342: Ali Siddiq's 9-Pack of Parenthood

Summary

Podcast Summary: The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler – Episode 342: Ali Siddiq's 9-Pack of Parenthood

Release Date: July 14, 2025

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Introduction and Guest Appearance

In this episode of The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler, comedian Alonzo Bodden returns as a guest, bringing his unique blend of humor and heartfelt storytelling to the conversation. Alonzo has been a recurring presence on the show, and his third appearance delves deeper into his personal life, parenting, and the challenges he's faced both professionally and personally.

Alonzo Bodden’s Personal Life and Parenting

Number of Children and Family Dynamics

Alonzo opens up about his large family, mentioning that he has a total of nine children. He shares the emotional story of losing his first son at nine months old when he was just 16 or 17 years old. This tragedy profoundly impacted his life and shaped his approach to fatherhood. Alonzo emphasizes the importance of being present for his children, contrasting his own upbringing with what he strives to provide for his kids.

“I want to make sure my children have happy memories and lessons learned from both good and bad experiences,” Alonzo states ([07:43]).

Supporting Children’s Passions

A significant portion of the conversation centers around Alonzo's dedication to supporting his children's interests. He discusses how his daughter Helena sparked his family's love for ice skating, leading to her rapid advancement in the sport. Alonzo highlights the importance of nurturing his children's passions, whether it's ice skating, gymnastics, or culinary arts.

“When you have a passion, you have to cultivate it, especially if you see the same laser focus in your children that you had in yourself,” Alonzo explains ([31:24]).

Comedy Career and Specials

Starting a Career Post-Prison

Alonzo shares his journey into comedy, which began after he was released from prison at the age of 25. Determined to rebuild his life, he secured a job at a men’s apparel store, using the uniform discounts to dress appropriately for performing stand-up. His resilience and commitment to his craft were evident as he navigated the early stages of his career.

“If I didn’t get a job, I just moved on to the next thing. I wasn’t deterred by any ‘no’s,” Alonzo remarks ([10:39]).

Recent Comedy Specials

The duo discusses Alonzo’s recent accomplishments in the comedy world, including multiple recorded specials. Alonzo reveals that he has three specials already recorded—The Dog, Father, and Monday—with plans to release them throughout the year. This achievement underscores his relentless work ethic and passion for comedy.

“We’re trying to set the bar high. Three specials in one year—none other than me,” Alonzo boasts ([68:54]).

Personal Anecdotes and Challenges

Breaking His Clavicle in Cabo

Alonzo recounts a harrowing experience where he broke his clavicle, ribs, and teeth while surfing in Cabo. Despite his injuries, he remained committed to his shows, performing with a broken arm and navigating through pain without medication. This story highlights his dedication and the physical demands of being a touring comedian.

“I broke my clavicle and broke four of my ribs and strained my sternum and cracked my teeth surfing in Cabo,” Alonzo shares ([57:44]).

Interactions with Other Comedians

Alonzo reflects on his interactions with fellow comedians like Earthquake and Tom Segura. He narrates a memorable encounter with Earthquake that evolved from skepticism to friendship after witnessing Alonzo’s successful performances.

“Earthquake walked in and looked right in my face and said, ‘Hey, try not to get booed tonight.’” Alonzo recalls ([19:36]).

Reflections on Fatherhood and Legacy

Impact of His Own Father

Alonzo delves into his strained relationship with his own father, who was often irresponsible and absent. He discusses how his father’s negligence and involvement in drug-related activities influenced his determination to be a dependable and supportive father. Alonzo emphasizes the lessons learned from both his father's shortcomings and his mother's pivotal role in his life.

“The reason why I'm the type of father I am now is my mom would like to say that it was her. But no, it was really a lot of the feelings that I did want my children to have about me,” Alonzo reflects ([65:12]).

Creating Positive Memories for His Children

He underscores the significance of creating positive memories with his children, contrasting with his own experiences of limited fond memories with his father. Alonzo shares how he makes a conscious effort to be present, whether it's attending ice skating competitions, engaging in meaningful conversations, or simply spending quality time together.

“I would rather my children have more memories of me being there than not,” Alonzo states ([65:12]).

Miscellaneous Stories and Experiences

Unique Family Dynamics

Alonzo introduces his children, each with distinct personalities and interests. From Hasan’s sophisticated palate and love for chess to Helena’s passion for ice skating and Hanan’s managerial skills, Alonzo paints a vivid picture of his vibrant family life.

“Hanan is the one that you can ask for money. She’s like, 'For how long?'" Alonzo jokes about his youngest daughter's financial acumen ([39:27]).

Comedy Club Experiences

He shares humorous and sometimes challenging experiences from performing at various comedy clubs, including dealing with audience reactions and unexpected encounters that test his comedic resilience.

Conclusion and Promotions

As the episode wraps up, Alonzo promotes his upcoming shows across 34 new cities, encouraging listeners to attend his performances. He also invites audiences to watch his specials on YouTube and visit his website for tickets and further information.

“Go watch the specials on YouTube. You can start at Domino Effect and go up if you want to, you know, get some backstory,” Alonzo encourages ([73:35]).

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Notable Quotes

• Alonzo Bodden ([07:43]): “I want to make sure my children have happy memories and lessons learned from both good and bad experiences.”

• Alonzo Bodden ([31:24]): “When you have a passion, you have to cultivate it, especially if you see the same laser focus in your children that you had in yourself.”

• Alonzo Bodden ([10:39]): “If I didn’t get a job, I just moved on to the next thing. I wasn’t deterred by any ‘no’s.”

• Alonzo Bodden ([57:44]): “I broke my clavicle and broke four of my ribs and strained my sternum and cracked my teeth surfing in Cabo.”

• Alonzo Bodden ([19:36]): “Earthquake walked in and looked right in my face and said, ‘Hey, try not to get booed tonight.’”

• Alonzo Bodden ([65:12]): “I would rather my children have more memories of me being there than not.”

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Key Takeaways

• Resilience and Determination: Alonzo’s journey from a challenging youth to a successful comedian underscores the power of resilience and unwavering determination.

• Active Parenting: Emphasizing the importance of being present and supportive, Alonzo demonstrates how actively engaging in children’s interests fosters their growth and happiness.

• Balancing Personal and Professional Life: Alonzo navigates the complexities of touring and parenting, illustrating the delicate balance required to maintain both personal and professional commitments.

• Learning from the Past: Reflecting on his own upbringing, Alonzo highlights how personal experiences shape one's approach to fatherhood, aiming to provide a more supportive and loving environment for his children.

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This episode offers a profound look into Alonzo Bodden’s life, blending humor with heartfelt reflections on family, career, and personal growth. Listeners gain insight into the man behind the comedy, understanding the motivations and challenges that drive his performances and parenting philosophy.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Ryan Sickler]

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[Alonzo Bodden]

The Honeydew with Ryan Sickler.

[Ryan Sickler]

Welcome back to the Honeydew, y'.

[Alonzo Bodden]

All.

[Ryan Sickler]

We're over here doing it in the night pants studios. I'm Ryan Sickler. Ryan Sickler.com Ryan Sickler on all your social media. And I'm gonna start this episode like I start them all by saying thank you. Thank you for watching this show, supporting this show, supporting anything that I do. If you're already watching this far, drop a comment, make sure you're subscribed, Help that algorithm out. And if you got to have more than you got to have the Patreon, it's called the Honeydew with y'.

[Alonzo Bodden]

All.

[Ryan Sickler]

We've been doing it for years. It's five bucks a month and it is this show with y'.

[Alonzo Bodden]

All.

