INTERVIEW: Erika Alexander & Kim Coles On 'ReLiving Single' Podcast, 'Living Color,' ‘Friends,' TC Carson +More

Summary

The Breakfast Club Podcast Episode Summary: Interview with Erika Alexander & Kim Coles

Introduction of Guests and Episode Overview

In the May 2, 2025 release of The Breakfast Club, hosts DJ Envy, Charlamagne tha God, and Lauren LaRosa welcome special guests Erika Alexander and Kim Coles. The episode centers around their newly launched podcast, "ReLiving Single," which delves into behind-the-scenes stories from the iconic 1990s sitcom Living Single, as well as discussions on related topics such as the show Living Color, comparisons with Friends, and the departure of cast member TC Carson.

Launch of "ReLiving Single" Podcast

DJ Envy introduces the podcast, highlighting its debut on May 7th on YouTube, with new episodes airing every Wednesday. Erika Alexander elaborates on the inspiration behind the podcast, emphasizing the significance of commemorating the 30th anniversary of Living Single. She shares, “...if I had a big film career or something that would offset it, that would be nice” (01:05), indicating her initial hesitance to revisit the beloved series but eventually seeing the opportunity to provide deeper insights through the podcast.

Motivation Behind the Podcast: Reboot vs. Podcast

Erika explains the reluctance to pursue a traditional reboot, citing her strong identification with her character, Maxine Shaw. She states, “I always said, haven’t we all been asked about it?... stepping into something that I didn't think I could shake as easily as other people” (01:05). Charlamagne tha God echoes the sentiment, emphasizing that a podcast allows for more authentic and in-depth conversations that a reboot could never achieve. He remarks, “It's a chance to go deep... the audience will be let in on something very powerful that could not even happen on a reboot” (02:35).

Influence of "Living Single" on Other Shows

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the impact Living Single had on the creation of Friends. Charlamagne passionately asserts, “Hundred thousand percent, 100,000%... and it absolutely was influenced” (13:07). He recounts that the president of NBC had expressed regret over not purchasing Living Single, subsequently leading to the creation of Friends. This highlights the show's pioneering role in shaping ensemble sitcoms featuring diverse casts.

Recognition and Awards: Erika's Experience

Erika addresses the lack of recognition for her performance in Living Single. Responding to Lauren LaRosa's inquiry, she comments, “...the blackness, racism, all the disparities, inequities, were there... it's tough. It is. That's real” (08:36). She draws parallels to other Black actresses like Cecily Tyson, who only received accolades posthumously, underscoring systemic issues in the entertainment industry where Black talent often goes unrecognized.

On-Set Relationships and Black Sisterhood

The conversation shifts to the camaraderie among the cast members. Charlamagne shares, “We became family really quickly... we really are still friends” (06:01). Erika adds that their strong off-camera friendships contributed to authentic on-screen chemistry, stating, “I really liked how she was. She had integrity” (06:38). Kim Coles echoes this sentiment, reflecting on how their unity provided strength amidst the pressures of fame and career expectations.

The Firing of TC Carson: Reactions and Aftermath

A poignant segment of the interview delves into the controversial firing of TC Carson from Living Single. Charlamagne describes the emotional turmoil, saying, “It was grief. It was a lot of grief” (20:28). Both Erika and Charlamagne recount their attempts to advocate for Carson, illustrating the challenges they faced in navigating network decisions. Erika reveals, “I wanted not to come to work... but I didn’t think that I was being used well” (21:37), highlighting the personal and professional conflicts that arose from Carson's departure.

Negotiations with Producers and Network

The hosts and guests discuss their interactions with Yvette Lee Bowser, the show's creator. Charlamagne narrates their efforts to influence creative decisions, including opposing the show's title change from their preferred choice, “...we thought it was horrible” (19:46). They also touch upon the broader issues of unequal treatment and salary disparities compared to other networks, emphasizing the systemic obstacles Black shows faced in gaining equal footing.

Reflection on Racial and Gender Disparities in Showbiz

Erika and Charlamagne reflect on the entrenched racial and gender disparities within the television industry. Erika states, “...there’s no explanation except for, you know, the gender and race disparities that have plagued America for all this time” (10:02). This segment underscores the ongoing struggle for equality and representation, despite the groundbreaking nature of shows like Living Single.

