel. You know what? You know what, right? You know what? Yeah, that's why I sent my house. For the oysters. She saved your ass. (laughing) She saved your ass, 'cause it was about to be done. Yeah, no, I'm a crystal girl. Yes. Hey, I actually enjoyed Frank's red hot. I'm Frank's red hot. I'm not mad at him. I'm buttery, vinegary hot sauce. Yeah. Yeah. Ooh, I want some crab legs. You don't want turkey slices? I think you don't want turkey. What would you have done if I said crab legs for your show? I don't got your crab legs. You would? I'd have made 'em. I got a pot. (laughing) Okay, what's the most quotable movie of all time? Oh, that's hard. That's hard. Also, that's a crazy ass question. Yeah, we're not gonna have the same one on that. What, why are you so sure? Most quotable, we're not saying best. Not saying best. We're saying most quotes per second. (laughing) They are. They are. That is a showrunner. Yeah. For your ass. Quotes per second. I have my answer already. I don't know what's going on. Okay, let me see. Just say it, which are eyes, which are eyes. I'm giving you a hint. Oh, pee? Okay. I don't know if I spelled it right. Well, that's supposed to be, you're supposed to pick on your honest truth. No, he's just locking in. Okay. 'Cause mine, I think mine is different. I think it is, too. You ready? Yep. One, two. Bam. I was gonna say Friday and I really didn't want to be wrong. I shouldn't just decide it to be wrong. Now, you know, you wouldn't have been. But that was that from my eyes? That was the eyebrow. Okay, okay. 'Cause before, I was gonna go, I was gonna go dark. What were you gonna say? Deaches. Oh, peaches. I've never seen that Caucasian film. It's a very quotable movie, apparently. I've never seen that. You agree, though, right? Hey, your man. My apartment smells of rich mahogany. You know, I have almost every line in that movie. Man, you've never found books. A punch in your womb? What? How are we doing? Yeah, what are we doing? What are we doing? They were going crazy. What are we doing to? Friday, I wanted to go with most quotable in the world, but Friday, I would say, is most quotable in black community. Is that fair to say? Yes. But now, the bifilecia? I know. Is that funny? Going into just regular vernacular. Which is good, though. Great. Wasn't great for her. No. But it was great. It was great. I was gonna say, but it's not even quotable. I don't know how I was gonna say dream girl. I was going to say that. Eddie Murray. There you are, Effie. Blake. It's still not the most quotable, but one that I quote a lot. You and it with them, CC. Listen, I could go all day. A song that's underrated in that is "Fake Your Way To The Top." I love that song, and no one ever talks about it. And I just, I love it. I would just say it. You should have won a noscow for that. I just listened to it sometimes just in the morning to wake me up, or like, it's just a good song. Yeah. Princess Tiana, Princess and the Frog. You could have dropped that right on it. You could have fake your way to the top. Round and around. Round and around. Try that, honey. Try that, honey. Run it around. Run it around. Run it around. Run it around. Run it around. Okay. What's the best video game of all time? Oh, man. I mean, it's probably gonna be the one I think you're probably going to have the same. I think you're going to say the thing that, like. I'm going to say. The most iconic characters. No. What? I'm not going to say that, but I know why you would. And I agree that that should be the best one of all time, but the things that have been done recently with this other game were like pretty crazy to me, personally. No, I'm scared as hell. Okay. Ready? Yes. Okay. And Mario Brothers, just like in general. Yeah. Yes. These characters are. 2K. So, what? Have you seen the things they do? It's crazy. You can just. It's uncomfortable. You can have an agent. You can get suspended. Yeah. You can be reprimanded by your coach. Represented by car company. It's insane. It's insane. Yeah. You can lose Instagram followers. It's insane. It's insane. It's insane. It's like the Sims. It's crazy. But for basketball. And we're not talking about it. And like the graphics are one thing. And everyone says it's trash. But you are living a whole second life in that game as an NBA All-Star. Yeah. People are tweeting about you. Yeah. People are calling you trash. Right. And then the fact that you can. I don't know. I think it's crazy that you can just play with like, you know, Prime Charles Barkley. And like. And Michael Jordan. I think that's crazy. I think you can be like. If you can be Al and Iverson and then play like Wilk Chamber. I think this stuff is crazy. It's the best example of stats and technology all coming together. I just think it's a masterpiece. And then Mario Kart is just the game of life. And it gets better. It gets better. And better and better. There's something about here and there. Oh. Are you in a new Super Mario Brothers? I'm the same. Right? Mario Kart. I've talked about this before. It is how life works. If you're in first place, you got to stay in first place. And you got to watch out for that blue shell. Somebody hating from the back is going to throw a blue shell. And they're going to take out whoever they want in between. Whoever they can. Whoever they can, really. It's not even whoever they want. It's just all you all can get it. Everybody can get it. And you got to be up there. You got to be prepared. With your little Sonic boom drink till like, you know, get that off. So you got to stay work. You got to stay stressed at all times to stay in first place. If you're in the middle, man, you're just fucked, you know. And it's a really good representation of being in the middle class in America right now. Yes. You can really spiral anywhere from second and third to, you know, seven to a half. And will anyone know? But that's the game of life. If you play Mario Kart, well, you can do life well. Who in the avid cast is the most likely to keep the night going? To keep the night going. Yes. It depends on the night, but I think I. Okay. So I hear the thing. I was going to say Chris. Yep. And he was like, my feet hurt. I said, your feet hurt. That was a rare occurrence. Chris is normally the one. So it's really me and Chris. We can hang. We can hang really. Janelle will go to sleep early. Tyler doesn't leave the house. Me and Janelle. Me and Janelle were up all. That was a rare car. See, you had the opposite experiences. See, they threw me off. They threw you off. No, Chris is my party boy. Like when we're in New York, he's the person I can be up to like five or six with just going to various parties. Right. I can count on him any day of the week to be like Chris. We're going to this. He will pull up. Chris. Yeah. He's the one. Now my feelings are hurt. Yeah, he was tired. He was tired. We were tired. What's he, what's he saying? Lying is so tired. And we look, we had just wrapped with 22 episodes of TV. Baby. You really get a unique special version of tired, especially after we wrap because it hits us hard. Right. Right after we wrap, there's usually things like a war season going on. So we don't really get to rest until like, I would say this is my first week of real rest. And that's like almost three weeks after we've wrapped. Whoa. Yeah. And that's another thing with those shows in the past. They were all just doing that, you know, like a lot. And I don't know. I don't, I don't think they were on cocaine, not the test. Like, how are you doing? I know. Sometimes in the writers room, like, I get why people were on cooking. I get it. This is the moment where the coke comes in handy. It's weird. What? But we know better. So we don't do that. But I get, you know, it's tiring. We're fortunate for the grind. We love the fact that you're able to do something and create a show that so many people resonate with. But it's a lot of work. It is. Janelle was telling me she was saying that she was like, God, thank God it's Quinta. Thank God it's her. She said, couldn't be me. It's not that much work. She has expressed that off. But I'm happy that I can't be me so that she can be her and everybody can, you know, have, I don't know, do what they do best. And now, season six renewal. Yes. What does that feel like for you? Is that like, yes? Yeah, fantastic. It's just, you know, it's like a testament to the work that we've been doing. I just hope that we can continue to make something good. That's the goal. If anything, it like ramps up. You want to continue to make good TV and not let it fall off. So that's where my head is now. Like I got to make it the best season yet. How do you feel about being responsible for every party that Janelle James walks into and