Jenifer Lewis Is Surviving & Telling It All

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "Jenifer Lewis Is Surviving & Telling It All"

Podcast: Baby, this is Keke Palmer
Host: Keke Palmer
Guest: Jenifer Lewis
Date: June 23, 2026

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Episode Theme & Purpose

In this vibrant and unfiltered conversation, Keke Palmer sits down with living legend Jenifer Lewis, acclaimed as the “Mother of Black Hollywood.” Together, they journey through Jenifer's extraordinary career, personal survival stories, relationships, battles with mental health, activism, and the wisdom she’s collected—and fiercely shared—over decades. The episode is an open, often hilarious, sometimes raw, but always empowering lesson in truth, resilience, joy, and the ongoing work of living fully.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Legacy, Representation & Humble Beginnings

• Jenifer reminisces about her prolific career: 250+ TV episodes, 60+ films, Broadway, Disney, activism, and much more.
• She reflects on taking every job she could, noting, "We had to take the jobs that were offered... There wasn't a lot going around, but I was there in line with that it factor, honey. Snatching. Back snatching the gifts." (03:11)
• The generation gap in opportunity and self-determination is explored: “You guys have a choice. We had to take the jobs that were offered.” (03:11)

2. Early Encounters & Mentor Energy

• Keke and Jenifer share stories about their first meetings and early days on set (e.g., “Madea’s Family Reunion”), highlighting Jenifer’s larger-than-life, nurturing, and inspiring presence.
• Jenifer recounts hilarious, iconic moments from “Jackie’s Back” and other performances, always lacing her stories with mentorship and big-mama energy—“Girl, Jackie's back... that was a scene that was cut. Robert Townsend cut that scene because we had a better scene.” (03:43)

3. Astrology, Selfhood & Manifesting Joy

• Jenifer’s take on astrology: “They said, what’s your rising? I’m like, bitch, I am the sun!” (05:54)
• She sees herself as embodying the moon, sun, and ocean, exuding an infectious, undiluted sense of self: “You know, you gotta say, I am in these things. And have no arrogance behind it.” (06:11)
• When asked what she’s most grateful for: "Health. Listen, without health, it’s wealth." (06:29)
• She emphasizes the sacredness of joy and laughter, sharing the anecdote of leaving a fiancé over his lack of appreciation for nature: “That was representative. Eating at your joy...I’m writing a book titled Walking in My Joy. You don’t belong here.” (07:46)

4. Relationships, Boundaries & Self-Preservation

• On non-negotiables in relationships: “Nothing is non-negotiable with me. I don’t negotiate. You come in, you tell the truth, you be nice and have a good time, or go.” (08:03)
• Age and urgency: “I’m 69. I got, what, 30 summers left? Go f--- yourself. You don’t get that. Nobody gets that kind of time from me, okay? This belongs to the next generation. Bitch, I conquered a dream.” (08:11)
• On breaking engagements and choosing herself: “I pretty much chose myself in all four [engagements]… Don’t do too much finger pointing and blaming. You chose that, and you figure out why you there with it and why you can’t leave it.” (66:05)

5. Mental Health, Addiction & Radical Honesty

• Jenifer speaks openly about having bipolar disorder and surviving a nervous breakdown in the wake of the AIDS epidemic:
  • “I had a nervous breakdown. After all the death from AIDS...I’d known 200 people that died.” (11:09)
  • “When you’ve done more... the kind of work I’ve done, girl... I went and treated bipolar disorder. I went and took care of myself.” (10:20)
• Advocates for therapy and managing medication with patience: “First of all, you have to want to be well... you have to monitor [medication]... Every human body is different, but the thing is, people don’t have the patience.” (13:00)
• Surviving and telling her story: “There’s no shame in my game…Everything from my addictions to molestations, abortions, childhood abuse...I slept with 63 men. Now, that was fabulous...I wish I’d known my body was a temple.” (15:17)
• The power of truth: “We are as sick as our secrets… The truth will set you free. And it’s the hardest thing in the world.” (53:04)

6. Surviving Trauma & Paying It Forward

• Jenifer talks about being molested at 13 by her pastor, how therapy helped her confront him, and the importance of telling your story:
  • “You’re pretty much damaged by it for the rest of your life unless you get some help... The first thing is, you’ve got to tell somebody. And if they don’t listen, tell somebody else.” (14:46)
• She discusses her survival of AIDS-era loss, sexual addiction as a way of coping with post-show highs, and eventually reframing her life after tragedy: “You’re gonna either go stick something in your arm, you’re gonna go smoke something, you’re gonna drink something to come down from that high. So I used to just go find a gorgeous man and f--- out of him...Sex was the drug.” (16:12)

7. Activism & The Work of Joy

• Encourages active participation in the world, not just political action but everyday acts of love and alignment:
  • “It’s gonna take a lot of love to balance out all of this hate. We cannot become them…Stand up where you can. Don’t sit on your ass and let everybody else fight.” (19:33–20:24)
  • “Do your part wherever you are…you make the phone calls, you send the emails. Go to your local meetings. Run for office. Do your part. Stand up where you are.” (21:55)
  • On doing what you can: “We all have different forms of activism. It’s okay to be scared, but you must. You must be unafraid. Remember the price our ancestors paid.” (22:47)

8. Resilience, Recovery & Storytelling

• Tells her riveting near-death story: falling and breaking her hip in Africa, being rescued, and how it transformed her:
  • “Bedridden, forced to become an observer of life, a human being as opposed to a human doing...I took an imaginary water hose and filled every room in my house with liquid gratitude.” (36:26)
  • “You cry all you want, but you will not become a victim… My goal was to get that high kick back. And I got it back.” (37:14)
• The healing power of laughter, music, and human connection is a throughline, even in trauma:
  • “When you got em laughing, you go and you stick that wisdom in there and they get it better because the body's lighter to receive.” (57:39)

9. Legacy, Generational Wisdom & Paying Dues

• Jenifer’s advice to future generations:
  • “I want them to read my memoir, because I wrote it for you…To witness my journey through mental illness, my journey through conquering a dream.” (40:47)
  • “Now you can just f--- somebody, and you’re a star. What kind of s--- is that? We went to school as a classically trained actress… You had to have talent.” (41:36)

10. On Fame, Self-Concept & Inner Freedom

• Both/And: “I’m both [Jenny from Missouri and a legend]. I’ve never changed. I know that. I ate dirt when I was a little girl. I remember how hungry I was.” (49:45)
• On being unbothered: “I'm free. I'm free is what I am. I'm free. I'm like Morpheus. Come on, bitch, what you got? And if it's ugly, you take that somewhere else...Mama don't go for that." (50:50)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“If after two weeks I’m not smiling, pull that plug. I don’t want to be here if I ain’t laughing.”
— Jenifer Lewis (06:36)

“Nothing is non-negotiable with me… You come in, you tell the truth, be nice and have a good time, or go. Life’s too short.”
— Jenifer Lewis (08:03)

“Do you know how many of us have killed ourselves because we couldn’t handle it in this business?”
— Jenifer Lewis (10:43)

“I did the work because I wanted to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I have the it factor, Kiki. So do you. You don’t throw that away.”
— Jenifer Lewis (10:32)

“You gotta laugh at what's going on in this world. You gotta find your nest in grace. And that grace is nature.”
— Jenifer Lewis (06:49)

“We are as sick as our secrets… the truth will set you free.”
— Jenifer Lewis (53:04)

“If you hold it in, you're gonna eat yourself to death. If you hold it in, you're gonna drink yourself to death.”
— Jenifer Lewis (54:10)

“Stand up wherever you are… You can't change nobody. There's nothing you can do. You go to your quiet place, sit down and shut the f--- up.”
— Jenifer Lewis (58:48)

“I journaled every day a newfound dictum: You cry all you want, but you will not become a victim.”
— Jenifer Lewis (37:14)

"The king ate the queen."
— Jenifer Lewis on the possibility of being eaten by a lion after her Serengeti fall, showcasing her humor and survivor's wit (51:59)

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Memorable Storytelling Segments

Jenifer’s Africa Trauma & Rescue Story

• [25:26–37:14]
  Jenifer tells how she fell 10 ft in the Serengeti, broke her hip, encountered wild animals, hallucinated, and was eventually rescued—her humor shining: “A hippopotamus approached... I screamed, hey, you fat bitch. You ain’t eating over here.” (33:50)
• The full-circle moment when Doctors Without Borders, a charity she'd donated to, helped bring her home:
  • “And I hear a doctor from Rome with a very deep voice…’Mrs. Lewis, we are Doctors Without Borders. And we've come to take you home.’ There’s your circle.” (46:38)

On Generosity, “White Guilt,” and Global Perspective

• [43:43–46:38]
  Jenifer discusses giving to charity, experiencing "white guilt" for the first time during Covid, and realizing the world's pain is intertwined.