Personal Stories and Challenges

Erika opens up about personal challenges, including the passing of her father during the show's production. She shares, “A month before I got that show, originally, the pilot, my father had passed... I didn't think that I was being used well” (21:37). This emotional disclosure adds depth to the discussion, illustrating the personal sacrifices and hardships faced by cast members beyond their professional roles.

Future Episodes and Teasers

As the interview progresses, the guests tease future topics for the ReLiving Single podcast. Charlamagne hints at revealing untold stories and deeper analyses of their experiences, stating, “...we call it True Blue. Get it?” (07:36). Erika encourages listeners to engage with their forthcoming content, promising more intimate and revealing conversations that shed light on the legacy of Living Single.

Conclusion and Promotion of the Podcast

The episode concludes with a strong promotion of the ReLiving Single podcast. DJ Envy reiterates, “Make sure you check out the reliving single podcast. New episodes every Wednesday starting this Wednesday, May 7th on YouTube” (28:40). The hosts and guests express enthusiasm for the podcast’s potential to revisit and preserve the rich history of Living Single, providing fans with a platform to explore its enduring impact.

Notable Quotes

• Erika Alexander on the podcast’s inception: “...if I had a big film career or something that would offset it, that would be nice” (01:05).
• Charlamagne tha God on the depth of the podcast: “It's a chance to go deep... the audience will be let in on something very powerful that could not even happen on a reboot” (02:35).
• Charlamagne on Living Single’s influence: “Hundred thousand percent, 100,000%... and it absolutely was influenced” (13:07).
• Erika Alexander on industry disparities: “...the blackness, racism, all the disparities, inequities, were there... it's tough. It is. That's real” (08:36).
• Charlamagne on on-set friendships: “We became family really quickly... we really are still friends” (06:01).
• Erika on fighting for TC Carson: “I wanted not to come to work... but I didn’t think that I was being used well” (21:37).
• Erika on racial and gender disparities: “...there’s no explanation except for, you know, the gender and race disparities that have plagued America for all this time” (10:02).

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Breakfast Club offers a comprehensive and heartfelt exploration of Erika Alexander and Kim Coles's experiences on Living Single, their motivations for launching ReLiving Single, and the broader context of racial and gender dynamics in the television industry. Through candid discussions and personal anecdotes, the hosts provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs that shaped one of the most beloved Black sitcoms of the 1990s.

Transcript

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[DJ Envy]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The Breakfast Club.

[DJ Envy]

Yes, it's the world's most dangerous morning show. The Breakfast Club. Charlemagne. The guy just hilarious. DJ Envy is out, but Lauren LaRosa is in. And we have some super, super special guests, man. Some legends are in the building. Erica Alexander and Kim Koza.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Thank you so much.

[Erica Alexander]

Thank you.

[DJ Envy]

They have launched the Reliving Single podcast. New episodes come out every Wednesday starting on May 7th on YouTube.

[Erica Alexander]

Absolutely.

[DJ Envy]

What inspired of the Reliving Single podcast you start?

[Erica Alexander]

Well, you know, looking at my Gucci, it's about that time. Why not? It's been 30 years actually. 30 years. Two years ago. Actually, it's 32 years that we had the anniversary of our show. The problem was it was during the strike and no one was allowed to say anything about anything that was on a studio and or network type of thing. So then nothing happened. And for a very long time I was asked about reboot and I always said, haven't we all been asked about it? I always said no. Yeah, you said no. I said consistently because I didn't want to go. I'm very identified with that character, Maxine Shaw, attorney at law and I love her. But perhaps, and I always say this very honestly, if I had a big film career or something that would offset it, that would be nice. So it wasn't just a matter of me saying no. I would be stepping into something that I didn't think I could shake as easily as other people. And so this opportunity came and was approached by Eric Eddings at a heartbeat. And he said, do you want to do this? I said, no, not really. I don't want to do it. But he kept asking and I thought, well, it's the 30th anniversary. People really love it. They're doing things all the time. Why not? And it's an opportunity because of you. Charlamagne learned very well with Color Farm and you giving us our opportunities with finding Tameka and also with Kevin, with Sorry. With the reparations, the Big payback that you can go deep in podcasts where you can't do that even in documentary. And with episode after episode, we'd be able to talk. And then they approached Kim and I.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Said, yes, I'm waiting, I'm ready. I've been running this whole. And I actually think that, you know, this is shallow. I know. I think we all still look good. Let's do the reboot while we. Yeah, come on now, listen, everybody's busy and everybody has their own other thing that they're doing. And so this was an easy way to give the fans and the friends of the show a taste of what they want. For sure, everyone will come on the show and I can't. I don't know if I can give away that someone has already come and taped an episode. Smooches. That's Ken. And so it's a chance to go deep. Like you said, we are going to talk about the behind the scenes and the things and actually we've known each other for that long. Revelations have come out like. Things have come out like. I didn't know that about you, Erica. I didn't know that about this that was going on behind the scenes. And so the audience will be let in on something very powerful that could not even happen on a reboot. So you're welcome.

