Best Of Full Interview: Kevin Hart & Will Packer Talk ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,’ Industry Relationships + More

Summary

The Breakfast Club Podcast Summary Episode: Best Of Full Interview: Kevin Hart & Will Packer Talk ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,’ Industry Relationships + More
Release Date: December 30, 2024
Hosts: DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God
Guests: Will Packer and Kevin Hart

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1. Introduction and Guest Appearances

The episode kicks off with DJ Envy welcoming listeners and introducing Charlamagne Tha God as co-hosts. Taraji P. Henson briefly joins to announce her maternity leave and congratulate the team on the birth of Lauren Larosis. The main guests, Will Packer and Kevin Hart, are introduced to discuss their collaboration on the film ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.’

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2. The Dynamic Between Will Packer and Kevin Hart

A significant portion of the conversation delves into the intricate relationship between Will Packer and Kevin Hart. Charlamagne Tha God reflects on past collaborations, highlighting how ‘Think Like a Man’ was a pivotal project that elevated Kevin's career alongside Ice Cube’s involvement. He emphasizes the challenges they've faced, particularly referencing a time when Kevin was reportedly hungover during a crucial shoot.

Charlamagne Tha God (04:14):
"Kevin is at a point now he can get away with the shit. You know what I'm saying? He's Kevin Hart. Right?"

Sam Jackson (05:32):
"I was working. I own the weekend. I have to show face."

The hosts express frustration over Kevin's absence due to alleged intoxication, which almost derailed their projects. Sam Jackson defends himself, stating he didn’t go out and was committed to his responsibilities, while Charlamagne criticizes Kevin's tendency to overbook himself, complicating their collaborative efforts.

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3. Production Challenges and Collaboration

The discussion shifts to the production dynamics of ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.’ Will Packer shares insights on transitioning from a comedy-centric role to a dramatic one, emphasizing the depth and seriousness they aimed for in the project. He acknowledges Kevin Hart’s significant role in pushing the project forward despite the challenges.

Will Packer (14:44):
"When it comes to producing and development or it came to packaging, Will Packer is the guy that was the definition of what that was."

Charlamagne Tha God (09:48):
"Because Universal called and said, why are y'all over budget and not able to finish the movie?"

The conversation underscores the importance of strong industry relationships and mutual support in overcoming obstacles during production. Will praises Charlamagne for his unwavering support and collaborative spirit, highlighting that their joint efforts have significantly contributed to their current success.

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4. The Importance of Storytelling and Representation

A crucial theme revolves around authentic storytelling and the representation of black culture in Hollywood. Will Packer and Charlamagne discuss how ‘Fight Night’ portrays complex characters within the black community, aiming to reflect real-life struggles and aspirations.

Charlamagne Tha God (15:16):
"Fight Night is the definition of going above and beyond."

Taraji P. Henson (45:06):
"But you know, that's what I like about the movie Fight Night, right? Cause it seems like, like they show each character in the movie as a hero in their own story, but a villain in somebody else's."

They emphasize that the film presents multi-dimensional characters, blurring the lines between heroes and villains to depict the nuanced realities of their lives. Will adds that collaboration and prioritizing collective success over individual egos are essential for creating impactful and enduring content.

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5. Managing Egos and Fostering Collaboration

The hosts and guests delve into the complexities of managing big personalities in the entertainment industry. Charlamagne Tha God acknowledges the difficulty of balancing creative visions while maintaining harmonious relationships.

Charlamagne Tha God (25:18):
"Kevin has an amazing show at Madison Square Garden. All the celebs come out afterwards. We had an after party that he did not tell me about."

Sam Jackson (25:25):
"You can't think I'm a professional because the director and a producer are with me. So you can't think I'm an."

They discuss strategies for fostering collaboration, such as prioritizing the greater good and aligning individual goals with the project's objectives. Will Packer reiterates the importance of teamwork and the collective effort required to produce quality content.

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6. The Future of 'Fight Night' and Legacy Building

Looking ahead, the conversation shifts to the future projects and the lasting impact they aim to achieve. Will Packer speaks passionately about building a legacy through meaningful stories that resonate with audiences and contribute positively to black culture.

Will Packer (34:44):
"Collaboration, egos, etc. Ask yourself, what version are you? What side are you on?"

Charlamagne Tha God (45:44):
"It's about complex people at a complex time."

They emphasize that ‘Fight Night’ is just the beginning of their efforts to tell significant stories that honor their roots and inspire future generations.

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7. Social Responsibility and Voting

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts and guests take a moment to discuss social responsibility, particularly the importance of voting. Charlamagne Tha God encourages listeners to participate in the electoral process to effect meaningful change.

Charlamagne Tha God (54:13):
"Lastly, I want everybody to vote. That's the last thing I was saying."

Taraji P. Henson (54:15):
"I'm voting for Kamala Harris."

They highlight how individual actions, such as voting, can contribute to broader societal improvements and underscore the podcast's commitment to fostering informed and active communities.

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8. Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with a light-hearted exchange and promotional messages. DJ Envy and Charlamagne sign off by encouraging listeners to engage with their upcoming projects and continue supporting authentic storytelling in Hollywood.

DJ Envy (55:25):
"The Breakfast Club. Good morning, y'all."

Charlamagne Tha God (54:47):
"Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club."

---

Key Takeaways

• Collaboration Over Egos: Success in the entertainment industry relies heavily on strong relationships and teamwork, as demonstrated by the partnership between Will Packer and Kevin Hart.
• Authentic Storytelling: ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist’ serves as a testament to the power of authentic narratives that reflect complex characters and real-life challenges within the black community.
• Social Responsibility: The hosts emphasize the importance of civic engagement, particularly voting, in driving societal change.
• Legacy Building: The discussion underscores the importance of leaving a lasting legacy through meaningful and impactful projects that inspire future generations.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Charlamagne Tha God (04:14): "Kevin is at a point now he can get away with the shit. You know what I'm saying? He's Kevin Hart. Right?"
• Will Packer (14:44): "When it comes to producing and development or it came to packaging, Will Packer is the guy that was the definition of what that was."
• Taraji P. Henson (45:06): "But you know, that's what I like about the movie Fight Night, right? Cause it seems like, like they show each character in the movie as a hero in their own story, but a villain in somebody else's."
• Charlamagne Tha God (25:18): "Kevin has an amazing show at Madison Square Garden. All the celebs come out afterwards. We had an after party that he did not tell me about."
• Charlamagne Tha God (54:13): "Lastly, I want everybody to vote. That's the last thing I was saying."

---

This episode of The Breakfast Club offers an in-depth look into the collaborative efforts behind successful Hollywood projects, highlighting the importance of authentic storytelling, strong industry relationships, and social responsibility. Listeners gain valuable insights into the complexities of producing meaningful content while navigating personal and professional challenges.

Transcript

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[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Will Packer]

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[Kevin Hart]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy Jess. Hilarious Charlemagne the guy we are the Breakfast Club. Jess is out today.

[Taraji P. Henson]

That's right. She's on maternity leave.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So. Lauren Larosis. Congratulations.

