Club Shay Shay - Arnez J. Part 2

Summary

Club Shay Shay – Arnez J. Part 2

Released on June 4, 2025

Hosts: Shannon Sharpe (referred to as B)
Guest: Arnez J. (referred to as A)

---

1. Early Career as a Flight Attendant

Arnez J. begins by recounting his tenure as a flight attendant, shedding light on the less glamorous aspects of the job.

• Stealing Headset Money:
  “I had a whole flight crew. All of us called Nestle... All that headset money, liquor money.”
  [00:34]

• Flight Crew Dynamics:
  “We had one white girl, we called her Nestle's White Chocolate. We had an all-black crew.”
  [01:00]

• Ethics and Incident:
  Arnez shares a pivotal incident where he knocked out a disruptive passenger, leading to his suspension and eventual termination.
  “I knocked him out. One hit a quitter, Jay.”
  [06:18]

2. Transition to Comedy

Forced out of his flight attendant role, Arnez discovers his passion for comedy, inspired by interactions with established comedians.

• Inspiration from Robert Townsend:
  “I met [Robert Townsend] and seen him. And that's what gave me more inspiration to do what I do then.”
  [18:05]

• Def Comedy Jam Experience:
  Arnez discusses his time on Def Comedy Jam, expressing both pride and disappointment over the show's editing decisions.
  “They thought I was gonna be that next Eddie Murphy... They gave me that $7,000 payday.”
  [35:02]

• Closing Doors of Showtime All Stars:
  “When the show came on, they went to the end of the show, brought all the comedians back out... but not me.”
  [35:21]

3. Challenges in the Comedy Industry

Arnez delves into the struggles and gatekeeping within the comedy world, highlighting instances of exclusion and resilience.

• Facing Gatekeepers:
  “There's people that carry a lot of salt. We haven't gotten too old for it.”
  [31:00]

• Maintaining Integrity:
  “Nobody was gonna do that to me again. People in the business that want you to not succeed.”
  [36:45]

4. Personal Life and Family Trauma

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Arnez's tumultuous relationship with his father and the impact of family trauma on his life.

• Father's Abuse:
  “My dad shot me three times.”
  [55:00]

• Impact of Abuse:
  “I became martial arts when I was seven... I was inducted into juvenile correctional institute.”
  [56:38]

• Relationship with His Son:
  Arnez shares his deep bond with his son, emphasizing his dedication despite challenges.
  “I love him to death. He's still gonna work things out.”
  [58:46]

5. Reflections on Faith and Society

Arnez opens up about his evolving relationship with faith, his views on societal changes, and the role of God in his life.

• Faith and God:
  “My mama still beat my ass. She made sure I was all right. That's the God I serve.”
  [26:37]

• Disillusionment with Church:
  “The devil has stepped his foot in there and made people forget who God is.”
  [26:37]

• Critique of Modern Society:
  “Money is an evil factor. Money can turn a good person evil.”
  [63:35]

6. Current Projects and Promotions

Towards the end of the episode, Arnez transitions to discussing his current endeavors, including his comedy specials and entrepreneurial ventures.

• Netflix Special "Racially Motivated":
  “My manager, Joe Eschenbach, is a beast. He's truthful. I got a truthful crew with me.”
  [85:31]

• YouTube Release:
  “My fams are the greatest. And even the new ones at this stage in the game too.”
  [86:09]

• Promoting His Products:
  Arnez showcases his organic, oil-based sprays designed as alternatives to cologne.
  “I have mint lavender rose. This is my gift to you.”
  [88:22]

7. Closing Thoughts

Arnez emphasizes the importance of authenticity, resilience, and surrounding oneself with supportive individuals.

• Resilience and Support:
  “You gotta keep your motor running. Don't sit it on idle.”
  [38:11]

• Value of True Friends:
  “See who your true friends are.”
  [84:42]

---

Notable Quotes:

• “Money is an evil factor. Money can turn a good person evil.” [63:35]
• “I knocked him out. One hit a quitter, Jay.” [06:18]
• “I love him to death. He's still gonna work things out.” [58:46]
• “Nobody was gonna do that to me again.” [36:45]
• “We haven't gotten too old for it.” [31:00]

Key Takeaways:

• Arnez J.'s journey from a flight attendant with a troubled past to a resilient comedian highlights his ability to overcome personal and professional challenges.
• His experiences shed light on the gatekeeping and ethical dilemmas within the comedy industry.
• Personal trauma, particularly his relationship with his father, plays a significant role in shaping his perspectives and comedic style.
• Arnez emphasizes the importance of faith, integrity, and surrounding oneself with supportive individuals to navigate life's adversities.
• His entrepreneurial spirit is evident in his commitment to maintaining the authenticity of his products despite commercial pressures.

Conclusion:

In this candid conversation on Club Shay Shay, Arnez J. offers a raw and unfiltered look into his life's highs and lows. From battling personal demons to navigating the competitive world of comedy, his story is one of resilience, authenticity, and unwavering determination. Shannon Sharpe facilitates a space where Arnez can openly discuss his journey, providing listeners with valuable insights into the complexities of personal growth and professional success.

Transcript

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[B]

You mentioned early on you were a flight attendant. How did you become a flight attendant? You needed money that bad?

[A]

Jay, first of all, you ain't gonna try to say that flight attendant didn't pay.

[B]

I say that? Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

[A]

I got paid. Yes, I got paid. I was stealing headset money. I got paid. Oh, Lord, that person.

[B]

So you helped put him out of business.

[A]

I had a whole flight crew. All of us called Nestle. We had one white girl, we called her Nestle's White Chocolate. We had an all black crew. All that headset money, liquor money.

[B]

Yeah, that's why they make you pay with credit card now. Ain't no more cash.

[A]

People's Express. People's Express. So stupid. They were having people pay. Why? When they got on the plane, cash. And they had a little credit card, but they were paying cash getting on the plane. That's why they went out of business. They open on Monday with clothes on Friday. But we had a. You know, we all. We have. We've all done things, man, back in our day. It's just that people. When you get to a point in your life, man, where you can talk about everything, right? You can talk. I'm not trying to hurt nobody. I'm trying to have an open, honest, deep conversation. Doesn't have to be deep, but it can be.

[B]

As a flight attendant, what's proper etiquette? Okay, in the middle seat, who get the armrest? Cause I ain't my pain.

[A]

That's a good question. If I'm in the middle, I'm getting an armrest. Cause you already got me sitting, woman. Okay, I'm already sitting in the book earlier. My legs is already in like this, and my feet is out. You think I ain't gonna spread these wings right here and then look at you funny? What you looking at? What you looking at? And then if there's somebody beside you making moves. Shut up. No, these arms right here. No, the one in the middle is gonna get that armrest.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

Cause it's not. This ain't Cool.

[B]

Well, I read the stat. They said, like. I think it's like 60% of the people won't recline their chair out of respect for the person that's behind them.

[A]

Who said that?

[B]

I read a stat that say.

[A]

No, you couldn't read a stat.

[B]

Yeah, say 60%.

[A]

That was in Toys R Us when you read that. No, no, no, no. Was that in the Dollar Tree store? Cause you do be reading. Yeah, I do.

[B]

So is it a.

[A]

And that's a complete fabrication.

[B]

It is.

[A]

That's a lie.

[B]

Everybody lay it down.

[A]

That's a lie. Yeah, I would say 90%.

[B]

I mean, I go. I lay down. I mean, I look back and like, make sure I, you know, I would just.

[A]

Of course you don't do that, but there's a lot of people that do that. This lady today did her thing all the way back like this and went like this again. I hit the front of it. Come on. I did. I hit the front of it. I hit the front of it to let her know I'm back here. Lord have mercy.

[B]

So let me ask you, were you in the main cabin or you in first? Because I've talked to flight attendant and they say they like to make.

[A]

I was in the. As a flight attendant.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I was always first class flight attendant.

[B]

They said they like being in the main cabin because the people in first sometimes are a little bit demanding and they just keep ringing the call. Can I have this?

[A]

Can I get that?

[B]

Can I get this?

[A]

Can I get this? First of all, nowadays everybody's lazy. You have to realize when I flew, I flew what was called the A300. Airbus seats 272. The Garuda seats 262. I think mine seated 272. Okay, you had a first class of 24. Right, 24. Now 1, 2 and 3.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Then you had a pub, like the 747th. Yeah, there was a pub right there. I either did the pub or did first class.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Then you got the coach. And there's six bathrooms back there.

[B]

Yeah, we call it the main cabin. We don't wanna get nobody hurt.

[A]

The what?

[B]

Main cabin.

[A]

Coach. Anyway, so. So there you go, man.

[B]

See, it's the main cabin.

[A]

We changing words again. Okay, main cabin.

[B]

Yeah, main cabin.

[A]

So anyway, I had a passenger one time. I was doing the first class service back when I was first class. It was first class. You served chateaubriand?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Egg Benedict. You did the liqueur tray.

