CHRIS RIVAS - Wait, That Egg Is Phenomenal

And what really makes it special? As you put a perfect Friday on top of it perfect Friday and make the best Friday eggs. You heard it here. First, I make the best fried egg. Okay, I am going to rate your fried egg and all's little peep. How you're doing it. To make it the best is not to touch it. You gotta get the pants. Well, I'm gonna show you good layer of butter, crack the egg. Okay, um, go ahead and show me. Shall we begin? Yeah? We should we can begin a we're good. Um, So, why

don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? Where are you from? Originally? I am from New York City, born and raised Queens to be exactly, Queens Burrows the most diverse burrow on the planet. I don't actually think that's a I think that's the like scientific fact. Oh is it? Especially Jackson, I didn't know that. I I have a joke amongst my friends that Queen's is the only burrow I don't really like. Alright, it's just I don't know why I don't like it, really, I just

feel like it's always out of the way. I'm from Brooklyn, but just the way, it's just out of the way. All right. So we're gonna I'm gonna fry this up a little bit. You gotta get it crispy. Okay, I've never rice before. Don't let it do a thing. Did you have to put butter or anything in there? Because I wanted to crisp up a bit and it's already cooked him and let it just sort of like get real hot. You've never had crispy rice? No, well, I mean when I go to a sushi restaurant. This is

kind of like I've never done it though. Okay, heat up some beans, real simple, Okay, No one's gonna worry. So you're an actor, author, and podcaster. I'm going to assume podcasters the last uh, like the most recent. Yes, it is the most So where did you start in acting? I started in acting in like fifth grade. Uh in New York. Saw Peter Pan, Sa Beauty and the Beast in the same year. Huge for me. Where you saw

them on Broadway? Fancy my school took me. Uh, And then I knew I wanted to act, but it didn't really I didn't really settle in until I saw John Nke was almost freak. John him, yeah, so a freak, so freak was his his Broadway show, one man show, just about his life. And he was like, he's a Colombian kid. I was Colombian. He's from Queens Your your least favorite burrow. Uh you know SOSPC. He was from Queen's Colombian like me and I. And it was just a person. It was just a person being a person

telling the truth. And my life changed and I was like that's what I want, you know, because when I saw Peter Pan, it was it was like cool, yeah, you know, kid who never grows up, which some could argue that I'm still that uh. You know, some people argue that that you're still like that, really, I think, I think that's something I'm proud of, Like my curiosity,

it's something I never want to lose. That's what allows me to say yes more than say no. And so, but I just saw this guy like it wasn't some teacup singing like Beauty and the Beast. It was just a person being a person. And I saw a room full of white people loving it. You know, hearts open, and I was like, that's what I want to do. Wow,

it's funny because now I see. Now I'm starting to see why you do what you're doing, just based on you saying that it was a room full of white people, and he was actually just being himself and he was Columbia. That's it. He was just himself and that was so powerful to me. And that's the acting part. And then you know, fast forward many many many years later after like I go to performing arts high school college, did some off Broadway stuff. Uh. When I read James Baldwin

and Eldridge Cleaver, that was the same thing. I've read books before, But here were these two people just being themselves and they were just being completely honest about how they moved through the world. And I saw more of myself in their honesty than someone trying to preach me something. It's it's funny because acting is Everything you're saying is like honestly, but isn't acting acting? Wow? Like that isn't acting a lie? You're living a lie? You're fake? No? Sorry, yeah,

I mean I didn't. I didn't want to say it like that, but then you know what I'm trying to get. It isn't yes, no right because we sort of we're making things up. But let's be honest. If you watched if you watched an actor who didn't believe it that you would, it would be trash. Yeah, so you that's why you see all these actors go to all these extremes to like feel the person. You'll see someone like lose three pounds and pretty much try Heroin, pretty try

almost try Heroin. The day I see an actor actually try Heroin to fit into do you think so? Would you do it Heroin? I'm just I'm just asking. I want to see how committed to like you. I would do a lot of things. I wouldn't do Heroin for a role. You wouldn't you would draw the line? I think I would? You know I'm saving you can hang out with a heroin addict and kind of get the feel right, Yeah, I think I think like enough descriptions of it, uh would do me, would do me the service.

I don't think now that I asked that question, I don't think there's heroin Okay. So I used to say this when I was a kid, Please don't judge me, world. I used always be like, if I don't accomplish my dreams, I just want to be a heroin addict. My philosophy And it looks like since I was little, like my philosophy was like, at least I won't have to live the rest of my life knowing I didn't like hit the mark, and then I'd be so addicted to heroin

I wouldn't even care. So it would be a distraction from the fact that I didn't, you know, accomplish my goals or whatever. And I think the only reason why I even knew about heroin was because I was from New York and it's like what we saw all the time, you know, I saw a lot of did you see that too? On the subway? Just a lot of like yeah you do the yes, yeah. My parents would they'd always be like, uh, that's what happens when you started.