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Action, Activism & Advice Segments

• Standing Up Without Self-Destruction

  • [21:23–22:34] Jenifer distinguishes between risky activism and using your resources and voice effectively: “There is a way to stand up… you write your congressman, you write your senators, you make the phone calls, you send emails. Do your part.”

• Resilience for the Next Generation

  • [20:47–22:17, 62:46] “We’ve had a good run. Now we gotta run for these kids. You don’t get to sit down… It’s for the babies coming.”

• On Setting Boundaries

  • [56:45] “One thing is learning that saying no is saying yes to you. You can’t fix nobody else. The work has to be within.”

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On Healing, Laughter & Love

• Power of Laughter:

  • “When you got ‘em laughing… you stick that wisdom in there and they get it better because the body's lighter to receive.” (57:39)

• Helping Others:

  • “If you don’t know what to do, Jennifer, just get up and do something for somebody else.” (63:44)

• Be Nice:

  • “Be nice to each other. That’s all. And like I’ve been saying, we had a good run, didn’t we? You run for these kids now.” (64:20)

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Closing Reflections

• Wisdom for the Times:

  • “These are challenging times...The biggest thing right now is stand up, wherever you are. It’s for the kids now.” (74:03)

• On Living, Joy, and Authenticity:

  • “If you want the rose, you got to go through the thorns. Grow up and navigate those thorns. Life is hard. And once you realize that, you’ll be better for it. Grow up.” (75:20)

• Final Blessing:

  • “What I showed up for is to tell you is that it’s all possible. And it’s always, always right around the corner. So stick around… Stay alive. It’s coming. It’s already here, really. But you gotta wake up to it being here.” (73:16)

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Key Timestamps

• 00:00–04:00: Opening, mutual admiration, early career stories
• 06:29: What Jenifer’s grateful for: health, laughter, gratitude
• 10:20–13:00: Mental health journey, “doing the work”
• 14:03–15:17: Surviving molestation and advocacy for survivors
• 16:12–17:22: Sex addiction, post-performance highs, AIDS crisis impact
• 19:33–22:47: Activism and the purpose of standing up
• 25:26–37:14: Serengeti fall story, humor, survival, gratitude
• 40:47: Hopes for the next generation and legacy
• 53:04: The sickness of secrets and the cleansing power of honesty

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Tone & Language

Throughout, both Keke and Jenifer keep it frank, raw, and joyfully expressive—mixing humor with hard-won wisdom in a truly big-auntie, big-sisterly way. Jenifer’s energetic, larger-than-life presence and Keke’s warmth create a space that’s equally comfortable, hilarious, and poignant—a true master class in survival, self-love, and showing up real.

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In the words of Jenifer Lewis:

“I’m free. I’m like Morpheus. Come on, b---, what you got? And if it’s ugly, you take that somewhere else.” (50:50)

And Keke’s final tribute:

“If resilience had a voice, it would sound a lot like yours.” (76:03)

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Transcript

[Keke Palmer]

Before we get into anything, we have to be clear about who is sitting in this chair. Jennifer Lewis has appeared in over 250 television episodes and more than 60 films. Broadway, Disney, voiceover royalty, two best selling memoirs, decades of Activism. She's played everybody's mama, everybody's auntie, everybody's matriarch, and somehow still managed to be the loudest and most honest person in the room. They call her the mother of Black Hollywood. And that's not a title you win. That's a title you earn. Baby. This is Keke Palmer. No matter what we doing in the car, just chilling, pop on Amazon music, sit back and listen. Life, love, sex, science, covering it all, especially the bad. Cause money always evolved. No matter what it is, we gonna make it make sense. Nothing else to do but kick it with the homies and kids. So grab you a drink and a snack, you enjoy and get into the vibe that only you know it's your girl. This is Kiki, baby. This is Kiki Palma. Yeah, guys, I'm so excited. She needs no introduction. I love her, I admire her. I want to be her. Who doesn't? It is the Jennifer Lewis.

[Jennifer Lewis]

My God, Kiki child, you are little mini Me. Everybody knows Kiki is a little mini Me.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. You remember when we did Madea Family Reunion together?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, my God. Madea Family Reunion.

Is that the one where I fell in the grave?

[Keke Palmer]

Is that the one you feel like? I know that you were the wedding planner.

[Jennifer Lewis]

The wedding planner. But I fell in the Grave. And Meet the Browns, Tyler Perry. Oh, my gosh. You know, Tyler had just started doing those hundred episodes a day. And he was exhausted. No, he was exhausted. And I went over to him. He was in his director's chair. I said, tyler, Tyler, can I fall in the grave?

He said, listen. He said, listen, just dig her a hole. I'm too tired to go back and forth with Jennifer. Dig her a hole. And he went to bed.

He came back.

I'd fell in that bitch.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. I would never forget watching you on that set. I'd already loved you, seeing you in so many movies. I mean, whether it was.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Well, tell them when we first really, really saw each other. I'm getting on an elevator, going up. She's getting off an elevator. I don't know what premiere or something it was. And she got off the elevator and saw me. She went

and ran.

And thank God I was young then.

You jumped up, your head went right here. And both of your little legs went around my waistline. When I Had a waistline, girl.

And you just went on and on about, you know, Fresh Prince, whatever you'd seen me on. It was just adorable.

[Keke Palmer]

Everything. Because, you know, I always loved you. And also that's what I'm telling you. When we did Medea's from reunion, I didn't have a lot of stuff with you, but I would see you and I would watch you watch you. And I was always watching and observing all of you guys watching Tyler and seeing. So then when I would see you guys later in the years, after all that time had gone by and I'd been growing up and I had that energy because you guys showed me something, you know what I mean? I got to see a front page, front, you know, seat of how incredible you are.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, you did. Yeah, you did. We were all out there, too. We were all out there doing everything. I was so excited to be in show business. And there was no job I wouldn't take. You know, you guys have a choice. We had to take the jobs that were offered. There wasn't a lot going around, but I was there in line with that it factor, honey.

Snatching.

[Keke Palmer]

Come on, Jackie.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Back snatching the gifts. Jackie's back.

You know, girl, uh, Jackie's back.

[Keke Palmer]

And that leg. Jackie's back with that leg.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Aha. Kicks.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jennifer Lewis]

It's insane, girl. That was a scene that was cut.

Robert Townsend cut that scene because we

had a better scene.

But, oh, my God, there was one day where I had to do the round. So called a roundhouse kick.

[Keke Palmer]

So amazing.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And that's my foot kicking my face.

Bop da da da da da, bop, bop, bop.

So the next day, when I had to do it, my leg was actually sore.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Now, you gotta understand, I was very young then, and I didn't get sore. But after all them bopped it up, it was over.

I love bop the doodle.

And that scene in Jackie's back where

I said, I'm not sure. Those bastards. I can still.

My leg was so. That was so real. Oh, my God, my leg was so sore. Now Jackie's back. We never knew that. That shout out to Robert Townsend. Oh, Robert Townsend. Mm. You know, we had one date. He was a fool.

He should have come in the house.

I don't know, honey.

God had taken him down.

Cause, you know, I heard he was like, you know.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, he was divorced. And we went out on one little date, and he didn't come in. I felt sorry for him, honey. Cause, you know, I was Jennifer Lewis, but, you know, I Was scary. I didn't blame him.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh, the guys are so

[Jennifer Lewis]

intimidated with this energy.

God, you know, child, please. Who on earth can sleep with me?

That's not gonna happen. It's not gonna be any sleeping anyway. I just want you to know this is the most uncomfortable chair I've ever seen.

[Keke Palmer]

I done seen you go through so many movies.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Start over. All the way over. Let me see. Which.

See, here's the black thing showing. Uh, y' all ain't keeping up.

[Keke Palmer]

And you know, you didn't wanna do my pre show pull up questions, so we're gonna ask you a lot.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Go ahead.

[Keke Palmer]

Let's get into it. Okay, so your sun sign is an Aquarius. This is absolutely fitting when the moon

[Jennifer Lewis]

is in the seventh house.

[Keke Palmer]

Come on.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Experience the age of Aquarius, honey.