[B]

Yeah, it was nice hot food.

[A]

And the grandma yay dessert trays with the Ice cream, all of that. Yes.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I complete served. I won Flight Attendant of the year like three times. How's that? Good?

[B]

How'd that happen?

[A]

Plus, I can cook.

[B]

You wanna cook it on the plane? The food is already put in the oven.

[A]

Made it look like it was cooked.

[B]

You do realize you just put it in the oven.

[A]

J. They made it look like. No, that bull crap. You don't just put the. Some stuff you gotta put. It's gonna come out dry. Make sure the food wasn't dry.

[B]

Or you put a little water on the. Huh?

[A]

Put a little water. If I have to spice it up a little bit. I was into that. Let me tell you something. First class parents, their child was running around. I told him, I said, sir, I'm getting ready to do a service. I'm gonna need you to have your children sit down.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Old Jewish guy. Wasn't old, but I'm saying Jewish guy, he went just like this. Put his finger right here in my nose without bending out like that. He said, you're just a servant.

[B]

Oh, Lord. How many days did you get suspended?

[A]

Hey, let's put it this way. I had to put out some applications. They made an emergency landing. Huh? They made an emergency landing.

[B]

You fired on him?

[A]

I knocked him out. One hit a quitter, Jay. One hit a quitter. How many of you. Oh, Lord have mercy.

[B]

You was in the wrong. You was in the wrong.

[A]

One hit a question.

[B]

You know, goodwill. You can't be. You got. The passenger's always right, Jay.

[A]

Yeah, he was right. Right up. I knocked him out. They made an emergency landing.

[B]

You get arrested?

[A]

No, the paramedics came on, but they were gonna arrest him. I got pulled off at the flight. I got suspended. I was gone for 30 days. Yeah, I figured.

[B]

I know you.

[A]

I figured that. 30 days. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, I figured that.

[A]

Why your voice high? I was gone for 30 days. Damn. Then when I finally got fired. You know why I got fired? Cause I was sick. Had the flu. You sure you ain't got that thing you sniffing and stuff a lot, bro? Yeah, it's myself, man. Drink some of this.

[B]

I already.

[A]

I already.

[B]

I'm good. I got. I got. I got another show tonight.

[A]

Is this one open?

[B]

You know, that's for you.

[A]

Can I buy? No. Is it?

[B]

Yeah, it is.

[A]

Speaking of that, boy, my stuff. I got you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I have to show it to you. Yeah, we. We going to do it. Wait, but let me finish though. We going to.

[B]

I want you to tell the. Tell the rest of the story.

[A]

The reason I got fired.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I got extremely sick.

[B]

Uh huh.

[A]

We were going from Newark, New Jersey.

[B]

Excuse me.

[A]

From Denver, Colorado to Newark, New Jersey. We held at the gate for four hours because it was snowing and they wouldn't release us. We went out on a tarmac. They got ready for the Runway, thought we was going to take off. They brought us back in. I was already sick. I told the captain I had the flu. I took a whole thing of nyquil. He said, well, just sit on the jump seat and just relax. I fell asleep on the jump seat. Automatic termination. When they went to him to ask him, he said he didn't know nothing about it, but his girlfriend was the lead flight attendant that I didn't like. Why am I not surprised? And I got. And they fired me. Then about four or five months later, no, six months later, I get a letter from them stating that they want to reinstate me. You know what I did? I put my butt and my balls up on a Xerox machine.

[B]

This man out of his mind, took.

[A]

A picture of it. Yeah. Had to have that snake up top, though. Took a picture and then mailed it to him and just put Kiss my Jay.

[B]

You could have went back, got the job. You could have got benefits.

[A]

You think I want to go back after that?

[B]

You fly the flight attendant fighting on the plane. Normally the flight attendant.

[A]

I'm about to poke me in projects out of Miami, Florida. You can take me out of the project. You can't take the project out of me. But you.

[B]

The only flight that had a bomb threat called in too. Oh, that one.

[A]

You know how we do it, Milk man? They called and said there's a bomb. Okay. First we doing a service. I'm the lead flight attendant. Yeah. The captain comes up, makes an announcement. Can I have all flight attendants to the mid galley? All flight attendants to the mid galley, please. We go to the mid galley. He said, oh, Arnaz, I need you to kind of make sure nobody comes up here. And I'm like, I'm the lead, but it's all white crew. I know, I didn't. Tell me, right. So he called him into the cockpit.

[B]

But not you, not me. And you the lead, though.

[A]

I'm the lead. Okay. I'm supposed to get the information. Yeah, yeah. I'm sitting out. All of a sudden, one of the flight attendants comes out, has a blank look on her face. Just blank. I'm like, what? I'm like, we're just gonna say, becky, Becky, what's wrong? And it's just. Kevin just said, we just need to just do our service. I was like, you can't do that for the black people. Cuz I'm like, okay, but what? What's wrong? She go, it's cool. And everything I want to say, I said, when? When we do this. That r. The headache started. I said, okay, just tell me what's going on. Huh? Just tell me what's happening. Finally came out and told me there's a bomb threat. Do we have a bomb plan?

[B]

Please tell me you don't get on the microphone. This man done.

[A]

Jay, listen, J, time out. That's why they didn't let your ass in the. I didn't get on the microphone like that, but I thought I said, I should have took this goddamn flight. I knew it. I knew this bull. I knew it was gonna happen. I knew it. So a couple of pastors came up and said, hey, tell me what's going on? And then a couple of them just kept coming up, hey, can you tell me what's going on? I got on the mic then, listen, we have a situation. We don't know what's going on yet, so I don't need you to come up here and ask me. But I was saying it with authority. I don't need you to ask me what's going on.

[B]

Well, at least you didn't say bomb. It scared anybody.

[A]

No, they might have arrested me if I said that. So when we landed in Denver, we get in Denver, Colorado. They took our plane all the way out to the field by itself so we could blow up by itself.

[B]

Yo.

[A]

The fire trucks would even come. The fire trucks would not even come. They were there, but they wouldn't get near us.

[B]

Right.

[A]

They let down all the slides. I'm supposed.

[B]

You supposed to be last?

[A]

No, I'm supposed to be at the front door now. Yeah, the front door. That's where the lead goes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And we're supposed to say these exits are blocked. We need everybody to come this way. In or out. In or out. Right. Captain says, arnaz, I need you to go to the back and make sure that everything I said, Wait, wait, whoa, whoa. I'm the lead. Arnaz. I need you to go back in case, you know, in case anything happened. You know, you're supposed to be lasting off the plane. That's what he said. Yes. That's why when you said that, it triggered me. I didn't have that manual, but in my brain I was going to tell me where it said rnj. Supposed to be the last one off the plane.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I go to the back. I follow directions. They had two of the other flight attendants up front. This lady with a walker. This why I said, I don't like stealing this lady with a walker. This lady with a walker pulled down the walker. I mean, somebody else got the walker. First of all, this one lady trying to reach and get up first. I said, ma' am, come on, come on. Wait. I'm trying to get my part. I said, if you don't bring your ass on. That's exactly how I said it.

[B]

Move.

[A]

That's not what I said. Yeah, it was worse, but we're in a panic moment.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Then there's. Somebody helped this lady get a walker down. So I'm behind the lady. You know, I'm antsy. Yeah.

[B]

Play Cab won't play.

[A]

You need to walk along faster. I'm like, man, come on. Ma' am, please, please walk. Ma' am, you okay? Yeah. Don't turn around. Just keep walking. Finally, I just kind of nudged her like that, and the walker kind of slipped and she fell over. I did this on. I didn't do this, but I said, you done lived your life. Let me live mine. But I got her off. Get what? We got off.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I get called into the supervisor's office.

[B]

Damn. You stayed in the supervisor's office?

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, I did.

[B]

I don't think that job was for you.

[A]

It wasn't. It was a point in my life. They asked me, did I push an old lady down in the walker. I said, first of all, we all say, what's the problem? I was helping her and she slipped. Well, she told on you.

[B]

She dimed you out.

[A]

No, she didn't dime. Well, she did, but she didn't.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Guess who that lady in the walker was.

[B]

Please. I have no idea.

[A]

One of the supervisors. Mom. Oh, God. Had it out for me. Yeah. He said, it's about time you move on. Yeah. Yeah. Before you came in there. And I was like, you know how white guys talk. It was my mother. But she's alive.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I helped her.

[B]

I helped her. Yes.

[A]

Why are you being so evil? It was my mother. Wow. Jay, you gonna stop that? Jay.

[B]

So that. So after that, that was it.

[A]

Yeah. That's where I was gone.

[B]

Okay, so now, okay, you was a flight attendant.

[A]

No. But they were gone. No, I was gone because of the nyquil.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And the captain lying, saying that he didn't know anything about it, that I never told him, nothing like that. Oh, Lord.

