Club Shay Shay - Keke Palmer Part 1

Summary

Podcast Summary: Club Shay Shay - Keke Palmer Part 1

Podcast Information:

• Title: Club Shay Shay
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts, The Volume, and Shay Shay Media
• Description: NFL legend Shannon Sharpe—3x Super Bowl champion and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame—sits down with the biggest athletes, celebrities, and influencers to discuss their accomplishments, challenges, and everything in-between.
• Episode: Club Shay Shay - Keke Palmer Part 1
• Release Date: November 20, 2024

---

Introduction and Guest Introduction (04:03 – 04:14)

Shannon Sharpe: Opens the episode by warmly introducing Keke Palmer, highlighting her numerous achievements and accolades from a young age.

"She was a bonafide superstar before she could even obtain a driver's permit... She's the youngest talk show host in television history."
[04:03]

Keke Palmer: Expresses her gratitude for the introduction and excitement to be on the show.

---

Early Life and Family Background (05:06 – 09:04)

Shannon Sharpe: Inquires about Keke’s upbringing in Robbins, Illinois, and her childhood memories.

Keke Palmer: Discusses her tight-knit community, the importance of church in her family, and her parents' sacrifices. She shares how her parents deferred their dreams to support her acting career, emphasizing the personal sacrifices they made, such as her mother moving to Montreal for her role in Akeelah and the Bee.

"There's discomfort that we live in, you know, self-loathing or... anxiety, depression... those are the biggest things that I think about that my parents gave up for me."
[06:15]

Shannon Sharpe: Reflects on the rarity of two-parent households in the industry and their unity.

Keke Palmer: Explains how her parents remained united despite occasional disagreements, presenting a strong front to protect her and her sister.

---

Transition to Hollywood and Career Beginnings (10:35 – 12:22)

Shannon Sharpe: Asks about the pivotal moment when Keke’s parents decided to relocate to California to support her burgeoning career.

Keke Palmer: Details how her participation in Barbershop and American Juniors showcased her readiness to take her career seriously, prompting her parents to make the bold move to California despite the uncertainties.

"If my parents didn't uproot their lives and move... I don't know. But... they showed me that I had a choice."
[09:14]

Shannon Sharpe: Inquires about her management, confirming that her mother has always been a significant part of her professional journey.

Keke Palmer: Affirms her mother's role as her manager and discusses the evolution of her management team over time.

---

Navigating Auditions and Early Roles (12:22 – 17:32)

Shannon Sharpe: Questions whether Keke ever felt unsupported during auditions and how her mother influenced her performance.

Keke Palmer: Shares her experience auditioning for Are We There Yet?, where her mother taught her about the importance of timing and perseverance. She recounts how roles sometimes required her to face setbacks but emphasized resilience.

"In order to do that, you actually gotta lose some to win some."
[14:30]

Shannon Sharpe: Explores moments when Keke considered leaving acting due to challenges.

Keke Palmer: Describes a critical decision point during her teenage years when she chose to continue her acting career despite feeling stuck between child and adult roles. She highlights the shift towards creating her own content in the digital era as a means of self-expression and growth.

"I just have to show up for my son."
[07:32]

---

Personal Growth and Industry Challenges (17:32 – 31:33)

Shannon Sharpe: Delves into how Keke manages public perception and strives to present her true self beyond her acting roles.

Keke Palmer: Emphasizes focusing on personal integrity and objective self-expression rather than trying to control others’ perceptions. She advocates for autonomy in showcasing her true self.

"Do I feel that I've done my best and how I wanna show up for myself?"
[24:18]

Shannon Sharpe: Discusses the pay disparity in Hollywood, particularly for Black women, and its impact.

Keke Palmer: Criticizes the industry's inequities and promotes unity within the community to support each other’s work. She praises Tyler Perry for creating his own successful system and encourages others to follow suit.

"We need to encourage each other to try to do it that way."
[31:05]

---

Balancing Fame and Personal Life (33:27 – 39:03)

Shannon Sharpe: Asks about handling massive success, specifically regarding True Jackson VP and the subsequent fame.

Keke Palmer: Reflects on the overwhelming nature of sudden fame, the pressure to meet others’ expectations, and the challenge of maintaining personal boundaries. She discusses the anxiety of managing success at a young age and the protective measures her parents implemented to safeguard her well-being.

"I was traumatized straight up... there's this validation that they're looking for me to approve of them."
[44:23]

Shannon Sharpe: Inquires about the financial aspects of her early career and her parents' management of her earnings.

Keke Palmer: Explains how her parents ensured financial stability through business managers and Coogan accounts, emphasizing family unity and shared sacrifices. She acknowledges the unusual role reversal where she became a significant provider for her family.

"What's mine is theirs. What's theirs is mine."
[48:00]

---

Professional Decisions and Legacy (40:03 – 63:09)

Shannon Sharpe: Explores Keke's pivotal roles and her decisions around them, including notable auditions and the impact of Akeelah and the Bee.

Keke Palmer: Details her casting in Akeelah and the Bee and how it became her defining role. She recounts how the film gained popularity over time, becoming a lasting legacy despite initial challenges.

"It's about community. It's about the beauty in our community."
[29:11]

Shannon Sharpe: Asks about roles she might have regretted turning down and her identification with certain characters.

Keke Palmer: Mentions her desire to be in Half Nelson but chose roles that aligned with her values and community representation. She stresses the importance of using her platform responsibly.

"I believe there is no reward without sacrifice."
[52:22]

---

Childhood in the Industry and Mental Health (57:07 – 58:22)

Shannon Sharpe: Addresses the isolation and vulnerability of child actors in the industry.

Keke Palmer: Shares her concerns about the lack of mental health support for child entertainers, advocating for more therapy and protective measures on sets. She discusses the emotional toll of acting from a young age and the difficulty of maintaining a true childhood.

"Being a child and working in an adult world... it's not fit for that."
[57:54]

---

Advice for Aspiring Young Entertainers (54:40 – 55:57)

Shannon Sharpe: Seeks advice from Keke for young individuals aspiring to follow in her footsteps.

Keke Palmer: Encourages self-trust, community building, and self-mastery. She emphasizes focusing on personal growth and purpose rather than attempting to change the world single-handedly.

"Trust yourself, because, you know, at the end of the day."
[54:40]

---

Conclusion (63:26 – 65:10)

Shannon Sharpe: Wraps up the first half of the conversation, teasing the continuation in Part Two and thanking Keke Palmer for her insights.

---

Notable Quotes:

1. "Do I feel that I've done my best and how I wanna show up for myself?"
   — Keke Palmer [24:18]

2. "We need to encourage each other to try to do it that way."
   — Keke Palmer [31:05]

3. "I believe there is no reward without sacrifice."
   — Keke Palmer [52:22]

4. "Being a child and working in an adult world... it's not fit for that."
   — Keke Palmer [57:54]

5. "Trust yourself, because, you know, at the end of the day."
   — Keke Palmer [54:40]

---

Conclusion: In this engaging episode of Club Shay Shay, Shannon Sharpe delves deep into Keke Palmer’s multifaceted life, exploring her early beginnings, the significant sacrifices made by her family, and the challenges she faced as a child actor navigating the complexities of Hollywood. Keke offers profound insights into the importance of self-trust, community support, and maintaining personal integrity amidst fame. Her candid discussion on mental health, industry disparities, and the enduring impact of her roles provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of her journey and the resilience required to thrive in the entertainment industry.

For listeners eager to hear more, Part Two of this conversation continues to unravel Keke Palmer’s experiences and wisdom. Tune in on your preferred podcast platform by visiting the Club Shay Shay profile.