[Keke Palmer]

And I feel that you feel very Aquarius. You do, right? You resonate with the sun.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Look, the only thing I know about Aquarians is we're humanitarians. Highly intelligent and loyal.

[Keke Palmer]

Yes.

[Jennifer Lewis]

But, you know, I never got into the.

What do you call them?

[Keke Palmer]

The signs.

[Jennifer Lewis]

The signs?

Everything, you know, I was every sign. They said, what's your rise? And I'm like, bitch, I am the sun. I am the sun rising.

I am the moon rising.

Somebody said, oh, well, such and so lives on the ocean, but I need a boat. I said, bitch, I am the ocean. You know, you got to say, I

am in these things.

[Keke Palmer]

You do.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And have no arrogance behind it.

[Keke Palmer]

Without a doubt. And it's funny because your moon is an Aries and your. Your rising is a Sagittarius. By the way, my moon is a Sagittarius.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Come on, moon.

[Keke Palmer]

You know, so we have some connections here.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Living.

[Keke Palmer]

What are you most grateful for talking about, huh?

[Jennifer Lewis]

What am I most.

[Keke Palmer]

What are you most grateful about today?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Health. Listen, without health, it's wealth.

You know, I have it in my trust. If something happens to me.

Yeah.

If after two weeks I'm not smiling, pull that plug. I don't wanna be here if I ain't laughing.

That.

You gotta laugh at this, baby.

[Keke Palmer]

You do.

[Jennifer Lewis]

You gotta laugh at what's going on in this world. You gotta find your. Your nest in grace. And that grace is nature. You know, people, I think the greatest sin is boredom.

Bitch, there's a tree over there.

You know, people joke about that tree story I have about that man. One of my fiance's who looked at me. We were in the car and I saw a beautiful tree that bloomed. The color pink. It was gorgeous.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my God.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And I said, oh, My God, that's a beautiful tree. And he said, you say that about every tree. Okay? The was over instantly.

Yeah. And everybody talking about, oh, Jennifer Lewis broke off an engagement because of a tree. Bitch, you know, that had to build. Yeah, it had to. That had to be little things.

[Keke Palmer]

That was representative.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Eating at your joy and eating at your joy. I'm like, honey, I'm writing a book titled Walking in My Joy. You don't belong here.

[Keke Palmer]

You're talking about your fiance.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

One of your fiance's. What's a relationship non negotiable for you?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Nothing is non negotiable with me. I don't negotiate. You come in, you tell the truth, you be nice and have a good time, or go.

The home life's too short. I'm 69. I got, what, 30 summers left? Go yourself. You don't get that. Nobody gets that kind of time from me, okay? This belongs to the next generation. Bitch, I conquered a dream. I came from nothing. I ate dirt. Do you understand? I have lived the spectrum. I've been poor and I've been rich. Rich is better now.

Don't ask me for no money, okay? I'm asking for no money anyway.

No, but in truth.

In truth, you know. Oh, God, no. I am not in a relationship with a man.

And somebody, ooh, girl, somebody did some on the Internet. Ooh, that mother ripped me. I ain't never been ripped. I'm like, bitch, I'm trying to save your life. But wait a minute. He went off. He said, wait a minute.

[Keke Palmer]

It's the new. It's the con dude you're talking about.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, no, that con all the time.

That's a whole thing. Girl, I should just come on here and done the one woman show for you, period.

I don't even know why I'm sitting here talking. Here's the thing.

[Keke Palmer]

I want the whole team.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, yes. No, now, that's it, too. If you wanna talk about.

Let's talk about that fiance first. I want y' all to know I didn't break off a relationship because

[Keke Palmer]

of trees.

[Jennifer Lewis]

He said one thing, bad about nature, but truly with me, that's. You get one shot to insult nature, bitch. The trees give us the oxygen to breathe. What is wrong with you?

First of all, I'm Jennifer.

[Keke Palmer]

He was just too negative, though. I actually sound silly. But when you think about it, like, I can't talk about the tree being beautiful.

[Jennifer Lewis]

It's hard for people who are not joyful to be joyful. That whole thing, that adage where they say misery Loves company. People don't know what to do with Joy.

No.

And they certainly don't know what to do with Bliss.

See, when you do that. I've done.

When you've done more. The kind of work I've done, girl. I went and treated bipolar disorder. I went and took care of myself.

I did the work because I wanted

to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I have the it factor, Kiki. So do you.

You don't throw that away. Do you know how many of us have killed ourselves because we couldn't handle

it in this business? Come on now. Run with me, baby.

Yeah, I'm running. We don't need to name him.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

No, we don't need to name him.

[Keke Palmer]

Yes.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I didn't want to kill myself. Cause I was bipolar and so manic.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

No, I'm gonna kill myself.

Are you insane?

[Keke Palmer]

How did you even discover that you were bipolar? Like, what let you know that, hey, maybe there's something going on?

[Jennifer Lewis]

No, I had a nervous breakdown.

You did?

I went down. After all the death from aids, the AIDS epidemic.

[Keke Palmer]

This is in the.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, this is early 90, early 90s, right at the height of it.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my goodness.

[Jennifer Lewis]

89. 90. I'd known 200 people that died. And when I tell you they died like flies. They dropped like flies. I mean, you'd come home and three would be dead. You'd come home, five would be dead on the phone machine.

It was a time it didn't make sense because we were too young to

experience that kind of death. You can deal with that when you're wiser and older and your older friends are dying, but that young. We were in our 20s, for God's sake. All the boys in the Broadway shows, you know, everybody was gay. We were all carrying on and acting out. And here's the thing. I. Yeah, I had a nervous breakdown. And, oh, my goodness, a girlfriend whom I respected looked at me and said, what's wrong with you, Jennifer? I'm like, bitch, I'm Jennifer Lewis. Nothing wrong with me.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

She said, jen, you might need help. So, yeah. But I went in kicking and screaming because I admired her. And you listen to people you respect.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

But when you're in that manic state, you ain't listening to nobody. You just want to be high. You want to be. You want to be seen.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

There's a desperation attached to. To that neediness. So, anyway, no, I went in and got treatment, and I'm doing pretty damn good right now.

I'm Kiki.

Yeah, if you do the work. Cause it doesn't matter what you are. It will always come down to who you are.

[Keke Palmer]

What did you find that really helped you? Because obviously, a lot of times when people are dealing with disorders, bipolar and things of the mind, you might get on a medication and it might take everything away.

[Jennifer Lewis]

No, you have to monitor it. You have to be willing. First of all, you have to want to be well, you can't go, oh,

this is hurting me.

Well, if it's hurting, go and get it managed. Like, when I started medication, I. I got dry mouth.

Yeah.

And I was like, oh, what the is that? I went to the dentist and he said, you know, he said, did you just take a new medication? I said, yeah. He said, well, this is one of the side effects. He said, so lower the milligrams.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, you got to get.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, you got to wait for your levels.

Every human body is different, but the thing is, people don't have the patience. They're like, ooh, I don't like the way this makes me feel.

Okay, well, then if you want to speed in a car and around and kill somebody on the freeway, I think

it's worth taking a little time to manage these meds. If meds is what you. The way you want to go. I never promote that. I promote treatment. Go and talk to somebody. If somebody touched you, somebody molested you, and you're not saying anything about it. This is all in my one woman show.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm going to say this is something that you also talked about what you went through with your pastor growing up.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, yes, I was molested. No, girl, please. I was molested by the pastor of my church. And I confronted him after, I think, about seven months in therapy, I was able to make that call.

[Keke Palmer]

So how old were you when this happened?

[Jennifer Lewis]

I was, like, 13. And he pulled over the car and tried to kiss me and touch me. I was like, oh, but, you know. Yeah, I pushed that back, honey. I was like, not today, bitch.

Not me.

But anyway, no, it's real, girl.

I was like. And, yeah, but you know, Jenna, it doesn't matter how it happens.

It matters that it happens.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And you are pretty much damaged by it for the rest of your life unless you get some help. But I say to women out there, the first thing is, you've got to tell somebody. And if they don't listen, tell somebody else. And guess what? If they don't listen, tell somebody else. You take care of you. I always tell people, take care of yourself first.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Then you can give back to the

[Keke Palmer]

world what's a question that no one's ever asked you in an interview or that. A question that you wish people would ask you.

[Jennifer Lewis]

They've asked me everything because I have no. I have no secrets. There's no shame in my game. I. I talk about everything in my memoir, the mother, Black Hollywood. Everything from my addictions to molestations, abortions, childhood abuse. There's no shame in my game. Yeah, bitch. It happened. You know, I slept with 63 men. Now, that was fabulous, but oh, my

gosh, give me some of that now.