[B]

How did you get to the comedy stage?

[A]

Because a first class passenger told me I need to be doing comedy. He told me that flying on this aircraft, flying these planes was a waste of me. First class passenger told me that. He said, I've never seen nobody this funny on a plane before because I was always cracking jokes, doing. Just doing stupid stuff. Changing. Changing my voice. We go to. We like. We. We go to Texas. We fly into Texas. I go. Ladies and gentlemen, thank y' all for flying on Continental airline flight number 1485. Tell you what, sit down, kick your boots up, strap yourselves in, because it's gonna be one of them nice rides. Not a rough one, but a nice one. Just strap yourself in. We want you to enjoy yourself. And if you see a nice girl beside you, say hello. So I would do that. We go to San Francisco, ladies and gentlemen. Oh, my God. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for flying continental flight number 785, going to the beautiful city of San Francisco. Well, it just depends on where we're going.

[B]

Where we going?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, it did spend. Where we going? If we went. Yeah, if we went to Japan, I would have killed that one. Yeah. Yeah, I would have killed that one.

[B]

But did you know you could do comedy? So you just went to an open mic?

[A]

No, I went to a place in Denver, Colorado, called Comedy Works.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Still up running now. Mm. Guess who I see first time.

[B]

Who?

[A]

A comedian by the name of Robert Townsend. Wow. But he wasn't there to do a show. I was up on the comedy night. I mean, the amateur night open mic.

[B]

Right.

[A]

He was there filming a movie called the American Flyer. Had on pair of white hat on green top, white pants, has his arm in a sling. His arm was broke. He had a broken arm because he had fell on the bike, learned how to ride. But he was doing a movie. I think it was his first movie. And that's where I met him and seen him. And he today, he didn't remember that, but see, I remember. Wow. And that's what gave me more inspiration to do what I do then. And I used to go to movies by myself. He did a movie called Hollywood Shuffle.

[B]

Shuffle.

[A]

That movie was going against Ishtar. Anybody remember movie Ishtar with Dustin hoffman? They spent $40 million on Ishtar. Robert Townsend spent 40,000 from credit cards to do Hollywood Shuffle. But the movie made 3 or 4 million. Ishtar lost their ass, so that's what kicked it off of him. But that's first person, professional person I had seen doing comedy. And I had listened. I wasn't one of those ones that listened to Richard Pryor all the time.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I wasn't one of those because I was a physical comedian. Right. I love Flip Wilson.

[B]

I even listen to G. Baretti.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Mor and Mindy.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Robin Williams. No, no, no, no. I used to.

[B]

So that's like, that's like what they call a physical comedy. Jim Carrey is a physical comedy.

[A]

Used to love Jim Carrey's physical comedy. Carol Burnett Show. Oh, my.

[B]

Carolet Show.

[A]

The funniest episode.

[B]

Her and Tim Conway was her.

[A]

No, the funniest episode.

[B]

Which one?

[A]

Tim Conway. Who's the other one?

[B]

Harvey.

[A]

Harvey Corman and Tim. And Tim Conway.

[B]

Conway.

[A]

The dentist office. The dentist office. When the dentist was Tim Conway. Harvey Corman was sitting in the chair. He took that needle, Novocaine, and said, we're just gonna. And it stuck itself. Then he hit himself in the leg. Caught himself in the head one time. Harvey Clone was laughing so hard he could barely, Couldn't even finish it, he was laughing so hard. That was the best scene. So when that scene, when that was done, that was my inspiration to do what I do. Geraldine was.

[B]

Geraldine Flew.

[A]

Yeah. I even used to watch Red Skelton. I mean, he was too old back then, but I found tapes. I was watching Red Skelton. Red Skelton. And remember, I said I didn't, I didn't watch comedians. I stopped watching comedians. Kind of like after Martin, because I loved Martin back in the day. Tommy Davidson loved him healing Philly.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Martin. Tommy Davidson. And I came up with. Bless you. I came up with Jamie Foxen.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

We used to perform a place called the Comedy Act Theater. They were in it before me, but I was one of those Nubians that came in. Once again, I wasn't in that clique.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And a lot of times in this business, a lot of people in the clique, I mean, I know fans know that, but I just, I don't believe in that.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

I just don't.

[B]

Def Comedy Jam.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Let's go to Comic View. Cause you was the host of Comic View. Yeah, for two years. Cheryl Underwood was a host.

[A]

Bruce.

[B]

Bruce was a host. D.L. was a host.

[A]

And they all did great jobs.

[B]

And who said the entertainer was a host? Did you get any advice? Or did you just like, hey, they did their thing. I'm gonna do my thing?

[A]

No, I, I, I didn't get no advice.

[B]

You didn't want no advice? You didn't ask for any advice? You didn't seek out any advice.

[A]

I don't think a lot of people didn't know how to advise me.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Cuz my comedy is so different. I don't know how to. I'm. I'm that storyteller, but I. I act it out, right? So how can you advise something like that?

[B]

Right.

[A]

Even a lot of times when we were doing the show, right, Nothing was pre scripted. I had a thought in my head and I said, this is what we're gonna do. Wow. Like when I brought my roller skates out there, they didn't know I was gonna do that. I said, go buy me a pair of roller skates. I need a pair of roller skates. Size 9. Need a pair of roller skates. They saw me, I loosened the trucks on them. Yeah. Put the flat, took the shoe straight, Took the toe stops off. Why you taking the toe stops off? How you gonna stop? Don't worry about that.

[B]

I'm not. Don't worry about it, though.

[A]

Yeah. That's why I give all I give people like Usher.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Give him big props. He can't outskin me, but I give him props. Oh, Lord, mercy. Name the place, son.

[B]

You on the episode with Bernie Mac, when he said, I ain't scared of you more.

[A]

I was. That was his day to be born. You understand what I'm saying? That was Bernie's day to be born. That one right there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's not the one. You played with Bernie on that stage, right?

[B]

Bernie was like that.

[A]

Bernie was one of the few that made me do this. Okay. All right.

[B]

It was game time. You really had to get.

[A]

Yeah, bring it in, bring it in, bring it in. Yep. Bernie was one of those one. You go behind him, you come and say, oh, you straight become gay. Be like, you know, that wasn't even right, what he did.

[B]

I was bad.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Did you see him?

[A]

Yeah, he was scalping, right? Bernie was.

[B]

But on Def Comedy Jam, you was on with Steve. You had Jamie Foxx, Martin Lawrence, you had some heavyweights in your.

[A]

But I wasn't the heavyweighter. I just did who I was.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I just did who I was.

[B]

Do you think back and realize Def Comedy Jam Comic View? Did you realize what. What you were a part of while you were a part of it? Do you look back now like, damn.

[A]

No.

[B]

Really?

[A]

I don't. Why? Maybe because who I am is. I look at things was. That was a stepping stone. And I don't feel like a lot of times. That's a good question. I don't feel like a lot of times I added to the greatness of what these shows were.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

I was just performing how are you.

[B]

Able to be so honest with yourself? Cause a lot of people like, yeah, man, I was there and that was a great time, blah, blah, blah. But you're able to have an honest conversation with yourself. It's like, yes, I was there, but I'm not so sure that I added anything to it.

[A]

You wanna know the real truth without it sounding almost cliche?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm very much scared of God. And I always think, lord, how long are you going to let me have this? Are you going to snatch this from me? But you've sustained me. You've made me, I think the way it seems, get better.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I always appreciate who God is because I know he can snatch it from me. And you know as well as I know how will he is.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Now, whether you. Whether you succumb to him and tell him the truth, because you can lie to me all day, I can lie to you all day. You can't lie to him.

[B]

He's all knowing.

[A]

All knowing. So. And I think we have gotten away from God. We've gotten away from knowing the power of who he is and put everything into these computers and social media. That's our God now. That's not my God. My God is the same God when I was a kid. He's the same God when I jumped off my mama's roof and a pair of girl animal underwear thinking I was Superman, with a red cape on, which was a towel, jumped off her roof, tried to grab a tree branch and missed. And when I hit, like them cartoons, how that dust come up?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

My mama still beat my ass. She made sure I was all right. Then she beat my ass. That's the God I serve. Wow. But I don't even. I don't even care for church like I used to because the devil has stepped his foot in there. Oh, he stepped his foot in there and made people forget who God is. And I'm talking about the pastors. Wow. They forgot what their job is. They forgot that they're shepherds. We are the sheep. Lead us.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Now I understand when God says, don't put your trust in man. Don't believe in what man does. That's why I don't go to church now. And. And I'm mad at myself because I don't go, will I step in one? Yeah, I probably would. But example, when I say I'm a. I'm not the best person in the world. I'm not saying that. But I believe in what I believe in. I used to go to church in Atlanta Georgia, Dr. Charles Stanley. You familiar with that?

[B]

I am.