back that ass up plays? She is the one that people look like what you're going to do for like the rest of her life. She was like, I don't even have that much ass. I'm so proud and of myself. and so bad for her and such. - She walks into the party and people are like, "Oh, we know what y'all want to hear." - No, and I'm so bad because that, you know, that's a character trait of Ava. - Right. - But it's a good song though. - It's a great song. - Who doesn't? - I said girl, you better get it. - I know. - You're in too. - She probably was gonna run in a Florida dance anyway. - Come on. - What would be your theme song? What would be like, if you wanted to a party, what song would you want to hear? - I have two songs. - Okay. - The first one is "Drop it Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg. - Come on. - "Drop it Like It's Hot" by Karaoke Song. - It is. - No, that's right. - Yep, people underestimated it. But it's a good time and everyone has a really good time. - "Crowed Participation." - Yes, that's what I'm really about. I want everybody else to have a good time when I do Karaoke. - Okay. - And then my other one would be, do you remember the classical, seminal hit? She got a dog? - She got a dog. - Yeah. - She got a dog. - Yeah. - She got a dog, she got a dog, she got a dog. - So when I was in college-- - That was my, that was my-- - Really? - As in, when it came on, similar to the back that I was up, when it came on the entire college, actually, with just turning. (all laughing) And I, with dance, it was a beautiful song. - What's funny is, no matter where you are, it's the same dance for everybody. It's the same like, yeah, like, there's a bounce in it. - There's a bounce. And what's interesting is when that song came out, I actually didn't have a dog. I didn't have, and then I kind of got it. - One later? And I was like, this is a great accessory to this song. - You look finally. - Finally, I get my face. - You've been so in this scene, and now I could participate fully. - Now I can participate fully, yes, yes. Oh, this is a good one. I'm so interested in your answer. What should you never do in someone's house? - Oh. - You could smoke in my house before you could do this. - Oh, sorry, I'm gonna change my answer. (all laughing) - Oh, what? - The first thing I wrote, people can't help. They can't help that, but you can help this. - What do you mean they can't help it? - Something might happen. Maybe they ate a burrito before. (all laughing) - But I do feel you. - I guess. - I feel whatever, yeah. - You know. - But wait till you get home. - Yeah. - Okay. - Is that what's going on here? - No. - Okay. - One, two, three. (all screaming) - Sorry, bruh. (all laughing) - So I sailed, I'm sorry. - But it's true. - Yes! - Don't put your shoes on, man. - Don't put your shoes on. - Don't do that. - Don't do that. That's crazy to do. - That's crazy to do. - Your shoes have been all outside. - That's crazy. Why would you do it? - On the worst part of the house. - People do a thing that is so crazy. It's just like, wow, man, you live a different life than me. I don't want to who raised you. You live a whole different life. - 'Cause if this is what you do, and I'm looking at you. - Yeah. - Imagine what you've done and I haven't seen you. - To me, it's not even the audacity. It's just like, whoa, man. I don't think you and I vibe at all. - At all. - You really have got to leave my house. 'Cause I'm not sure we're on the same page of protecting each other. The same page of maintaining a good family unit, a good, I don't know about your life choices. - I don't know about your life choices. And for that reason, I think you should be friends. You should leave. - I think you should leave right now. And I've already called the police. - Okay, so neighbors, I've been thinking a lot lately about where I spend my money. Like, who am I actually putting my dollars behind? Because that feels as important as ever right now. So I want to introduce to you all, Basque and Lather, it's a black-owned family-operated brand. Their CEO, Shayna's younger sister, lost all of her hair to a skin condition that was misdiagnosed. And a dermatologist actually told her it might not ever grow back. Where her family said, not on our watch, and got to work on their very own products. And today that sister's hair grows down to her hips. I know that's right. Now listen, I've been using the beard magic and the hydrating hair mist along with the beard oil. And I feel like if my hair could say, thank you, it would. Because I'm talking, it's soft. It's got an incredible shine. And it's a routine I actually look forward to every day. So I'm just now getting started. And I want you all to come on this journey along with me. So explore the viral best sellers and products for healthier hair of all types. From Basque and Lather, go to BasqueandLatherCO.com and use the code houseguest for 20% off. Mm-hmm, that's 20% off at BasqueandLatherCO.com. Code houseguest. OK. So this is an easy vinaigrette. So you've got your Dijon mustard. Come on, Dijon. Then we've got our garlic. To me, you can't do shit without garlic. OK, so when it comes to the rush more of seasonings at your house. It would be-- And is it season salt or seasoning salt? I just say seasoning. Season. Oh, I don't know. I don't know. I'm going to be honest with you. They're neither. It's season salt. I don't know what I say, seasoning. OK, so mine are garlic salt, garlic powder. Yes. Louries, but it doesn't go on anything. It's just an essential in the house. I can't not have it in the house. Yes. And then a little no one won't knock to the Mexican community, but a double really goes hard. And a lot of people don't really know about her, but she's to the beat. Elevated. It's a good color for the food. Yes. Because then we've got olive oil. Now this is addressing olive oil. You don't want to use olive oil for cooking, because it's got a bit more bitter taste. So if I were to buy that at the grocery store, what am I looking for in this area? You're looking for a drizzle olive oil or a dressing olive oil. OK, great. And then we've got some maple syrup for the sweet. And then we've got champagne vinegar. And then you salt and pepper to your liking. I like it for it to be bright. You just inspired me. You know? I'm going to make my own dressing for you. It's very easy. It's very easy. And then people, you know, you can add anchovy paste. You can do all kind of stuff to jish it up. Yeah. But like, look at that color. That's beautiful. Do you like anchovies? Not the stop of the shake, is it? No. OK. I know. You don't want to eff in the anchovies. Umami flavor, I get it. But like blend that all the way up. OK. I don't want to know-- It was efficient. It was efficient. Got it. Let's see where we are. Thank you. I would thank you. A lettuce? Is this from your garden? Yes. It's really-- I'm not kidding. Your house is fantastic. Yeah. Yeah. We had a garden. You really are doing it right. Thank you. Let's see. Mm. I've been a good-- both of them have been a good-- That's great. I'm making this one. I get home. It's good, right? Yeah. This is really good. And I feel like this is the stuff. Maybe selling for like $20. $20. Yeah. And the last is seven days. Right. Exactly. Yeah. I'm going to make that up. You ready to make these salads? I'm ready. Let's do it. I'm so glad to have you. I'm glad to be here. This is the first show I'm coming on just because I wanted to see how you do your thing because you're so good at it. Get out of here. I'm so serious. When you launch a show like this, you make a list of people that you want to have on. Yeah. You want to love on. But people that you also would feel like just get it. Yeah. I don't know if you remember this. This was a been months after we launched. I saw you at a peacock event. And I was like, I'm working on this show and you were like, I know. I would love for you to come be a part. And you stop me. And you were like, I love everything you're doing. I love it. I have to be really careful. I don't want you to take this the wrong way. But where we are right now, we have it. I have to be really protective. That sounds like me. I know. I said those things. I don't remember. But you have to be very protective of. It's not just me. And so when I go sit down somewhere, when I spend that time and I'm candid, my candor can be taken for something totally different. Totally. Wow. I agree with past me. Yeah. Yes. And I was like, damn. I mean, you can't argue with that at all. And so to know that you're like, to see the trust that has been generated what we're doing here. I value that a lot. Yeah. It was great watching it build and everything. And you just seem like you really care about the