TCB Infomercial: Leslie Jones

Summary

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The Commercial Break – TCB Infomercial: Leslie Jones

Podcast: The Commercial Break
Date: December 5, 2025
Hosts: Brian Green, Chrissy Hoadley
Guest: Leslie Jones

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Overview

This episode of The Commercial Break features an energetic, wisdom-packed, and often hilarious interview with comedian, actress, and former SNL cast member Leslie Jones. Hosts Bryan Green and Chrissy Hoadley dive into Leslie’s late-blooming comedic career, her unfiltered thoughts on change and resilience, spirituality, her journey to SNL, and advice for navigating life, all in classic TCB off-the-rails, vibe-heavy style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Change – Life Philosophy

• Leslie emphasizes how resisting change stunts personal and societal growth. Using vivid metaphors, she frames change as essential—“like water up against a stagnant wall.”
  • [02:07 & 16:18] Leslie Jones:
    “Change will ask you nicely once, and then it will proceed. It’s like water up against a stagnant wall. If you don’t open it up, that wall becomes… water becomes stagnant and stale and moldy because it can’t flow.”
• She asserts that the U.S. struggles more than other countries to embrace change, especially regarding social progress.
  • “We’re not the same people we were back in the fucking pilgrim days… This is the only country who hasn’t done that.” [17:09]

2. Late Bloomer Success & Age

• Leslie and the hosts riff on how fulfillment and mastery often come much later in life.
  • [11:01] Brian Green:
    "You have a very unique comedic voice... This didn’t happen for you at 20 years old. And I am not 20 years old. So it gives me, like, target."
  • [12:15] Leslie Jones:
    “47 is not fucking old. It’s actually the beginning.”
  • Leslie breaks down the “decades of life”:
    • 20s: “when you fuck up your life”
    • 30s: “when you clean that up”
    • 40s: “when you start living from all the experience” [12:17]

3. Authenticity, Critical Thinking & Spiritual Independence

• Leslie rails against societal surface-level trends, urging deeper exploration and individual thought.
  • “Critical thinking in this country is so sad… this country is on the surface. We’re not digging at all.” [14:04]
• She distinguishes between religion (dogma) and spirituality (personal relationship).
  • “Religion…and a relationship with God, to me, are two different things.” [27:25]
  • Memorable analogy: “God made a platypus. How dare you say God’s not gonna make a gay man… Or a transgender… When there’s hairy caterpillars!” [17:55-18:16]

4. Society, Church, and Hypocrisy

• Leslie shares a biting, personal story about encountering hypocrisy in church—mixing laughter and outrage—that critiques performative faith and prejudice:
  • [21:05-23:45] Leslie Jones:
    “I started going to this church that was across the street from my house… called the Church on the Way. I would never forget it, because it’s the Church on the way to hell.”
  • Anecdote about being condescended to and given a Bible by someone spewing “Republican Jesus” beliefs.
  • “I remember throwing that Bible in the garbage, because I was like, I don’t want nothing from you.”

5. Advice for Young People & Confidence

• Leslie impresses the importance of letting young people live, make mistakes, and not rush adulthood or success.
  • “I’m giving you the permission now to be a fucking 20 year old… Why do you have underwear on?... When I was in my 20s, I didn’t even know who the president was.” [29:29]
• She reflects on self-esteem and body image in her 20s, wishing she could go back and tell herself:
  • “You are gorgeous. You don’t even understand how gorgeous you are. You need to own it right now.” [30:57]

6. Leslie’s Journey to Comedy & SNL

• Leslie credits Jamie Foxx as a key figure in her early journey. Jamie advised her to live life before pursuing comedy seriously.
  • [34:15] Leslie Jones:
    “He was like, you want to be a comedian?... But you don’t got to talk about. You haven’t been through anything. Just go live life. Comedy will be here when you get back.”
• She details her SNL audition saga with humor and swagger—fighting imposter syndrome, defying industry ageism, and ultimately being noticed by Chris Rock.
  • “One night, I was at The Comedy Store, and I was performing the slave joke… My friend Owen Smith said that Chris Rock was standing in the door watching me... Chris says, ‘I just put her on [my list of comics] to look out for.’” [41:01]
  • Chris Rock connects her with SNL, despite her initial reluctance:
    [42:32] “I don’t do sketch comedy, so you need to call him and tell him... I’m not doing that…”
  • The audition: Leslie uses her stage command, even ordering SNL brass to “move up” for energy. She brings down the house, then bonds with Amber Ruffin during the process. [50:24]
  • Eventually, SNL offers her a writing spot, which she hilariously recounts hearing in a nail salon parking lot:
    “When I hung up that phone, I jumped out the car and I was like... SNL! [58:04]

7. Legacy, Foundation and Life’s Second Act

• Promoting her special Life Part 2, Leslie speaks on why building a solid life foundation matters, regardless of the timeline:
  • “Stop rushing, build the foundation… The materials that you need to build your foundation comes through living life and walking the trail of your destiny.” [59:58]
• Offers wisdom for worry-warts:
  • “Don’t waste no more time in worrying. Worrying don’t do for you. Worrying don’t change the situation.” [61:00]

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Notable Quotes

(with timestamps and attribution)

• Leslie Jones [16:18]:
  “Change will ask you nicely once, and then it will proceed. It’s like water up against a stagnant wall...”
• Leslie Jones [12:15]:
  “47 is not fucking old. It’s actually the beginning. People need to really slow the fucking shit down. The 20s is when you fuck up your life. The 30s, when you clean that up. The 40s is when you start living from all the experience that you’ve experienced.”
• Leslie Jones [34:15]:
  “Jamie Foxx…was like, you want to be a comedian?…You haven’t been through anything. Just go live life. Comedy will be here when you get back.”
• Leslie Jones [17:55]:
  “When I talk to people who say they believe in God. I said, the God you believe in is this little box that you put them in. God made a platypus. How dare you say God’s not gonna make a gay man.”
• Leslie Jones [27:25]:
  “Religion and a relationship with God, to me, are two different things.”
• Brian Green [58:59]:
  “That is the best SNL origin story we have heard. And we have heard a few.”
• Leslie Jones [59:58]:
  “Life Part 2 is basically what it means. Like, I’m at the second part of my life, and it’s wonderful. It’s. I built a great, strong foundation for me to have a good time in this part of my life.”

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Timestamps & Structurally Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Content | Key Points | |--------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:07 | (Preview with Leslie) on Change | Metaphor of water/change; setting episode’s introspective tone | | 10:29 | Interview begins with Leslie Jones | Leslie asks why they’re excited to have her on | | 12:15 | Age, life stages, success in later life | The arc of 20s, 30s, 40s explained, Jamie Foxx advice | | 14:04 | Critical thinking and societal surface-level thinking | On trends, “woke”, DEI, and lack of deeper understanding | | 17:09-18:16 | Spirituality, God, diversity in nature and people | “God made a platypus…” | | 21:05-23:45 | Church hypocrisy anecdote | Church stories; condescending parishioner, rejecting a Bible| | 29:29 | Advice for 20-somethings, self-worth, body confidence | Leslie and Chrissy reflect on 20s, confidence, self-image | | 34:15 | Jamie Foxx, living life before comedy | The “go live life” moment | | 41:01 | Chris Rock discovers Leslie | The Comedy Store “slave joke”, getting on Chris’ radar | | 46:59 | SNL audition process and mindset | Her competitive fire, sizing up competition, attitude | | 51:34 | SNL audition performance | Commanding the audition room, memorable improv moment | | 57:04 | Getting the SNL offer | Hearing from Lorne Michaels, nailing the gig | | 59:58 | Promoting “Life Part 2” on Peacock, life lessons | Foundation, patience, second act of life | | 61:00 | Final wisdom on worry, resilience | “Worrying don’t do for you…” | | 62:39 | The hosts reflect and wrap up | Appreciation, friendship, gratitude |

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Memorable Moments

• Leslie’s “Church on the way to hell” story about religious hypocrisy [21:05]
• Leslie clowning herself and the other SNL auditioners:
  “I didn’t even have makeup on. They came in… I had a pair of jeans on with a fucking T shirt. What I usually perform in. I was there. I did not realize how raw… I know when Lorne saw me, he was like, oh, this is a bright. Oh, this is a… I wanna chisel through that.” [48:58]
• The mutual fandom between Leslie and Amber Ruffin, their supportive bond during auditions [47:49]
• Her phone call in the nail salon parking lot where she learns she’s gotten SNL [57:04]

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Tone & Takeaways

• Leslie Jones is unfiltered, honest, brash, heartfelt, and funny—a mix of hard-won wisdom and riotous storytelling. Her life perspective champions slow growth, authenticity, embracing change, and the value of lived experience over youthful perfection.
• The episode isn’t just comedy or showbiz talk—it’s a masterclass in resilience, confidence, and self-acceptance, peppered with laughter and hard truths.
• For those who want both entertainment and inspiration, this conversation is a highlight of TCB’s chaotic, meaningful, friend-in-the-room style.