[DJ Envy]

And we got some special guests in the building. Ladies and gentlemen, we have Will Packer.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's right. What's happening?

[Sam Jackson]

And we have Kevin Hart.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Kevin Hart.

[DJ Envy]

He's here. He's here.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We have what's left? Kevin Hart.

[Sam Jackson]

So Kevin was supposed to be here.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Can I tell you the irony of this?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right?

[Taraji P. Henson]

Kev's hungover right now, but if you read the first chapter in Will Packer's book, he has a chapter called We Gonna Die Tonight, right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is true.

[Taraji P. Henson]

And it's essentially this story. This is what you were worried about, Will Charlamagne. This is what you were concerned about?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Listen, brother, he almost ruined both our careers.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is not. This is not the first time. No, no, listen. See, the difference is that Kevin is at a point now he can get away with the shit. You know what I'm saying? He's Kevin Hart. Right? So, you know, people would just wait and bend over backwards and all that. There's a time when it was the biggest movie of both of our careers, right along with Ice Cube. And we had done Think Like a Man. That was the one that really kind of catapulted Kevin, right? And everybody was like, okay, what's he gonna do next? Like what? What are they gonna do next? So this was the ones, the biggest budget of our careers, everything. And Kevin, did I lie to you? You remember what happened?

[Sam Jackson]

Did I lie to you?

[Taraji P. Henson]

You did lie.

[Sam Jackson]

Did I lie?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You absolutely lied.

[Sam Jackson]

Did we get what we were supposed to get? And did we get back to where we were supposed to be.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Barely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So envy. We were shooting.

[Sam Jackson]

Did we get back to where we were supposed to be?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We barely got back.

[Sam Jackson]

Kevin, why you all the time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You see this? This is. People wonder what a producer does, right? They ask me. This is what a producer does. You see. You see him smelling the coffee.

[Sam Jackson]

You see him trying to.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Trying to get oxygen in his veins. He trying to come back to life. This is what it looks like.

[DJ Envy]

So Kev was supposed to be. Y'all was supposed to be here. 3 hours earlier 4 hours earlier oh, boy.

[Sam Jackson]

What's your issue?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, first of all, tell me why.

[Sam Jackson]

The people on radio need to know that it's radio. So you think they need a fucking breakdown.

[DJ Envy]

Four hours earlier and they said, kev can't make it because he's sick. And we all said, bullshit, he was drunk because he went out last night.

[Sam Jackson]

I did not go out last night. So let's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Let's. That's actually true, by the way.

[Sam Jackson]

I do not go out. I'm 45 years old. I don't go to clubs. I don't go to parties. I was working. I did promos. That's my weekend. I own the weekend. I have to show face. I have to be there.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, Charlemagne, don't hype him up.

[Sam Jackson]

Charlie, I gotta be here.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You're not helping.

[Sam Jackson]

We artists, we have clubs. I gotta show face. I'm the brand.

[DJ Envy]

So you do go to the club?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No. Well, yes.

[Sam Jackson]

No. On all seriousness, so last night, you know, we're doing promo and everything for fight night. We're rolling out all of the carpet of the carpets. So before the actual premiere. Premiere, we announced it, but I had to leave because I had to do Seth Meyers. And Seth Meyers has a segment called Drinking with Seth. And you. You go to a bar and Seth makes these drinks or whatever, and it's like, you know, for hour and a half to two hours, you're drinking throughout the interview.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What could go wrong with that?

[Sam Jackson]

And, you know, I don't drink anything outside of my tequila at this point in my life. So, you know, anything else? Anything else, I'm very unfamiliar with. And Seth said, let's close it out with your tequila, but let's start it with everything. So he threw it all at me. Like, I'm talking, it's Jagermeister and Wild Turkey. I mean, we were brown, we were dark.

[Will Packer]

Kevin, you too old. You too old to be busted.

[Taraji P. Henson]

But no one's a complete sentence.

[Sam Jackson]

You can. But you have to understand the beauty of good Television. And it was a good conversation, great interview. And while we're drinking, for good reason behind the answers. And we, we finished it with the tequila. We went through a lot and I just don't remember the back half of the time. And that's why I didn't show up to the after party. I missed that. And this morning at 6am I would have been here, bro, why couldn't you.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Miss the after party after the Garden that night? So y'all could have just got back to, you know, Atlanta.

[Sam Jackson]

Cause we weren't drinking, that's why. I don't understand why he's being a bitch. Like, we had a good time, Kevin.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It was our muffin.

[Sam Jackson]

We weren't fucked up. Like, oh man, where's my jacket? We were just out. I had a show.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Biggest movie of our career. Okay, where's your Tampa? And he leaves.

[Sam Jackson]

Christ.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He books a show at Madison Square Garden. He tapes a comedy special in the middle of our movie.

[Sam Jackson]

I tour while filming a movie faithfully, he does.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Which is not a good thing, boys and girls. Like, when you looking at how to be successful, like, don't overbook yourself. That one thing about my friend here, do it opposite.

[Sam Jackson]

Cuz I'm a bad example.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nobody's going to overwork him.

[Sam Jackson]

I'm a bad example.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Overwork him.

[Sam Jackson]

Don't do what Kevin Har did. Look at his career. He's been doing it wrong this whole time. It's the stupidest I've ever heard. Oh, I'm sorry, kids. Kevin booked a live show in Madison Square Garden, taped the special and got to work and on time for the biggest movie in his career.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was going to say, people that are listening know. It's cuz you have people around you who will save you. You have folks that will save him. And that's what happened. He booked it, right? And so he left the show in the middle of it, right? Biggest movie for Universal Studios. He leaves. But you know what he does? Because this is the ev. Genius of Kevin Hart. He goes, hey man, I gotta do this show. It's next week. You know, he tells me a week before he goes, hey, you know what? You and Tim Story, the director come like, he's like, I got the jet, you know what? Bring the wine. So my dumb ass, I'm like, you know what? And you know what he said? He said, that way you can make sure that we get back on time. Because I knew we had to shoot the next day. So we were shooting one day, he's gonna go do the show. That night. And then we had to shoot the next morning on a location we could only get that day.

[Sam Jackson]

You know what it's called?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's like, come with an alibi.

[Sam Jackson]

So to get.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's absolutely right. Absolutely right.

[Sam Jackson]

That's a lie.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's absolutely right.

[Sam Jackson]

You can't think I'm a professional because the director and a producer are with me. So you can't think I'm an. They would beat an asshole.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Kevin has an amazing show at Madison Square Garden. All the celebs come out afterwards. We had an after party that he did not tell me about. I'm in there with Carmelo Anthony, buying bottles, going, oh, we dying tonight. We turning up tonight.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Why is. Wars have power. Why are we gonna die tonight?

[Sam Jackson]

This is what. Well, we gonna die tonight means we're having a good time. If you're choosing to die over life, how good of a time is that, huh? Last night, I didn't say we gonna die tonight. I was like, oh, this is work.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When I was in that club and I saw my career flashing before my eyes. Cause I realized there was no way we gonna be able to get back in time. I had that moment. Cause I'm sitting there looking at Kev, and I realized we're not gonna make it. And Kev looks at me, he goes, well, we tried. We tried.