My pop. No, but like I didn't get a cigarette, but it was always a big deal that my dad would be like, you know that pointed it out. Yes, they were always pointed this is how you know, like either this is how you can lose yourself and be careful. That's that person. Or they'd be like, yo, that was a doctor and he'd be like that was like he was a lawyer, he had a family. He'd be like, oh shore, Like they would tell me. They would literally point them out and just tell a story behind them

where you'd be like, I'm good. Like when people are like offering cigarettes in high school, I'm like, I'm good. That's that's the gateway that leads to that. I have weird, vivid memories of my pops being like, look at that dude's track marks, Like really wanted me to see this stuff. But that's that's my pops. I mean that I think explains the acting in me. It explains the writing in me. My dad taught me in New York does this better

than most places in the world how to observe the world. Yeah, Like my pops did not let me move through blind. It's like I saw everything around me. That was his favorite game. You know, we watch people and he'd be like, where are they going, where they're coming from? Why do they walk that way? Yeah? You know what now that you say that, it makes sense because when you're if you hang out in New York or you visit New York, you know, you ride the subway trains. That's the thing

about New York. It's like we kind of see stuff and we're like it's like we're aware, but we're not responding to it. Like you know, we're not even participating. We're just watching it. And you will be on this go ahead some Larri's. I know it's controversial. Well, the way you pour it it should be. Um, yeah, that's interesting you say that. I never thought about it. But yeah, new York is really observing. It's almost like a pay

attention observed, but definitely not respond state. I've never seen something go down. Huh. They could teach you more than a book, you know, if you're if you're just aware when you're in it. Yeah, So what did your parents say? Do you wanted to be an actor? That's the best part, right, Like that's the biggest blessing I guess is my parents. My mom's an immigrant, my dad's you know, first generation. Uh. They got said no to a lot by their parents.

And I think one of the things, whether they knew it or not, is they decided, like whether it's conscious or they decided they were going to let me do what I wanted to do as safely as possible. Like they tried to say yes to me more than no. Now, if something stupid, it was definitely a no. But I'm like, I want to be an actor and it brings me joy. And my dad wasn't able to be the musician he wanted to be, and then he wasn't able to be the like the engineer he wanted to be. Uh. They

wanted to give me any opportunity they could. Wow, So they say, yeah, that's pretty awesome. So are they really proud of you? Now? Yeah? Do you think that them seeing you reach your goals? Do you think that it could is me reaching Do you think it can be a little bitter sweet for them knowing that they were denied? There's have you ever even thought of that? And I just literally planning a horrible seat in your brain. I

have never thought of it. But I also know it it is not the case because I want broke his hell in college. Feeling really grateful for my parents, and I wanted to get them a Christmas gift, but I couldn't, so I wrote them a letter. H And in the letter, I wrote, everything I do I do for you, and my dad said, can we curse? And my pop said, the fund is this? I was like crying while I was reading it, and he's like, what the fund is this? He said, why are you doing this ship for me?

You're getting loans, taking out loans student death for me. He's like, don't do that for me, do it for you. He said, everything we did we did because we wanted to do it right. We didn't do it for you. We wanted to do it not to prove something to someone, not to get it. We wanted to do this, and we're able to give you these you know, these things. Uh. And so that's how I know my pops don't have sort of like resentment. My parents don't have some sort

of resentment or anything. I think they just this is exactly what they wanted. I love the way they damn that's almost a tear jokeer like I don't. I don't think a lot of parents. I'm gonna steal that line for when my daughter girls are because I know for days sure, I would definitely say. What most parents say is like you know how much I did for you? Or doing how much we sacrifice you grow I grew up, well, a lot of people grow up that's how their parents talked.

But I love that your parents were like, we did it because we we wanted to do and we did it. That's you know, how they were. It's why I can plagiarize it was so you can plagiarize it said we didn't do anything we did for you. We did it for us and you get to get these things. But we did it for us, not for you. Dope parents. I do have dope parents. Were they in New York? They're in Miami. Now, you know that's what Latin people do. They're still married. They're still married. It'll be forty years

in a couple of weeks. Wow, how many siblings do you have? I got a sister in Austin. You do, Butter, Look, it's a big trick to the egg. Let me tell you something. You don't want to come up in my house, Butter, is like the most used thing when you make pancakes, you make good pancakes. First of all, I murdered pancakes, but you know I could do. I like them thin, like the fluffy like McDonald's kind, but way better than McDonald's.

But I slab it. I do it so good. You don't need syrup because my secred thing is just real butter. That's real butter too. I learned that from Nile Evans shout out because he was on our show and I was like, what's the difference between real butter and fake butter? And then I tried it, and then I said, oh, that's what That's what they serve at the restaurants. I'll be trying to eat that thing whole. It's real butter. So now I buy the caseload at Costco. I got

a homie who's trying to get me into it. He turns his own butter, facts his own butter. Yeah. Never. First of all, I've never heard of like just to put a homie in someone that turns his own butter in the same senses. It's crazy because because he would never think, like my homie, yeah, you know what he's doing at the CREB man, he turned the butter. Right now, you want some butter and give him so much. He's like, once you turn your own butter, you never go back. Yeah,

just like he's got a whole machine. He tried to get me get an Amazon. It's not simple. You just get like heavy whipping creamer. Oh, don't tell me it's a heavy cream in there. Please don't tell me that. No, no, no no, no, no no, I didn't hear it. I didn't hear that. I hate heavy cream. I hate heavy cream. No no, no, no, no no, no, no no no. I wish you didn't tell me that. Is that what's really in there? Yea, you never made butter as a kid in New York. You didn't go visit the Amish and like, no,

never have you. Yeah, that was in a school trip. No, I don't know what amazing school you went to, but the school I went to. The most you got was a trip to d C. Well, there you go, don't Queen's published school, Queen's public school showing up? They are so tell me more trip, good amount of great amount of butter? You did good. I need that pen to get hot. So where I started to see that the butter go a little and then uh, and then and then I'll pop him in and you don't touch him.

