The Rosetta Stone of Sitcoms featuring Kim Fields

Summary

ReLiving Single Podcast Summary: "The Rosetta Stone of Sitcoms featuring Kim Fields"

Introduction

In this compelling episode of ReLiving Single, hosts Erika Alexander and Kim Coles dive deep into the iconic sitcom "Living Single," bringing forth behind-the-scenes insights and heartfelt discussions. Featuring a special guest appearance by the legendary Kim Fields, the episode titled "The Rosetta Stone of Sitcoms" explores the intricate dynamics of the show, character development, and the enduring legacy that has captivated audiences for decades.

Exploring Episode Content: Character Dynamics and Plot

The conversation kicks off with Erika and Kim Coles dissecting the early episodes of "Living Single," particularly focusing on Episode 1.2. They analyze the introduction of Regine, portrayed by Kim Fields, and her relationships within the show.

Erika explains, “In the first season, we meet all the characters. They already know each other from their childhood or college or family...,” highlighting the challenge of effectively introducing characters to the audience. Kim Coles adds, quoting a line from the show, “A good man is like fine wine. They all start out like grapes. Our job is to stomp on them and then keep them in the dark until they mature into something we wouldn't mind having dinner with.” (10:03)

The hosts delve into Regine's portrayal as a discerning woman who seeks more than just financial stability in a partner. They discuss her relationship with Charles, a married man, and how her decisiveness in ending the relationship underscores her desire for genuine connection over superficial attributes.

Friendship and Longevity of "Living Single"

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to exploring the friendships depicted in "Living Single" and how they contribute to the show's lasting relevance. Erika and Kim Coles emphasize the groundedness that friendships bring to the characters, stating, “There was a groundedness that came and came as the seasons went on too well.” (12:15)

They reflect on how the strong bonds between characters like Regine, Max, and Overton provide a foundation that resonates with audiences across generations. The hosts assert, “The friendship... keeps building this narrative that grows, which is not really real. It's usually smaller when you just not confront it.” (25:27) This authenticity in portraying friendships is credited as a key factor in the show's enduring popularity.

Personal Reflections and Character Insights

Erika Alexander and Kim Coles share personal anecdotes and reflections on the characters' development, particularly focusing on the conflicts and resolutions between Regine and Max. They discuss the importance of vulnerability and transparency in maintaining friendships, stating, “When people can't admit that they're wrong... that sense of vulnerability...” (24:26)

Kim Fields adds depth to the conversation by sharing her admiration for Erika's self-assuredness, saying, “...I wanted that kind of confidence and that level about it.” (31:26) This mutual respect underscores the personal connections formed behind the scenes, enriching the overall narrative of the podcast.

Kim Fields' Career Journey and Directing

A highlight of the episode is Kim Fields' heartfelt discussion about her career trajectory and transition into directing. She recounts her early inspirations, stating, “I loved seeing the costumes and the way they were building the sets...” (50:05) Fields elaborates on her role in shaping "Living Single" and her dedication to empowering her crew, saying, “I want to inspire your crew to keep getting up and showing up in a really special way...” (53:33)

Kim Coles praises Fields' directing prowess, noting, “You're not only an actor's director. You know how to talk to your crew... it's fun to watch.” (52:38) This segment offers listeners an intimate glimpse into Fields' multifaceted career and her passion for storytelling both in front of and behind the camera.

Behind-the-Scenes Memories and Guest Stars

The hosts reminisce about memorable moments on the set, including interactions with guest stars like Freda Payne and Jennifer Lewis. Erika shares a funny memory, “I couldn't get Jennifer Lewis out of my trailer. Come here, bitches...” (28:33) These anecdotes highlight the camaraderie and spontaneous moments that enriched the show's environment.

Kim Fields also reflects on directing guest stars, emphasizing the importance of making them feel welcome and integrated into the show's dynamic. She mentions, “So I just invite someone and... let them feel warmed and welcomed.” (28:27) These behind-the-scenes stories add a layer of nostalgia and appreciation for the collaborative efforts that made "Living Single" a standout sitcom.

Audience Engagement and Reboot Discussions

Towards the end of the episode, Erika and Kim Coles engage with fan questions, primarily focusing on the possibility of a "Living Single" reboot. They tackle fan inquiries with humor and candidness, debating the feasibility and necessity of reviving the beloved series.

A notable exchange occurs when fans ask, “Are we gonna have a reboot?” Erika humorously responds, “There's your reboot, people. It's an origin story.” (64:16) The hosts acknowledge both the fans' attachment to the original show and the challenges involved in reimagining it, emphasizing the delicate balance required to honor the original while introducing fresh perspectives.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with heartfelt gratitude towards Kim Fields for her significant contributions to "Living Single" and her ongoing legacy in the entertainment industry. Erika and Kim Coles express their love and appreciation, noting, “I love you, too. And please come back.” (66:31) They encourage listeners to engage with the podcast by submitting questions and sharing their love for the show.

Kim Fields leaves a lasting impression with her inspiring words on resilience and passion, affirming, “I keep going. And I love our industry and to be alive at this time... that's a legacy that keeps me going.” (61:29) This episode not only celebrates the magic of "Living Single" but also honors the enduring friendships and professional bonds that continue to shape the landscape of sitcoms.

Notable Quotes:

• Kim Coles: “A good man is like fine wine. They all start out like grapes...” (10:03)
• Kim Fields: “I want to inspire your crew to keep getting up and showing up in a really special way...” (53:33)
• Erika Alexander: “A good man is like fine wine. They all start out like grapes...” (10:03)
• Erika Alexander: “That's what the audience doesn't know or doesn't get to see...” (36:22)

This comprehensive discussion not only revisits cherished moments from "Living Single" but also provides a profound exploration of its cultural impact, character depth, and the personal journeys of those who brought the show to life.

Transcript

[Erica Alexander]

Getting to know you. Getting to know all about you. Come on.

[Kim Coles]

That's a jam for the younger listeners. Listen to me. This is from the classic film the King and I. And probably your grandmother made you watch it on vhs. That's how old this is. What made you bust out.

[Erica Alexander]

I mean, you gotta be the grandma. Gosh, dawg. But yeah, probably it is old. Let me sing this. Well, when Deborah Kerr, who plays her teacher, the great actress and singer Deborah Kerr, she's singing, getting to know you because she's warning them. She's warning them in this movie because she's traveled a long way to go to Siam to be their teacher and that they really don't know each other. But there's gonna be moments when things are a bit unfamiliar and that there's gonna be times where they have to learn how to adapt to each other. And her students need to understand that there's gonna be a period of self discovery and growing pain. Right.

[Kim Coles]

You know, I understand. And for our younger people who may not understand, that means I don't know y' all. I'm just trying to figure y' all out.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. In the first season of that's like that. I mean, we meet all the characters. They already know each other from their childhood or college or family, like in the case of Sinclair and Khadijah. Cause they're family. But all that information is new to the audience. So the writers end up frontloading the series with the same details over and over again to teach the audience who the characters are. And the same goes for the actors. Right. That actor has to find their own way into the character. Or one episode at a time, which is not always easy.

[Kim Coles]

Okay? But here's the good news. We had a secret weapon. We had a cheat code, if you will. We had the Rosetta Stone of sitcoms.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

You know who we had?

[Erica Alexander]

Who?

[Kim Coles]

A legend, ladies and gentlemen. Legend.

[Erica Alexander]

Who is that legend?

[Kim Coles]

Kim Fields.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

Icon and legend.

[Erica Alexander]

Yes, yes, yes. Absolutely. We did Kim Fields.

[Kim Coles]

Come on.

[Erica Alexander]

She's a TV legend. She was always the vet on set. She set the stage for our success on the show. She was the bar at example for how we prepared and how we needed to show up. She was ready to do the work, rain or shine. Always. Man. You know what? I wish that I had a direct line to her. Like, I could just, you know, vibe with her like.

[Kim Coles]

Like right now.

[Erica Alexander]

That'd be nice.

[Kim Coles]

Would you vibe with her right this very moment?

[Kim Fields]

One request and I call.

[Kim Coles]

I know.

[Kim Fields]

That's right.

[Kim Coles]

I called. Terrorized y' all.

[Erica Alexander]

That's all. What were you doing here on the set?

[Kim Fields]

Oh, well, you know, I'm like a. Like a bat in the rafter.

[Kim Coles]

Okay, go hang out, then.

[Kim Fields]

Come hang out.

[Erica Alexander]

Just hanging out. Just hanging out.

[Kim Fields]

Just hanging out.

[Kim Coles]

Get in there.

[Erica Alexander]

Get in there. Oh, nice.

[Kim Coles]

Ladies and gentlemen of the building, come on. Welcome back to Reliving Single, the official unofficial living Single Rewatch podcast.

[Kim Fields]

This is so epic, you guys. Congratulations on this.