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Leslie Jones’ special “Life Part 2” is available on Peacock.
Links and live show dates in the show notes.

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Transcript

[Brian Green]

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[Leslie Jones]

On this episode of the commercial break. But change will ask you nicely once and then it will proceed. It's like water up against a stagnant wall. If you don't open it up, that wall becomes that. Water becomes stagnant and stale and molded because it can't flow.

[Brian Green]

That's right.

[Leslie Jones]

You let the water flow. You have to let the leaves turn brown. You have to progress. That's what life is. People are fighting so hard not to change. But change is good. Change is for the better. We're not the same people we were back in the fucking pilgrim days. We're not those people no more. And we need to grasp that. And this is the only country who hasn't done that.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

Next episode of the commercial break starts now.

[Brian Green]

Oh, yeah. Cats and kittens, welcome back to the commercial break. I'm Brian Green, and I'm entering this TCB infomercial Tuesday with a very special guest indeed. No singular person has tickled our fancies quite as much as our guest today. Former Saturday Night Live. She's an alum of Saturday Night Live. She's got a special on Showtime. She's been at the Aspen Comedy Festival just for laughs in Montreal. She's won in a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress. She's a former Ghostbuster. Or maybe she's a current Ghostbuster. Not even sure. Maybe there'll be a two. Ladies and gentlemen, Leslie Jones is here today. And I will tell you, while Chrissy's not here for the intro, I will share with you that Chrissy and I absolutely lost our shit with Leslie Jones. She was so fucking fantastic during this interview. We didn't even say hello to her. We just went right into the interviews. That kind of guest. Very few of these have happened. She came on the line, we said, hey, it's you, Leslie. And then what you're going to hear is pretty much the beginning all the way to the end. Usually there's a few minutes of banter and then we talk about, hey, listen, we're going to start the show now. We're going to start the interview portion. Not with Leslie. So full of energy, so full of life, soulful of wisdom, as you will hear. It goes wild, goes million different places. So, Leslie Jones, TCB infomercial. All the links are in the show notes, as they always are. A few, let's call them, I don't know, a few little show notes that. Show notes for the show notes that you have here. Chrissy and I are making some big changes to the commercial break coming in 2026, and that includes more live commercial break, less recorded commercial break. We'll explain more about that later on in the week. But get yourself prepared because over the next couple of weeks, Chrissy and I are going to be changing the format of the show, changing the number of days that we put out podcast episodes, and increasing the number of days that we share live with you on places like Twitch and YouTube, possibly Instagram and TikTok and Kick. So pay attention to that. You want to follow us at the commercial break on Instagram if you don't already so that you can be plugged into all the comings and goings, and we'll talk about it too here on the show. Nothing's wrong. Nothing happened. No one died, Chrissy. And I just feel like it's time to shake it up as we have on many different occasions. You know, we used to do one episode a week of this show. 1. God, how I long for those days when we did one episode and we almost didn't get those episodes done. And then we went to two, and then we went to three, and then we got crazy and went to four. And we feel now it's time to pare it back a little bit and shift gears. The whole world is moving to video and live and we are only six years behind the curve. So we will start doing more of that and interacting with our guests. It's all about engagement, kids. We want to hear from you. We want you to hear from us. Okay? But it's not about us today. We'll talk about that tomorrow on tomorrow's episode. What it is about is Les Dog at Lezdog on Instagram. She's also on the face spaces. I'm sure she's got a tick tock too. All the links down in the show notes. She's got some live shows coming up, January 16th and 17th. She'll be in Texas. She'll be in Highland, California. All of this.

One person, one mega superstar in comedy. Actually, I don't think there has been a singular voice or person that has changed comedy. I mean, there are a few. We can think about them, right? Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, George Carlin. I can go on and on. Chris Rock and Leslie Jones. She is a force of fucking nature. And if this interview doesn't prove that, then you don't have a heartbeat. So let me do this. Let me take a short break and when I get back, I'm going to let you listen to you out there in the audience, let you listen to me and Chrissy talking to Leslie Jones, and you'll see what a force of nature she really is. Right after these words.

[Rachel]

Hey, it's Rachel, your new voice of God here on tcb. And just like you, I'm wondering just how much longer this podcast can continue. Let's all rejoice that another episode has made it to your ears. And I'll rejoice that my check is in the mail. Speaking of mail, get your free TCB sticker in the mail by going to tcbpodcast.com and visiting the Contact Us page. You can also find the entire commercial break library audio and video, just in case you want to look at [e-mail] Want your voice to be on an episode of the show? Leave us a message at 212-4333, TCB. That's 212-4332. Tell us how much you love us and we'll be sure to let the world know on a future episode. Or you could make fun of us. That'd be fine too. We might not air that, but maybe. Oh, and if you're shy, that's okay. Just send a text. We'll respond. Now I'm gonna go check the mailbox for payment while you check out our sponsors and then we'll return to this episode of the Commercial break.

[Brian Green]

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[Leslie Jones]

Hi, Brian and Chrissy.

[Brian Green]

And we are honored to have you on our podcast. We are.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, stop it. Not honored.

[Brian Green]

Yes, honored. Yeah. We've done a lot of these, but I would have to say that I think when your name appeared on the calendar, we were a bit more than excited and.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, man. Can you. Okay. Can I ask a question before you start asking questions?

[Brian Green]

Absolutely.

[Leslie Jones]

What are you excited about? With me, I find that when I meet people, they are like. And I'm like, what did I do to cause that?

[Brian Green]

Can I share with you?

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

First of all, you have a very unique comedic voice and perspective. But I think what most makes me admire you is that this didn't happen for you at 20 years old. And I am not 20 years old. And so it gives me, like, Target. And I say, well, if Leslie did it, if Steve Martin did it, if this person and that person did it, you can. You. You. It's never too late to see success. And I love that about you. I love that for you. I also love that you're fearlessly outspoken, and I think that that takes a lot of courage, especially when you have a lot of eyeballs. Eyeballs pointed at you. And so all those things combined. You're funny. You're fucking funny. And then you did it. You did it, but you didn't do it. Like, you know, at 16 years old, like a lot of these.

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah. But, you know, so crazy. Age was never my thing. Age was never my thing.

[Brian Green]

No.

[Leslie Jones]

I didn't know I was old until I got the snl because everybody was like, oh, she's so old. She old as hell. I remember when she was old. She old, God damn it. She the oldest person in this building. It was like. It was like, wait a minute. 47 is not fucking old.

[Brian Green]

No, it's not. Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

It's actually the beginning. People need to really slow the fucking shit down. The 20s is when you fuck up your life. The 30s, when you clean that up. The 40s is when you start living from all the experience that you've experienced.

[Chrissy]

That's so true.

[Leslie Jones]

Not the end.

[Brian Green]

I love this perspective, and it's one that we share because we have done that. It's. We have lived multiple lives. Yeah.

[Chrissy]

20S, we fucked up we're cleaning it up.

