Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – INTERVIEW: Sheryl Underwood Talks Black Female Comedy, Sharon Osborne, 'The Talk,' Gayle, Druski + More

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Breakfast Club
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Description: The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
• Episode: INTERVIEW: Sheryl Underwood Talks Black Female Comedy, Sharon Osborne, 'The Talk,' Gayle, Druski + More
• Release Date: April 16, 2025

Introduction

The episode begins with cheerful promotional segments from Coca-Cola and State Farm, setting an upbeat tone for the morning show.

[00:00 – 00:32] Coca-Cola & State Farm Advertisements

• Coca-Cola: Highlights the joy of sharing moments with friends through limited edition "Share a Coke" bottles.
• State Farm: Emphasizes empowerment in career building with support akin to a good neighbor.

Guest Introduction

[00:32 – 00:40] Introducing Cheryl Underwood

• Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God enthusiastically welcome Cheryl Underwood as the special guest.
• Jess Hilarious: Sets a playful tone, hinting at the depth of conversation to follow.

Black Female Comedy: Hidden or Struggling?

[00:40 – 02:22] The Struggle for Visibility in Comedy

• Jess Hilarious: Raises the question of whether black female comedians are hidden or need to struggle for recognition.
  • "Black female comedians. Are we hidden or do we gotta struggle for it?" [01:03]
• Cheryl Underwood: Responds confidently, asserting that struggle isn't necessary.
  • "We ain't gotta struggle for it." [01:03]
• Jess Hilarious: Challenges Cheryl's statement by pointing out the lack of radio shows, sitcoms, podcasts, and movies featuring black female comedians.
  • "Why we ain't got no radio shows that we do ourselves, sitcoms that we do ourselves, podcasts that we do ourselves, and movies that we do ourselves." [01:04]

Evolving Platforms for Black Female Comedians

[02:22 – 04:28] Transitioning to Personal Platforms

• Charlamagne Tha God: Suggests that radio's declining appeal to younger generations has impacted opportunities.
  • "Radio didn't look sexy to a generation, so there wasn't a lot of people who went and pursued it." [01:44]
• Cheryl Underwood: Discusses her podcast's evolution from general topics to providing advice and fixing personal issues.
  • "We wanna hear something different. We can go online if you wanna hear what you talk about online." [04:28]
• Jess Hilarious: Expresses a desire to create her own content, including podcasts and books, to share her experiences and insights.
  • "I need to write a book. I need... I need arm on some ties or something." [02:22]

Challenges in the Entertainment Industry

[04:28 – 16:21] Navigating Industry Hurdles

• Jess Hilarious: Highlights the financial and promotional challenges faced by black female comedians. Emphasizes the need for collective efforts to produce movies, series, and other content.
  • "We need to start making these movies. We need to start getting together, making these series." [03:10]
• Cheryl Underwood: Agrees on the importance of leveraging platforms to reach broader audiences and effectively promote their work.
  • "My platform is big enough and I do have... the Breakfast Club, where I Can push, take my tickets, my reaches even further." [16:11]

Political and Social Commentary

[16:21 – 22:47] Engaging in Community Empowerment

• Jess Hilarious: Delves into the importance of community involvement in political and social spheres, advocating for support within the black community to influence change.
  • "Every civil rights organization, every Greek letter organization, everybody get back into the community. If you are not touching the community, we will not win this." [19:39]
• Cheryl Underwood: Emphasizes the necessity of bridging traditional platforms with modern media to maintain influence and drive progress.
  • "I got the fan base here and my older folk more established. And then I got the fan base on social media." [17:39]
• Hosts Discussions: The conversation touches upon the challenges black communities face in media representation and political engagement, highlighting the need for proactive involvement to sustain influence.

Personal Anecdotes and Humor

[22:47 – 37:38] Balancing Serious Topics with Levity

• Jess Hilarious: Shares humorous and personal stories, including an anecdote about a kiss with Flavor Flav, showcasing her charismatic and comedic personality.
  • "This dude was getting drinks, everything. So I was like, okay, it's time for me to go." [54:57]
• Cheryl Underwood & Hosts: Engage in playful banter, maintaining a light-hearted atmosphere while discussing serious topics. This segment blends personal experiences with humor, making the conversation relatable and entertaining.

Promoting Community and Future Projects

[37:38 – 57:24] Building the Future for Black Female Comedians

• Jess Hilarious: Advocates for the creation of reality shows and movies featuring female comedians, stressing the importance of financing and producing their own content.
  • "Why are we not doing reality shows with female comedians in it?" [39:56]
• Cheryl Underwood: Encourages collective action and leveraging existing platforms to produce and promote new content.
  • "We can do that. We can do this." [39:57]
• Call to Action: Hosts and Cheryl emphasize the necessity for the community to support one another through attendance at events, purchasing tickets, and sharing content to sustain and grow their presence in the industry.
  • "We got to start talking politics too. Let's do it." [57:05]

Closing Remarks and Final Promotions

[57:24 – End] Concluding with Promotions and Final Thoughts

• Jess Hilarious: Wraps up the discussion by reiterating the importance of community support and promoting upcoming performances.
  • "I'm gonna get to work Monday because that's what I want." [39:45]
• Hosts and Cheryl: Continue light-hearted interactions, encouraging listeners to attend shows and support black female comedians.
• Final Advertisements: The episode concludes with wrap-up promotions from Coca-Cola and State Farm, reinforcing the show's connection with its audience.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jess Hilarious: "Black female comedians. Are we hidden or do we gotta struggle for it?" [01:03]
• Cheryl Underwood: "We ain't gotta struggle for it." [01:03]
• Jess Hilarious: "Why we ain't got no radio shows that we do ourselves, sitcoms that we do ourselves, podcasts that we do ourselves, and movies that we do ourselves." [01:04]
• Charlamagne Tha God: "Radio didn't look sexy to a generation, so there wasn't a lot of people who went and pursued it." [01:44]
• Cheryl Underwood: "We wanna hear something different. We can go online if you wanna hear what you talk about online." [04:28]
• Jess Hilarious: "I need to write a book. I need... I need arm on some ties or something." [02:22]
• Jess Hilarious: "We need to start making these movies. We need to start getting together, making these series." [03:10]
• Cheryl Underwood: "My platform is big enough and I do have... the Breakfast Club, where I Can push, take my tickets, my reaches even further." [16:11]
• Jess Hilarious: "Every civil rights organization, every Greek letter organization, everybody get back into the community. If you are not touching the community, we will not win this." [19:39]
• Jess Hilarious: "Why are we not doing reality shows with female comedians in it?" [39:56]
• Jess Hilarious: "I'm gonna get to work Monday because that's what I want." [39:45]

Conclusion

This episode of The Breakfast Club delves deep into the landscape of black female comedy, exploring the challenges and opportunities within the industry. Through engaging discussions, personal anecdotes, and humorous exchanges, Cheryl Underwood, along with hosts DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God, shed light on the necessity for black female comedians to build and maintain their own platforms. The conversation emphasizes community empowerment, authentic representation, and the collective effort required to sustain and grow their presence in media and entertainment. Listeners are encouraged to support upcoming events and initiatives aimed at fostering a thriving environment for black female talent.