[A]

Uh huh. Used to go to his church. He was a teacher. You had to take your Bible into his church. I had a guide away from the traditional, going to the black church, hearing the music. But in my soul, that's what did it for me. But I kind of lost that urge for that.

[B]

Right.

[A]

You know, I kind of lost that. Now he's going to the church. My Lord will be there forever.

[B]

You didn't want to be in church for five hours?

[A]

Oh my God. Yeah. But what turned me off? It was the last day that I walked into that church and went to church. When a black woman in Charles Stanley's church stood up. He was preaching. God manifested in her. She started to shout and dance for Jesus. This man said, hey, wait. Hey. You need to. Gotta have to calm down. You're kinda messing up my rhythm. Really? Hand of God, when he said that, I said, let's go. I'm out of here. No, I didn't say let's go. I said, this is the last time I'll be coming to this church. King David danced for Jesus as a king. God wants you to dance for him. So what? And you had the nerve to say that this woman and a black woman that danced with Jesus and shouted his name. That was disturbing what you were doing. Like you couldn't go back to it or you didn't know how to handle that. That was the last time I went to church. Wow. It affected me like that.

[B]

Let me ask you something, since you're being honest. When Netflix had the 25th anniversary of DEF Comedy Jail, there were a lot of people that got invited back.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You weren't?

[A]

No.

[B]

How did that make you feel?

[A]

I could have felt sorry for myself, but I looked at it as if Jesus said, you better not. Of all the things you got, you better not. And then there was people that got invited that had never been on Def Jam. I could have got upset.

[B]

You could have.

[A]

For what? What good would it have done?

[B]

It wasn't gonna change anything. It wasn't gonna bite you because you got upset.

[A]

But yet they ran some of my.

[B]

Your clips.

[A]

My clips. So if you're gonna run my clips, I'm just asking, what is the harm? And asking me to come. Did somebody give you a word? Don't bring him. You see what I'm. Now you see where I'm going now?

[B]

You think that happened?

[A]

I'm not. I'm saying that it could have. I'm saying that I would dang sure believe it if it did. There's still people that carry a lot of salt.

[B]

Really? We don't got too old for that, though, Jay.

[A]

You think we got too old for it, but we haven't gotten too old for it. There's people that carry salt in their pockets. Damn. In this industry, there's so many funny people out here, and there's so many people standing in their own way of victory.

[B]

So let me get. So there's a term that Cat used, he called gatekeepers. Is there such a thing?

[A]

Yes, damn it. Yes.

[B]

That be blocking.

[A]

There was a famous manager that end up wanted to have a meeting with me, got me in his office, said, man, you could. You have what I'm looking for. You. Are that it? Because when I got. I'm going to say this, then go to that, because it goes together. I was only in comedy four months, and there was over 500 and some odd comedians that auditioned to do the Showtime All Stars. I came in second in the Bay Area competition. Got a new management team, right. They said, do you got to go back home to Atlanta? I said, not right now. They said, we got something for you. They got it to where Showtime allowed me to be the last one up. Showtime to All Stars. They had one slot left. When I was done, they came over and shook my hand, said, welcome to the Showtime All Stars. Don Rickles was the host. But I bet you, you look on there, you won't see me.

[B]

You know who won that year?

[A]

What, the year that I lost. Yeah. Ricky Harris.

[B]

I mean, I thought Chris Tucker won your.

[A]

No, Ricky Harris. I remember he was a hometown boy. I mean, he was. Yeah. Oh, Lord.

[B]

There you go.

[A]

No, no, I'm just saying. I'm just saying that.

[B]

So Don Rickles. So you think he gonna be a part of the Bay Area All Stars and.

[A]

No, the Showtime.

[B]

Showtime All Stars. Excuse me.

[A]

This is a big affair. Yeah, it had. John Panetti was on there. That's the one that did Alvin and Chipmunks and stuff. John Panetti and other comedians that were on there. I was the baby. I was the new one. I did myself. We did it at Caesar's Palace. My wife and I were there. She was the only black woman, black person in that whole audience. Don Rickards, looking at her and said, oh, oh, a black woman. Yeah, clean my room. Something like that. But she. She laughed and gestured. I did my set when it was over because they thought I was that next Eddie Murphy, Right? They thought I was gonna be that next because I had gotten it. So I only been in comedy Like I said, I don't. Yeah, they gave me that. These comedians that have been in this business 17, 15 years, 12 years, and didn't get that. That. That role, that spot that I did when I was done, I guess I wasn't. I guess I wasn't. I don't know. I wouldn't say white enough, but the audience was 60 and up. I was still a young buck, right, trying to go. And then I wasn't the worst. I didn't do bad. I wasn't satisfied. But then they told me that I was going to be edited out. That's why I said, you won't see me. Okay, fine, you edit out. You still gave me that $7,000 payday, though.

[B]

Did you know who wanted you edited out? Do you ever find out who wanted you edited out?

[A]

There's a brother that worked for them at work. Showtime All Stars. Maybe they collaborated, I don't know. But he did the Clarence Thomas thing. But anyway, so when the show came on and they came to the end of it, I got a full book. I got so much of me to do. We could be here for three days. When the show came on, they went to the end of the show, brought all the comedians back out, Right? Of course. In editing, in the editing part, guess who they didn't bring out. You, in the editing. But guess what you seen.

[B]

They brought you out.

[A]

Nope. You ain't gonna believe me when I tell you.

[B]

Whatever.

[A]

You can see every comedian. And then at the end, you saw a pair of shoes, my Reebok shoes and my white short socks with no body to it. You saw the shoes, you had the socks you had.

[B]

No black Reeboks, Them three quarters, them aerobic ones?

[A]

No, I had those. That new one that came with the black bottom, white top. That's the one I had, the one I was wearing on Def Jam. And all you saw was those and a pair of socks, the ankles, but not the rest of the body. Like the Invisible Man. All the rest of the body was gone. But you saw my shoes right there next to the next person.

[B]

Was that your first time you realized that this was a dirty business?

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Did it change the way you looked at comedy? Did it change the way you did business in comedy? Did it change you?

[A]

What it did was make me say nobody would ever do that to me again. I had some projects that I turned down, had some projects that I didn't get. But one thing I wasn't gonna do, nobody was gonna do that to me again. Like I told you, there's People in the business that want you to not succeed. That's my motivation to keep pushing. And I only mean to get stronger and stronger to where I can't see myself. If God wills, I go to. If I go to heaven, all them angels gonna fall out. This is what I do. I mean, I don't really wanna. I don't really wanna be an actor anymore like I thought I did. A lot of people act, then they become. I don't know. This is what I love. It's hard to get away from this, then come back to it. Act like you. You play ball. You can't all of a sudden just go back thinking you gonna run things right.

[B]

It's different.

[A]

A whole differently. That's why you can't stop doing it right? You gotta keep.

[B]

I heard Jay Leno say that. Jay Leno said that even though he was doing other things, he was still touring. I hear Seinfeld said that.

[A]

And Jay Leno is correct, because Jay Leno would do. I think it's Thursday night, would go to the Comic Club in Ramosa beach, or whatever it's called, and. And do comedy there. They work his stuff out. Wow. You constantly got to keep your motor running. Don't sit it on idle. Every now and then you gotta hit that gas. You gotta do it. You just sit there.

[B]

You were on the Monique Show. What is it? I heard what you said. Monique.

[A]

Oh, tell me what she talked.

[B]

Yeah, she in Savannah.

[A]

She in Savannah right now. She would.

[B]

No, she. Not now. But she was, you know.

[A]

She got in your ass.

[B]

Yes, she did. She's still my girl.

[A]

Well, she should have.

[B]

She's still my girl.

[A]

You my boy.

[B]

But what is it that people get wrong about Mo?

[A]

What is it that people get wrong about Mo?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't know what they get wrong because I really don't know what they get. Right?

[B]

Right? Okay.

[A]

Because we all have our own individual thoughts. I would never make a queen feel unqueen. Like, especially when they haven't done anything to me.

[B]

Right?

[A]

I may see something I don't like, and if you ask me about it, I'm gonna tell you about it. But we don't sleep with this woman. We don't know what transpires on the phone call she was on. And we damn sure wasn't there when she was in the office making these deals. Maybe. Maybe she has a reason. Maybe she's going too far. Who knows? I don't know.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That's not my job. You know why?

[B]

Right?

[A]

Because what good is it to be My job. What am I gonna do? What's it gonna do for me, Right? Am I her psychiatrist?

[B]

Nope. Not a manager, not an agent, not a lawyer.

[A]

I'm somebody that she knows very well. That's it.

[B]

Is it true Katt gave you money for your brother?

[A]

Cat did something for my brother that nobody.

[B]

Where.

[A]

I will always hold the highest respect for him, and I didn't even know he did it. I found out.