[Brian Green]

30S. Well, we were late 30s. We were cleaning up.

[Leslie Jones]

Yes. And then 40s. You got it. You got your shit together. Supposedly. You got your shit together, and now you're thinking about your future. It's. That's what life is supposed to be. I wish people would really grasp that, because then we would have better singers, better designers, better. Because people would take their time to really get a foundation for what it is they want to do. I. I could not be as funny and helpful to anyone if I hadn't experienced anything right? That's what Jamie Foxx told me. He was like, you a baby. You ain't went through shit. He was like, go out and get your heart broken. Break hearts, get fired, quit jobs, do go through fucking life. You cannot help no one if you ain't did shit. You can't give what you don't have inside of yourself. So I wish people would know that you don't need to be successful at 25. Matter of fact, your brain is not even developed until you're 25. This is true. Why everybody smart? Why everybody not as smart as the rental company? The rental car companies? Rental car companies do not. They do not let you rent their cars. So they must know something.

[Brian Green]

Yes, they do. They know that you're right, that your prefrontal frontal cortex hasn't even fully formed yet. So your ability to make decisions based on experience is 0. 0.

[Leslie Jones]

The critical thinking in this country is so sad because they didn't put a name to it, right? So, you know, people can demonize names, like they demonize woke, like they demonize dei, like they demonize. And it's really sad because I hate these trends and words that these keywords that we get stuck to and not really looking at the surface right now. This country is on the surface. We're not digging at all. Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Yes, go.

[Leslie Jones]

You know, and. And I really. I really understand life now at this point, because I remember thinking back in the day, I'm running away from being conscious, and it was always there. It was always roaming in the back. Like, you know, one day you're gonna have to walk through this fucking door if you're gonna get better as a person, as an artist, as. As a giver. You're gonna have to walk through this conscious door. You're not gonna be able to be stupid. Like, you being, like, roaming through life like, ain't happening.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

You're gonna have to wake up one day because you are gonna be speaking for people. So it's. It's it's something for people to keep that part of their life open. And I think that's what's happening with our country now. I really believe Kobe us up. Yeah, for sure. I really do believe Covid us up. And I feel like the system that we. That we depended on wasn't as dependable as we thought. And since we have so many different type of people, I think it' time to rebuild that.

[Brian Green]

Yes. Yes. You know, Leslie, you just said something that I think is one of the most important lessons I ever Learned in my 30s. Someone said to me, if it feels hard, you must lean into it, because that is where the knowledge is. If you. If before, Brian, when it felt hard, you ran away or you hid or you morphed into something else to avoid that pain. But if it feels hard, if it feels painful, you must lean into it like a samurai on a sword, because that is where the knowledge is.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, and I'm telling you, when you do that, oh, my God. There's a part of yourself that goes, bitch, use a bad motherfucker. Use a bad motherfucker.

[Brian Green]

Like.

[Leslie Jones]

Like. This is one thing that I want this country to really understand. Change is what you're scared of. But change is a big part of life. And change don't give a about you not wanting to change. Yes, change is going to happen whether you want it to or not. Now, you can flow with it, or you can stand up against the wall and get your ass beat. But change will ask you nicely once, and then it will proceed. It's like water up against a stagnant wall. If you don't open it up, that wall becomes that. Water becomes stagnant and stale and moldy because it can't flow.

[Brian Green]

That's right.

[Leslie Jones]

You have to let the water flow. You have to let the leaves turn brown. You have to progress. That's what life is. People are fighting so hard not to change. But change is good. Change is for the better.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

We're not the same people we were back in the fucking pilgrim days. We're not those people no more.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

And we need to grasp that. And this is the only country who hasn't done that.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, the only one. We're the only one. And I think that some people mistakenly got sold a bill of goods that that life was better at some fictitious point in the past, but it never was. It never was.

[Leslie Jones]

It might have been always just developing, like we all say. I know. I say the 80s was so fucking.

[Brian Green]

We were just talking about this.

[Leslie Jones]

The 80s was so fucking great. The 90s was great, too, but we have to realize that time don't give a about all that.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

Time is about roaming. And, like, that's when I talk to people. When I talk to people who say they believe in God. I said, the God you believe in is this little box that you put them in. God had made a platypus. How dare you say that. God's not gonna make a gay man.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

How dare you say God's not gonna make a transgender.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

When there's. When there's hairy caterpillars.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

Have you ever seen a caterpillar? I have.

[Brian Green]

It's a scary fucking little piece of shit.

[Leslie Jones]

But, yeah, God made a caterpillar. He's not going to make a transgender. Yeah. Hello.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

If you really roam the animals. Most of the animals are gay. Did you know that lions are gay?

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

Did you know that?

[Brian Green]

Yes, I know. I know.

[Leslie Jones]

They're very rough with their partner, but they're very sweet and sensual with their gay partner. No. There's things that people not understanding that that's in life and that you have put God here and he's everywhere. Yeah.

[Brian Green]

This is the part.

[Leslie Jones]

So stop this unloving bullshit, because it's gonna destroy all of us. We're slowly destroying us.

[Brian Green]

I saw this video, Leslie. I love this. I love what you're saying, because I saw.

[Leslie Jones]

I know what. Is this what the show is about? Like, we are fucking straight.

[Brian Green]

It's wish. It's. What the show is about is whatever it's about. Whatever manifests is what this show is about. And I think anybody who listens to it for a long time will understand. It's. It's kind of a little artsy far that way. Whatever comes out on the canvas is what comes out on the canvas. I. I love what you're saying. I watched this series of social media posts the other day about a young lady who went. She started. She put a fake baby crying in the background. Did you see this?

[Leslie Jones]

I literally was just. Because I'm gonna be on the Daily show again. And I was talk. I was talking to the producer about maybe doing this piece. We're going to do another one. But I was like.

How dare. Okay, so she did this thing, right?

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

Doesn't matter if it was fake or not. The response is what I'm looking at. So almost 10 churches. I think something said no. And then when they saw the post, they had the nerve to come after this girl. One church said, oh, she's a witch. Wait a minute. First of all, If I was in a church and my pastor got up into the pulpit and said that this woman was a witch, I'd be like, what the fuck? Yeah, you ain't supposed to believe in.

[Brian Green]

That's right. You're a Christian. Get the fuck out.

[Leslie Jones]

I would walk the fuck out. Oh, this is the only social experiment I need. Of course you said that, you piece of shit.

[Brian Green]

Of course, people.

[Leslie Jones]

And you know what? Let me tell you. And in my book, I talk about this church. So when I. When my brother died, I was all over the place. I was just looking for anything, right? And I started going to this church that was across the street from my house. It was called the Church on the Way. I would never forget it, because it's the Church on the way to hell.

I was going to this church, and I actually was enjoying it when the. When the pastor that was there, I was enjoying it, right? And he left. And other people. So I'm sitting there talking, and one day, because I was like. I said, morning, my brother. And I was dealing with this Israeli guy. Oh, my God, he was so good in bed, but he was.

So I'm in there, I'm in church, trying to pray to Jesus to take him out of my life. Like, lord, please, Lord, please. I don't want to like this man.

[Brian Green]

He's got the good dick, but get him out.

[Leslie Jones]

He's got the good dick. You know, make him bad in bed or something. Make him ugly.

You know, get me from him. So this guy's up there, and he goes. And I catch him. He's talking about some senator or something that's trying to run in Texas. And he goes, I don't know about y', all, but I don't want no Shem running my state.

[Brian Green]

What? What?

[Leslie Jones]

I literally. I literally looked around. Cause I was, like, waiting for everybody to be like, no, he didn't say that. All of them was into it. Whoa. And I saw this guy looking at me, right? He's just. And I'm listening to this man talk, and all I'm thinking in my head was, lord, why are you not setting him on fire?

[Brian Green]

Yeah, that's crazy.