[DJ Envy]

That was it.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Remember?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Unusual Suspects? When he realized that Kaiser Soze was sitting in front, I looked at Kevin Hart and I realized that he had convinced me, the producer and director of the movie, to get on a jet with him. So that when Universal called and said, why are y'all over budget and not able to finish the movie? And they say, well, Kevin Hart, Will Packer and Tim Story were there. So the producer went with them. It would be on me. I was complicit. I realized that was his evil plan all in alone.

[Taraji P. Henson]

You called him a diabolical rascal spawn of Satan.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's true.

[Sam Jackson]

And he means that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I love him, but that's true. Truer words never spoken.

[Sam Jackson]

Sir, I will ask you and your listeners, what is a life without a great story? It's something that can't be talked about. It's untold. A life without stories is nothing. You need fucking stories good and the bad. He's bitching about a great story. And by the way, that story did what? Amplified our relationship. And look at where we are now.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Fight night, huh?

[Sam Jackson]

We're talking about something else that we're yet in business. And we produced and developed together. Do we get here without that moment. No, we do not. So why did you still want to.

[DJ Envy]

Be his friend after that?

[Sam Jackson]

After you figured that out, you could.

[DJ Envy]

Have said, you know what? This relationship no longer happens.

[Sam Jackson]

See what I'm saying?

[DJ Envy]

But you decided to jump in.

[Sam Jackson]

You needed me. You need a. You need to get to that head envy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm so afraid that if I leave Kevin Hart's life, he'll just implode, right? He just burn up on the spot. I just don't know what he'd do without him. I'll be honest with you.

[Sam Jackson]

It's close to being over. It's ghost.

[Will Packer]

What is it about you two that work so well though? Cuz even like just here with you guys in person, it's like I could. I could listen to this back and forth all day long, like real talk.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We're each other's most frequent collaborators. Kev done a ton of movies. I've done a ton of movies, TV projects. We haven't worked with anybody else more than we work with each other.

[Sam Jackson]

I'll give you. I'll give Will this on air. And half of it is because I'm still drunk and drunk, by the way, offer some of the best tequila in the market. Commercial. But it's just a time to let people know when it comes to smooth taste and it comes to. Well, you gotta understand what and why Grand Coramino is that and has been that, which is why I drink it at the level that I do. But it's not about that right now. It's not about the product. It's about the passion. And let's get to that. And we'll toast to that after with Grand Coramino. I will say this about Will. I don't say it enough that people don't understand it. And I think they should. I don't get to where I got in career or business without the information and relationship of Will Packer. You know what I mean? Like when it came to producing and when it came to development or it came to packaging, Will Packer is the guy that was the definition of what that was. So from the early days of Think Like a Man, he was the producer that came to me and said, hey, I got this thing, I want to do this thing. And I think you're the guy. And those are words. Words without action are just that. He put action behind the words. Everything he said he would do, he did. He got the people he ranger wrangled the directors, the actors, the actresses, the producer, partners, writers, etc. He can figure the way to formulate and Activate. And I was like, God damn, man. Like, how do you do that? And he taught me. Will taught me how to do it. And as I progressed, I never forgot who he was and what he was. So our relationship today is based off of never forget. Like, you don't. You don't forget the real side of, like, success attached to just care. He gave a fuck about me then, he gives more fuck about me now. In return, I double down on my level of give a fuck about him. So I don't want to win if I can't figure out a way to win with my brother. So the commitment that we made was, hey, man, let's figure out a way to continue. Although, Kev, you're doing and you have, but how do we still do? And I love the fact that we still are, and we're committed to figuring out more ways to do more. And what you're seeing today is a definition of what we want people to follow through with. Like, we are no egos. We are help your brother so he can help you. We are that. And. And I think it's the best story in Hollywood if people were more privy to how deep and, like, in depth it actually is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Facts, right?

[Sam Jackson]

Yeah.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Real Talk, the Fight Night TV show, right? It shows these characters operating within a black world where they all hold power. So to your point, Kev, how effective has that concept been for you both in the world of Hollywood?

[Sam Jackson]

I think it hasn't been effective enough. And I think, you know, when you look at the Ice Cube and Kevin Hart of it all, the middle common denominator, Packering. All right, guys, let's do this, but let's make it. And Cube come in and, like, there's always a through line of connectivity, and that person has to be willing to go above and beyond. Fight Night is the definition of going above and beyond. All right, Kev, I got this idea. The idea came after I was supposed to do Uptown Saturday Night. Uptown Saturday Night was gonna be me and Chadwick Boseman. Rest in peace to the legend himself. Fuck. Oh, my God. I had no idea. Well, I don't wanna do this anymore.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Anymore.

[Sam Jackson]

I can't do that without Chadwick. That project is dead to me. Will had the actual rights, the original story, the true story. So Will came to me, I said, will, I can't do a comedy because of this. Can it be serious? Can we do it in a way to where it's, like, a lot deeper, raw, real? He said, kevin, absolutely. Hey, the podcast was. Points me to the podcast that he was A part of that understood. Etc. All right, this is like real information now, real knowledge. Well, I'm a fuck with it because it's you. But let's make sure that we try to go above and beyond to package it correctly. How do we do a premium. A premium cultural, like, piece of IP that has the bandwidth to live forever? And you can't do that without big stars. To get big stars, you need real relationships. So the leverage of understanding that we both shared and that we had at the top of get the studio's commitment, get the studio to back and support, then go get the talent. And I gotta be honest with you, my guy was a big part of all of that conversation. And I followed the lead of most. And I think where we were collaborative was dope as fuck. And the outcome was amazing. Talent configuration. And now an example of what the business should follow through with, which is collaboration. Collaboration. You can win more together, you win less as an individual. How do you put yourself in a position to collaborate more? So if we can be the example of, hopefully most will follow through and hopefully we can do more, people will say, oh, that's great, because they do dope shit. And here's an example of it. Let's do some dope shit with them. That's where I'm at in my career now. I could care less about the individual star of Kevin Hart. I'm looking for the moments. I'm looking for the ip and I'm looking for the evergreen, like, material. You can't do that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That part is true. I will tell you that Kevin's definitely reached a part in his career. A moment in his career where you've had success and it's like, how do you grow? How do you work with people that you respect? And how do you build a machine that then empowers others? It's interesting, Charlamagne, you talked about the world of Fight Night. Fight Night is really about a group of hustlers, dreamers, entrepreneurs who were trying to take Atlanta and turn it into something. This is back in 1970, right? Martin Luther King had just been shot a couple years earlier. Atlanta was, like, seen as a small country town that had a couple civil rights folks. People didn't know if it was gonna be the next Charlotte or Birmingham, and nothing wrong with those cities, but it definitely wasn't looked at on the level of, like, a global superpower or New York, Chicago, Louisiana. You know, it was Atlanta, and it was not respected. But you had a group of folks which is not unlike how black Hollywood is, right? Now, where you got a group of dreamers trying to figure out how do we work together? Now, of course, in Fight Night, you got, you know, a character who's Kevin's character. He's a hustler. He's going, yo, give me a shot. Give me a chance. I can just turn Atlanta into something great.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Chicken man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Chicken man. Weirdly, Sam Jackson, who plays the big gangster, the black godfather in the show, he actually has also got a dream, too, right? Even though he's a big gangster, he's running the black mafia. His dream is saying, you know what? The white man's been holding me down for a very long time. If y'all give me a shot at an opportunity, I can take over Atlanta. I can turn Atlanta into a black Mecca. Oddly, even though, like, Kevin, Sam's characters are at odds for most of the series, the reality is that they have the same kind of a dream. That's kind of how it is right now in terms of, like, folks like us in Hollywood, in real life, who are all trying to work together.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Is it true that Samuel L. Jackson was really there in Atlanta during that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right there, dawg. He was at Morehouse.