guests you have. And that's really nice to see. Yeah. In a world of kind of like, got your journalism and wanting the best, clippable moment. It's nice to see people take the time to, you know, really care about what their guests have to say. The human. Yeah, the human. When I see people love on you and what you're doing in particular right now with Abbott, maybe this has come from multiple seasons in. You seem to be enjoying it more. You know, I feel more here, like more, more present. I think, unlike many people, my introduction to the world of Hollywood was on the first, you know, success, I guess. And so I hadn't had the experience of going to award shows before. I hadn't had the experience of, you know, being in a lot of these rooms before it to even go. And I want to be there. It's just like the show took off and we were in those places. Immediately. Yes. Yeah. The first, I would say, four seasons was experiencing and then catching up. And then I would say that now I'm able to feel comfortable with where I am. Like I feel here. I feel more present. I talk to people all the time about your path between you and your dream is never a straight line. No. of that. Yeah. Have you had moments to be able to look back yet? like damn, a really affirming moment this year was, Janelle want a critics choice award and like, while that has nothing to do with me, I'm happy to see my cast and crew be celebrated. Something about that is very grounding to me. Sometimes when I'm riding through, 'cause you know, I beat the block in LA for a while before I abbot, you know, I lived in Hollywood in the trenches of Hollywood, three separate times. I lived in Korea town twice. I lived in Know-Hole in like, the not nice part of studios city. - Hello. - We were as one. - There is one, my friend Kate and I, where she's a writer on my show and an actress on the show, Kate and I shared a bedroom and a two bedroom. We were two grown ass women sharing a bedroom and looking truly in the couch for quarters. So we could buy food that day. Like we have been down bed. So sometimes when I ride past those places, it hits me how far I've come and that I'm really happy that I didn't give up. But it was never in my spirit to give up, you know. Like me, Kate at that time giving up was not. - No, it's like we'll just bunk together. We'll bed together in this room. - Right, it will figure it out. - Yeah, it was, do you ever have that? I don't know if you have it. It wasn't even a will figure it out thing. It's like, yeah man, this is it. - This is the next step. - These are the trenches. And if you're kind of complaining about them, then I'm not sure you really, you know, you get being in the trenches. You just kind of, just in it. And you make the trenches look cute. You hang up. - Baby, you make the trenches look cute. - You know, you have some string lights on it. It's like a string light makes any room. - Let me tell you something. - If these hue light bulbs would have been out, we was in the trenches. - I remember when those came out too. And I was like, wow, the trenches have evolved. - Have they evolved? - Wow, man. - We got mood light. - I know. - I had a mole. I used to put over a lamp. And that was my mood light. - Darwin, look at you now. - Look at me now. - No, seriously. - Got a pool with an olive tree. - You had an olive tree? - Look at this. - Wow. I didn't know. (laughing) - Wow. - And you know, I was looking at the pictures I don't know if I could talk about this, but the picture is your family and your house. And I don't know, it's something about that. I know it's not my journey, but I love that. - Yeah. - I love seeing, just have people you care about. - Yeah, and that are rooting for you. - That are rooting for you, yeah. - And that even when my mom didn't necessarily get it, she got it, right? 'Cause I got that school. And I was like, yeah, I'm moving to LA. - I kind of did the same. - Yeah, we gon' need more information. - Yep. (laughing) - And she was like, we not just leaving school with full-ride scholarships, talking about we just leaving school to go to LA. - My mom was not havin' it until-- - She was like, what are you doing? - It's a habit, and you know, what? She was not havin' it. 'Cause she didn't understand the internet. - Even with like the bus fee-- - She didn't know what bus fee was. - She was asking me, up until Abbott, and I'm not even kidding. - What do you do? What are you gon' be doing? - You are stripping, let me know. - You are stripping? - Because she didn't understand. (laughing) She did not understand how I was paying my rent. The internet made no sense to her. - Right, she's like, I'm vlogging on the internet. Nobody sent me a check. - She didn't exactly, and so that was confusing. I didn't let her watch a black lady sketch show. (laughing) - That didn't exist. - That didn't exist. You know, Christian Woman, she doesn't like that. You know, she'd rather HBO like not exist. - What? - That should not be a channel on television. - Black lady courtroom? - Maybe I should wrote her that one. - That's a good one. - I might have should wrote her that one. - That's a good one. - You've talked to me about though about that show. - Totally. - You were on the show, but you also wrote, I think. - I didn't. - I thought you-- - Comment misconception. - I thought you wrote it, nope. - You were just cast as like one of those. - I was just cast as an actor. - A player? - You know, this is a good example. People just make up shit all day y'all. We are in an age of just, I saw something about me the other day. I was like, yo, people are just like making things up. - What they say, they say, what you read, they say-- - I'm not even gonna say it, 'cause it's just crazy, but they-- - Wasn't that you wrote on Black lady courtroom? - No, it wasn't there. I'll be there. - There was this, you know, chart on floating around on Facebook that was, me and I, it was comparing us. And it said that my income was something that it was not. It just wasn't. It just wasn't. I don't know what else to say. - More or less. - It said that I'm skipping. It said, I don't have one kid, just no children. And what was crazy is was seeing people arguing about this in the comments, just total untruths. But back to Black lady's catch up, I never wrote on it. I just was cast as an actress. I was really proud of that. - Yeah. - It was cool for me to be a series regular just for acting. - Is that something you wanna do more of? - Just act? - Yeah. - Give me an idea of like what a next kind of role might be. If you could, if you could wave a wand. - There's some fun stuff out there. I'm normally not wanting to throw things out, but I saw like there's gonna be a new live action Jetsons movie. I'd love to be in that world. Fun stuff that you don't really expect. I don't know. - Yeah. 'Cause I'll be honest with you. I wasn't necessarily expecting you as a, in the world of the Hormone Monsters. - Oh, on Big Mouth. - Big Mouth. - Yes. - Does that how you and Seth Rogan got to be connected or? - Seth, I met at a house party. - Yes. - And we just clicked. - Yes. - I love that you and Seth are going to a house party. - We got invited to the same house party and we just clicked. I've been a fan forever. He was locked in right away. Good people. - Right. He does seem like good people. - Yeah, he's pretty solid. I loved just being an actor on that show, but you asked the question I'm gonna answer. - Okay. - About what I learned from that show. And I have to really give Robin Credit here. That, the environment of a predominantly black crew that really stuck with me. - Is that right? - No, I had never, it wasn't even that, I had never seen it before. It was normalized for me after that show. You know, it was just-- - This is possible. - Well, similar to what I'm saying before, where it never seemed out of reach for me. I'd seen it done, therefore it was never out of reach. And so when I was casting the writers, or sorry, casting when I was hiring for the Abbott Room, hiring writers, it was just like, no, it's gonna be predominantly black room. - That's what we're doing. - Same thing with the cast, same thing with the crew. Just, yeah, just seeing that normalized it from me. And I'll have people come to my set and be like, I've never seen this many black people on set. - Really? - Very often. - It's not like we're all black, we're not. But still, that's something that stuck with me from that show. And I know when people say it to me today, I'm like, oh, yeah, that's with me from being there. - The phrase is, I mean, it's almost now become furniture and that we use it so much that maybe it is starting to lose some of its meaning when we talk about representation matters. But it really does