You don't want that. You know what I wish I had known? I wish I'd known my body was a temple. I didn't know it. I know it now.

[Keke Palmer]

And what lets you know that maybe. Oh, this is a problem.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I'm listening.

Oh, no, I never knew it was a problem. I thought everybody was titties and hips for my book. But anyway. Yeah.

No, no, no. I didn't know it was a problem.

The addiction. Look, when you get off a Broadway

stage and all that ovations and applause and people praising you and the mobbage

and the homage and what are you gonna do? You're gonna either go stick something in your arm, you're gonna go smoke something, you're gonna drink something to come down from that high. So I used to just go find

a gorgeous man, and out of him,

what are you gonna do? Hey, I mean, that's all I. That's what I did. I would have sex.

Sex was the drug. And it wasn't until everybody. When life got real and the AIDS epidemic hit, where I went, wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

That's got to be more to life than just me clawing at the void of who am I and what am I?

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, let's.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Let's.

How about we go find out, Jenny? Let's go find out who you are. Let's go find out where you belong. Let's go find out why you came here. Let's go find out who you can help. Let's go find out who you love. Let's go find out what love is. Let's go do the work.

[Keke Palmer]

And how did you do. How did you. What did that look like for you? Because that. I feel like we're all clawing at that, especially now, in this time. And you speak so much about how, you know, political democracy and all these kinds of things that are actually really a part of, I think, why we all feel so alienated. We all are feeling just like. No, there's no system we can trust the Institutions that are here. We are no longer trusting, and we're questioning, and it's making us all feel completely uncertain. And so those human questions, those existential questions have become even more paramount because we are slipping into apathy. So how do you decide? Like, how do you get to. To know that you can be the person that goes out there and author this yourself?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Listen, I may get a lot of flack for this response, but, you know, I don't care. I'm gonna be 70 years old next year. I don't care what nobody thinks about me. I give everything I have. Here's what I say to all that is going on.

[Keke Palmer]

Baby, this is Icy Palma.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay, so the road trip is happening, all right? The snacks are packed. Somebody already has the playlist ready. And you already know the music is about to be popping, okay? And the kids have been asking, are we there yet? Since before we left the driveway. As someone who travels by car frequently with her child, I know what will make or break that trip. It's what you pull up to at the end of it. Because after me and Leo have been in that car for six hours, baby, we are not trying to arrive at just anything. We want to walk into a home. And that's exactly why I like booking stays on Airbnb. When you get to a place that actually feels like somewhere you can live, the whole energy shifts. Now we have a space to spread out, a kitchen where I can throw something together if I want to, a porch where I can sit, breathe, and come back to myself after that drive. That's the reset you need. The trip doesn't end when you arrive. It's just getting started. And when you book with Airbnb, that's when the trip really begins.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I try to keep myself aligned in a state of grace. It's gonna take a lot of love to balance out all of this hate. We cannot become them. We cannot become them. We can't run from it. You can't go and cower in a corner and say, oh, this is not gonna affect me. No, it's coming for your ass, too. All of it's coming for your ass. Even if it's an aunt or mother or sister that you love, a brother that's not gonna have that healthcare anymore. It's coming to your door. It's gonna come to everybody's door. And I say this to everyone. Live while you live.

Live. Stand up where you can. Don't sit on your ass and let everybody else fight. You call a whole bunch of friends and you go out there and stand

up for the next generation. Yes, I'm talking to you. And make sure it's on me right now.

You do your part.

We've had a good run. Now we gotta run for these kids. You don't get to sit down on the couch and think, this is gonna pass over. It's not.

[Keke Palmer]

And what do you say to those of us, especially, you know, the marginalized that go out there and they're on the front lines and they're losing their lives, they're going to jail, they're being sent away. Because I find that energy with myself, especially after having my son, where you get to this point and you're just like, I'm getting emotional about it because I get scared about people dying.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Okay.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay. You know what I'm saying?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Like, we have.

[Keke Palmer]

I don't want to tell my queer friends to go out there and stand on the front line so they can lose their life. I don't want to tell my Latinx friends. I don't want to tell.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Well, I.

[Keke Palmer]

It's hard.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I want you to hear me, though. Hear this.

It's not the front line.

It's standing up wherever you are. You don't go out and stand in

front of somebody with ice and go, girl, you don't do all that. You don't act out.

You don't be stupid. There's a way to stand up without standing in front of a gun.

There is a way to stand up.

You write your congressman, you write your

senators, you make the phone calls, you send the emails. Do your part. Go to your local meetings. Run for office. Wow. Do your part. Stand up where you are. Y' all see me at the piano. That's my way. I can't go out on the street no more. I'm 69 you. I can't run like I used to run. I fell in Africa. I don't have the legs I used to have. I can still kick somebody's ass, though. Don't get me wrong.

How about that? You gotta love me.

But listen, do your part wherever you are.

[Keke Palmer]

I think it's important that we hear this because we get caught up in this one form of activism and then we become fighting amongst one another. Because it's like, well, you ain't doing enough. You're doing. But like, it's like people are fighting in the ways that they know how.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Thank you.

Do your part. This is your universe, too. We're all scared for our children. But I say this. It's okay to be scared, but you must.

You Must be unafraid. Remember the price our ancestors paid. See, Kiki, I don't know where I get my confidence from. I don't know where I get my.

[Keke Palmer]

It's a blessing.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I know it's. I don't know how I've sustained in this business. I don't know how I even got to be 69. But here I am and I feel better than I ever have. I'm so happy in my life. I was with Michelle Obama. I know you were too. And I was telling her, I said, I'm so happy. Yeah, I'm so happy right now. I'm not going to let the world of ice and this one and that one with my everyday life and take my joy. But I'm going to stand up wherever I am. My next song begins with this lyric. 35 million people did not vote in 2024.

Who the is talking? Shut the up once again. 35.9.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scream.

But who the. Who could say anything? And I'm sitting here going 35.

You gotta love me here.

Let's start that again just in case you want to edit it out for me. You can keep it the in bitch. How about you tame your team? Nobody talks when Jennifer Lewis. You bitch. No, you get it. This the stupid has saved my life in Africa. Come the over here. Get on the camera. Come on. You know you want to. Come on. Show your daughter her daughter's impressed. Get the over here. Lori talking. I never seen nobody. But I'll tell you one thing. She got that helicopter to land. Get the over here. I've ever. What the are you talking about? I knew you'd want to talk about the voting so. And they were trying to. I don't give a about voting. Go sit your white ass down somewhere. Come see me. She just told her to come. Listen, she wants me to cover. This is my fat ass. Listen, Lori saved my life.

[Keke Palmer]

Kiki, you guys, you have to tell the story about how you fell 10ft, hurt your hip, had to get on a plane to. What is it? Nairobi. Break it on down. What happened? What was happening.

[Jennifer Lewis]

But I'm gonna go quick cause it's a long ass story.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay, we're in for it.

[Jennifer Lewis]

We got to the hotel in Tanzania in the Serengeti. Lori was exhausted from me acting a goddamn fool all day. I mean, you know, you can imagine.

Why did we go on the trip?

To have a good time.

I said, come on, go to Africa with me, girl. We'll have the best time. Stupid Bitch. So anyway, listen. I knew she was white, but I took her anyway.

So listen, my babies, you know the world.

We can't even joke like that anymore.

Hold on, honey.

You're in my light.

You ain't that cute.

All right, now, listen, listen. So we get to the hotel, she's exhausted.

We done flown from Rwanda.

We've been up there hiking with the silverback gorillas. And, you know, one of them slapped the out of me.

I was like, okay, babe, you know, it was from another life.

Proper slept with. But let's take that out. Don't put that in.

Somebody say that is in the bestiality.

That's all I need. Now, listen, girl, they'll put anything on the Internet. Go ahead, say something. Say something. Now, listen, she's over there with her hand over her mouth. Y' all don't cut this, I'll slice her off. Y' all tell them, honey. Get it up or get stabbed. Now, listen, I pray to God my therapist don't see this girl. My therapist will put me on so much. That bitch raised a milligram so high. If she see this interview, don't publish this, please. Now, listen. So, okay, listen. So we get there, she goes to bed. She goes back in her room, goes to bed. Now, I ain't been back there. Cause I run out to the water hole where the little elephant is. She's rolling around in the mud. And I named her little Keisha. Little elephant, Little Keisha. I said, roll, baby. You ain't rolling in the mud, baby. Roll, baby. And you know, the Maasai warriors were standing around going.

