Robin Thede Made Comedy History… and Got Proposed to 5 Times?

Today's guest didn't just make us laugh, she changed the way comedy speaks. Robin Thete is a true multi-hyphenid, comedian, writer, actor, executive producer, and showrunner. And one of the first black women to host her own late-night talk show, head writer in late-night television and the White House correspondent's dinner during the Obama administration. And then she had the audacity to create the Emmy-winning a black lady's sketch show, one of the most culturally defining sketch shows of our time. So get ready to laugh, because baby, this is Kiki Palmer. "Please welcome one of my faves, Robin Thete." "Oh girl, you look so good!" "Yeah, come on, hair done, nails done, everything did." "Okay, how you doing?" "Oh my girl!" "You look so good, boo. Where you been, you've been in LA, you've been out of town, what's been seen?" "What do I do with this? How do mics work?" "No, I've been in and out, I've got some things in New York and some things here, but mostly on the West Coast." "The last time I think I saw you, we won the set of the Boots movie on "I Love Boosters," which they don't know, I don't think they know much about, like, "No, you in there, so I'm just going to keep it at that." "Yeah, but we have." "That's so much fun!" "I can't wait to see that came here." "First of all, your performance." "And I love Boosters. The world is not ready. You are the girls, all the girls, that owe me." "Taylor, poppy." "Lakee, the king." "Dontreedle, and Demi Moore." "Oh my gosh." "Boost Riley." "He's the boss." "I really love him." "I love him, I'm such a stand." "Me too." "Yes, and he's a good person." "He is." "That counts." "It does, it does, but your performance." "Oh my." "You know he let me say some of it, like, way early on, and I said, "Oh." "So like, we all know you have multiple gears." "Oh my gosh." "But they're not ready." "You doing something, you have a number five." "I'm so high." "No, I'm so high, I can't wait." "And yes, I have a little, I have a little thing thing that I do." "But it's so cool." "It's so cool because he gives us an opportunity." "And I feel like you're the same way where people want to stretch, and they want to do other things." "But the materials aren't always there." "That's right." "You're somebody that's always been able to craft that lane for black women to have the opportunity to show." "The opportunity to show range." "And so yeah, anyway, I can't wait for people to check that out." "I can't either, I can't either." "Let's get into this pre-show pull-up." "Oh, let's get into the mind of Robin Thiti." "So you're a Leo, and I feel like I knew that." "Piri?" "Are you early?" "I'm a July Leo." "Okay, July 17th." "But your son is a Leo, your moon is a Leo." "And then your rising is a Virgo?" "Piri, yes, there." "Do you feel any of that Virgo energy?" "I feel very much." "When I hire you, talk about it." "Because you are the queen." "You're the queen." "What will you want to be on say?" "I got to give it to him." "You know Michael Drew, he's a. " "Yes, yes, yes." "Call me Brian, we've got a list." "No, you guys have a lot." "But so do you, Leo's." "I mean Barack Obama." "Hello, Leo." "I think Maya Rudolph and I have the same birthday." "Oh, this is Leo, maybe." "I love my, and I love me, Sujaylo." "I love Leo's." "I love Sujaylo." "I love Leo's." "You guys are fierce." "A stunt queen." "But Virgo is our fierce with grounding." "Okay." "And we add a little goal and smart." "And like, I call all my Virgo friends or turn on my Virgo rising." "Whenever I need to like break down a situation." "Yeah, we don't have all the desires as Leo's a lot of time." "So that's why we need y'all." "Like, Leo and Virgo together." "Perfect man." "Yeah." "What are you most grateful for today?" "Seeing my friend Kiki." "I am." "I get so excited whenever I see you." "You know." "Yes, we're all the same." "I get so excited when I see you." "We always be like, "Good." "No." "Because you know, we don't care what our face do." "No." "But wait, I've been, I've been meaning to say something to you." "Tell me one billion minutes of you and are you kidding me?" "Girl, I'm serious." "I don't even know we could do that many minutes." "I didn't know we could do that many minutes either." "Come on." "A billion minutes." "I'm gagged, I'm gooped." "But they don't watch us." "Okay." "Set who?" "Come on." "A billion minutes." "Girl." "A billion, but has that song gone?" "It has not, honestly." "Like, I keep, like, you know, people open their minds." "You're the first to mention." "You're the first to mention." Literally, I think about this a lot because it gets to the point where it's like, you know, we've been places and, you know, some of the little, you know, you, they get into stuff and you've got to really calm. That's like a big thing for a mom. Yeah. Like having to calm yourself because it's like, you cannot protect, you know, your baby has to learn, especially with other kids. But that fire comes out. But that fire, I'll be ready to go to four. I'll be going like, "Dins out, Washington." Yeah, my son! My son! My son! That's how I feel, girl. Suddenly we're in "John Q." And I'm ready to blow up the bank. Yes. I feel like it's your neck. Okay. Everyone knows you do all these impressions and whatever. But what they don't talk about is the quotes that you remember. Oh, my God. You are a quote queen. Girl, do you know that me and my family? So we love, our movies were our love language. Yes. Even when we drove to California four days and three nights, we would do quotes. That was like our movie game. We'd be like, "What movie is from and do the line?" And then we'd like, "We got to get on point." Yes. We used to play that. There's your next game show. Oh my gosh. Quote this. Get close to Bokki Pong. Wait a minute. And it has cards that go with it. Yes. Oh, girl. Yes. Are we doing the game show together? Yes, let's do it. And that's perfect for us because we love him probably, right? I know. Uh-oh. Come on, Peacock. Billion more minutes right there. [LAUGHTER] They got to give us that. Oh, wait, you have-- oh, yes, the brand. I love it. People. What's the table? That video. Oh my gosh. So gaggy. So campy. You know, I live for Camp Moment. Baby. Let me through. I'll be throwing my computer. Look at it too. [LAUGHTER] What's the question you wished you were asked more in interviews? Honestly. Oh, I think I have no idea. Yeah, no clue. Right. I don't know. People have asked lots of things. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. What do you want to be asked? You know, I think I used to always want somebody to ask like, it's not really something that they can ask, but I want them to find a way to talk about who I am outside of the characters. Yeah. You know, because even like Kiki Palmer can be a bit of a character. You know, it's like, it's like, you know, but there are other things that I'm thinking about. There are ways that I'm structuring and being, you know, the architecture of my career. I always want to talk about that kind of thing, you know, because a lot of times as a talent, which I don't know if you feel this way, because, you know, I think people probably do see the architect that you bring as a writer. As you know, you come in with all that stuff, not even just for yourself. Well, I make sense. You know what I mean? That's gotten more important to me as I've gotten older, because it's not like, I'm just gagging out. It's like, I cared about this. You're a producer. You're a director. You're all of these things. Exactly. You're an architect of all that. I used to always want people to ask that. Oh, well, I talk about it, so I don't need people to ask. And that's like a key. You know, I think it's like, you know, I'm recklessly confident. That's the book I'm writing is called "Reckless Confidence." And I always talk about, you've got to promote yourself. You know, I said Obama needed, because Barack Obama needs my advice. I always thought he should brag more. Don't let me be Barack Obama. Yeah, because Barack doesn't really brag that much. That doesn't do it. No, every now and then, he'll give you a little cheeky something. Yeah. But, if I get killed on some of the modern, that's the break. No! - No, I'm never let 'em forget. - Oh, never let 'em forget. - That is too funny. - Someone you've met that made you feel starstruck. Angela Bassett, Patti LaBelle. - Whoopie Goldberg. - Yes. - I mean, come on. - Whoopie, can we just, like, sister act too? - I mean, sister act one was good, but that was wrong. - No, it's too, it gave us what we needed. - Very rarely is a sequel better than the first. - Very, whoopie, dude. - The Godfather and sister act, that's it. - Like Tom, Owen, and Patti, Angela Bassett, also one of my all-time favorites. - Listen, girl, I know people talk about this all the time, but you are Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, and Lucille Ball, all in one. - Oh my gosh, Lucille Ball. I loved her going up, oh my gosh, I watched her. I watched, I loved Lucille all the time. - You have reincarnated as all of these women. - Some of them are still alive, obviously. But it's just so funny how you give us all of that, and I just love that. But you and Angela together are very funny. - And I want you guys to have something with her again. - Yes, because it's like we only did that move when I was 11. - I don't even mean that. Y'all have done little interviews and stuff that kill me. - Oh my gosh. - I'm like, are you looking at a mirror? - So look, I was at ABFF with her just recently, and I'm doing her introduction for her to receive this award for being the amazing icon she is. - Yes. - Make a long story short, she comes up, she's accepting the award, and she's talking to all of us, and then she does this thing where she says, like, young people, I think the line is like, young