make such a difference. It's why I'm on TV. I saw people like Caduce and Lalla, Terrence, and AJ Callaway and Free. - You're so right. - On TV doing this job. I was like, oh, I can. Of course I can do this. - You're so right. The kids on my set, I've talked about this before, but the kids are just seeing a black hair operator. We're not really yelling about it. We're just seeing it and it shows them what they can be. I sometimes see the kids watch Tyler James Williams, who's an actor in the show, also directs and that shows them that they can do more than one thing. You know what I mean? I feel like little moments like that matter. I feel like when they see me talking to the writer of the episode and like working that out, but then going back and they understand, it's not gonna be foreign to them. - Right. Did you have the idea for Abbott years before? I mean, were you working on Abbott while you were at Buzzfeed? - I came up with the idea. I remember, 'cause I was with my friend Kate, one of my balcony and I had just visited my mom and Philly and who was retiring. I was trying to get her to retire, sorry. - Okay. - Yeah, that's where we were. She was like not accepting it yet and I really wanted her to retire. And so when I came back, I was like, I think that's, there's something there. There's a show there. Me personally, I really like for an idea to move me. I think I can think of any show idea right now, right? I can look at these plants and be like, oh, I think it'd be cool to have a plant shop that's run by two guys and this weird girl that comes by with her glasses on and every day. You know, they sell flowers. Weird people are coming in asking for flowers for different things. They want to make mulch or they want to make weed. And boom, there's a show. - Right, right, right, right. - Yeah. - I like this, yeah. Quentin Brunson, she's gonna have a green light of this. It's a go. - But I really like when an idea, it's like, whoa, wait, no, that feels spiritual. And the idea doesn't leave me alone. - Right. - Here, I keep waking up and it's like. - Still there. - Still there and getting better and slowly getting more formed in the little. - Should you immediately start writing things down? - No, I think it's all up in the head for a really long time because I'm letting it bother me. I'm letting the idea kind of bother me in form and turn into a bigger thing. And that's how it was with Abbott. So it was like 2017. And then I got cast in a CW pilot as an actor. I was very proud of that. - Yeah. - I hated it, though. So I hated it. Oh, I hated it so much. - Oh, wait, this shit I, this is not for me. - So when it, thank God, did not get picked up. The producers, the two writers of that pilot, we all connected. And they later came back and we're like, we want to work with you on something. And they're an animation, Justin, Halper and Patrick Schumacher. And they had the Harley Quinn show at the time. I was already working on a show of Larry Wilmore for CBS. So we both were off the market for making a live action sitcom. So I pitched Abbott to them as an animated show. - Right. - And then my pilot didn't go with Larry. Harley Quinn went, where it went, but they had another live action show that got canned. And so we came together and was like, let's try to do Abbott. What if we do it live action now? And, then we had the ability to pitch it and sell it as a live action show instead of animated. - Is there a world where there is an avid high school? - I think in order to make it spin off, I would really, really, really have to believe in it. I wouldn't want to. - That's a no, she's not feeling it. She's, I can see it, I can see it, but maybe not that. - I would, I would just really want to care about it. I would want to go, you know what, yeah, this is really a good show, not for the sake of being a show, but this is a good show. And also, if it's gonna take any of your time and effort away from avid, it's really got to be, 'cause I know you get pitch shows now all the time. - Yes. - These are people who walk up to you on the street and feel like, good. - Yeah, well, I just, I want to make good things. I don't want to make things just to make them. I want them to be good. - Right. - I think there's enough bad things. - It's true. - I'm not even sure if I can call it bad art. It's not enough bad stuff. People are just making bullshit for fun. And they're making money off of it. - And they're making money off of it. - And I don't really want that. I don't want that to be my contribution to the world because I think we deserve better. - Yes. - And I feel like when you look back at this time, you're gonna want some good art to remember or to get you through. That's why things were so amazing like centers. It's good to put your foot in it and make good art because we have to have things that would stand the test of time. The shows you were talking about, "Fresh Prince." These are things where people put their foot in it. And like cultural fixations. - Yeah, that's not by accident. - No. - And it's a lot of people's consistent effort at bringing their best. - Totally. And you know something too, Mom, here. When it seems, when black people do something like really, really, really good, it's like very easy to, 'cause we're just like really good at a lot of things to assume that there wasn't a hunt. - Do you not often see that, and it's not fair. - I think about it with athletes a lot where people, you can't do what LeBron can do. - Baby. - You can't, you can't. - You cannot. - You just can't. - You cannot, you cannot do. - You just can't do what he can do or what Venus and Serena can do. - You don't even have the beads. - Now try it with the beads. - You have nothing. And so it's just this thing where we can make things look really easy. I'll put it that way. I really focus on it with my cast because I think Janelle Tyler, even the white ones, they make it look really. (laughs) They make it look really easy. - It's true. - So everything they can do it, and you can't. - And you cannot. It's another reason why I think you are. - It's why I feel the way I do about you. Anyway, keep going. - I'm working on being better about receiving it, and I thank you for that. I appreciate it. I really do. - Yeah. - But I think it is another reason why people gravitate to your story and to your experience in this business, because it's like, oh, she makes it look so easy. And you hear in the packages around you, the piece is now being written about how you're doing this, that we know it's not easy, but you made it look like you went from this thing straight into that. And I know that's not the case. - No, and also don't want it to come off like, oh, what I do is so hard. I won't say that either, but I do care a lot. And when you see it in other people, when you see it, that's why things like, centers was so exciting this year. - Right, right. That crew of people care a lot about the art they're making. - Well, they create it. - Exactly. And if you don't care, that's when it's easy. When you care a lot, that's when, you know, you're making something that matters, I think. - When did you know that this was a route that you wanted to take that creating in the comedy space? - It was how far I was willing to go for it. So in college, you know, I started really pursuing it. And I just get on autopilot. I got a job teaching dance. And in that job, I just was trying to make enough money to go to Chicago. I had a boyfriend who lived in Chicago at that time. So I had somewhere to stay. All I had before was a plane ticket in these classes at Second City. And I was in Chicago like, did I just find myself to Chicago? Like I was, I was a sophomore. I had never, that was my first time on a plane. I had never been on a plane before. - Wow. - And so I was really shocked at how far I was willing to go for that craft. And then I learned about all the other different aspects of it, writing, performing, being a clown versus being a comic, versus being a comedian and how there was this range that I really appreciated. It made a lot make sense for me, you know? The very principles of improv felt like life to me, like saying yes and, never saying no. It was already kind of partly how I lived my life, my code. - So it clicked for you pretty easy. - Really easy. - These are what people talk about flow. - Yes. - School probably felt like in a lot of ways. - I never stayed in any school till the end. Like, I did it. (laughing) - You said no, as soon as that we'd flow in some words. - I did, I did it. - I did this feeling. - Seriously, high school, I was like, I'm done with this school now. I'm gonna go to a different school. That's how I was supposed to treat school. But I did, not really