Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – Interview with Ms. Pat & Jordan E. Cooper

Date: November 5, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guests: Ms. Pat (comedian, actor, producer), Jordan E. Cooper (playwright, showrunner, writer)

Overview

This episode of The Breakfast Club dives deep into the creative and personal partnership between Ms. Pat and Jordan E. Cooper. The conversation flows through their collaborative process on "The Ms. Pat Show," their approaches to unapologetic storytelling about Black families and trauma, industry challenges, navigating cancel culture, representation, and current political issues including government assistance and healthcare. The episode is a blend of sharp humor, raw vulnerability, and real talk about the realities of the entertainment world and society at large.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chemistry & Comedic Partnership

• The episode starts with banter highlighting Ms. Pat's humor and self-deprecation, setting the tone for a relaxed, candid interview.
• Ms. Pat on Body Positivity and Marriage
  • She jokes about her body, age, sleeping in separate rooms after 32 years of marriage, and her no-nonsense approach to intimacy and self-care.
    • “My titties and my neighbor do not connect.” (Ms. Pat, 03:41)
    • “You do not have to sleep next to these men. Get your own room!” (Ms. Pat, 05:42)
• The hosts ask Jordan how he handles her energy; Jordan admits, “I don’t” (Jordan, 07:56), highlighting their fun dynamic.

2. Creating Authentic Black Sitcoms

• Jordan on Ms. Pat’s Voice
  • The intention was always to let Ms. Pat be fully herself—uncensored and raw, much like stand-up legends who weren't allowed their genuine voices on TV in the past.
  • “I wanted to create the first sitcom … that would have that Def Jam comedy vibe where it’s like you could be uncensored.” (Jordan, 08:26)
• Ms. Pat and Jordan explain how show elements are grounded in her real life, including unscripted family moments and exploring hard topics with humor.
• They recount the story of their initial meeting and creative spark, describing how Jordan deeply understood Ms. Pat’s perspective—a connection she hadn’t found with other writers.
  • “When I first laid eyes on him I was like, this nigger is a black woman. A fat black woman trapped in a gay man body.” (Ms. Pat, 10:49)

3. Laughing Through Pain

• Both guests speak about using comedy as a way to reclaim power over trauma.
  • “Once you laugh at it, you have control over it.” (Jordan, 12:31)
• Jordan describes discovering Ms. Pat on TV as a teen and aspiring to work with her, feeling kindred in their ability to mine pain for humor and connection.

4. Navigating Representation and the Industry

• On Centering Black Stories:
  • Jordan never writes with “whiteness at the center” and instead addresses Blackness directly for Black audiences:
    • “Writing with whiteness at the center is a form of white supremacy … when Black people are entering a space, make sure they feel — ‘this is for me, we’re at the cookout.’” (Jordan, 16:27)
  • Ms. Pat reflects on the balance: “Sometimes it be too damn Black … Throw that Black shit back, I’m not doing …” (Ms. Pat, 16:50)
• Pushing Against Hollywood Constraints:
  • Ms. Pat details having to go to bat for Jordan to secure him roles as showrunner and director, and battling TV execs for authentic storytelling.
    • “I was fussing, cussing out of everybody so they let him show run … He had never directed. … He got a goddamn direct. And I call him, say, ‘Can you direct?’” (Ms. Pat, 19:43)
• Jordan on Broadway vs. TV: He writes “as if no white people are watching,” insisting on unapologetically Black-centered narratives (15:48-16:26).