That's the that's the whole goal of frying and egg is not touch it. Too many people touch it. What are they touching it for? To pop that yolk? I don't know why. I never touch it. I never touched it. The only time I may touch it is accidentally if I drop a little egg part in it, I'll take the eggs shell and like try to scoop it out, which really happens, guys. Because I'm gonna semi egg professional thing.

I'm not gonna do both eggs at once because I talked a lot of game and just in case they is kind of weak, I need to step it up on the second one. I'm gonna serve you first, make your plate. Here we go, great sound, You're hilarious. I'm gonna judge the crap out of your eggs, and you want it the way you're doing it. He's acting like he's putting on a whole production over here. So is that the reason why you named your podcast brown is brownish?

Brown enough, brown enough, brown enough? Sorry? Uh, we I mean we named it that mainly because of the book.

So the brown enough the book, uh, and then Stitcher wanted to turn it into a We had done the Rubio podcast, which is about the Dominican man James Bom was based on, so we did like ten episodes of that, and then they wanted to turn the book into a podcast as well, where we just kind of put brownness on blast, like in this white black world, what was happening in that middle space and what we're brown people doing, and so we've just had really incredible people on there.

Just if anything's in a way, it's an ode to my building where I grew up, Queens Ah. The impetus for the book was when Tana Hussey coats you know, I asked him, like as a Dominican Colombian brown kid from Queens Whearing and the race conversation, he said, not in it. And so I thought of my whole neighborhood. I thought of Queen's I thought of my parents. I thought of the countries I you know, I come from that are in my blood. I thought of Jackson Heights,

and I thought about being in it. And so we sort of built this world of what it means to be a brown body in this world and to take up space. Why do you feel like your culture is so important to you? Because even like when you were talking about John langsam Oh, it was just like it seems like that's the one thing even when you were a little that kind of stood out was like who he who he was kind of like by who he represented,

you know, which he represented Colombian. I think it's yeah, the Colombia, I mean, thing really did matter, but it's it's more of the word representation that that has mattered to me in my work. Like that was I saw John Leguizamo as a kid, and it gave me enough armor encouraged to say, my dreams can come true. Like one moment gave me that White people get that seventy times a week. They in every plaything, in every movie there and every billboard. You know, they're in every TV show.

And I was always looking for myself, whether I knew it or not, I was always looking for that armor and that courage. And and so when I saw it look like the life, it gave me the courage. It gave me to like keep going even as like bad breaks happened, and I lived in my car for a year and my broth days making ricing beans. You know my salad days like uh, and so that John moment, it's one piece of armor, and so I wanted to create more armor for more young kids. I wanted them

to have armor too. Wow. I didn't think representation mattered until and I called I consider myself like educationally ignorant. I don't know, I just made that up just now, but like I try to introduce myself to people, like, look, I'm a college dropout. Like, don't don't give me you know, but I like to read. But um. I didn't think representation mattered until Barack Obama came in office. And even then I fought it and I was like, it doesn't matter,

it doesn't matter. But the older I get, I'm like, oh my gosh, representation matters. This is the best. Just slides right. You didn't even try to double it. No, you don't need it. Look that I need to flip. I need it flipped. I'm sorry, I need it flipped. Really, yes, look at that that's cood. Let me see you need a flip. I need a flip. Flip it looks good, but yeah, I need a flip. I would feel much better.

You did a good flip. Yes, were you did you feel like like I just ruined your perfect egg because I want to flip It's not it's not ruined. You know, we all make we all mad, you mess up your own eggs. No, I'm just really weird about it and told you I get that. How much flip you need? You good? I'm good. I'm good, even though barely put it on the fire with it. It's okay as long as I don't see it's fine. That looks very beautiful. And then you get all that juice, the butter juice.

So I didn't even think of that, your hot saucepers quick answer. I'm a jewmaking even though I look Mexican, Cuban, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Hispanic. What other Latino race can you? Yeah? You know what. That's the thing about being mixed. Everyone thinks for everything exactly. And that's why that's why I use the word brown, you know. And that's why I

wrote this book and make this work. And because there isn't a single box that can contain the twenty four different countries that represent nothing need odd, and there isn't a single box that can represent you know, the jewmaking like in you we are not containable in a box, and yet brown felt like such a There's so many of us are brown. I think there's more brownness in the world than anything else. Yeah, I have a and you gotta get into you. I have another ignorant question,

hit me. What's the difference between culturally? Since you grew up in a household with your mom and your dad, what's the cultural difference between Puerto Rican and Dominican cultural menia your parents? Your mom is Puerto Rican, right, my mom's Colombian Dominicans. What's the different cultural difference between a Colombian and a Dominican? Ah? What is that one thing that they just in the house, like you know that that Colombian anyan boy? I like Colombian food more than

I like Dominican food. I like Cuban food the best. Oh, I love Mexican food. I've this hard, but we'll just stick to call me in Dominican like Colombian. But what's the difference between the two, Like growing up with your parents, is there a difference between the two that like they can legit like throw shade at each other. I think there's a there's a very unique difference in the men right, Uh, that's what's kind of beautiful. I have a Columbian mom.

They're the sweetest moms in the world. They're the sweetest moms in the world. And then I have a Dominican father, and Dominicans this whole dig at osmo and dig it and maybe you heard of it. Ah, the Dominican man can be very stereotyped, is very much small like playboy. Um, I'm gonna tell you right now, Dominicans. I was driving in probably Queens. I was like seventeen or eighteen, and it was this fun. I mean, to this day, I don't know if I've ever seen him do so fun.

