Roy Wood Jr. on His New Stand-Up Special 'Lonely Flowers'

Summary

All Of It with Alison Stewart: Roy Wood Jr. on His New Stand-Up Special 'Lonely Flowers'

Release Date: January 7, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Roy Wood Jr.
Duration: Approx. 30 minutes

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1. Introduction

In this engaging episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart welcomes comedian Roy Wood Jr. to discuss his recent projects, including his new stand-up special 'Lonely Flowers', his tenure on CNN's "Have I Got News for You", and insights into his personal life and comedic philosophy.

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2. Roy Wood Jr.'s Career Highlights

Alison opens the conversation by highlighting Roy's successful 2024, mentioning his role as host of CNN's new comedy show, "Have I Got News for You," and his work on the NPR podcast "Road to Rickwood," which explores the history of America's oldest ballpark.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (01:06): "Oh, yeah. February 15th. Send Max streaming on everywhere."

He also teases his upcoming comedy special set to premiere on Hulu.

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3. 'Lonely Flowers' Comedy Special

The centerpiece of the discussion revolves around Roy's new Hulu special, 'Lonely Flowers', which delves into themes of connection and loneliness. Roy explains his intent to move beyond the traditional political satire, focusing instead on the human experience and the importance of interpersonal relationships.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (02:00): "It's all about connection. Whether it's making small talk with strangers or talking to your mom on the phone once a week."

Roy emphasizes the challenge of balancing sincere, heartfelt moments with humor, aiming to create a special that resonates on multiple emotional levels.

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4. Stand-Up and Themes of Connection

Roy elaborates on how the theme of connection emerged organically during the writing process. He shares observations about societal changes post-COVID, such as the decline in casual interactions and increasing reliance on digital communication.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (02:34): "We haven't been right since COVID, man. We don't talk. We don't interact. We don't chit-chat no more."

He discusses specific examples from his special, like the absence of greeters in stores and the difficulty of spontaneous conversations, highlighting how these reflect broader societal issues.

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5. Personal Life and Relationship with His Mother

A significant portion of the conversation delves into Roy's personal life, particularly his relationship with his mother. He recounts how a mandatory weekly phone call, initially set as a safety measure during his early stand-up days, evolved into a deeper, more meaningful connection.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (13:42): "So when I was 19, I was still in clothes from the mall. I got caught. I got put on probation. That's why I started doing comedy."

Roy shares anecdotes illustrating the dynamics of their relationship, including humorous exchanges and heartfelt advice. This segment provides a window into how personal experiences influence his comedic material.

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6. Transition to CNN's 'Have I Got News for You'

Roy discusses his move from "The Daily Show" to hosting CNN's "Have I Got News for You." He reflects on the uncertainties and business aspects of the entertainment industry, emphasizing his proactive approach in seeking new opportunities.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (20:35): "No, I wasn't upset. That's business."

He acknowledges the challenges of maintaining relevance and creativity in a rapidly changing media landscape, expressing gratitude for the opportunities that have come his way.

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7. Approach to Political Satire

Transitioning to his role on CNN, Roy outlines his approach to political satire, aiming to foster meaningful conversations rather than merely delivering punchlines. He highlights the format of "Have I Got News for You" as a game show that encourages interaction with political figures, allowing for both humor and substantive dialogue.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (25:34): "It's essentially a game show. It's a fictitious trivia show about the news of the week."

Roy emphasizes the importance of addressing real issues through satire, aiming to inform and engage viewers while entertaining them.

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8. Engaging with Diverse Political Perspectives

Roy addresses the challenges and strategies involved in booking guests with varying political views, including right-wing politicians. He underscores the necessity of creating a platform for diverse voices to facilitate constructive discourse.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (26:16): "I don't think just cussing somebody out on TV is going to carry us for the next four years."

He believes that engaging with a broad spectrum of political perspectives is essential for meaningful satire and public conversation.

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9. Upcoming Projects and Future Directions

Looking ahead, Roy discusses his ambitions to focus on state and local politics in his comedic work, aiming to highlight how grassroots movements and community engagement can influence broader national trends.