I hope she don't jump her ass in that water hole. Cause it's deeper than she thinks.

Anyway, so the sun went down in the Serengeti, okay? And when the sun goes down, there ain't no street lights in that bitch. So my young African butler and I

went to my room that sat out in the lap of luxury. You know, money.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, hey, hey. Don't ask me for nothing. Don't ask me for no money. All right? Now, good for you.

So, girl, I get out there, she's going to bed. She back there in her room, and I'm getting ready to go to bed. You know, I'm naked.

You know, the butler has left, of course.

Oh, would you get.

Anyway, so white people.

Anyway, listen,

girl, they gonna say Jennifer Lewis is a racist,

by the way. So, yeah, I'm getting ready to go to bed. I'm naked.

The butler's gone. I told him to stay, but Mm. I didn't wanna get in too much trouble.

Now listen. Walking on. So I got out on my deck, I saw an infinity. So I went out there. Oh, Silver, let me go see the infinity pool. So I'm just walking on my deck. La de da di da de da. And I put on the back the hotel robe, but I'm naked.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

So I'm la dee da di da de da, walking. And all of a sudden, in pitch black, there was an unsecured gate.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh my God, that sounds like a lawsuit. Unsecured gate. Did we sue her?

[Jennifer Lewis]

10ft. Girl, I got so much money I'm bleeding it. No, I'm kidding. We'll talk about that later. Now listen, listen, listen.

[Keke Palmer]

So you fell 10ft?

[Jennifer Lewis]

10ft down.

And while I.

[Keke Palmer]

What do you remember when you fell and what do you remember when you hit the ground?

[Jennifer Lewis]

When I hit the ground, darling. That impact.

Oh my God.

I can still feel it. I still got a lot of post traumatic stress.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.

[Jennifer Lewis]

It was a dry ravine.

Boulders, bricks, stones, snakes.

And that sharp grass. You see the lion stalking through. That ain't soft.

She had to.

Later on that night, she had to

pick that out of my back.

Girl, I fell like a. Ain't no sense in me lying. I fell. Kiki, she's dead. So I'm laying down in the dark. I'm laying down there in the dark, going in and out of a consciousness. Oh my gosh. And not knowing what the just happened. Jennifer. But I know I can't move my body. Cause I try to get up. You know, I've done body work all

my life, but I couldn't move my body. God damn, Kiki.

[Keke Palmer]

That was so scary.

[Jennifer Lewis]

You know, I didn't know to be

scared yet because I don't go instantly scared. I'm an alpha bitch.

You fail, bitch.

Get the up and get out.

Yeah, climb back up. You can't see, but go on up there.

Anyway, so when I realized I couldn't move. God damn.

Mm.

You know, one of my things. I'm gonna say this. I've never said this before. One of the things about me is I hate people to wake people up when they're asleep. Let people sleep.

We gotta sleep. You know what I mean? Come on. Ready to go? No, I'm not. And you know that's the only thing

there's no cure for is sleep deprivation.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my God.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Did you know that?

No, I can't catch up on her sleep. You.

[Keke Palmer]

Wait a minute.

[Jennifer Lewis]

So anyway.

[Keke Palmer]

Wait, wait, wait. Real quick.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Real quick.

[Keke Palmer]

So what happen?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Cause you just die? Cause you're sleepy?

Yeah, you could just die.

Anyway, so listen. Listen.

I always say listen 15 times to my friend. And then I can't remember what the I was gonna say.

So anyway, I'm down there on the ground, and I don't wanna wake her up. She was so tired.

I can't move. I think I'm getting ready to die.

[Keke Palmer]

Do you have your phone on you?

[Jennifer Lewis]

No.

No. I told you. I'm naked with a flimsy ass hotel robe on. My ass is out. By the way. The hotel robe came off. My ass is up in the night air. Oh, no, bitch. I'm naked on the ground in the Serengeti. And here comes a goddamn hippo. So anyway, I woke her up. Hippo.

[Keke Palmer]

I woke her up by screaming.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I was like, laurie.

And, you know, she runs around like a Jewish white woman of leisure.

So basically I screamed, jewish white woman of leisure, help.

And she, guess what she said. But the truth is, I went, lori. And she went, yeah. That bitch was doing her nails. Yeah. Eh.

I'm like, bitch, get down here. I'm dying, you stupid bitch. Run. I said, elorie. Cause the next stop on our vacation was the Seychelles Islands. I said. I said, elorie, we ain't going to the Seychelles. Well, that got her up. She didn't care that I was down. She came running. She said, where are you? I said, I'm down here, bitch. I broke my hip. Lord, help.

And she ran to the lobby. And when she ran to the lobby, I was scared, vulnerable. These are adjectives you don't use to describe Jennifer Lewis. So all of a sudden, I started hallucinating.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, no.

[Jennifer Lewis]

The clouds came out over and a full moon appeared. So then I could see where I was. I woke up to see in that moonlight, wild animals. Grunting, snorking, snorting. They were. And all kind of. They were hunting. Everything was going on.

So I was mooning the moon in mating season. Oh, yeah. So I'm like, what the.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jennifer Lewis]

So, you know, I couldn't see the

animals before the moon, but I heard them.

And if it's one thing I know, I know what sounds like. So I started hallucinating. And a hippopotamus approach.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, no.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, yeah. I knew from my research that this was an animal that had eaten more

humans than any other willie.

So I screamed, hey, you fat bitch. You ain't eating over here, you fat ass hippopotamus. And have you heard of Ozempic?

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, no.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then the hippo left. He said, you bitch. He left. I understand. I'm laying on the ground in pitch black. I mean, there's a moonlight, but I feel then something. No, no, no, no. I feel some fingers, some little fingers or something down by my private area. Girl, I looked down, it was three pink booty baby baboons.

[Keke Palmer]

You were alive?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, I swear to God. And I told him, I said, now listen. I said, listen, I know you little have poor night vision, but I hope you see that sign down there. It's been down there for years. It says out of order. Out of order is crazy. Yeah. So the little pink booty baboons. I told him, I said, I'm sure you don't know being little pink booty baboons and all, but my name is Jennifer Lewis and I am an award winning actress from the United States. They said, yeah, yeah, yeah, we sent

you on Fresh Prince. How good is this story? That's pretty much the show. Let me shut.

But anyway, the real story is so good, she ran for help.

The Masai warriors came and rescued me because they were the only ones could come down there with the animals.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And then she, she made them land the helicopter. They didn't want to land. Help the cops, because it was UNESCO. You can't stress out the animals. It was the migration. And she told them, this one right here, you'll land that helicopter or she'll wake up and blow this bitch up. And you don't want that. And by the way, do you have any idea who's on that goddamn floor? And that's when I woke up, because I figured I was being introduced.

I went and I heard them say, we've got to get her to Kenya. I said, well then call Obama. Obama will send a plane to get me out of Africa. If Meryl Streep can get out of Africa, so can I.

You know, so I saw that.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. Well, we gotta give applause to Lori.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, yeah. And get out. She loves the attention. Get out. That's my girl, honey. That bitch saved my life. She saved my life.

[Keke Palmer]

After things like this happen to you because obviously this is like an amazing way to alchemize. When do you start putting, putting material like the one you just did together? Like, how do you start writing about events?

[Jennifer Lewis]

See, listen here. Listen very carefully. What I knew when I couldn't walk for 13 months. The great Jennifer Lewis, bedridden, forced to become an observer of life, a human being opposed to a human doing. I got to watch life. You know, they say amazing grace. And I say to you, grace is amazing. During that recovery, I took an imaginary water hose and filled every room in my house with liquid gratitude. And in the wheelchair, to the walker, to the crutches, to the cane, I swam in it. I didn't know how not to come back. You hear me, little girl? I don't know how to be a victim. I don't even know what that is. When the helicopter landed, when the helicopter was lifting up off the ground, I knew I was on a helicopter, but I was in such shock, I couldn't hear the helicopter. But what I did hear, I heard my soul screaming. Whatever this is, Jenny, you'll come back. I don't know what you done done to yourself, but you'll come back. And I'm gonna tell you. I journaled every day a newfound dictum. You cry all you want, but you will not become a victim. And my goal was to get that high kick back. And I got it back. I most certainly did. I couldn't separate my knees for four months now. Well, that was karma. Cause you know I do.

Yeah, yeah, that.