He pulled up on me and he had this confidence and he was the most beautiful person I had ever physically seen. And I was like, what are you And he said he was Dominican. And I said to my girls, I don't even know if I've really ever seen a full Dominicans since. But I tell people like, Dominicans, Yeah, they win, they win, they win. They have a swagger that is unique. Yes, so your your father had that swagger. Okay, okay, but but he's like faithfully married and all that. So

we had swagger, but he had integrity. He has integrity, has swagger, he's got a he likes to say. Early on in our relationship, your mom put the fear of God in me. She said, you do whatever you want, but I swear to guy like you only get one chance. Oh snap, And he said, all right, oh wow, that's a good way to say it. You can do whatever you want, but you only get one chance. Dang. Okay, okay, go ahead. Mom. She slicked with it too. She locked it up, She locked it up. Okay, okay, I liked it.

I liked it. All right, I'm gonna try this while it's hot. You might miss the the yoke, but you know no, I said, I'm gonna do it while it's hot. We'll see if it running. Do you want me? It's gonna the way you cooked it. It's definitely running. That's how that's how the things work. No, that's just then what it's still a little running. But okay, don't judge, don't you were you were talking and distracting me. Wait what was your You probably answered this a bunch, But

what was your eating while broke food? Um? Mine would be corn meal, um porridge corn meal part Yeah, tell me more. Um it's just when we were growing up, my mom would always make hormeal porridge and we loved it. And it's super cheap, and that would be it. That would be my thing, cormeal porridge. I guess it's similar to like a grits. Yeah, I mean we would do and I still do a savory oatmeal, which is hell it cheap that you can make it. Let me tell

you something, Your edg is phenomenal. Thanks, why face right now? It's it's really happy. I'm trying. I don't even know. I don't even know a phenomenal Is it the seasoning? It's just the butter. It's the way it sits. You don't touch it, kind of let it, let it all rip out. You don't want to touch it. Right. That is the most phenomenal egg I've ever ate my life. And I'm a I don't even eat breakfast food outside because I'm a I'll judge you. You should see me

throw down some scrambled eggs me my favorite food. I would love to share it with you, Jared, because I know you would love to try this. But this egg is phenomenal, So you do it like this now, we don't flip in it kissing the rice or the yolk. Yeah, no, it looks yours looks great, but mine tastes amazing. This is this is a great broke this ship. I should have video. I ate this a lot. I mean, here's the thing. I feel like I'm I'm lying to folks because I ate it when I was broke by You're

still eat it now, dude. If you were like, holy come dig it, I'm gonna make some of this, I'll be okay, cool. I love you know what I mean. My friends have come over it and nothing has been in my crib but like ricing beans. And I've just made ricing beans for a bunch of people. Always got ricing beans for some strange reason, always thought when you have lucan of beans that you have to do more

than just heat it up. No, but I do normally like to rinse them after the can, rinse them out of the can, get that water out, uh, and then put him in a in a pot. And if you want, like the real way Colombians do it. And this is yummy as hell, y'all, anyone listening, throw some vinegar into your ricing into your beans. Really fire some red wine vinegar when you say some like how much of some up to your flavor preference? Just hit it with a

little couple, you know, spot black. Okay, you know sometimes you can't you can't give measurements. You just gotta feel it out. I'm still trying to figure out why are eggs tastes like this? It is the best egg I've ever had in my life. That is the best egg I've ever had in my life as a combination of flavor. What the I didn't even know you can make that good? But I have something that's gonna make you be disappointed. I was, I was reading, I was reading up on you,

and you're like a huge fan of James Bond. Now, I don't know if I really know anything about James Bond. The only thing I remember was like, not all the way through You're seen one? Then, didn't I say? I was going to say something, but the only thing well, of course you're gonna yeah, But my question is is um, the only thing I know about James Bond is like he's this like suave a guy, right, and then halle

Berry was like in one of the movies. Right, That's all I know, And you're this huge fan of it, So I have to know, like what's so great about James Bond, to the point where I'll actually take time to like go watch James Bond sell me, Like what is it you like about it? I'm gonna sell you, not sell you, because let's be honest. As a little kid, you don't know this, but as an adult, James Bond is widely problematic. He's a womanizer. You know, hello Machismore

because I'm a woman, you know. Uh he there are tons of problems in those films. But as a kid, I mean, what do I see? I see? He flies hell, he gets all the ladies, he saves the day. He's driving a nice whip, he got fun gadgets. He's like every check box for a little boy. I'm like, that's tight. And I love superheroes, but I was like, ain't no lasers coming out of my eyes anytime soon? I don't have webbing a spider Man. But like, maybe maybe I could be this person, Like this person is just cool.

According to everything you tell me, this is possible if I just be cool. And so as a little kid, I kind of told myself this story, that's what I want. I want to be cool. I want to be that, you know, like up to the point where I would run around and like my tidy Whitey's with all my nerve guns and pretend to be Bond, trying to be some white British dude. What did your dad think about that?

I not trying to deter you, but I don't think he actually thought anything of it until later, you know, until the short of Ruby Rosa moment, but with the moment. So in college, someone sent me an article about Portfidio Rubido Sa and this is the article that changed my life. Truly.