[Erica Alexander]

Thank you.

[Kim Fields]

I love it.

[Erica Alexander]

We can't afford you, so how are we gonna pay for this?

[Kim Fields]

You know, we'll talk.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah, but. And you're directing and your producer and you. The. The way your career has go tremendous. It's phenomenal. It's iconic. Oh, see here. I'm gonna start. Here we go.

[Kim Coles]

Get your tissues out.

[Erica Alexander]

I know it's iconic because every little black girl I knew wanted to be you. They wanted your haircuts, they wanted your life. They had no idea what it was like for you on or off stage. And then suddenly you're standing next to her and she's giving you advice. And so we'll talk more about that, but I'm crying.

[Kim Coles]

Find your liar.

[Erica Alexander]

Because I. Because I will always be grateful. I will always be grateful to get.

[Kim Coles]

To spend time in that space and.

[Erica Alexander]

To be generosity, but also to have survived. We gonna talk about what makes the spine of somebody. You know what I mean? She has a platinum mind, you know, And a spine of steel and heart of gold. Let's talk about that. What? She's made of metal.

[Kim Coles]

She's made of metal.

[Erica Alexander]

All the precious metals.

[Kim Coles]

All the precious metals right here. All the precious metals.

[Erica Alexander]

Is that a bar?

[Kim Coles]

That's a bar.

[Erica Alexander]

Please.

[Kim Fields]

Gonna call me Tink. Tink.

[Kim Coles]

Little Tink. Tink.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah, you right.

[Kim Coles]

I can't wear you.

[Erica Alexander]

Tink.

[Kim Coles]

Tink.

[Erica Alexander]

Tink. All right, Let me wipe my eyes, girl.

[Kim Fields]

Thank you. Come on, now. I just got these lash extensions, and you're supposed to keep them dry. No, thank you. Because I'm not going to.

[Erica Alexander]

No. Yeah. She started looking down. She knew.

[Kim Coles]

It's time for the rewind where we watch and relive living single with you. We're here to rewatch the show. That's why you're here. And to get your flowers and to get the love.

[Kim Fields]

I wasn't here to get flowers. I was here to watch some clips and talk about the reliving singles.

[Kim Coles]

Let's do that right now. Let's do that right now.

[Erica Alexander]

So we're number two. And you figure very greatly in one and two. First, your character Regean is Introduced to the audience as a person who's very about the outward looks. And you have, let's say, a path for yourself. You're gonna find a man, he's gonna take care of you, and you're gonna look good while you do it. That's how it is. The first we meet Rayjean, she is dating a married man.

[Kim Fields]

Right. Does she know that he was married?

[Kim Coles]

Not in the beginning.

[Kim Fields]

Not in the beginning.

[Erica Alexander]

But she didn't care what she found out. Yeah. She was really a hussy.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

And she really was.

[Kim Fields]

Let's be real form, let's be real informed.

[Erica Alexander]

And then the next time you have a man, but you're just like, eh, whatever, you know? So that's where we are in episode two. So if you do us the favor of setting us up. Setting us up.

[Kim Fields]

Living single episode, episode 102. Yes. Or 1.2. I'll take your man. Regine is dating a man named Charles, but finds him annoying, so she dumps him. She gets upset when he starts dating the Maverick magazine.

[Erica Alexander]

What?

[Kim Fields]

Meanwhile, Overton places an ad for his handyman services, mistakenly listing it in the single section. God, remember when that was a thing?

[Kim Coles]

Right?

[Kim Fields]

And our special guest star for this episode, the one and only, only Freda Payne.

[Kim Coles]

Freda Payne, who is still as gorgeous and as talented as ever. And he was so happy that week.

[Kim Fields]

Oh, my gosh. John was so excited. Yes.

[Kim Coles]

Okay.

[Erica Alexander]

You would have watched a piece of it. Oh, my God, that's right. Yes.

[Kim Fields]

Well, Charles, you should be going. You've got a big trial in the morning. Remember the one you couldn't stop talking about? Now go. Smooches. Charles ain't the one.

[Erica Alexander]

But Regine, he's got money and status. Technically, you should be in love.

[Kim Fields]

I know, but Charles has no je ne sais quoi, no joie de vivre, no oomph.

[Kim Coles]

The writing.

[Kim Fields]

Wow.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. So right away, you see, the regime comes in and throws a really good man. I mean, he's a lawyer, he looks good, he's treating her nice. But she's like, she ain't got no oomph.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

Bye. Tosses him away. And by the way, body banging, body yada yada. Body yada yada. Who?

[Kim Fields]

Him. You know me.

[Kim Coles]

What are you talking about?

[Kim Fields]

I was like, you can see that in that suit he was wearing.

[Kim Coles]

You.

[Erica Alexander]

Them breasts were, you know.

[Kim Fields]

Well, thank you profoundly.

[Erica Alexander]

You know, she said we were acting not with her, but with her breasts. You know, like, can I get some lighting here?

[Kim Fields]

But, you know, not one of my favorite hair Moments, though. That wig was. I don't know what happened with it on you, though, Did.

[Kim Coles]

It was good and sophisticated.

[Kim Fields]

I think that's what we were going for, sophisticated. Because she was dating Charles, who was an attorney and a lawyer.

[Erica Alexander]

Exactly.

[Kim Coles]

But what I love about this is that. So we know that Regine is a hunter and she's gonna. She wants a man.

[Kim Fields]

I see what you did there.

[Kim Coles]

Right. You see what I did there?

[Kim Fields]

She did. I deserved that.

[Erica Alexander]

Good for you.

[Kim Coles]

Right. But what's important to note is that we set her up as being, you know, she wants a man and she wants this life, but she's still discerning. He's still gotta be interesting.

[Kim Fields]

Yes.

[Kim Coles]

Discerning, Right. I love that you decided. Yes. He's an attorney, he's handsome, he's all these things, but he's boring. And so, like.

[Kim Fields]

And there's some things that money couldn't buy for her. There's some things money couldn't buy for her. And oomph was something that money that couldn't buy.

[Erica Alexander]

Right. Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

Clear about the oomph.

[Erica Alexander]

She was willing to toss them away. When you toss something away sometime, like a boomerang, it come back, they come.

[Kim Coles]

Pick up the trash.

[Erica Alexander]

By the way, this is the first time we're on the Living Single. So the first episode was on the Family Rider set.

[Kim Fields]

That's right. That's right.

[Erica Alexander]

And, you know, because the walls are pink and the couch is green. Aka.

[Kim Fields]

Yes. That was Yvette's sorority.

[Kim Coles]

Yes, that's right. I didn't notice that. It was my mother's as an aka, and I didn't even notice the pink and the green. I didn't notice it. But I love that she infused that in.

[Kim Fields]

So she was.

[Erica Alexander]

I didn't notice. Again, in curiosity.

[Kim Fields]

Right. I mean, we are like, your defense. There was a lot going on. It was the first season, we were establishing these mega characters. So not so much incurious as much as it was. You were focused on other things.

[Erica Alexander]

Focused on other things. Yes.

[Kim Fields]

So, you know, the thing that Living Single was there was a number of things that we were known for, but the writing was just everything, you know, And Yvette really led the charge in terms of the writers room. Yeah. But those early episodes when she was writing, you know, and so. And I'm not saying that she wrote this. This now, you know, very infamous quote. Yes. From. From Maxine. But Maxine had all these great lines and these great analogies.

[Erica Alexander]

You know, girl, that's what we're for. To cultivate them. You see, a good man is like fine wine. They all start out like, great. Our job is to stomp on them and then keep them in the dark until they mature into something we wouldn't mind having dinner with. And that meme goes on and on and on. And so it's from the clip we just saw. It's like, you see, a good man is like fine wine. They all start up like grapes. Our job is to stomp on them and then keep them in the dark until they mature into something we wouldn't mind having dinner with. Did you see how I pitched my voice up?

[Kim Coles]

I did.

[Erica Alexander]

As opposed to the Marlboro woman that I am now.

[Kim Fields]

I had to.

[Erica Alexander]

A good man is like fine wine.

[Kim Fields]

Did you hear mine?

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

Okay, Charles.

[Erica Alexander]

Okay, Charles. But you know, I'd love the confidence because right now everybody's so thirsty. But she wasn't. She was like, yeah, there's gonna be more. Do you see what I'm serving? She's serving the full package.

[Kim Coles]

Right, right.

[Erica Alexander]

You know what I'm saying? She doesn't got the body, she's got the this, but she's gotten spades.

[Kim Coles]

Is the confidence and the vision. And the vision that the right one will come along.

[Kim Fields]

Right, right, right. The vision. That's good. That's good. Yeah. Regine definitely for her life and not just the person who would fill that moment. Sometimes she looked at it as a placeholder.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. You know, the vision. But if they're not scared by your cold bloodedness, how do you feel when.