[DJ Envy]

So many white shows do it. Scrubs has it with I can't remember the Brothers Donald and.

[Erica Alexander]

Yep. And this is us.

[DJ Envy]

Yes, this is us.

[Erica Alexander]

Boy Meets World at the Office.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The first black rewatch show.

[Erica Alexander]

Sopranos.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

We are probably hosted by the actual cast members that I can think of. I could be wrong, but I can think of.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I feel so. So it feels like the right time and we. We're having a good time doing it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Have you guys ever thought about if you did do a reboot where the characters lives would be now, like, what would the storylines be?

[Charlamagne tha God]

I have. And I don't know if I'm right. You know, like, you know, there. There was talk on the. On Living Single that Sinclair and Overton would have twins and their names would be Sincl. Overton and over Claire.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, that'd be.

[Erica Alexander]

So.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We have twins. They're grown up. A boy and a girl.

[Erica Alexander]

They're fabulous.

[Charlamagne tha God]

They're, you know, loving. So I. All the things, all the things.

[DJ Envy]

Maxine Shaw would be governor.

[Erica Alexander]

Yes. You know, probably ruling like she is has always been, you know, obviously she has to be tied up with TC's Kyle Barker and they had a child on Half and half. I don't Know if that child still exists? I don't know. I mean, you know, that's a good question. She might be in a bar somewhere. I mean, sorry, in a Mexican jail somewhere, doing her damage. You know, maybe she was burned out by life. Who knows? I mean, you go that fast pace, you don't always win. And a lot of lawyers burn out.

[DJ Envy]

So I would love that could be so good. Cause, I mean, even Khadijah, she would have to make changes because there's no such thing as the print industry.

[Charlamagne tha God]

She would be a media mogul. I'm supposed that's the other thing, too. I remember, you know, the fans always say, where's the reboot? Reboot? And one time I saw somebody say, no, I don't want to see. See where they've gone. Because in my mind, they live in a perfect space in a perfect place. And so anything that we do, there'll be somebody who disagrees with it. Well, why is she in a jail? Why is she? Why? You know, whatever it is, like, there'll be no. It lives in a perfect space where it is right now. So maybe let it be.

[DJ Envy]

Definitely the jail storyline, we wouldn't want that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's a temporary situation.

[Erica Alexander]

You know what I'm saying? Meaning she was having too much fun. I mean, but the why, you know, you're saying something very real. Fact meets fiction. That's where we are coming and talking about something that's very fact. You know, Maxine Shaw is a fictional character. Eric Alexander is a fact. Eric Alexander, in 30 Years of Living has changed, you know, and we had good days, bad days. We have, you know, ups and downs. And so I'm hoping those characters would have the same things that we had.

[DJ Envy]

What moments on set of Living Single helped shaped who you all are off camera, not just as actresses, but as women that had to navigate fame and friendship and career pressure.

[Charlamagne tha God]

What moments shaped who.

[DJ Envy]

What moments help shape who you are off camera?