It was Portio Rubidos. I was twice the richest man in the world, married to five different women, lived in Hitler's Germany, for Dell's Cuba, rand guns from Mayer Lansky and the New York City mob, best friends with Sinatra and Kennedy and the rat Pack, followed the FBI for seventeen years, and then the real kicker. There was a very good chance that James Bond was based on him and my father's Dominican. I knew many Dominicans, and I

thought what if? I what if? For so much of my life I wasn't pretending to be some white dude. But I got to be my pops. I got to be myself. I got to pretend to be like the people in my neighborhood. But I have tried less to be like them, and what I have had more love for myself. There you go. You're gonna have to rewind that my brains a little slow. That was a lot.

So you're saying that the person that James Bond was based off of was actually Dominican and essentially what he was doing in your neighborhood, if I'm if I'm getting this right, was what people Dominicans were doing in the crimes in the crime scene. He died. He died in the fifty But I'm saying, like him being Dominican and being like having the women, and he did, he had the women, but he was doing he was obviously doing

a legal activity and all that stuff. When you found out that James Bond was based off him, what shocked you more the fact that it was he was Dominican or the fact that it was based off a guy that essentially was like doing bad stuff. It was the fact that he was Dominican. It was the fact that, like Hollywood once again took a beautiful body of culture and turned it into a white thing. You know, they took something from us, like and and that's how I felt.

So you're, oh, I see what you're saying. So you're wondering now if if he was Dominican, if you would have looked up to him as much. Yeah, I would have looked up to myself more. I think as a little kid, I didn't like myself. I wanted to be on TV, right, I wanted to be an actor. That's why that John Yis I'm a moment is so important because all I saw was whiteness portrayed as the best. Yeah, and what if the most successful franchise in the history of the world was a body of color instead of

some white British too. Well, how do you feel now that we live in a world where black culture has been like rob tenfold? Like when I look at the Kardashians, like no disrespects to those women, like more power to

the power that they have or whatever. But I feel like there was so much they they took some of the attributes of a black woman and then they put it on if you if you really break it down, it's a light skinned girl, right, And it's like the black girls are walking around with these bodies for ages. Now every now done wrong. I don't go far in l A without seeing like a fake version of the model. And it's very hard now to tell which is faking

which is real anymore. But it's crazy that the Kardashians got so big off of like, you know, the lip injections and the butt injections and the boo you know, boobs, boobs. You know, that's been out for a while, but like it's almost like with the weaves, and it's just like it's it's horrible because you look at black girls and even the way black men or or other men view women. It's just like if you're light skinned, it's better. But it's like, but these are all the attributes of black women.

It's just that's why I use the term bodies of culture, not bodies of color, because I don't think whiteness is trying to take our color, is trying to take our culture. They're trying to take anything that they can make money off of, and so they take our they take our bodies. Yeah, they take our aesthetics, you know, they try to take anything. They take our our yoga, they take our you know, our philosophies, and if they can make money off of

it and package it, that's what they want. Do you think it's because like, why do you think that we have such a huge impact on white people? I mean, that's essentially what it is. Actually, that was the first time I've ever said that, But like seriously, like, yeah, Africa, it's crazy because they tried to kill off and abused the very people that they essentially like look up to. Don't you think we've been around longer? Like we've been

around longer. Uh, Whiteness early on became threatened by the black body. Very early on. Whiteness did a lot of things too. When you're chill, you don't do a lot of planning, You don't think anything is coming after you. When you feel threatened, you start to galvanize people. You know, look at January six, look at politics right now, the white people in general right now. Feeling threatened like that feeling of being threatened makes some sort of anger and

rage and action happen. And so early on in history, way before you and I are here, and before our parents and parents and parents, white people feel threatened by by the black body, and so they make up so many systems and ways to take advantage of the black I mean literally yeah, and also to humanize us, which as the worst I think the one of the worst things. And as I got older, so one of the things I learned about being Jewish is Jewish Um. Jews have

something called the birthright. Are you familiar with it? As you know where you go today? No? I I went to Israel, but I didn't. I ended up on a plane with birthright the group before. But I had the opportunity, and I was young, and I was like culture, who gives a crap about culture? Um? But then obviously it was like a little too late by the time I wanted to do it, but I ended up going to Israel.

But for all of you that don't know about birthright, it's essentially like, as a Jewish person, you can fly to Israel for like fourteen days fully paid. Is it for free? You get to learn everything about your culture, your history. And I think what makes Jewish people the most resilient, powerful, one of the most powerful races uh the world, is because how tied to keeping their culture

in their history alive. And I feel like when it comes to black people are struggle to find out who we were originally before we were robbed and brainwashed and raped and whatever. You know, it's like we don't have it and we try our hardest to piece together who we were. But the world that the media, the the world has positioned us and dehumanize us so much to the point where it's like we're lost. We're just lost, and we don't know what the right example is. You know.

I think, I mean, I think that's changing. It's changing slowly. You know when I look at broken homes, womanizing, and the stuff that breaks my heart nowadays and I'm a woman is the womanizing. It's like the I feel like women the older I get we're slowly becoming like second rate. Well we probably have been a long time, but I feel like we're we're becoming less and less less valuable. Interesting, you feel that now we're more accomplished, but we're still

not getting the respect. I mean, I can I can agree with that because the numbers are there, like we and look at all the abortions right like, we're still like yesterday, I was in an event the woman that runs the third largest budget in the world, which is the state of California. She's a black woman, young girl young. I think it's like Malia Cohen, y'all shout out to her.