[Kim Coles]

People say that Regine was a gold digger?

[Kim Fields]

I get it. And I think that one of the things that in her arc of the series was that she really realized that she had to do the work and internally, you know, she couldn't just, you know, dress it up on the outside. You had to really do a reno.

[Erica Alexander]

That's good.

[Kim Fields]

You know, get that interior jumping off as well.

[Kim Coles]

I hope people get that too. Cause you see women go, I have a vision for what I want. But you did do the work, and you did have a groundedness, at least with your girlfriends.

[Kim Fields]

Sure.

[Kim Coles]

That we saw so that we saw that it wasn't just this lofty. I need all these things, these material things. There was a groundedness that came and came as the. As the seasons went on too well.

[Kim Fields]

The groundedness also is your friends, especially your good girlfriends, the tight like glue, they'll bring you. And in a positive way. I don't mean they bring you down like a weight or bring, you know, in a negative, hold you down. But There we go. We hold you down. There we go.

[Kim Coles]

I'm gonna hold it down now. Hold you down.

[Erica Alexander]

I hold you back.

[Kim Fields]

Bring you down and not bring you back. Hold you down. Yeah. And I think that's a part of why the show has transcended all these generations and all of the decades since that. I mean, how relevant is that show? How relevant are these memes and these quotes and you know how people are still digging it.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. Like a rash.

[Kim Coles]

Like a rash. Okay.

[Erica Alexander]

It keeps coming back.

[Kim Fields]

Oh, I just gave Charles his walking papers. Oh, it is such a drain. Breaking up with someone delicately. You know the routine. It's me, it's not you. Of course we'll still be friends. Blah, blah, blah. Cry, cry, cry, hug, hug, hug. Okay, bye.

[Kim Coles]

So let's just talk about this beautiful moment that we learned something about you and Kyle. Like what you all have in common.

[Kim Fields]

Yes.

[Kim Coles]

And it's all in just. He doesn't say a word. But all that gesture and all of that, like. Yeah, I know what you do. I know what gotta do. I love that. And that we get a new pairing. You know, this is six people. But they have to constantly put us together in different permutations. And that was the first time we see that permutation. It was really good a combination.

[Kim Fields]

And to TC's testament, unscripted. That wasn't how it was scripted. That was.

[Kim Coles]

Do you remember how it was? Do you remember?

[Erica Alexander]

It wasn't scripted. He said it, but there he was.

[Kim Fields]

Standing next to him. And as I was doing it, he started doing it. So then I turned to him, and then we started doing it like it was, you know, something that we both understood.

[Kim Coles]

Chemistry.

[Erica Alexander]

That's chemistry.

[Kim Fields]

There it is.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. And that's also listening because she's showing that. And it's not something that people normally can depend on. You know what I mean? That a person that you do something, they start to do it, but they don't. This is your phrase. Pull focus. She did it in a way that supported but didn't. Full focus.

[Kim Fields]

Right, right.

[Erica Alexander]

Which is.

[Kim Fields]

Yes.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

And we've all seen cases of people pulling focus.

[Erica Alexander]

Suddenly they're like.

[Kim Coles]

Pulling focus.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah, you like it. It's enhanced.

[Kim Coles]

It enhanced.

[Erica Alexander]

Which you probably might have walked past him or.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah, I'm sorry.

[Kim Coles]

Let's move. We've all had that experience. Like, stop. This is my moment.

[Kim Fields]

Oh, my God. Oh. Or it's their moment. Just.

[Kim Coles]

Yeah. It's beautiful.

[Kim Fields]

Okay.

[Erica Alexander]

Any hard feelings?

[Kim Fields]

Not on my part.

[Erica Alexander]

So Charles is free. Max, stop.

[Kim Coles]

What?

[Erica Alexander]

I know that look. That's the same look you gave the butcher two hours. Yeah. So we're setting up. She's giving him away, and now Max is like. Yeah. Is she. Is he free?

[Kim Fields]

Oh, what happened?

[Erica Alexander]

No, no, I'm saying sorry.

[Kim Coles]

There it is. Sorry. There it is.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

That was an example. We did that on purpose to show you at home and on your devices.

[Kim Coles]

What not to do, what not to do.

[Erica Alexander]

Brilliant.

[Kim Fields]

That's.

[Kim Coles]

That.

[Erica Alexander]

That's the genius of that.

[Kim Fields]

Exactly.

[Erica Alexander]

And it hurt too.

[Kim Coles]

Yeah, I know.

[Erica Alexander]

So I'm now pulling. Focus.

[Kim Coles]

Okay. Pull your focus back.

[Erica Alexander]

Talk about my pain. Yeah, it's. He's out with COVID I'm just over here. It's all good. You ready to go ahead? Yes, we're ready.

[Kim Fields]

We're ready.

[Erica Alexander]

Yes.

[Kim Fields]

I think they learned the lesson. Yes.

[Erica Alexander]

Hello, Regine.

[Kim Fields]

Hi, Charles.

[Erica Alexander]

Awkward moment, huh?

[Kim Fields]

No.

[Erica Alexander]

Mm.

[Kim Fields]

Mm.

[Erica Alexander]

No, not at all.

[Kim Coles]

Well, Max, you ready to go?

[Erica Alexander]

Sure, if you are, let's go.

[Kim Fields]

Say a prayer for me, huh? Smooches. Tramp.

[Erica Alexander]

Nice.

[Kim Coles]

You look pretty impeached.

[Kim Fields]

You do.

[Erica Alexander]

What is apricot?

[Kim Coles]

Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

That's the great Charles Penland. Now, we had really wonderful good starts.

[Kim Fields]

We really did.

[Erica Alexander]

It's hard to play silence.

[Kim Fields]

Yes.

[Kim Coles]

Right.

[Kim Fields]

Yes.

[Erica Alexander]

Because people want to rush it. And he allowed it to be.

[Kim Fields]

Let it breathe again.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah, Let it breathe. Yeah. So they could have their moment.

[Kim Fields]

But so did you.

[Erica Alexander]

I sure did.

[Kim Coles]

Thank you.

[Erica Alexander]

Thank you. I feel that.

[Kim Coles]

Well, it's timing, and we're talking about getting to know each other and timing. And the thing is that we learned. I feel that we learned really quickly that, you know, you could toss a ball in that direction and she was going to catch it and throw it back, like, again, it wasn't written on the page. Take as much time to milk the moment for the awkwardness. You had to feel it and know it and had to feel it and know it together.

[Erica Alexander]

So it's great, Right?

[Kim Fields]

With a third party. And even though we were new, you had a newer element as well. With the guest star. Yeah, with the guest star. Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

Sometimes the guest stars have it harder, often than the regulars because they gotta come in and they only have a moment to do their thing. And so it takes great confidence not to push and to allow, as you say, to breathe. But also great direction because we were set up really nicely. And it flows nice. And when you see great direction, you know it. Cause you don't see it.

[Kim Coles]

Oh, Lord.

[Erica Alexander]

Is that a bar?

[Kim Coles]

That's a bar.

[Erica Alexander]

And so, yeah, so she's gonna, you know, obviously she's got the date With Charles. But now we're seeing that just because you let him go didn't mean that you want your friend to have him. Yes. Your leftovers. Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

You really let them go.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

Sometimes you want the extra chicken on your plate, but only after you put it in the trash. You know? It is what it is, right?

[Kim Coles]

It is what it is.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. No, that's right. So, you know. Well, she's pissed. It's awkward, and we got a conflict.

[Kim Fields]

Yep. Like all good content, you have conflict. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And especially between two characters, that their. Their conflict is. Is, you know, Evergreen. It's always there.

[Erica Alexander]

I think, frankly, Max is right. Cause she asked.

[Kim Fields]

She asked. She did ask.

[Erica Alexander]

She did ask.

[Kim Fields]

So not only did she ask, but she got. What did I say? Lawyer asked and answered.

[Erica Alexander]

Come on. Why not?

[Kim Fields]

The answer was go ahead.

[Kim Coles]

And then it turns terribly wrong.

[Kim Fields]

Wrong. Oh, so wrong.

[Erica Alexander]

What are you getting so worked up about? You didn't even like him.

[Kim Fields]

Well, that is not the point. The point is you broke the rules. You're supposed to let it cool off at least one third of the total day or one month for each year, whichever. Short.

[Erica Alexander]

This is ridiculous. I can't believe you're gonna let a man affect our friendship.

[Kim Fields]

No, I'm not. Cause we don't have a friendship.

[Erica Alexander]

And the woman is 3B thinks Max is right. That's a good scene. It's a good scene. Cuz it's full of conflict. And conflict between friends is always juicy.

[Kim Fields]

Yes.

[Erica Alexander]

But also, the great TC Gets the cap again.

[Kim Coles]

What was that? The church finger.