[Sam Jackson]

Yeah, Sam, old as fuck.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I wouldn't have said it like that. Kevin Sam might hear this.

[Sam Jackson]

I remember, like, we were. We were on a call with Sam at the start of it when Sam said, like, yo, he liked it, he would do it. We were on the call, we going through the material, seeing what Sam said about the character. Sam's like, yeah, man, y'all gotta change a lot of the shit because more happened. Then I was like, well, Sam, you know, I think we got the story, you know? Cause we. You know, the podcast and everything. We got the real information. I was there.

[Taraji P. Henson]

He did.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He definitely did.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Yeah.

[Sam Jackson]

What do you mean by that motherfucker? That happened? Like, Sam, he's very adamant about telling you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Sam Jackson]

Where he was, what he knows. So the story of Fight Night got better. It got so much better as we went on. Oh, my God. She is the best, by the way. You and me. I mean, since the joke with the little mic, we have never left that stage. You are the best.

[DJ Envy]

She has some more jokes later, by the way.

[Sam Jackson]

I'm gonna answer them all. This right here. Got her. Whatever. She's right here. This right here. I need green streets, brother. There's a chance right now I may not make it to the end of this interview. I'm giving y'all everything I got to try to save.

[DJ Envy]

When you did the interview.

[Sam Jackson]

Never sound.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Like you rambling you always make sense.

[Sam Jackson]

It's gonna fall off towards the end. Did you see? Did you see?

[DJ Envy]

Yo, yo. We. We.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Look at the irony.

[DJ Envy]

Look who's over you on that.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Look at this, man.

[Sam Jackson]

I mean, and.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is that Chadwick? Sam and Chadwick and Kev. Wow.

[DJ Envy]

How's the scale, Will, as far as just kept size?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, because he'd be smaller. But the point is, standing up in.

[Sam Jackson]

That photo, that's crazy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He just told that story.

[Sam Jackson]

That story is 1000% accurate.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wow.

[Sam Jackson]

For the listeners. If you guys go watch don't this up, which is a documentary. Documentary.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Documentary on Netflix.

[Sam Jackson]

Documentary on Netflix about when I went through, like, some of my worst times in the business and the things that I was juggling during the duration of that time. You'll see me and Chadwick actively meeting about Uptown Saturday night. Me and Chadwick before. Before us going to the final stages. We wanted to make sure that we were on the same page with the characters, the story, and the development. And Chadwick was an active producer in it. He had his partners there. You'll see it. And don't fuck this up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So the fact that y'all got a mural right with him with Kevin Hart and Chadwick, and then Sam Jackson, who he ended up making that same project with, that's insane. That's wild.

[Sam Jackson]

That's insane. You know what, man? And. And I don't do this often, but I'm gonna drink a shot of Grand Corino to that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You do that very often. I think that's. That's why.

[Sam Jackson]

It's a moment of understanding.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Sam Jackson]

It's a moment of understanding.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Sam Jackson]

And it's a moment of celebration. Man, that right there is celebratory.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's awesome.

[Sam Jackson]

And I just want to take a shot to my brother.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Let's do it. We all do the shot. Come on.

[DJ Envy]

You said they did that. Your feet didn't touch the ground. That was Charlamagne's.

[Taraji P. Henson]

On a chair.

[Sam Jackson]

I'm sitting on a chair.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, my bad.

[DJ Envy]

I'm sorry.

[Sam Jackson]

I never said. I said. I never said anything about my feet.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Sorry. I'm sorry. He said it wasn't to scale. It's not to scale. No, no. I said yes.

[Sam Jackson]

Hbcu.

[DJ Envy]

I do this anytime. Will Packer come? Cuz he always says famu. So I put Hampton University.

[Sam Jackson]

You know what's crazy? A lot of old that can't let college go do this. A lot of old that refuse to just accept it's over envy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When you. When you with a cat that never went to any School at all.

[Sam Jackson]

All.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He didn't go to a. Historically, nothing.

[Sam Jackson]

I'll tell you what. I didn't. And this is why, like you guys are the example of what you don't want to be HBCU culture.

[Will Packer]

When you went to hbcu, you don't let it go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Come on. Let it be known. Where did you go, sis?

[Sam Jackson]

She didn't.

[Will Packer]

Here's your shot.

[Sam Jackson]

She didn't go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I thought I was trying to.

[Will Packer]

Delaware State University.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Let me know it is.

[Sam Jackson]

What do you mean?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I. I know what.

[Sam Jackson]

Delaware State. That's just a. A bunch of on campus. Delaware State.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Shout out. Delaware State. Do not listen to.

[Taraji P. Henson]

You know what I wanted to ask you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, sir.

[Taraji P. Henson]

How do you manage all these big ass personalities, bro? Kevin Hart, Roger P. Henson, Samuel Jackson, Don Cheadle. How do you do it?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, yes. Cheers. First, let me just, you know. Did you drink the whole thing?

[DJ Envy]

Was that fast?

[Sam Jackson]

What are you doing? I poured y'all too big.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Where is your lip? I was wondering. I need my glasses. Back off, sister. I'm a Christian.

[Will Packer]

I can't be up here.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I went to fame. This is not wine. This is not Jesus. Can't turn this into nothing.

[DJ Envy]

Don't you do that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We're not gonna do it on the air. Don't you do.

[Sam Jackson]

Don't you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I am a Christian. I am a Christian. Kevin, don't do it. We're gonna talk it out.

[Sam Jackson]

Look at Mr. Impulse.

[Taraji P. Henson]

I did.

[DJ Envy]

Let me see. I don't drink the whole thing.

[Will Packer]

I never even poured him one.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

See, look at that.

[Sam Jackson]

Yo, real talk, though.

[Will Packer]

You don't know what he do to me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No.

[Will Packer]

Every day I took him down, I didn't pour him a shot. So he ain't take nothing, right?

[Taraji P. Henson]

Oh, really?

[Sam Jackson]

I'm saying as punishment, I wasn't going.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Give him a big shot.

[Sam Jackson]

You don't like his liquor?