people, your voices matter. But she turns dead around, it looks at me. She's like, young people, your voices matter. And when I tell you, I suddenly felt, this is my face literally did this. (laughing) Like, I suddenly felt like I suddenly mattered. - I matter. - Today I matter. - And I'm turning into mattering. - Like, but that is what I am to my best if we do. Why would she ever be that powerful? She literally young people, your voices matter. I was like, oh (beep) I matter. - I matter. - Like, it did not. Girl. - No, we had her on a black belt. - Oh my gosh. - She's so crazy. She did the same thing to me, so she's sitting down. Now, we have her in a sketch called the Batvich Support Group. Because she's the Batvich. - I think I've actually seen that. - Yes. And so she's sitting between takes, and she reaches into, she's like a bag or something, and she pulls out a tiny, little bag of almonds. - Oh yes. - Four almonds of the bat. - You know about the bat. - She's very healthy. - Very healthy. - Yeah. - And I said, oh, four almonds. And she goes, it's all I'm allowed. (laughs) - She's what? - She goes, just kidding. (laughs) - She's like, I'm not on a diet. I'm just, I don't know, she wasn't on. But it was so, I was like, I need to only get four almonds. - Yeah, that's not all she ate in a day, but she kept, it kept her energy up through the day. - Yes, so she's always been, so, I mean, even when you think about her, and what's love got to do with it, she's always been on the fitness set. I gotta groove, you know, she her body's always been something we've marveled at, but the four almond things, it's like, when I started working with a fitness instructor, that's one of the main things that they taught me. - It is. - It's right before you eat, like you, you go to four almonds and something about it, like helps you, and so you don't overeat, and just like helps you, yeah. It's like a little snack thing, anyway. - Well. - You know. - The four almonds. - I'll never forget. - For the icons. - What's a mantra you live by and why? You never know what people are going through. So watch your mouth. - Yes. - Not watching a mouth, right? - A lot of people not watching a mouth. - I need you to watch it. - They need to watch some mouth and their, and their typing fingers. - And that's really what I mean, because why do you get online and be somebody you're not in real life? Are you a catfish of a mouth? - Yeah. - 'Cause y'all get up, then they get up, they're so bold. - But catfishes have big mouths. - Oh my gosh, they do, it makes you scared. When you look, you'd be like, why am I eating that? - Yeah. - They'd be like, "Yeah, you shouldn't be eating catfish anymore, I don't think." (laughs) - There's care in the world. - Why do you have whiskers, you have dogs? - You know what, heels are also quite scary, but that sushi, the ill sushi is good. - You know why, but they look scary if you look at 'em. - Well, just chop 'em up, and then we don't have to worry about it. But the, so the thing about that is, I remember someone, this is gonna be sad, but it's a good lesson. - It's not that sad, but you know, people always like to comment on weight loss forever, and people would be like, "Oh, okay, Snatchy, look good, Skinny." And then I remember watching someone do that to someone, and the person was like, "Well, I've been sick." - And I'm like, (laughs) "Oh, no, no, no, no, no." (laughs) - Watching 'em out? - Are you there ever? - You never know what people are going through. - When people tell me sometimes sad stuff, I do laugh. - Yeah. - Because I think that that's how deep the comedy helps me to process. - That's why I'm more, because I knew you were gonna, (laughs) girl, but that is crazy. - That is because what I've been sick, and I've been sick. - What I've been sick. - And she ate that well. - I've been sick, so watch her out. - Like, come on. - You know, there reminds me of, I don't know if you see, Fresh Prince of Bel Lear, they had George Jefferson, I don't forget what I'm talking about. - Sherman Ham's like, "Thank you." He was on there, and I think it was on Viv, was pregnant. - Yep. - And he was like, "Viv, you put on the pounds, you need to lay off the beer." And she was like, "I'm pregnant." He was like, "You really need to lay off the beer?" (laughs) - I'm so stupid. - It's so dumb. - These are the quotes I'm talking about. - What I love about these are the quotes. - You know what one of my favorite ones is? - This is so random. - Tell me. - So 2-2-7 had Jackets get sound, sound or Clark won. - Yes, good old sand, and she was doing the speed round. You know, at the end of Family Feud, and they were like, "Name a type of man that you'd like." And she was like, "A rich man." And then they were like, "Name a type of something." Something, every answer was a man. She was like, "Oh, name your biggest fear, a broke man." And there's people like, (laughs) I don't know why that baby left me. Every answer was a man. - It's her delivery. - It's her delivery. - Her delivery. - What an icon. - What an icon. - I love Jackets. - Oh, I start struck by her too, 'cause we got to do 2-2-7, the lost episodes. - Oh man. - We used to do a live show called The Lost Episodes with Amber Ruffin, and then yeah. - I love Amber Ruffin. - Yeah, oh. - A very talented. - Very talented. - You can watch on Bigfoot. - Thank you. - Yes, I'm co-producing a musical. She loves it. - Yes. - You said it's kind of like a samlot meets a-- - Yeah. - Like a spammer lock. - Yeah. - It's very campy, very silly, but it also talks about being other in a fun way, and the cast is very diverse. It's great. - Yeah, she's amazing. - Amazing. Well, first of all, wait, you just got a puppy named Jack. - Full name, Michael Jackson, Theddy. - Period. - Period. - I mean, and he's the love of your life. (laughs) Have you always been an animal lover? - Yes. - This is your very first dog. - This is my first dog on my own. - I made you bring it up. - He's all I wanna talk about. Actually, that should have been the question I wanna be asked in interviews. - Right. - He's, I'll give you lots of pictures to show, video, whatever you need. He's a mini golden judo, and he's just the sweetest thing. And I think for me, I'm a little bit allergic, but 'cause we grew up with dogs, you know? I'm a little bit allergic, he's crazy. - Look at him. - That's like saying, I'm a little bit pregnant. - Like, huh? - Girl, are you or not? - Yeah, I can't breathe. But, no, he's, we grew up with dogs. We grew up with dogs, and even a cat when we were gone, we had fish, we had lots of animals in the house. But yeah, I finally had a minute to just kinda slow down and I got my little puppy. - I love that. - He's my little man. - What kind of pup is it? - He's a mini golden judo, so he's 20 pounds. - Yeah, he'll get to be about 25, but he's the best. He's the love of my life. - I'm a crazy dog, mom. - Oh my gosh. - What does that consist of? - I had a large portrait commission of his likeness that is now in my bathroom. - I'm on the floor. - I feel like your house has amazing aesthetics. - It does. - Yeah, I do feel like, I recall. Very, okay, it's very, so not a lot of like, I felt that maybe there would be some abstract pieces in there. - There are. - Right, right, right. - Yeah, I feel like, I'll just be waiting on my invitation. - Yeah, I'm waiting for you guys all to have it. - Now, on NPR's Bullseye, you recalled your parents saying, "Yes, you have a black parent and a white parent, "but the world will see you as black." And I've heard this, something similar with even with Hallibary when she speaks about her growing up. But it's obviously not probably every biracial person's situation. But I'm wondering how that helped you or served you growing up. - Yeah. - And even now. - I got a black mama from the West Side of Chicago. - A song. - Come on, shut your mouth. - She like, baby. - Right. - You're black. - Yeah, you know, it was actually my white father who was like, the world will see you as black. Like, when he would take us to the grocery store, people like, is this your father? You know, 'cause we were big kids, when big froze back then. - Oh my God. - Yeah, it was, it was, you know, he had three girls. He had three, he had three black girls. He had to care about it. And he knew what the world was gonna be, you know, for us. - Where's he from? - He's from Iowa. - Okay, cool. - So my mom's from the West Side of Chicago. She met my father in Iowa in college. And then they've been together 50 some odd years now, bro. - It's such a blessing. - It is a blessing, but I feel like it's unrealistic now. - I do too, 'cause I also have parents that have been married for over 30 years. And it's like, they sent me a fulfill your sister. - A hundred percent. - They made this (beep) - A hundred percent. - You can't even find a friend for video. - Girl! - Like what? - Girl. - It's crazy. - It's crazy. There's no way that the world is not. Relationships are different. Women have too many options. Men have too many options. It's just different. - The options are optioning. But it's like, how do you know them options want you? Slow down, boo. - Hello. - You know, it's just the idea that they have them. - It's crazy, it's crazy. - But growing up in Iowa, it must have been unique. Because there's not a lot of black folks there. - You'd be surprised. There's more than you would think. But once I left, now there's none. (laughing) (laughing) - I'm not really, I'm not really. - They're only really in a couple of places and we were in one of the cities. But you know, the great thing is, I grew up in the quads. city as a group in Davenport, Iowa, outside of Chicago, about two and a half hours. - Okay. - So we would go to the south side of Chicago to my grandmother's house every summer. So, you know, 68th and Oglesby raised me as much as Davenport, Iowa. - And Chicago in the summer