did. And even at my school that I switched to, which was an art school, much more conducive for me, when I just didn't feel like going to school anymore, which wasn't good, this is true and see. Don't do this, kids, it is. But I just stopped going. And I decided that Philly was my school. I would walk around the city all day long and just go to different museums and different. I would just walk around. - So wait, having a mother that is an educator. - Yeah, she didn't like that. - How did she feel about that? - She didn't like that. - She didn't know about a woman. (laughing) - She didn't know about a lot of it. Until one day she did, 'cause she got a call. - Right. - But she didn't know about a lot of it. But in college, same kind of deal. I just was like, I've had my fun. And now it's time for me to move on. - Something else. - At a certain point, I think during my junior year, I was in Chicago more than I was in Philly. - Wow. - And I came back to Philly's. - There's something close. - No, they're not. That's what I mean, too. That's how far I was willing to go to get this education and comedy. And I've said this before, but it was the first time someone handed me money to do something. I had a teacher there, Shelley Gossman, who was like, you need to take the right in course. And I told her, I don't have any money to take the right in course. And she gave me the money out of her pocket to take the right in course. 'Cause she felt like I needed to do it that much and that changed my life. So it was also the thing I loved that loved me back. So, so quickly, you know? And so it was so symbiotic. - Yeah. Did you find early success in it? Did you find success is, I think, relative, I think. - 'Cause I think, you know, some people get an opportunity to do something, then it's like, I'm not good at it. - No, it was, oh yes, I was good at it. - Okay. - Like, success didn't mean money. It meant finding like community and feeling good and feeling good about what I was doing. Even though for me, it often took me off the beaten path. You know, like a lot of my friends in Philly, and like, what the hell is an improv club? Like, they literally like, "Why are you hanging out with all these white theater kids?" I'm talking theater kids down, okay? Like, this is before theater kids were cool. - Right, right, right. - And it was like, you would not be housemobile with describe a theater kid. - No, and I wasn't one, either. You know, I was cool. I was like, yeah, I want to be clean. - I want to be clean. - Oh my gosh. - The takes too, like, I knew what I mean. I was like, that was always cool. So it was a little bit of a, but I was always moving around the where I felt best and at the time I felt best hanging out with the theater kids doing improv. And I would clown on them, like, you theater has theater kids, but, you know, but they were, but I was so grateful for them too at the same time because, yeah, they changed my life. And so I just would always move to what felt best and comedy felt incredible. But I am interested in drama too. I think I'm very excited about the idea of leaping into that someday soon. - Yeah, I see it for you. - Thanks. - People say, often some of the best, drama comes with a sense of humor. - Definitely. And I think that we all, my worldview is that you should do something really, really, really well and do that thing very, very, very well. - Yeah. - But you shouldn't box yourself in. - Have you ever felt boxed in by this habit machine? - Totally. - Because I think people have this understanding of this expectation that, oh, okay, so this is who she is. - Totally. And that's the business. They have to put you in a box to make you work, but it's up to you to not put yourself in a box, I would say. But I do think it's important to do something really, really well. Jordan Peele, killing comedy for a really long time. - Yeah. - But he didn't box himself in and say, I can't attempt to do the other things. I'm always gonna bring up athletes, but stuff carries the best three-point shooter in the world. That should lend itself well to golf. Of course, you're a good guy. Don't box yourself into that same thing with Dwayne Wade. - Maybe the company. - You know what I mean? And he's done incredible work now. I really think about athletes in that way, because clearly you're very, very good at one thing, but that doesn't mean you don't just play another sport for fun, or because you have interest in it. So I try to not limit myself to the things I'm interested, like, to the only thing I'm good at and try to do things I'm interested in. - How do you, when butted up against conflict or obstacle? How do you move through those situations? Because the perspective of you is that now everything you want, especially professionally, anything you want, but I would imagine that there are still things or still avenues you have to fight for. There's still things you have to, even when it comes to episodes for athletes. - There are still things I wanna make creatively, that because of habit and because of the perception of blackness, there can be hard, it can make your heart to make. So I don't give in though. And I try to remember that I have time. I'm fortunate. I have a good life. I have all the things I need. And I'm not speaking in terms of like money. I have my family. I have my friends. I have a roof over my head. I have air to breathe. I'm fortunately in good health. So anything else that I really believe in may take time. There are projects I want to make that if they're not at this moment understood, then I'm not supposed to make them yet. I'm not going to like force the studio to get the idea. I'll wait until the right doors. Wow. Open. And something I'm grateful for is the puzzle pieces of other creators, you know, doing things. This is all a big puzzle. You're part of it. I'm part of it. When I made Abbott, that opened doors for other things to be made. Other shows have opened the doors for this to be made. Your show will open the door for other things to be made. That's why I stress the importance of good art because it opens the doors for better art. I do know what you mean. And so I think that's why I get so excited about things like sinners because it's like I understand the doors that's going to open. That was the beauty of insecurity years ago. I don't think I would have been able to make Abbott it insecure and Atlanta didn't exist. You think so? I know so. I know so. And I know that Abbott, and I'm sure to noise some creatives, I'm sure some people are going into rooms like, "Don't stop fucking bringing up Abbott." I know because you know what happens. You know it does because at the same time I wasn't seeking to make another insecure or another Atlanta, but those shows, the existence of those shows allowed Abbott to exist. Right. Some frame of reference for people who otherwise would have none. Yes. So the more pieces we add to the puzzle, the more we can make what we want to make, you know? So I try to just sway this like, "Oh, we need some more puzzle pieces for me to make the thing that I want to make." I hear that. That's actually a really beautiful way to look at the saying, the phrase that delay is not denial. Oh, I've never heard that one. And that sometimes the thing that isn't happening right now doesn't mean you abandon it. Yes. But that sometimes we need to focus on other things to make it reality. Post took like 10 years to make. Right. You know. Right. 10 years. 