I would love to get on, but it's just like seeing her, it's like, dang, you're so powerful, You're soul powerful, you know, Like I would say, damn, Like that's the type of person I would love to be, Like, you know, the woman in a suit or or whatever. But I know that there's men out there or you know, whoever out there that's never gonna look at her the way

I look at her, because like we're just dehumanized. Like we can cook, we can clean, we could be well rounded, we could damn all be perfect, but we can't seem to get that full round of respect in the world. And it just sucks. I don't yes, I mean, you're like, I'm not a woman. I don't know what the heck that's I can only get you and say, I hope it. I don't know if it happens in our lifetime. I do believe I have both hope and and and no hope.

Like uh. At the same time, when you were talking about James Bond, one of the things you said was like, you know, as a kid, he had all these women and it's just like it's it just sucks because it's like I get it, but I don't get it. I just don't get like the fascination of like, yeah, I mean, don't be wrong, I'm attracted to those swagger puppies. Let us swagger puppy come up in here. I'm like, girl, you'll never save. But like you know, I'm getting older

and wise and I just value different things now. But I really ish that the media and the powers that be took more responsibility and humanizing. That's what it is. It's the image that is sold to young boys forever. Yeah, especially when they're young, Like it is sold to be to be this, to be that kind of person. Uh, and young boys fall into this really hard. I know the porn industry doesn't help with that. I know so many things don't help with the storytelling that we give

to young boys. Well, and then if you're one of those young boys that are fortunate enough to have a great dad or a dad that's in your life, well, no, a great dad. Let's let's be honest, A great dad matters, not just a dad. But you know, if you're one of the ones that you know, you're the seed that fell on good soil, you know. But if you're the one that didn't, and your only option is the TV or the radio, it's going to be a rough road ahead,

you know, and a lot of damage. Win be lining up to get swung at essentially, you know, because that's what happens, and you become a product of your environment. And women do too though, of that TV, that that information out there is being sold to every So I can't go nowhere. If I go on Instagram, I'll be like, yo, I'm beautiful. I look at me. I'm beautiful. I got Astagram like, well, yeah, look at that girl. So I'll be like, that's a filter, be like, I don't know,

it's pretty good to me. That Instagram is dangerous as hell. Yeah, it's just constantly telling people that where you are is not enough. That's the more important part of Brown Enough. Whether it's the book of the podcast, it's the word enough. Like this, everything in this life is trying to tell you you are not enough. You need to do this, You need to buy this, you know, workshop, or drink this green juice or get these pills like you know, or get this botox or you name it. You are

not enough. You got to do something, and so I'm hoping to create art and spaces of belonging. That's say, you are enough just as you are, regardless of brown, black, white juice. Like you are enough just as you are right here, right now, and that if more people walk through the world taking up that space, I do think some powerful change would take place in workplaces amongst women, amongst men, yeah, amongst boys. Where you are it's you know, you you're not just an actor. You're an actor with

a mission. Where do you see yourself going when it comes to acting? Because I feel like your mission seems more important. Well, I don't want to say more important, but it definitely seems like you're well invested in it. Yeah, So I think I think both can happen. Meaning I do think it is important. I've been very fortunate to

be on television. And it is also important to see yourself, Like when a little kid sees me and they're like tight, okay, it gives them some armor, right, even in the smallest way. Look at the beautifulness within New Black Panther. Right, have you seen that movie? By Yeah, don't spoil it, don't spoil you've seen it tonight. I can't spoil it. It's like you already say Queens is bad and and so

what I'm hoping to do is to create content. What I'm going to do and I am doing, is creating content that I can act in that tells a different story. Like I'm just out here trying to put us on blasting ways where we're not extraordinary. We're just it's just us. Yeah, it's just us and being us like when Harry met Sally, but you know, starting to brown people. Yeah, well I do want to. I know you and I will we get in a room. I'm starting to see we we

we definitely go very wide. But I would like to I would like to ask you, like, when did you realize you had arrived in acting? I mean, that's it, like that pivotal moment where you're like, yo, Pops it, what's up? Yes, what I did. That's a tough one because it's twofold with Pops. I always told my pops, your Pops. I ain't trying to be Brad Pitt. I'm just trying to like pay my rent and play ball whenever I want. That's what I told him I wanted

from acting. That kind of evolves you know like I hit that because I remember I remember pulling up to the court. I used to play with the same like a group of guys, and I remember pulling up to the court and my Pops called me and he said, what are you doing? And I said, you're about to play ball? Like I'll call you back, because that was my dad's joke always when I would call him when I was a kid. I would call him. I said, what are you doing? He said, I'm playing basketball. Do

you think I'm doing I'm working? Yeah, yo. I would love to me tell Pops. You know, fast forward, I pulled up to the court. He calls me, what are you doing. I'm about to play ball? Call you back and he starts to cry and he says, you did it. You actually did it, so I know, I know I accomplished that one. I do think you were having all these tearjerker moments like I do think there is the next level now because we get to evolve and take

on bigger challenges. And yet I have I have a problem with your question because it you know, like when Lebron James won his last championship, he yelled into the microphone, put some respect on my name. Bro, they got statues of you, like you are a billionaire. Put some respect on my neck. Problem, problem, that's not enough, Like put some respect and and I had a moment where I was like, that's exhausting. Oh I must, I must sucking

away slash. I recognize it so much because I know the mornings when I wake up, I'm in my whip and I'm like, put some respect on my name. And I don't like that feeling, you know why, because I don't think it ever ends. Well, I have not even when the ego I win the Grammy, I'll do this, and like I think somehow I'll still have that feeling put some respect on my name. And when you say put some respect on your name, mean and like you keep moving the needle for you keep I gotta keep

doing stuff I noticed doing this show. Every person that I have interviewed pretty much says and I think it's just it's just the faith gets so strong after accomplishing things that the goal just keeps getting higher and higher and higher. But I would say, like we've done almost for forties five episodes, and I will say, like, for sure, one thing that everyone on this show has in common is that the goal post keeps getting moved back. Okay,