[Erica Alexander]

That's right. He comes in the door, they're arguing, he shuts the window and then gives his opinion and walks out.

[Kim Coles]

Great button for that.

[Kim Fields]

Absolutely. And it could have worked if he didn't even have the button at the end about the woman at 3B. He could have come in, closed the door, closed the window, and left and left and still gotten that applause.

[Erica Alexander]

Exactly.

[Kim Fields]

Yep.

[Erica Alexander]

I'm sorry to say I really do think that Rayjean is something else. Because she sit up there on the couch, perched like a damn tweety bird, talking about, you got nerve coming up in here in my house.

[Kim Fields]

You know, it's not even your house.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah, my house. And I'm like, wow, she really got, you know, she got nerve. You know, but I. I mean, I see her point, but she's wrong.

[Kim Fields]

She is wrong. I have to say, she is wrong. Not only is she trapped in the script, but she. But she's wrong because she told you.

[Erica Alexander]

She told you.

[Kim Coles]

She.

[Kim Fields]

She gave the Offer she gave. Exactly. And you were, quote, unquote, kind enough or in the code enough to ask.

[Erica Alexander]

That's right.

[Kim Coles]

Or did Regine, in that moment go like, wait a minute. On second thought, he is a good man. Maybe I shouldn't have let him go. Is that what it was? Or it was, I don't want her to have him.

[Kim Fields]

I think it's the latter. Regine is, I think, French for ego regime, you know?

[Erica Alexander]

Right, for ego. I love that.

[Kim Fields]

Because her ego was bruised, her ego got in the way that Charles, you know, found something attractive about her nemesis, first of all.

[Erica Alexander]

That's true.

[Kim Fields]

And, you know, wanted to explore time with her. And it's like, well, you didn't see what either Maxine saw or you just were not. You know, again, you initiated this, this. This non Regine, Charles moment here. So once that became clear, then it's. It's in the all clear.

[Kim Coles]

Now the question also is, did Charles start dating Max as a rebound from you? Like, well, you don't want me. I'm gonna go ahead and go with your friend. We haven't explored Max.

[Erica Alexander]

You know, we should push it.

[Kim Fields]

There's the reboot, folks. The Charles Show. It's a new version of Charles in Charge.

[Erica Alexander]

No, it's true, right?

[Kim Coles]

Like, did he just go like, mm, you dump me. Watch this.

[Kim Fields]

I think. But the way that Charles Pendleton wonderfully played the character, he had too much integrity to be messy, who's innocent and all of it, like.

[Erica Alexander]

Well, I'm.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah, exactly.

[Kim Coles]

I admire Max.

[Kim Fields]

Sure.

[Kim Coles]

We set that up in the first scene.

[Kim Fields]

Exactly, sure.

[Erica Alexander]

Oh, that's true. He did. I think that people argue about those things and they don't look at. You know, some of the dynamics is hard because you're right about ego. It offends you. It's like, wait a minute. You just gonna go to her, like, right away, too? It wasn't even a period cooling off. Period cooling off. But there was no cooling off for you either. So that's the thing, is that Rayje is also showing that she's kind of got blinders on when it comes to everybody else. And that's a very important part of the character's lovability. But her flaw and that math.

[Kim Coles]

Where did you get that?

[Kim Fields]

Listen, that was like an algebra pre calc word problem, wasn't it? That was some new ma for real. Right, right. The men in my life, they never take me that seriously. Maybe it's because I'm a little superficial.

[Erica Alexander]

Immature, petty.

[Kim Fields]

Anyway.

[Erica Alexander]

Okay, from this point onward, no occupant of this house or friend of an occupant of this house will date the ex or current boyfriend, upset others. Cool.

[Kim Fields]

Well, that about covers it.

[Erica Alexander]

But what if he really. Fine. Then all bets are off.

[Kim Coles]

Okay.

[Erica Alexander]

The love of friends is gonna come back together. Then you come together, so. Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

And you see Regean, you know, reveal some things. Well, I know, you know, I'm superficial and I'm whatever. I don't believe she believes that. Does she believe that?

[Kim Fields]

I think she believes the idea of it. You know, she understands she's flawed. I do like that she said he took you seriously. You know, and the men that I deal with, they don't really take me that seriously. But again, that's on you, girl. That's on you.

[Erica Alexander]

That's on her. Yeah. Yeah. What Yvette wants to show is that you can have those disagreements and then come back together. And the friends come back together and create a rule that they immediately erase.

[Kim Coles]

I love that you wrote the contract on the spot. No resident of this home or visitor of this home said boyfriend within occupants. The legal needs.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. And then they, you know, get on with it because they're young and they're gonna figure it out.

[Kim Fields]

But going back to this, what I will say I also liked about the writing was when people can't admit that they're wrong. You know, And I think that Max and Regine, in those moments were able to find a way to have a bit of transparency, is what it's labeled as now. But that sense of vulnerability, I think was a really. And of course, it's a writing tool to give some, you know, to reveal a bit more of new characters coming onto the landscape.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

But it was done so skillfully and acted so well. Very well done. But I appreciated that sense of vulnerability with one another because it would have been really easy to say that after they had walked away from one another. Regine could have easily said that to Sinclair. She could have easily said that to Khadijah. But they were talking to one another moment in the moment.

[Erica Alexander]

Well, maybe that's what's missing nowadays. A lot of people sort of going and talking to people as opposed to each other. Yeah. And walking away and then having this. That keeps building this narrative that grows, which is not really real. It's usually smaller when you just not confront it. Right. Then say what you need to say what you need to say and keep it moving.

[Kim Fields]

I just want you to know that I respect you, girl. And the way you came over here.

[Erica Alexander]

And lied through my teeth. What Charles dumped Me.

[Kim Fields]

I'm sorry, girl. You must be in such pain right now.

[Erica Alexander]

So we have Regine. She's relieved. She's apologetic. Max admits that she's. He dumped her. Which is great that, you know, they get that out of her and they agree to never date a friend or an ex. And unless he's fine, and then all bets are off. Yeah. And then the beat story. We got Overton.

[Kim Fields]

Yes. Overton about to get his. Free to pain.

[Kim Coles]

Yeah. Free to pain.

[Erica Alexander]

Free to pain.

[Kim Coles]

Which he was so excited about. That.

[Erica Alexander]

He was.

[Kim Coles]

But I don't know if you all remember, John actually had some. Some misgivings. He was like, why would they give me free to pay sexy Peter Pan? I wouldn't be scared of her. They had Overton being all scared of her. I wouldn't be scared of that old. That older woman.

[Erica Alexander]

She's sexy.

[Kim Coles]

So he had a real problem with it. And I guess, you know, John being maybe newer to sitcoms, maybe he didn't have said, they have to create that conflict.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

And, you know, of course she's gorgeous. And he said I would give her a run for her money. What you talking about? He was so upset. Like, why? They had me running away from. All right.

[Erica Alexander]

I look like a damn fool.

[Kim Coles]

Yeah, exactly like a damn fool. Turn it down.

[Erica Alexander]

Free to Payne shoes.

[Kim Coles]

He was so upset. Hey, John, it's a show.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah, but Peter Payne was fine.

[Kim Coles]

And still is.

[Erica Alexander]

Still is. Yeah. So that was also the beginning of these amazing guest stars who come in and do their thing. And that's the beauty about shows with black cast, because you get to invite people you admire. And that has picked my career up over and over again, where people who admire you grow up with you, and then they give you an opportunity to play something because they said, I've been wanting to work with you. You had to wait till they grew up and got the power to create the thing. So that's what Yvette did. She was bringing them all on.

[Kim Coles]

I wanna ask a question, since we have feels here too. I have a memory of us having these incredible guest stars come over, you know, five years. Do you all have a memory of this? This thing that would happen that we didn't talk about? Each one of us would take the guest star under our wing without speaking. Wouldn't be like, feels, it's your week. Go make sure that so and so is happy. And in their trailer, it just happened this magical thing where you would take someone and. Okay, this is the week. Okay. Hi, welcome. We're so happy that you're here. We love having you. And we would just sort of act as the host or the hostess to make them feel warmed and welcomed. Did you all have that, or is that just a memory that I have that we.

[Kim Fields]

No, you're right. Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

It was unwritten.

[Kim Coles]

And it was like this week, you would take so and so and lock arms with them.

[Erica Alexander]

I couldn't get Jennifer Lewis out of my trailer. Come here, bitches. I want to show you my VH test session. Come here. Look at this. You were back to her apartment. I was scared of her. I gave her my full trailer for the week. My goodness.

[Kim Coles]

Do you know how good you have it?

[Erica Alexander]

You know, but I was Broadway. Rise and shine. Shine and rise.

[Kim Fields]

When I tell you guys. She loves to reminisce about her time on Living Single. Jennifer Lewis. Oh, my God.