[Charlamagne tha God]

I think we got along really well very quickly. I felt the energy from the first table read. And so there was an energy and a respect and a friendship and a sisterhood and a brotherhood that developed so quickly that. That permeated everything else that we did. Like, we would go and hang out together. Erica and TC have the same exact birthday the same day. John Hinton's birthday is two weeks later. So we would go out like, what do y'all want to do for your birthday? Salsa dancing. Let's go. So we became family really quickly. And so I think that that helped infuse the Energy on the set and in our characters. We really were friends, and we really are still friends, so.

[Erica Alexander]

But then we're also, you know, movers and shakers. If you're 23 years old and I'm faking, like, I'm a lawyer. I have a high school degree, and I think it made me want to level up. I mean, in my reading and how I, you know, approach life. I mean, she was a killer. She was a real winner. So I'd like to say that that shaped me a lot. I think it was already there, but I really liked how she was. She had integrity. I don't know. That's a really good question. It really is. But I think that a lot of things have happened after the show have been very, very consistent with what our characters might have done.

[DJ Envy]

Well, I want y'all to think about that question and unpack it on the reliving single podcast.

[Erica Alexander]

Okay. We're gonna think about it. That would be a Charlemagne question. Charlemagne has submitted this.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Are the fans and the friends of the show can send in their questions. And so we call it True Blue. Get it?

[Erica Alexander]

Tight blue.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So we will make sure we send it in that one. So you heard it here first. And then we'll unpack it further. Thank you. He's giving us homework. I know.

[Erica Alexander]

This is heavy lifting.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Erica or Ms. Alexander, what do you want me to call you? Okay. Erica the Great, though.

[Erica Alexander]

Erica Alexander great.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Erica Alexander the Great, period. I was reading this article on MSN and MSNBC's website, and the writer was talking about how you're. She discovered. She was late. She discovered living single for the first time a year ago, and, like, deep dived and, like, went and read conversations around it, and she was trying to figure out why you didn't win an Emmy for your performance.

[Erica Alexander]

Oh, that's good.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And I. And when I read it, I'm like, first of all, late to the party, but welcome. But I thought about it, and I was like. I mean, like, what's that feeling like for you? Because, yeah, like, you said you were how old portraying the character?

[Erica Alexander]

23.

[Lauren LaRosa]

23. Portraying. We would have never known. You sold it. You did it. Like, the storylines that y'all dived into. You know what I mean? Like, did you ever feel like there were things that should have happened for you in that role?

[Erica Alexander]

For many people? I'm unfortunately, in a club that no one wants to belong to, and especially if you think that, and, you know, I'll take the compliment, say thank you very much. But I was right alongside People like Cecily Tyson and all these other people who had never won anything for the work that they had done. And Cecily Tyson has since gotten an Oscar and she got it before she passed and those types of things. But no, I think blackness, racism, all the disparities, inequities, were there, especially in the, what is early 90s. And I say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice, the tighter the noose. They don't let you go so far. And that's real. So it's tough. It is. That's real. And so I'm very gratified, but there's nothing you can do about it. There's people like Abbott elementary and all the other people, and they've come and doing very well, but, you know, being a dark skinned actress and also being funny and maybe not being the idea of what they thought funny girls looked like, they didn't know what to do with me. And I got offered nothing after I finished that show. Absolutely nothing.

[DJ Envy]

No, as long as I'm alive, I will never understand that because I feel like we grew up as far as TV is concerned, in the peak, you know, black excellence experience of television. Cosby show was the number one show in the country. Different World was the number who show in the country. What more do black people have to prove?

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah. When they got that Felicia Rashad never nominated for Felicia Rashad, eight years. I mean. Yeah, yeah, there's. There's no explanation except for, you know, the gender and race disparities that have plagued America for all this time. And it's not unique among, you know, just political people. Creatives, always, y'all dealing with it now, y'all in the. So that's what. That's. That's our race. Harriet Tubman did hers. That's ours.

[DJ Envy]

How did working on Living Single change your view of black sisterhood? And did it shift the way you approached friendships in your. Your real life?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Not for me, because I have incredible female relationships. Incredible. If at my high school, we just celebrated our 45th anniversary last week, I couldn't come because I was headed here for you all. And so I've already had.

[DJ Envy]

Is that the excuse you gave him.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Coming in next week?

[DJ Envy]

I got to be in New York next week, so I can't come today.