Quote:

Roy Wood Jr. (28:16): "I am more interested in how state and local politics trickle down and feel more empowered."

He expresses a commitment to creating content that remains relevant and impactful, emphasizing the enduring importance of human connection and community involvement.

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10. Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by reiterating the premiere dates for Roy's new projects: 'Lonely Flowers' on Hulu (January 17th) and the second season of "Have I Got News for You" on CNN (February). She thanks Roy for his candid and insightful conversation, highlighting the depth and breadth of his work in both comedy and political satire.

Quote:

Alison Stewart: "His new comedy special, Roy Wood Jr. Lonely Flowers, premieres on Hulu on January 17th. And a CNN show, Have I Got News for You, will be back for a second season in February."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Roy Wood Jr. (02:00): "It's all about connection."
• Roy Wood Jr. (02:34): "We haven't been right since COVID, man. We don't talk. We don't interact. We don't chit-chat no more."
• Roy Wood Jr. (13:42): "So when I was 19, I was still in clothes from the mall..."
• Roy Wood Jr. (20:35): "No, I wasn't upset. That's business."
• Roy Wood Jr. (25:34): "It's essentially a game show."
• Roy Wood Jr. (26:16): "I don't think just cussing somebody out on TV is going to carry us for the next four years."
• Roy Wood Jr. (28:16): "I am more interested in how state and local politics trickle down and feel more empowered."

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This episode offers listeners an in-depth look into Roy Wood Jr.'s multifaceted career, his personal journey, and his thoughtful approach to comedy and political discourse. Whether you're a fan of his stand-up, interested in political satire, or curious about the intersection of personal experiences and professional endeavors, this conversation provides valuable insights and engaging commentary.

Transcript

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Listener support, WNYC studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. I'm really grateful you're here. On today's show, we'll talk to the editors of the new Metrograph magazine, Jazz musician Orrin Evans and his band. They are here. They are part of New York City's Winter Jazz Fest, but they are performing live in our studio, Studio 5. Sounding great. And we'll preview tomorrow night's public song project event at Joe's Pub. There are a few tickets left. You better get them quick. That's the plan. So let's get this started with Roy Wood Jr. Roy Wood Jr. Had a big 2024. He hosted the new. What? What? Tell him.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Keep going. Tell him what I did you host.

[Alison Stewart]

A new CNN comedy show, have I got news for you. Didn't you.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

I'm so rude. I'm sorry.

[Alison Stewart]

Has it been renewed for a second season?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Oh, yeah. February 15th. Sending max streaming on everywhere. All right.

[Alison Stewart]

Have you closed a new. Have you. Have you hosted the acclaimed NPR podcast Road to Rickwood about the history of America's oldest ballpark?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

You darn right I did.

[Alison Stewart]

And you know what? To kick off 2025, you have a new comedy special airing Absolutely. On Hulu.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

You d steal somebody's password and watch it. Chamber 17.

[Alison Stewart]

The show is called Roy Wood Jr. Lonely Flowers. This is not part of the intro, but we're just going for it. It's all. It all centers on connection. Whether it's make it small talk with strangers, talking to your mom on the phone once a week. The special premieres on Hulu January 7th. And I'm enjoyed in studio by now by the man, Roy Wood Jr. Good to see you.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Thank you for having me back, Alison. It's a pleasure.

[Alison Stewart]

It is nice to see you.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

It's a pleasure. I like being in studio.

[Alison Stewart]

You like being on the radio.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Yeah, I'm not a zoom person. I don't really like that anym. I like the energy of connection. Like it really is. I with that special. What I was trying. There were political jokes in there. And the more it's like spaghetti and chocolate cake, both delicious, do not belong on the same plate ever. And so I was like, okay, well, this is more about connection. And then also you start looking at the way as fast as politics changes.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

When I taped that special, Kamala was the front runner.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, wow.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

It wasn't even about, oh, it's gonna be neck and neck and we don't know which way. It's a coin. No Kamala by 30, she's gonna sweep him. So even performatively, the energy might have felt different. And I think you're doing political jokes for a special that's gonna air after the election. That's dicey. That's dicey. In terms of what the energy of the crowd is versus what the mood in the country is.