I love that so much, he said. The faith gets stronger, gets stronger, the goal just gets higher and higher, because once you start to have that confidence, it's just like, what's next, Sign me up, let's do it. Um. There have been times where I've failed and it goes in the opposite direction. When have you failed and it has kind of swung in the opposite direction. The pandemic was hard for me because I had booked my first series regular. I had a tour of my one man show planned

for eleven different cities. I was about to go from my rice and being days to like most money I haven't made in my life. And I remember that Wednesday and the Wednesday they said, you know, the play is canceled at this location. I said, that's fine, I'm doing TV show, yes, whatever, couple and then uh, TV shows like we gotta hold back a week to the table read Was this before the NBA took any Was this before the NBA took an me? Because that's when I

realized the end of the world was coming. When the NBA was like, yeah, remember that game, I remember that. I don't know it's it's it's in that window like two days where everyone's life started. Yeah, and oh and uh so the TV shows like all right, we gotta wait,

and then two weeks go by. You remember when we thought it would be two weeks to be like calling you in two weeks and then they were like, oh, we'll checking in July, we'll checking in August, and um, she'll never got made, you know, like I was, I was an unemployment and I was at least unemployment was being fruitful. There was a lot of people like I don't get on employment today for real. Uh yeah, amen? Uh?

And and that was I've had many I mean, like I said, I lived in my car at some point, Like I've had many downs, and yet the faith always remained. And I was broken during this pandemic, like I got I worked so hard just to get that thing that series regularly that and uh and I lost it, you know, like but so many people lost, so many things, including loved ones. And you know, my meditation teacher always says, we're never more selfish than when things aren't going our way.

And and things weren't going my way, and I was feeling selfish and broken, and I went home to Miami for a long time. I hung out with my parents. They they built me back up. Piece piece, my mom's food, my dad's love. M they built me up. They restored my faith. I'm not gonna lie. I've never wanted to meet someone's parents for my right. Doesn't want to meet you, just want to meet him and hug them. They're good people. Um, they're great people. So what do you do when well,

I guess you. You went back home and you got rebuilt. I got rebuilt, came you know, came back to l A. Pandemics for the change, I booked a role, turned into a series regularly, the irony shot on the same stage as where the show I built was gonna shoot stage and Warner Brothers, and you were financially recovered obviously, right yeah, I mean from that, and then the book the book

deal happened. You know, all this happened at the same time the series regular, the book deal and the two podcasts deal, like all happened in a year when you came back to l A. And you did you when you were coming back, did you know that any of that was gonna happen? So you would come back like rehabilitated but also scared a little bit broken. I really

thought it was broken. Yeah, it's funny you said that line about when things aren't going your way, you get the most selfish, because, um, when the pandemic it happened my business. I had an events company. It was doing extremely well. I was like making good money. I was confident. I was like, yo, events is taking over. This was the best you know. I had my business for like

ten years, but events were just doing phenomenal. And then I was in Lake Tahole doing an event and I was glued to my phone, which I usually i'm not, but I was just like, please, God, don't let the NBA. Don't let them take a break, because the rest of the world's gonna follow. And all my clients were like, Colleen, there's a thing called COVID and corona and uh, you know they're saying it's serious. Do you think we should

cancel all events? And I'm a consultant, I'm like, uh, the Budweiser flu come on, it's cold, Like, don't worry. And I was literally like on conference calls after conference calls. Banks were calling me. Um, everybody's sponsors were calling me, what do you think is going on? What is your opinion on this, and I was just like, I really didn't know, but I was just like, this has to be like the worst media's frenzy of all time. But I just was please because the NBA was like figuring

it out. And I was like, if the NBA publicly says they are not doing this game, it's done. And I sat there by the phone and when the NBA announced it, I promised you. I was sitting at a table sending people and I just was like, oh, it's over the next day. Cancelation, cancelation, cancelation. Most of my clients, um, we're with me for years. I never charged. I stopped charging deposits. It was like they're good for it. Or I was out of money, fashioning a blink and um.

And at the time I had worked so hard because I was trying to buy another house. I was like, yo, I cannot lose my business because you know, the banks will be like you have to start all over. It's so hard to get alone as an entrepreneur. I was like, yo, So I kept my business on like barely life support, like and I was like, please, God, don't let me have to go through my savings, like you know, I was in sheer panic. My parents are super poor, so

it's like there's no rehabilitation center. No. I mean, I appreciate yours, but it was like, yo, it's just we welcome to the ten candids, Like it's just you're done, you know, And and uh PPP came out and all these first it didn't look like they were catering into small businesses. I was like and share, like what was me? And every time I got on the phone with someone, they'd be like everyone's going through And BE like, I get it, everyone's going through it, but I'm really going

through it. And he'd be like, yeah, but Colleen, the whole world shut down and be like, yeah, I get it, but yeah. And every time someone will point out the whole world was going through it, I would say, yeah, but you don't understand. It's me, you know, and you're right, you know. Um. But then I ended up um you know, creativity, Like I was so bored. I started dating. I Uh, I made a baby, like I did murals, I created like like, oh man, it's crazy because when you think