[Erica Alexander]

You lucky you got me here now.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'll see you all at the 50th. I plan to tighten it up so I'm real cute by then. But the point is, I always had really good friendships. And actually it felt normal to me to be around women that I respected were all different, but I respected and loved. And so I had that and I had that, that strength. So it just felt like. That felt like home. I don't know if that's the right answer. What was the question? Did I answer that?

[Erica Alexander]

Now you're talking about the family. Sorry. The women, friendships. You know, I went to an all girls high school, right? So Philadelphia High School for girls. Got to give a shout out. And I wasn't good with girlfriends. I always loved boys. I always loved men. I'm a guy's girl. Same I always have. I grew up in Arizona. I'm a tomboy. I always thought, I mean, I love.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Men, by the way.

[Kim Coles]

No, no, no.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'm used to having good girlfriends.

[Erica Alexander]

I understand. But for all that, I went to an all girls high school. I didn't necessarily think that I practiced much because that was my preference. It kind of still is. I just think that there was a lot of freedom I thought that men had. They took me for, I don't say one of the guys, but once you show you could stand up with them, I got a lot of truth about who I was next to them. And I thought sometime I was pulling my punches with women. Like, oh, don't say that. You're going to make her feel like. And I didn't have time for that.

[Kim Coles]

Yes, I completely resonate with you. That's how I grew up. The same way. I had maybe what, three homegirls, but I had like 10, 11. I always went where the guys went. I'm hanging on the court. That's how I became so quick on my feet with being exactly. Having jokes, throwing them back. They throwing them at me. I didn't feel guys didn't get offended. When I'm joking with them, you know, girls, they a little bit more, you know, and I'm saying they, like, I'm not one.

[Erica Alexander]

No, no. We better talk.

[Kim Coles]

It's like you, you know, you kind of, you know, you like, you want.

[Erica Alexander]

To go protected in that space too. I feel very protected and respected. They do respect and look at you.

[Kim Coles]

Like, oh, yeah, that's our girl, you know. So I've been like that as well. What I wanted to ask was, do either of you think that Friends, the show Friends, truly owes some of its success to the groundwork laid by living single.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Hundred thousand percent, 100,000%. Moving on, next question.

[Erica Alexander]

No, no, here's the thing.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And I always, you know, this is a little fact that most people don't know is that the president of the Network of their network. NBC at the time had been asked if there was any show that you wish you could have purchased for this upcoming season. He said, I wish I bought Living Single. And then a year later, there was Friends. And so it absolutely tracks and, yeah, great show and wish them all well. But it absolutely was influenced. We influenced them. And it was also tough because, you know, we were both Warner Brothers production. We were on this little ranch lot, you know, off to the side, and they were on the big lot. You know, we have a cafeteria and you have little tri. You know, bicycles you get from here and there. And the salary disparity was huge. Very different. What acts, the access they had to marketing, the access they had to all the money and all the things was very different than what we had.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah, we had craft service table run by this old, beautiful old white dude named Pops. And he's putting things out like Ritz crackers and pickled eggs. And we're like, we gonna fart all day. We try to get better. It did get better. We had to ask for that, though. They asked for air conditioning. All these other things shouldn't have to. I just come from the Cosby show, the biggest show in the world. I wasn't expecting it to have that kind of, you know, leverage. But you did know when you thought you were being treated less than. And they didn't have to because like a lot of productions, if you put very little into black people, we. We give you more. Black show biz gives you more. And when they see that the investment's not necessarily there, and that's what you really miss out on.

[DJ Envy]

Did living Single even did it get pitched to NBC because it would make so much sense? Because like you said, you were on the Cosby Show. The success of the Cosby show in different world, NBC should have stood for nothing but colors. After that much success, Nothing but colors.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Hey, what up, y'all?

[Erica Alexander]

It's DJ Envy.

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[Charlamagne tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

Nothing but the black show.