Transcript

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[Kiki Palmer]

The.

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[Shannon Sharpe]

What's poppin Justin Jefferson here? Football is a lot of explosions, a lot of energy and attitude. It's a whole different vibe with these open earbuds. It's like you're in the moment but also you can hear everything around you. You can be involved. To have good sound and to be so light on your ear means a lot to me putting that music into my ears.

[Kiki Palmer]

You feel good enough to go out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

There and play, you turn on that switch, no one can stop you. For more, check out Bose.com I'm looking the Disney movie Jump In. 12 years old and I think if I'm not mistaken, that was your first kiss.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes, I was 12 and Corbin was 17, you know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh man, he be in jail now. He going to jail.

[Kiki Palmer]

I experienced the same thing, you know, in another movie that I did where the guy I think he was, I was 17 and he was like 27.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You like I'm older, huh?

[Kiki Palmer]

That's what Michelle said. Oh. Oh no 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 grinding all my life all my life been grinding all my life Sacrifice hustle paid the price Want a.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Slice hello, welcome to another episode of Club Shay. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the proprietor of Club Shay. The lady that's stopping by for conversation on the drink today really needs no introduction, but I'm going to give her one and it's well deserved. She was a bonafide superstar before she could even obtain a driver's permit. She's been a leading lady since she was 11 years old. She's one of Time magazine's most influential people in the world. She's the youngest actress to receive a SAG award for a nomination in a lead role. She's the youngest talk show host in television history. She's the first black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon. She's the first black and the youngest to play Cinderella on Broadway. She's the first black and she win an outstanding host for a game show at the Emmys. The first black woman to host the MTV Video Music Awards. A passionate voice for the millennial generation. A multi decade entertainer in the industry. A veteran, multitalented actor, singer, songwriter, producer, director, host, dancer, TV personality, network executive, voice author. Oh my gosh, podcast the entrepreneur. She's a boss. She's an all around entertainer. She's a pop icon. She's a phenom, a trailblazer, trendsetter, an emmy and an NAACP Image Award winner. She has over 100 credits to her credit. Check this out. She's always booked, she's always busy. And of all the things that I mentioned, the thing that she's most proud of is that she is a mom. The one, the only, the incomparable Kiki Palmer.

[Kiki Palmer]

Oh my gosh. Now why'd you stop? That was so lovely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Thank you.

[Kiki Palmer]

Oh my gosh, thank you for having me on the show. I love the show.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Kiki Palmer]

I'm excited to be here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And people say, well, Shauna, you love to give people their flowers. I don't give people what they deserve. I give people what they earn. And everything that I read, you've earned that. So congratulations.

[Kiki Palmer]

I really received that. Thank you so much.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So we're gonna toast some water.

[Kiki Palmer]

Okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

To all the things that you've accomplished and we'll continue to accomplish. Thank you for coming on.

[Kiki Palmer]

Thank you. Ah, I love.

[Shannon Sharpe]

This has been a long. We met at the Webbies for the first time and I think it was in April.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yep, yep.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And we tried to like, I would love to have you on the show. She's like, I'm gonna come. I would love Clay Shade. And here. And here we are. So I really appreciate It. Kiki, I understand that you're very busy, so I really appreciate your time.

[Kiki Palmer]

That's my pleasure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let's get right into it. Grew up in Robbins. I think you were born in Robbins, Illinois. D. Wade is from Robbins, Illinois. Yes. How much do you remember about your childhood and dreaming of this, Kiki?

[Kiki Palmer]

So I remember a tight knit community. We was always going to church every Sunday, you know what I mean? My dad had become ordained, became a deacon by the time I was like, I think, eight years old.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kiki Palmer]

I would hear my parents talk often about how they fell in love. They did a speech tournament, they took them to Louisiana. That's when they first had Popeyes. And then after that, they kind of, you know, slowly but surely the dreams were deferred. They did theater at the Black Ensemble Theater with Jackie Taylor, shout outs to her, which is still going on, the Black Ensemble Theater. But it just wasn't something that they could ultimately maintain. You know, my dad started working in a factory job. My mother was a substitute teacher for mentally challenged children. And then we would just hear of these stories and I would always think to myself, that would be cool to be a part of that thing, that it seemed to have made them so happy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. Two parent household, obviously. And if I'm not mistaken, your parents, you mentioned in theater, but they kind of gave up their dreams and passion to help you pursue yours after becoming a mom. And, you know, the sacrifices that you have to make. Do you understand? Are you more appreciative now knowing what your parents did in order for you to become who you became?

[Kiki Palmer]

I'm blown away by my parents and what they were able to do. And I talk about this a lot in my book in terms of, you know, we talk about, like, the sacrifices that parents make, but I don't think we often talk about the personal sacrifices that they make in their personal discomfort. Right. There's discomfort that we live in, you know, self loathing or, you know, not believing in ourselves. Anxiety, depression, whatever, you may have it. And those are the biggest things that I think about that my parents gave up for me to do what I want to do. And I remember a particular story where my mom, you know, we had to go do a movie. I did a. I got a role in a William H. Macy movie called the Wool Cap. It was like my first big thing. It was in Montreal, Canada. And my mom told me later on, she said, I was so scared to go out there. I met your father when I was 19. We were together ever since then. So to leave and be Separated from him and go with you to another country, especially one as different as Montreal, Quebec. That's French speaking French. Totally. She said, I was so scared. But when I looked at you and I knew that you weren't afraid to do it, that made me say, well, I gotta let this go. And so it's the same for me. I found so much strength in things that I never thought that I could overcome, because, hey, I gotta show up for my son. And so I think that is the beautiful superpower of parenthood, being a parent.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And seeing how it is. Cause a lot of kids now grow up in a single family household, a single parent household. Excuse me, but knowing that you had your mom and your dad there, what was that experience like? That was all you, because that's all you knew. Was it like that in Robbins? Most households had double parents?

[Kiki Palmer]

No, it wasn't. And it's funny, because me and my sister were kind of annoyed at that because our parents were. We were. Because everybody else would be like, I'm going to my dad's this weekend, or, I'm going to my mom's. And I got two birthday parties. We were like, damn, we only got. My mom and daddy always stick together. Always on the right page. You know, it was annoying to us a little bit as kids, but it definitely is something that I grew up saying, you know, realizing after the fact that that was important, just seeing them stick together. You know, I don't know if it was just the fact that they were together or if it was the fact that they just agreed and were together. Like, they maybe argued in the back, but when they showed up in front of us, they were united. And I would try to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They were united against y'all.

[Kiki Palmer]

They were united against us. And I would try to be like, well, dad said. Or, well, mom actually. Why she so mean to you? They would never break, ever, ever, ever. And so that I really admire. And it showed me what it was like, you know, to have real unity.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you ever think about how different your life would have been had you not had the parents that you have?

[Kiki Palmer]

If my parents didn't uproot their lives and move, you know, drive four days and three nights to California to help me to pursue my dreams? Yeah, I don't know. But. And the funny thing about it is, like, I don't know many parents that would do that. That was just their particular path.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And I think even if we take the dramatics out of that exact trip and this exact thing, to be Kiki Palmer, my parents, ultimately, what they. What they did was show me that I had a choice.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And I would like to believe that even if I didn't become an entertainer, if I just stayed in Chicago, we stayed in Illinois, whatever we did, they were going to show me in multiple ways that I had options, because that was something that they didn't have. And I think that's also something that I learned and realized because there was a time period when I was a teenager and I was being exposed to so much that they allowed me to be exposed to that separated us for a minute. And I kind of did that thing that you do when you're young. You're like, my parents just don't get it. They just don't understand. But I am who my parents would have been had they had the opportunities that they gave me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How much are you like your parents?