[Leslie Jones]

Like, you can't say that. Yeah, wait a minute. I know. God does. It felt so bad and wrong. And this guy at the end of the bench was watching me the whole time, right? So when I got up in my head, I was like, huh. Never coming back here, right? This place, I can't even. Like, I was, you know, raised in the church, and I started really questioning, like.

Is this what God is about. So I got ready to leave. The sermon was over. I got ready to leave because I was going to leave anyway. But it was towards the end, this guy comes up to me that had been watching me, and he says, I think you need to understand what the Republicans believe in. We believe. And he wouldn't let go of my hand. He goes, we believe that we need to earn all of our money. We believe that if we earn our money, we shouldn't have to help nobody with our money. We believe that if it's. It. It. If you. You need to be able. If you're of great mind, you should be able to make your own money. And I looked at him and I said, you in a church right now saying that? And I said, is Jesus a Republican? And. And then he gives me this Bible. And I was like. I remember throwing that Bible in the garbage, because I was like, I don't want nothing from you.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, that's insane.

[Leslie Jones]

And in my head, it really questioned everything that I thought about. Like, I don't. I've had to really go, okay, am I separating this? Is this just them, or is this the religion? Does that make sense? So it's. It's. It took me on a journey of finding out what my spiritual shit was.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

You know, because it's. And this is when. When these MAGA people are doing this. You. You. When I'm in Memphis and I'm watching the news, this is all there being.

[Brian Green]

Fed, all of it, all the time.

[Leslie Jones]

There's no one with right mind. They're telling them, because I know my aunt said to me, she was like, well, you know, gay people, they're making that choice. And I was like, what are you talking about? She was like, they're choosing to be that way. And I said. I said, that doesn't make sense. I said, are you choosing to be straight? She was like, no. I said, what, you was born like that?

[Brian Green]

Huh?

[Leslie Jones]

I said, so let me explain something to you. I said, in your Bible, it has homosexuality, but in the original text, it has sexual deviance. I said, you would fall under that. You have three babies, daddies. Three children with three different fathers. You are a sexual deviant.

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

So stop this bullshit. Y' all use this word when you want to use it. You're not God, and you're definitely not the abominator. And I don't think God wants you speaking for him.

[Chrissy]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

I get so incensed. And I can tell. Yeah, I can tell you are, too. That. I mean, geez, I. I grew up in going to Catholic school all my life. And the one thing that I took away from my constant brow beating with the Bible and the sin and all this other stuff, the one thing that I took away, and I'm glad this is what I took away, is that Jesus Christ, if he existed, and I believe he might have, if he existed, his one purpose on this earth was to show us that all the answers are right inside. And it all starts and ends with love and treating. It's a mirror. You treat the world exactly how you intend to be treated. And if you do that well, everything's going to work out okay for you. Not, not everything's a happy ending, but everything will work out okay. You're doing good. If you treat the world badly, it's going to be shine right back at you. The Bible is tens of thousands of words and you can literally use any of the sentences any way you want. And by the way, the Bible has been changed. There's like 50,000 versions of the Bible all changed to suit whatever mood or attitude these people want. And it drives me fucking crazy.

[Leslie Jones]

It drives me insane. I'll be like, you guys, okay, I get that this Bible was written back. God came down and struck the tablets. Okay? Okay. But you don't think that these narcissistic, chauvinist piece of shit men would change the verse? Yes, it's very easy to do that. Are you crazy?

[Brian Green]

Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

Like, like, like St. James. St. James had the Bible writ it. Pieces of it was written by Shakespeare. A sexual deviant. Yeah, some of it was written by sexual deviants like this. I really tell my aunt all the time, I said, I think you guys take that book too literal sometimes. And I do believe that there's people who could study it and, and take it in the right way, but we do not know what the original text is.

[Brian Green]

I have no idea. We have no idea.

[Leslie Jones]

And that's the thing that we need to understand that out of all of that, because I will tell you, like what you just said, we're supposed to get the basis of that love to have a relationship with him on our own.

[Brian Green]

That's right.

[Leslie Jones]

And truly I feel like I have a relationship with him where he shows me what I need to know. And I remember telling my aunt, I said, you know, I have a great relationship with God and he definitely would not tell me something. You know, I believe that. You know, I believe that.

[Brian Green]

But, but I think that's spirituality people take.

[Leslie Jones]

Religious. Yeah. Religion and a relationship with God to me are two different things.

[Brian Green]

Absolutely.

[Leslie Jones]

Religion Is mad.

[Brian Green]

Yes. You know, religion is the dogma. It's the things. It's the things that weighed us down into this worldly bullshit. It's preaching a Republican agenda from the pulpit. That is dogma. That is religion.

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah. Yes, I thinking about that. You know that movie Ben Affleck did with, with Matt Damon when they were angels, they came down.

[Brian Green]

Oh, Dogma. The movie's called Dogma. Yeah, the Kevin Smith movie.

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah. Yeah. I still think that movie is one of the best.

[Brian Green]

Brilliant. It's.

[Leslie Jones]

It's one of the best religious movies. I know. Chrissy is like.

[Chrissy]

I'm enjoying. I know I'm enjoying it.

[Leslie Jones]

Brian and I came to talk about comedy.

[Chrissy]

No, Brian and I talk about this all the time.

[Brian Green]

We go off like this.

[Chrissy]

We've been best friends for 20 years and so this is. I, we've talked about this.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. Chrissy's like, where did we go wrong here, Brian?

[Leslie Jones]

I've enjoyed it. I wanted to ask her what kind of peaches I.

[Brian Green]

But here's the thing, Leslie.

[Chrissy]

No, but it's so true, all of this.

[Brian Green]

Sometimes people come in our door, right? And comedy is what we talk to them about or their movie or their whatever and we can get to all that. But sometimes there is just the, the magic happens and you get started with someone and it's just like anybody you would meet on the street, sometimes you meet someone on the subway or having a coffee and you're wavelength, you're on the same wavelength and you go, oh, holy, that person is here for a reason. Talking about this for a reason. I should have my ears open.

[Leslie Jones]

Like, I feel like that's who society is. Society needs to have permission to do the things that they want. Like I talk about men going to therapy all the time now. It's just, now it's really blown up. Love that. Because now men are actually going to dance, hopefully and taking it fucking serious. But like, I think we need to give permission to like. Whenever I talk to 20 year olds, I'll be like, hey, I'm giving you the permission now to be a fucking 20 year old.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

I said, why do you have underwear on? What the fuck is happening? The fuck is happening? Like, why, why are you so. Yeah, I was in my 20s, I didn't even know who the president was. Yeah, I was just like, y' all going to vote? I'm about to go, exactly.

[Brian Green]

I'm gonna hit a key up in the bathroom and have a couple of Moscow mules and forget my own name. Yes.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, give me another drink. Absolutely.

And then, and then, and really, seriously, I think it was about 29. Let me, let me. Because I can't really.

[Brian Green]

I.

[Leslie Jones]

All I remember is that I started doing comedy. I had started doing comedy in 93, because 87 is when I started. But then I took a break after I talked to the Jamie and I was like, let me go live life. And I did for six years. And then 93 is when I started. And I can't remember how old I was. Somebody had to do the math for me. I'm 58.

[Brian Green]

Okay.

[Leslie Jones]

And that was 1993. So somebody had to do the math.

[Brian Green]

1993, that's 30 years ago. You were 50. You were 30. No, you were 25.

[Chrissy]

Yeah, 25, right?

[Brian Green]

Yeah, 25. 26 years old.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, I was so happy.

[Chrissy]

I know. It's so funny. You think you look and you're like, God, why was that? Why was I just walking around naked every day?

[Leslie Jones]

Confidence.

[Chrissy]

Yes, Yes, I know. I didn't either.

[Leslie Jones]

I was like, if, if I could, if I could go back to my, if I could quantum leap, I would quite leap back to that time and go, exactly. You are gorgeous. You don't even understand how gorgeous you are. You need to own it right now. I need you to own it right now. Because after I left, after I left my first boyfriend, I think I went into the scope of that, oh, that's gonna be the only guy that ever really actually likes me. Because I'm not very confident in my looks. I was tall.