[Alison Stewart]

It was in D.C. right?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Correct.

[Alison Stewart]

Was it a black audience or was it a white audience?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

My audience is about 60, 40 white. It just depends. D.C. it was probably a little more 50, 50 in terms of the minority to white balance or whatever. But my audience is generally, when I travel, it's about 60, 40 white. If I'm lucky, I'll get a 50, 50 crowd. But there's. The more I started writing, the more I looked at the. The consistent thread of just, oh, this is all about connection. And just. You don't realize it when you're writing the jokes. It's just, you look at the jokes and you go, oh, that is because of this. And, oh, we don't have retail, so we don't compliment strangers. You don't talk to strangers. Oh, my God. We don't answer the phone. Oh, my Lord. Everything's locked up in the store. Where's an employee? When you find one, they're angry. So the idea of someone just saying, hey, like we. The absence of greeters in stores. So you start looking at that. And how did that domino of the lack of connection in retail connect to everything else that I think is wrong with the world?

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, I wondered about the Washington audience, because there's an old joke that's like, if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. You know? And I wondered how they reacted to connection because they're so used to it being a transient place.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Yeah, I think that D.C. i originally wanted to do my third special in D.C. but the COVID restrictions were wonky there, so we went to Denver. But that audience, regular people, people outside of politics, they are as astute and smart about everything that's going on in the world. And D.C. is like a perfect sample size of America in terms of I want to talk about immigration and foreign affairs. There's enough first gens there. If I want to talk about real black issues and, you know, black folks dealing with what's happening, you know, the southwest side of town, and then if you want to get into the Capitol Hill of it and kind of the white, more intelligentsia, Georgetown ish types as well, you know, Those people are there too. So it's. You know, I try not to do comedy for oh, my. Comedy for everybody. But it's about the human experience. And so no matter who you are, you can relate to it. So let's go to a place where there's the most different types of people who could relate.

[Alison Stewart]

The surgeon general has been sounding the alarm about loneliness. He said, we've gone from having confidants to contacts.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Nice.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's play a moment from your show where you talk about how disconnected we've become. This is Roy Wood Jr.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

I don't know if we gonna make it. We've lost connection. We haven't been right since COVID man. We don't talk. We don't interact. We don't chit chat no more. We don't even like talking on the phone. We get mad if the phone rings. The phone that was invented for talking, you get mad. Oh, hell no. You got to text me first. Don't just be calling me. Give me a sneak preview of the conversation and then I will decide if this conversation requires a human connection. You can't live like that, man.

[Alison Stewart]

Why did you decide that this was gonna be. It's the theme of the whole special. Yeah, it's loneliness.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Why was that?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

I get lonely sometimes. And then you. You look at, well, how do we get to this place? I don't always feel like you're surrounded by people and information and social media. You don't really feel close to them. You don't really feel anything similar to that. And so you start. It just started an inward journey of, well, when are the times that you talk to people and how have those times and how have those social habits changed? And so then that became the through line. It's like, oh, wow, I don't talk on the phone. I don't. Oh, man. Remember that time when those people invited me to that sex party? That was real nice of them. And I know it's public radio, but like the idea and that. But that's something I talk about within. Like something as odd as that. Consenting adults at some resort doing what adults want to do. Oh, wow. They were trying to connect. As weird and as odd as that is, it was an attempt at connection. And like, who else is doing it? Like, we don't do that. You don't even talk to the person sitting next to you on the plane anymore. Like, just the idea of idle chit chat at a cash register is gone. And so, you know, I think that exploring that and then really looking Back at some of my own experiences where I have connected with strangers and just putting that at the forefront and because I feel like no matter who you are, race, tax bracket, political, whatever, you either got somebody to talk to or you don't. And you should be able to, at minimum, relate to that.