[Kiki Palmer]

I'm just like my parents, I think, in every way. So my dad, he is super funny, likes to make jokes on himself, always likes to be the life of the party, encouraging people. You know, I think I love to be of service in that way. That's where my sense of humor comes from. I want to make people feel good, especially in these times. I've leaned more in my humor in terms of the arts because I feel like that's what we need to laugh. My mom is very like, discipline. She's like, this is what you gotta do. She's committed to what she said she's gonna do. She's gonna finish it the whole way through. Also, very dramatic. Honey, I will give you a scene. Whether I'm on stage or off stage, you know, so I feel like I'm a lot like them. I don't know if I'm actually that different from them. I feel like I really am like them, just in another, you know, age group, you know, genre.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. You mentioned that, if I'm not mistaken, you filmed Barbershop. You were still. You filmed. You came to LA after you had done the barbershop.

[Kiki Palmer]

That's right. That's right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Was that the moment that your parents realized, like, okay, in order for her to reach her ultimate, we're going to have to uproot this family. We're going to have to go.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes. And they mentioned that they would say that. I mean, after I did Barbershop, I think I also had. Did American Juniors, which was like Fremantle's version of American Idol for kids.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And I got my golden ticket, and I actually got to go to California, and that was the first time we visited California. And my mom, I Think she saw me going, you know, it's so funny. I'm not an athlete, right? But when I think about the NFL and I think about sports, it's very. To being a child entertainer. There's a system. You gotta show up. You're working for a corporation. I mean, NFL's a corporation. You gotta show up. You gotta do this. And I think my mom saw when I was in American Juniors, when they put me through all the different things. Singing, dancing, performing. She saw that I was, like, ready, and I was ready to take it seriously. And so that's what made them say, well, if we wanted to have more opportunities, California may be where we need to go. And so it took some time, you know, but eventually they. They agreed and we went.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your mom was. Is still your manager?

[Alex Cross]

Yes.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes, she is. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's the only manager you've ever had, correct?

[Kiki Palmer]

Or I've actually had multiple different managers, but she's always stayed. I would like to think of it as, you know, my mom, you know, was a cmo. Now I'm the cmo. You know what I mean? But she started the Kiki Palmer brand, and we've worked with other people very successfully, most successfully now, my current managers, who are awesome.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So let me ask you a question. Going on these auditions, obviously your mom is going on you with all these auditions, was there ever a situation where you were, like, nervous or you didn't feel like you gave your best effort and your mom pulled your side and said, kiki, come on now, you better than this.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes. It was an audition for Are we there Yet?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kiki Palmer]

Okay. I wanted to be in that movie. Too bad. I was like, okay, this is Ice Cube. I just did the barbershop. Like, I got to get Are we there yet? And I knew when I did the audition, it just wasn't right. Something wasn't right about it. It just. I knew it didn't go well, and I was really sad. I remember having a conversation with my mom, and I don't know if it was right after the audition or if it was some time after that. We had spoke about that, and she just said, you weren't ready. And that's something that my mom has always told me, is that timing is everything. You just weren't ready, and that's okay. You know, it's kind of like what we say today. Like, let me cook. I had to keep cooking. You know what I mean? Like, I need. You know, And I think that's the thing is, like, you have so many good experiences. Up until I was getting. I got barbershop too. And then I think I got like a little, you know, a picture thing, you know, for scholastic or whatever. And I was booking stuff and I was feeling good. But there are always those things that happen to let you know, like there's still other levels you gotta grow through and learn from. And in order to do that, you actually gotta lose some to win some. And yeah, that's what I remember that already there yet. But then it's funny because I ended up doing a few years later, right? I ended up doing the long shots. And it's a funny story with the long shots that I did with Ice Cube is originally, they gave me the part right out. And then Fred Durst became the director. And all of a sudden they gave us a call. We had been working on this movie for a year. They were talking about this movie with me and him, and he was like, I don't want her. And I was like, dang, that's crazy. Like, how quickly they can just move you off of a movie. So I was just like, you know, I was kind of down about it. And then like maybe six months, five months passed. They said, it's not working out with the girl. We need Kiki. And I was like, this is crazy. But again, it's one of those moments where what's for you is for you. And that's what I always love to think of that story. Because even the director couldn't get me off that damn movie. And I probably can do better than you, you know, NFL.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So when you like, did you like. When you. Because like you said, you gotta take some Ls in order to get the majority of the wins.

[Kiki Palmer]

That's right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you ever become disillusioned? Did you ever look, damn, maybe this ain't for me.

[Kiki Palmer]

Oh, yeah, I definitely have. I remember after I did true Jackson VP, my TV show, I was about 17, 18, like that. 17, 18, 19. It was really hard because you're kind of too old for the kid roles.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kind of.

[Kiki Palmer]

But then you're also too young for the grown up. Exactly. And I remember having a conversation with my mom and I was just like, man, this is tough. I don't know how I'm going to transition this over. Like, I don't know how I'm going to move past this. And she said, well, we can end this now. You can take the money that you have, you can go to college, study something that you feel excited about, or you can push through this. You can push through this period and get to the other side in your career. So it's really the conversation of stay a career person or go to school and try to really start something new maybe, or take a pause. And I stuck with my career. I think I found a lot of freedom in the digital era, you know, producing my own content, you know, shout outs to people like King Bach, who really helped me in that era as well, like learning how to use it right to my benefit, tell my stories. But it was a really tough period. And I just. What it is, is you just don't know what to do. You don't know where to go, what to turn, because you're kind of creating your own blueprint. And I was desperately not trying to be stuck in the same traditional system that really didn't always have a place for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But once you got into the movie, the television and things like that, was there ever really a thought of being anything else? I know your mom said, well, babe, you can stop here and transition and go and do the collegiate thing and be a career person, or you can continue on. But it would be hard for me to believe that because once I started playing football, football was it. It wasn't nothing else that even entered my thought. So did it. Did it even enter your thought that you could be something else other than what you were, the track you were on?

[Kiki Palmer]

No, I didn't. But, you know, what's so funny is like, at the bottom of it, there is always something that is bigger than what it is on the surface. Like, I love entertainment, but really I feel like I'm a social scientist. I like people.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kiki Palmer]

I'm curious of people. I like to tell stories of humanity. I feel like we all are so alone here. And I like to talk about the fact that we never want to talk about it, even though that's the one thing we could relate on and create a community out of. And so as I, you know, you have to have enough to have the clarity around. So that's why I love this. You know, I'm sure you had the same thing. Like, you probably. I don't know what it is, but, like, there's probably a bigger reason why you love football that speaks to all the other things you do. And that's how it was for me. But I didn't know that at 18, 19. And that was a part of the struggle was that external validation of, I'm an actress, I'm an entertainer, and this is who I am. But no, no, that's just one of the things I do. That's. And also I don't really do it for that. I do it for something else. What is that deeper thing that I do it for? And that was the, that was the living that I've been having where I'm able to now be able to speak to it in a way that I just couldn't then. I didn't have the experience.

[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

Before you your family relocated to la, obviously you doing some of the things that you were doing in that community. What was it like for you in school?