[B]

I keep hearing these stories. Ms. Pat told a story about how her father had passed, and she was, you know, Kat signed. He had her on a tour. He said, look, go home. Gave her the money. Go home, bury your dad. When you better come back. Gary Owen tells a story. I'm hearing you tell a story. There's so many people that have told stories about Cat. What is it that other people are. What are people missing? Because I've heard more great stories about his generosity and how he's. He sincerely and genuinely wants the best, but then I hear other people try to bash him.

[A]

Now, who are the people that are bashing.

[B]

I don't want to get.

[A]

No, no, no. Meaning who are the people that are bashing him? Why they are bashing him?

[B]

Oh. So what's the reason behind it? I don't know. Because. See you on that circuit. Even though you might. Like I said, like, when it comes to, like, when it comes to, like, football, when I play, I. You know, you hear, like, what's going on. Okay. This going on with that team and.

[A]

Such and so forth and so on.

[B]

So you hear certain things now. I'm in the media, you know, you hear certain things.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So you would be probably better person to ask. Like I said, I've gotten to know him over the last year and a half, probably a lot differently than a lot of people have. I find him very engaging.

[A]

Red.

[B]

He's thoughtful. I don't think he says anything just off the cuff.

[A]

I don't.

[B]

I think he's like. When he came on the show, Jay, everybody. He had talked. He had. He watches every episode. I call him now. You had such and such. Mm. But he had watched every person that had been on there, and he spoke about. He knew everything they said verbatim. And when I invited him on, you know, hey, I know who Cat is. He just wanted to talk.

[A]

I will. Just because of what he did for my brother. There's nothing you could ever tell me wrong about this man.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Just because of what he did and I didn't know about it. Yes. That was a quiet Superman moment. So whatever he has done. If it's true and he talked about the truth, and then that truth holds merit to be evil, what are you mad at? Unless you want to be evil, too. Unless you appreciate evilness. It ain't about the code of.

[B]

We comedians. We don't air our laundry. Things like. Because I got a lot of that. No, just. Hey, if you got a problem with man, you got a problem with Jay, go talk to Jay. If you got a problem with Rodney, go talk to Rodney. If you got a problem with Jordan, go talk to Jordan.

[A]

I'm that way.

[B]

Why do you have to air out the dirty laundry?

[A]

I'm that same way. I feel that you don't have to air it out.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But if you do air it out.

[B]

Just tell the truth.

[A]

And it got my name in it.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Cause I ain't out there doing. Ain't got my name in it right now. If it got somebody that I know and I like, I'm still gonna know and like that person until I find out something different. Right? Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Just because you say what you say don't mean I'm gonna stop liking this person. I'm gonna decide whether I like this.

[B]

Person for me based on my interactions.

[A]

With said individual and some of my research.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Like when you was on with Skip Bayless.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I don't know that man, but I know good and well how he is. I could smell his undergarment. He ain't. He's not true. And you could sit up here and say, no, I don't want to talk about it. I got you.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But I know, okay, I smell people. And that's somebody who you do like, who I don't really care for. But that ain't. But that ain't for you to. And that's only because of an experience.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And they might not even remember it. But see, the problem is I do.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And sometimes you letting your skirt show. But I want nothing but great for you. Right, Skip? I want nothing but great for him. But Skip got. He got some nastiness in him. He do.

[B]

I take your word for it.

[A]

No, you ain't got to take my word.

[B]

You know, you did a charity show for Sinbad, udl Lavelle, Earthquake. Bruce. Bruce.

[A]

Man, I forgot about that. That damn quick. That show I did, we did a charity show.

[B]

You did raise money for his medical healers.

[A]

He's one of the funniest brothers that I know. See, what a lot of people don't know. I don't even know if I should.

[B]

Say this, but you Should.

[A]

Besides just doing the charity show, I wrote a large check to his family and said, this is yours. Gave it to his brother, Mark. Despite what you say about me, I know what I do and what I wanna do when I wanna do it. Mm. I wrote a $40,000 check. There you go. If I gotta think about, is that what I should have done, then I don't need to write it correct. I did it because this brother needed it. This is a good brother who needed it, who this could help, I thought, I'm so glad we did that show for him. Everybody on that show was funny. Yeah, they did their thing. People do what they want to do when they want to do it, Shannon.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

They do what they want to do when they want to do it.

[B]

They do what's important to them or.

[A]

What they feel is important to him. Might not be important, but might, you know, it's what they feel.

[B]

Acting. You did a lot. You just say you don't have the taste or the lust to act now, but you did. I mean, I think you played Eazy, E in a video.

[A]

Wow. Where'd you get that?

[B]

Ezell tried to play.

[A]

Shit. You got some rats in your pocket. What the God. Yeah, that was me. That was not AJ Johnson.

[B]

AJ was gonna try to play Suge, right?

[A]

No.

[B]

Who's gonna play Suge?

[A]

Well, no. AJ Johnson was playing aj.

[B]

Ezel from Friday. I don't know.

[A]

No, no, no, no. Okay. AJ is Ezel. We were talking about Eazy. E Video.

[B]

Yes, you was Eazy.

[A]

Right. But everybody thought that was AJ Johnson.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

AJ's the one that called me and said he got this for me.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Would I do it?

[B]

Right?

[A]

I said, yeah, because Suge told him he couldn't do it.

[B]

He couldn't do it. Oh, so he couldn't play that role, so he turned it over to you. Okay.

[A]

Knowing the next person. And since we talking about, like I said, the track, when we were filming, you know, they were chasing me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They told me to slow down. They told me to slow down. They can't keep up. I was trotting. What did I say about that one, man? You swear I was trotting?

[B]

You swear you was usain Boat.

[A]

I don't know about. I don't know about a boat, but I know it was a screw.

[B]

You went on tour with Prince. What was that like?

[A]

That was one of the most wide open moments I had ever had in my life.

[B]

Really?

[A]

First of all, I didn't believe it was him. What? Who am I? I'm a comedian.

[B]

Right.

[A]

You are a juggernaut. You are a juggernaut.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're an iconic performer.

[B]

He.

[A]

Him.

[B]

He.

[A]

That him. Him. That's what we call groupers. He. That. Him. Him. Yeah. This man flew me out to open up for him. When I went to rehearsal, I was the only one. In the rehearsal, I met Larry Graham.

[B]

One of the million. Larry Graham?

[A]

Yeah. That Graham was on tour with it. That Graham was his mentor.

[B]

You wonder how I knew that, huh?

[A]

Hey, you didn't. You weren't there when he made that song Don't. Don't do that.

[B]

I had to be there with 79. What year was that? He made that song. Let's go with 79. Just cause.

[A]

Oh, I know the song.

[B]

So what year did you go out on tour? Prince with the late 80s, early 90s.

[A]

No, no, no, no, no, NO. That was 90. That was after I played with the Globetrotters. So that was. Oh, that was. What was that before? Dang.

[B]

Don't do that, Jay.

[A]

Don't do what?

[B]

Don't do that.

[A]

Don't do what? I didn't play with the Globetrotters.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Do you have it in your little. Your little notepad?

[B]

Let me see, let me see. Yeah, I do.

[A]

Okay, so am I a magician? Did I just throw it in there?

[B]

You played with the Globetrotter right here?

[A]

I sure did.

[B]

Okay, so who. Your game? Your game, like Jordan, Ant man, Shay, Steph LeBron, Kobe.

[A]

No, no, my game is like Tamika. No, I had a little bit of handles. Yeah, I got speed. I got speed. And I can play defense now. I mean, I can shoot. I can pop that three all day long.

[B]

Now he's Steph Curry.

[A]

Not quite.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I was about to say that.

[A]

But yeah, I played with Sweet Lou Dunbar right before he retired.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Okay, so that was 96, I think. Yeah, right before he retired. And boy, I remember one time that boy, he's in the locker room. You know how you open your locker and see the other locker that I opened that locker. He was butt naked. Just looked like a silverback all back and cracked. I was like, oh, oh. And they were laughing. They behind him. Then he gonna. He gonna put his foot up. Hey, man.

[B]

Hey, hey, hey. I got you that.

[A]

Oh, bro. But he was the most fun loving dude, right? A train. I played with Orlando Antigua. Orlando Antigua was the first Puerto Rican player that they hired that played out of Pitt. Okay, Orlando, Antigua. Nice. Dude.

[B]

You say you don't bother audience, do you? Like, if they try to start heckling.

[A]

I don't really get that?

[B]

You don't get that?

[A]

Not really very vet.

[B]

Go to. Somebody ran up on stage on you.

[A]

We interrupt this programming new bulletins. Huh?

[B]

When somebody ran on stage on you, what'd you go do?

[A]

Assess the situation.

[B]

You had asked somebody to run up on stage on you.

[A]

I did things, okay? I'm not proud of everything I did.

[B]

I'm asking you a question. So you had somebody run up on stage on you. What you do Trippy. You fired on him?

[A]

No, I'm just saying.

[B]

You hit it with that big old medallion.