10 years. But that's 10 years of probably lack of understanding, going to places indoors, closing. People not quite getting the idea because we just talk about you don't want to take something somewhere and they don't get it so they try to change it to something that they understand better. I read you. Abbott was like that. Abbott, you know, part of the reason we owned a ABC was because of this woman, Erin Warrenburg, who just got it. And I was like, "I trust her. She trust me. She now runs my company." Is that right? Yeah, because she's super tight. She gets it. She gets it. She gets it. Did you have situations where people try to change so significantly? Yes. Sure, sure. I'm more so experienced that with previous projects where it was like, "Oh, okay. You don't want the idea. You would like to turn it into what works for this network." You want me in some regard. Yes. But to do what you want me to do not what I came here to do. Totally. There were other things like ABC, all good. ABC, it's all good. Shout out to ABC. I just want to know. We're locked in with no like in the beginning, for instance, they really, really, really wanted like some wack ass name like for the show. They wanted it to be called like class act or something like that. And I said, it's giving 80s. It's not good. They wanted a name that felt like class act. Just following 80s. I was just not with it. I mean, it has a certain kind of ring. It didn't have a genase or a say or a qual. No, it doesn't. It doesn't. Oh, what was the one I hated? Oh, it was when I hated. It was like, Tom Foulery. I was like, "Oh, also getting kind of close to one. You can't say any." I said, "How do I like that, please?" Uncle Who? Or another one they were big on. They, you know, this is common knowledge and I know, and I don't feel bad because it makes you know, look even greater is they really wanted somebody well-known for principal Ava and they threw a bunch of people at me. That are good actresses. Absolutely. But I really saw it as an opportunity to launch a new face, who also was just. Ready. There has been a major shift in the industry for how things are made. There used to be a belief for studios, for networks that we're going to launch talent. We're going to develop talent. Totally. Now it's like, can by all the Davis come back and be a teacher? Streaming has changed a lot. And these networks, I understand the outward perception is that they just don't want to, they, they're afraid to take risks because the market has become riskier and riskier. It's, there's more of an opportunity to like lose money and they're afraid to lose money. Everybody's afraid to lose money. Even people with the most money. Right. Onions are, you know, intense, intense, and he used to be that, that way back in the day either. It was like, you put a show on. You didn't hear how many people didn't like it. Right. It was just on. And you watched it anyway. You watched it. Because it was all those, there was to watch. It's all there was to watch. I was thinking that I was watching. I'm going to say what show I was watching the other day. But man, I was watching a show that is a very popular show that I was like, we only watched this because this was on TV. Because it was on TV. This is not good. There are probably three shows in my top 10 shows that I hate. But we watched it. Because it was all that was on TV. I was so curious. I'm going to talk about it off camera. Because there's one big one where I'm like, this, with this was just on TV. I'm going to say it. The OC. Oh, it was not a good show. I never engaged. Oh, baby. I was sad. I never engaged. I never engaged. And when I tell you, I look back at trying to watch that show, I say what the hell was I talking about? This is not a good show. Love everybody. But what was it on TV on TV on TV and everyone was talking about it. Oh my god. And you didn't get to write to directly do them to the creator. No. And so, you know, they're less likely to take risks because the risks immediately bite them in the ass where they didn't happen back in the day. Well, I'm so thankful for you that you were in the place that you were in. Thank you. I want some more good art. Everybody just focus on making some good. Some good art. Don't make stuff just to make it. Make good stuff. Make good stuff. And then I promise you, we will get back to an era where we can afford to make bullshit again. But we're not there. We need good news. Also, we are not there. We are not there. We are never going to be here. We really, really good stuff. Really good stuff. Yes. Great play this game. Cheers. Let's play a game. We talk about game night with you, too. You have to come to my next one. It's a really good time. I'm down. I'm autistic people come out to my game night. It's a good time for people who, you know, you don't really. What? What? What? What? My artistic people come out to my. No, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm just a friend who really has fun at the game night because they say that it's a great, it's a great neutralizer, you know? It's a great. So that is a real, you know, have a game night. I think it's a good. I love you so much. What if my friends is like deeply? Oh, he's really. It's a lot of us around here. Yeah, I'm definitely on this spectrum. Every, like, version of a spectrum there is I'm on it. I couldn't do what I'd do without. Some level of that. Okay, I have one last question. Yes. When you were writing, when you're creating, I read, this could be something that's wrong, but I read that because like when I'm creating, I got, you know, you listen to classical music. Yeah. Would you read that? Glamour? That's true. That's true. Is that a pop quiz? Maybe that's where I was at that time. Yeah. Because lately, I've been very locked into early 2000s, like, Yin-Yang twins. Yes. For some reason, that's really been doing it from a lately. Yin-Yang, like that era of them, Luda. Does that manifest in your work? Does that energy. Because you know. Oh, so because the beats were so fun and colorful. It makes me sound old, but when I listen to the music of the younger people, I'm just like, you guys are still not fun. I don't need to have a good time. It's not fun. It's not fun. There was a time. I was just talking about this with a friend where, you know, he didn't know this, but Brittany crossed over with the Yin-Yang twins. I'm sorry. Brittany had a song called. Usually I'm a Brittany Spears. Brittany Spears. I got that boom boom. In that song, it kicks off with the Yin-Yang twins, like, "Hey, we fit to go to the glove and get crock with Brittany!" It was such a special time. It was such a special time. It was such. It can you just imagine the good times of Brittany? Brittany's like, more than now than ever actually. Yeah, Brittany. But it was such a fun, you know, time. And so that's really inspiring lately. Can you imagine? Yes. I'm especially here right now. It's just so funny. Without the knives. Without the. Oh, with them. I never imagined it with them. Like, they would have first to see her with the knives. They would have first to see her with the knives. They would have. Hey, fucking with Brittany. I mean, with her. I mean, with her. I mean, with her. I mean, with her. And it was like the first time she'd ever been called Brit or something. And she's like, who? Who? Well, let's have a good time. Yes, do it. Let's play again. Boom, baby. Also, I was like, "Joana Man, the other day." I was like, "We used to be so stupid." Also, "Joana Man" is one of the most ridiculous movies. It's ridiculous. I have ever. It's literally. I think it's the reason why Republicans are afraid. Yeah, no, I don't think so. No, I said that was watching. No, I'm like, I think this is the. I think they thought this was a documentary. Yes. I was saying that while I was watching it, like, this is a film. "Joana Man" was a scripted film. (upbeat music) - All right. - I love it. - So it's a game we call you know who, you know who. This would be a little graphic. - Oh. (upbeat music) (laughing) - And so we'll get two clues. - Okay. - We've got to find out what the common thread is between these two clues. - Okay. - If we're stumped, we might get a third clue. - Okay. - All right. Are we ready for the first one? - Let's do it. - Let's do it. (upbeat music) - Weed glasses. - Yes. - Okay. - Oh, that's weed and glasses. (laughing) - Is that through again? (dinging) - Look, I'm still trying to get the rules, right? (laughing) - Did you invent this game? - Yeah, I did. - Yup, yup. - There we go. - There we go. - Oh. - I love games. Mom, purple. Mom, purple. Mom, purple. Mom, purple. Okay, give us a third clue. (dinging) - Cookie. (dinging) - Oh no. I may have guessed too soon. - No, no, what are you gonna say? - Taraji P. Henson. The color purple. I was like, does she wear a lot of purple? - Okay. - The color purple. - First of all. - That's my mom. Oh, I get it all down. - Okay. - That's crazy. - Yeah. - Mom, purple. I'm thinking, who's ever played a purple mom? - Purple mom. (laughing) - Can we talk about Taraji P. Henson? - Let me get this one on the board real quick. - Okay, all right. - Yes, Taraji. - What is the call like for you that you want Taraji to come be a part of Abbott? And to be your mom? - I really, really, when I was younger, I really, really looked up to Taraji. There's representation and then there's, oh, I think this woman, like I like her, I think I look like her, like more than representation, but more like she looked like my family, like her and to me. - Yeah. - So random, but she was in this video, testifying it was the common video. She was like, and she's like, that's my guy right there. He knows how to do it. - That's a good, that's it. - That video is for November, I'm a pig. - Guys, that video went platinum in my house. Like, I don't know why I loved it so much. It was such a good storytelling. And I was like, wow, Taraji's in this music video, acting down too, like I thought that was more impressive