[Kim Coles]

Jennifer Lewis.

[Erica Alexander]

Jennifer Lewis, ladies and gentlemen.

[Kim Fields]

And when she couldn't say Cutie Jack, she didn't know how to say it. And she was like, is that right? And so she. That's why she asked it as a question, because she was really trying.

[Erica Alexander]

I didn't know that. Me either.

[Kim Fields]

She just told me this, like, two months ago because she's on the upshot as my therapist. Oh, so she was your therapist? Yes, Lord, yes. Exactly.

[Erica Alexander]

That right there.

[Kim Fields]

And so. So we were talking about her being on Living Single, how much fun we'd had. And I was, you know, doing the part when she goes as the talk show host, Khadijah, and she said, do you know why? I asked it as a question. And everyone loved it. And I said, no, I thought it was a choice. She said, I don't know how to say the bitch's name.

[Erica Alexander]

I'm sorry. And so I asked it as a.

[Kim Fields]

Question, but everyone laughed. And so I kept it.

[Kim Coles]

Hilarious.

[Erica Alexander]

Going back to a little bit about what you were saying, that the setup of the Max regime, conflict and animosity is set up here, too.

[Kim Coles]

The conflict between the two of you all is bigger than the man.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because there were also other things that we had a conflict about.

[Kim Coles]

You know, stop coming over all my.

[Kim Fields]

House and eating all my food. Sure, Absolutely.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

The coat. Yeah, the coat, Khadijah. And friendship.

[Erica Alexander]

The friendship.

[Kim Fields]

It was a better friend and all that. Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

The rivalry.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

Which is real.

[Kim Fields]

Now watch this. It just hit me, I think. And there's no evidence of this, but I think here comes a Living Single conspiracy theory. Okay, listen, in. Lean in, folks, I think that Regine was jealous of Max. I think. I think she saw that Max had Her? No, but no, because she wasn't ever in her apartment. Max had her together.

[Erica Alexander]

That's true.

[Kim Fields]

Max was bout it. And Max had such a strength of character. Now we'll talk about how Kim and Regine ran parallel to Max and Erica. From that standpoint, I admired the hell out of Erica and always looked at her like man, she is bowed. She got her shit together. I wish that I had that kind of foundation. I felt like I was floundering as a person. Yeah, I did. I did. All right, Conspiracy theory done. And cut.

[Kim Coles]

Yeah, but we can't, we can't leave that hanging out though.

[Kim Fields]

Sure we can. That's the episode.

[Erica Alexander]

I gotta say thank you because again she comes on in that studio and she anchors the show. And so to hear that from this beautiful woman and to even know that that's even a little bit true makes me feel really good.

[Kim Fields]

Cause I'm telling it's a lot of bit true. But I mean, thank you, I appreciate it. But what's different is what you're talking about is in the professional circle for sure. You know, that was the professional aspect. I'd already been on TV for a decade and I'd already done this and I'd already done that. But as, but in terms of my personal character, my personal constitution, I was floundering. I didn't know I was becoming and I didn't know that there was, was ah, value in becoming. So I'm looking at you like you were already there. You had this swag and you had this strength and you was Philly and you was this. And I just felt like, man, I would do anything to be able to have that level of confidence and that level about it.

[Erica Alexander]

Can we ask a bit? And this may be too personal because you grew up in front of the world, it makes sense that you might feel that you were floundering. How do you describe the floundering word? Like what were you feeling?

[Kim Fields]

I felt like I didn't know a lot of Kim Fields. I felt like the world knew Kim Fields or what they thought they knew or what they thought. Yeah. Again, we were all in our early 20s. And so you're in that zone of, I don't know, you know, you just came from college and trying and figuring out and not figuring out and does this fit? Does that fit? Let me try this type of energy. I just felt like during that time in particular that was floundering to me. And to see somebody who seemed so self assured and self confident. It's like Erica seemed to know who she Was even then, Erica knew who she was. I mean, that is. That is clear as a bell to me. And it was so invigorating to see that. And then watch this, guys. When you go into the professional side of it. Erica Alexander marched to the beat of her own goddamn drum. Even when other people, in quote unquote power. Would try to dilute that from her. Wasn't gonna happen. Wasn't gonna happen. Meanwhile, I'm over here knowing sitcom rhythm and sitcom timing. And I get what they wrote on the sitcom page. And when she gets ahold of her side of it. And she hears a completely different rhythm. I mean, totally different. And it's freaking brilliant.

[Erica Alexander]

Bless you.

[Kim Fields]

Yep.

[Erica Alexander]

Yep. Can I just say something?

[Kim Fields]

Of course.

[Erica Alexander]

Cause I didn't get a chance to say something right. This would have been very close to the beginning. And when we auditioned for Living Single. My dad had died a month before. And I promise you, I didn't feel like that inside. In fact, I don't even remember so much of being there. Cause somehow I think I just numb myself. And you just do what's in front of you. You don't get a chance to sort of. You say, feel or even have moments. Because somebody's hired you for a job. Thank you, Amber. And now you have to produce results.

[Kim Fields]

Thanks.

[Erica Alexander]

And never talked about it. Never even mentioned it. I don't think anybody mentioned. Or it didn't come up. So I think that's. Frankly, if I was to speak about becoming. I had spent a little time. Not as long as you. Being a teenage actor. And feeling that I was failing. Because the stress of it was killing me to be perfect. And if I just allowed myself to play. Especially on the Cosby Show. Cause I didn't feel funny. I didn't feel I did anything funny or anything to deserve that role. But here, because I didn't feel anyone was watching me. They were all watching y' all. You had Latifah, Kim. Y' all were William Morris clients. I'm coming in. In a space that no one's checking for me. And so I had freedom. And I always thought, good, let them watch them. I'm gonna do this over here. So I'm saying it's a beautiful thing, what you're saying, but it's not how I felt. Man, this is a downer.

[Kim Coles]

Can I just add a.

[Erica Alexander]

Can I, like, have some gin and tonic or something? God, give us a Negroni at the moment. So it's not a downer, but you.

[Kim Fields]

Know what I mean.

[Erica Alexander]

No, it's like if you fell into a space, man.

[Kim Coles]

Right. No, but it's important because this is what the audience doesn't know or doesn't get to see. And they see this perfect show and this perfect experience. And yes, I'm calling it perfect because it was. It lives in this beautiful bubble, and we have new generations watching it all the time. But they couldn't know what was happening behind the scenes, which is why this Rewatch podcast is so important. You feels never gave off that you were floundering. I wouldn't know that at all. So I opened my mouth like. Like, you know, you mentioned it once.

[Erica Alexander]

But I go, like, photographic memory.

[Kim Coles]

Ye.

[Erica Alexander]

Just show her once. Do it. She would sit there and read while we learned lines. She would read her own books and stuff. You would get mad. You're like, you don't need it, Fields.

[Kim Coles]

You don't need it. You don't need it. I got it.

[Erica Alexander]

I got it.

[Kim Fields]

Y' all are talking about the per. The professional stuff. And when I bring up the flounder. And I'm always talking about the personal.

[Kim Coles]

The personal.

[Erica Alexander]

I know. And we are only seeing you as a professional, right? Because we can't.

[Kim Coles]

Because we're just getting to know you.

[Erica Alexander]

Also, her face precedes her. It takes a while to get past that. We're fans.

[Kim Coles]

The floundering was what happens at that age, too. The only thing I would just do a timeout on is I was actually. I'm older than you all, so I'm already in my 30s, while you all 23 and 24, respectively. So I'm now. I was. Yeah, I'm nine years older than most of you. Eight to nine years older. So I'm now watching these amazing women who are still in their twenties who are. Who have it together, who seem to know what they.

[Erica Alexander]

I was.

[Kim Coles]

You know, I'd been married and divorced already, so I was witnessing you all hold it together in a way that I was like, when I was 23, I didn't have myself together, but I also hadn't been professional, you know, professionally in the business and witnessing. So from outside looking in, you all had it all. I mean, this Queen Latifah who's traveled the world, and she's. Queen Latifah. You came in strong and steady and sure. And you came in as Kim feels strong and steady and sure. And so there was no. No signs of weakness. I'm calling it weakness. I'm saying floundering could be considered weakness. It was becoming. And becoming means that it's not a weakness. At all. But I didn't know that you were suffering at all. And I couldn't tell that you were. That you were trying to figure it out because you were steady.

[Erica Alexander]

Maybe the point is that we're really good actresses, all of us.

[Kim Coles]

That we're professional.

[Erica Alexander]

We did not.

[Kim Coles]

No, we didn't let off. It didn't hurt the. It didn't show in the work know. And we know plenty of stories on plenty of sets where people's hot messery.

[Erica Alexander]

Or becoming come on sets with. Yeah. Every time you look up, somebody got. I'm like, really? Can we just do this? Because I got to get back the work.