is lit. - So lit. - That was back when you didn't have to pay to go to the taste. - Oh my gosh, good ol' taste to Chicago. - Listen, blues, fast, jazz, fast. We would, oh my gosh. - Up at the Laziums, up at the lake, everything. So, yeah, that helped, I think, a lot in that. But I think my parents were just very realistic, you know, about what the world was gonna be for us. And, you know, it's different now. I feel like kids have, I don't know, growing up, they really, like, I never would have been like, I'm biracial, but, I mean, I guess- - Now there's so much visibility for the biracial perspective. I'm not biracial, so I don't know what it would be like. But I do know, growing up, they used to act like TNT Mayor wasn't biracial. - All right, you know. - Back then, that's why, that was the hole they adopted and then Tim Reed and Jack A. was, you know what I mean? And only in that case- - Yeah, I just thought they were lice, it's supposed to be lice again on the show. - Exactly. - So now, in this generation, we actually do speak a little bit more to, like, the fact that, yeah, people can be mixed, you know? - Well, what is that like? Like, I've had people be like, "Why don't you really talk about your white side?" And I was like, so, here's how the genetics work. You don't have sides. - Right. - I'm not cutting half. - Right. - But yeah, I mean, I don't, I think I've been very intentional about, you know, black women centering, black women in my work. And I think that's 'cause my mom, I just love my mother. I love my sisters. Like, I grew up in a house of, and a family of women, my mom came from six kids and two sets of twins, all these girls, like, just, I don't know. I think black women have been such a cornerstone for me that I don't, I mean, it's not like I haven't had positive white women influences in my life, but all the real maternal people in my life were always that, and so, which is never a question. - Yeah, I also think in general, whether it's black, whether it's by ratio, we're not a monolith. So our experiences are our experiences. They don't always, like, you don't gotta always, even a full black woman ain't gonna always be centering black conversations. That just doesn't happen. - What if it was full black in America? - Like we have that too. - There was slavery. - Yeah. - Like, yeah. - Everybody got something somewhere. Nobody's a hundred percent something. - At least I don't know. I don't know. (laughs) - No, no, not in this country. But I always think it's interesting too, 'cause when people go, "So you're by ratio," and I go, "I guess, I guess I'm always just at black." So. - Yeah, I don't know. - And I think that is, like you said, like, times change. - Times change. - The conversations around what we speak to, and, you know, I mean, but the one drop rule, that's like, you know, it's like, all those things are what I grew up knowing about. So I think, yeah, if I was younger, I mean, I am very young. (laughs) - Very. - God don't like ugly. That's how the mic broke. (laughs) I'm howling. - I said, I'm very young. (laughs) - It'd be like that, girl. I'm still questioning, could I play a college student still? - You're definitely good. - Girl. - I'll start. - Girl. - I'll get a different posture. I do whatever it has to take. That's my young face. (laughs) - Wait, hold on, let me do my young face. - Right. - Bright eyed bushy jail. - No, no, no, no. - That gave bright eyed bushy jail. - That gave crazy stalker. (laughs) So, when I read that your father named you after Robin Williams, it became so clear because, I mean, you grew up watching, Robin Williams, like, you grew up watching SNL, living color with your dad. I can totally see, I mean, that's like the birth of Robin Thiti. Tell me what it was like growing up, sharing those moments with your dad. - Yeah, he's always been a big comedy fan and definitely got me into it way too early. Like, we were watching stand-ups and-- - Oh. - And, yeah, Saturday Night Live and Robin Williams. I mean, just all this Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. - Gene Wilder. - I love Jerry Lewis. - Listen. - Listen. - Listen. - All of that and all the physical comedians and all the, you know, I love Robert Townsend. I love, obviously, all the Wanzas. But, by the time they came around, I was already, like, so versed in Mel Brooks and-- - Okay. - Money Python and all this stuff because of my dad. But, also, Richard Pryor and, you know, Flip Wilson. - Okay. - Mom's Mabley, like, he gave me an education so early. - Yeah. - So early, and I didn't realize it was that. I just thought it was fun and funny. So, yeah, I definitely, he trained me up early. - I love that. Was it at that young age that you thought you, 'cause it, I mean, there were a lot of women, right? But, I still feel like-- - Not really. - Not really. - Not really. - When did you think it could be a career for you to pursue? Like, you know-- - Actually. - I started shooting sketches before YouTube with my sister when we were in school. And, like, we didn't even know what we were making. But, as I got in high school and then to college, I started a sketch group at Northwestern where I went called out the box that's still there years later. And, I think, for me, I was like, okay, this could be something, you know? I think Saturday Night Live and in "Limit Color" helped me see if that could be something. But, there weren't a lot of us. That's why I'm such a fan of Kim Wayans. And, we'll be Goldberg, right? Her characters and her one-woman show. - I love it. - Like, all you need is a couple things to show you, you know? Just a little people of light. - Yep. - So, those women were that for me, for sure. - I love that. I mean, then you went to Second City. - Yeah. - Chicago. - What did that experience teach you about building characters? - Well, now I was like, oh, okay. Like, the hustle is real. You gotta know so many different characters and be able to hop in and out of all this stuff. And I was like, eight shows a week and like, just kind of the hustle, I think of it. And making no money. - Yeah, yeah. - And I think it really solidified for me that I was doing the right thing for my passion, you know? Which is good. - It also was very prestigious. So was there any, the process of getting there and staying there and, you know, I got lucky. I got scouted because of the, there was a black woman, Deanna Griffin, who came and, Griffith, sorry, who came and saw me at Northwestern in my sketch show. And then she said, you need to come to Second City. And I was like, great. And so she gave me a scholarship 'cause I'd definitely go and afford it. And I started learning with these icons, you know? And then just really learn the history of the place and the blue she's. - Okay. - I mean, John Candy, it's just all these amazing. And then Tina Fey was already gone and on to SNL, but all those kinds of folks just blew me away. - Yeah. - And so, yeah, I think it just opened up the world for me and showed me that there was a path. - Yeah. - You've said that you really started writing because nobody could ever write for you. - Yeah. - When did that moment click for you and unlock that? You had to, so when I was creating characters, I would always create characters from when I was a little kid, right? And so, or mimic people I saw on TV. I feel like I've heard you say this too. - Same. - Yeah. - The team teaches you that mimicry kind of in those impressions. - Yeah. - But I think for me, I started getting an audience from some of that, but it was the characters that were most successful and most funny. We're the ones that I was creating their voices. And whenever somebody tried to write for me, it just didn't feel, it wasn't nailing what I was trying to express in that character. - Yeah. - So, yeah, so then I just started acknowledging that I could write also. And that opened up a whole world for me that I didn't know. - Now that you have a very well-established brand, do you feel like it's easier? Like you've been able to teach people how to work with you and they've come with better, you know what I mean? - Oh, no, no. I'm blessed to be around some of the greatest writers in Hollywood. Like I've been so lucky. I mean, the women who came through Black Lady Sketch Show alone, but even writers on my late night show, Z-Way, and like Alex English, and you know, all these amazing people, Lauren Ashley Smith, who came and worked on Sketch Show with us too. I mean, just, I don't know. No, I just think I needed to be exposed to better writers, you know, when I was in college. We were all still figuring it out, you know? I'd always ask that too, because I think when people are finding out building their brand, one thing that I always do say is like sometimes, like even if they're talented people, sometimes, especially as a person of color, people don't know your voice. - Oh, well that's true. - You know what I mean? - That is still true for sure. - And so with digital, that was one of the main, like now, whenever I do a brand deal, whenever I do a partnership, they're talking to me, the way that I've showed them how to talk to me. They're like, "Kiki, we live for you." Like the gag is, "We wanna work with you." And it's like, "Okay, this is. " - It clicked for me. - But also slowed down with all the catchphrases. Like I'm also a person. - You know you are a girl. (laughing) - They do girl. - I know it isn't, I know it isn't. - Kiki. - They literally, it's literally girl. And but it's interesting, 'cause I think-- - I'm gonna say eight. - Oh my god. - It's so interesting though, because it really, I think it's a true thing for anybody that's defining their voice. Like, yeah, lean in and do it yourself, because then it gives people the understanding of how to work with you. - I think so. And I think, I guess my answer to that question was, I get to hire people, (laughing) which