[Taraji P. Henson]

I do like it, but I mean.

[Sam Jackson]

I think I gotta work out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

My brother is working. Stay focused. Charlamate. All right, I'm with you, Shoe. Listen, you talked about big personality. That's. That is the hardest part of the job as a producer. You know what I mean? And in real talk, it's. It's awesome when you got somebody like Kev who gets it, who understands at the end of the day what the bigger picture is. But a lot of times, I don't care if it's, you know, Hollywood music, you know, stock market, whatever it is.

[Sam Jackson]

People say, you say, Kevin, right on air.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Huh?

[Sam Jackson]

You talk to them formulas, what you said. How much do you argue With Cam.

[DJ Envy]

Though, because he seems like he's a lot bruh.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Let me tell you something.

[Sam Jackson]

I'm the least problem that you will ever have in any work environment.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's true.

[Sam Jackson]

Unproblematic.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's unproblematic. I mean, the challenge with Kevin is that he will overdo things, right? He'll do things like have a show in Madison Square Garden at the same time that we have a big scene in our movie. Now, he's definitely. He's not a moderation guy. You know what I mean? That's part of the challenge. That's why I'm here on the Breakfast Club. He eating this turkey sandwich, trying to get some grease in his gut.

[Will Packer]

It didn't burn you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You should at least let it cool a little bit. Come on, Animal.

[Sam Jackson]

This is what I needed.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Yeah, this is it.

[DJ Envy]

Now what Hollywood change is.

[Taraji P. Henson]

This is why I can't take care. Listen.

[DJ Envy]

I can't take him serious.

[Taraji P. Henson]

He does a phenomenal job as Chicken man, but I can't take him serious in dramas. Cause it just always seemed like he's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Trying to make you laugh.

[DJ Envy]

There's always jokes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But can I tell you something? Real talk? Chicken Man's his best work yet. I'm telling you. You look at what he's doing with his eyes, and, you know, a lot of people, you know, it's known that comedians, they pull from pain, right? And that's how they deflect. And that's where a lot of the comedy comes from. Kevin, exception. But the reality is that when he said, we got to do this as a drama, that was a big risk because people say, all right, fight night. Kevin Hart starring it. Let's go. I'm ready to laugh. Like you said, Charlamagne. But the reality is that this is serious now. You have moments of levity, but the tone, make no mistake, is dramatic. Like, it goes there.

[Sam Jackson]

I don't want to sound like an. But this may sound is right, Mr. Grand Cr. It may sound asshole.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You gave it to him.

[Sam Jackson]

I did. It's a big jump to the audience that watches of what a talent is doing if you're not used to it. A talent knows what's in their bag. That's true. You know what you can wrangle. You know who you can call, right. You know what you can package and do, right? The operation attached to Drama is project based. If you give me a great project and in the project, I'm supposed to be serious and I'm supposed to have a cadence of. And it is such a great Piece of material that I choose to do, I'll do it the best of my ability. That's called the talent. That's a talent's choice and a talent's decision. It's. What are you. What are you factoring in to you making the decision? I'm not doing it in an environment where it won't be cool, collective, and, like, dope. If I can't work with great people, I can't work with great directors, great producers, great writers, then I don't want to do it. It. I'm at a point in my life where it's about having a good time. This project is relationship based. Every aspect of this project is formulated off of relationship.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's real. By the way, everybody said that too. Sorry, I was just going to say, because Cats don't like a lot of people. Asshole. With that cast, you had to back up the truck. Right? And by the way, you do. Right. These folks deserve, you know, and I'm very proud of the fact that, you know, as a black producer in the business, I definitely take care of folks that look like us and make sure that I pay them on par with their counterparts and their peers. But Kevin is absolutely right. You don't do a show like this unless you want to. Right. Sam Jackson's not doing it for the check.

[Don Cheadle]

Right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And Don Cheadle's not doing it because he's available. They do it because they want to work with certain people because it's subject matter that speaks to them, and that is very, very important. And the other thing, you know, Charlamagne, you brought up a good point that I want to just hit on real quick in terms of, like, the egos and all of that. You gotta make sure that everybody understands that the ultimate goal is everybody's goals. Because once people start thinking, okay, this is for me and I gotta be focused on my own goal and not the greater good, then you will never win. You gotta get people to work in as a team. That's why as a producer, you're like a coach. You're like a general manager. You gotta get everybody to understand that their goals align with your goals. By the way, that is true in any industry, not just Hollywood, but you also need.

[Sam Jackson]

Respectfully, you also need need. You need a collaborative figure at the top to say, I'm gonna. I'm gonna make sure that no matter what, I'm. I'm on a layer and level where everybody can understand that we're all the same. Like, I'm. I'm not coming into a project with my dick on the table. For lack of a better word. I'm not. Yeah, y'all know y'all got definitely a better word.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, there was a better word. I wish you would have found it.

[Sam Jackson]

I don't do that. I'm saying I'm about the greater of good for all. So I come in, hat in hand, and I bow down to all talent on the set because I'm so grateful that the talent is fucking choosing to do whatever the project is that I'm a part of. So for Sam Jackson, I bow down. You're a goddamn legend. You should get the respect that you deserve. Don Cheadle. I bow down. Taraji. I bow down.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Was that awkward?

[Sam Jackson]

I mean, listen, I.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Raji plays Kevin Hart's down. We call it Down Woman, Right? She is his right hand. She is also his mistress. And so there is a scene worded better. Well, she's your down woman.

[DJ Envy]

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[Coca-Cola Advertiser]

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[DJ Envy]

Coca Cola Company you know @&t believes that a voice can change everything. And if you're a podcast junkie like.

[Sam Jackson]

Me, you get it.

[DJ Envy]

The power of hearing someone speak is unmatched. It's why we save their voicemails from our loved ones. They mean something, you know? And when I need a one on one holiday boost, I know who to call. My mom, right? Her voice always makes me feel like home. And when I need to get hyped for something big, it's my best friend, my wife. Her voice gives me that lift I didn't know I needed. AT&T knows the holidays are the perfect time to do just that. Share your voice. If it's been a while since you called someone who matters, now's the time. Because it's more than just a conversation. It's a chance to say something they'll hear forever. So spread a little love with a call this season. Happy holidays from AT&T. Connecting changes everything.

[Don Cheadle]

Hey fam, if you're like me, you're thinking about how to level up in your career. Maybe you're fresh out of college, just starting in your field, or even looking to switch things up and find your true calling. Whatever stage you're in, remember that this is your time to grow, to learn, and to build something that lasts. State Farm understands that early career development is key to long term success. They've been a steady presence in our communities and they know that having the right support early on can make all the difference. State Farm is there to help you make smart moves and to help you get the coverage you need. We all know that the journey to success is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about staying focused, staying grounded, and making sure you're protected every step of the way. Way. Let's build our careers with confidence, knowing that State Farm is there to support us, just like they've always been. Because like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Find out more@state farm.com hey comedy fans.