[Kim Coles]

This is. I love the conspiracy and the floundering.

[Erica Alexander]

And the becoming, but it's hard. You know, we haven't talked about this like, this.

[Kim Fields]

This is for like.

[Kim Coles]

We did talk once about depression that happened after the show, which I didn't know about you feels. I didn't know until you like, wow. And of course, there would be a letdown after having this incredible high and that comes with life. We'll be right back after this break. We've got more Kim Fields Lots all feels all the time. All the Fields all the time.

[Erica Alexander]

Episode 2. Lord, we don't even know how long the road is. My God.

[Kim Coles]

What did you think about the show in the beginning? Beginning at this time, when you're in.

[Kim Fields]

The weeds of it, you. You just. You honestly don't know? You know, I felt like there was something special there, but I knew enough about the industry to know that they never know what they want and that you. You can't ever predict what they're going to keep saying yes to. So. So I didn't know if it was, you know, a quote unquote hit or not, but I knew it was special.

[Kim Coles]

Okay.

[Kim Fields]

That much I did know.

[Erica Alexander]

So you didn't know then it was a hit? Cause Kim always says she.

[Kim Coles]

I always felt like it was gonna.

[Erica Alexander]

Happen and I was like, I didn't need to.

[Kim Fields]

But again, I mean, there's stuff that was really good and then after six episodes, it gets yanked. You know, it gets pulled. So. And by then, second episode, I don't think we. Guys, we hadn't even aired when we shot that.

[Erica Alexander]

Nope.

[Kim Fields]

You know, so we didn't even know what the audience response was going to be. That's why I go back to. I knew it was special and I didn't know enough about it, the landscape of the audience to know that there was a thirst and a need for this show and these characters.

[Erica Alexander]

We were about to Find out.

[Kim Fields]

Yep.

[Kim Coles]

We so loved watching this episode with you, Kim. It brings back all the memories, all the good stuff.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. A lot of great stuff in there. And that's the weird part is watching things and then. And I think that for days on, you start to, you know, the brain starts to ping. Yeah, yeah.

[Kim Fields]

And the feeling wretched comes.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. You get a little indigestion and sometimes diarrhea, but after that, you know. Good times.

[Kim Coles]

Good times.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

Did you enjoy rewatching the show with us?

[Kim Fields]

I did. This was a lot of fun. Kudos to you guys. Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Kim Coles]

This is the reverb. Our time to reflect on the episode's themes and how they still echo throughout the culture.

[Erica Alexander]

Welcome back. I think right now we gotta get into the greatness of Kim Fields, you know?

[Kim Coles]

Well, we're gonna talk about your magic and your amazingness, and we're gonna talk a little bit about your career. And, I mean, I said legend in the joking way, but it's very true. It's very real legend. In fact, we have our tissues stuffed just in case we need to.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. We said, get ready later on. Get ready.

[Kim Coles]

I want to know about your first experience of living single. How did you find out about it? What was your first everything about living single?

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

Right. I had finished doing Facts of Life. I had graduated from college.

[Erica Alexander]

Pepperdine.

[Kim Fields]

I was Pepperdine. Yes. And I had been doing, you know, some guest starring work and some plays and things, and I felt like I was ready to do another show, another comedy, and I had put together a pitch to do, like, a romantic comedy. Right. Mad about yout had just started. And I was like, well, where's me in that? Where's us in that? And so I reached out to Yvette. She had known my mom from working on hanging with Mr. Cooper.

[Kim Coles]

Right.

[Kim Fields]

And mom was like, this is who you should talk to about it. And here's the thing. I wanted to do this with Rocky Carroll.

[Kim Coles]

That would have been bad now.

[Kim Fields]

Not at all.

[Erica Alexander]

Not at all.

[Kim Fields]

So I reached out to Yvette, and she said, I really like this idea for you, but I'm actually committed to do a project with Kim Coles and Dana Queen Latifah. And so I can't. But then she went on to say that she had a character that she had me in mind when she was writing this character named Brejo. And I was like, oh, okay. So she sent it to me. I met with Warner Brothers, and then here we all are.

[Erica Alexander]

I never. I never heard that before. Never heard that her origin story.

[Kim Coles]

You know who would be great, because we've been talking and I have this, you know, regime. And, you know, it would be perfect. Kim Fields. And I was like, oh, that's interesting, because it's very different from any. And you had been doing some adult roles and we had seen you on Fresh Prince, and so it was like, oh, okay. And this would be great. Okay. I didn't know the.

[Kim Fields]

That was the origin story. So I worked with Paul Reiser maybe about a year and a half ago on an indie film. And I said, I've got to thank you because you have a connection to my origin story with Living Single, because I was in the mood or the mindset to do a romantic comedy based on what you were doing with Matt about you. And so he was like, wow, I'll take that. Thank you. So, yeah, I love it.

[Kim Coles]

I have to know this too. How did you embody Regine? What did you do to really take her on?

[Kim Fields]

So Regine was an incredible departure, obviously, from any work I had ever done, but also a departure from me as a human being. And by the grace of God. Here's another big moment with my origin story. I had done a guest star, guest starring role on the show Martin, and that was pre Living Single, because it was Martin's first season, I think. And while I was working on that show, Tommy, God rest his amazing soul. So Tommy was directing a play, and he said, I'm doing this play called south of Where We Live, and Mike beach is in it. Well, he could have stopped right there.

[Erica Alexander]

Oh, Mike Beach. Find.

[Kim Fields]

Listen.

[Erica Alexander]

Kill it.

[Kim Fields]

Listen. So he said, listen. He said, mike beach was in it. Wendy Raquel was in it. And I was like, oh, my gosh. And so he was directing this show at, like, this little tiny hole in the wall theater in the hood.

[Erica Alexander]

Hood.

[Kim Fields]

And I said, yes, sure, of course. But he. This role that he had for me was something that I was like, how do you. How do you even see me doing something like this? She was the precursor to Regime.

[Kim Coles]

Okay.

[Kim Fields]

And I would never have been able to do Regine if I had not done the work in that show. That was the character that I was doing in that play. That was how. I didn't even know. Because Living Single wasn't my girls. Remember that Regime was not on my radar. It's not like I was in training. Like, you know, I just booked this thing, so let me do it.

[Erica Alexander]

Right?

[Kim Fields]

Yeah. No, not at all. And so doing that play for I don't know how many weeks, we had Done the play, and then we did a couple of, like, spot dates in other cities around la, and so that's how I started getting into that skin. But it was a work to do that because, you know, things like how she was into fashion and makeup and very into her va va va vooing, which, you know, as an actor, you love to play an actor with their salt, Loves to play against who they are, you know, because that's where the gold is. That's where the work and the process comes in.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah, I love it. That's the origin.

[Kim Coles]

Here's the other piece of the origin story. That's really sweet that. So Kim Fields invited all of us, so I guess we must have done.

[Erica Alexander]

The podcast, you remember? Yes, yes.

[Kim Coles]

And you. You rented a Winnebago for us to come and see you, and we drove out in the middle of nowhere to come.

[Erica Alexander]

We were like the Beverly Hillbillies, black face. We get them to think.

[Kim Coles]

We had just met.

[Kim Fields]

But I knew it was a drive, and I was like, well, let me not. I just met y' all. Let me not impose on y' all.

[Kim Coles]

So we have to drive and spend gas.

[Kim Fields]

I appreciate the support. So just. Here we go.

[Kim Coles]

Here we go. So we know that you're a director now, and I, like, I. We've both been directed by you on Living Single, and I got a chance to work with you on the Upshaws.

[Kim Fields]

And we worked together on Insecure. That just. That just hit me.

[Erica Alexander]

That's true.

[Kim Fields]

When they did the show in a show and I directed that.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. Everywhere I look up, you're everywhere. Yeah, it's amazing.

[Kim Coles]

But you were directing before you were directing. And I'm gonna take you back to a moment that I always tease you about, but it really is about your generosity. So I'm gonna take you back to a moment early on in our season, Season one, and you came over to me and said, just so you know, camera four is your camera. Get your camera, girl. Camera one is my camera, because I'm gonna get my looks. Get your looks, girl.

[Erica Alexander]

Get.

[Kim Coles]

Because the director, I guess, was directing the whole show, but hadn't yet zoned in on saying, okay, make sure that you like. Camera four is your camera. Because you didn't want to appear to be giving notes or it was. But it was generous for you to go get your camera, girl, because I'm gonna get mine. Get yours. Okay? And it was generous, and it was directing, and you realized that something was missing. Like, you're gonna miss this great shot if you. You don't you know, center? And nobody's telling you, so I'm gonna tell you. And you set this precedent of going, oh, you have something. Could somebody come and fix her makeup? Okay. Is this okay? Like, generosity and caring and giving a damn.

[Erica Alexander]

That's true.