[A]

No. You know what my friends call these right here? My hands? Monkey grippers. They call them monkey. That's what my friends call my hands. Monkey grippers.

[B]

They look like you had a rough life.

[A]

Yeah. See how his knuckle is? I stayed fighting. Stayed fighting. But to look at me, you would never think that. No. And I stayed fighting. You have to realize, going over, poking bean. You gotta come with it. You gotta come with it. You really do. And I'm not a troublemaker. I'm not. No starfights, but I just click into a different person, right? And I'm just putting it this way. If I'm performing, just please don't run up on stage. Please. I'm asking you, please don't.

[B]

But it is somebody. Hold on. Did somebody get shot at one of your shows?

[A]

And you say, what is there?

[B]

Let me ask you, is there anything that you can't do? Is there anything that you haven't done? I mean, you probably could fly the space shuttle.

[A]

I probably could. You teach me.

[B]

I'll give you the manual in a week. You be you, man. Aren't there space?

[A]

Let's put it this way. I'm not afraid to try nothing. I'm not afraid to try anything except for dope, drugs, drank, and I just won't try it.

[B]

Is it because you. Did you have bad experience in your family? You see? Did it do something to close friends or family?

[A]

All my uncles were alcoholics. All of them. My dad was. You know, my dad shot me three times.

[B]

Huh. How your dad shoot you? Was it an accident?

[A]

It's called Pow. Pow. Pow. That was three. Yeah, I know, but I'm saying he had a flashback.

[B]

He's in Vietnam.

[A]

Yes, he was two terms.

[B]

And he thought you would.

[A]

Charlie. But it was my fault. Cause we was watching the Dirty Dozen.

[B]

You know, he's in Vietnam and you watching the Dirty Dozen.

[A]

I didn't realize that that was gonna happen.

[B]

That was gonna trigger him.

[A]

It triggered. He said, oh, I got something for you. Charlie ran to the back, and I'm like, charlie, my name's Arnaz. Who you calling? Came out at 38.

[B]

You took off.

[A]

You know those. You know those old garage. Yeah. Those garages that you would build into, like, the car part. You would build into the room, the family room.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I ran right through the glass, and I hear, pow, pow, pow.

[B]

Did you know he had shot you?

[A]

No.

[B]

I was running so much. You had so much adrenaline.

[A]

Yeah. Went to a friend's house. They opened the door and they said, what's wrong? Turned me around. Three. See those mugs back there? Yeah. Three went in. That's why I know. That's why I know. He's so real.

[B]

Went in, straight out. Didn't hit no vital organs or nothing?

[A]

No. Well, it said. It, like, kind of hit the hip a little bit, but. And that's probably why I got pain.

[B]

In it now from all them splits you done. Done imitating Uncle Charlie.

[A]

It could have been that when I played ball, when I played baseball.

[B]

Oh, good.

[A]

You know, that's my sport.

[B]

I know. I know.

[A]

That's another reason why I didn't click. That's another reason why I probably lost some of the opportunities that I had. You know why?

[B]

What?

[A]

Cause I had a son that I saw when he was in the crib, that he had a special gift.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

It was taped, and I didn't even know it. I was shown he was in the crib, and I. Playing with him with a baseball. And it reached like that. Then it reached like that. I said, oh, shit. Shit. That's when I knew I would leave a show, Rod. I tell you, I would leave a show. Wouldn't even fly back home to Atlanta. I go to his school. When he was younger, I'd pick him up. I take. Fly home tired. Dead tired. Baseball equipment ready. Let's go. We had to feel almost three hours. I would pitch him. Never let him hit off a tee. Never. So in T ball, he didn't hit off of tee. I would pitch him three to 400 balls a day a session. I turned him around at 9. Switch hitting and all the hard work I did for him. I would fly. Sometimes I have to go pick up my truck, drive to Florida. I'm taking home from my. Taking time from my home life to go out and teach him and work with him, go to his games. Then he finally did. The dream that I had for him. He got picked up. He was playing ball, right? But why he's not playing now. It's his fault.

[B]

What'd he do.

[A]

You can't get caught smoking weed twice in the same week. Not, not, not. You gotta make that 45 man roster. If you don't, you're tagged. But I did what I thought what you needed to do, what I needed to do for him. So. Yeah, so I played baseball. That's. That's my sport.

[B]

Right. So what's the relationship now with your son?

[A]

I love him to death. He's. He's still gonna work things out. I mean, he's still got. He still gotta bump his head a couple times, but he's doing it.

[B]

We gonna get. You figure he'll figure it out.

[A]

Got to. If you don't, you're gonna live in the bottom. If you do figure it out, you're gonna be up there on that top where you need to be on that top tier.

[B]

Let me ask you a question. Would you do a verses? You know how they used to have verses, like when we Covid. And, you know, you had like, Nelly versus who Nellie go against? Nelly went against. Who did Nelly go against? Or the Isley Brothers went against Earth, Wind and Fire, or so forth and so on. Would you do a versus versus a comedian?

[A]

Sure would. Sure would.

[B]

Now, they took 20 songs, so we have to give you.

[A]

Can we do.

[B]

Can we do 15 minutes? Each person get 15 minutes?

[A]

Yeah, easily. I think that'd be funny.

[B]

Swizz. Timbo, don't steal my idea. Cut your boy in if you do it.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that's a bad. That's a nice idea. Don't challenge me with a good time, man.

[B]

You said your father shot you three.

[A]

Times in the back.

[B]

He had a flashback because they did two tours in Vietnam and he had an episode. Is enough being talked about soldiers coming back from doing tours? No, I mean, it seems to me, and I could be wrong. Help me out. We do a lot of talking about our servicemen and how proud we are of the men and women.

[A]

We ain't proud enough.

[B]

Both domestically and abroad, but when they come back, they struggle getting housing, they struggle getting jobs.

[A]

Isn't that what happened to the black man when he came back?

[B]

It is.

[A]

They wouldn't. He was less than dirt when he came back.

[B]

Oh, yeah, he was never.

[A]

But he stopped it. So nobody would come over here and kill us.

[B]

Yes. Oh, he was fighting. He was fighting for freedoms in a foreign land that when he came home, he didn't enjoy himself.

[A]

There you go.

[B]

And when he was over there, the POWs, the prisoners of wars, they went to the front of the bus. Then they had to Go to the back.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And they served them first. They ate first.

[A]

Yeah. Evilness. Don't forget evilness. Don't you know it's a darn shame when you feel something belongs to you and you didn't make it? When you feel something belongs to you and you take it. You know what I get upset about, Shannon? What's that? Especially with the news channels and stuff. Everybody talks the same. It's the same lingo, people. We listen to them, how they talk about certain things in people. And I'm saying this to all the newscasts. Even if you get fired, why won't one of y' all just one time say, mother, why you lying?

[B]

Say that. That's what.

[A]

You lie too damn much. Everything come out your mouth is a lie. But what gets me is the people that want it to be true. Black women, you did your thing. Black men, you're 22% Latinos. How does it feel to be me? I'm just saying we gotta do better than what we're doing. People are afraid to open their mouth. True. Why are so many people afraid? Are you afraid to lose what you have? You afraid to lose that you go to jail? Mm. Didn't God take on the world for us?

[B]

Yeah, he did.

[A]

Didn't he know he was gonna die? He did and he did it anyway?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Didn't his followers know that they were going to die, but they did it anyway? We're getting weaker as a people. We're getting weaker.

[B]

Do you think we're getting weaker as some of us get more? Because it seemed like the less they had, the stronger they got? Because there weren't that many that have, like, what we have now in the 60s and the 50s and the 70s.

[A]

There'd be no way in the world people of wealth should be able to run a country the way that they do. When the mass majority of the people in the country aren't as wealthy. As wealthy as them, but they should still be able to keep them in line. Money is an evil factor. Yes. Money can turn a good person evil.

[B]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[A]

But if you're gonna get in a fight with me, get in a fight with me. Don't get in a fight when something happens to you. Now you want me to get in a fight with you.

[B]

Right.

[A]

It don't work that way.

[B]

Those saying is that I don't want. I don't want you to be an ally. I need an accomplice.

[A]

Yes. Hell, yeah.

[B]

That's. There's a difference between the two. The both start with a mate.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But in our lives, something entirely different.

[A]

And it reminds me of my so called. That's why I say everybody ain't your friend. I remember one time, me and my friend was stealing, and let me tell you something, we were stealing CDs and stuff, DVDs. We got caught. Once again, me running track. You know, I ain't going to be caught first.

[B]

Yeah, I'm getting it.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm in the COVID I'm hidden.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This dude get caught. He handcuffed. I see him. They getting ready to put him in the police car. I'm hidden. He looked and all of a sudden made eye contact. Arnaz. Arnaz, come on, man. We caught.

[B]

We. No, no, you come on out.