You know, I just, I just, you know, I didn't, I, I didn't think men really found me attractive. So if you start off with that low self esteem plus desperation you, you get yourself into, you do.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

So, yeah, if I could go back, I would tell myself, hey, hey, stop listening to the I am you, I'm the future hoe. Please get your ass and please keep that body. Keep this body.

[Bombas Narrator]

Yeah.

[Chrissy]

Yep. I love the quantum leap.

[Brian Green]

You know, sometimes, sometimes I'll, I'll meditate and I'll actually talk to my younger self. I'll. I'll talk to him at certain points. I'll, I'll pick a point in the past and I'll say, hang tight, brother. Yeah, hang tight. This is a tough time, but you're gonna get through it. Don't do anything stupid. Don't make any. Just stay still. Stay still or move forward.

[Leslie Jones]

What I do sometimes with my old self, I go, would my old self do this gig? Ah, like there'll be some gigs that people will be like, yo, you should do it, because this, this, and this. And then I'll go with my old self. And my old self would be like, hey, you're not tired. Get your mother ass up and make that money. I always talk about how I. If I actually quantum leap back to my old self. My old. And I started talking inspirational and telling her shit. My old self would have been like, okay, give me your clothes. Like, I couldn't fight my old self. My old self would beat me up and ride. Like, give me all embraces. Take them all off.

[Brian Green]

Jamie was a big.

[Leslie Jones]

I know it's gonna fit.

I love it.

[Brian Green]

Jamie was a big inspiration for you, huh? You were you. When you started, you were. Or when you started in comedy, shortly thereafter, you were opening gigs for. For Jamie.

[Leslie Jones]

No, no, this. See, and this is so crazy. People just like, you know, they'll get that information and just make it wonderful. Like, they need to make it a story. But basically what it was was that I won a contest in college. I was like, fuck that. I'm gonna be a comedian. I flew back to la. My homegirl, who was, you know, just my homegirl, she was like, I'm gonna be your manager. You know, I. And she got me this gig. She got me this gig at this place called the World in la. I think Magic Johnson owned it at the time, but a lot of players and stuff went there. Anyway, they was having a comedy show there. This guy Speedy was hosting it, and I. Oh, And Jamie Foxx was the headliner that night. And I opened up and was horrible, Bomb like a motherfucker. But I didn't really understand the scope of what I was supposed to do, so I stayed and I watched Jamie Foxx. And I was mesmerized because I was like, oh, my God, he's performing like Richard Pryor and Eddie Mercy.

[Brian Green]

I was like, oh, my God, that energy. Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

I remember grabbing my friend, going, okay, this is what I want. This is what I want to do. That's. That is. That's it. Okay, so now I see what I gotta do. I see what I gotta do now. Just. Just like, can we get. Can we talk to him? So it wasn't. It was just that one time. So the story is. And. Which is true. I made.

I knew Speedy. I knew Speedy. Like big bitches, and she was a big bitch. And she's beautiful, right? So he. He. I said, go talk to him. Get him, you know, and so she, you know, went to go hook up with him, and we all went to Fat Burger afterwards and to this day, I tell Jamie, I said, I know Wanda is me, you fucking asshole. At least that's. And see, and that's how I felt about myself. And he was like, no. He was like, it's a mixture of a gang of women. But I was like, whatever. But he was like, I was trying to talk to him. Now, when I see that he wasn't taking my advances, I was like, fine. Because I was even like, yo, you know, you like me. Whatever, whatever. But. But he was like, you're a child. Like, you're 18. How are you? And I was like, 18? He was like, yeah, you're a child. Like. And then he was like, you want to be a comedian? I was like, I want it so bad. And I was like. And after seeing you, I don't. I like, I wanna. Like, I see that it can be. He was like, yeah. He said, you actually have to. Great stage person. He said, but you don't got to talk about. He was like, you haven't been through anything. He was like, just. He's like, just go live. Go live life. He was like, you 18 years old. He was like, comedy will be here when you get back.

[Brian Green]

That is a brilliant. It's a brilliant mentor move. And. Well, two things I like in that story. Number one, you're a child. He wasn't going to be freaky, right? Number two, he was a gentleman. Number two, he said, the probably remember the Matrix, the movie when Neo goes to the oracle and the oracle says, sorry, kid, you're not the One. And he goes back and he says, what? What did he say? And Neo goes, he said, I'm not the One. And then Laurence Fishburne's character goes, no, he told you exactly what. Did. She told you exactly what you needed to hear in that moment. And that's like a Matrix moment. He told you exact. You ain't got to talk about. So you bet. You got to go live some life. So you figure it out. But there's something there. And so come back and talk to me when you live some life, right? And that is a brilliant oracle moment. And everybody has those. But some people, sometimes I don't think our eyes are open. I don't think our eyes are open.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, my God. Because somebody else would have took that and said, fuck him. I'm finna go do what I'm gonna do, and I'm gonna be comic. But me, it was more of like, yeah, because. And this is real talk. After that night, I remember this. I will never forget this. I remember praying to God. I was like, lord, I want to be a comedian. I was like, if I'm not funny, though, just let me be in the business in some type of way. Like, if I own a club or if I'm an agent or something, I just. I want to be part of this, but I want to be funny. I want to be funny, so whatever it is that I got to do to be funny, I'll do it. And I remember. I remember getting a sense of, okay, it's not gonna be easy. And it fucking was not. It was not. But from the beginning, and I'm. I know this sounds kind of cocky, but from the time I touched that mic, I knew I had it. Even when I went back in 93 and performed for the first time, I knew I had it. I just had to figure it out. And I remember the club owner coming up to me going, yo, your ass got potential. You got potential. You keep writing. You keep writing and you keep coming, and you can come back here anytime you want to. And that lady was hardcore. She would tell you to your face. Sharon from the Comedy Act Theater. She would look at you and go, you not funny. Don't come back to my mother's club. I'm not gonna put no unfunny on my stage. But she looked at me and she's like, you got potential. And she was like, and there's not many women in here. You fucking just keep writing. Keep writing. And that's all I. I was addicted to it at that point.

[Brian Green]

You knew from. And I think that.

[Chrissy]

And you kept getting a couple signs here and there, right, telling you to.

[Brian Green]

Keep going, but your ears were open. And that's the difference.

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah. And Martin Lawrence.

[Brian Green]

Martin Lawrence.

[Leslie Jones]

Martin Lawrence. I remember Martin Lawrence saw me in the Comedy act. And this is a long time ago. He was. Used a funny big bitch. I remember him saying that. Use a funny big bitch. David Chappelle. Dave Chappelle hit on me because I was fine. Like, I said I was fine as fuck back then. And I had long hair. And I remember Dave Chappelle. He was like. He was like, you fine as fuck, Dave. I was like. He was like, you fine as fuck. He was like, what's your name? And I was like, I'm a comedian. I don't fuck comedians. If you trying to book me, I can do that, but step off.

[Brian Green]

Good for you.

[Leslie Jones]

He was like, oh, you a comedian? And I was like, yeah. And I went up, and then when I came down, he was like, you need to go to New York.

[Brian Green]

Oh, really?

[Leslie Jones]

And him and Martin was like, you need to go to New York. And I was just like. Cause I was really at that. By that time, I had been doing it for, like. Like three months. And I won a contest. I beat, like, big veterans. I had won this big contest. And everybody was like. Yo name was like, it's time for you to go to New York. It's time for you to go to New York. But I still didn't go because I was too scared. I was, like, scared to go. And plus, I was like. I didn't know if I had money. It was just so many things when.

[Brian Green]

So I. Just fast forward for me a minute because I don't know the story. How do you get. I mean, now there's many years in between. Say many years. Like a decade almost or two. And then you. All of a sudden, you. Not all of a sudden. There are probably, you know, hundreds of gigs and ups and downs and, you know, misery and defeats and wins and losses and all this. But then how did you get Saturday Night Live? Like, how did you get on snl? Tell that story.