[Erica Alexander]

And that's not what didn't happen. Actually, the good thing about it, if you, if you watch, if you listen to the show and watch it, Kim has the origin story. Kim is the origin story.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The show was created around Queen Latifah and me. A lot of people don't know that. They called me into a meeting at Warner Brothers and we want to do a show. And a lot of people don't know this either. The, the, the idea for the show, the impetus was, you remember the movie Jungle Fever? There's a scene that they call the, the War Council. And it's a group of women sitting around talking about men and relationships and you know, what they're dealing with. And they said to me, and I'm assuming they said to Latifah too in a separate meeting, we want to do a show that's about this. And I said, if the show is about bashing men, I'm not interested. And not that that scene in Jungle Fever was only about bashing men, but they were handling a particular topic and they were like, oh, okay, because I love men. And so if we can talk about the relationships and you know, the growth and, you know, being driven and what do you want? I was like, I'm in. And they were having the same meetings with Latifah. The two of us were put together and then we together agreed that Yvette Lee Bowser should be the one to create the show. So to be there at the beginning and to be involved in Creating Sinclair and involved in knowing what the relationships were gonna be to start with, and then to hear it and watch it unfold was exciting. Yeah, I'd say the best. And, you know, privilege.

[Erica Alexander]

And, you know, we gotta give her props because both she and Latifah asked for a black showrunner. There are very few black anythings in Hollywood or writers, let alone a showrunner. Yvette Lee Bowser happened to be on Different World doing her thing. She was on hanging Mr. Cooper. She had the background, but they weren't necessarily gonna just give that to her.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Right.

[Erica Alexander]

So you guys asking and somebody female. That was a. Yeah, that was like a.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Right.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah, they just.

[Lauren LaRosa]

They just gave into that. Because during that time, I feel like.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And if you, you know, you get two people that you've created a deal around, and we both go, yeah, she's the one. They go, okay, well, let's give her a shot.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Wow.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And also the other piece of that, we both were at the same agency, so our agency helped. And. And. And Yvette was also at the same agency.

[Erica Alexander]

It's called a Hollywood Package.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Got you.

[Erica Alexander]

And so was Kim Fields in that agency, and so was John Hinton. The only two people not in that agency were me and tc.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So did you guys talk? Because a lot of times now on tv, people are like, we should have conversations behind the scenes, rally together, and then go to the forefront and ask for. We want. Did y'all. Did you and Queen Latifah, for y'all agents get to do that?

[Charlamagne tha God]

We did. We did. So that list and us, we each met with her separately, and we both together said, oh, she's the one. Let's go with her.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Got you.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Thank you. And then, you know, the agents do their. Do their movements, you know, that. That we do know about and that we don't know about. But yeah, there were like, for example, the. The. The. The name of the show was not originally Living Single. It was my girls and I tell a story on the podcast of. We were like, they wanted to change the name to Living Single, and we thought it was horrible. Who says that? Nobody talks that way. I'm. Yeah, what's up? I'm Living Single. It's like they. The words didn't match. And so I have a memory and I don't. Dana would have to correct me if we got into a little golf cart and went from the plantation lot where we were. I took it over to the big lot and got invited into the office of the president of the network. Like, you know, president of the production company.

[Erica Alexander]

You're going to Oz, right?

[DJ Envy]

Like, oh, they got bottled water here.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We would like to protest. And he's like, all right, well, thank you very much for giving your. And I think, feedback. Thank you for your feedback right now. And it was like, oh, that's a terrible name. Now. It's the best name. Like, what. What else would the show be called?

[Erica Alexander]

He basically patted your. You on the head and said, we.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Got back in the golf cart and went back over to the other side of the hill.

[DJ Envy]

You know, I can't wait to hear the episode with T.C. carson, because he's spoken about, you know, being fired from Living Single after, you know, for. For their treatment. For their treatment compared to Friends. So how did the cast as a whole feel when he got fired?

[Charlamagne tha God]

It was grief. It was a lot of grief.

[DJ Envy]

Anybody fight for him?

[Erica Alexander]

Well, I fought for him.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We all.

[Erica Alexander]

Let me go on. Come on, now.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We all fought for him, but it was done before. Here's what the timing of it is. He was let go just before the. You know, they call the announcements for the shows, the upfronts. We all come to New York, There's a big announcement. You were on stage with Fox and all the other Fox shows. I didn't find out until in the hotel room, you know, the day before. Oh, by the way, TC won't be there. He's been let go. So it's like. So we're talking to Yvette, we're talking to people and going, what's going on? And it was. My understanding is that it was already done. So you fight for him. But I don't know what else I could have done if the decision had already been made.