[Kiki Palmer]

So you know, at first, so in my school experience I was from what, kindergarten, preschool, kindergarten up until, let me look, fourth or fifth grade. First I went to a private school and that was kind of tough, you know, because Illinois, a lot of people don't know it is quite segregated, you know. And I grew up in a town. My town, Robbins was like all black town. Like, I mean I went to Catholic church and it took me years to realize that all Catholic churches wasn't full of only black folks. You know what I mean? If you went to my church, you probably would have thought we were Baptists and So I didn't have that initial experience of what it was like to kind of have that weirdness of racial discourse. And so it was weird for me a little bit in that private school that was a tough thing to be the only black kid in my class. So I had a different experience there than I had when I went to public school, which was a little bit more diverse around the time I was about seven. And there I felt like, you know, I was voted for president, you know what I'm saying? I felt like, I felt like, you know what I mean? Felt a little bit more like I had an opportunity to kind of be myself. And I was embraced, but it was short lived because, I mean, I started acting at nine and then we moved to California when I was 10. And at, at that point I just was homeschooled. So I didn't have any real school experience. Although I will say, as we all know, school, high school, the middle school, all of those dynamics play out even if you ain't in school. So I experienced them in other ways.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's interesting because you like, you were homeschooled since you were probably 11. 12. That's right, 11 to 12 being homeschooled. Do you ever miss out like, man, what it would have been like to be in first period and oh my gosh, and things like that. Do you ever think about what it could have been? You still who you are, but still have the experience of going to school?

[Kiki Palmer]

No, I thought about it all the time. I so desperately wanted to know what it was like to like, have a fight in the hallway and be like, they ring the bell and we go. And I think that's also why I loved acting, because it allowed me to be things that I couldn't be or that I wished I was or that I hadn't had the experience of being. But yes, I, as a kid, I wanted nothing more than to know what it was like to have experiences outside of being famous, you know what I mean? I think that fame thing even made it more difficult for me to have authentic experiences because, well, once you've perceived me, it's hard for me to introduce you to something new. And so that was really tough, especially when I'm trying to engage with my community that now sees me as an outsider at times because I'm, you know, seen in this privilege.

[Pets Best Insurance]

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[Apple and Eve]

These days, being an adult can feel more overwhelming than it does fun. Any kids out there willing to trade places? No. Worth a shot. But you know who can rekindle the magic of childhood? Apple and Eve juice. We were the first to put juice in a box. And 50 years later, we're still packing the joy. Our fresh, delicious fruit taste transports you right back to the goodness of childhood, where afternoons of water balloon fights and rollerblading were made even sweeter by a refreshing sip of juice. And with refreshing juice blends bursting with flavor. It's as good for your kids today as it was back then, when joy was yours for the taking. So when the grind dulls your shine, tap your inner child to reclaim it. Sing your heart out in carpool. Play hide and seek in the supermarket. Relive those joyful moments with your kids by shopping Apple and Eve at a store near you. Apple and Eve. Let's kid ourselves.

[Alex Cross]

Now streaming on Prime Video. You can call me Detective Alex Cross. Based on characters created by James Patterson. Detective Cross, you've been doing this a long time. Time. And you're the best. And created by Ben Watkins. Multiple victims I connected to this comes a thrilling new series. He's a serial killer. I don't kill for fun. This thinks he's the smartest guy in the room. There's a lot of sickos out there. He actually believes he's an artist.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You're going to be part of a masterpiece.

[Alex Cross]

This is the product of an unbelievable obsession. Aldous Hodge is DC's finest. Alex Cross. If we don't find him super, we may never have another chance again.

[Shannon Sharpe]

30 years. Knowing Cross, I learned to trust his gut.

[Alex Cross]

I get inside his head.

[Kiki Palmer]

The clock's ticking.

[Alex Cross]

He was hitting my house. He messed with my kids.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He's gotta be getting close.

[Alex Cross]

You think you can stop him? I know I can. Because I know him better than he knows himself. Cross A new original series only on Prime Video. Watch now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right, but when you. Like you said, you introduced him. But someone's perception of you might not be who you are, but how do you change that perception of them? Of you? How do you get them to change that perception of you to them? Because that's. I mean, you see this all. You see me as this actress and this. This and this entertainer, But I'm more faceted than that.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah. I think that for me, I try to focus less on changing their mind and more so on being objective about how I want to get my message across. My criticism is to self. My criticism isn't to trying to control or change how other people perceive me, but it's about, do I feel like I got that point across? If people feel it or not, that's up to them, how they're gonna perceive that. But do I feel that I've done my best and how I wanna show up for myself? Am I speaking and using language that I feel like represents me to the fullest? If I'm doing that and I feel good about that, that's really all I can go by. Because you really can't control other people's perception of you, but you do have the autonomy to show up how you want to be perceived.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Gotcha. You shot a Disney pilot. Pilot that didn't get picked up.

[Kiki Palmer]

Kick in, Jamal.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you like, man, oh, man. And you. Because I'm thinking, talking to you, listening, you're a very confident person. You believe in Kiki. Okay, but when that didn't get picked up, what did that do? What did that do to you mentally? You're like, damn, I just knew this was gonna be. This was gonna be my big, big break.

[Kiki Palmer]

What did I think? I wanna go back to that moment and really tell you what I thought. I think I was down and I think I was surprised. Cause like you say, I've always been quite confident. But it's weird because I've always had this relationship with myself where there's a voice inside my head that would say, well, hey, they. I don't know what that is. I wish I could. I wish I could describe what that is. But, like, when things didn't go my way, and maybe it was the encouragement of my parents, or maybe it was the relationship that I had with self growing up. You know, when you pray as a kid and stuff, that's fostering also the personal conversation with yourself inside. So I don't know if I just was comfortable with that and just decided to have a positive look on things. But when I was younger, a lot of times before I hit a place where, yeah, it was tough and it Was hard for me to tell myself something positive most of the time. If. Or a role or something, I would say, hmm, they've made a big mistake, or, wow, so where am I going now? Because I know if this isn't it, God has something else for me. I don't know why that would be that way, but I just would think, well, you're not going to take away gold and give me silver. I do love silver, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Then you get the role. Madea's Family Reunion.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you remember auditioning for that and how did that role come about?

[Kiki Palmer]

You know, it's so funny. I didn't audition for that at all. I actually had did Akela Nabi with Lionsgate.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kiki Palmer]

So we had already done a Keelin to be and they were figuring out the distribution and when that movie was gonna come out. In the midst of them doing that, Tyler, they had did a big screening for Keland to be at Lionsgate. They were so excited about this movie.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

So they did a big screening and one of the people that were in the screening was Tyler Perry, and he was doing Madea's Family Reunion and randomly said, he's doing Madea's Family Reunion. You know, my family, we were huge fans. I remember before I became an entertainer, sitting up at my Uncle Ronald house, okay. On my Auntie Lonzetta cow.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Watching the plays.

[Kiki Palmer]

And we was watching the plays, okay. So I was like, oh, my gosh, Tyler has called us. And they were like, he wants you to come and do a table read. So we did the table read. The next thing you know, I got the role. I'm in Atlanta shooting Madea's Family Union.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Kiki Palmer]

It was crazy. That was crazy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your big break, though, was really Akeely and the Bee for sure. That was the movie that put Keke Palmer. Okay. Yeah, she legit. She legit. Yeah, she legit. She is, yeah. The kid that was doing the roles and all that. No, she's a bona fide. She's someone that's gonna be reckoned to be reckoned with, not only now, but moving forward. What was that role and how did you like. I mean, you played it.

[Kiki Palmer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You did the thing.