is a blessing. - Who can get my voice, but-- - But no, I will say that when I am like, guest aren't on something, or like we talked about, I love boosters, Boots Riley calls me and says, "I have this cameo for you, I want you to come do it." He was like, "Do you want me to send you the sides?" And I said, "No, just describe it to me." And he described it to me and I go, "Great, I don't need the script." And so, because I trust him, anything he writes is going to be absolutely genius. - Yeah. - So, and I'm a fan of writers. I'm such a fan of writers. - I'd also imagine that when you get into a role, people probably are like, just improv. Do you love that all the time? Or you hate that? - No, I love it. - You love it, right? Because it's like, just do your thing. - Because I love my writing. And I feel like, (laughing) - Yeah! - No, I feel like, like, I'm gonna give it to you. So, yeah, I do think people, even on like when I presented award shows, they're like, do you wanna write it or do you want us to write the copy? And I'm like, take a stab at it, but I'm gonna have notes. - But sometimes I don't. Sometimes they're great, because like you said, somebody gets it, or they've hired a black lady, or somebody who gets it. - What is your process when you're getting ready to do a, you know, a hosted show? And obviously they do always have, like, something like the little thing. Do you, you know, what's your process of finding what you're gonna say? Do you think about it that day of like, oh, this happened in the news, I'm gonna add that in, or this is happening in culture. How do you define what you're gonna, personally, you're gonna bring to a host, a show. - Yeah, if I'm hosting, and I have to do a monologue, yeah. I try to be as up to the minute as possible on the jokes for sure. - Yes. - If it's airing live, you always have to consider the room, you know, if I'm doing, if I'm hosting the TCA Awards versus, like I just hosted Ebony's Power Gala, and that was amazing. But, you know, you kinda tailor it. - Yeah, yeah. - At the room. - But, you know. - So you're a comedian, actor, writer, producer, executive producer, and one of the first black women to host a late night talk show. - Crazy. - Was becoming a multi-hyphenate intentional or necessary? - Or both. - Both. - Yeah, both. - Would you wanna host a late night talk show? - God, I would live. - That got so, sorry. - I feel like God, I'm bad. - I know, right. - You got so spacious in the room for this moment. - I just, I'm like, 'cause I was going through my rolodex of all of your work, and I know you did the reboot of. - You did a teen summit, right? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. We did, I did just Kiki, which was very much in the frame, but it was inspired by teen summit, but out of doubt. - But I was like, have you done, I mean, you've done password and all the, you know, all the game shows, but I'm like, why don't you, is it just scheduling? - You know what, it's just never happened, but I do feel like, culture needs. - You would be. - Like something like. - You always say, oh, you would be fantastic. - Girl, and I imagine like, if I did something late night, I would also want it to be like, I would want like a little black lady sketch show, like a little in-living color. Like, I'm like, like, like, who are you? - You could think of whatever you wanted. - You know, who are the young comedian people that we can do, you know what I'm saying? What would that look like? 'Cause we don't have nothing like that. We don't have no deaf comedy jam. - No. - We don't have nothing that's comedy center, but it's like, hey, what's up? Let's get into it. You know, we could show some newcomers, then we could do a sketch, and then we could wrap it up. - Told you, you already know what it is. - We know what it is. - Yeah, we do, I'm there. - I'm there. - Listen, I'm there. - Girl, I just feel like. - You unfortunately cannot be 10 people, and I know you have to shoot movies and shoot TV shows, but I'm like, what a gift for you to be at our homes for late night. I think you would say late night. - Girl, stop. - Why am I getting fired? - So. - You give me so much life. Too much life. - I'm telling you, I'm on the floor. - I'm on the floor. - I'm on the floor. - I know how to find stars. I mean, let's talk about. - I've been going for making that. - Girl, black lady sketch, let's talk about the Quintet Brunson of it all. I just have to go to there now, because of what you just said. ♪ Baby, this is Eeky Palmer, yeah ♪ - Do you hear that? Baby, a warm getaway must be calling my name because spring has officially sprung. We're saying goodbye to endless winter layers and hello to sunny beach season. I finally have a little time off coming up and with my crazy schedule, that's rare. So I'm thinking of a long weekend escape with my family. The question is coastal Santa Barbara vibes or desert stay in Palm Springs. All I know is that when I'm planning a trip, booking to stay on Airbnb just makes everything easier. I just love having a whole house to ourselves. We can each have our own space, no cramped hotel rooms to worry about, and come together for fun movie marathons or epic game nights in the living room. Everyone can be as loud as they want because things can get competitive y'all. And let's face it, a meal is better shared around a table than a bed, especially when it's my dad's cooking. But here's the real magic. We get to play locals. Wandering through neighborhood parks and popping into all the best family owned under the radar restaurants on the recommendations of our lovely super host. Mm, you already know I love a good food tour moment. So if you're planning spring or summer getaways with your favorite people, find us stay on Airbnb. Trust me, that home away from home feeling can't be toughed. (upbeat music) - Now I didn't have nothing to do with her being great. She was great when she came to me and did me a favor coming onto the show. - Oh my god. - She just texted her and said, "Just come shoot this show." Six episodes. It's on HBO. She was like, okay. Like, and then she was destined for Megastron. - How did you know and how did you see? I mean, has she already been away from scene BuzzFeed? - Yeah, already knew. - Yeah. - She just has it. And her standup is so funny. She's just such a unique talent. - Yes. - But Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black, Sky Townsend. - Sky. - Place Townsend. I, she's always been really, really funny. - And I was happy to recognize her more. - Yes. - Sky Townsend is unbelievable. - She's her father's child. - Oh, she's so good. - She's not afraid to get into a character. She doesn't care about anything other than the joke. - That's right. - And that's like, I mean, that's all you could ask for from anybody with a comedic voice. - We got lucky. I, I mean, it was intentional, but you never know how cast they're gonna jail. - Yeah. - And ours just was such, like in the least cliche way possible, we were such a family, or such a family. We all still so close and I was so happy to have that beacon of sisterhood. 'Cause I think you feel it in sketches, obviously like Black Lady Court rumor, what are you all that kind of stuff. And I think that joy radiated in our show in such a way that people felt seen. - Yeah. - And that was so important to me. - I think it's so interesting as a woman in comedy. I'm wondering how you feel about it. Like, do you feel like people are as accepting to the female comedic voice as they are with men? - No. - What is that about though? - No. - Yeah, what is that about though? - No, we still have people. - Girl, I'm sure they've done this to you. - Yes. - They'll come up to you and be like, you know, I didn't think women were funny. That's how they'll start with me. You know, I didn't think women were funny. This woman came up to me. Now, mind you, his wife is behind him and she's back there going, "I'm so sorry." 'Cause he thinks he's compliment me. I didn't think women were funny, but you actually make me laugh. Thank you. - That's so annoying. - He's trying to make you laugh like that. - I don't care. I don't care. What does her wife think? She was like, "Girl, I'm sorry." He meant that as a compliment. I was like, I know he did. - I find that to be so interesting. It's like, for whatever reason, funny is not an attribute we're supposed to contain. - I don't know. - You know what that's about. And I think men, you know, when women list qualities they want in a partner, straight women, they'll say, "I want a man who's funny and who's caring and whatever." Men never go, "I want a woman who's funny." - No, they don't, girl. And that's my problem now. 'Cause I can't stop cracking a damn joke. - And they don't want you funny or the-- - And they don't, girl. - Why'd you talk about her? - I was just talking about that where almost you become just asexual because it's just like, 'cause I'm not supposed to be, who, right, it's like, I'm just trying to play with that. - You're just being fun. - Yeah, I'm just playing with you, damn. I even have to know my son one time. My son, he'd be like, "No, mama, no, it's not funny." I'm just playing with you. - It's so sensitive. - It's an A, D, and A. - Listen, they're so sensitive. 