[Alison Stewart]

It's funny because you are very, very sincere in this special, but you bring the jokes, too. How did you balance that? As you're going through and you're rehearsing your, your, your, your. You know what I'm trying to say?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Yeah. You're running like you can't. Well, in the New York City clubs, you're just running the punchlines.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, interesting.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Just. Is this funny? Can you still laugh at this? On the backside of, you know, everything else, you know, I tell a story about a. And I guess I can say the branch. It was an army veteran who's now a photographer, and we had a long conversation about PTSD and the fact that most of his friends from his unit are dead and that feeling and how he deals with loneliness. And so the only reason he and I had a connection was because of a chance encounter. Only reason he and I were talking was because of a chance encounter. Now, you can put jokes on both sides of that serious conversation, but I have to hope that on the other side of this serious story that you laugh at the punchline with all of that, because if otherwise it's into more one man show, TED talkieland, I would still argue that Ali Sadiq juggles the knives of sincerity and emotion and anger and can yo, yo, the crowd right back into a punchline better than anybody working today. But, you know, I had a good time, kind of for the first time, really delving into that. And I didn't really get into a lot of politics in this special because of that, because it wasn't. It just didn't fit. It didn't fit the meal that I wanted to construct. And there's. And thankfully, you know, I have CNN as a Runway where if I have a joke on the moment, in the moment of the times, I have an outlet for that. So this Kamala joke and this Biden joke and pardons, put that on tv. That's quick. Do that at the club. Put that on YouTube tomorrow. But for something that stands the test of being evergreen in two years from now, 10 years from now, connection will remain.

[Alison Stewart]

You said you had to be intentional about happiness. Why do you think it's important to be intentional about happiness?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Because if you're not careful, you'll just fall Into a regular rhythm of just doing nothing or just doing what's easy. You know, there's a fantasy football draft that I go to every year. Now, granted, I only know two of the guys in the league. Only knew two of the. When I was invited in the league, it was just a dude I've known since college, since my pre comedy days. I call it the old country. So I don't have a lot of friends from the old country. And so he goes, hey, man, we do this fancy league you want to be in. Fancy league? Okay, fine. So now I'm on a group chat with 10 dudes and we just talk football and crack jokes and family and life. And my wife did this. What do you do when your kid does this? And like, there's a legitimate. And so then the next year, because we're going to do it in person if you want to come down. So now every year I go, I go to Orlando for a day and sit in a room with 10 dudes and we pick fake football players.

[Alison Stewart]

And that makes you happy?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Yeah, but you have to get on.

[Alison Stewart]

The flight to get on the plane, right?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

You got to be on flight. So you have to like, set the intention of being. Doing things that feed your soul and not necessarily feature bank account. And sometimes that means excluding people too. You talk about happiness. Sometimes happiness is about exclusion. It's not about inclusion. Too many people around, you get them from around. You pick moments for yourself, find places for yourself. And so, you know, there. There's a. And that's something I still work on, you know. And in choosing happiness, what's wild is that I learned that from watching my mom, because my mom was at an age where, you know, when you're mid-70s, touching 80, some of your friends have died. So you just gonna sit and be sad or. No, you gotta. I didn't put this joke in the special, but you just. You gotta replace your friends. Next one up. Good news, Beverly. We got an opening. Now, if you would like to be in the book club, let us know. We'll send you the registration paperwork. I didn't put that in the special. But you have to make sure that you're surrounding that you're bringing people in.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is comedian Roy Wood Jr.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Joke was too close to death at his mom's friend. So that's why I didn't put it in the show. We want to do that to it.

[Alison Stewart]

His new comedy special, Roy Wood Jr. Lonely Flowers, will premiere on Hulu January 17th. You in the show, you reveal you have a weekly Phone call with your mom. Yeah, no joke.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Yeah, we. We talk more than that day, but there's for sure one day a week where. Hey, what's going on over there? What you up to? Versus? Hey, did. Did your son send a thank you note to my friend who bought him the Christmas gift? So there's like a different, you know.