than her movies, so I was a big fan. And I think when we landed on the character first, it was like, who can do this? Who can give like, I don't know this edge that we want and Taraji's name came up and I said, I'd be honored if she would do that. So I think our casting director reached out to her agents and she was in. And I'm not sure that I had met Taraji before that. - What? - No, I did. I'm sorry, I didn't meet Taraji before that and she told me that she loved the show 'cause she had educators in her family. - Yes. - And she's not a Philly girl, but she's a DC girl, so like there was connection there. - How do you handle that now? - Because I have seen you out in public and people will wait for the perfect opportunity where you're least expecting someone to walk up on you and be like, hey, so I was thinking of, I don't know, maybe if you want to do like a art teacher, so if you want to have a school program where people like, I loved it, you know, a little guest role. - It's always character first. We just start writing out the characters and then someone fits. - I don't know, I think it's nice when people say I would love to be part of it if you guys have anything. - Right. - And I love that. - But I don't necessarily love when people pitch me that I don't want to. - Yeah. - Okay. - I don't necessarily want to say. - Well, we'll see. - Now that I have anything planned, that'd be weird. - Uh-oh. - Uh-oh. - Uh-oh. - Uh-oh, nice question. - White people, goofballs. - Goofballs. - It's Tyler! - It is Tyler. Dear white people, Greg Green's Garden goofballs. - Oh, sorry, I forgot to hit the buzzer. - Tyler! - Nah, I'm just kidding. - Everybody hates. Yeah, I hate that. - You really did though. I gotta get my head in this game. Okay. (bell rings) - Boxer. (bell rings) - Michael B. Jordan. (bell rings) - Oh, these are slick. - Oh, these are slick. - That was good. - That's better. - My mind went to the dog like a boxer, the dog. - Yeah. - Okay. - You know, I was thinking about-- - Yeah, I did. I had to get all my toes on that one. - Yeah, you were. You were on your toes, okay. Got a little competition. Wait, don't forget to do your thing again. - We were talking about centers earlier. - Yes. - And what it will do for more art be created. What I love about Michael B. Jordan winning the best actor Oscar is what he will create as a result of now having these lanes opened up to-- - Totally, totally. - Yeah, absolutely. - Timmy Shalamay, when would have possibly created better roles for him, where with Michael B. Jordan, it's gonna create some industry. - That's an interesting distinction. - You know what I'm saying? - Totally, I know I'm really happy for Michael. I got to meet Michael through my friend's sterling years ago at Zadada, a house party. I love a house party. And I do, I love it. - Good to fucking know, Quentin. - I love a house party. - This is great. - But meeting him felt like just meeting a cousin. He felt like a big cousin. And I'm always gonna root for someone who feels like a cousin that feels very good. So to see someone who feels like a cousin and how they respond to the people around them, make it this far, I know that he will create more opportunity either by existing or through the projects he does. 'Cause it's in his nature. (bell dings) - Palm Beach, Timmy. - Timmy, it's-- - Timmy, it's-- - I know I got it. - I'm not good at the-- - I'm not good at the-- okay, let me hold the buzzer. That's how he-- - Yeah, see? You gotta hold that, motherfucker. Can we-- I need more of that Kristen wig. - Kristen wig, listen. - I need Kristen wig and Quentin. - That's my girl. - Like, that's my girl. - What we gotta do? - Kristen wig is the funniest person. When she first stepped foot on the SNL, that was my favorite thing about watching SNL when I was younger. Someone would have their first sketch, and you-- it would be very clear. This person is-- - They got it. - They got it. They're a living, breathing, walking star, and you could just see it, and that's how I felt. I'm watching episode live and going, "Who the hell is this?" - Right. - Like, she's incredible, and she's great. I just like her. She's a nice lady. She's always nice to me. - She's always nice. - She's always nice. - And like, in spaces where-- I know I am ruined it. - No. - Oh, Quentin. - What are you talking about? - You walk over, so excited, and I get too excited, and sometimes you know-- - I get that. The other day-- - I didn't say it. - Jermaine Dupri, and I was like, "I just saw you with Steve Harvey." - Why would you-- - Why would you talk? - Why would you say that? I said that to myself. Why would you say you just saw him with Steve Harvey? He did a million other things that are not the Steve Harvey show. It was so dumb. - And also, so, so-- - I know, I know. It was so dumb. - I wanted to air it up by Durey. - Yeah, yeah. - And I said, "You are never gonna remember this. The sentence should have ended right before that." - Yeah. - If I'm gonna walk up to you and say, "You would never remember this." - Right. Why would you say that? - As soon as I said it, she said, "Oh." - You ever seen that? You ever seen that tattoo, though? No. - Wrong grits, no regrets. I live by that. - You know what I'm talking about? - These nail ways of-- - No, wrong grits? - Yeah, I don't know why, but someone got-- - Is it really like-- - Is it like-- - Is it like-- - Is it like the million? - Is it like the million? Is it? - I feel like that's how I've decided to live life now. - Well, that's all accident. - I'm not doing the worst thing ever. - You know who's doing the worst thing? Really, really bad people. I'm just out here, kidding. - I'm just fumbling some interaction. - Some interaction, but I'm still-- - But you live. - But you live. - You live to fight another day. - Okay, here we go. - Wait, hold on. I mean, I have to be fair. - I hate my voice. - Yeah, 'cause I like to win, but not-- - Not by cheating. - Not by cheating. - Pop, sorry. Arrest it. - I just-- - I just-- (laughing) (laughing) (laughing) - No! - Let's do it! - Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. - Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. - What is it? - Wait, wait, wait. (laughing) - No, no, no. - It's gotta be-- - It's gotta be-- - It's gotta be. - Pop star, arrested. - Pop star arrested. - You sure it's not destined to be like-- - You sure it's just to be like-- - You can't say it. - You said you wish. Is a housewife? - They're not pop stars. - Let's get another clue. - Okay. - Should I have some greener carpenter? - So green carpenter got arrested? - Yeah. Dude, I'm so sure it right now. I can't believe I'm seeing it. - I can't believe I'm seeing it. (laughing) - One time my mom stood up and was so funny she stood up and she went, "Oh, did I stand up?" She couldn't-- (laughing) We're so sure, that's my short girl right there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. - What are you-- - Yeah. - You were very tiny. - I didn't realize-- - Why did you say right to say right to say right to say right to say right to say-- - I'm sorry. (laughing) - I didn't realize she was arrested. - No, no, she never-- - She never arrested. She arrests people at her concerts for being too hot. It's cute. - That's crazy. - Yeah, it's cute. - That's mislead. - Yeah, it was. It was a good one. - Okay, here we go. (bell ringing) - Okay, five, two, three, two, one. - Five, two, one. - Second bottle. (bell ringing) - Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob. (bell ringing) - Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob. - Bob, Bob, Bob. - Bob and a singer. - Bob, Bob, Bob. (bell ringing) (bell ringing) (laughing) (laughing) - Bob is not a name. - Bob, Bob, Bob. - What? - Oh, what is it? (bell ringing) - Bob, Bob, Bob. - Bob and a singer. - She's got a Bob. - She's got a Bob. Who's got a Bob? - Uh, Taylor Taylor. (bell ringing) - Uh, Bob. - Uh, CZ Whiteens. (bell ringing) - Uh, Anita Baker. (bell ringing) - A current Bob. (bell ringing) - Kelly Rowling. (bell ringing) (bell ringing) (screaming) (bell ringing) - Oh, there's a pack. (laughing) - There's a pack, is it, there's a pack or is, is there a pack? - These are really good. - This is why I'm at Game Night. It's normally not filmed, so it's so funny. So you went Quest Love, post-game night. - I get a night. - Yes. - How did this start? - We were at a house party. - He was doing it in New York. And then when he wanted to do it in LA, he needed somebody with LA contacts. It doesn't really like know the LA people like that. So I invited everyone that I know from LA who are really cool and nice people. - What kind of games do you have play? - Oh, you name it, we got it. We've got Uno, we've got Scrabble, we've