'Cause he already own me, mommy, you played too much. I'm just trying to make you hold her. - I was like, "Oh, yes." Okay, your comedy video (beep) black guys say, "I feel like that was like viral before viral." - It was. - Even do it self, right? - Yes, it was. I mean, when you think about, or even just like, we're talking about Esa Rae building, awkward black girl, that whole wild, wild west of social media, just digital and virality. - The early day. - The early day. Did you feel like it was that you were pioneering in that time, or you look at it in retrospect? - Well, it was so interesting, 'cause I was doing videos for funny or die and stuff at the same time. I had created every little step spoof with Wayne Brady and-- - Chinatown. - And it's so funny. - I knew Mike Tyson came in to do it, it was so funny. But so I was already kind of doing that stuff around the same time, but really, that got me represented at CAA. I found my first real big agency. - Yep. - Because of black guys say, and it was so funny. My friend, Indra Craig Galvon and I, who I knew from Second City, the (beep) black girls say had been big, you know. And so I was like, but no one's doing this Indra for men. And I was like, well, I play guys all the time, you know, in my life sketch, you know. So I was like, let's shoot it, we shot it in a day and threw it up there in like two million views. Back then was a lot. - I mean, it's still a lot. - It's still a lot, but back then it was a lot. So yeah, that was a big deal, but I just did it because I wanted our voice as well. I thought it was a funny answer to the trend. - What do you feel like that said about culturally specific comedy resonating widely? - You know, I think that's always been my comedy. I feel like culturally specific comedy can be universally funny if it's written well. I always say this, like jokes are jokes, even if you don't get them. Like I watch a lot of stuff. There's a show called "Delly Boys" or "Cooloo." It's so universally funny. Even if I don't understand like super specific jokes or whatever, it's like you still get the vibe. I think "Black Lady Sketch" was like that. I think "Lim and Color" was like that. I think, you know, all of that is very important that we have to do kind of as black comedians. Now I never like took anything black out. It was like, no, I want to be very black and intentionally black. And then you come to us because it's going to be written well and you're going to laugh. - But then do you ever feel the pressure Thank you. I can sometimes come with that where it's like, you know, now I got to make sure that I'm, you know, we're funny with it, but I don't want to joke too much and everybody think we a joke it. Do you ever feel that pressure of just being marginalized and representation? I feel like sometimes it gets to the point where it's like the representation, you know, the weight of it is either we are down and out, or we in a real big house. - Yeah. - You know, and it's like, - See, there's slavery other Cosby's. - But you know, like, you know what? It's seriously like that with us a lot of times. - It is. - Especially as a, like, comedian? - Yeah. - It's like, you can get in your head. Not, no, especially comedians coming up today. It's really easy to get in your head and not be true to the joke because you're so worried about not being able. - Yeah, I'm at the place where I don't care. - I don't think I've ever cared though. - I don't think I've ever cared. I've always cared about what's funny. - Yeah. - But I know what you mean. And I do think, you know, that's a really good thing for young comedians to think about, like, do you have that armor? Do you have that thick skin, you know, that you don't care? Now mind you though, I'm not a comedian that tries to punch down. - Yeah. - But I try to still uplift. You know, it doesn't have to be sanitized by any stretch of the imagination. But I try not to, like, go for the cheap joke that hurts people. - Yeah. - You know, I think that's what kind of helps it. Then I don't feel like that black excellence crush where I have to let pressure to always be, you know, black excellence. - Yeah. - You describe the show blackly sketch show as black women living a grounded experience inside of magical reality. - Yeah. - I mean, what does that mean to you in comedy? - Oh, you know, for us, it was like, if you're checking out the grocery store, there might be a unicorn standing next to you. You know, that was kind of what I always told people. Like, it's that the reality's gonna have this magic in it. And we don't have to be the magic. Like, there's always that pressure for us to be the black girl magic. And it's like, well, what if there's magic around us? And we're just reacting to it. Because I think that's really what the essence of black girl magic is. It's not necessarily that we're magic or we're magicians. It's that in an environment where everything is thrown at us, we make magic happen. - That's literally like the ethos of the, it's no wonder why you embuts, connect, and why you're in it. I love boosters, 'cause that's literally it. And this is literally what he does. When people see his stuff and they're like, oh, it's so bright. It's so, because that's how he see where we come from. - Yes, that's how we all see it. Somebody could come into the hood and they'll be like, oh, it's wack. Oh, it is this, it's crazy. We see magic and wizards and vibrancy and life is, it's so true that we are perspective. That is the way that we see the world. That is so important. Like the whole era that we've been able to fall into now, this black surrealism and whims. And like, I'm so glad we get to be whims, look on that. - Yes, girl. - Like, can I get a little whims? - We can skip through the part. - Like, come on, instead of it just being like you said, it's this extreme up or this extreme, not this damn far. (laughing) - Leave it. - And listen to this song. I love it 'cause she got her own. - It's not damn problem now. - Let me cut the (beep) off, sorry, boy. (laughing) - Why would that come not into mis-independent Nio? I'm a 20-10 girl, by the way. Anyway, it was a good year. (laughing) - I just love that, I love what you bring and I love that, that's what we are getting more of that. - Yeah. - These days. - It's important, I think, you know, we haven't had permission to do those things, to have that whimsy, to have this, you know, but there are independent filmmakers like Booth's Riley and like so many amazing filmmakers that have been trying, but I think we have to keep that foot on the pedal. - Yeah, yeah. - What is writing for other people taught you about protecting your own point of view? - Ooh, 'cause I think that's such a skill that you're able to do that. - Yeah, I've written for name of black committee and I've written for them. I mean, Mike Epps and Anthony Anderson and Chris Rock and you know, all the things, right? So I've wrote that year. - 'Cause that is so cool. (laughing) - That is so free time. - But I haven't really written for you yet. - Go, let's go. - Don't tell me, girl, I love you. - No, I love you. - Oh, I know. And we tried to get you on schedule forever. - And I really was telling the witnesses. - I want to be clear in case somebody come from me. We tried. - Yeah, mama is busy. - Okay. - Literally, we tried so hard to make that happen. - I know, but we are gonna do something. I'm saying it now, you know we talk about this, but yes, we're gonna make something happen. But I think for me, writing for other people really taught me how to home my own voice. Because now I can watch a comedian standup for like 10 minutes and I can write in their voice. Because really, people only make three kinds of jokes. - Tell me. - And I can watch anybody, well, so like when I would watch Larry Wilmore, like I knew he was gonna make a political reference. I knew he was gonna do an anecdotal, like tell a story into a punchline. But if you watch like Stephen Colbert, he's gonna do a reverse. You think he's making this joke and then it's like a salty punchline. You know, you think it's a very serious thing but then it's like a, you know, or if you watch. - Well, would you say about me? Could you say yes? - Yes, of course. - What do I do? - Well, impressions, first of all. - You're going to embody a joke. You're going to give us a character? But you know what you also do? - You also do a very Sonder Clark Jacket Harry thing, which is you'll set up a joke real low. And then the punchline will be loud. So you'll be like, well, the guy good is. That's what they're talking about, and like that kind of fun. That's like a cadence thing. So you have a vocal cadence that's very specific and so perfect for comedy. But acting wise, when I see you on screen, 'cause you Kiki is different than you give us so many layers on screen, like in boosters, but in the burbs and in everything, you'll give us, I like drama Kiki because when drama Kiki's doing drama Kiki, but then has a little joke, it comes from nowhere. You know what the thing is about you? You either telegraph the joke all the way or not at all. And I love watching you do that. Because I know I could write any kind of joke for you and you know what to do. You know the rhythm of comedy. - Oh my god. - You really do. You have the math of it. - Burgos. - Girl, come on, math is ontology. - Hello. - Let's go. - It's rhythmic. - It is. - It's rhythmic. - Yes. - Yes. - You know the formulas. - I feel like you see jokes as numbers or algebra problems or something. - I too. - Yeah. - I too. - I know you do. - That's crazy, I feel so beyond touch. - You have, it feels so good the moment of recognition. - Yes. - And just that you see what I be on and what I'm about and what my heart is, girl. Yes. - Eva, I watched the clip of you in a Ventico Brown with Rose. - I watch it. - By the way, Ventico Brown. - Oh, isn't she just like this? - Our Emmy-nominated judge from a black lady courtroom. - Like she's just, she's the best thing. - She's amazing. - Yes. - But watching you and watching her second guess herself, but knowing you knew what you were giving her. And even in the moment, I know you're just being you. It's not for camera. Like this. - That would be how if we were doing a house party at home, you would be doing the same Rose. - You know, 'cause we're doing the math. Like girl, you know the math. - And I-- - You know. - You're giving her the math. I'm watching you do it in real time. - Have you ever-- - I'm such a comedy nerd. - Have you ever had a residency at a school, or have you taught-- - I have. - You'd have, yeah. - You'd have, yeah. - But I don't like-- - You're great teacher. - Damn, you're so-- - What you just did right now, just breaking down all those different people I would pay to just watch here, you say that about comedy. Like you are so-- - I can break down every one. - I can break because I have been a student of comedy. That is why my father named me the way he did. That's why he taught me the way he did. That's why comedy has been my life. I'm such a nerd, but that's the coolest. - The bills because I could watch anybody stand up. Anybody's routine, and know exactly how to write for them. They'd be like, "Damn, these jokes are good." And I'm like, "Yeah, 'cause I know what kind of jokes you like to make." - You are a co-peace. 