Yeah. But on a serious note, girl, please, my phys, all these old physical therapists. I had about seven different physical therapists over three years. They come in my house and go, God damn, I ain't never met nobody like you. Cause they'd say, give me 20, and I'd say, no, I'm gonna give you 30. You understand?

[Keke Palmer]

But I mean, I think this is quite unbelievable, almost insane when you think about people having these kinds of falls, let alone breaking their hip. So 13 months. And in that time were you. You know, you talk about being a human being as opposed to human doing. So. Were you just in the room? Were you thinking about what you were.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I'm writing my story. Well, I was writing.

I was certainly writing the one woman show.

See, that's an aspect of my talent

that a lot of people have not seen. Only people in the theaters and the clubs and the universities over the years have seen me on stage. Yeah, girl, I'm a monster on stage. That's where I live. Don't give me an audience, whatever you do.

[Keke Palmer]

When I was getting ready for this, I didn't even realize that you worked with Bette Midler on stage.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, yeah.

I was a harlot with Bette Midler, one of her backup singers in 1983. I did 46 concerts with her, and I assure you, there are 46 stories. She was fabulous. We're still friends.

Oh, my God.

We're still good friends.

[Keke Palmer]

I love to hear that.

[Jennifer Lewis]

She's always been supportive of my career.

She calls me Jennifer. Jennifer, how are ya? I said I'm okay, bet.

[Keke Palmer]

All right, Jennifer, I mean, you've broken so many barriers. Television, Broadway, You've earned the title as the mother of black Hollywood. But you've always stayed visible, vocal and unapologetic. When you think about the young women that are coming up behind you, what do you hope that your career made possible for them?

[Jennifer Lewis]

I want them to. First of all, I want them to read my memoir, because I wrote it for you. I wrote it for you and all of you to witness my journey through mental illness, my journey through conquering a dream. You see, I wanted to be a star. But being a star back then meant something other than what it means today. You had to have talent. You had to be Sammy, Judy, Pearly Mae.

Wow.

Mom's Mabley. You had to be Sinatra. You had to be Streisand.

Now you can just somebody, and you're a star. What kind of is that? We went to school as a classically trained actress. Right out of college, I replaced Jennifer

Holiday in one of the original Workshop productions of Dreamgirls. Of course, this was back in the 1800s, but, you know.

Yo.

Yeah? You so stupid.

I love you, girl.

If we hung out, the world wouldn't know what to do. No, okay, we ain't hanging out.

This is all of you.

This is your interview.

I won't see you.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm just so obsessed with you.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, well, I'm a hot mess. But, you know, listen, I'm real, and so are you.

I'm real.

I don't know how to hide. Oof. That just shot through me. I ain't never hid in my. Oh, yeah, girl. Her spirit is all up in me. Especially after that fall. I can't do nothing that God don't say I can do, girl. No, I.

That. All of that.

I've lost so many friends. I had to.

After the fall. After you fall on the Serengeti. Kiki, if you recover. If you recover, what do you think I can do? What's next? All I can do is climb Everest.

And you can't take luggage up Everest, bitch.

You hear me? I can't carry mine, and I can't carry yours. You going somewhere now? You going up Kilimanjaro? You going up Fujisan? You going up St. Helens?

[Keke Palmer]

You know so many places.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, girl, I've been all. You know, I've been all over the

world right I'm like. I'm listening to everything you said. I've been in Antarctica. These pants came from Kathmandu.

[Keke Palmer]

And where's that?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Over there at Everest? I took a helicopter through the Himalayan mountain range. Girl, I climbed the. What are they called? The Flaming cliffs in Montana, Mongolia, you know, I. I've been all over the world because I wanted to see it. You want to know why? Because I wanted to make sure the

world didn't revolve around my ass. I've seen hungry children, And you better believe I feed them now. I most certainly don't. Do you want to know something? I'm going to tell you something. When Covid happened, I got white guilt for the first time. Now let me tell you what white guilt is. White guilt is basically when you feel you have so much more than others. It's just a saying. And I've never felt that, because I know I worked for everything, and I worked hard for it, and I've always been generous. What are you gonna do? How much money can you have? All of you people out there now that only know money and power and greed. God, I wish I could talk to those crazy people that are trying to ruin the world. I've never told this story, but I'm gonna tell it. Cause I want you.

I want you. Yes, I want you to know the circle. When I saw American poverty come so

close to our faces because they told us everything during COVID we found out so much we'd not seen. So I went in my office and I wrote a donation for Doctors Without Borders because I'd done a fundraiser for them in New York. I knew it was a legitimate charity and I just a bunch of others. But I just want to speak to this one. So I sent that donation off. And I knew it would help because after I saw the. You remember in Italy was the first real where the masses of people were dying and. Oh, my God. And when I saw the mask that had dug into the first responders faces, I just had to give. I had to help. I had to help. I had to. So I'm laying on the ground of the Serengeti. I done broke my ass.

And I'm in pitch black.

And I hear a doctor from Rome with a very deep voice. You know, those Doctors Without Borders, they're international. The doctors and nurses come from all over the world. And I heard these words. Mrs. Lewis, we are doctors without. We are doctors without waters. And we've come to take you home.

[Keke Palmer]

You're kidding.

[Jennifer Lewis]

There's your circle. There's your circle.

[Keke Palmer]

That is so crazy.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And it took everything. For me, even in a state of shock and excruciating to pain, excruciating pain. To not say to that doctor bitch,

I just sent y' all a bunch of money. Please get me out here. Doctors Without Borders, girl.

You know they had to accompany me home on the plane shooting morphine into this leg.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jennifer Lewis]

24 hours to get back to the States. It was unbelievable.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm still gagged by the depth of. Here's your circle.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Okay, here's your circle.

[Keke Palmer]

When you walk into a room today, do you feel like the legend people see, or do you feel like you're still Jenny from Missouri? Oh, Kiki, baby, this is Kiki Palmer. Yes.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

I need everybody to hear me clearly. You do not need a milestone to enjoy yourself. I said what I said. Society has us out here waiting for promotions, engagements, and New Year's Eve to twist open something nice. Meanwhile, I'm over here with a chilled glass of Stella Rosa black because I remembered to water my plants three days in a row. That's growth, literally. And the flavor, sweet, smooth, rich, bold, deep berry, BlackBerry, blueberry, raspberry. All sitting together like a Real Housewives reunion where everybody kept their glass in their hand. This is wine for everyone 21 and up. Who understands that sometimes a celebration is the random Wednesday or the quiet night in or the I finish my laundry and put it all away in one day. Victory lashes. You are the occasion, so please act accordingly. Head to stellarosa.com to find your favorite flavor. Your next occasion, which is literally whenever you decide, is already taken care of. Because, baby, this is Stella Rosa. And please, please, please drink responsibly. Let me walk you through my Tuesday. I woke up and immediately had to decide what to wear to a meeting, what to feed my son, whether I'm taking the call from my car or rescheduling and it's 8am yet by noon, I've made 100 decisions and I'm already over it. So the things in my life that don't require me to think, those are sacred. That's exactly what Fruit of the Loom women's underwear is for me. I open the drawer, I grab a pair, and I already know it's going to be comfortable and fit right. There's no guessing, no adjusting, no, let me try another pair moment. It just works. When your whole day is full of decisions that actually need your energy, having that kind of simplicity in your routine creates real peace of mind. And trust me, that feels really, really good. Fruit of the loom. Proves that simple feels really good.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I'm both.

[Keke Palmer]

Come on, integrated.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I've never changed. I know that. I ate dirt when I was a little girl. I know. I remember how hungry I was. You never forget having, you know, gone out in the snow, rain and heat to the outhouse. You never forget that. Cause I got five bathrooms now, bitches. Hey, titties and nips, don't ask me for no money.

So anyway, you gotta love me, right? Okay. I love me. So you gotta love me.

[Keke Palmer]

The catchphrases, the whole circular narrative, the callbacks, the continue. This is a master class. You know, this is crazy. I mean, you're crazy.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I gotta say.

Listen, you know what I am, Keke? What I think I am?

What the. What I really think I am?

[Keke Palmer]

You're brilliant.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I'm free. I'm free is what I am. I'm free. I'm like Morpheus. Come on, bitch, what you got? And if it's ugly, you take that somewhere else. Now, mama, don't go for that. Now, see, when you've heard a li. Oh, when you've heard a lion roar in your ear. See, a lion came. I heard a lion roar while I was laying. Now, you gotta understand that. And do you know what happened? Do you know what went through my mind? Lori done ran for help.