[Kiki Palmer]

Oh, thank you so much. When I think about that movie now, I mean, my mom was so like. I remember we were in the room, whatever, and she was like, oh, yeah, I got this new script they want you to audition for. I'm about to read it. It's called Akeelah to be sound like an animation, but we'll see. So She. I remember her. It was. My mom is so dramatic. Like, I'm telling you, she comes out of the room, you have to do this movie. Wow. I'm like, mom, please. Like, it's too much. It's. Sometimes Sharon is too much. And she's like, I'm telling you, we need to do a tape read of this as a family. So she had us all doing. I mean, my dad was playing Javier, you know what I'm saying? I only had to play Akilah. She was playing the mama. My sister was playing Dr. Larry. And we all ready. And at the end, we all were like, ow. I have to do this move.

[Alex Cross]

Wow.

[Kiki Palmer]

We were all. And we just felt like it was. I think it's everything that we care about. It's about community. It's about the beauty in our community. And it's about words and language and how it's very springing. Especially when you think about a young black girl being able to express herself through words.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kiki Palmer]

And just the history of who we are as a people and how words often were kept from us. It has so many deep layers that I think we don't even have to say. We just feel intrinsically. And I just think about the scene where she says, I don't need help from a truculent, supercilious gardener. A dictatorial, truculent, supercilious gardener. Knowing that she was not only able to express herself with those words, but also embody what they meant. It is so freeing. And then poke or two. The fact that that was her final word, and it means beautiful. And it was the one word that she was struggling when she did not know how to accept herself and her community. But at the end, when she realized that her community was love and they were beautiful even in all of what they experienced as a grown woman mother. Now I get why that movie was so impactful, you know, and it is the gift that keeps giving.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know how when you shot that movie, how long afterwards did people forget that your name was Kiki and call you Akeely?

[Kiki Palmer]

Literally. People still to this day call me Akilah. Either they'll come up to me and be like, akayla Akilah, or they'll be like, stop popping that gum. That still is the most popular thing that people do when they see me. Literally.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You mentioned Tyler Perry and you've been in the Madeeal family reunion. And I've heard a lot of women say, tyler Perry has paid me more money than anybody else in Hollywood. I heard Taraji say that. I heard Megan Good. Say that. I heard a few other women say that.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When we talk about the pay disparity, not just from men to women, but from white women to black women.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Even Viola Davis, the incomparable. She got an ego. I mean, she got them all.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Has said that the pay that she receives, and no one is more accomplished than she is. Why do you think it's so hard for Hollywood to accept a Taraji, Kiki, Viola, any of them. Megan Good. And see them as they see their.

[Kiki Palmer]

Counterparts, because they don't have to. I mean, it's a terrible thing. But I think for me, the biggest thing that I think about in those regards is like, how can we come together and how can we do our own things? How can we show up for each other more? You know, a lot of times we have these actors that come out on the front line and they're talking about this, and then no one goes to see the movie. That don't help us.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

You know, the comments. We need the million seats in the theater. If you really care about me not getting paid.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

You know what I'm saying? Show up, watch the movie, show through the numbers that there's an audience for this. But it's one of those things where I. I feel like I'm in a place in my life and. And I talk about this in my book where it's like, I cannot change all these systems. And I'm. I'm also. I don't want to keep telling the people that are literally benefiting the least to stand out there on the front lines and lose jobs. I mean, I have so many friends and people in this industry that are losing jobs fighting for something that they aren't even directly benefiting from, that I then just wanna turn around and say, let's come together. You know, I know that feels cliche, but, like, literally, that's what it'll take, is to come together, figure out how to create a system that can continue to feed itself within our community. And that's. I mean, it's not easy to do that. You know, one of the only people that I think has ever done something like that is Tyler Perry. And that's why I continue to give him his props, because it's not easy to step away from a corporation. He did the first few Madea movies with Lionsgate and then decided to do them on his own. And people said whatever they wanted to say or, it's not this, it's not that. Okay, well, he was figuring out the numbers so that he could stand on his own and that he could do it the way that he feels it should be done. And I just feel like that we should encourage each other to try to do it that way, because you're not gonna be able to change something as it stands.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

But you can change yourself and how you work in it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. I'm looking the Disney movie jump in 12 years old, and I think, if I'm not mistaken, that was your first kiss.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes. So that was.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How did that go over with your parents?

[Kiki Palmer]

So, you know, I. It was actually a big thing for all of us because I was 12 and Corbin was 17, you know, oh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Man, he be in jail now. He going to jail.

[Kiki Palmer]

So that was very, you know, weird.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kiki Palmer]

And he was such a brother vibe to me. Even though Corbin is adorable, it's so cute. You know, we all love the hair.

[Apple and Eve]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

It was like, that wasn't the relationship we had. Mm. And so I remember I had had a call with my agent, and I was like, you know, you know, I. I'm scared about this. This is weird. And she was like, well, you know, making good. Had to kiss Samuel Jackson in Eve's Bayou, so. And I was just like.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Huh.

[Kiki Palmer]

I just thought, why would that make. What I supposed to do with that?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, that's me. That's her. That's me.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah. I feel like she. That was weird, too. You know what I mean? And I don't really know what to make of that. You know, it's like, this is our craft. This is our art. I think there's a weird thing that happens with kid entertainers where we have to literally dissociate so much.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kiki Palmer]

As an adult would in the workplace in ways that's not normal or common.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Correct.

[Kiki Palmer]

And to tell these stories. And I don't really know what to make of it, but what I would say is, what I've always said to my mom is that I wish that there was more therapy for kid entertainers on set. You know what I'm saying? Like, I wish there was more people to help them process. And, you know, of course they have you. You know, what is it? Intimacy coaches and they talk things through, and I'm sure that's the experience of any of these kinds of situations, but it still is hard to differentiate from is this my real life experience or is this someone else?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And, yeah, it's weird. It's just like a thing. You know what I mean? Where I experienced the same thing in another movie that I did, where the guy was. I think I was 17 and he was, like, 27.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You like a motor, huh?

[Kiki Palmer]

That's what Michelle said. Oh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, no. Oh, my goodness. Come on, Kiki. Come on, Kiki. It's too soon. No, I didn't.

[Kiki Palmer]

No, I didn't. No, I didn't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You've been waiting for that. You've been waiting for that. It's too soon, Kiki. Oh, my goodness.

[Kiki Palmer]

They don't call you honky hunky for nothing. You going to go ahead.

[Shannon Sharpe]

See, that is too come. I. I did not expect.

[Kiki Palmer]

Oh, Lord.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let me get back. Okay, the scene. You were 17, he was 27.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I need.

[Kiki Palmer]

Very weird.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I need a glass.

[Kiki Palmer]

Go ahead, go ahead. Pour it out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Can I get a glass back? Keep me up. Oh, Lord, have mercy.

[Kiki Palmer]

But, yes, it's like the. The. The. The age differences and all that stuff. It's a. It's, you know, it's a thing. I just remember, you know, I got off that call, I'm thinking about a jump in, and Corbin was, like, talking to me, holding my hand, being a sweet person, and the kiss was, like five seconds. It was. But that. But again, just the art of being an entertainer and being a child is a very difficult thing to process all the time because you're dealing with really big adult things. And. Yeah. You know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When did you realize that, okay, this is the job. I'm acting. This is not truly what it is. How soon were you able to delineate between the two?