[Ryan Sickler]

And I promise you, y' all have the craziest stories I've ever heard in my life. It's the best show on Patreon. It's your show. The stories are nuts. So if you or anyone you know has a story that has to be heard, please submit it to honeydewpodcastmail.com if you send it, send it again. We get a ton. Bump it up. We'd love to do your story. If you're still on the fence, go watch the best of episodes we've done with Josh Wolf. We have another one coming and check those out. They're free on the YouTube. I promise you, you'll be like, I'm in. All right. That's the biz. You guys know what we're doing here? We highlight the low lights. I always say these are the stories behind the storytellers. I'm very excited to have this guest back on the Honeydew. Ladies and gentlemen, Alison Deep. Welcome back to the Honeydew Man.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Thank you for having. What's this time number three.

[Ryan Sickler]

This is your third time. I thought it was more to be honest, but Kirsten said it's only been twice. But it Is your third time?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Three, man. That's. That's amazing.

[Ryan Sickler]

Thank you for doing it.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I don't think I. Yeah, I've been on a couple people things three times.

[Ryan Sickler]

You got an open door here.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You don't plaque.

[Ryan Sickler]

You just. I'll give you, like a little Billy Big Mouth Bass or something. I'll give you next time you come back.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, man. You know, it's great. It's great to. To be here, you know, getting, you know, especially taking. This is. Taking the time away from doing a show. This is a show, but it's not a. It's not a. One of them things where you. I had to get ready, you know, I'm just really gonna, you know, talk about what I got going on. Talk to a friend, you know, that's. That's the. The. The caveat in the caviar in the business, you know. Well, you get a chance to.

[Ryan Sickler]

Let me. Let me tell you something. First of all, I want you to promote everything. But everything you're doing, the way you're doing it, I love it. I love it. I do it myself. And I watch you. I watch what you're doing. I'm like, that's what he's doing. We need to do this too. He's in the same world we're living in. We're not Netflix, we're not Hulu, we're not Amazon yet, whatever. But you're taking control of all of it. You own all of it, and you're crushing that lane.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So thank you.

[Ryan Sickler]

Good for you. And that is the reason why today, this is the first Sunday I've ever recorded morning PS before 11:00am in my. I've been. I've been podcasting somewhere between 15, 16, 17. This is the first Sunday I've ever got up. And I had late spots last night, man. And I'm here because I respect the shit out of you and what you're doing. So thank you. And plug it all, brother man.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So speaking of Sunday, you know, Father's Day is on a Sunday. I'm dropping a new special called Rugged on Father's Day. We just dropped the second half of the tour. 34 new cities. You can go to alisdique.com and, you know, get you some tickets and, you know, see what we gonna be at. That's close to you. It's amazing that people are driving places or flying different places to. To see me, and it's. That's weird.

[Ryan Sickler]

Isn't that crazy?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

Well, I remember when I shot my special here in la, people came Up. I just thought people from here would come. This guy's like, we flew in from Seattle, we flew him from Detroit for this. And I was like, what? I was so grateful and humbled by that. I'm like. And then I also put myself in my shoes. I'm like, I wouldn't do that.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I don't think I've traveled to see anybody. I'm talking about, I see the Jimi Hendrix bus over there. Like, I wouldn't go. I'm not going to see him. If Jimi Hendrix came back and he's only doing like four places. I'm like, I'm still going to that.

[Ryan Sickler]

I'm going to that. I'm going to that.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm going to that. Jimmy got to come to Texas. Yo, man, it's. It's one of those things. And as I tour, I. I constantly get humbled by people saying things that you. I've never heard. So I, I can imagine what Michael Jackson was going through and Prince and all these guys. This lady hit me. I was in New York and at the Beacon. I walked out and she DM me. She said, I don't even think I've ever felt like this before you walked out. I was so excited, I just started crying. I said, wow, that's deep. That's a crazy thing. It's something that. And I know if I would have saw Michael Jackson, I'd have bust out crying. Would you? Cause I saw Janet and was teary eyed.

[Ryan Sickler]

I was like, teary eyed for her.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I saw Tito and was all emotional. I was like, that's Tito.

[Ryan Sickler]

That's fine. When I saw Jermaine, but Tito got Tito.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I don't know if I would have seen Jermaine and be all right. I was like, man, this is one of the Jacks.

[Ryan Sickler]

Didn't elicit any emotion.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I saw Tito and I was like, that's Michael Jackson, brother. It's crazy. So, you know, all these years I've.

[Ryan Sickler]

Been doing this too, and I still. It still blows me away when someone just says thank you for coming to Columbus. Like, thank you for coming here. I'm like, what? Thank you for coming out to this.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Thank you for coming to Savannah.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah. Like, I'm always blown away when they say thank you for coming here. I'm like, what do you. Thank you for coming here.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It's the weirdest thing. I'll talk about that a little later. But, you know, my two sons is out right now, which I dropped on Mother's Day, which is. People think, why didn't you drop My two sons on Father's Day. Because is two different things, you know?

[Ryan Sickler]

So real quick, before you explain, how many kids do you have total?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Nine.

[Ryan Sickler]

Nine kids?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

You have nine kids?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

How old are you?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Not kids, just kids. No, one of them is.

[Ryan Sickler]

That's a baseball team.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. My. My oldest boy.

[Ryan Sickler]

Wait, how old are you?

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm 51.

[Ryan Sickler]

How old did you. Were you when you started?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Like, 26.

[Ryan Sickler]

That's later than I thought you were gonna say. I thought you were gonna say, like, maybe like teenager, late teens. 26.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I was gone teenage years. So we've talked before. I was gone teenage years.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah, you were. That's right. You ain't getting it done there.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Okay, well, let me say I did start. So my first son passed. That's. That's when I was. I was very young.

[Ryan Sickler]

How old was he?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Nine months. So he passed. I was, what, 16, 17.

[Ryan Sickler]

Okay.

[Alonzo Bodden]

When that happened. So at 19, I'm going. I say in the special, my two sons, and I don't think a lot of people catch it, that one of my sons I'm gonna be able to give a kidney to, and the other one I'm gonna have to buy. He's not my biological. I don't have to purchase him one.

[Ryan Sickler]

Well, either way, you only got two anyway, man. You know what I'm saying? If one's gone, there ain't nobody else getting that.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Well, what was first, bro?

[Ryan Sickler]

That's it.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. So with my. My oldest daughter is a chef.

[Ryan Sickler]

A chef?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. She's 26, so she's been around. I started doing comedy 1997, so in December, so it turned 98 very fast. I had her in 99, so a year, you know, so, yeah, I keep up by how long I've been doing it, by how old she is.

[Ryan Sickler]

Got it.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And then what's crazy, she. I say I started on December 1st. She's born December 1st. And that was. That was a Monday, but it was actually a Thursday, so it was like the fourth or something that I actually started when I first got on stage December 4th, and that was not a good experience.

[Ryan Sickler]

Well, wait, let's talk about this for a sec. What's making you go from. So you got your teenage years, then you get locked up, you come out at what age you. When you're out?

[Alonzo Bodden]

25.

[Ryan Sickler]

25. So what you did six years? Seven years?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Six. Six years.

[Ryan Sickler]

Okay. You're out at 25 is. I know we've talked before you started, you know, joking around with the guys in there and stuff. That's Sort of where you started. But where, when you get out, are you like comedy focused at that? Like, you get out of prison and you're like, this is what I'm doing.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

And you didn't start. You went right into it.

[Alonzo Bodden]

No, I got a job first. I needed clothes.

[Ryan Sickler]

Well, don't they make you get a job too?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Well, you need one. If you go not do something illegal, you definitely need a job.

[Ryan Sickler]

What's the job you get first out of prison?

[Alonzo Bodden]

First job I get. I'm working at a men's apparel store by design, because I need. Because I'm.

[Ryan Sickler]

Was it hard to get a job? Like, are you sitting in the interview? Like, I just got. You know what I mean? Like, what's that?