I love when you laugh before you say something, because I know it's going to be good.

[Leslie Jones]

Wow.

Okay. So from what I know, I. This is after my brother passed away and I started doing material that I didn't. I. I was a really in. I don't give a mode. I can't explain it to you. I didn't. I just didn't give a. I didn't give a. If I was funny. I was ready to do. My. My brother died. So I was like, I'm going. I'm gonna die soon. So let me. Let me get this. Let me get these jokes out, you know? So I started doing this joke. Fernanda. I just feel like it's gonna go off. Look, it's at 3%.

[Brian Green]

If you need to take a second to plug it in, it's okay, Leslie, we got.

[Leslie Jones]

No, it's plugged in. I just. It says it's charging. I know, but it has. I'm just scared if. Yeah. If we go off.

[Brian Green]

Okay, I got.

[Leslie Jones]

It was the cute. It was a computer anyway, so I was. I was. I was. Yo, I'm telling you, them years after my brother passed away, I was a samurai. Like, And I was a mean samurai. I wasn't a good samurai. I was the one. I was coming in slashing all throats. Like, I didn't give a. Like, I wore these long cardigans. So whenever I would walk out the club, the wind would go under my Cardigan?

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

Like, I was a villain. I mean, I. A murderer on stage. Because I didn't give a. I didn't give a. And one night, I was at the Comedy Store, and I was performing the slave joke, the one I did the. The update about. I was. It was actually a joke. So I'm doing that joke murdering. And my friend Owen Smith said that Chris Rock was standing in the door watching me, and he pulled out his phone and typed something down. And. Oh. And you know that. He was like, yo, dude, what you typing? He was like, I got a list of comics to look out for, and I just put her on that list. So Owen was like, you got me on that.

He said, I want you to stop.

And. And he said, chris just turned around and walked out. Right? So two days later, I get a call from Chris Rock, and I was like, first of all, how the you get my number? I don't remember ever giving you my number, motherfucker. That's Chris Rock.

[Chrissy]

Yeah, you can get a hold of whatever.

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah, I didn't give a. I didn't give a. I swear.

[Brian Green]

You were in that zone.

[Leslie Jones]

I was like, what you want? Like, what do you want? And he was like, hey, I talked to Lauren Michaels. I just had dinner with him. I told him about you. They're gonna. They're gonna call you about an audition for snl. And I went completely berserk on him. I was like, why in the would you do that? I was like, I'm not no sketch comic. I'm a real comic. Why you call me with this? I don't do that. Wow.

[Chrissy]

I love it.

[Leslie Jones]

Like, I don't. I don't want to be on Saturday Night Live. That's not even a funny show. That show ain't funny. The are not funny on there. Okay, so what the. Now, I will tell you this. During all of that time, what happened was they talked to Keenan and misquoted Keenan. Keenan said that if you come to snl, you got to be ready. And sometimes black female comics don't understand that you have to really be ready when you come here. And he was right. So they misquoted him and said that black. He said, black females are not funny. Right? So that had got to me, and they interviewed me, and I said, I've never seen this on nothing. But Keenan. Keenan and Cal, who the is this? And I remember when I first met Kenny, he was like, you went hard on me.

[Chrissy]

Yeah, I thought you said that.

[Leslie Jones]

Like. And I. And. And I remember. Okay, I'm mixing it up. Because the stuff that I'm telling you about happened after. So we. We. It was a night. Russell Simmons had a room in this theater. And at. At the Universal park, and it was like a theater, and he would have a show, and it was packed. So that's the night that I found out Keenan had said that. And I went on stage. When I say murdered you it. Yo, y' all don't even understand that I was ripping souls out of people's body and then putting it back in. And just like, that's how much I love. I love comedy so much because it's. It's a thing. It's like. It's you. You'll never.

[Brian Green]

Playing with the energy.

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, God. And you just stop. Zoom. You know, I'm just murdering. And then at the end of my. I'm talking about people. Russell Simmons losing it. Yo. At the end of the set, I said. And they said that black females are not funny. And then I dropped the mic and walked off. And let me tell you something. I'm talking about roaring, right? Okay. So fast forward. And I went out to sell DVDs.

I went right outside and sold all my DVDs for, like, $20 each. Yeah. Anyway, and. And it's so. You know, I've been through so many things. I had. Did Jeff jam. Got three standing O's, but everybody was surround Tiffany, which. Tiffany was very funny, but she was what they wanted. Anyway, so I'm going off on Chris, and I was like, I don't do sketch comedy, so you need to call him and tell him that I'm not doing that. So he was like, you're. You're a idiot. You're a idiot. And you're going. And then he hung up in my face. So I was like, all right. So I go.

I had the nerve to call my manager at the time and say, man, Chris Rock just called me with some. Talking about he want me to go audition for snl. And my manager was like, what?

[Brian Green]

Your manager's like, how you go get that dude? Yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

Are you stupid? You're a idiot. Like, they were like, my. My friends, everybody was like, you've lost your goddamn mind. You got it? I was like, I'm not doing that. I'm not scared. So the lady called, right? Lindsey shook his. At the time, called my manager, set up the audition, right? That he's gonna fly me out. Now. In my head, this is how cocky I am. I'm going out there to say, no.

I'm not only am I gonna make them Want me? I'll say no. This is cocky. I am.

[Brian Green]

You are on fire. You're just on fire in this movie.

[Leslie Jones]

And I had already been doing comedy 20 years. 2000. This was. Yeah, this was 2000, the end of 2013. I remember because it was the Christmas show, and Justin Timberlake was the host.

And I was cocky as fuck by that time. By that time, I'm like, you know, I don't give a fuck, right? So I. They. I'll go out to the audition. Now they put us. But, you know, this is when they're looking for black females. So there's like 12 black females.

[Brian Green]

I don't know none of them interesting.

[Leslie Jones]

I ain't never seen none of y' all in no club, so y' all must be. Yeah, on that.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

And. And they were so Hollywood. Just. Oh, my God.

I was like. Every time they would talk, I'd be like.

You know, like. And they wasn't really respecting me, even though they know who I was. They already knew I'd already did, so they knew who I was, but they was. And then I'm 47, so in their mind, they're like, she. Oh, they not gonna pick her. But in my head, I'm like, bitch, I will run circles around all you hoes. All you hoes. So I remember it was me, Lakendra, and Amarruffin Amber Ruffin. Okay.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, yeah.

[Leslie Jones]

And a.m. ruffin walked over to me when we was getting our bags, and she was like, bitch, I know who you are. I fucking love you. Your motherfucking ass. And we became buddies, right then we were just like. Like. She was like, can you see these pieces?

[Chrissy]

And these.

[Leslie Jones]

You know, we, like. And then Lakendra came over. We immediately bonded with Lendra, so it was us three, right? So they take us there. They. You know, they. You know, we check in the. We're. You know, the tree is up. We're fucking, like, in my head, I'm starting to kind of.

[Brian Green]

You're envisioning it now. Now you're like, okay, you know.

[Leslie Jones]

Cause I didn't been to New York. I didn't been in New York to perform, but not in this capacity. So I'm just like, this is crazy. I didn't even know they had a tree down here. This is insane. So we go and, you know, they're showing us stuff, and then we have to have the audition. Now I'm looking at the. These girls. I'm looking at these girls, and I'm just like, there's no way they can be funny. They have to be sketch. They have to be sketch girls, because they're just very.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, they're. They weren't your brand. They weren't your energy.

[Leslie Jones]

But I don't want to give them a bad name. They were what. They were what their managers told them to be. Does that make sense? None of them was. I didn't even have makeup on. They came in, I think I have my lashes done. I think I have my lashes done. You know how you can go get your lashes done? I think I had my lashes done, but I had no makeup on and I had. Did my own hair. I had a. A pair of jeans on with a fucking T shirt. What I usually perform in. I was. I was there. I was literally. I did not realize how raw and green and just. I know when Lawrence saw me, he was like, oh, this is a bright. Oh, this is a. Yeah, I want to chisel through that. That's what Keenan. So I hadn't met Kenan, and none of them yet, right? So we get there to the audition, and girls are going in, and they're coming out looking like ghosts.