'Cause that ain't-- - Yay! - That's nothing to play with. Black Lady's sketch show again. I have to just say it again. Elevator voices like Quintet Brunson, brought legends like Angela Bassett, Katie LaBelle, into comedy spaces. I mean, what did building an ecosystem like that? - You know, Angela Bassett was the first guest star to sign on. - Wow. - She was a fan of my late night show, and I didn't know that. And we reached out to her, and we said, our big first sketch, we want you to be, and we're gonna name the episode after you. That first pilot is called Angela Bassett, as the baddest bitch. Period. - I mean, there's questions. - There's Lily, young people go, "Boy questions," because I've said it all. - Matter. (laughing) - That I would never, that's still matter today, because then, (laughing) I'm still mattering. - Okay, now this gag, me girl. Your mother, Phyllis Thiti, served in Iowa, the House of Representatives for 14 years. - 14 years. - Girl, that is everything. - Elected the first night that Obama was elected in 2008. - What was that like? - I mean, seeing her pat in her journey, how do you become a House of Representatives? - So she, my parents were both in education our whole lives, and then they started getting active in teachers unions, and then the Democratic Party, and they just kind of worked their way up. - Well, my mom and my dad had been very politically active for a long time, and worked together on a lot of campaigns, and my mom was simultaneously working with the Obama campaign to help get him elected, while she was running her first campaign. And it was just, I mean, there was a picture of us on the newspaper, I'll send it to your people, but there was a picture of us on the front page of the, our home newspaper, the Quad City Times, of me just screaming and grabbing my mother as she was announced for her first term, and then they have to run every other year. So she had to get reelected seven times. That's unheard of, like she was truly so, and now she's retired and living her best life, but you know, she really, really brought so much change, so much focus to a seat that had never been held by a black woman, ever in the history of that district. So that is so incredible. And then it is so great because you were the first black woman head writer in late. and the White House correspondent, Stanner. - Yeah. - So, I mean, what was it like? - It was amazing, I mean, we were backstage and got to meet the president and the first lady before, and they were like, "You better be funny." - Yeah, right, right, right. - I was like, "It's gonna be funny, it's gonna work." - Ooh! - And they loved it. And it was, I mean, to be in that room is. - In this, the kids these days don't know, honey, 'cause the White House correspondent's internet is not what it used to be, but back then, it was a big deal for a comedian to write for that and to host it, and Larry did such a great job, and he's been one of my mentors for so many years, and, I mean, just meeting, I mean, you've met the alwamas, obviously. - Yeah, they really are amazing. - They really are, like, I don't wanna say, I don't know how to say it other than. (laughing) A really expensive way. - A really expensive way. - They didn't (beep) - No, I was just gonna say, they damn be it. (laughing) - Please, it's the only way I know how to say it. - But it's true. - What they are. - What they are. - We mean it, and we mean it with love. - Together, collectively, they have to (beep) - They are, like, they're amazing. - The show on her own is so impressive and so incredible. But, Barack, I could not even call him by his face. - I know, I feel crazy too, and I'm like, I don't know, is this president, my previous president, my P. - My only president. - Like, you know, it's like, it gets to a point. - Did you say my P. - My P. (laughing) - I don't know all the stuff, so I'd be like, what do I do? - What really killed me was you pronouncing those fashion designer names, was that for Scott Evans? - Yes, because why don't you put me up to it? - But here's the thing, what you need to know is that was the most relatable thing. Besides, I'm sorry to, you have given culture so much. I'm sorry to this man, if I saw him in the street, I wouldn't know a thing, but also, but also you pronouncing (laughing) - Lower way back? - I still can't do it. - Lose. Girl, me too, I never thought. - Next year we was going to the hardware store. Javinci, I'm tired of them. I'm tired of all of them. All of that is too much to be said. I don't know why they put us up to that. It's so difficult. - You were doing such a service for so many of us, because you walked so we could run. - Girl, thank you. - Thank you, thank you for seeing me. - Thank you for seeing me always, always. I mean, with your parents? - I know a lot of your quotes. Is this the make me look like a stalker? I feel like the world is wonderful. - No, I mean, you're not gonna say anything about you. - Oh, please. - Girl, seriously. - And now I'm just thinking to myself, like what are we about to do together? 'Cause you damn, you know, my voice better than me. 'Cause this is-- - Oh, no, I-- - This is cool. - This is-- - No, no, no, no. I could write some messages. - This has me so old, the flow. Like, yes. Okay, with your parents doing so much in politics, have you ever felt like that your comedy is your way of giving back? How do you view the way that you-- - Yes, yes, yes. ♪ Baby, it's this geeky polo, yeah ♪ - Their service is to people in, you know, on the ground, law making, all of that kind of stuff. And mine is writing fart jokes. So yeah, no, I love it. (laughing) - No, but I do, I do. - I do feel like-- - I do feel like a service. And I think that's why I'm so committed to giving underrepresented voices, you know, of such a platform and all of that. And look, not in that way of like the anti-DEI everybody, like, oh, I want to hire people just 'cause they're black. It has never been that way. I hire people 'cause they're good and 'cause they're black, you know? - Yeah, right. - Yeah, for real. - Let's be clear, both things can be true. You can be black and you can be good. - Both things, not like only-- - That'd be true. - We gotta be-- How many times is good to get the sign? We gotta be twice as good, 10 times as good, 100 times as good, whatever that phrase is, now they do changes. But, you know, especially in this era where stuff is constricting in Hollywood, I think it's even more important. Not only to keep a plethora of people represented, but for black voices, what Ryan Kugler is doing is crazy. And, you know, there's so many, obviously, Esa and Quinta, oh my, oh my people, that's-- But watching what's happening in film and television, but film really, that whimsy, like you were talking about earlier, and being able to play in spaces. I mean, obviously people have talked about it a lot, but that scene in the "Jubes Joint" in "Centers" were all those musical genres, chilling. I watched it in, I think, 70 millimeter IMAX. I think that's what it was. The first time I saw "Centers" 'cause I saw it several times. - Me too. - And I balled during that scene. I was just like, I've never seen us like this. And that in 30 seconds, how you can get, I don't know, I was just overwhelmed, and I want to create moments like that for people, whether it's through laughter, through joy, through drama, whatever it is, creating those moments is so important. I just know what they feel like as a viewer, and I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we need one of them. - Yes, it's like, I feel like that's to me the point of art. Everybody has a different reason as to why they create. And I'm sure it changes, but I think for me, it's probably especially because of the times we're in right now. I want to give relief. I want there to be relief. I want to be, you do feel seen, and I want you to feel like you've been given a tone of how to go for it that feels hopeful, because I feel like it's so lacking now. And so that's like, yeah, I totally get, do you have a top three favorite movies coming to America? - Great one. - Far and away. - Not far away, who's that with? - No, no, no. It's far and away, my favorite. - What is that for? - No, I'm just saying that is a movie far and away. - Oh, it is, but it ain't the favorite. - I was just saying, it's my favorite. Like far and away from anything else, that's my favorite. That is so funny. Far and away, who directed that? - Far and away, it's a movie. I think it's their goalkeeping, about some horses. I don't know, that's not my movie. Okay, coming to America. Boomerang. Come on, let's give it Eddie, Eddie. - Let's give it Eddie down. - When I did a movie with him, I-- - What did you do, girl? Because I'm also Eddie. - Candy, Candy Lane, I did a-- - Candy, Candy Lane, of course with them. - Tracy Alvaro. - Tracy Alvaro. - Yeah, girl, I love Eddie Murphy, dad. - I have embarrassed myself in front of that man. So many times being in such a stand, and he is so nice, he's so lovely. - So lovely. - I smeared makeup all over his jacket at the