[Alonzo Bodden]

It was. I was determined. So it wasn't hard because I was determined.

[Ryan Sickler]

But they weren't just shutting doors in your face?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Like, no, I wouldn't even. Realistically, I was so determined, I didn't even see it. Like, I gotta go back and look in my mind like, yo, did they. Did somebody give me a hard time? Like, I was really so focused on. So if I didn't get this job, I'm on to the next thing. It's not. I'm not being deterred by any no's. Just like in comedy, if you deter by no's, this is not the business.

[Ryan Sickler]

Hell no.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Find you something else to do. Become an accountant or something. So I've had very tough skin. So if somebody was actually. I don't think I. I think I was so determined. Right. So my first job was at Mosa Men's apparel store. This guy named Reggie Ballard. Reginald Ballard hired me. I went in the store like three times. He told me they wasn't hiring. And every day I would still come back and like, so y', all, I gotta open. And he's like, because I need it clothes. Because my mindset about comics, it's not the same as now. Comics get on stage with pretty much anything on. It's not a. It's not a dress up thing anymore.

[Ryan Sickler]

No.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And it used to be dressed up.

[Ryan Sickler]

Everything did. Going to a ball game with suits and stuff back, and they fly in with suits and stuff. Back in the day, everything was a professional look.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And I think people really don't realize that you look in the stands of a ball game game in the 40s. Everybody's suited him. It's. No, it was.

[Ryan Sickler]

That was what was in. That was what you did.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It was no downwear. What was it casual was rolling up your sleeves like, yo, I'm casual now. Like it. So we have. We have definitely scaled down a lot in demeanor of how we carry ourselves. So even with me, I still wear slacks.

[Ryan Sickler]

But I love that you just call them slacks, too, man.

[Alonzo Bodden]

That's.

[Ryan Sickler]

Date yourself for sure.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm not. I don't even know what else. Like, now what they call them pants. Like, you just have on pants. Like, what kind of pants, though? Jeans are pants.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah, they are.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So I. I knew I had. I needed clothes. So my. My idea was I'm gonna get a job at a men's apparel store. I'm gonna get the clothes at discount. You know what I'm saying? Because you get a store discount for working there. And then I'm gonna be dressed nice on stage, so I get the job. And not only am I working there, I'm also working at the kiosk at Sunglass Hut.

[Ryan Sickler]

Same mall.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Same. Same mall. Like, right across from. Right out there, 18 steps from the men's apparel.

[Ryan Sickler]

I know you're working over there. Can you come in and bring one up, man?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Like, I say your suit, and you walk back by. I'm like, hey, you know, you need some shades in that suit. Like Revos and mouth. And then you. You. You start learning stuff when you work somewhere. Like, shades are not just shades.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Like, it's different brands of shades. It's shades for different reasons. Like, I don't suggest anybody go fishing in Ray Bans. Like, you need, like, Maui Jims. Something with some polarization.

[Ryan Sickler]

That's right.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You know, the. So the. The glance over the water, you can.

[Ryan Sickler]

Difference in. That is crazy. It really is.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Oakley's were, like, the worst shades. For some reason, to me, you had to be like, skin.

[Ryan Sickler]

You're my age, too. So those were big back then. What do they call them? The razors.

[Alonzo Bodden]

The. Right, The Razors.

[Ryan Sickler]

Razors, right. And baseball players.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Frogs.

[Ryan Sickler]

I think they were frogs or frog skin. They were the Wayfarer look.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

But Oakley's version, the cheap.

[Alonzo Bodden]

A lot of. A lot of baseball players.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah. All big time was all baseball.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And they looked crazy as hell.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

But that. So I'm working now, and I'm wearing suits every day because I'm selling suits. And I remember when they came in with the wide leg pants, I thought these was the worst pain. I sold a lot of them, but it was the worst look I think I ever seen men in at the time. Because, you know, a lot of people were going to the club, right? They would come in, they would buy stuff, and I would see Them in the club, and they were like, hey, man, you sold me this. I was like, nah, you see, it did not look like that when I sold it to you. Like. Like, you got a race seeing the.

[Ryan Sickler]

People out in the wild that you're suiting up. Dude, that's crazy.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Oh, man. It was. I was going to this club called Phoenix, and it was. I walk in, and dudes blame, here I am. Oh, this looks crazy. You add on some mint wide legs with a cream rayon shirt just with no sleeve. I'm like, this, man, did I sell you this?

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, man.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So, yeah, it was. So I'm at the store, you know, I'm always. That's how I'm selling my clothes. I'm being funny selling my clothes. And I went to Just Joking Comedy Cafe Helena suit and these. This was a Apollo night. This is Apollo Night. So they. It's people doing everything. They juggling, they singing, they doing poetry, they rapping, and then doing comedy. They had a sandman that would shoot you out, shoot you off stage once you're getting booed. But this sandman was encouraging people. He was the host, so it wasn't like he was just a sandman. He was the host.

[Ryan Sickler]

So he's Steve Harvey and the Sandman both.

[Alonzo Bodden]

He doing a double job, so he would encourage people to boo. But then I think the singers figured it out. Like, nobody's gonna boo a gospel song. So they would get up and they would sing gospel songs. And it was like, maybe four singers in a row. And then I'm coming up. He's like, man, y' all ain't booing nobody. This is crazy. I don't, like, ad the next person. Don't worry about it. Then he just called me up. Come on stage, y'. All. Give it up for some guy, at least DC doing comedy. That was the introduction, right? I get up and I say, hey, how y' all doing? And they immediately start booing.

[Ryan Sickler]

They just took his lead, huh?

[Alonzo Bodden]

And I don't even think they were booing me. They were booing the fact that I had on a suit, because I was in what's Up Rev? And as they bought me, like, it was crazy. And I. I got a little phobia from that experience because when I got booed, when I was getting booed, Earthquake walked into the club. So Earthquake, first time ever seeing me, I was getting booed. So then he saw me again. Maybe a year later, I'm at this spot called Sempers, and I'm hosting a comedy night at Sempers. And it's two guys at the bar talking loud. And I was like, yo, man, we trying to do a show, man. Y' all having a loud conversation. So we going. We bantering back and forth, and these dudes like, six, six, six, five, something like that. And I'm like, hey, failed basketball players, like, we going back and forth, and now they want to fight. And I'm like, I'm game for a fight. You know, I'm just really not just getting out. So I'm like, a fight, man. Okay, cool. Earthquake walks in as I'm going through this, and he just look at me.

[Ryan Sickler]

Last time I saw you was getting booed. Now you're fighting.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Then I see him again in another spot, and I'm like, why is Earthquake in Houston so much, man?

[Ryan Sickler]

That's the question.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm going through it again with somebody. So the next time I see him is 1999, I'm on the this show with Def Jam, all Def Jam comics. So it's J. Anthony Brown, D.L. hughley, Ricky Smiley, Earthquake. And I'm opening up for the show at the Arena Theater. Earthquake walks in and looks right in my face and say, hey, try not to get booed tonight. And I'm like, but it wasn't. It wasn't me. It was just the bones of the game. So I go out and do good, and, you know, we friends now. We friends now. And he's seen me do well a lot, but at first I was like, yo, I cannot do well in front of Earthquake for some strange reason. It was weird. Was weird. So that's. That's how I started.

[Ryan Sickler]

That's how you started?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

And at that time, when you start, how many kids do you have then?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Zero.

[Ryan Sickler]

None.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Zero kids.