[Brian Green]

I know this is, like, very tough process.

[Leslie Jones]

So I'm like, you know, in my head, I'm like, okay, okay. It's a hard room. That's all I'm thinking. It's a hard room. And then Lakendra went in. She came out. She was like, yeah, good for her. That shit was fun. And I was like, okay. And in my head, I was like, okay, now I'm starting to see that performers, you. You. If you're a real performer, you got confidence. Then after winning in, Amber went in and she came out. She was like, you gonna kill it?

[Brian Green]

And I was like, she gave you what you needed.

[Leslie Jones]

So when I went in, I was like, I gotta be different from everybody else. I had already been peeping how the place looked like a. A maze. It was just like it. If you ever been at SNL under the bleachers, it's like a big city. It's like, okay. It's crazy, right? So when. When Chris took me in, Chris came to the door and he said, hey, just go straight. You see the stage? Just go straight. And I was like, okay. I didn't go straight because I knew that they was right there by the bleachers. I went to the side, and Chris was like.

Chris, Chris. And then I went, chris, Chris.

I don't think I see the stage anymore. And he comes about, he's like, what are you doing? What the fuck are you doing? I told you to go Straight. No, just go straight. Just go straight. Oh, okay. Just straight. Straight. Just straight. Just straight. Okay, straight. So then he goes. And I go to the next side. So I was like, chris, this is not. And you can hear them dying. All right? This is not working. The.

Chris came and he was like, are you fucking with me? What are you talking about? Chris, what are you talking about? Are you with me? The stage is right there. And then he just started laughing. I was like, chris, are you mad at me? You can hear them dying, right? So I finally made my way to the stage, and they were sitting there back, and I was like, hey, you guys, can you kind of move up? Because I don't really do an empty room, so kind of move up because I need the energy. And they got up and moved up, and I did my set, and I knew I ripped it, because that's what I do. I did a cart. I set my set up to where it was me when I was little. And then when I grew up. So I ended with the slave joke. All my jokes was just. Yeah. And all the day. You can. You can't not laugh. If you're not laughing, you're dead inside.

[Chrissy]

Oh, my God, I feel chills.

[Leslie Jones]

When I came out.

[Brian Green]

This is crazy.

[Leslie Jones]

When I came out, I was like. When I came out, I was like. Like, if I don't got it, I bet you that invited me to be a writer or something. But then I was like, I don't want to be a. Right. I want to be cast, right? Because by then.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, now you want it. Yeah. The glitz and the glamour.

[Leslie Jones]

And they made me want it history.

[Brian Green]

All of it.

[Leslie Jones]

They made me want it. Right? So then. So then we go get something to eat. We go get something to eat at this restaurant. We're all sitting at this long table. Oh, God, the conversations.

And I'm looking at the Kendra. I'm looking at the Kendra and at the yakiness. I'm just like, oh, God, I'm too old for this shit. I don't like this shit. You know, I'm getting. You know, I was like, oh, God, this is gonna end soon. Thank God we all get to go home tomorrow, right? So I get the text that says, hey, from Jeff. Hey, Leslie, we would like you to stay for the show so you can see how things work.

Then I looked up at Lakendra. I looked up at Lakendra, and Lakendra looked up at me because she got the same text. Text. And then Amber looked at me because she got the same text. All of us is at the end of the table. We got that text, right? So we're like. And then I said, you know what? I am exhausted, you guys. This has been really mentally hard on me, so I'm just gonna get my food to go and go back to the hotel. And then Amber was like, yeah, I gotta call my husband. And then. And then Kendra was like, yeah, I need to call my man. So make our stuff to go. We left some money, and we fucking got out of there. And we went around the corner, and we was like.

And then. So we skipped all the way back. We did Laverne and Shirley, we was like, let me out.

We was just, like, just so fucking happy. So we go back to the hotel, and we're in there, we're eating our food, talking about everything. Oh, God, we gonna get the meat. Justin Timberlake. Oh, my God. You know, we just going crazy, and we hear slamming doors. What the you mean. Yo, we hearing screaming in the hallways from the other girls. What the are you talking about? You can hear them screaming the hallway. And I went to go open the door, and Amber was like, yeah, open that door. Right, Right.

So we stayed for the weekend. And I'm telling you right now, when I walked in there for that show and we're sitting there there when we walked in, when it's me, Lendra, and Amber, we're walking in this way. Sashier and some other girl was. So we all. Lauren is diabolical. We walk right here. As soon as I laid eyes on. On Sashir, I was like, that's who they gonna be. Sashir was beautiful. She was beautiful, like, her teeth, her skin, and her smile. She was just. I would pick. I was like. I looked at La Kendra, and I said, la Kendra, that's who they're gonna pick. She was like, you don't know. I said, le Kendra. Look at this girl. Look how beautiful she is. She's fucking beautiful. I was like, they're gonna pick her. And she looks like she knows what she's doing. Like, she looks like what they think, you know? Like, you know, what they think they want. In my head, I was going, what they think they want? See? Cause they think that, you know, she's gonna come and she's gonna be, you know, a proper black woman, which Sasheer is all class. But they wanted ghetto. And I love Sashear, but she can't really be ghetto.

And when I saw her, it was like this relief went off on me because I was like, you know what? I'm gonna enjoy this show. Because they was a Live band. It was a Christmas show, and I just enjoyed myself because I was like, whatever happens, happens. And I knew that they weren't gonna pick me. But then I went. I remember had to fly to Indianapolis. And I remember my manager called me. He was like, yeah, I think they're gonna. I said, yeah, they're gonna fix us here. And he was like, yeah, buddy, I'm sorry. And I was in Indianapolis. I had just had a bad experience with this gig, and I was like, okay, I'm 47, so what we gonna do? Are we gonna use my. Are we gonna go and work with my aunt in the government, or are we gonna continue to do this shit, you know? So I went back to la, and it was raining. I remember it's a dark overcast. And I was like, let me go get my nails done. Maybe that'll make me feel better. And I'm driving, and this 212 number kept calling my phone. And I was like, that's them. To tell me that they're gonna turn it down.

And. Yeah. And then it kept ringing. It kept ringing. I was like, let me just pick it up. I picked it up and it was like, lauren. Oh, my God.

[Brian Green]

Lauren.

[Chrissy]

Go for Lasik.

[Leslie Jones]

So I'm in the parking lot of the nail salon. And I said, yes. And he was like, let's read. Let's read.

And we would love for you to come out and be a writer. We want you to be a writer. And I was like. I was like, can I be honest with you? I was like, I'm not a fucking writer. I'm in the front of the camera person. I'm not a writer. I'm not a behind. I ain't never wrote. And he was like. He was like, leslie, I know, I know, I know. I know what you are. I know what you.

[Brian Green]

That's a great impression.

[Leslie Jones]

You're what? You're something that I didn't know I needed.

And I just come out, we'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. And I was like, all right, all right, cool. So then I hung up with him. And then the writer called me. Kendrick, the head of the writer. He was like, yeah, we're gonna give you $10,000 to move. And I was like, oh, snap.

Yo. When I hung up that phone, I jumped out the car and I was like.

Snl.

[Chrissy]

I got snl.

[Leslie Jones]

And I ran around the parking lot, and I'm screaming.

And the security guard that I always talk to when I go there, he's like, leslie, are you okay? I was like, I got snl.

[Chrissy]

He's like, what?

[Leslie Jones]

Snl? What is that?

[Brian Green]

That is the best SNL origin story we have heard. And we have heard a few.

[Chrissy]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Leslie, you are like, you. You remind me of so many people that I knew growing up in. I mean, much funnier, but so many people that I. I knew growing up in Chicago who gave me also, I think, the great gift of storytelling. You're so good at it. You're so good weaving a tale and making it funny and interesting and raising the stakes and getting us all excited about the next drop. And you're so good. But that story is legitimately.