about the pandemic, we're out of it. But it was literally two years, you know, and I did so much in two years. Just you know, I also got a job. I called the startup that had been wanting to be to work with them. I was like Kanye West when he like, uh lost the deal his record, the Fresh Record, he was like, is that deal still on the table. I immediately called them like do you still want to hire me? And they're like hell yeah, And I was

like done. And that's how I got through without training my savings um and then I was like, I have insurance and I ended up. I was like, oh, while I have insurance, I was probably have a kid and really make it work. You know. But if it wasn't for the pandemic, Like, you know, it's funny. The pandemic was like the greatest thing that ever happened to humanity in the sense that you know, when I moved to l A, you know, if you want, if I wanted to hang out with you, it'd be like, let's go

out to drink, let's go out to eat. It was during the pandemic was great. It was like my high school days where you go over to your home girl's house and you kick it and yeah, like it was amazing, Like people didn't like, you didn't have to have money to kick it with your friends and you didn't care what anybody did. It would be like, Hi, how are you doing? What are you doing to survive? Like you know, it was never like what are you doing for work?

And people were so vulnerable. It was like the most human people had ever been and I loved it. I've been reading a lot of articles about people being like, hey, when does a kind of that version of life come back where I'm less stressed and like panicky? What am I going to do it? Because at some point we all just kind of were like, this is yeah, this is it, this is what I'm in right now. Now.

Did you ever think when they had did the mask mandate? Um, did you ever think about robbing anybody when they did the mask mandate? Did you ever at least think about it once? I'm sure because I promised you when the mask mandate came out, I said, wait a minute, I could go into a store with a mask on and am I literally the only sick person in the world. I was thinking, like everybody thought it right right, Like it was like you legit. I was like, you want me to know, you want me to go into the

bank and be broke? Okay, like I wasn't right. It's everybody, so you thought it. I don't know if I thought it in the bank, but I think I often thought like we all covered up right now, especially I'll put some shades on. I don't exist, yo. And there were some people walking around with shades and mask. It was just like, yo, we're really doing this best thing for celebrities.

It was the best. They were like yeah, and then people people let me tell you the people that really, let me tell you, the most gangster entrepreneurs appeared at the pandemic. You're not really a gangster entrepreneur unless you were one of those entrepreneurs that started selling masks immediately. I mean they were. They were in my neighborhood. I've been like this block and like Hollywood, most Folice area. That's they lined up. They had every style mask, Dodgers mask,

this mask, every team Lakers. Dude. There were people like maybe three weeks in getting million dollar contracts for like masks. Like there were people and weed was like at a premium COVID testing. Anyone who picked up on that, let me tell you, I don't even think those kind have been even entrepreneurs. Those were like real hustlers. They were just like, Oh, everybody's gonna want and get it, get all the sugar. But but no, the pandemic was it

was a gift and a curse. Um. But like now that we're in the real world, I do look back at it like probably one essentially, I mean, aside from the people that lost their lives, essentially, it was like probably one of the most human moments, even with the Black Lives Matter, Like it was the first time it was so successful. Everybody was home and there was no games. There was nothing to distract you from something that has

been going on for years. It was going on for years, and it took that it's funny about basketball and no games. So I was I was about to make all this money, and so I went and bought some court side like nice seats. Dallas Mavericks l A Lakers canceled. What did you get your money back? Yeah, it's like a year and a half later from ticket man. They kept being like do you wanna were like, we'll give you more if you keep it here. That money as it is pleasing,

thank you. I kept sending emails that were like we get it, we get it, we get it. Okay, I'm actually going to a basketball game tomorrow. Something spurs risk Clippers. Oh you're not impressed. I could tell no, you were impressed. You were in president. Okay, I was impressed with take your shot. Your shot. Well, um, thank you so much for hanging out with me. You were a breath of fresh air. Truly, and uh, this is amazing. Next time, don't don't come on this show without your pops and

your mom. Bring him out. Let's go. If they come to town, like mama cook, let me tell you she taught you how to make that egg. She taught you how to make that I be honest, the egg thing is a self taught kind of Look, guys, if you ever get a chance to come across Chris reab Us, I'm going to say right now, find a way to have him make you an egg. This is the truth because you know me, guys, like you see me take one bite out of food. You know, when I like something,

I brag about it. I try to do it at home. And I honestly did not believe in the such thing as a great egg. So this episode, and I'm gonna tell you what I saw him do before we close out. For all your listeners. He put a lot of butter in the pot. Difference, It's almost like when I may pancakes. I do a lot of butter in the pot too. And then he did crack the egg. Um, he did not touch it like he said. He also didn't flip his egg, which I wish I would have actually taken

his advice. Um, but I will say that he was seasoning throughout. I saw him doing it, pouring the seasoning in his hand and sprinkling it on like dust. So um. He did the lorries, the salt and the pepper for all y'all. But it was the best egg, best rising beans combo. You clearly ate this a million times. Still do still do well next week. I'm gonna probably eat this tomorrow or something. Um, but thank you so much for your time. You guys could catch Chris Revas. Can

you tell everyone your socials? Yeah? Instagram, Christopher double underscore Revos. That's probably the best way to find me. Christopher Revas dot com. Get the book brown Enough everywhere you get books, Amazon, Bars and Obos, all the things, and then listen to the ruby doosan bra enough cast peace see for more eating while broke from I Heart Radio and the Black Effect. Visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.