[Ryan Sickler]

So when's the. How long you in? When? Kid number one.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm dating a lady that has my oldest boy now. How. Trey is my oldest boy. He was five when I met his mom, right? So I think his pops goes to on vacation. He's like eight maybe. And I tell his pops, hey, yo, I got him until you come home. So 1999, I have my daughter by his mom, so I'm not going to treat them any different. I don't want no. No riff there. So I'm not going to treat them any different. So Trey is basically. And I'm putting him in everything. I'm putting my daughter in. I'm going. Everything he got going on. But his father's there until he leaves. His grandparents are there. So me and his mom separate at, like, my daughter's 10, so he's 15. And I kept the relationship with him the whole time. He literally just called me yesterday. He's a truck driver. He called me yesterday saying he needed something for some showers or something. He didn't have some points. All right, okay, cool. But I made this pack not knowing that his father was gonna be gone for 20 years.

[Ryan Sickler]

I was gonna ask how long years.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And it's like, he comes home. Trey is like, 27, 28.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And I'm like, goodness gracious. So he's basically mine. You know, I've. So that's. That's. He's basically the first. But my daughter is my first biological. You know?

[Ryan Sickler]

And how old are you when you have her?

[Alonzo Bodden]

I am 27.

[Ryan Sickler]

Okay. So there's seven more from there.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

So let me ask you this. Cause you've. Come on. We've talked about your story with your dad and everything. Why. Why Mother's Day? Why Father's Day? What? Why?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Paying homage to my mom and my dad. Yeah. Cause my mom was. Is pivotal. That's a huge part of my life. You know, my dad was in and out. You know, I stayed with him from, what, 10 to 14?

[Ryan Sickler]

You know, I still think about all the time about you selling drugs out the door late as shit at night and then going to school and falling asleep. He's yelling at you like he.

[Alonzo Bodden]

He.

[Ryan Sickler]

He's sleeping in class.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Crazy, man.

[Ryan Sickler]

I think about that all the time. Like, this little kid's hustling out the back door. Like, I got. I got math in the morning.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. Let me tell you what I really thought about the other day. Like, it really dawned on me. My father was so irresponsible. He. He stored his cocaine because he only sold powder cocaine. Cause this is the 80s. He stored it in a Cool Whip bowl in the refrigerator.

[Ryan Sickler]

Nuh.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Do you know how many times I almost dipped strawberries in there? I just thought the Cool Whip was bad. I'm like, it's grainy. It's not whipped.

[Ryan Sickler]

Why is he keeping it in the fridge?

[Alonzo Bodden]

And Cool Whip like, yo, man, what is wrong with him? When I'm thinking about it? Back then, it was smart. You know, you come in, he get busted. It's in the refrigerator. Nobody gonna think about it.

[Ryan Sickler]

Nobody's looking at the crazy Cool Whip.

[Alonzo Bodden]

But I'm thinking about me now. You know how many times I had struck. My dad loved strawberries. He always had them. So I was like, not cool. Wh. Is bad. Like, I could have been coked up.

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, man.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Crazy Town. He's a crazy man.

[Ryan Sickler]

So you drop Father's Day's out now? Yeah, Mother's Day came out on Mother's Day this year as well. Just last. Last month. Excuse me.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

What is it like for you being a dad? I asked because on the way in, you said, hey, I might have to take a call in the middle of this. My daughter's at an ice skating competition.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, I have.

[Ryan Sickler]

Please.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I have two daughters that's in ice skating. Right. And a son that plays hockey.

[Ryan Sickler]

Why does everybody in your family like the ice?

[Alonzo Bodden]

It started with Helena. Helena.

[Ryan Sickler]

She was the first one to go.

[Alonzo Bodden]

She was the first one. She six. Like, just, like, literally just turned six. She. We had bought Hanan some roller skates. Hanan never put them skates on. Her sister put them skates on. They too big for her. And she's rolling around the house. And I said, hey, just use the side of the couch to get comfortable so you can get it down. Next thing I know, she is roller derbying through the house. And she asked. She's like, daddy, you'll take me to go ice cake? I was like, yeah. So maybe about.

[Ryan Sickler]

Had you ever been.

[Alonzo Bodden]

No. And, like, maybe, like, four months went by before I even got a chance to go. So it's a. I know. I knew it was a Wednesday. Cause I remember it very, very detailed. It was a Wednesday. I said, yo, Helena, just come ride with me. We went hanging out, went shopping, and we in the Galleria, and I see ice skating rink. I said, you still want to go? So we went down. She put the little blue skates on that. Everybody get that? You. So she's skating around.

[Ryan Sickler]

Are you.

[Alonzo Bodden]

No, I'm just watching.

[Ryan Sickler]

Okay.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And I'm like. I see some people with, like, real skates on. And I asked this one lady, I said, do y' all have, like, classes or something? She happened to be one of the coaches there. Her name is Hope, and Hope is phenomenal. Hope skated for Disney for, like, 25 years. Very good skater. And she said, yeah, I'm one of the coaches here. We have classes. And I said, when is the next class? When, like, people can sign up. So that is a Friday. That's a Friday. So two days later, I go out of town. Her mom takes her. And then I get a phone call and said, hey, they want her to come back tomorrow. So Saturday she goes. She skates on Saturday. Get a phone call on Saturday because I'm still on the road. They want her to come back on Sunday. She goes skate on Sunday. Get a call on Sunday. The lady said she'll take on as a student and would she like to be in the ice skating program on. In December, the Christmas ice skating program? I think she just. She just started. He. Like, they asked. So she skates September, October, November.

[Ryan Sickler]

She that good at it right away, huh?

[Alonzo Bodden]

It's crazy. It's September, so September, October, November, December. I'm on the side of the rink, the same rink I took to on a Wednesday four months ago, and she's in a program. Then after that, she has a competition in February. I'm like, this is going very rapidly. So after the ice skating program, I had to buy some very expensive skates. First competition, I'm there, and I'm telling her I don't want her to win. I don't. This is in my mind. If she wins her first competition, then there's only down to go. It's like, it's gonna be a hard way to. So she. She gets second place. And I said, hey, you see, if you work harder, you'll get first place. And her mind, she was so laser focused. So next competition was in like maybe three months later. First place. She's been. Now she's seven. She's been in eight competitions. We have six first places, two second places.

[Ryan Sickler]

Damn.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And she. She skates today in a bigger competition.

[Ryan Sickler]

In Dallas and traveling for this too.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, she. So she got second. She binge. This is her, like, her second time traveling to Dallas and then Austin. So now she's traveling. She has like four coaches and not regular coaches. Coaches who like her coach. Now. I think she got a bronze medal up against Kristen Yamaguchi.

[Ryan Sickler]

What?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

Damn. So these coaches.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, she has.

[Ryan Sickler]

World renowned.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, she has, like, the coaches.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And she probably gonna go to Boston and skate in a program. It's. It's a thing. And I explain how much she has to be protected because I remember this. I literally remember this. I've been through this already with what. With my daughter, when she was my oldest daughter, when she decided to be a chef.

[Ryan Sickler]

Okay.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It was laser focused. It came from, I just want to cook to. I need to go to this culinary high school. So we went to a culinary high school, came out of there. She's already a sophomore in culinary school. So she does two years of culinary school. She graduates. She goes back and gets her food and masters in food and science. Then she rapidly start working in the kitchen and laser focus. But I remember. I remember this. I got out in 1997, October 21st. I'm on stage December 4th. I do. So that's, I do the whole year of 98, September of 99. I'm recording. Comic View comes out in 2000. I haven't done anything else. I quit all of my jobs in 99. It's been just comedy, laser focus on just standup. So I can see when I'm laser focused. I can see the same thing in my kids. So I know how they have to be cultivated when they have a passion. You have a passion. You have to cultivate your children's passion. Especially if you see something in yourself that you were laser focused about this.