[Kevin Hart]

The funniest comedians in the world are on tour and you can get tickets to see them live near you. Laugh at the biggest names in comedy like Atsuko Okotuka, Chelsea Handler, Jimmy Carr, Kathy Griffin, Matt Matthews, Matt Rife, Sarah Silverman, Sebastian Maniscalco, Stavros Helkias, Wanda Sykes, and so many more. All kinds of shows, all kinds of venues, all kinds of funny. Head to livenation.comcomedy to get your tickets today. That's livenation.comcomedy he asked, was it awkward?

[Sam Jackson]

What I'm saying is I have no problem with being equal and I think once again I'm going to highlight this as much as I possibly can. That's the version of the example that I want to get out there. I want the collaborative side of our culture connecting. I want us to understand we are so much better together. I want us to understand the premium factor of us doing things together is so much better than the individual trying to be one. Facts.

[DJ Envy]

You challenge yourself to do things outside of this comedy. Say, I just don't want this comedic role. I want this serious role. Do you challenge yourself, or do you just take roles that come.

[Sam Jackson]

None of it is a challenge, by the way. I'm. I'm developing the things that I do. Nothing is coming to me. I'm creating the things or I'm a part of the process of how it gets to the final stages. I'm at that point. But I have no desire for the star of Kevin Hart to get bigger. I don't give a fuck. That's so gone and done with. I'm more about the success of others, the success of the entity, the success of the brand, and more importantly, the success of what we represent and what we can look back and say we did. Yeah, that's bigger now than a conversation of myself. I did it. I'm done. What. What else am I going to do at this point?

[DJ Envy]

Now, Kevin has to go in two minutes.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Five. Five, actually.

[Sam Jackson]

We got to get.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Well, I want to. I want to ask both of them do this. Was it hard to find someone to play Muhammad Ali? And did you ever consider Will Smith?

[Sam Jackson]

Will Smith.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Very, very challenging. Right. And I think that you got to understand, you know, obviously, that's an icon. He's been portrayed before. For us, it was about finding a newcomer that wouldn't pull you out because these other characters you didn't know. Nobody knew Chicken Man, Kevin Hart's character, or Vivian Taraji's character, or Frank Moten, Sam's character, but everybody knows Muhammad Ali. So I think to have somebody in that role who you had some familiarity with and who you associated with, something else would have pulled you out. And we really wanted to immerse you even with these big stars. We really wanted to take you to a time period. Right. 50 years ago and really drop you in and be as authentic as possible. And we've paid a lot of attention to the detail and the nuances to try to get this thing right.

[Sam Jackson]

Boy, oh, boy, did we choose right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Sam Jackson]

Come on, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This cast. And by the way, not just the big names that you know, like, there's some cats. Oh, Dexter Dart. Dexter Dard. You're gonna be hearing a lot from him. There's some young gunners in this cast that you're gonna be hearing that I predict you're gonna look back and Go. Yo, remember when so and so went toe to toe with. With Kevin Hart and Sam Jackson? Yes.

[Sam Jackson]

Melvin Gray.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Melvin Gregg. Miles Bullock. Sinqua Walls. Chloe Bay. Haley does her thing. Yep. Lori Harvey jumps in.

[Sam Jackson]

I think. I think you have the future.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, my wife said that.

[Taraji P. Henson]

And I was like, I don't think that's Laura because she looks so different.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Layla Hathaway. No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Lola Falana. Lola Falana.

[Sam Jackson]

But I think that you're seeing an amazing example of baton passing. You're looking at people that are established, have been established for so long, and Sam and Taraji and Terrence and Don. And then you also have the second tier of talent that is a valuable piece of this puzzle where they're toe to toe with the big names, and you don't blink an eye. You understand why everybody is there, and you respect the talent on screen, and you still respect the story. You're never taken outside of the story. So I think that for that younger generation that we were able to onboard. No question, it's a great example of what we want to do.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No question.

[Sam Jackson]

Be the example for the next generation. The bridge. We want to be the example for global success for. Or the new star that popped on.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yep.

[Sam Jackson]

If we're part of those stories, then how dope is that? Like, that's the biggest side of the conversation of what?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Teresa, Celeste, Jalen Hall. These are names you're gonna know. I know you gotta go.

[DJ Envy]

So the actual age.

[Will Packer]

Yeah.

[Sam Jackson]

I'll be late. Go. You were late.

[Will Packer]

You can't be late everywhere.

[Sam Jackson]

It's fine. I can be.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

See what I'm saying? I'm telling you, this is why I'm in his life. This is what happened.

[Sam Jackson]

Big star age tour now.

[DJ Envy]

Well, I don't know if you know. You know, he kicked me out of one of his shows.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He kicked you out of it. You had your phone.

[DJ Envy]

He kicked me out. They threw me out. And as they throwing me out, I'm yelling, yelling, kev, it's me. He goes, I know what you can Heckleby.

[Sam Jackson]

That's why we should have kicked you out, brother.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Come on. That's the Hampton.

[DJ Envy]

You got family and kids, so, you know, sometimes you got to check your phone to make sure you're good.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You went to the show. You knew. Come on. I gotta. I gotta side with Kev on this one, brother. Come on, man.

[Sam Jackson]

Come into a comedy show.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Come on.

[Sam Jackson]

Is in a tentative environment. And by the way, my Acting My Age tour, it's a very dope thing going on right now. It's a Premium ticket with a dope experience. And in that experience, for an hour and a half, Check out. Check out and laugh.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did you see it was envy? Did you know it was him?

[Will Packer]

Who gives a fuck about him?

[Sam Jackson]

What I'm saying to you is people. People kill me. Like, when you act as if rules don't exist for a dope reason, phones are a bad experience. Phones are taking over the intimate appeal of life and lifestyle.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's true.

[Sam Jackson]

Like your phone has checked you out of every experience. You go to concert, concerts. People watch the concert through their phone.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Sam Jackson]

You're looking at the concert and for.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

An artist that's trying to put out new content. Right. And then everybody can just watch it on YouTube. It totally diminishes.

[Sam Jackson]

Lock them up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So.

[Will Packer]

Lock them up.

[Sam Jackson]

Or lock them up and put your phones up. You lock them up. In that moment, maybe you knew, Come on, brother. And you're like, yo, that was such a dope show.

[DJ Envy]

I think they were gonna throw me out, though.

[Sam Jackson]

Yeah, well, you know, so you had that privilege.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's that light skin privilege. See, you thought you was like, I'm envy you did that.

[Sam Jackson]

I only know what a couple of light skinned. Yeah, he's the lightest. Envy is the lightest.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, right.

[Sam Jackson]

High yellow of expectation. Envy is one of the lightest operators of the pack. Sometimes you're like, hey, you're not white.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got. You get confused, huh?

[Sam Jackson]

You he envy a guy that. Can you believe they doing this?

[Taraji P. Henson]

He's the one that called.

[Sam Jackson]

Yeah, he called.

[DJ Envy]

You gota get on the zoom, yo.

[Sam Jackson]

I'm fine. Go ahead, go ahead.

[Will Packer]

Lauren Mo'Nique and Lee Daniels just did the Deliverance.