[Alison Stewart]

Two types, I understand.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Correct?

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

But, yeah, we. That's. That's.

[Alison Stewart]

How'd that start?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

It started in college. It was very ugly when it started. So when I was in college, I don't know if we talked about this. Did we talk about me getting arrested.

[Alison Stewart]

When I was 19?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Oh, my God.

[Alison Stewart]

No, we did not. So do tell.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

So when I was 19, I was still in clothes from the mall. I got caught. I got put on probation. That's why I started doing comedy, because I got suspended from school, because that's student code of conduct. You can't just be out here wilding out in Tallahassee. So how about you not come to college for a semester and go figure out your character? And during that time, I started doing stand up. So when I got back into school, my mom essentially wanted me. You just focus on school and graduating. And I said to her, she hated comedy. She did not like that I was doing it. She's an educator. Three degrees, law degree. You can't sell someone with that type of pedigree on performing for cheeseburgers. So I say, if I make good grades, you can't say anything about comedy. She says, deal. So I started doing standup. And she starts finding where it gets back to her. When I'm coming to Birmingham, I'm sleeping at the bus station. I didn't even want to go to her house. I don't want to be around you because you don't like what? I don't want the tension. So I make good enough grades. She counters by buying me a car so that I don't have to sleep in the bus station. But we still don't talk. And so then the deal was, you have this car. You have to call me every Monday to let me know you're back safe in Tallahassee because it's the south. You're performing in sundown towns. It's weird. So I get that you don't like that I don't like it. I still don't like it. But I need to know you're alive. Deal? Deal. She gives me keys so that Monday. Hey, I'm alive. Racist people didn't kill me. Phone call slowly evolved into what it is. Now, which is, hey, tell me about the week. Tell me about that contract. Like, we'll talk about. I'll call my mom. And I'm having, like, legit disputes with networks. And they said that they don't like the script, but that was the script that they told me to write. And you don't like it, but you're the one who told me to write it.

[Alison Stewart]

So what advice has she given you on those calls?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

You know, we're talking about her. You know, this is from 1998 till now.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. What piece of advice has she given you during one of those calls?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

I mean, my mom. I mean, a lot of it has been, you know, there's parenting. I discovered a lot of new truths about my mother and her relationship with me as it came to seeking advice about how to raise or discipline my child. She's too easy on my son. But that's what grandmothers are. They're easy. They're the defense attorney and you're the prosecutor, and they are very. My client does not deserve punishment. As you. A lot of. A lot of parenting advice, when it's come to industry stuff, it's interesting because, you know, she's in higher education, but a lot of it, a lot of conflict comes down to the idea of what was the pre existing relationship between you and that person before you had conflict? There was an employee that I decided to part ways with, you know, a long time ago. And because this employee had a relationship with my mom, I was like, you know, what do you think? Well, you know what I noticed sometimes when I'm backstage and she broke down four or five different things, and I was like, oh, wow, that's interesting. Okay. I never thought about that. I never saw. And so like, that became, you know, a bit of a metronome just for her observations, you know, relationships. I remember I was arguing with this girl one time 10, 15 years ago, and she was saying some wild stuff. We were both toxic, you know, in that nature to one another. It was what it was. And we, for no reason, we had both called the police on each other. So I told my mom a story about the time I got into an argument so bad that we both called the police on each other. And we both just sat on the couch waiting to see whose officer was going to show up first to arrest the other one. And it took the police so long that we figured out the solution to our problem, and we were back in love within the hour. And so we both had to leave the house before our police officer showed up to Arrest either of us. So we just stayed away from the house for like eight hours because we just. Where do you want to go next? Home. And it was a beautiful long date and it was really what we needed. And I'm telling my mom this from a place of, oh, isn't it crazy? Sometimes a relationship can get out of hand. And then my mom just under her breath, yeah, one time I tried to fake a pregnancy with a guy who had made me mad.