[Ryan Sickler]

This is what I admire about you. Because I was saying before we recorded, there's a lot of dads with this macho bullshit about their sons wanting to play this or that. And my daughter was playing soccer. Now I played soccer growing up and I was really good at soccer. I was all juco in college. 16. I played for a, a development team, went to Europe for a month. Like I was good. So I love soccer. So my daughter's playing soccer, she's good at it. But one day we're driving and I picked her up from school and we're going home and she's just sitting there quiet and she goes, did mom tell you we're not playing soccer this year? And so I just said, no, why aren't we playing soccer this year? She goes, well, I think I want to do gymnastics and mom wants me to do gymnastics. She thinks it might be really my thing. And I was like, okay. And she goes, what? I go, yeah, okay. She's like, you're not mad? I go, why would I be mad? She goes, mom thought we were going to have to have a family meeting about this. I said, stella, we've never had a family meeting. You think soccer is going to be. I said, listen, here's all I care about. I want you to learn about being a good teammate. I want you to learn about being a good loser. I want you to learn about being a humble winner and I want you to take it seriously. If you take it seriously and you focus on it like you're talking about, I'm support whatever the fuck you want me to support. But if you're just going to half ass it and boo, boo, boo, then now we're going to find something that is for you. So I watched this kid who, you know, now she's flipping and shit, she's doing all this stuff and I'm, I like it. I, I, you know, the gymnastics I've been exposed to in My life has been through Olympics. And so I'm watching these professionals who've been doing this since they were probably my daughter's age. You know, all this shit. I've never seen the. Where they're failing, you know. And I'm watching the coaches go, well, you didn't arch your back, like, do tuck your head a little bit. And then boom. It's literally mechanical. You see it? And I'm like, ah, there it is. I've enjoyed watching that. And I, I hear some of these dads like at some of these things. Like, yeah, my. I heard one guy talking about, I was with my stepson. I heard him talking about his kid wasn't playing football or whatever it was. I don't know what the hell they were doing. Chess or some. And, and you know, he's like, yeah, whatever. And. And then I go to these events because I think, like, there's a lot of dads out there that wouldn't support ice skating for their kids. Or gymnast ain't my. Oh, whatever. And I'm seeing dudes with teardrop tattoos and cholas with neck tattoos. And I'm like, if they're here supporting their kids, like legit supporting, then what excuse does anybody else fucking have?

[Alonzo Bodden]

I. I think just, it's love.

[Ryan Sickler]

It's. Look, you know, it. A big part of parenting is showing up and being genuinely interested in what your kids are interested in and supporting it. You don't need much more than that. You don't need these trips to Europe and backpack and all this, like, show up, support the out of it, and love your kids. That's it.

[Alonzo Bodden]

That, that's the, that's the recipe.

[Ryan Sickler]

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[Alonzo Bodden]

I probably would have been one of the shortest guys in the NBA.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah, you were good.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I was, I was nice. I was pretty nice. I really stopped playing basketball because I never had nobody in the stands. It was never my family, you know, and I didn't understand at the time that my mom, she just had to work. She had to work to support us, you know, but it was. I was always with other people's moms. Always, you know, I'm with the teen mom or, you know, I always felt like a step kid to everybody. So I said to myself, I'mma always make an effort to be present in whatever my kids are doing. And I'm a supported. Whatever. Hasan is a boxer, but he also ice skates. And everybody ice skates because Helena, they go to practice with Helena.

[Ryan Sickler]

She started it all.

[Alonzo Bodden]

She started all of them. So all of them skate. Hanan has a competition, but Hanan is really not an ice skater. Hanan is a gymnast, but she's really a swimmer. She's probably going to be a diver. Okay, you know, so that's. But she wants to bake. So it's whatever Hanan wants to do. But Hanan is the manager of the family. Like, this is who I talk finances with. She's nine. This is, this is, this is who knows about where all of my investments are. And me and her non will be at the table. And I'm explaining silver and gold and purchasing lead. And I said, look at all of my stocks and stuff. This is. You gonna have to manage this. She's probably gonna be over my trust. And then other people will come in and we'll just stop talking. Then they'll leave, we'll start laughing again. Like, this is Hanan probably has. Of all of my kids, Hanan probably has the most money besides Jaden. Jaden is really good.

[Ryan Sickler]

The nine year old.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. So Jaden and Hanan probably had the most money because Hanan is she just with money. She's. I. My thing is, I always got to explain how you can't keep all your money in the same place because she has all her money in the same place. Hanan is the one that you can ask for money. Like if you leave your wallet, you know, you say, hanan, let me hold $40. And she'd be like, for how long? Like, how long? How long you holding this money? I asked Hanan for $81 time, and I told her, I said, I'll give it back to you when we get home. We're not home for four minutes. Hanan looking at me, I'm like, what's up? She said, you said when we get home, you was gonna give me that $80 back. I just gave her a hundred dollars, and she just walked upstairs and put it up. In our situation. And I was like, yo, man, her non's a long shot. Like, she doesn't play about it. Like, if you tell her you gonna get the money back, she wants it back.

[Ryan Sickler]

My daughter did the same thing. I was going to the store one night and I go, hey, can I borrow 20 bucks? I'm a. She said, what do you need $20 for? And I said, well, I just. I said, I'm gonna tip the valet 10, and I'm gonna tip the bartenders 10. All right, but when am I getting that back? I was like, well, I get paid in cash. Maybe I'll give it to you tonight, but if not, I just go to the ATM with you tomorrow and I'll make sure you get the 20 back. All right, I came back, same thing. Like, where's my $20?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

Or it'll be like. Or how about this, dad, how about you just give me a $20 credit at Sephora? And I'm like, what? I don't care. And then we go to the mall and she goes and gets her $20. And it's immediate.

[Alonzo Bodden]

This is.

[Ryan Sickler]

And they don't forget.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And people think that you don't have. I have my favorites for certain things. My favorite person to go on a walk with. My favorite person to go with. Or, you know, like, it's easy. Hassan is my favorite person to eat with.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah, easy.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm talking about if I had to pick somebody to eat with every day. Hassan. Hassan. And I'm talking About since he was young, 6. Hassan has a wonderful palette. And we. Hassan was in Spain.

[Ryan Sickler]

How old is he?

[Alonzo Bodden]

He 14 now.

[Ryan Sickler]

But he's always been a good eater. Like, always.

[Alonzo Bodden]

What? Like, Hasan has an amazing palette.

[Ryan Sickler]

I got a peasant's palate, for sure.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yo, don't go eat with Hasan. If you want to feel like you're not an adult, you go and you go eat with this kid.

[Ryan Sickler]

What's he get that you're like, what the fuck?

[Alonzo Bodden]

What? Okay, I'm going to go back to when Hasan was 11. He just got back from Spain with my mom, and he was in Spain for, like, maybe three or four months. Please speak Spanish.

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, man.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So he's over there being immersed in Spanish, and we go to. We go to Papado's spot called in Houston called Papado's, and he's looking at the menu, and the waitress come by, and he says, excuse me, how is this roasted octopus?

[Ryan Sickler]

I knew it was gonna be octopus.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And I was like, what? I don't like octopus. And he was like, no, I had it in Spain. It was outstanding.

[Ryan Sickler]

I knew it was gonna be octopus. They love octopus because of Spain.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm like, oh, my goodness. It's like, you know, if you don't.

[Ryan Sickler]

Do it right, it's chewy. Dad.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Man, he's right. Literally, he gets the octopus, and he's over there, like. And he playing with his sister because he's got the tentacles. How old is he at the time? He's 11.

[Ryan Sickler]

But that is a very sophisticated palate.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Octopus, raw oysters, grilled oyster, charcoal. Like, this is his. This is a multiple types of fish. It's. This guy here has all the vegetables. I think the only thing he doesn't like is, I think, specifically yellow lentil. I think that's the only thing that he's specific that I know, that he. Oh, and avocado. He can't. For some reason, he can't stand avocado. Like, just won't. Just don't mess with it. But everything else. Hasan is a very sophisticated eater, and that was the only time I didn't feel grown. I was like, I would like the calamari fried hard.