red carpet premiere of the movie. He didn't care. I'm a fool. - But, so coming to America, - Boomerang. - Princess bride, the Princess bride. - Now what happened with that one again? - So, that was a robberiner. I love robberiner, rest in peace. I really love him. - Yes. - So, that one is about, there's a man and a woman who are separated, and they have to come back together, and he gets lost to the dread private Roberts, and he comes back as a swashbuckling hero, and then they have to save the woman from marrying a horrible Prince Humberdingke. - It's quite the movie. - A Humberdingke. - Yeah. - I'm not the watch to (bleep) - You'll have it. - You'll have it. - Who the actors in there? - Keri, I don't know. - Keri Knightley. - No. - Oh. - It's a maim. - Keri Yules? I don't know how to say his last name, girl. It's a bunch of E's and W's. - Robin Wright Pan. Did you see House of Cards? She played them, okay. Cool, it's the white people. White people are in the movie. Billy Crystal's in the movie. - Billy Crystal, I know. - Billy Crystal's in the movie. But it is, it doesn't matter who's in the, I'm dry the gin as in the movie. He was alive and dead before you were born. It doesn't matter who's in the movie. It's fantastic. - But it was good. - Okay, it's a classic rom-com that has equal comedy and equal romance. - Okay. - So in Boomerang, I don't even know if it's one of my top three, but I will say it is the fashion and the looks. - This is the thing. Boomerang is it now we, it's almost like Ferris Bueller's Day off, not in context. - Yeah. - Like in what the country is. - But in the iconnery. - Yes, and then the fact that it showed you something that is repeated now. - Yes. - To the point where you don't realize how, and it's crazy it was for it to happen back then. - Because Reggie O'Huddlin, who directed Candy Kane Lane, brought Eddie back. - I don't know how he did that then. - Oh black, like the, here in the marketing, we've got, oh my gosh, I'm Lady Eloise. - Girl. - The concept of the Lady Eloise. - Listen, was it Lady, wait, no. - Now Lady, is anybody's name? - No, that's a (beep) - It wasn't? - It was a kid's character's name. - Wasn't her company Lady Eloise? - Oh, yes it was. - 'Cause she was like, I was like, yes, they lot of, but she was black. - What, but what was her star Jay? - Oh, it was her birthday. - The star Jay was the other girl. - All right. - It's like that. I mean, they just, it was a creative folklore. - Yes. - That's what they did. Anyway, we love them. - Yeah, so. - Coming to America, Boomerang, the princess bride. - Oh my gosh, so good. - Yeah. - Two black classics and a white classic. - Okay. - That's literally, we have diversity. - Yeah. - We believe, we believe, period. I got a couple of them. - What are yours? - Okay. - I thought you never asked. - Great. - Excellent. - I forget me. - I have not been holding up my end of this. - Okay, my number one favorite is, it's a very classic black film. It's called The Wood. - Of course. - You know the wood. - Also a romcom. - Also a argue. - Yes. - Yes. - Yes, it's a fine anthem on it. - Listen, anyway. - Always been fine. - We also have, what's another one of my favorites? - Now you've put me on the spot. - Are you a romcom girlie? - I do love romcoms. - Okay. - I do love romcoms, but do I have. - There was an ellipsis there. - Brown sugar. - Period. - Fabulous, shout out to Michael Elliott. - Great, gorgeous movie, also. - It's so, it's an highlight thing. - They don't get any better than that. - The chemistry, most deaf. - Yeah. - And then third, it's gonna have to probably be white classic. [laughs] So this is like a random one, but this is when I used to watch all the time as a kid. - Okay. - And it was actually starring the girl that was on a, on a, oh my gosh, on Grey's Anatomy for years. - Oh, Captain Heigel? - Yes. - It's called 27 dresses. - No, it was actually called Wish Upon a Star. - I don't know this movie. - Oh baby, it is so classic. So her and her sister are at odds. (laughing) - That sister's at odds? - Her and her sister are at odds. You know, one is real frumpy. The other one is like really that girl. - Okay. - One night, they're wishing on a star. But the gag is, you just think the one sister's wishing on a star. But really what happened is, they wished on a star the same night to trade lives. - Oh, it's giving Freaky Friday meets. - You have a worse problem? - Yeah, it's like, yeah. - It's like? - Yeah. - And so they switched places and they learn that actually, they've actually both always envied each other and who they had to, the armor that they had to be. And it was just a sweet little movie. Wish Upon a Star. - You know, you know. - Yes, go with the sister. - Never mind. - You know the actress action. - Oh yeah, our good whites is. - Danielle Harris. Who we saw in the painting. - To paint her. - It's not to paint her. - No, Danielle Harris was also, she played a real goth chick in one of the, oh my gosh, have you ever seen Urban Legend? - Yes. - She was up in there. - Okay, okay. - That's really a way back one. - Urban Legend, come on. - We did a game show where we don't know the people's names. And we have to describe them like all black aunties. - You're not a girl that had big dress. - That's like a sketch of Robert E. Bert. - Like if we were a bad version of it. - Oh, we're doing movie critics. - We're doing movie critics. - That's a great sketch. - That's a really great sketch. - You know, the girl was in it. She was in that shark thing. In a shark movie. You know, the shark movie. She was like, girl, we're do you the king? - Yes. - Exactly, like girl what? - Like what? - That's crazy. - She was in that movie with the snake, Jailah. - Yeah. - Yeah. - Oh my gosh, I'm on the floor. You also said, fighting, and this is this a quick beat that I wanna do because I'm curious of how you feel about dealing with this as well. You fighting for my life in the industry that values AI. You know, when we talk about AI, you know, now we like, it's like, first is AI replacing talent. And then now we see a lot of people licensing. They're likeness to AI as a form of empowerment or just mind. I don't know what they're doing, you know, how are we dealing with, how are you dealing with this new interest, you know? 'Cause it's happening. - It's happening, you know. - I think, look, if we're talking about replicating crowd scenes or something like that, I won't get too technical about it, but there's always been some sort of CGI VFX ways of doing that sort of thing. But AI gets into this place because I have big problems with tech and the data mining that take, this is, I'm about to really Virgo. - Yeah. - Strap in for the Virgo. - The data mining. - Yes, Gary. - The data mining, but also all of these AI systems are built by people who don't look like us for the large majority of it, right? So they're using data taken from biased sources. 'Cause AI starts to be fed by human sources. And so if they don't look like us, our AI is always gonna come out looking crazy or, you know, there's no AI somewhere. - I've chatted before with AI and I had to get it today as one time. - Right. I said, this is a racer. - A hundred percent. - So this is my language. - Yes, just 'cause you don't get it. - Right, it don't mean an AI route. - That's what I'm saying. - I had to go back and forth. We got it to it. They apologized. - I don't like it. - It's tough. - Yeah, I don't like it. - Yeah, the biases is real. The dangers of the environment are real. - Yeah. - It's a lot to work through. - Also it's bad for our water. - Yeah, all these, you know, data centers and all this stuff is bad for our clean water. Like, there's so many reasons why tech has become the monster that, you know, Joe Morton warns us about in Terminator. - Who is that? (laughs) - Before your time. (laughs) - Terminator is good. - Terminator is good. - Is that, I'll be back. - Joe Morton played Olivia's dad, Olivia Poe's dad in scandal. - Okay, but we took the mama with them arms. - Hello. - Oh, can you have a Xander? - Baby, don't play with her soul. - Don't play with her. - I love her, I love her. - But he warned us, back then the SkyNet was gonna take over. All the AI was gonna take over and like, that's where we are. And I don't mean to sound old and, you know, flutty-duty about it, but I do think it can be used in ways, I saw this teacher use AI to show her students how they would look in the career that they would want to be. And it was the cutest thing. So they showed, she showed them as an astronaut and the kids cried. They literally could see their future. That's where AI is great, right? Stuff like that is great. But when you, you know, people use an AI to tune their photos and stuff and they got six hands in the picture. Look at the hands. It's always the hands. That's where AI can't get it right. - I love it. - Look at the hands. - Oh my gosh, they always make you light skin too. - They're always. - It's like, why did I get brighter? - I don't know, but I don't need any help. - It's so great. (laughing) - It's true. There's ethical ways and there's not ethical ways. And I really hope that we can get some reins in that make us all feel like, you know, we're not-- - Like anything else. - We need some rules. - We need some rules and boundaries. Well, I do want to stop quickly before we get into our game and just talk about relationship goals. Congrats. - Oh, thank you. - Yes, Kelly Rowlan, yourself, and again, Gonzalez. You play Brenda. - That's a man. - Methad man. - Methad man. - That's a man. - Ooh, I can't say too much. (laughing) - But you know. - Oh, they know. - You play Brenda a morning show host. - Yes. - And, you know, you've been in a relationship for a really long time. - I kind of get to that next level. How was it being in the movie? How was it filming? It seemed fun. - It was so fun. - It was so fun. Kelly Rowlan is