[Leslie Jones]

That's incredible.

[Brian Green]

The best SNL origin story I have heard. Maybe. Maybe the best that I've ever read. Yeah. Oh, man. And you became. And then I think snl, I mean, SNL is when most people. Probably most people in mainstream America.

[Leslie Jones]

Right.

[Brian Green]

Probably connect with Leslie Jones and you become, like, legendary. You're just like this legendary out of the. You're not everybody else on the cast. And you're right about that, that there's, like, this little box that all these SNL people fit in of these improv characters. And there's been other, you know, out of the box characters before, but I just remember tuning in because of Leslie Jones. Like, that was a reason to tune in. I've always loved snl, but some seasons, you know, you could take it or you could leave it, but when Leslie was on, it was a reason to tune in. Tell me about. I love you so much. Thank you for. Thank you for sharing that story and putting a smile on our faces. Tell me about this new special, Life Part two. It's on Peacock.

[Leslie Jones]

Yeah, yeah. It's. Life Part two is basically what it means. Like, I'm at the second part of my life, and it's wonderful. It's. It's. I built a great, strong foundation for me to have a good time in this part of my life. So nice, you know, and that's what I tell young people all the time. Stop rushing, build the foundation. It takes a minute to build a strong foundation, and the materials don't. Like, it's like a video game. Like, when you go to certain levels, you only get certain materials. That's what life is like. You're not going to get this until you turn this. This. You're not going to get this until you turn this. So the materials that you need to build your foundation comes through you. Living life and walking the trail of your destiny.

[Brian Green]

Will you be my life coach?

[Chrissy]

I know, right?

[Brian Green]

Can we get on a WhatsApp group and you can just have a meeting once a week? Yeah. Can we have a meeting once a week? Once a month? I'll take it. Like, just a WhatsApp meeting, you know?

[Chrissy]

I mean, funny.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, God. Try. Trust me. It's not always wonderful. Life isn't like that. Of course, you know. You know, but that's what life is, is like learning how to deal with those moments, too. It rains, it. It pours. And sometimes it's fucking sunshine. That's life. Each part of it. Because when you get older, I swear to God, you're gonna be so mad at yourself for being upset at that moment. Don't waste no more time and worrying. Worrying don't do for you. Worrying don't change the situation. It don't do nothing but make you feel bad. So worrying just. Yeah.

[Brian Green]

From your lips to God's ears. I remember being twisted up on whatever LSD mushrooms. Sometime when I was a teenager, my childhood was a little rough. My parents. I remember looking up and seeing that moon. And I just remember thinking to myself, that moon ain't very at all pretty without all that darkness behind it. You have that. And a life well lived is not all about the shits and giggles. It's about the real pain that we experience and our ability to dust it off and get back up again and look at. Look at the moon one more time.

[Leslie Jones]

Well, I wish I was your friend because I would have told you not only to look at the moon like that, but to also know that there's going to be a day that you're going to be looking at that moon from somewhere else.

And it's going to be okay.

[Brian Green]

Now you are my friend. So there we go. Leslie Jones, new special link down in the show notes. This has been one of our favorite. I think I can speak for both of us when I say this has been one of our favorite hours this season.

[Leslie Jones]

I feel good.

[Chrissy]

Are you kidding me? I have loved every minute of this. Thank you so much for coming on.

[Brian Green]

We're best friends for 30 years. She's 20 years. She's. We. We ride. Sometimes she rides, sometimes I ride. That's just the way it is.

[Leslie Jones]

Oh, well, I love you both. It was very beautiful.

Yes, of course.

[Brian Green]

Come back. Leslie Jones, everybody. Thank you. We appreciate it.

[Chrissy]

Thank you, Leslie.

[Leslie Jones]

Thank you.

[Brian Green]

That's so good. We didn't even intro the episode. We just went straight into it and it's going to be awesome. I can't wait to put it together. Thank you, Leslie.

[Leslie Jones]

Wow.

[Rachel]

Rachel here while Brian takes his old man bladder to the little boys room. Let's talk turkey. TCB needs your help. If you love the show, do us all a favor and share. Sharing is caring. And we know you care, don't you? Well, don't you? Oh, that was some childhood trauma rearing its ugly head. Do you want to be on the show? Leave us a voicemail at 212-433-3822 and you could be the next TCB. Disembodied voice. Ooh, what'd you do today? I was a disembodied voice. You know, that sounds more dangerous than it actually is. Find us on insta at the commercial break on the [e-mail] and all the episodes on video are available the same [e-mail] thecommercial break. I'm gonna go help Brian get back up the stairs while you listen to the sponsors and then we'll all meet back here and get back to this episode of the commercial break. I'll take a risk. Raise now, bitches. Bye.

[Bombas Narrator]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Leslie Jones]

Come to DSW for the shoes, stay for the fun. Because let's be honest, if shoe shopping isn't fun, are you even doing it right? So go ahead, try something new. Try something different, good different. Try something that feels like you know the real you and then definitely brag about it later. Because at dsw, you've got unlimited freedom to play. Find the shoes that get you at prices that get your budget at DSW stores [e-mail] let us surprise you.

[Brian Green]

Force of nature. No interview in the commercial break. History has been quite like the Leslie Jones Jones interview. I will remember it for the rest of my life and I hope that she comes back and comes back soon. All right, all of the links are in the show notes. In case you don't know how this goes yet.

Life Part 2 is her new special. Check it out. Links in the show notes. And then she's got some live dates coming up. I think I heard her say something about Comedy Central. Huh?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Huh?

[Brian Green]

Leslie Jones Daily Show. What are you talking about? All right, everybody settle down. Okay, as I mentioned at the beginning of the show, Chrissy and I will be radically changing the schedule of the commercial break Coming up very soon, add the commercial break on Instagram. We will post about it. We will let you know. We will talk about it here on the show. Don't worry, we won't raw dog you. We'll let you know. We'll let you know.

[Leslie Jones]

Know.

[Brian Green]

But just get used to this idea. Less recorded commercial break on the podcast RSR and more live commercial break streaming via YouTube. Kick Twitch, Instagram, Tik tok. It's what all the kids are doing. And so we are going to jump on the bandwagon. One decade after it started. We like to make sure things are actually happening. After our Clubhouse debacle where we spent, where I spent spent six months on Clubhouse and it turned out to be an absolute show.

I decided let me wait and see how it turns out. Let's wait and see how this YouTube thing turns out before we invest in it. Well, guess what, looks like things are going well for YouTube. So we're gonna go over there and we're gonna stream and we want you involved in the conversation. We are sick of sitting here by ourselves and not having YouTube you a part of the conversation. And you can do that on kick on Twitch on YouTube, on Instagram, you can DM us, you can chat live with us. You can even turn on your camera and get involved. Yes, we have that capability and we look forward to seeing your pretty faces. You can phone in live, talk to us, ask us questions. We'll ask you questions. We'll interview you instead of Leslie Jones. Okay 21244333 TCB the phone is back. It is working. I am responding. YouTube.com the commercial break make sure you turn on notifications so you're notified when we do go live. And tcb podcast.com always get a free sticker there. Okay until next time, I will tell you that I love you. I will say best to you and I will tell you that until the next time we see you or hear you or stream with you, I will say, I do say and I must say goodbye. TikTok for business is helping owners like you reach new customers every day.

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[Brian Green]

Head over to get started.TikTok.com TikTokapps why.

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[Ryan Reynolds]

Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday because right now Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price. So that means half day. Yeah, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront.

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[Leslie Jones]

Sam.

[Brian Green]

Limu Emu and Doug Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Uh, limu. Is that guy with the binoculars watching us? Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty. Liberty.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Liberty.

[Leslie Jones]

Liberty Savings Ferry.

[Brian Green]

Underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates.

[Leslie Jones]

Excludes Massachusetts.