[Erica Alexander]

I wanted not to come to work. I wanted to. It was. I thought that once we got on set that we would talk about it and maybe just say we were not gonna work. That's, like, hardcore. But it didn't go down that way. And in fact, two years before, I had tried to leave myself and got threatened to be sued. So I already stepped up and I knew where I could go, girl. I was like.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'm doing an interview now.

[Erica Alexander]

I wasn't. Oh, Lord. See, I don't wanna start crying. I wasn't happy. And the thing was, I didn't think that I was being used well. And it's a longer story than that, and I don't want to. It needs more context for Yvette Lee Bowser's sake. Because Yvette Bowser had a lot to do with six different characters and There were lots of things going on. But also, I want to say something that emotionally, a month before I got that show, originally, the pilot, my father had passed. I had a lot of things that I.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Dealing with mentally.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah.

[Erica Alexander]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And we didn't know that. Erica, this is one of the best.

[Erica Alexander]

I never talked about that mess. But the whole time you were there.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You never talked about your father passing him out.

[Erica Alexander]

No, because I don't complain. I don't talk. I do my work.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I keep in mind I knew that her father had passed away at some point because we talk, but I don't think I knew that that had happened a month before. And to know that this is one of the revelations that happened on this podcast, it's like therapy. You're welcome.

[Erica Alexander]

I didn't know that. And. No. But there was a lot of things going on that, you know, you think you want to talk about differently, maybe with your character, and. And maybe the reception wasn't where I thought it was, but I just said, I gotta go, because I'm like. I'd been in theater and been doing other things, and I said, I can go back to New York. I don't need this. And it didn't work out the way I got. I got threatened to be sued and.

[DJ Envy]

All that, which is. Which is another reason you probably didn't tell everybody what you was actually dealing with, because they'll do stuff like that. We'll sue you. We'll fire you.

[Erica Alexander]

Exactly. And I didn't have the most powerful agent. I didn't have that. I'd always gone on sets alone.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Right.

[Erica Alexander]

You know, so I was there alone in that, just trying to think it through. And I thought at the very least, I could just go back to what I was doing now, back to TC because that's what I think, that he didn't have that. We didn't have the armor. And we also were darker. And I have to say, there's something to that feeling, like you're. You're unprotected. Yeah. And when you get back and there is no plan, and you don't necessarily. You know, friends had gotten together, and they all got together to talk about their salary. They stopped going in, and they got their salaries corrected tremendously. It wasn't that feeling. Although we were all rebels and very supportive in our own way, I don't think we knew what to do. And it hurts my heart because TC Deserved more support, and there was nothing I could do. And I even said, look, fire me. I'm the one who would like to to go. And it wasn't. It wasn't something that could happen. And it was wrong to do. It was wrong to do that.

[DJ Envy]

Was he mad at y'all because he. He spoke up for the treatment that, you know, the unfair treatment that y'all was receiving. And, you know, you would think that would be a collective thing, like, you know, oh, none of y'all gonna got my back.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So if this is happening behind the scenes and if you don't know, okay, we know that we were getting. Not getting the right treatment. If his. If the decision to you. It's not like we were brought into the meeting, by the way, we're going to let TC Go. It's not like I didn't know that. Latifah didn't know that. We didn't know that in advance. I didn't. It was unexpected. And you wait until we arrive in New York to go. By the way, TC Won't be there because of this. Dana and I get on the phone and go, what the hell's going on? We get on the phone with Yvette, and Yvette is like, that's it. That's it. I didn't know there was something else that I could do in order to bring him back. If it's been. If you're being told that it's done, that's it. Deal with it. And we don't go to work.

[Erica Alexander]

But that's because we were young. Of course there's something we could have done. If we all band together and said, we're not going in, we could have made something happen. We could have called the naacp. We could have done these things. But these are things that we didn't think about. You didn't know how much leverage you'd have after that. I'm telling you that I know I fought. I know I sat down with Yvette. I know I had these conversations, and I don't think he knew that. And it took years. And we had a conversation where he said, why didn't y'all stick up for me? I said, that's not true.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's not true at all.