5. Controversy, Cancel Culture & Trans/Pronoun Dialogue

• Jess Hilarious recounts being disinvited from "Ms. Pat Settles" for saying “only women can have babies,” sparking a nuanced discussion about how statements impact communities and gatekeeping in the industry. (28:00-31:00)
  • “Let people be whoever the they want to be.” (Ms. Pat, 29:54)
  • Jordan shares a spiritual perspective: “I always look at everybody as spirits … when we die, don’t come with a dick, don’t come with a vagina … It’s how you treated people.” (Jordan, 36:36)

6. Government Shutdown, SNAP, and Healthcare

• Ms. Pat passionately addresses government cutbacks, SNAP (food stamps), and the impact of social safety nets on children.
  • “When you out here celebrating somebody not eating, that child is who you hurting.” (Ms. Pat, 43:52)
• She makes the case for empathy and practical support, explaining personal memories of poverty and giving back.
• Roundtable debate about the healthcare crisis, rising premiums, and choices poor families face: food or medicine. (47:44-49:48)
  • “This is all to kill the poor … I guess they just want to wipe it white.” (Ms. Pat, 49:48)

7. Radical Black Joy, Representation, and Supporting Black Art

• Jordan emphasizes the need for “radical spaces” and Black joy—
  • “It looks like a Soul Train line…all of us coming together and reminding ourselves of our worth and our power in a time we’re being told we are worthless.” (Jordan, 53:10)
• Both call out a lack of Black representation in current film/TV, with nods to historical cycles of erasure.
• Ms. Pat critiques Black audiences for being quick to critique Black art while not doing the same for white productions:
  • “You never see white people online dogging out white shows. … Even if I don’t like a Black show, I would let it play in the background because you Black.” (Ms. Pat, 57:19)
• Jordan recounts shooting "The Ms. Pat Show" pilot on the same soundstage as "Julia", reflecting on progress and the legacy of unapologetic Black storytelling (58:19–59:43).

8. Mutual Loyalty & Looking Out for Your Own

• Ms. Pat discusses the rare bond she has with Jordan, their mutual honesty, and the importance of lifting up people you start with.
  • “As long as we stay together, I think we can succeed. You be honest with me, I always be honest with you. They could never tear us apart.” (Ms. Pat, 25:43 and 61:41)
• Both advocate for putting Black, queer, and diverse talent in every department and empowering everyone on the team.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authentic Storytelling:
  • “You can’t out funny me, motherfucker, when I’m talking about me…” (Ms. Pat, 10:55)
• On Black Comedy Lineage:
  • “She’s carrying that baton of those who came before. … I wish I could sit in a conversation with her and Bernie Mac and just hear what the kids got.” (Jordan, 15:10)
• On Snap (Food Stamps) Recipients:
  • “Nobody asked to be born into a family of poverty. … You’re making it their fault. It’s not their fault.” (Ms. Pat, 43:52)
• On Hollywood & Broadway:
  • “If you don’t have anything to represent me in there, my people, I don’t watch it.” (Ms. Pat, 55:37)
• On Support & Partnership:
  • “He came along and fixed the things that were broken with me, and he understood me from the front, from the beginning, and that is hard to do.” (Ms. Pat, 61:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 03:04 | Banter; Ms. Pat & Jordan introduced | | 08:26 | Jordan on Black sitcom legacy and freedom | | 10:49 | How their creative partnership began | | 12:31 | Laughing at pain and control over trauma | | 16:27 | Writing for Black audiences, not centering whiteness | | 19:43 | Battling industry pushback for authenticity | | 28:00 | Jess Hilarious canceled for trans discourse | | 29:54 | Ms. Pat: “Let people be whoever they want to be”| | 43:52 | Ms. Pat on SNAP, poverty, and giving back | | 47:44 | Government shutdown & health care debate | | 53:10 | Radical Black joy and protecting it | | 57:19 | Critiquing Black shows—community support | | 58:19 | Shooting "The Ms. Pat Show" on Julia’s stage | | 61:41 | Ms. Pat on loyalty and partnership |

Tone and Takeaways

The episode balances gut-busting laughter, honest pain, and pointed critique—exemplifying what Ms. Pat and Jordan E. Cooper stand for: radical authenticity, humor as survival, and building collective Black joy and truth-telling. Listeners get a rare window into their creative process, the roadblocks of the industry, and why their work resonates with so many. The raw, unfiltered chemistry between guests and hosts makes for one of The Breakfast Club’s most engaging, thoughtful interviews—full of lessons for both aspiring creatives and anyone seeking to understand the real stakes behind Black storytelling on TV and beyond.