[Sam Jackson]

Yes.

[Will Packer]

Are we ever going to see a reconciliation with you and her? Because she.

[Sam Jackson]

I don't have a problem.

[Will Packer]

I know that. There's no problem.

[Sam Jackson]

Reconcile.

[Will Packer]

No, but she has said that. Like, I know when she was doing Club Shay and they talked about it and. And she was talking about the phone call that happened from your team or whatever. Right. Is there ever going to be a conversation that we hear you talk about where y'all two have another conversation about that and move forward?

[Sam Jackson]

I'll challenge your question with a better question.

[Will Packer]

Go ahead. You've been doing this for a while.

[Sam Jackson]

Ever hear me talk about anyone? Do you ever hear anything bad come from me? No. So information can't be one sided. A perception can never be one sided. It's always a duality. It's. It's your side versus another. And if there's not a common ground that mean? That means one hasn't been attempted to like, be met. So there's no problem between me and Monique. There never will be. There's no problem between me and anybody else. There's nothing to reconcile. There's no problem. So all these problems that have been attached to Kevin Hart, they're one sided. I don't have a problem with anybody.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I agree with that. It takes two people, right, to have a concert. Because that would. That's the reality. I can tell you that, like, there's a perception that, like if somebody comes out and says something that like, you know, me and Kev is behind the scenes, like, you believe they said that. What are we thinking? We not doing that.

[Sam Jackson]

That's what it has to be.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's not a thing.

[Sam Jackson]

Social media has us up to the point of what you hear is what you're forced to believe.

[Will Packer]

Got you.

[Sam Jackson]

You do not understand, like the common ground for truth is always a conversation. And if there ever is a conversation, do you not not forward facing in a public statement ever. Like, I didn't say anything about what I did or what I did for Monique or my gestures. You never would have heard it. It's a one sided version or reason for. And by the way, I have no rebuttal to it. I stand on the side of I'm unproblematic. And if me and Mo want to do or could do or would do, we will. But that's a me and Mo thing. Like this new thing that people are like, let me tell you something, world. Yeah, that's a very, like, I wanna be honest, I'm 45 years old. I'm 45 years old. And by the way, team or not, it's not hard to fucking find me. Like, you know, my schedule is online.

[Will Packer]

So she hasn't hit you since all of that stuff?

[Sam Jackson]

Me and Monique have had conversations and those are me and Monique's conversations before and after. That's called adultery.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

There you go.

[Sam Jackson]

I don't, I don't un. Adult.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Sam Jackson]

So all of these new ways of conversation and finger pointing, it's very easy. You know what? Cormino's in me because I'm gonna say some dope shit, all right? Everybody points to the fucking moon because nobody knows what it's like to be at the moon and for the moon to look down. Everybody sees it this way, but nobody sees it the other. There's only a couple people that have been down here and looked at the moon and said, I'm going and went and looked down from so if you don't stand the version of eyesight from both sides, well, then you're near sight, you have one vision. I don't have tunnel vision. I have an equal vision of understanding. But if you can't understand the moon side, how do you speak as if you do? That's not life. That's not adulting so to be.

[Taraji P. Henson]

I'm drunk shit. But you bought it around.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I didn't try to make it.

[Sam Jackson]

There's only how many astronauts that have walked on the moon. But everybody speaks if they know what the is on the moon.

[Taraji P. Henson]

That's right.

[Sam Jackson]

Everybody talks like they know what's up there. You don't know what's up there. You never walked up there. You don't know what it's like to be up there and look down and see what earth is like from there. So it's only a couple people that do. When you are on a different side of life and you speak to those that are on that side as if you know what they're doing or why they did it, you're one sided. You can't speak on my fucking reasons as if you know what my reasons are for. You can't speak on my business choice, my business choices, professional choices, more importantly lifestyle choices if you don't know what the fuck my life is.

[Taraji P. Henson]

But you know, that's what I like about the movie Fight Night, right? Cause it seems like, like they show each character in the movie as a hero in their own story, but a villain in somebody else's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So you see those different perspectives. It's a super complicated narrative, which are my favorite kind because your protagonists, right, your quote unquote heroes, are very gray and are very flawed like in real life. And your antagonists are people that you root for. Those are my favorite kinds of narratives. I love that. Because we all know the world is not black and white. Right? Right. And so you're absolutely right. It's about complex people at a complex time. And that's really what the show was successful.

[Sam Jackson]

Now envy before you do that, I just want the world to get to a better place of understanding. Like stop taking the bait. It's bait. Bait is unnecessary. Like if people really have problems, they talk amongst themselves. There are no conversations amongst themselves. Then it's not real problems. Yeah, it's that simple.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, Kevin's right. I mean, and Kev is big and a lot of us are on real interactions. Right. You know what I mean? And you got a lot of people out there right now. They're trying to win The Internet, you know, I just want to win the Internet. I got the most clicks, I got the most likes. And, you know, let's win real life. Let's focus on real things. And so whatever conversation he may have, I may have somebody else may have. It doesn't have to be for the Internet.

[DJ Envy]

What's the biggest thing you told me a while ago he said? Envy. Shut the upper.

[Sam Jackson]

Well, I tell you that a lot. In reality, like, I don't. I told you that because it means, like, you're explaining yourself to who? Like, who's listening? By the way, I have conversations with this jackass. Like, who are you talking to? Like, when you. There's nothing that annoys me more when people do this shit right here. Everybody been asking, so let me go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

In about that.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Shit all the time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Who the fuck is everybody?

[Sam Jackson]

I'm saying the older you get, you start to realize, man, the other thing, though, box that matters.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And we obsess on the negative. I hate to say that, but you be. You'll post something and get 100 positive comments. Man, you walking there, you look good. But it be three people that'll say something sideways and no be the one. Those will be the ones that you respond to that you obsess over that you focus on, right? Not the other 100.

[Sam Jackson]

There's not a bigger supporter for the movement of people doing good and Monique Lee Daniels reconciling that relationship, however it happened, Great dope for them. Did a movie together after. Great story. Dope for them. I want to see more. Keep doing great shit. The conversation of anything else negative attached to a person's and their reservations or feelings. To me, I want to see nothing but good for all. Like, I would love to see us all win. I would love to see us all at a table where we all can do. If it happens, great. If it doesn't, I guess it wasn't meant to be. But you can't have a fucking stance of negativity and like, also, like, a real fucking initiative to move forward and, like, motivate, inspire, create or do whatever. You can't be both. So it's either like you're one or the other. And if you are part of creativity, inspiration, collaboration, motivation, connectivity, then that has to be it. And whatever you gather along the way and whoever you align yourself with along the way, well, y'all all a part of the same story. If things fall apart through the duration of it wasn't meant to be on that train. Some people miss a train. It's just life. Some People don't make it in time to catch the train. And the train is going to go. Is going to go. Why do you think trains can't stop fast? They're moving. So either you're on the train or you're not. And if you didn't catch the next train, that's life.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Feel like we went back to the moon. Cause it was. Let me tell you something about my guy. My guy. You want to talk about some impressive word salad? My guy Kevin, he gonna put some words on him.