[A]

I got. When I came out, that police looked at me. He said, what type of friends do you have? We didn't even see you. Wow. No lie. No lie. That's a true story.

[B]

I wouldn't have came out, G. I.

[A]

Was in the open. Meaning if they would have. If they would have came behind where I was, they would have pulled back the bushes.

[B]

Yeah, he saw you.

[A]

Inez, come on out. We called, man. They got us now.

[B]

They got you. I'm gonna tell your parents they got you.

[A]

But his parents came and got him. My mama let them take me to juvie. That's why I say I graduated from juvenile correctional institute.

[B]

You had a very.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Relationship with your mom, didn't you?

[A]

A confused relationship. Yes. Yes.

[B]

Did you ever feel like your mom loved you? Because black love is different. You got clothes, you got food on the table, you got a roof over your head.

[A]

The way his mom loves him, the way your grandmother loved you? Nah, that wasn't the title of love I received. Because once again, she told me, I'm not worried about you. They need me. You gonna make it.

[B]

Mm. Part of you that should've felt good. Like, dang. She got confidence in me that I'm doing the right thing.

[A]

Confidence or how I was. She just automatically knew it. But that don't mean as a child.

[B]

That don't mean you don't want love. You don't want affection.

[A]

I do want love.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

I do want love.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And that's probably why I love my fans so much. When my fans want to take a picture, you think I'm going to tell them no, right? I'll never say no. I'll never say no. And if I didn't take a picture totally by accident, it wasn't something that I was trying not to do.

[B]

Not consciously. You Think.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Because I'm humbled. I thank y' all. Without y' all, I can't do what I do.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That's why I. That's why I. I give what I give, and I can only give what I can give.

[B]

But you was raised a little bit by your grandmother, too, right?

[A]

I was. I was. My mama and daddy both left me with my grandmother in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, so they. They could go to Fort McClellan, Alabama, then fly to Germany. So when I flew to. When I finally got a chance to go to Germany, because they went before me.

[B]

You flew by yourself?

[A]

No, they came back, but it was a while. School year was gone. They came back and got me.

[B]

Did you want to go?

[A]

I did.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I didn't want to be left.

[B]

Right. How did that make you feel, that they did it take your siblings? Did they take the others?

[A]

I was the only one in there. Oh, my goodness. And then when they came back to the United States, all of them left but me and my dad, because he was finishing up his final leaving out of Hanau, Germany. I was sick as a dog. As a dog. My dad finished doing what he was at. Dude gave me some aspirins and a Coca Cola and left me in that apartment by myself.

[B]

How old were you?

[A]

11.

[B]

10.

[A]

11. But I was sick as a dog. I was throwing up, and I was in the. And the apartment had, like, a little basement area that was down there by myself.

[B]

Do you feel your dad loved you or the man that raised you?

[A]

I felt that way when I became a grown man. I bought him a truck, and we became just better friends. You see why? Do you see why I'm so guarded and private? Can you see it now?

[B]

I do.

[A]

You see why I don't really do interviews?

[B]

Mm. I do.

[A]

And then I finally get here. So you. You. You do have a gift. You have a gift to talk to us.

[B]

You know what I think it is, Jay?

[A]

What is that?

[B]

Because I come. When you come here. You and I, we kind of. We know each other.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So you see me in a different light. I see you in a different light, yeah. But a lot of times when people come here, I haven't seen them interview. Within a couple of minutes, they realized, this man is not here to judge me. I have no preconceived notion. A lot of time I ask my guests, is there anything that you don't want to talk about? Sometimes they say, yeah, Sometimes they say, I'm an open book. I believe I'm talking to people that's been in the been in their business or just chosen profession 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 years. I believe you can still tell your.

[A]

Story.

[B]

Without your most embarrassing, your most salacious detail. And when people sit across from me, I think they can read very early on. I'm sincerely and I'm genuinely interested in the story that they're telling.

[A]

Can I ask you a question?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

When are you gonna tell your story? When you're gonna let me interview you? Uh, if you're not, just say you're not gonna do it.

[B]

No, eventually. Eventually, I will tell the story. Hold on. I'm trying to figure out.

[A]

You went to prison, Shannon. You knew that I didn't, okay? I didn't go to prison.

[B]

Did you?

[A]

Cause I never got convicted, right? But I stayed. That's what ruined it for me. Playing ball, baseball.

[B]

All right?

[A]

I wasn't. I was condemned. I was deemed uncoachable. Nobody wanted to give me that shot anymore.

[B]

What'd you do? You got in a fight?

[A]

Putting a police officer in a coma. You gotta do your ass.

[B]

That'll do it. That'll do it, Jay.

[A]

But he did that right over your eye. Yeah, he hit me with a billing club.

[B]

How old were you?

[A]

16, 17. I was in a jail.

[B]

How long did you stay?

[A]

This thing went on for almost a year now. You know the reason I got out? Oh, why? A police officer that was retiring said what I did was self defense. And he was basically saying I could not knowingly retire, knowing that I could put an innocent man in. Watch an innocent man go to jail. I became martial arts when I was seven. I was trained by one of the fearless martial art people in the industry named Russell Perrone. My dad was a little bit of special forces. So that's why I say I'd rather talk to you than to fight you. Because once.

[B]

Once we take it there, I have.

[A]

It's hard for me to get away from it. Cause now I'm feeling like you want to hurt me.

[B]

So what. What led to the skate?

[A]

Because we were at the skating ring and he said, I guess the guy had said, you know, you go to a skating. Are you skating forward, backwards skating? I didn't hear it right. I'm still jamming. I'm still going forward, getting it. This cop came out on the floor, came out on the floor, bulked up like that, and hit me. I flew over the thing, came out of one of my skates, whipped out his building club. I don't know why he was gonna put me out. Told me to leave.

[B]

Wait, whoa. All this for skating.

[A]

Dan said something like, y' all always making trouble. Okay, now I know where we at.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

And I stood up, and he hit me. Pow. Oh, now you got to get it.

[B]

That was it.

[A]

Started a riot at the Skate City skating ring. A complete riot. They had over 22 police cars out there. One little girl, I think she was 11, got put in a coma pretty bad. She got hit. Damn. Mm. Yeah, that's what I said. I have a book.

[B]

Did. Did. Did. The cop that you got had the interaction with, did he ever communicate? Did he ever apologize?

[A]

No. Never seen him again. They would tease me, saying, you better hope he don't die. Better hope he don't die. They were coming into my cells doing that, right? Not into the cell, but, you know, coming down.

[B]

Up.

[A]

Yeah, I finally. Finally got released, but by then, that's why I had to end up. That's why I didn't graduate. Had to go back and get a ged. I was done with school. I was done with baseball. I was done with. I struggled. I struggled then or not, huh?

[B]

Then or now?

[A]

No, I'm not struggling now.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

I struggled then because you couldn't have told me I wasn't gonna play baseball. You couldn't have told me I wasn't gonna play. No team even wanted to look at me. You know, once they put that tag on you. Uncoachable.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

How did you ever make. How did you make peace with that?

[A]

When I finally came to Georgia to step up on the comedy stage. Not out of Denver, but out of Georgia at the Comedy Act Theater, that's when I knew this was your calling. Yeah. That's when I knew. I was like, wow, so this is it. And I worked for a company called aaa. I came to Georgia. I wasn't making no money. No money. I'm making, like, 235A. And then part of that, you had to pay insurance out of. Once again, I've started.

[B]

At the bottom.

[A]

I'm already raising family, right. That woman told me to get off my ass, Put a foot in my ass. Get up. This ain't. This ain't who you are. Strengthen me in my back. Yes. Yes. Strengthen me in my back. Even if we weren't gonna be together or were gonna be together. Strengthen me in my back.

[B]

That's when you knew, huh? She the one.

[A]

I got to get up. I gotta do something. I made the decision. And this is why I say people don't understand how God moves. Okay, but you ain't supposed to understand what he does. But you need to understand how he moving. He moving to better you. You just gotta be patient and do what is of you to get where he's putting you. They were closing the doors at AAA in Atlanta, Georgia, and everybody there where I worked, I loved girl who I called Cookie. Loved her to death. She always said I was the only dude in there, more or less. I was like that dude, that girl, the manager. We didn't like each other at all. It was that alpha thing going on, you know, we even told each other, well, I don't like you. I don't like you.

[B]

You either. Yeah, we're good. I'm glad we glad we're here.

[A]

What up, fat boy? Cookie always stood up for me. When they were closing the doors at aaa, they were closing. They said everybody was getting let go. Or you can go to work in Tennessee. That's where they were gonna open up their new branch. Well, I wasn't going to Tennessee right then. I said, I can't work again. This is what I gotta do now. Comedy. I went straight comedy.

[B]

You're like, I gotta work for myself.

[A]

I didn't do anything else. I said, this is the time. But that's where God put me.

[B]

Let me ask you this. Had they not closed those doors and relocated to Tennessee? Are you a comedian?