[Erica Alexander]

That's not true at all. And I hate that you went all these years thinking that didn't happen. But it's also his story to tell. And there's some parts and pieces that he thinks went a certain way. And there's certainly. I feel very much my outspokenness might have put him in a position, too. He thinks his outspokenness. But I was very outspoken. I was writing letters to the network and doing coups and walking out, you know, And I don't think that that was necessarily always taken well by people who want to control you. And they broke apart the two people, me and him, you think?

[Charlamagne tha God]

And it's also. There's another story to tell. You know, there's our story, there's his story, and then there's the story on their side. And maybe this is a conversation that, you know, I don't know if Yvette has ever talked about it publicly. I don't know if Warner Brothers ever would or if they're ever care to. So I feel like, well, all those.

[Erica Alexander]

People are gone now from Warner Brothers that we knew.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But we. We're bearing the burden of why didn't we do something different? And not. Not getting a chance to get a. Another view from what was.

[Erica Alexander]

What was happening they were saying was a money issue. It's not a money issue.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's what. That's.

[Erica Alexander]

Weren't being paid enough for it to be a money issue. It wasn't a budgetary issue. Wasn't because we brought on a new cast member and we bought on E. Dallas. So that's not true. I don't know what's true. All I know is that he was gone. It was right. And let's go on record to say he's a magnificent actor, always on time, always knew his lines. It did not make sense. And there you're living in a world that doesn't always make sense and certainly is not fair.

[DJ Envy]

If y'all had Instagram, would you have gone live and just aired out the whole cast and we had nothing back then.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We had nothing back then. Of course we would have.

[Erica Alexander]

Of course I would have. I. I'm telling you, I would have.

[Kim Coles]

Don't do that.

[Erica Alexander]

I did that. I did that the other week, couple weeks ago. Oh, no. Does that date Eric Alexander agree? Come on, Jessal. Yes. And people.

[Kim Coles]

And I didn't think that my badge.

[Erica Alexander]

Was going to work the next day, because I.

[Kim Coles]

Came back and I came in here speaking to everybody in the b.

[Erica Alexander]

Speak back.

[Kim Coles]

And I knew why.

[DJ Envy]

That's a lie.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Huh?

[Kim Coles]

Whatever.

[Erica Alexander]

No, you know, you didn't.

[Kim Coles]

You say, give me a hug.

[Erica Alexander]

Because he knew he was sitting to the fight.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I said, y'all been laughing and joking. I was so mad. Like, what they laughing about?

[Erica Alexander]

Ain't nothing.

[Kim Coles]

And he called me whack. It was a lot going on.

[Erica Alexander]

It's gross.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Was this not a conversation you could have had privately with them to fix what needed you go ahead.

[Kim Coles]

We had conversation before and after that. So, yeah, I wasn't wrong. It was wrong the way I did it.

[Erica Alexander]

But.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Did the negotiation work for you? Did that tactic work for you? Here we are family. We're family.

[Lauren LaRosa]

We are here and we are family.

[Erica Alexander]

I had a quit makes family. It's conflict. We don't go through this life with everything P. Collaboration, conflict and, you know, confusion. Yeah. Leads to confession. We got that period. Conversion.

[DJ Envy]

They got to go do Sherry, Lauren and compassion.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Get some compassion.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You got to answer this. But I hope y'all going to get into the. The beauty center and the weight loss stuff that Queen Latifah talked about that they threw on you guys.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Make sure y'all get inside the podcast, please. I would love to hear the conversation.

[Kim Coles]

And they said they going to have me on there.

[Erica Alexander]

Absolutely. Please help, please.

[Lauren LaRosa]

She said have me too, or she gonna go back live again.

[Erica Alexander]

Let's do it. You're all welcome. Thank you. That would be our place. Thank you.

[DJ Envy]

The legends Erica Alexander and Kim Coles. Make sure you check out the reliving single podcast. New episodes every Wednesday starting this Wednesday, May 7th on YouTube. And yes, I am going to talk to Erica about getting the audio on the Black Effect. Goddamn it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Do we have to protest in me.

[Erica Alexander]

To have Speaking to the man.

[DJ Envy]

Breakfast Club.

[Kim Coles]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

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

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