[Ryan Sickler]

Fried hard.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. And he asking for grilled octopus with extra lime. I'm like, okay. And Hasan's a very good eater, and I love going out to eat with him because when we order stuff, they come put his food in front of me.

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And I was like, that's the swordfish. That's not mine. That's his. I ordered the Trout, a normal fish. And he ordered swordfish. You know, he. And if I wanted to go on a walk or go shopping. Helena all day long, like, Helena is the most fashionable person in her house because of her mom. Her mom's very snazzy dresser. But Helena puts it together, like, all the time. And she's only seven. She wears matching pajamas every night. And she. She sleeps with the.

[Ryan Sickler]

With the mask.

[Alonzo Bodden]

With the mask. And like, always, like, multiple masks. Like, I'm going. And you never have to tell her to go to sleep. Since she was a baby. Never had to tell her because, like, I'm going to sleep. I don't know what y' all staying up for. Like, sleep is my best friend.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So if I'm gonna go on a walk or shopping, I would rather go with Helena. If I'm talking finances and doing money. Hanan. If I. If I wanna party somewhere, I would rather party with Jaden. Jaden is a. Jaden is always a good time. My oldest daughter, she's always a good time. If I want to be frustrated, I call Trey. And, you know, he's very frustrating. He's very frustrated. If I'm talking about animals, you know, Sahar Shad. I'm gonna talk to Shadow. If I just want to be quiet. Sanaa. She just quiet. She's like, I don't. I don't want to talk. I can just.

[Ryan Sickler]

You got all your bases.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I can just be. I can just be here.

[Ryan Sickler]

They're not two of them that are, like, identical. Like, these two over here are hellions. Or these two are quiet now, huh? They're all individuals.

[Alonzo Bodden]

They all are totally individual. If I want to have a debated conversation, I'm gonna talk to gorgeous girl. So here. She gonna go back and forth with you. But a good time. A good ritzy time. Like, you don't have to. You. It's. She's about all of it. Hania. Oh, Hania is Crazy town. It's Crazy Town. She the youngest. She's Crazy Town, usa.

[Ryan Sickler]

That's. Dude, that's exactly what I used to call my daughter. I'm like, you're Crazy Town, usa. So I used to say exactly.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Like. And she's the. She's the comic. The youngest one has great timing. And she says it right on, like, right in the moment. And with. Very fearless. She's like, I don't care. I bought a Bentley because of her.

[Ryan Sickler]

Why? What you mean, because of her?

[Alonzo Bodden]

She was. I was getting my truck serviced, and we walking around a dealership. We went to the dealership next door. And she sees this Bottega and she's like, that's nice. And I said, well, let me ask the dude, let me see the keys. And she literally got in the back, you know, had pillows and all this stuff. She got in the back, took the seatbelt in and cross her feet and our hands like, I'll take it. How old? She was four. I'll take it.

[Ryan Sickler]

That's how you ended up getting it.

[Alonzo Bodden]

And I was like, man, just run the numbers. Let me see. We can do it.

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[Ryan Sickler]

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[Alonzo Bodden]

And we came home with that call. She was like, yeah. And this is what she wants to be driven to school in like, hey man, this is what I do. And she's a smile man. And then she come from school. Daddy, I didn't peel myself at school today. Like, that's not a. It's not a. You not supposed to. I know sometimes accidents happen.

[Ryan Sickler]

Let me ask you this, is your father, is he still alive?

[Alonzo Bodden]

No, he's not.

[Ryan Sickler]

Did he ever meet. My question was going to be, did he ever meet any of the kids and was he, Jaden, a better grandfather?

[Alonzo Bodden]

No.

[Ryan Sickler]

No.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, no.

[Ryan Sickler]

And make him say, you know what?

[Alonzo Bodden]

No, no, no, it didn't. He was a better father. Not. I think he met Jaden maybe once. And I don't even just blame on him living out of town because, you know, grandparents travel. So I don't think he. I think he was still dealing with some things, but he was a better. I remember I was going through a pretty tough time and I called him, I said, yo, I just need you to come. And he did. And he kicked at me for like a day. And then he was like, we done.

[Ryan Sickler]

We good.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I was like, man, yeah, but I just needed to see him. Just needed, you know, him to be present. He watched all of my stuff on YouTube. He did like anything that came out on YouTube, he would go to the library and watch it and then tell.

[Ryan Sickler]

You he saw it.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Tell me. So have a conversation about. He he met Hassan once, and then he called about him, like, every month after that. That was based. That was really our last conversation. February 12th of 2018, I land in LA because I just filmed the Comedy Central special. 2018 is getting ready to come out, so I'm doing press. I land in la, and normally I don't answer my phone until I get to my hotel. He called, I answered. I said, hey, man, what's going on? He said, man, I just called him, ask about Hassan's chess game. Because you said about chess, because we all play chess.

[Ryan Sickler]

Okay?

[Alonzo Bodden]

I've been playing since I was six because he played. And he asked about Hassan's chess game. I said, yo, I'm on it, you know, when I get back. And then I asked him about the trailer for my special. I said, man, you seen the trailer for my special? He said, yeah, I seen it. We talked about it. So then the 13th, I'm walking out of Viacom office, and I had this thing about me. I hope it's broken now, but when something's going really, really well, I wait on the other shoe to drop. Something's terrible about to happen. And I remember walking out of icom and I said, man, everything's going great. And then I said, nah, don't say that. I said this to myself, don't say that. I remember I'm on. I'm still on the side of the building. So then the 14th comes. I'm flying back to Houston to do a Valentine's Day show. And I hate Valentine's and everybody coming to hear how much I hate Valentine's Day. Two shows. And I know after that, I'm flying to D.C. at the D.C. and Prague shows there, and we sold out for the weekend. I'm very excited about this week. I had my alarm set to catch my flight. My phone keeps going off. I'm like, it's three something. I don't think I set that alarm for three. Phone keeps going off. And I. I sit the phone. When I gotta get up, I sit the phone across the room, so I have to get up to cut it off. As I wake up, I get up to go turn my phone off. I'm thinking, this alarm is pretty early. But it's. When I get there, it's. It's Joanne, his girlfriend, calling his fiance. I answer the phone, I said, hey, what's up, Joanne? But I know we on a time difference. She's in. They in Louisiana, I'm in la. Time difference. She said, I got something to tell you about your father. I Said, what's up with him? I just talked to him. She's like, your father had a heart attack and he passed. I said, what? I said, all right, let me.

[Ryan Sickler]

How old was he, 70?

[Alonzo Bodden]

No, 68.

[Ryan Sickler]

It's young.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I said, all right, let me. Let me get up and get myself together. Got off the phone with her and I said. I just looked up. I said, boy, you ain't shit. You gonna die on a day that. You know, I hate Valentine's Day. I said, damn. So now I'm gonna have to always remember this day. Not because of Valentine's no more, because he passed on February 14th. I called my sister. I said, hey, I'm on. I'm on tour, so you gonna have to go down to Louisiana and set up the arrangements and whatnot. My sister's getting ready to go to Africa. So I come home that day. I do the two shows. I fly DC. I'm doing the shows in DC. And I remember it was the 17th. Special comes out on the 23rd. I buried my father on the 24th after the premiere of the special. I'm on the road and I got all this press. I just don't want to stop doing what I got going on and then me stopping. What would that help do? He's gone at this point. He's not in the hospital. He's gone. So the 17th, I never forget it, because this is Lady. I'm doing the show, and this lady, she's laughing. It's one of those laughs. You probably had this for doing Stand up. One of these laughs that's disruptive to the next. Like, you can't move on because it's so difficult.