[Alison Stewart]

I was like, what?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

This is the 70s? So you could easily fit. Like there was no clear blue, easy one line, two line pregnancy test action in 1960, 70, whatever the hell. And we laughed and laughed about just how irrational you can sometimes become in love. And so, you know, that was, that was the thing. We didn't talk about my mom. We're talking legit civil rights soldier. My mom stirred up a lot of dust in Mississippi and paid the price for it. But also, yeah, men be tripping, so you gotta straighten them out a little bit. No, Ma.

[Alison Stewart]

We'll have more with Roy Wood Jr. After a quick break. This is this week on the New Yorker Radio Hour, the problem of Alice Munro, a revered artist who chose to hide a terrible secret in her family.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Her writing makes you think about, like, art. At what expense? Like, it felt so literal, like, you.

[Alison Stewart]

Know, trading your daughter for art. Rachel Leviev on Alice Monroe. That's the New Yorker Radio Hour from WNYC Studios. Listen, wherever you get your podcasts, all of it. You are listening to all of it on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Roy Wood Jr. His new comedy special, Roy Wood Jr. Lonely Flowers, premieres on WHO Hulu January 17th. And a CNN show, have I Got News for you, will be back for a second season in February. I have to ask you about this. You make a joke about not being chosen as the host of the Daily show when Trevor Noah split.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Oh, yeah. Within. Yeah. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Were you surprised? Are you. Were you upset that that went down?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

No, I wasn't upset. That's business.

[Alison Stewart]

Business.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

That's all it is. It's business. You don't know. The words to me were, you know, we're not sure what we're going to do because, you know, Hasan Minhaj was the original who they wanted. And then it came out that that wasn't going to happen. And so then it was me going, okay, well, what do you want? Like, was there an option two on the list? And they were like, no. Okay, so do you know what you want out of a host now? No, we're not sure we're going to reset the search and all of that. And at that point I feel like I'd done enough. So if I don't fit in as a host, that's cool. I respect that. But then I'm starting to think about where I land on the other side of this. Because no job is permanent.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

And that's not in some huff. I think a lot of people thought the Daily show exit was some sort of huff and puff. Well, if not me, then it's. No. Sooner or later I'm gonna get fired or this show is going to end. That's what I believe. And that could be.

[Alison Stewart]

Or you get tired of it.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Yes. And then what am I? You're the shell of your self employee walking around doing everything. Half. Half, but, you know, half, you know. And I don't want to be that. And I don't deserve to be that. So if I'm going to leave, sooner or later, I'm going to have to. I better have somewhere to land. So if I'm going to have somewhere to land, I don't think I'll ever be hotter than what I am right now. And having an opportunity to build something else. I quit in October of 23. Going into an election year, if there's ever a place for a political satirist to build a new tent for himself or parachute for himself, it's during the election, not after. So if I believe my time here to now be finite, as evidenced by you not being sure, well, that means I might not get picked again to host. I'm coming off correspondence, dinner and guest hosting this program this year. So if there's ever time for somebody else to want to do something or for me to build other opportunities for myself, I should leave now so that I can have whatever it is that's coming after. This needs to come now because right now I can control it. So I should leave. And so that's all it was. And so I did. I sell three shows. I get an hour special. I sell a book. And then the CNN thing came out of the sky.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

God bless him, because that was a remake. And now if there's one miscalculation I made in leaving the Daily show, okay, it was. It was the idea of not realizing what entertainment was going to turn into in terms of the slow implosion of content houses and networks hedging bets and not making like the idea of. The idea of we're not going to make a new show, I thought just applied to scripted. But across the Board. No one is making new content. They are not taking bets on new ideas. So God bless CNN and have I got news for you because it's a British remake on a 30 season stalwart. It's their daily show.