a hoot always. The whole cast is great. Methad man is just-- - He's so funny and so fun and so game. It was his first romantic comedy. - Oh. - And it was a very dramatic role for me. Like they had me crying in scenes that stopped growing up. - Woo! - Congrats him. But I'm excited to stretch and do more than just the sketch characters that people know or whatever late night stuff. So it was really-- - It was such a great experience. Devon Franklin is this amazing producer. You know, Prime Video has an amazing exec over at Amazon named Amber Raspberry. - Amber! - She's amazing. - My girl. - I love Amber. We did the pick up. We're getting made into something else. - Yes. - Very much love Amber Raspberry. - Yes. - And then Linda Mendoza was our director who started out directing at the Chris Rock show. So like, just comedy gods. So it was super fun. - I love that. I mean, how is it getting into a romance bag? - I'm scared. - Yeah, I'd be scared of the romance bag. - I know. - I'm very awkward. - Making out. - I haven't ever done a sexy. Have you ever had to do a sexy? - Yeah, I did like a lightweight one in TLC with Evan Ross, but he's been my brother since I was a kid. So it was like, and that was unreal. And then I had one with my girl Haley. It was a female love scene. Also very, say, very fun. We were listening to Baby. This is what she came for. Just rubbing. (laughing) - I felt so safe. I felt so safe. That was a good memory. But yeah, I've just done that. (laughing) Nothing to it, nothing like. - Baby. - Uh-huh. - I like yourself. - I'm screaming. No, I, so I've never done a sexy. But even like making out was always for comedic purposes. So I had to, I kind of have to like coach myself 'cause I was like, no, Robin, this is like a dramatic scene. And you like really want to be with this man. And don't laugh, you know? So I had to kind of get out of that mode, but it was a fun stretch. I want to do more drama. - That was so fun. I mean, it's always fun to shake it up and do something different. - Yeah. I mean, it's beginning of relationship goals. Do you have relationship goals? Like what are your top three, top five things? Or, you know, I have one. Oh, period. And it is a woopie-goal bird quote. I don't want nobody to live in a house. (laughing) - I feel the same. Why are we the same, girl? Are we in trouble? - No. - I feel that we are the same. And it's just like, I feel the exact same. - Chairs, the chairs, the stair. - Listen, I don't want nobody. And I've had somebody in my house. - Girl. - And besides Michael Jackson, Thiti, my little mini Golden Jewel, that's the only man I will ever be there. - Okay. - That's how I feel. - I heard you saying that you think living in separate houses is probably ideal. And it was very triggering for me. (laughing) Because I'm a share story with you I've never told. - Oh my gosh. Well, I'm so honored. - I'm so honored. - Baby, this is Chicky Palmer. Exclusive. I've been proposed to five times. And I've said no five times. - By different five man's. - Yes. (laughing) - Now, if the same man was proposing five times, he needed to get a clue. - Different five man's. - What would I say to? (laughing) - Different five man's. - It works better than I thought. - That's what I was. - That's what I was. - It had to get. - That's everything. - By different. (laughing) - You know what I'm saying? - What is it? - Because they were all crazy provokes. (laughing) - So the first one, he said. - I wanna marry you. He had a rent. I wanna marry you. You are the love of my life. There's only one catch. - Now that is not how you provokes somebody. - He's scared. - Right. He said, I wanna live in separate houses. Because I can't really be around you for more than three days. (laughing) - He didn't need that last part though. (laughing) - He could have just been unavailable for the other two. - It was so busy. - Yeah, like, why did he have to tell you? - Why did he have to say that? - People gotta say that. - So that was a no. - Oh my gosh. - Damn dude, okay, let's get to two. (laughing) - This is a movie. - Oh God, okay, two was, two was, oh, two was a third date drunk in Palm Springs. I was not drunk. He was drunk and he said, "I want a marry who stood up on the table, didn't have a ring." But the next day, I was like, "So do you remember what you did?" 'Cause I thought it was a joke, correct. He said, "No, I really want a marry, will you marry me?" And I was like, "No." Oh my. You have an alcohol problem. Like, yeah, dude. Not that I wouldn't see someone through a problem, but it didn't start up. Another one, picture it. I'm loving this so much. The grand canal, Venice Italy, sunset, on a gondola with the love of your life. The gondola is singing, "Oh, solo mio." He turns to you and says, "I think we should spend the rest of our lives together." You hug him, kiss his neck and say, "Yes, but right before you can say yes, his phone beeps, he's getting a text." He says, "One second." Turns around, I mind you, I'm hugging him from behind, so I can see over his shoulder, opens his text. The last thing he sent before her text is a picture of his dick. I'm about to cut somebody out. Is this **** serious? Robin, and this was our love of our life, yeah. Number four. I think that was only, was that three? That was three, four. Four was going to propose to me on a nationally televised game show and thank God that person who told me it was about to have, after like six and a half weeks of dating, and so the person, one of his friends, stopped it. As I was walking on to the set, I was like, what's going on? He was like, you probably should know he's about to propose and I was like, what the break's on this? Because you didn't feel the same. It wasn't that, because I actually ended up being with them longer, but I don't like public attention. And I never really talk about my personal life, which is why this is a Kiki exclusive. Okay. And five was, five was like, we might as well, do you want this ring? And I was like, no, because that's not ecstatic, like, no, come on, girl. And I guess. We ain't 80 days. Right. That's some stuff that happens when you're 80, like, I'm 80, I'm still not going to be a, we might as well do it. No matter what. Oh, my gosh. Me, me, at the odds. Wait, what the hell was that? That was you right. Was it next? Oh, no, it was Jagged Edge. Jagged Edge. I always get the, girl. I used to get the guy that one dude from next mixed up with the dude. All right. I used to get the mixed, who was it? Oh, you know what? I think when I was little, I used to get the dude from next and Nas mixed up. Oh, no, that makes sense. Because they kind of look like, you know, I feel like, I feel like I know. But yeah, this is really, really hilarious. I've never been engaged to. Nobody's ever asked you. No, they just really want me to stay life like my name is a yawntler. Yeah. Yeah. Now, do they know that they're doing that? No, they don't. So is it that they expected? I think they want to be me. Is it that they expected? Or is it that that's what you think you need to do? Well, I think it was both of them. Okay. I think it was definitely both of them. I think the Virgo, me, definitely wanted to be a fixer for a long time. And in my whole life, I think that was always like a form of what drove me. Where it was just like this idea that everybody needs you. You know? And I think that maybe at one point, that was ever true that everybody needed me. But I think that's a form of like having survival instincts. Well, you were a breadwinner too, right? So at a young age. And that's hard. Yes. So I think that kind of stays your mind. And you don't really know that you've accepted that. But you feel like because you have the capacity, you should offer it. Well, and you have the resources, right? And so it's like, yeah, how much am I supposed to carry? But then you look up one day and realize you're carrying 100%. Exactly. And then you realize when you did, because this is what happens with me is, I'm like, I got the capacity, I got the capacity. And then when I'm tired, you feel like the rug was pulled for money, because I'm there to pick up the stuff. Right. Because I'd be once I'd be tired. Yeah. Your girl is gone. And then it's like as well. And you've tried up until that point. Yeah. Because I try up until the end. And then it's just shut off. You know? Yeah. It be like that. Okay. What are you going to do? Girl, I do think this is definitely true for you. And I do feel that it's true for me sometimes. You know, at least people fall in love with us fast. They do. They do. We're lovable. We know that to be true. Well, we're good women. Yeah. So it's kind of like, you know, we'll always have a romantic, vintage trip. We might end up seeing they send a dick pick, but you know, it'll be fun up until that point. I can't wait till the comments are like, not robbing. I didn't even ask about the dick pick. Maybe it wasn't that bad. Somebody gonna be like, well, why is he cute? Because he was fine. Girl, I already know what they all were. The brothers you, I already know what. Isn't that so funny? I do need them to be fine. I do too. I do. And it could be like a quirky kind of fine. Okay. But they do. They do need to be. Yeah. I just want some good look at it. I mean, look what they get. Look at it. Come on. Like look at the material. Look at the material. I love you so much. I love you so much. We're having that conversation took us from Iowa to late night, from building the first to building something that lasts. You've broken barriers, but more than that, you've built worlds on screen and rooms behind the scenes where black women don't have to explain who we are, where we get to lead and be fully ourselves. Thank you for betting on yourself. Thank you for betting on us. And thank you for leaving the door open wider than you found it. See you next time on Baby. This is Kiki Pa.