[Kim Coles]

And I watch you direct, and you. It's amazing how you. I guess the best directors keep it all in their head and all in their heart all at the same time. But you never see you.

[Kim Fields]

Bless.

[Kim Coles]

I was waiting. I said, she gonna blink? Is she gonna blink?

[Erica Alexander]

She said so and so.

[Kim Coles]

Jimmy, you got that? Joey, can we get that? Okay. Can we fix this? I don't. She doesn't like her chair. Fix this. Great. Very good. Are we getting. And then. And ready to do your own lines. I was like, how is she running things? Hold on just a moment. I'm gonna go take a look at it. Kim, you look good. Kim, move to the left. Well, which. Kim? Yes, I'm talking to you. I'm Kim talking to the other. Kim, move to the left. All right, we got it. We got it. Everybody lock it down. Very good. And I was like, what?

[Erica Alexander]

But this is her home.

[Kim Coles]

This is her home.

[Erica Alexander]

For most people, this is where they work, but this is also her home. Y a set like the back of your hand. Like a mountain climber knows the Andes.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

Wow, that was deep.

[Kim Coles]

That was deep.

[Kim Fields]

Wow.

[Kim Coles]

And sometimes it's a climb. Did you absorb all of this? Did you go to school to become a director? You did. Oh, you did.

[Kim Fields]

It was all of that. It was all of that. So while I was doing Facts of Life, I just absorbed. I was a sponge. If I wasn't in studio school, I really didn't hang out in my trailer. I was. Or my dressing room. I was always with the crew. I'm a crew, baby. So I. I got into this because I saw my mom working with Pearl Bailey and hello Dolly and what?

[Kim Coles]

Let's have a moment. Y' all didn't know that?

[Erica Alexander]

No.

[Kim Coles]

Let's have a moment for Chip Feels.

[Kim Fields]

Yes. Come on, Chip Heard. Yay.

[Kim Coles]

Chip Heard.

[Erica Alexander]

Chip Herd.

[Kim Coles]

Chip Herd. Feels.

[Kim Fields]

Heard was working with Pearl Bailey in hello, Dolly. Yes. So when I was about 5 or 6 years old, mom was doing that Broadway show, and I would go to the theater or I would go and visit when they were touring.

[Erica Alexander]

Did you were born in Harlem?

[Kim Fields]

I love the. Yes, I was born in Harlem. And I loved going to see the backstage, the process, you know, the BTS of it all. I loved seeing the costumes and the way they were building the sets. And the props and all of that. And when Ms. Bailey knew that I was in the audience, she said, little Chip's little girl is here. And she would give me this little bag of cookies in this little thing of, like, cellophane or a little bag.

[Erica Alexander]

Did you keep them?

[Kim Coles]

Hopefully she ate them.

[Kim Fields]

But that's what I really loved about the industry. It really just smacks me in my head when you say, this is your home because. And I know this because it is like just breathing. So being on the sets, I would sit. I would sit on the camera pedestals and watch and learn. And so it's really a trip when I work with people that I learned from camera people and other crew members and things as if I'm a director now and working with them, because I know that they poured into me. And it's a great feeling. It's a great feeling.

[Kim Coles]

What do you love about directing that is so different from acting?

[Kim Fields]

I love being able to speak to the whole video storytelling. And so when you are the actor, you're telling that character's story and you're a part of their narrative, or you might be a part of someone else's narratives, but as that character. So when you're directing, you are speaking to the entire vision, the entire narrative. You're the head coach, and you've got all these other coaches and players with you to, you know, get the championship.

[Kim Coles]

I admire you for being. You're not only an actor's director. You know how to talk to your crew. You know how to get the best out of your crew. And what a lot of people don't know is that a lot of filmmaking is problem solving like this is here, but we really need it to be here. Well, let's fix the shot so we make it happen. And so you work with people who are happy to help you lift that vision. It's fun to watch.

[Kim Fields]

Thank you. Thank you. Well, part of it for me is you want to inspire your crew to keep getting up and showing up in a really special way and do what they do. And a lot of crew have been in the game for a long time. And so to feel like there's something new to do, there's something exciting to do, and you don't want to. At least for me, as a director or producer, I never want anybody to feel that it's my way or the highway, you know, it's not just I'm able to provide a blueprint because you have to be able to have a vision. But then from there, now you come and Paint with me. And you come and paint with me. And you come and paint with me. And then that way everyone feels like, oh, I'm contributing and I'm a creative too, as opposed to just, well, let me just do what she said. Absolutely not.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. I call it being like you're a tool and then you're the tool maker.

[Kim Fields]

Okay. Yeah, yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

I mean, what's it like being like the gateway drug for, you know? Well, there's young people like Zendaya and Keke Palmer who transitioned from, you know, cute kids to like these really phenomenal female sex symbol types. And you definitely showed them the way. You know, I'm not saying they're hussies or nothing, but they really did learn from you.

[Kim Fields]

I don't know about that, but thank you.

[Erica Alexander]

Child starred sex symbol. No, that's real.

[Kim Fields]

Well, I have no words. I have no. I'm, you know, at best a working actor, you know, and a craftsman. And that's not like, oh, so much humble pie. No, it's just, that's really my perspective on it. That's my take on. It's a very surreal existence. And there was no real blueprint for me on how to do it on any side of the camera.

[Erica Alexander]

And they have so much more opportunity to be absorbed into a larger system because of what you did. That's what makes it more amazing. I mean, for all that you've done, there were very few jobs to be had by anyone. It's not just creating the quality, the mental stamina, the endurance, the resilience, but also so not being brought down by discouragement.

[Kim Fields]

That's a big one. And that's not to say that's why when I wrote my autobiography, I started it off with an excerpt from the Langston Hughes poem where it says, well, son, I'll tell you, life for me ain't been no crystal stare.

[Erica Alexander]

That's real.

[Kim Fields]

Because people don't think that I've been through anything. People think I've just jumped from show to show and gig to gig and it's like, oh, no, there was floundering, but there's plenty of times of there's no work. You create and you create and you try to keep being that self starter and then what gets offered is like, what? And then you have to try desperately not to water seeds of comparison. Well, why they do that, why they get that, how they get that? And supposed to celebrate them. Yeah, girl, go with your magic. Fuck you. So it's very real and it's, it's a lot of mental Calisthenics to keep your soul in check. It's a lot to do. And after a while, I just. I knew that early on I didn't want to be a statistic. I did not want to be some former child star. And that was the end of my story. I felt like I owed my village more. I owed my village a hell of a lot. And that was not going to be the testimony. Not at all, but that you didn't.

[Kim Coles]

See that as a burden, but as a responsibility. There's a lightness in the way you just said it just then. Because there are people.

[Erica Alexander]

I would think it would be a.

[Kim Coles]

Burden carrying them on my back. I gotta do this. But how did you.

[Kim Fields]

I didn't think of that because I didn't feel like I was carrying them. I felt like they were lifting me up. So I never felt like that.

[Erica Alexander]

But it's also a burden to not disappoint the village because I think that there's not enough said about if people are depending on you and then also pointing you out because, like, look, she's the one who made me.

[Kim Coles]

She's counting on you.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. And they're like, well, I gotta give you space to explore. Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

I never looked at it that way. When it really hit me that. That there was an aspect to my life, not my career, but my life, where there was a swath of people who looked at me like I was their own was when I graduated from Pepperdine. And I was the week's best photo in jet. Right? Okay, so jet. JET magazine.

[Erica Alexander]

Listen, let's work it out. Tell them what it is.

[Kim Fields]

Jet magazine was a weekly publication that was black owned. They also owned Ebony, Fashion Fair, cosmetics. And when you were the week's best photo. Now, they had a few in that every week, they had a few photos of moments they captured around town that, you know that week.

[Kim Coles]

Some beauty, a bathing suit.

[Kim Fields]

Right? But that was the beauty of the week. I was never that. Never that. But when you were the first one, and it said on the photo, this week's best photo. And it was me graduating from college.

[Erica Alexander]

Come on, girl.

[Kim Fields]

That's one of those signals of, oh, shit. Just got real in a very different kind of way. So, I mean, I thank you for connecting those dots. I would have never connected them. I've never seen it that way. But I also, from my village, I just. I never took it as pressure. I never took it as I grew up too fast or. I mean, just none of that. It was always. It was support.

[Erica Alexander]

That does come down to the DNA of the child. You just have that in you that you can take a tremendous amount of pressure. You know, that's just what it is. And like a stone makes it diamond. What do you. What's your advice for longevity in this career? Cause now people are doing albums and all that. But you did albums. You've written memoirs and whatnot as an adult. But you were. I mean, I remember your album. You were singing, he loves me, loves me now. He loves me. He loves me, loves me now.