I'm laying there.

Wasn't no hippo, wasn't no baboon.

It was a goddamn lion. And I heard that. I was like, oh,

this is it, Jenny. What a way to go. But then you know what I thought? Because, you know, I am Jennifer Lewis laying there.

Guess what I thought.

What a headline.

Yeah, right. She got it. The king ate the queen.

I swear to God. That went through my mind.

[Keke Palmer]

Cause what a way. That would have been just so crazy.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I mean, to be ripped up by a goddamn. I'm like, damn. God, I thought I was your girl, but what a death. I'm like, well, bring it. Here we go. Jennifer Lewis. Body's been flown back to the States. They got one. They left one toe and one eye. Here she come. Look, that dead bitch. Dead.

[Keke Palmer]

I would have been.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Look at the camera.

She's like, God damn. I ain't never seen nobody like this.

I bet you won't give me no goddamn coffee no more. Look, they had my face on this

coffee, so I really drank it.

Keke Palmer got faces.

And your cappuccinos and gone, baby.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my God.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Mama's proud of you, baby. Mama's proud of you, baby.

[Keke Palmer]

Hilarious. I mean, you said, we are as sick as our secrets. What does that mean to you? Because sometimes we hold so many secrets we don't even know.

[Jennifer Lewis]

There it is. You don't have.

[Keke Palmer]

We've lied to ourselves.

[Jennifer Lewis]

You know what I mean?

You don't need to say no more. That's it. The truth will set you free. And it's the hardest thing in the world. You think I wanted to tell the world that I was molested?

You think I want to tell the world I was had bipolar disorder? Tell the world that I'd been conned out of $50,000? You'd think I wanted to tell the world all of those things.

You don't know why? Mm. Cause I wanted you to learn from it. I got everything I wanted because I told the truth. There's a price. There's no. There's a reward for being honest. There's a reward for going to tell somebody you were touched. You see, because if you hold it in, you're gonna eat yourself to death. If you hold it in, you're gonna drink yourself to death.

If you hold it in, you're gonna get high yourself to death.

See, you gotta let it out.

[Keke Palmer]

You worked with Whitney Houston when she did the Preacher's Wife.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yes, I did. That's my girl.

[Keke Palmer]

And you shared that you confronted her.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I did. I did.

I didn't know what. I didn't know what using drugs really looked like. You know, I used to drink when in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. But no, I stopped drinking a long time ago. I never got in trouble for it. But. Yeah, you know, look here, listen. My voice meant more to me than up. I had a gift. I get that now. I will share this since I'm sharing everything. When I found out about the con artist, I just happened to find out about that on the day my mother died. Yeah. So? It was a double hit.

[Keke Palmer]

So sorry to hear about that.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Thank you.

[Keke Palmer]

Both things.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And I thank you. And I. I got real mad at God. I said this on the Breakfast Club. Don't stay mad too long. Don't hurt yourself too bad. Cause God didn't do it. You did. We want to blame somebody.

God damn.

You did it. I did it. Girl, wait til you see this one woman's show. I'm gonna leave y' all the fruits of all of my labor. I'm gonna give y' all the wisdom of the ages. I'm gonna tell it all.

[Keke Palmer]

But in your commitment to letting your life not only exist as a testimony, it is because I think that's what we all have here. You know, our lives should be a testimony to others. There is something that at the end of it, and I think as a performer, I always have to remind myself this, but I wonder how you manage it is what do you keep for yourself? How do you know what to keep for yourself? How do you know the difference? And I think people need to hear this in this generation because it's a good question. You know, we go online and it's like. But telling the truth doesn't always mean exposing your life. It doesn't always mean exploiting who you are. So what is the line that you draw between being truthful and. And authentic, but also not letting everybody get to impart on your growth?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Hmm. One thing is learning that saying no is saying yes to you. You can't fix nobody else. I'm so sorry. Mmm. The work has to be within. You know, I see some things about myself on the Internet that I know are not true. Those people are dead. Now. You just go kill a bitch. That's basically what you do.

Oh, I didn't say that out loud, did I? Okay, let me get back to the question.

I'm kidding. Kidding. No, look, here, look. You gotta break it with some laughter, honey.

[Keke Palmer]

You do.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Because when people laugh, you gotta understand. The cells dance when we laugh. And when that you.

When you got em laughing, you go

and you stick that wisdom in there and they get it better because the body's lighter to receive.

[Keke Palmer]

That's literally.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yes, absolutely. Here's the thing, pumpkin self, I hope whoever's supposed to get this gets it. And I'm gonna say it like this because I ain't gonna go all deep and ignorant. I used to be me, me, me, me, me. But now it's we. Now it's us. Honey, you gotta see yourself in that other person. You can't change nobody. You can't. There's nothing you can do. You go to your quiet place, sit

down and shut the up.

[Keke Palmer]

Easy.

[Jennifer Lewis]

We are fragile creatures.

[Keke Palmer]

What did Whitney say?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Oh, no, she was just. She. It was an odd behavior. I don't know.

We were in like a kitchen in that pier, that pier downtown off the Hudson river, and something happened. I saw that she was uncomfortable out of something, and I just simply said, you know. You know. Cause I was still young too. I was like, well, I'm in therapy. And she just turned on a dime

and she went, lord Savior, Jesus Christ, take care of me.

Nothing wrong with that.

Lord Savior, Jesus Christ, take care of me. And if somebody say, lord Savior, Jesus Christ, take care of Me, the way you know, Whitney Houston can say it,

you let it live. Mm. Goin about your business. Yeah, but she was wonderful, God damn it. Without. With no lies attached. I miss her every day. Not because I spent three months with her, you know, playing her mother and being that close. But there's not a time you can get on the Internet that she won't pop up somewhere doing something. Her voice was the eighth wonder of the world. And there were only seven wonders back then. Sitting that close to her in Yonkers, in that church, watching her sing the genre from whence she had come. Help is on the way. I remember her sitting there going, my

God,

what a phenomenon. She was beautiful. She was just beautiful.

[Keke Palmer]

I miss her too.

[Jennifer Lewis]

And met her. I think we all miss her.

[Keke Palmer]

You played Whitney Houston mother. Tupac, Tracee Ellis Ross. I mean, Angela Bassett. Or should I say Tina Turner?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Let's get something clear. I did not play Tracee Ellis mother. Tracee Ellis Ross's mother played her mother

in law, Tracy Ellis Ross.

That's my girl.

[Keke Palmer]

What is it that you think make people trust you so much on and off screen?

[Jennifer Lewis]

It's what you see right here.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

It's what you see right here. It's. It's because I care.

I care.

I care that my great niece, 18 months old. What is she, 18 months?

I care that she gets to dream like I did. I had a dream. I lived. I loved and I conquered because I didn't know how not to.

You couldn't tell me I couldn't do something?

What?

But Mandela said I could, bitch.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay, okay.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Harriet said I could, And I say I can. You got any more questions for me? There's some things people can't touch, Kiki. And that lives in the depth of our souls. We're special, living, experiencing the human experience. That's something beautiful. That's not something to think that attach the ego to everything.

Me, me, me.

Now, I ain't gonna put you down

for it because I was there once, but at some point, grow up, bitch, and love something else. Take care of other people. Help an old woman across the street. Keep the door open for somebody. Let somebody go in traffic, just say go.

[Keke Palmer]

But the great thing about what you're saying, too, is that sometimes those are the only thing that does make you feel good. It sounds crazy and it sounds counterproductive, but when you have nothing to give or you feel that you have nothing to offer, if you just can put a smile on someone, someone's face, simply, you know, it really will return back to you.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, but be nice.

[Keke Palmer]

It really, really will.

[Jennifer Lewis]

It's the best feeling in the world to do something for someone else. And. And I remember my therapist saying it once. She said, if you don't know what to. You don't know what to do. Jennifer, just get up and do something for somebody else.

[Keke Palmer]

That's right.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Just, you know, take it off. You

read a book, bitch, but stop complaining about everything. We have so much. You better read about the Congo. You better read about the Sudan. You better read about Gaza. You better read about Compton. Okay? You read about what?

[Keke Palmer]

Cause it's closer than you think.

[Jennifer Lewis]

People who don't have as much as you. Everybody don't get to take a shower. Everybody doesn't get breakfast.

[Keke Palmer]

A lot of people.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Everybody doesn't have shoes.

[Keke Palmer]

No, it's true.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Be nice to each other. That's all.