[Ryan Sickler]

You gotta let her stop. Yes.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. So I say, ma', am, you gonna have to, like, either cut your laugh short or laugh with everybody else.

[Ryan Sickler]

With everybody else? Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You, you. You laughing past the time limit of life.

[Ryan Sickler]

Ain't that a son of a bitch? You worked all your life for that. Now you gotta tell this.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You kind of. I can't move on until you done. So she says, no, you don't understand. I'm having a good time. I said, I think pretty much everybody's having a good time, but we, like, in a controlled laugh space right now, like, laugh with everybody else and then stop, like, and keep going. She says, no, you don't understand. My father died today, and this is my relief. I said, your dad died today and you're here. She said, no, this is the date that he died. That he died. It was on a Sunday. This is a Sunday. And I said, ma', am, I understand. She says, no, you don't. I said, ma', am, I really do. I said, my father died February 14, like, just past 14. And I've been doing all these shows, and I've never. And I haven't mentioned it yet because I'm compartmentalized. I'm like, I got it in my head. But, like, right now, I'm having a good time doing this show, but then I'm going to be extremely.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah, I'm going to be miserable, sad.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Once I get off the stage. And so that's when I first told people that my father had passed and did some stories about him. And she was like. She just looked at me the rest of the show. Like, I said, you kind of don't know what we go through as comics. And we are real live. The show must go on. Like, I don't know about what actors go through. I don't know about what R and B singers or rappers go through. I know the show really must go on with us. And it has. Like, when people look at my two sons, they will never. And rugged as well. I taped them back to back. They will never realize that my toe was broke.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Like, my baby toe was actually broken. I broke my clavicle and broke four of my ribs and strained my sternum and cracked my teeth surfing in Cabo. And a wave just crushed me up against the ground. And I stayed in Cabo. No pain medication, just arm and a sling. Just holding it together. I came home. I got an mri. They told me I was gonna have to have surgery. They scheduled my surgery, and I still had shows to do on the road, so I went to. It's people in Utah. It's people in Omaha. It's all these people that saw me in a sling with my arm still broken and my ribs broke. That people in Utah. I know it's people in Utah that was in the airport that thought somebody stabbed me because my. My ribs was broken. Right. And they were telling me all this stuff about my clavicle, how. How crazy my clavicle was. It was broken in half. And then I blew my tendon.

[Ryan Sickler]

Damn.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

So that's all from a wave pulverizing you into the ground. I had a friend of mine.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Water is crazy.

[Ryan Sickler]

Broke his neck. And they. And thank God a lifeguard was there, pulled him out.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I thought my neck was broken.

[Ryan Sickler]

He was gonna be paralyzed, but they saved him.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I thought my neck was broke. All the cracking that I heard, I thought my neck was broke. Right? So I am asking the lady. I said, so y' all keep talking about my clavicle. I said, what y'.

[Ryan Sickler]

All.

[Alonzo Bodden]

What y' all gonna do with my ribs? And she said, nothing. I said, that's not a medical term, ma'. Am. I don't think you're supposed to say that. She's like, no, there's nothing we can do about your ribs. Your ribs just got healing their own. So when you have broken ribs, I'm gonna tell you what. What is. What is wrong with you? Everything. Like, it's breathing land.

[Ryan Sickler]

Every little bump.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Car bumps in the car like it's. It's grueling. And the number one killer is a sneeze. So I'm coming through the airport, I'm rolling my bag with my good arm, and I feel it. And I said. And I'm trying to. I need to let my bag go to kind of brace myself, and it doesn't happen fast enough. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no. And I sneeze, and I just lay on the ground in baggage claim.

[Ryan Sickler]

No, you didn't. You just went to the ground.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I'm just on the ground, luggage in hand. Can't. Can't go down straight because my calico's broke. I'm in the sling. I'm in a sling. And I'm just on the ground. And I'm on the ground, and this couple comes by and says, hey, ain't that who we going to see tonight?

[Ryan Sickler]

The guy on the ground we bought tickets to.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I was like, don't mention this. Don't mention it. So I have the surgery. Have the surgery. And the next day, I fly out to go do this comedy club in Atlanta, Uptown comedy club, because I gave him my word that I was going.

[Ryan Sickler]

To do his day after surgery.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Shows are sold out. I'm in. I'm in there, and it's. I'm just working it out, just doing my thing. And I'm telling the story about this because it's going to be one of the specials about how my. How I broke this clap. And as I now I'm told this whole entire story. And I said, I just had surgery. I walked off the stage, and this lady grabs me on the shoulder, and this other women in there about to beat the. Out of this lady. Like, did you not just hear for an hour and 20 minutes about this? How damn she is? And you grab like, oh, man. I was like. And so when she grabbed me, I went down in the club.

[Ryan Sickler]

No, you did.

[Alonzo Bodden]

On the ground. And I was just looking up at her like, are you crazy right now? Ah. Like, are you. You're literally crazy. Like, ah. It. Was it just a mirror? Because the way that they had to do it. I have a. I have a. What is this? Dr. Woody? He's my doctor. He's extremely good Dr. Woody. Very hip, white guy. I was skeptical because when I walked in, he was like, oh, love those Travis Scotts. I had on some sneakers. He's like, no, I'm a sneaker head too, and I love watches. And we talking. So after the surgery, he wanted to tell me what he did. So I have a cadaver's tendon.

[Ryan Sickler]

You do?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Over my arm, right on top of my clavicle.

[Ryan Sickler]

Is it better than your old one?

[Alonzo Bodden]

No, no, I bust a tendon up, so I had to get somebody else's tendon. And he's telling me about it, and I said, was the cadaver white or black? And he was like, ali, if you don't get the fuck out of here. Like, this is his look. Like, what difference does it matter? I say, you know, black people, we heal different. I need to know what you have in me. I said, what if he's a pirate? And all of a sudden I'll be like. And he's like, oh, yeah, you definitely a comedian. Like, no, I just wanted to know. So I get. You know, for the record, I can tell people I'm partially white.

[Ryan Sickler]

What if. What if he was a good pitcher or some. I want to know. All of a sudden I'm going 90 miles an hour with this left arm in my 50s.

[Alonzo Bodden]

What is it? I want to know how this is gonna heal, man.

[Ryan Sickler]

Did he tell you?

[Alonzo Bodden]

No, they don't. He's like.

[Ryan Sickler]

It's interesting, though. You. You think you should have a right to know.

[Alonzo Bodden]

To know what type of person.

[Ryan Sickler]

Whoever went in your body, that's another human being's part in you.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You should know about stab people all the time. Like, I need to know what's going on with me, but it's. It's very good sometimes. Then it's still where you can feel it trying to connect with my body. It's numb a lot, but it's crazy how they did it. And I was like. I was very interested in it because I wanted to know also.

[Ryan Sickler]

It's in your body.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It's in my body. I don't know where this meat came from.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Is it somebody else's tendon?

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah, they took something out from somebody over there, put it in, and you.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Don'T get to know it sounds so much worse now over there, that person over there, some random ass person over.

[Ryan Sickler]

There, there's a freezer over there with some. We just sewed it up inside. Before we wrap this up, I want to ask you this last question. What do you want people to take away from Father's Day?