[Kim Fields]

He loves me for me. And I can only speak to my journey and what my time has been so far. Stay busy, you know, and nowadays you've got so many ways to get your art out there, your. Your creativity out there, even if it's just writing it down in your phone for no one else to see. But when you do release it, make sure it's quality. Guys, come on with the bushes. Stop, stop, stop. Having low quality stuff.

[Erica Alexander]

That's right.

[Kim Fields]

There's no excuse. There's no excuse nowadays now. But I can't really function with an idle mind. I'm no good. And so that immediately sucks the life out of me. It pulls the wind out of my sails. So that is one of the ways, you know, now there's a truckload that I have, you know, created to stay busy and creative and all that. They ain't seen the light of day.

[Erica Alexander]

Do you know she was directing Kenan and Kel?

[Kim Coles]

I did not know that.

[Erica Alexander]

Kenan and Kel, when we were on hiatus from Living Single, she was. And they did like a full 26 episodes, was directing at least half of the Kenan and Kel, every single. I didn't know till now. Why didn't you tell anybody?

[Kim Fields]

I mean, what do I say? Hey, guys, I'm off to do Kenan and Kel's show on this note.

[Erica Alexander]

I mean, again, it just makes me wonder because you're very close in the space, but doesn't necessarily mean you know each other like you people expect that.

[Kim Fields]

So here's how my perspective is of me, my self perception in my career. I'm like a running back. I take the ball. I keep my head down and I just keep moving. I just keep moving. I just plow through. I shake some shit off of me if I have to. I depend on my village to block the shit if necessary.

[Erica Alexander]

Wow.

[Kim Fields]

And then. But I just, I keep going. And then, you know, once I'm innocent and oh, okay. But that. And then, you know, got a fresh set of downs and me going, do it. So I don't really, you know, Kiki and hang out and all of that. Just do the work. Yeah, there you go.

[Erica Alexander]

Just do the work.

[Kim Coles]

Just do the work.

[Kim Fields]

But I have a. I have a fire in my belly to do it. I love what the hell. I do. I love our industry and to be alive at this time.

[Erica Alexander]

Come on.

[Kim Fields]

Where we. I mean, look. Look what's happening right now. Outrageous. It's incredible. So that's what exceeds me. That's a legacy, keeps me going.

[Erica Alexander]

That's real.

[Kim Fields]

Well, I mean, thank you.

[Erica Alexander]

Past the characters, but if anybody say, like, that's a person who, as you say, you run the ball. But as many touchdowns as you made and to have the resilience and still be enthusiastic about it, not jaded. That's a victory.

[Kim Fields]

Very much so. I got my mind. I don't take that for granted. And that's a choice. Don't you think that's a choice?

[Kim Coles]

It is choice based on all these other. Absolutely it is.

[Kim Fields]

Absolutely it is. It's a choice. And you have to go through the process to choose every day that you wake up to walk in your sanity or whatever version of that.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Coles]

This looks like sanity day. This is so good. I'm loving this. But now it's time to hear from the people, from the fans, from the family responsible for our success. Success over the years.

[Erica Alexander]

Yes, they are true blue. Get it?

[Kim Fields]

I do.

[Kim Coles]

We'd love to hear questions from you. So you just go to reliving single podcastartbeat.com to get your questions in. We want to answer these questions for you.

[Erica Alexander]

S A R T. Right?

[Kim Fields]

Heart.

[Erica Alexander]

So, Kim, do you mind? Could you do us the honor and read our first?

[Kim Fields]

I would love to.

[Kim Coles]

Question.

[Kim Fields]

First questions. Here we go. Thank you. Thank you. All right, we've got Jessica from Cleveland, Ohio. Oh, John's hometown. Jinx, Yomi. And Sprite.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Kim Fields]

Are y' all gonna have a reboot? Okay.

[Erica Alexander]

Gosh. Okay. Do we need to redo that one?

[Kim Fields]

Okay.

[Kim Coles]

Are we not gonna answer that question?

[Erica Alexander]

No. Come on.

[Kim Fields]

Yeah, it's fine.

[Kim Coles]

All right, I wanna know.

[Kim Fields]

Kristin from Chicago, Illinois. All right. Are y' all gonna have a reboot?

[Kim Coles]

Oh, wow. All right. What's the next one?

[Kim Fields]

Okay, they're all.

[Kim Coles]

Okay.

[Kim Fields]

They all. Natalie from Spokane, Jasmine from Miami. So everybody, Tasha from Des Moines, Iowa. Y' all know good and goddamn well ain't nobody named Tasha from Des Moines, Iowa. Cut that shit out.

[Kim Coles]

Why not?

[Erica Alexander]

Wait a minute.

[Kim Coles]

Is it gonna be a reboot?

[Erica Alexander]

Listen, Nicole, Hannah Jones is from Iowa, so come on.

[Kim Coles]

Okay, okay.

[Erica Alexander]

1619 Project One of the blackest people in America. From Iowa.

[Kim Coles]

From Des Moines. Okay, okay.

[Erica Alexander]

Not from Des Moines.

[Kim Coles]

Okay.

[Kim Fields]

Well, there you go.

[Erica Alexander]

From Waterloo. That's the question we get asked the most.

[Kim Fields]

Yes. That is. When is. When is the reboot? Let's have a reboot. And, I mean, y' all just be out here demanding it on the streets, demanding it. So, you know, that AI thing that was out with the babies of us.

[Kim Coles]

Oh, my goodness.

[Kim Fields]

There's your reboot, people. It's an origin story. Enjoy it and let it be.

[Erica Alexander]

Yes. I love it.

[Kim Fields]

Thank God. We've all been busy and not been able to. But, you know, again, reboots can be tricky because you can. You can't just throw us together. Like, where would we be in, you know, 25 years or whatever? It's like almost surgery, you know, and so you mess it up. If we messed around and didn't get.

[Kim Coles]

It right, can I tell you that.

[Kim Fields]

There would be hell to pay? Nobody wants that. Nobody wants that.

[Kim Coles]

One of my favorite comments from someone on social media, it was a whole thread about the reboot, and this person said, nope, I don't want one. It already lives for me in a perfect space. I know who the characters are. I know in my mind what they're doing. And if they did a reboot and it was different, and, you know, you've heard people go, like, why did they do it that way? Why did they take that character that way? Right now it looks perfect. I'm saying, nope. So you'll just have to do with this, I suppose.

[Erica Alexander]

That's right.

[Kim Coles]

Here we are reliving.

[Erica Alexander]

Well, Kim, again, thank you. It's beautiful to sit here and have this conversation and just look you in your eyes. Frankly, I don't know about you, but it makes me feel pretty vulnerable. You know, I think that when we left the show, we left the show, we didn't necessarily get a chance to say goodbye or sit around and talk about it. You know, it's a lot of water in the bridge.

[Kim Coles]

And then quickly, with a half season, just like. And we're going.

[Erica Alexander]

So this is some. This is a gift we give ourselves to talk about something that, you know, it's fun for everyone else. It's work and life for us, but it's also. There's all sorts of different combinations of feelings that are attached, but there's a ton of love.

[Kim Fields]

Ton of love. Ton of love and gratitude and acknowledgement. Gratitude of what a game changer. Not only that the show was and continues to be, but, you guys, we are all game changers. We're beautiful disruptors. And I will, I will gladly, gladly, gladly do the dance with you guys.

[Kim Coles]

Well, that's our episode with the one and only Kim Fields. Thank you for coming here.

[Erica Alexander]

We love you, too.

[Kim Coles]

I love you, too. And please come back.

[Kim Fields]

What do you say? Oh, yeah. I'm back. I'm back. Yeah, I'm back. Yep.

[Kim Coles]

Y' all heard.

[Kim Fields]

Dare y' all to have somebody else up in this chair. How about that?

[Kim Coles]

How about that? Stay tuned. You all write us at reliving single podcasteartbeat.com and share, share and tell us.

[Erica Alexander]

Share. And because we do so much. On the wings of. Of your backs. Did that sound right?

[Kim Coles]

Yeah. On the backs of their wings.

[Erica Alexander]

The backs of their wings.

[Kim Coles]

We fly.

[Erica Alexander]

We fly. Whatever.

[Kim Coles]

We need you in the episode. See y' all next week. Reliving Single is hosted by Erica Alexander and me, Kim Coles. Reliving Single Again is a production of Heartbeat in association with Color Farm Media, executive produced by Kevin Hart, Jeff Clanagan, Eric Eddings, Leslie Guam, Erica Alexander and Ben R. Nan. This show is produced by Kim Coles. Amber Watson is our senior producer. Our associate producer is Kenny Jackson. Our video editor is Shannon Joy Rogers. Our sound engineers are excellent, Eric Hicks and Cedric Wilson. Production supervision by Razak Boykin. Additional production support from Alex Atkins and Z. Taylor, and a Special thanks to Dr. E.J. johnson.