[Alison Stewart]

Right.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

So if there's a bet to be taken, it's going to be on a pre existing ip. And so in that regard, I'll be honest and say that I got lucky that I was available and that they liked me enough to let me audition and then they gave me the job as host. That was a blessing because there has not been another political satire show to be created and released since I left Daily Show. So the idea that leaving it, oh, I'll build my own thing. Nobody's building nothing right now. It's all pre existing, it's all remakes, it's all safe bets.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. What have you learned from the first season that you were able to put to use in your second season?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Ooh, I think that the idea that the luxury I have at CNN that I did not have at Daily show is that I don't have to find the solution or the anger or the outrage. It's not my sole job. I'm blessed to also have two team captains. Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black are right there. And for the people who haven't watched it, it's essentially a game show. It's a fictitious trivia show about the news of the week. I ask a question about what happened. Who, who didn't shake Kamala's hand at this when what husband didn't? And then we talk about political discourse. So if someone else wants to be the heavy and carry that they can. As a correspondent, I always have to carry the idea of, yes, this is funny, but let's talk about why this is a real issue and this is serious and serious. Serious joke and serious, serious.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Cnn I can just fire off joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke. Because that's not the MO of that particular program. Now within that poignant moments hit even harder because they're not structured as part of the regular format of the show. You know, I just, I love the fact that we can bring on right wing Republicans as well on a network and that they're open to coming on the show and having real conversations. And, you know, we'll crack a joke at you about some policy you approved or didn't approve. But we're also still here to talk about the current events.

[Alison Stewart]

It's hard though, because some people have said, I'm not going to Be on with that right wing politician. They're against something I'm in. Is it hard to book the show?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

No, it hasn't been so far. You know, we had Scaramucci on. We had who you really couldn't qualify as a hard right winger anymore. He's an anti Trumper. We had Tennessee Republican state Rep. Tim Burchin on and that got very, you can Google that one. Him and Amber Ruffin. Amber Ruffman's not a fan and she made it clear as such, but she also made it funny. And I think that's where you have to exist now. I don't think that just cussing somebody out on TV is going to carry us for the next four years. And what political satire and conversation and discourse has to be. And so, you know, a lot of people say, why have these people on? You're just giving them audience and da, da, da. I understand that, but the approach you talking about ain't worked for the last eight years. Don't talk to him at all. Okay. Been a lot of that since 2016. Where'd that get us?

[Alison Stewart]

How are you going to approach Trump on the new season?

[Roy Wood Jr.]

President Trump? Depends on how old Trump approaches America. You know, how many of these policies are you all competent enough to be able to even enact? You know, you can have your hopes and dreams of deportation, but then when you have Elon Musk and Vivek, you know, kind of going back and forth about HB1s and deciding whether or not it's a good thing or a bad thing, and then you have people within your camp who don't necessarily co sign some of the things that Trump wants to do that will be, in the long run, bad. For some Republicans or corporations, it's either, oh my God, they actually pulled all of this stuff off, or the discourses, can you believe they can't get anything done? Which kind of sounds like the same conversation we had about the Democrats. So in that regard, I think the same jokes.

[Alison Stewart]

Got them jokes, cross out the D, put in the R. Yeah.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

But I don't think we can understate how much this admit for me, my interest lies in, you know, and this is another difference between us and Daily Show. Daily Show. We can show you more of what you should be looking for and what you should be paying attention to. And that's important. We can only follow what has happened. This happened last week. We're here to talk about what happened last week. We can mention slightly what's to come. But right now we can only talk about what happened last week. I am more interested in how state and local politics trickle down and feel more empowered. There was an article about how the population shifts within America and that there's more people moving to red states, which in 10 years is going to change the number of electorates that red states have versus blue states. So if people are leaving blue to move to red, then blue states will have even less power in terms of the electoral college. So that's an interesting thing. And you start looking at the fact that, oh, book banning in Florida, most of the books that are on the list were listed by less than 10 people. That's the power of being active in your community. So who's being active at the state and local level? That is where I would love to try and exist. So that's what I'm going to try and focus on.

[Alison Stewart]

The new special, Roy Wood Jr. Lonely Flowers premieres on Hulu on February. Excuse me, January 17th. And a CNN show, have I Got News for you, will be back for a second season in February. It is nice to talk to you.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Good to see you again.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for coming in.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

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