[A]

No, I don't believe that I am.

[B]

So you was forced. It's like they kicked you out of the nest.

[A]

Yes. I don't believe. That's a good question. I don't believe that I am a comedian. If I'd have went to Tennessee. I don't believe that I am. I don't believe that I am. That's a good damn question.

[B]

Sometimes we have to be forced to do things. It's kinda like God or sometime to do things because he know you wouldn't do it on your own. So he'll put you in a situation. You ain't got no choice.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You don't realize how far you can walk until you ain't got a car or transportation.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

This is where I really wanted to go.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Your mom, your dad, and the relationship wasn't. Do you think you are the father that you are to your kids because of what it wasn't for you as a kid with your parents?

[A]

I do. I do feel that I wish they could have been better in certain instances. Because you have to realize our parents, not the young youngs, but our parents didn't have the tools to show us and to teach us what we should be knowing.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

They didn't show us how to do bank accounts. No, they didn't show.

[B]

Didn't have one.

[A]

They didn't show. We learned on our own.

[B]

We're learning for the. Yeah.

[A]

They didn't show us how to go into. And fill out paperwork for a house.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

They didn't know how to do it.

[B]

Or credit.

[A]

Or credit.

[B]

They didn't know credit was what you got. You can go to the corner store and get something on credit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Hey, I'm gonna get this. I'm gonna pay you at the end of the week or I'll pay you at the beginning of next month. That was credit. I didn't know. Credit that you build.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That you could get a house, you can get a car. And it lowered your interest rate.

[A]

Point score.

[B]

Yes. I had no idea what that was.

[A]

Because they weren't. They weren't afforded the tools.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

To know why. To know how to teach us. Because they were too busy surviving.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

They were too busy surviving in the system of what a lot of black people went through. We didn't have. We didn't have generational money.

[B]

No.

[A]

My dad, believe it or not, went to one game. I ever played one. He never knew that my youth. Youth director out in Fort Hood, Texas, tried to molest me. He never knew that. Cause my dad would have killed him.

[B]

Is that why you didn't tell him?

[A]

That's exactly why I didn't tell him. And I was also ashamed that he would say, you let him do that. But then I get a call. When I was a grown up, he had messed with eight other black boys on that team at the Ayu. The wrestling team. He had eight other boys. One of the. You know how your parents used to let you hang out with somebody?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We had another one. He was gay. He liked it. He didn't mess with me. But eight other boys, all black boys, Florida to Texas.

[B]

You know what happened to him?

[A]

I went looking for him. I called his name out over the air one time.

[B]

You think he's still alive?

[A]

I don't know. I don't know.

[B]

What would you want to say? What would you tell him?

[A]

He's too old. He'd be too old for me to tell him anything. And I don't need to know why, because I know it's a deviant sickness. Right. I don't need to know why. I'm just thankful you didn't do me like you did some of the other dudes. But it's a deviant sickness. And I say deviant. It's a sickness. But there's deviant in there, too. I don't need to know why. I don't care to know why. If you're alive, you're alive. You dead. You're dead. Because you know what it didn't do? It didn't hurt me. Wow. Because I refused to let it control me. I also confused that our parents didn't have the tools to teach us. Stop me from. Look where you at. Right? Look what you've done. Don't let nobody take that from you. Don't. Don't.

[B]

Sometimes they try to trick you out the spot.

[A]

You know what? You see who your true friends are. Oh, yeah. When they start fading. I. I hope it. I hope everything works in your favor, man. But at the same time, I'm gonna say your big brother. You know, better. If. If. If what? You know, you let me put it that way.

[B]

Right?

[A]

And I just want you to. Because. Because when we didn't speak after.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That hurt me. Because my encounter with you was always good.

[B]

It was great. All the conversations. Always been great, always good.

[A]

Then I found out how smart you are. When they say, don't be the smartest one in your room, don't be the smartest one in your room. You definitely won't be with him. Y' all don't know how knowledgeable he is about history and sports and stuff. God, I thought I was good. You are. No, not like you, dog. I like it.

[B]

You had a Netflix special called Racially Motivated. Do you notice a difference? Negotiated with Netflix 2013 versus 2025.

[A]

I do. Because I got somebody now who really takes care of my interests. Okay. My manager, Joe Eschenbach, is a beast. Not only is he a beast, he's truthful. I got a truthful crew with me.

[B]

Yeah, you need to be told that.

[A]

I don't. I can. I can. I can lay back and don't have to worry about my money. You'll never know that he got money by the way he dress. But he's. He's smart. This one's smart right here. Roderick smart.

[B]

Right?

[A]

And I don't think I can lose with that combination.

[B]

Right? You gotta surround yourself.

[A]

How long we gonna be together? I don't know. But I can't lose with that combination.

[B]

You released your special on YouTube. Not gonna stop. What made you go straight to YouTube? Was it because of Netflix? Wasn't willing to.

[A]

I think so. And then I was saying to myself, we were saying, let's not bother with it. Let's let you. Cause I didn't really. I didn't think I Was I didn't really like the special as much. I thought I could have done a lot better because of the elements and stuff. Sometimes it's not exactly the material, it's the elements, how it's presented.

[B]

Great.

[A]

Everybody else said, no, no, no. I didn't believe that. But when I get a call in five days. You had a million views in five days.

[B]

Lets you know you're doing something right.

[A]

And now at 1.5. Come on.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

My fams are the greatest. And even the new ones at this stage in the game too, right?

[B]

35. That's a long time.

[A]

It's a long time to have that kind of longevity. Yeah. I just took my Pampers off. What? Oh, we're at 1.6 now and we doing it in slices and we're not even halfway through it. Wow.

[B]

We're gonna get you out of here on this. I want to thank you personally for coming by Club Shay Shay. I'm glad we got an opportunity to reconnect. We're gonna exchange information and we gonna. We gonna. We gonna get back to where we were.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I really appreciate that. I appreciate you stopping by. What else you gotta promote? Anything else you wanna promote?

[A]

You know what I would have forgot? Where them bottles? Where them bottles at? Where them bottles? Oh, they're over here.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This is my gift to you. And when I tell you this is my sprays that I cannot keep called a smell Good. Yeah. I got offered to put these in a major store. They wanted me to change the name.

[B]

And I said no, because this is what. This is how your brother.

[A]

Exactly. Don't ever let nobody take your vision.

[B]

We talking before you.

[A]

I have mint lavender rose.

[B]

I like this.

[A]

Yeah. I have to tell black people this ain't cologne, though.

[B]

No. You can't spray it on your skin. You can't spray it on your skin.

[A]

You know, we will wear olive oil as lotion.

[B]

Yeah, it for sure.

[A]

Sp how strong that man. You can spray on sp. How strong that man is. That man is powerful. That's all.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That min will keep you open. Biodegradable organic oil based. My favorite.

[B]

I think this one.

[A]

That's the rose.

[B]

I think. Yeah. I don't know what it is.

[A]

Let me see how be got. No, this the rose. See that?

[B]

That's the man.

[A]

No, this is not. See that little pink right there? That's the rose. That's the brown.

[B]

I think you mislabeled it.

[A]

No, that's brown. Well, let me see what's in your hand. That's the rose. Let me see that one. Turn me the label. That's the brown.

[B]

You keep calling everything brown.

[A]

No, brown. See the labels? Look. See the gold labels?

[B]

Hell, I feel like I'm on Tyler Perry. One of Tyler Perry's leg.

[A]

You keep saying Miss Premium Gold Brown.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And this is premium gold rose. Cause it has that.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

At the bottom. This is lavender. Yeah, Yeah, I can see it got the purple. I know you got thick glass, but look. That's mint. Yes.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I sprayed the lavender. And when I tell you. We can't even keep this product. We can't keep it.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, I like the lavender.

[A]

So if you want to. Yeah, yeah. So if you want to give it to somebody, fine. If not. And it smells good in your car, you taking a dump, hit that toilet with that mint.

[B]

Cha.

[A]

Ya, ya. This.

[B]

This lavender. I like. I like lavender.

[A]

Do you?

[B]

Yeah, I do. Cause I have lavender candles.

[A]

Oh, good. What was that? You all right? Does it spray you all right?

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Is that a sneeze? Yep. Oh, that sound like.

[B]

Oh, you thought it was something else, did you?

[A]

I thought he blew it out his ass. I ain't know that was a sneeze. I said, hey, man, don't be serving up no guacamole in here.

[B]

Arj, Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.

[A]

I love you. Love you, Appreciate you. Thank you, sir.

[B]

All my life, been grinding all my life Sacrifice, hustle, paid the price Want a slice, got to roll a dice that's why all my life I've been.

[A]

Grinding all my life Look.

[B]

All my life, been grinding all my life Sacrifice, hustle, paid the price Want a slice, not to roll a dice that's why all my life I've been grinding All.

[A]

This is an I Heart podcast.