[Sam Jackson]

He gonna put some words on him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

50% of them gonna make sense.

[DJ Envy]

What makes it successful. Cause, you know, Hollywood didn't change before. It was blockbuster movies, but now, I mean, there's so many other platforms to put your movie on. So what is successful for?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But, you know, there's still quantitative metrics that they use to determine quantitative. Learned that at hbcu, brother. Just letting you know. I'm just. Well, why is it. Because the reality is that you still have ways that you can determine how, you know, how many people watched it, if the audience was into it, if they were engaged. And that stuff is important. And so that is definitely a part of what we do. Honestly, though, right now, it's about. I just want people to feel stuff. You know what I mean? I want to feel like we're touching the culture. You know, I want to feel like whatever it is that we do, we don't have people feeling like we wasted their time. That's. That's the point that we at. Yeah, we gotta get it. We gotta get him. We gotta get.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Do you have colors you like to use? Well, I asked Lee Daniels as a producer, and when I say colors, I mean, like, artists. Are there certain artists you like to use because they're like your muse, they help you paint the picture you want.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That you would use within a. Within a piece.

[Sam Jackson]

Why you sit back like that?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think. I think that. Well, at me, Lee, obviously, is a director. I'm a producer. Yeah, absolutely. I think that.

[Sam Jackson]

Is he talking about the people setting.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The mood and the theme, thematically is very important to have, first of all, everybody be on the same page about what the vision is going to be, right. And also to make sure that the ultimate vision fits the execution. And so, you know, like, for instance, in Fight Night, we wanted it to look a certain way, right?

[Sam Jackson]

Like light.

[Taraji P. Henson]

No, man.

[DJ Envy]

That's why. That's why.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't know. No, no, it was.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Break it down.

[DJ Envy]

Because, Kev, they coming in here to.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Drag your ass out.

[Sam Jackson]

You got to do it.

[Taraji P. Henson]

Oh, we done.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Sam Jackson]

I know. We're good.

[DJ Envy]

We appreciate.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And real talk. We appreciate. Y'all like real talk. We appreciate. Appreciate you. The malleability. That's another word right there. Malleability. It means that they were flexible, that they worked with us, they weren't rigid.

[DJ Envy]

If you went to hbcu, you know what that means.

[Sam Jackson]

I'll tell you what. The HBCUs that you both went to are better without you also. I'll also say this in conclusion. In conclusion, the big takeaways for audience are very simple, man. The first one, of course, is Fight Night now. Now streaming on Peacock. Do yourself a service and us a favor, go watch it. A very good show. An amazing story that I think should have been told a long time ago, but for the city of Atlanta that we all know and love, it's a great highlight of how Atlanta got to be what it is now. Understanding the early stages of it, understanding the origin for us all, especially people of color culture. We need to know. Yeah, it's a great story.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Eight parts, eight part limits. Three parts out right now, dropping one per week. If you're. If you're like a lot of us, you're looking for, what's that next series I can really get into and really get into the characters and follow it. We're challenging you. Let this be your next series.

[Sam Jackson]

That's Thing one, Thing two, yo. Guys, collaboration, egos, etc. Ask yourself, what version are you? What side are you on? Are you on the side of that? Are you on the side of this? Pick one. Pick one and be that or identify what you are and make a change. Right the other side. Hey, man, this Internet shit is getting out of control.

[Taraji P. Henson]

It's over.

[Sam Jackson]

It's like it's out of control just from an understanding of real versus not real reality and like false reality. Ask yourself, which version are you on? Are you clickbait? Are you real? And for real relationships, there's real communication. Without that, nothing else matters. Nothing else matters. I didn't not tell them to contact or not do. Hey, man, I'm pushing back. I'm up. The false communication would be, I can't, man. Just do whatever. And you figure out what it is and what. And then the relationship kind of falls apart based off of. Of an idea that you are giving yourself a moment to create. Stop it. Let's get back to a place of understanding relationships. Relationship. It's my fucking brother. And I love the fact that me and my brother are great examples of what dope relationships should be. We will continue to do what we do and we'll do it at a high level. And I can't wait for the world to see not only this, but what the things in the future will be.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Bamboo.

[Sam Jackson]

That's what I want you to vote for.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Lastly, I want everybody to vote. That's the last thing I was saying. I'll tell you to vote for. But we would be remiss if we didn't get on this platform and say that it's real. It's real. And these are challenging times. Make your voice heard one way or another. It matters.

[Taraji P. Henson]

You can tell them who you're voting for.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Kamala Harris.

[Taraji P. Henson]

I'm voting for Kamala Harris.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No question. I appreciate that, black man. Because we need more of us saying that. That's right. But that's my choice. That's what I choose to do. Politics. Because I need everybody. Republicans buy shoes too. Is that what you said?

[Taraji P. Henson]

Republican.

[Will Packer]

He start cleaning up.

[Sam Jackson]

He was like, all right, time to go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But you would agree it's important to vote, right, Kev? You would agree, man.

[Sam Jackson]

Every time I go, they pulling me out of here.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Thank you, family. We appreciate y'all.

[DJ Envy]

It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning, y'all.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

[Kevin Hart]

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[Taraji P. Henson]

You wake up, put on your Ray Ban meta glasses. You're living all in.

[DJ Envy]

You realize you need coffee so you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Say, hey, meta, how do I make a latte?

[Sam Jackson]

Brew two shots of espresso After Meta AI gets you caffeinated, you're ready for some beats.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hey, meta. Play hip hop music.

[Sam Jackson]

You head to meet some friends but can't remember the place.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hey, meta. Call Eva Ray Ban Meta glasses.

[Sam Jackson]

The next generation of AI glasses. Just say hey, meta. To harness the power of Meta AI, shop now at meta.com smart glasses looking for excitement.

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[Taraji P. Henson]

Peace to the planet. I go by the name of Charlemagne Tha God and I want to introduce you to Uber Teen accounts. A connected account for your teen with trackable trips and highly rated drivers. Now I am the father of a 16 year old daughter so I need things like Uber Teen. Okay? Your teen can feel a sense of independence in you can feel a sense of relief. You can follow their entire ride on a live tracking map. Perfect for those times when you want to be there but can't. When your teen requests a trip, they are matched with highly rated and experienced drivers and you receive real time notifications. Every trip comes with enhanced safety features. Pin verification to ensure your teen enters the right vehicle. Live trip tracking for parents plus you the parent can contact the driver directly from the app. Add your teen to your account today. Available in select locations. See app for details at and T.

[DJ Envy]

Knows a voice can change everything. And if you're a podcast junkie like me, you appreciate hearing the sound of someone's voice. It's one reason we save voicemails from people we love. And when I need a one on one boost, I call my wife. Yep, when I want some comfort, I call my mother. @&t wants everyone to share their voice over the holidays. So go ahead, send a voice note, leave a voicemail, call someone. Cause it's more than a convo. It's a chance to say something they'll hear forever over Happy Holidays from at. Connecting changes everything.