[Kiki Palmer]

Well, that took some time. That took some time. I would like to say. I didn't start. There would be an element of method acting. I remember I was doing Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah, and she had seen me and my mom were getting ready to do this crying scene, and me and my mom would do this thing. We would talk, and we would have to pull from. I'd have to pull from, like, my life or thinking about dark things about my life, because I had not had yet really enough experience to understand how to draw a correlation between me and my character. And I think that was really, like, a heavy way to go about getting to the emotion because it would be impossible to create delineating factors between my life and my characters. But I think as time has gotten, you know, I've had more experiences in my life. I've been able to recognize myself and my character without thinking that I am my character. And I've been able to separate myself in other ways. You know what I mean? Like, I think I moved away from California for a while. That helped me. I Remember when I did Broadway for the first time, right. At 21, that was kind of like the first time that I ever experienced a lot of time away from California, which is very much an industry bubble a lot of the time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And I experienced other worlds, like, oh, everybody doesn't care about what I do in New York. I'm like, some people are into Wall Street, Some people are into fashion, Some people are into theater. Some people are into. You know, there's so many other things that people are interested in. And I think that also helped me, too, to understand what it means to step outside of one particular space and that I'm not what I do. This is just something that I do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That I know do. Is there any type of scene that even now that Kiki would be unwilling to do? Would you do you like, a nude scene or would you do what?

[Kiki Palmer]

I could say, yeah, those. I'm not into that. You know, like, you know, giving you just, hey, we titties out. You know what I mean? I don't know about that. You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know.

[Kiki Palmer]

I just don't feel. I don't think. I feel confident in that, to really go ahead and do that. I'm not mad at the love scene, but it's like, what kind. What kind of choreography are we doing? You know what I'm saying? But, you know, other than that, you know, I'm open. But, yeah, I'm not into nudity.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How now that you are a mom, does that play a role into it.

[Kiki Palmer]

Into the roles I want to take? Yes. And I think before I was a mom, it was my parents, my family, my community, what I want to represent. And then it's become even more my son, what I want him to see and know. And that's not stringent and rigid, right? I think mothers and women are nuanced. They don't mean well. I'm not doing, you know, all. But it's just like, how will I speak to him about it? Is this something that I can stand behind? Things like that?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, so Nickelodeon, True vip, the fourth highest paid child star on television. How did that role come about?

[Kiki Palmer]

So that role came about in the whole little kids network of acting. My mom was on the phone. Somebody called her. Somebody called her. Somebody. There's a role, okay, character's called True Jackson vp and Kiki need to audition for this. And so the creator, Andy. Andy Gordon, he was like, you know, I didn't know that she did comedy. Cause this is kind of, you know, this guy came from like, just shoot me. Like, he's done a lot of, like, sitcom, you know, comedy, adult comedy. And so he was coming to, you know, kid television, which a lot of people like him were doing at that time and really making it amazing. And he was like, I didn't know, you know, I only knew her from Akilah and the Bee. That was a really. I didn't know that she had a sense of humor. So we had a lunch with him and then I think I got on tape for it and the next thing you know, I got the role.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Kiki Palmer]

And I was like, oh, wow. It made me think about the Disney thing. And I was like, wow. So it was gonna happen. It just wasn't time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And it was a whirlwind, like I thought. I feel like I was popular then, you know. And a lot of times people think about Akilah and Bee and they don't remember it in real time. Like in real time. Akeelah na be bombed. It wasn't like a movie that did good in the theaters and like, nobody really went to see it. People didn' understand it. They didn't understand the name like it did, you know. It was not really a success, to be honest with you. It wasn't until DVDs, you know, and people buying the movie after the fact and people hearing about it and were getting around that it became popular. So Akilah to be became popular over years time. Whereas true Jackson VP Honey, once that hit the air, it was up and it was stuck.

[Pets Best Insurance]

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[Apple and Eve]

These days, being an adult can feel more overwhelming than it does fun. Any kids out there willing to trade places? No. Worth a shot. But you know who can rekindle the magic of childhood? Apple and Eve Juice. Juice. We were the first to put juice in a box. And 50 years later, we're still packing the Joy, our fresh, delicious fruit taste transports you right back to the goodness of childhood, where afternoons of water balloon fights and rollerblading were made even sweeter by a refreshing sip of juice. And with refreshing juice blends bursting with flavor, it's as good for your kids today as it was back then, when joy was your for the taking. So when the grind dulls your shine, tap your inner child to reclaim it. Sing your heart out in carpool. Play hide and seek in the supermarket. Relive those joyful moments with your kids by shopping Apple and Eve at a store near you. Apple and Eve. Let's kid ourselves.

[Alex Cross]

Now streaming on Prime Video. You can call me Detective Alex Cross. Based on characters created by James Patterson. Detective Cross, you been doing this a long time. And you're the best. And created by Ben Watkins. Multiple victims I connected. To this comes a thrilling new series. He's a serial killer.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't care for it.

[Alex Cross]

Ms. K thinks he's the smartest guy in the room. There's a lot of sickos out there. He actually believes he's an artist.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You're going to be part of a masterpiece.

[Alex Cross]

This is the product of an unbelievable obsession. Aldis Hodge is DC's finest. Alex Crawford. If we don't find him soon, we may never have another chance again.

[Shannon Sharpe]

30 years. Knowing Cross, I learned to trust his gut.

[Alex Cross]

I get inside his head.

[Kiki Palmer]

The clock's ticking.

[Alex Cross]

It was hitting my house.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He messed with my kids.

[Alex Cross]

He's gotta be getting close. You think you can stop him? I know I can. Because I know him better than he knows himself. Cross, a new original series only on Prime Video. Watch now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He did four point. It premiered 4.8 million views, setting a record for Nickelodeon's largest audio for a live action premiere. How did you handle that kind of success? Because like you said, you had been in other roles, but you had never had this, your lead. And to have this level of success.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah, I was traumatized straight up. Because it was just like nothing felt real anymore. And I didn't know how to say no a lot of the times because everybody wanted something from me. And there's like this. There's this validation that they're looking for me to approve of them or they're expecting this from me. Whether it be fans or even friends, even family. I didn't want to let anybody down because now they're putting me up on this hill and I don't even see myself there. But anything I do or say, it can hurt their feelings. So now I don't know how to have boundaries for myself. And then I'm a kid, so I gotta stay in a child's place. And it was just really a lot for me to manage. And then I'm making all this money, and, you know, so many people are trying to take me from my parents. And I know that sounds so crazy, but it's true, you know, you have all these people that are making money off of you, and they telling you, you know, what's best for you and that your parents don't know. And I remember feeling really burdened by that because I love my parents, you know, And I just felt like, well, damn, am I in trouble? You know, what's gonna happen to my career? It was just so stressful for me as a kid. I was really under a lot of stress.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You mentioned that there are people coming in trying to say, well, you know, ooh, I can take you so much further than what your parents take it.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you ever think that, Damn, are my parents really holding me back? Could I be bigger than what I actually am now?

[Kiki Palmer]

I didn't know why I needed to be bigger, I guess. Okay. I was just thinking to myself, what am I missing? I was happy. My family, we came to California for me to pursue my dreams. I got my own show.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right? Right. So everything is going according to plan, honey.

[Kiki Palmer]

My parents, at their best, made $40,000 a year growing up. A year I was making that a show.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Whoa. Go ahead on that.

[Kiki Palmer]

So I was like, this is unbelievable. We're happy. We didn't come into this for money. We came into this for love. And look at what we've been blessed with. So when they were doing that, it just was confusing to me. And as a child, I just was afraid that it would all go away. Because then what? Now we're going back to Chicago, and if I don't keep working and if I don't listen to these people or if I don't like what happens then. And so I was just very often scared. I had a lot of anxiety, and I didn't have anybody to talk to because my parents didn't understand that.