[Alonzo Bodden]

If you have a good one, if you have a bad one, Be appreciative of the lessons that you learn from both my. The reason why I'm the type of father I am now is my mom would like to say that it was her. But no, it was really a lot of the feelings that I did want my children to have about me. And I don't have a lot of pictures with my dad young. I have some memories, but I would rather have my children have a lot of good memories, you know, a lot of life lessons, you know, and then pictures of when we were together and hey. And have memories. I have some memories of, you know, I was there with my father. You know, he taught me chess, he taught me this. But I have more memories of him not being there. And I would rather my children have more memories of me being there than not, you know. And I tell my son, we go, every time we go to lunch, I make him hold my hand when we coming out the restaurant and I say, man, you need to practice, man. Cause one day I'm gonna be some old dude. You'll be taking me to lunch and I be walking out and I'm like, hold my hand, you know, guide me this way. And I'm going to be stubborn. I don't want to do that, you know, but you going to have to assist me. Just like I held your hand and snatched you out the street and did this. I say the same thing, you get a chance to do it. And he just laughs and thinks that is that I'm playing. Like one day I'm going to be a slow walking person or you gonna have to push my wheelchair. You, you know, hopefully not, but you gonna have to come pick me up and. And I'm gonna be quiet and you gonna want to talk. It's gonna. The road is gonna eventually reverse. You know, with my daughters, I'm gonna want them to always wanna see me and take care of me and kiss on me. Like it was a big thing because when you Muslim, you got to wash the body. So I had to wash my dad's body and my little brother by another woman. He went with me and did it. And I remember he didn't really have a lot of Memories of him being around either. So we do share that. That we washed his body. We hung out with him before he died. But I would rather my. My kids have a lot of happy memories.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You know, so, I mean, the older.

[Ryan Sickler]

I get, that's the. I don't need gifts. Nothing like memories, is it? That's what it is.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You know, so traveling with my kids and going, remember when we was here? Remember we was in Costa Rica? Remember. Remember when I broke my clavicle? Because you were there, you know, you in Cabo with me when I broke my clavicle. You know, just whether you have a good one or bad one. Sometimes our fathers are not ideal. And people are here about it because I didn't tell you I wanted to drop the bombshell at the end. I recorded three more specials in Detroit, so I have three specials in the can.

[Ryan Sickler]

What? How in the. Do you do this? Dude, that's amazing.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

And do you set them up? Like you let people know you're recording them or you just shoot?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, yeah. It's a whole production.

[Ryan Sickler]

So you did. So you got Mother's Day that dropped in May of this year.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yes.

[Ryan Sickler]

Father's Day, that's out now. And it dropped in June of this year.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yes.

[Ryan Sickler]

And you already have three more specials. Already recorded.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Already recorded.

[Ryan Sickler]

Dude, that's incredible. Good for you.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Getting ready to go out. One is called the Dog, one is Father, and then Monday. So those are the three that's getting. It'll be record again.

[Ryan Sickler]

When will they be released? This year as well. Are you gonna wait?

[Alonzo Bodden]

We're gonna wait. We'll probably drop one at the end of the year. Like going. Right.

[Ryan Sickler]

Three specials in one year. I don't know. Has any comedian ever done that?

[Alonzo Bodden]

None other than.

[Ryan Sickler]

Right. Three successful specials. Not just 800 people watching one of them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So good for you, dude.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah, we. We trying to set the bar high.

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, you have. You have definitely said it. Thank you, man. Thank you for coming on as always.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Thank you.

[Ryan Sickler]

Right there. Promote it all again. One more time. Everything.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So Alistique.com you can grab you some tickets to the next 34 cities starting in August. I'm doing some clubs in August. You know, I'm coming to Wise Guys, which I. I don't know why I love this club so much.

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, yeah. Salt Lake City.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. Yeah, He's a great club. I'm also doing Atlantic City in August, but then I have multiple dates coming up. Where you from?

[Ryan Sickler]

Baltimore.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Baltimore. Yo, the lyrics is a great theater. Baltimore Comedy Factory is Crazy.

[Ryan Sickler]

Crazy. The lyric is, I'm lucky enough I got to perform there with Tom Segura when he was there.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Tom Segura, Let me tell you, before we get out of here, Tom Segura has the worst accident ever in all of anything. I don't care. It's comedy, it's baseball. I don't give a damn what it is. And every time I've watched it just to feel. Pop it up, just to feel better about my. Mine was kind of sexy. I was surfing, and Tom's. Was Tom, like. Well, he, like, fell apart, like. Yeah, it was crazy.

[Ryan Sickler]

Also, I don't think you made the money they made off of your injury, I'll tell you that.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Oh.

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, bro.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Goodness, man.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

When I watched it, like, I would. Did his podcast, and it was like, yo. He was like. He was pop locking. I was like, yo, you a breakdance. That was crazy. Was crazy. I was like, wow.

[Ryan Sickler]

Because I was like, how you couldn't get your arm back. He said, well, my. I ripped everything in my knee.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah.

[Ryan Sickler]

So once my knee shot out, I couldn't get it back there in time, and it just gently folded back there.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It's just crazy. Like, that should be a special alone. What it was to do, like, it was insane. Right? So I saw Tom. We was taping the show in New York. I saw Tom, and. And I can't help but to see it when I see him, like, yo, you so much better now. You look so smooth right now.

[Ryan Sickler]

He still has. He still has problems. Locked him up.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It's like, I'm connected because I still have issues. Like, oh, it was great town.

[Ryan Sickler]

I got to do the lyric with him. And, you know, that's a bucket list theater. If you're in Baltimore, that is the premier spot to go.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So, yeah, I. I just. A bucket list is for me to do a show with Tom.

[Ryan Sickler]

Oh, man, his shows are great. So I'm doing. I don't know when this will come out, but I'm at the Horseshoe Casino there in Baltimore. That's a great venue, too.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. Yeah, I've been in the Horseshoe.

[Ryan Sickler]

Have you?

[Alonzo Bodden]

Yeah. To see somebody else. Wasn't me. I wasn't there. I was like, yo, Smokey Robinson live at the Horseshoe.

[Ryan Sickler]

You know what I love about Baltimore? This is funny. So I go on, I look at the schedule, and what's his name? CeeLo.

[Alonzo Bodden]

You know, CeeLo Green.

[Ryan Sickler]

Not sold out. Michael Jackson impersonator. Sold out.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Okay.

[Ryan Sickler]

In Baltimore. Then I was like, impersonator, okay. Sold out. Real person. Not sold Out.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Okay, okay. Here we go. Before we get out of here. Here we go. Here we go. I don't feel bad now. So I'm in Austin. I'm maybe like 500 people from a sellout. But the damn Elvis review.

[Ryan Sickler]

Review, yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It's not even Elvis.

[Ryan Sickler]

Not even the guy 50 years ago, by the way. This motherfucker's around, you know what I mean?

[Alonzo Bodden]

The Elvis review. I was like, man, this is some, man. And they got two sold out shows, people.

[Ryan Sickler]

Two? Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Two.

[Ryan Sickler]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bodden]

What a green. What a. This. The. The artist interest is. I'm having to say, excuse me to get in, because it's like. I'm like. And this is. I got out the. The suv. I'm like, oh, is this for me? It was like, no, that's Elvis. He's on. He's on the other side. I'm like, elvis who? He's a new artist. Like, no, this is the Elvis review. What the. Man.

[Ryan Sickler]

Listen, I'm doing my damnedest to sell that show out. I can't have some impersonators selling more tickets than me. I laugh so hard that I was like, baltimore going hard for the Michael Jackson impersonator.

[Alonzo Bodden]

It's crazy.

[Ryan Sickler]

It's crazy, dude, man.

[Alonzo Bodden]

So, man, make sure y' all go to alistique.com. go watch the specials on YouTube. You can start at Domino Effect and go up if you want to, you know, get some backstory, man. I sure appreciate you, man, for having me on the honeydew.

[Ryan Sickler]

Thank you for coming, brother.

[Alonzo Bodden]

I thought that was the call. That's not the call.

[Ryan Sickler]

All right, well, thank you. And as listen, as always, thank you guys as well. Ryan Sickler on all your social media. We'll talk to you all next week.

[Alonzo Bodden]

Hello.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Alonzo Bodden]

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[Ryan Sickler]

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