got Monopoly, we've got the one with the operation, we've got operation, if you will. We've got-- - Also known as-- - Also known as Operation. We've got just straight up cards. You know, the space-- - The space table, I wasn't necessarily for that. - It erupts into another situation. - Yeah, but you know what? I think that's the testament to our party. It was not-- - It didn't heat. - Nothing guy heated. - He did. - What's funny is at these Game Night so far, I don't even get to play games because I really focus on being a host. I take that very seriously. If I'm hosting a party and my name is on it, you know, I like to make sure everybody's having a good time. - What is the key to the perfect Game Night? Aside from like good people. - Good people is free. - No, I know. - Good people's really key. Good snacks. - Okay. - A plethora of games. You want different things that are four different people, like just not having one thing. - I don't ask you a question about Uno. - Yeah. - That's rules. If I have a draw, if I lay down a draw for-- - Okay. - Can I also lay down draw twos on top of that? - Yes. - Can I stack? - Yes. I'm all for stacking. Do what you have to do. - That's the most of the game. Yes, or do what you got to do? - Do what you got to do. - And if you got a reverse, that's the same color. - I'm with it. I like the chaos. - Chaos. - This chaos, and I think it's fine. - They called it Uno Extreme. - Uno can get just as bad a spate sometimes. - You're not wrong. - That's another reason I want to play. It caught up and everything I have to host, have to make sure you're glad when it's hot. - Right. And I still want to talk to you tomorrow. - Yeah, exactly. And I'm a lady. I don't want to-- - What a lady. - You're an angry. Look at me now. I'm not already-- - I'm hardly-- (laughs) - I'm starting into a monster. - Okay. - Okay. - Oh. - I know it. - Weird out? - Daniel Redcliffe. - Weird. - He played weird out in the Weird Out Yanke of it. - Oh, I know it was cool. - Oh, I know it was close, which I was in, by the way. - Yes, what I was saying. Oprah. - Oprah Winfrey? - Yeah. - How come no one else is named anyone else, Oprah yet? - Do you think there's another Beyonce out there? Sometimes people tell me they're going to name their baby Quentin, and I'm like, "Ooo." (laughs) It's just like, whoa. - And my name? - Yeah. It's kind of like, that's what I mean. - You're going to name your baby's and dad. That's crazy. - I mean, we never know. - Yeah, that's crazy. Crazy stuff. - Yeah. My name means fifth, so it's like, if the kid is the fifth child, I think that works. - So were your parents, would you say they're literal people? - No. - Like, what do I mean? - I mean, like, I think they were surprised people. They didn't know that they were about to have another child, and then they were like, "Oh, Jesus Christ. Get the book open." They were like, "What are we?" (laughs) - Flipping through, and they were like, "Five. That sounds good." And then they found a pretty little name that meant five. - It is a gorgeous name. - Thanks. - When you play Oprah. - Yes. - Do you call Oprah? - So for that, I did communicate with her just to let her know that it was happening. - And what did she say? - She was excited and thrilled. She didn't interview with Weird Out, Yankovic, that this was based off of. - Right. - In this movie, I'm not sure if you've seen it, it was dumb. It was supposed to be dumb. - It was very silly. - It was dumb as hell. - I mean, it's a weird out. - Yes. So there was no, I wasn't supposed to be playing Oprah to the fullest degree. Daniel is, you know, like, I don't know what Daniel's hide is, but Weird Out was about six four or something like that. So the whole movie was just dumb for the sake of dumb. And so I did communicate with her, and she was okay with it, which as long as I had her blessing, that made me happy. - What I love is that you have the kind of life where you're like, "Let me call her real quick and make it here." Okay, let's see what's in there. - Oh my god. - Red. - Red, but. - Ah, Oprah. - Oh my god. - Yes, yes, yes, oh man. - And we're back in the pain. - We had a happen. Did you really catch up to it? - Yeah, girl. - Okay. - Oh my god. - It's fantastic. - Jenna Jackson, Michael Jackson. Jenna Jackson. - Oh. - I don't like this sheet neither, but I do like to win. Oh, if you're nasty. - These are really well done because I was thinking the recent screen movie. - Scream is one of my favorite music videos of all time, of all time. - Easily. - For a long time, it was the most expensive music video ever shot. - Oh yeah, was it? - Yeah. - I believe that. - Most expensive music video ever shot. - I revisited a lot. - Same. At least four times a year. - Yes, same. That's so funny. Also, do you, I'm sure you've heard this. I don't know what you call it. It's a thing where people are like, I don't, you know, identify as the gaze, but so many of my traits and my friends are the gaze and the girls and sometimes it's like we just get together and watch music videos. - One hundred. - That's all we do. - Percent. - We just watch music videos, all of our faves and that's the nights. - It's like, oh, you came over here to watch something else, but actually we never were going to watch music videos. - I know. We were watching music videos. - We were watching music videos. - It's one o'clock in the morning and we're still watching music videos and we let the algorithm take us sometimes, sometimes someone has a specific one they want to watch, we let the algorithm take us from there. - Yes. - It's really my favorite pastime. - One hundred percent. - Yeah. - Do you like Zara Larsen? - I. - Okay. - Have heard of her. - I'm trying to understand. - I have heard of her. - This is no shade. But I haven't tapped in yet. - Have heard of Zara Larsen. - Yeah. - I've also heard of the Zara Larsen and Tate McRae. - So Tate, I like because she throws the leg up in the air. I like when people dance. I like an unexpected body situation. - Yes, same. I like that. - You never saw the leg coming. And that's what I thought with her. But I'm looking for the good new music videos. But I love to start with a scream, make my way over to, where do I usually go from there? It'll go pure Janet. - Pure Janet. You could be also be on Janet for a while. - Yeah. You could be on Janet for a long time. - I'm going to forget being on Janet concert. - Yeah. - And she did like a medley of like, just the number one. - Period. - Just number one hits. And she got maybe through the 11th song and was like, that's a lot of hits, huh? - I love it. - During the concert. - I love that. - That's a lot of hits, huh? - And then I'll get into a missy Elliott video. - Come on. - So that'll missy Luda, it will go there. And then something will happen. And the algorithm takes me over to Psalm 41. And now I'm having fun with the white boys used to make music in their garage. - Yeah. Follow up, boy. Got me. - Hello. - Please. - Come on. - Yeah. - Also, Nelly Fertado, in the Timberlin, Situation, it's one of my favorite areas. - Oh. - I'm going to go home. I'm going to get some crab legs, some crystal hot sauce, make that salad dressing and watch music videos. - Let's go. - Yes. - He's calling. - Oh, come down to this. - Oh. - What? - And flammable. - Oh. - No. - It's flammable. - No. - No. - Whatever he says. - No, bloat, bloat, bloat, bloat, bloat, bloat, bloat, bloat. - Blant rotation. Martha Stewart. - Inflatable. - Uh. - Inflatable. - Painful way. - Inflatable. - Okay. - Blant rotation. - Is it my blant rotation? Did I speak of this blant rotation? - It's Quintet Branson. - It's a L.I. - Ah! - Ah. - I won. - Also, the fact that our conversation just went. - I just went there. How about that? - So many times. - And that's the real win, besides me winning. That's the real win is the beauty of the flow of where we were, you know. It means we're really in sync. - Which is another great video run you can do on YouTube. - It's good, right? - I guess you can. - Do you remember Naren's dance groups? - Do I remember dance groups? I also remember, do you remember? - Hitin' it. - Hitin' it. - Hitin' it. - Ah, that's hip-hop. - No, that's hip-hop. - No, that's not hip-hop. - That's hip-hop. - Hitin' it. - Hitin' it. - Hitin' it. - Hitin' it. - It's your own group, dude. - Hitin' it. - This is my people. - I love them. - This is my people. - I love them. - And you're my people. - It's so good. - I'm so glad to see you. - And I mean, I guess we were asking the question earlier. If we were locked in, I think it's safe to say. - We locked in. - We locked in. - Let's go, baby. ♪ Maybe we'll life, maybe we'll cry, but best believe we'll have a time. ♪ ♪ Hey, neighbor, come inside. ♪