[Alex Cross]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And then they're also afraid because they see what's going on, and now they don't know. Now they checking me, and I'm like, I don't need to be checked. I don't like them people.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

We on the same page, y'all, you know, but it was like we couldn't communicate, and it was a really terrible time for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You making all that money. What you buy, you buy something really, you get something crazy.

[Kiki Palmer]

I remember the most thing I did. I used to love Net A Porter.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kiki Palmer]

Like the little website online.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kiki Palmer]

I used to just buy a bunch of clothes, you know, bags and stuff like that. I was just really into the fashion then, especially with the show. True JacksonVP. Everything was just about fashion all the time. So I just remember always shopping. That was the main thing. Then I bought me a little Apple Computer. You know, nothing really big, right? Just little regular stuff that, you know, I think any kid would have.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How much access did your parents allow you to have to the money? Because we hear all these stories that child actors, they have these hit shows and they're making tons of money and by the time they 17, 18, they got nothing.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yeah. So my parents got me a business manager when I was 12.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Kiki Palmer]

And they wanted me to know that they weren't the ones controlling my money. They had heard these stories. And my mom said, I don't want money to come in between me and my child. And so, you know, Coogan, that cough account is set up because a young man, I forget his full name, but I know his last name is Coogan. His parents stole his money. So they made the Coogan account within our industry to help kids have some money. It's like 10%, I think, or something like that. And so that always was there, regardless of anything else. And then on top of that, you know, my parents rationed me out an allowance, but they also rationed out my older sister an allowance as well, you know, And I think the thing about it is somebody can say, okay, well, that was your money. Yeah, but we a family. And everybody sacrificed for me to be where I'm at. My dad gave up his pen, okay? He had worked at the company he worked at for over 15 years, gave up his pension for me to have opportunity for my dreams. My mother, they gave up everything. She gave up everything so she could travel with me and do what she needed to do with me. So how I feel about it is what's mine is theirs. What's theirs is mine. And I would do it again. I would give up and sacrifice 20 more years of my life working in this industry so that I could provide and we could have the business we had today.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kiki, you know, it's not normal that a child is the provider for the family. Normally it's vice versa. Parents, father, mother. Sometimes the father work.

[Kiki Palmer]

You have a tissue?

[Alex Cross]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Look at my bag.

[Kiki Palmer]

Go ahead. You keep.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So normally that's not normal. Normally it's the father. Sometimes you have a dual parent. Then both work, but the child. Now you are the provider of the family.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you realize what was on Kiki's shoulder?

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes, I did. And I wore it like this Marc Jacobs Runway. I wore it like armor.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It's okay.

[Kiki Palmer]

You did a. I would do it again for my family.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's why you did it to begin with, for community.

[Kiki Palmer]

And I think that is the thing. You know, life is a lonely place.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It is.

[Kiki Palmer]

And when you have your family and if you're the one, then you're the one. That's it. That's the way it was. And now, you know, my sister could go to famu, and she had to worry about nothing. Okay. She got to live and do what she wanted to do. Same thing for all of us. We get to do things that we weren't able to do. And I wasn't the only person that sacrificed, but, yes, a lot of it was on me. And it's just one of those things where I feel like I could be sad. But why? Look what I gained.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kiki Palmer]

I gained so much more than what I sacrificed.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kiki, a lot of times when I talk to people, I said, people will write down their goals, what they want to accomplish in life. But very few people are willing to write down what they're willing to sacrifice to achieve those goals. You had a dream, and you wrote down your goals, what you wanted to become. But you say, you know what? What I'm willing to give up. I'm willing to give up being a high school student. I'm willing to build. I'm willing to give up being a college student. I'm willing to give up what a normal 17, 18, 20, 22 year old to accomplish those goals. Do you understand what that means? Your parents, I don't know if they've told you how proud they are of you. I don't know if your sister has ever told you how proud they are of you, but they are.

[Kiki Palmer]

You know, my brother told me when we went to my sister's graduation, he said the time was now, and you were the one to do it. I don't know if you know, I don't know if you realize, but you changed our lives. Mm. And I was just like, you know, he was. I was seven when he was born. I'm a lot older than him. I never know how he's seen this or look. You know what I mean? Yes, I know. My brother used to tell his friends when he, you know, he was six, my sister. True Jackson. Bp that's all you know, I know that he thought of it, but he said, whatever prayers that were prayed about us, whatever was done, whatever our ancestors did, the moment is now. You've done it. You've changed it for the Palmers forever. And it's just like, man, it's crazy. And I think that. Look, you can look at it as I'm Kiki Palmer, but I would be. I think a lot of people have had this. We may not know their names, but people that's watching this, they done gave up stuff for their family. My dad and my mom, they gave up stuff for their family.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Correct.

[Kiki Palmer]

My dad, he was accepted to ucla. He didn't go. Cause my grandmother needed him. My mom had an opportunity to go to school at Juilliard. She didn't go because my father needed her. They decided to do certain things for the community, and it was all paid back and then some. And I just. That's how I truly believe in things. I believe there is no reward without sacrifice. And sometimes that's hard for people to understand and accept. But there are many nights where I was lonely and I. And I had nobody. There was many moments where I felt like I couldn't make it. I don't know what I'm gonna do. But then I said, you know what? I'm here for a reason, and I gotta push through this. So I did.

[Shannon Sharpe]

There are a lot of prayers that were said that you didn't even know he heard.

[Kiki Palmer]

And that is facts. And I can see it in my life today when I see certain moments and things come up or certain opportunities that I'm having or, you know, I told my mom, it's so different. There was a conversation where you. I would see fans when I was young, and they would say, thank you. We love this movie. This movie is good. It's great. But now when people come up to me, you know, they say, thank you for what you did for the community. We appreciate you. I'm like, wow. It's almost like, yeah, y'all. You see my heart? You see why I'm doing what I'm doing. I did not. I don't expect that. But when I hear that, I'm like, damn, that's crazy. It really touches me. It reminds me of why I'm doing what I'm doing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You're one of the great success stories of a child actor. If there's anything that you could. Young boys, young girls that want to follow in Kiki's footsteps, what's some of the advice you would give them?

[Kiki Palmer]

You can't Change the world. You know, there's a great quote that I love with Mother Teresa. She says, no, great things can be done, only small things, with great love. So focus on what you can do on the inside with yourself. You know, my book, Master of Me is all about self mastery, mastery of the self, how you move in this world, how you choose to show up and perform, how you choose to identify your purpose and how that informs the way you're going to perform and how that leads you to your power. That's what it's about to me. So I would say to lean into you. Trust yourself. Know where it is that you feel safe. Have a. Have and create a community that allows you to flourish and encourage you to be your best and then be easy on yourself. Take it one day at a time. Because I didn't know the blueprint I was drawn, but I trusted and had faith that it was gonna work out. And I followed my heart. I followed what made me feel good, what made me feel happy, my sense of purpose, what drew me to something from a good place. That's what allowed to lead me. And so, yeah, trust yourself, because, you know, at the end of the day.

[Shannon Sharpe]

There'S a viral clip that's circulating where Justin Bieber says he wished he could protect Billie Eilish. Billie Eilish from the end. But, I mean, obviously he came up in the industry, extremely successful. You came up in the industry. What is it? It's because the kids are, like, kind of, like isolated, like, a lot of times. I mean, I don't. Like you said your mom traveled with you everywhere. But, you know, I had Kale Mitchell here, and I've had some others that, you know, sometimes the parents are not around and, you know, sometimes. And kids, they're vulnerable, they're easily taken advantage.