And like I've been saying, we had

a good run, didn't we? You run for these kids now. Don't get to sit on your ass. Americans are so complacent.

[Keke Palmer]

You've been engaged four times?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yes, I have.

[Keke Palmer]

But never went the whole way.

[Jennifer Lewis]

No, I didn't.

Why not?

Well, let me tell you. The first one, I was too young.

How old?

I was 19.

Okay.

I was 19. You know, I wanted to be in show business

and. But I loved him.

I loved him deeply. He was from the Dominican Republic, and he called me Yanir first. And he used to sing.

Oh, my gosh.

Oh, no. Yennefer, Yennefer. You don't have to be a star,

[Keke Palmer]

baby, to be in my show.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I told him, but I do have to be a star, so I gotta go, pumpkin. Anyway, so number two was. Who was the second guy? Yeah, he was wonderful, But. No, no, no, he was wonderful, and I loved him, too, but he was gay and I didn't know.

And that was the time. That was when you couldn't come out.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

You know, and you know he was gay.

[Keke Palmer]

He told you?

[Jennifer Lewis]

No, no, no, no. Oh, now how'd you know? Mm, we always know. Come on now. There's a chapter in my memoir titled Dick Diva. I think you would know if somebody was gay.

[Keke Palmer]

The third.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Which third?

Oh, the third guy. The third guy was.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, why is it always that?

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah, I loved him, too. I did.

But he was so damaged. God damn, girl. You can't save nobody, you know? And you always listen, somebody come closer. Nobody wants to admit this. Ooh. But let's just say I believe it. When somebody that is that close to you, they're a reflection of you.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, yeah.

[Jennifer Lewis]

So don't do too much finger pointing and blaming. You chose that, and you figure out why you there with it and why you can't leave it. Don't blame nobody else, though. So I pretty much chose myself in all four of them. And I loved it on the Internet, when they hear me talk about that, they go, oh, well, something must be wrong with her. Well, something was. Was wrong with both of us. And you be careful with all that judging on the Internet. And another thing I want to say since I got the mic, you want to know who you are, read your comments. You go read them little nasty things you put on the Internet about other people.

[Keke Palmer]

That's deep.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Whatever you talking about, that's who you are.

Ooh.

So be very careful with that bun.

[Keke Palmer]

That's a read.

[Jennifer Lewis]

It's a word, honey.

Y' all call it a word. Y' all call it bar. Okay, I'll take it.

[Keke Palmer]

Because if you. Some of y' all go back and read that and see what you're about.

[Jennifer Lewis]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Keke Palmer]

You'll be spooked.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Listen, honey, you can't. You can't say, I'm running. When you run, you're gonna meet yourself when you get there. You can't run. I said that on the Breakfast Club. I tried to run, and I said this. I got money to run,

but you

meet yourself when you get there.

[Keke Palmer]

You have the One Woman show, which I cannot wait. I have to have a friend show.

[Jennifer Lewis]

The One Woman show gonna wear y' all out. And your name is in it. I don't say nice things, but, you know, there's a lot of people in

it, and I love them.

I'm saying. Not saying nice things.

Oh, my gosh.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm so happy. I cannot wait to be dragged beyond an inch of my life.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I mean, dragged.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm also happy because you.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Who else? Kim Whitley, Wanda Seitz, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Holiday, Jennifer Lawrence. Oh, I'm going off on everybody. Viola, who else is in there? Oh, Shirley.

Ralph's gonna get it.

I'm a good.

You know, we're good friends.

Yes. I'm on Ta Nui.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm so excited for that. I'm excited for you being in the Southern belle lady. Ms. Jacqueline Southern belle insult series on audible.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Ms. NBC. I love her.

You know, I talk like her. I had to go against what you were doing with one of those characters. That's a funny show.

Thank you so much.

That's gonna be so good. Congratulations.

Thank you. You're doing three characters.

[Keke Palmer]

Yes, I'M so excited.

[Jennifer Lewis]

All right, now listen.

I done talked and talked and talked about myself, which is my favorite subject, I have to say. But I want to talk about you now. Congratulations. I've watched you because everybody's constantly going,

do you see what Kiki shepherd did?

I mean, I keep Kiki shepherd, you know, Kiki Shepard.

She's one of my best friends. Showtime at the Apollo.

We're good friends. We did Broadway together, Kiki and I. But they call me all the times and they say she's a. She's a mini you, Jennifer. And when I watch your work. Okay, here it is. You have the it factor. It's like a precious jewel, a precious gem. Very few people have it. It doesn't make us better or worse than anybody else. It's just that, I don't know, maybe when God was shining up some jewels, he did like this. On one of them, you got a little bit of that spit. And what I see you doing is honoring it. So I would not have come over here if I wasn't as proud as I am of you. I don't have time. I'm trying to save the world right now. There's a lot of going on in the world, and I'm responsible. When you have been given as much as I have been given, I don't have time to carry luggage up Mount Everest. And that's what we're fighting right now. So I wanted to get over here and tell you how proud and don't stop. I talked to your sister that night at the Obama's party.

[Keke Palmer]

Yep.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Everybody's gonna keep an eye on you. I don't think you're capable of getting a big head. I think you've known who you are a long time. Cause when you come from that childhood show big, that ain't no easy road to tow. So stay on top of it and take care of you. You hear me?

[Keke Palmer]

Jennifer, I'm so happy that you came on this show. Because even though I'm the lucky one that gets to have the conversation with you, the people that watch my show, that's what it's about. So you weren't really just having a conversation with me, but you were having a conversation with, you know, hell, pop culture, the kids, the millennials, Gen Z, Gen X.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Who my love, by the way, that's who I'm fighting for, you guys, I'm fighting. I've lived my life. They can't do nothing to me now. I mean, I got, you know how many people I got

everything I want,

wanted, I got to grow up.

And learn to be still enough to look into the eyes of a baby and see myself. I'm in my skin now, having done the work.

Work.

To be able to watch a moon rise and become it. That's work,

y'.

All, babies.

But what I showed up for is to tell you is that it's all possible. And it's always, always right around the corner. So stick around. Don't up. Don't yourself up. Don't hurt yourself too bad when you get mad. Stay alive.

It's coming. It's already here. Really? But you gotta wake up to it being here. It's right here, right now. So make me proud. You already do.

[Keke Palmer]

I love you so much. And I have to shout out Big Age, which is your other new audible series with Cedric Entertainer and Niecy Nash.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

So I wanted to shout that out.

[Jennifer Lewis]

No, things are great. Things are good.

You know, let's keep it moving, y'. All. But once again, the biggest thing right now is stand up, wherever you are. These are challenging times, but they've always been challenged, so act like you know. But the biggest thing about this is it's for the kids now.

Yeah.

You gotta stand up. It's for the babies coming. You gotta stand up.

[Keke Palmer]

I couldn't agree with you more. We need those words. And we always love it for you and that piano.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Three chords and start screaming. You know what that is?

It's passion.

[Keke Palmer]

It is.

[Jennifer Lewis]

I am literally dragged over to that piano to just hit those same chords every time, but scream out whatever's going on and say, but to lift you up. Oh, I want to be rageful. I want to say, can't do it.

That's not going to help anything. That's not going to help anything.

To get mad and go tearing through the world, murdering and killing and fighting and screaming and.

Oh, my God, y', all, stop that. Find that love in you. It's there. Find it. I know life is hard. You will not.

If you want the rose, you got to go through the thorns. Grow up and navigate those thorns. Life is hard. And once you realize that, you'll be better for it. Grow up.

[Keke Palmer]

Well, I'm ready for the third chapter. We got the mother of Black Hollywood. We've got Walk in My Joy. And soon we gonna get. Get up.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Yeah. That is. How'd you know?

That is. That's it. I know. I love you, Kiki.

[Keke Palmer]

I love you.

[Jennifer Lewis]

Go, Kiki, it's your birthday. Go, Kiki. It's your birthday, girl.

You are so cute.

I love you. Come here, pumpkin.

[Keke Palmer]

Jennifer, you've shown us what it means to tell the truth out loud. To survive, to fall, to get up, to laugh. Anyway, you've played everybody's mama and auntie on screen. But in real life, you've been a guide, a warning, a protector, and a blueprint. From segregation to Broadway, from trauma to triumph, from silence to authorship. You didn't just walk in your joy. You. You built it. And if resilience had a voice, it would sound a lot like yours. Baby, this is Kiki Palmer. Baby, this is. This is Kiki. Baby, this is Kiki Palmer. Yeah.