[Kiki Palmer]

Yes. I think it's everything you said, kids are easily taken advantage of. You can go all the way back to Judy Garland when they were pumping her up with drugs. So, I mean, it happens. And even if it's not the most extreme idea, it's still traumatizing. Like, I can't sell you that. I mean, I've experienced some crazy things, but I can't tell you they were done when I was a kid on set. But even still, it was hard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

So I just think being a child and working in an adult world, this is an adult business, there's nothing childish about showing up and working 20 hours a day, you know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

I just don't think there's anything that can really prepare a child for that because mentally they're not able to be able to understand that. And so there are some things in place. But like I said, I feel like there should be therapists. And I seen an interview recently where Raven Simone was saying that on her show, they do have that. So I just think there needs to be more things implemented to protect a child from a childhood that essentially they're being stripped of. Because the thing about childhood is you're allowed to be a child, which means I'm allowed to cry and kick and scream. I'm allowed to have a bad attitude. You know, my son, we did Halloween pictures yesterday. He kicked and screamed the whole time. He can do that because he's a kid. But when people are there because it's a business, you can't do that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Kiki Palmer]

You can't kick and scream. You're not allowed to be a kid. You're not allowed to say, I don't wanna do this. You're not allowed.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You have to be an adult. As a 7, 8, 12, you do.

[Kiki Palmer]

And that's why a lot of times people say so and so seems so mature. They seem so. Well, they've aged. The industry will age you. You know, sometimes I feel 50, because the way that I had to be objective about things in order to survive the scenario, you know, it's going to make you more mature. And so, yeah, I get that. The statement. Because, you know, everybody wants people to be able to enjoy their childhood. But as a child entertainer, you don't get a childhood.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You get robbed of that.

[Kiki Palmer]

No, you can't. You have to. There's no way to be a kid there. You just. It's not fit for that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nickelodeon scandal. Quiet on the set. Your mom said some Nickelodeon sets were very weird and cultish. Did you have any bad. Did you experience any of that?

[Kiki Palmer]

I did not. I'm very grateful to God. I didn't experience anything like that. You know what I'm saying? I don't want to make it seem like, oh, it's because my parents was doing more than the other parents or something like that. Because I'm sure many of these parents was doing that. But my parents, they were really so strict on me. And a lot of times I feel like that's why I didn't get some opportunities or. I don't even wanna say opportunities, but why some people didn't wanna work with me or. And if it is not even that there was necessarily gonna be something sinister going on in a sexual manner, but it would also be financial. You know, my mom, she Would read those contracts, she would say, well, this is the second year she needs a raise. And they're like, okay, well, she's coming. So instead of doing a third season, we'll over pack the second season so we can get three seasons and we don't have pay her more.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

And so those are the kinds of things that Sharon would do that I think she was just so alert that it would scare some people off, you know, and.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But she wasn't gonna let anybody take advantage of her child.

[Kiki Palmer]

She was serious about that. She really was. I remember she cursed a lot of people, a lot of people out. She definitely did. I ain't raising no dummy. Y'all need to make sure she get her school. I'll never forget, that's what she did on the. On a Keelah and the Beast set. Because they were. It was kind of. Was kind of starting to overwork me. And she said, I'm a closer set down. She ain't got no school. All day y'all been, I ain't raising no fool. It don't make no sense for her to be on this set with this movie where they talking about a little girl learning how to spell and y'all ain't gonna let her read.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Kiki Palmer]

And I was. I mean, as a kid, sometimes that stuff would embarrass me. Yes, it would embarrass me. But now it's like, woo, thank goodness. And she would tell me that, you know, later on that she was scared, but she was just doing what she felt she needed to do to protect me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kiki Palmer]

Um. So, yeah, I feel like any of the crazy industry or hard things I went through, most of the time, I brought them on myself as a young woman, because as a kid, Larry and Sharon were like, they was on it. They was on it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What are some of the best advice that men, Women in the industry before you have partaken shared with Kiki?

[Kiki Palmer]

Oh, a lot of people have shared a lot of things with me. I remember I was on a set of the Long Shots with Ice Cube. And I think I've told this story before, but, you know, he was very cool, very chill. He didn't say too much a man, a few words, but very nice. And one day they were like, ice Cube wants to speak to you. And I'm like, okay. You know, so they called me into a room, and he's, like, way far distant from me, and there's some bodyguards there. I'm like, what are we about to talk about? You know? He's like, I just want to tell you, Kiki, you're a beautiful young lady, and I see how kind you are, how nice you are to everybody on the set. But I want you to know that you're growing into a young woman. And a lot of times, the way that people see you, the way that these men see you on set, is not the way that you see yourself. So protect yourself, be careful, and don't let them take advantage of you, know who you are and know what you have so that people can't use it against you. And I was just like. I didn't understand it. Cause I was, like, 14 at the time, and I was like, okay. You know, And I just said, okay, well, can I go? And he's. And I walked out. That stuck with me. And it was so important, I think, for him to say something like that to me. You know what I mean? He's a father. He's someone who has seen a lot in this industry, especially with young entertainers. And I always remember that. And I was always so grateful to him for that. I haven't seen him since, but I would love to tell him that that really stuck with me all these years. And thank you for reminding me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Are there any roles that you turned down that you later regretted?

[Kiki Palmer]

I don't say that I would regret this one, but it would have kind of been cool to be in Half Nelson. I remember they had reached out to us about that. My mom was so. You know, they've always been so particular about how I represent the community. You know, they grew. I grew up with them always talking about Ruby Dee, Ozie Davis, you know, Muhammad Ali, and just entertainers and how they use their platforms.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Correct.

[Kiki Palmer]

And so they were, like, feeling bad about the fact that I would go from doing a key letting the Bee to being a drug dealer. And so that's why they weren't interested in that. But, you know, obviously, Ryan Gosling is a great actor, and so is Sherica Epps. So it was a great movie.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Of all the movies that you've done, which movie is Kiki Palmer most identified with that?

[Kiki Palmer]

People identify me the most with absolutely. Akeland the Bee.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Kiki Palmer]

People still to this day, that is the movie when they think about me. I mean, I've gone on the airplanes, and people say, are you the little girl in the Keelin B? And I'm like, yeah, that's crazy that you know that. So that's the one that I think people still think about the most. And then. True. Jacksonville. Yeah. And then now. No.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Have you ever gotten stage fright have you ever gotten up there and forgot every word that you were supposed to say after knowing it backwards and forward?

[Kiki Palmer]

That happened to me once. I was doing Broadway. And you know what happens is you kind of go, like, blank in your mind when you're doing so many shows like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Kiki Palmer]

Because you get used to the fact that I know what I'm doing. And they rehearse you and rehearse you and rehearse you so much that you're like, I got. And you can actually leave your body a little bit.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Kiki Palmer]

One night I left my body doing a lovely night, a lovely night. And I was like, oh, what kind of night is it? I was like. And, honey, it was the strangest thing because, you know, I'm doing my dance and everything. And so I was like, I just stayed dancing and smiling, like, literally. I felt crazy. And then I look down and I see the conductor and he's like. And he's mouthing it back to me. And I suddenly got back on track. Honey. I felt like I went. And you know what they call it? They call it you going to the little white room. I went to the little white room and I didn't know how I was going to recover. That was the scariest thing I ever experienced in my life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But do you think the audience knew that you had lost your train of thought?

[Kiki Palmer]

I would love to have asked somebody. They might have thought weird choreography, you know, because I was literally like. It was strange. I went from being like. And it was just like, is she good? They had to have thought that. But once I got back in, I got back in and that was it, you know, it was spooky.

[Shannon Sharpe]

This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listened to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shape profile and I'll see you there.

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