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Welcome, Welcome, Hey, everybody. This episode is a replay of one of our interviews from our live stream as a Congressional Black Caucus Foundations Annual Legislative Conference. If you want to listen to or watch the full stream, check out the links in the episode description. You can also find a full list of all the guests we interviewed. Welcome home, y'all.
I want to let the viewers know that the dinner this evening will be hosted by Roy Wood Junior, amazing comedian.
Radler absolutely and Sherry Shepherd.
Evening.
So, as Ryan's making his way to the stage, I want to let you all know he has a new show coming out on CNN.
Have I got news for you.
He just taped his first comedy special, which I was privileged to be there live in person to see to a sold out packs audience. So give some love to this Ratler great coming in. He and Andrew are kind of dressed like, hello, my dear, We're.
So happy you're good. I don't I don't have my bow tie.
I got the same color I see yet put it on sooner or later?
So what what are we? First of all, Roy, how you doing? We're so happy to see you host.
I'm good, I'm good. I'm just happy my voice arvived last week because that who was special and then prepping for seeing in and then doing all the media for that watching that way the dog who eating the doll? Yes, yes, but no, I'm I'm just happy to be you know how I get around like black folks? Yes, because I don't get it normally, Like it's I'm not all I'm in like the mainstream world and they the Congressional Black Caucus.
This is like, what did you say over texts like Professional Essence Fest?
Exactly as we said black prom nerve prom.
I'm going to call it political wakanda. I feel like politically that's probably right. I like that too, That's probably right.
I like that too.
So do you do you change up?
How do you alter your approach when going into an environment like this with people who are typically pretty serious about themselves the world life?
I feel like, how do you prepare? I feel like the advantage I have at a black event is that they know me, and you kind of already know you know my brand. You know, I'm not gonna say the all the way wrong thing. But I ain't regal. I'm not gonna be regal like I would argue though, of everything that I've done this year, hosting that June teenth concert at the White House, that was the hardest. That
was the hardest event. Because the issue with an event like this, it is similar to June thing like the White House Correspondence dinner. It's understood that I can say the wrong thing, and I know to say the wrong thing June tenth and something like this. We are revering people who are fighting against very serious issues and going
hit to head against very heinous people. There are people in this room tonight who get death threats on a regular and for their work, We're going to, you know, honor them.
That's right.
So the balance of joke and reverence and we must also remember racism and racism and the joke like that balance is more difficult to maintain in an all black place because black people will hold you accountable in real time if you went too far, you know, one way or the other.
So I was telling the girls yesterday about a story with a well known person we know here who was in my city, Tallahassee, and we're sitting next to each other on the podium and the brother didn't stand for the pledge, and about eight black women after it was a black event, came up to them and they just wanted to know why. But we had a debate about whether we be offended about being corrected a place like that.
But you've had experience, I'm sure.
Yeah, you've heard more than what you asked for.
Yeah, and and and at the end of the day, with black people, it's a critique, it's it's a it's still a dialogue. It ain't no battle, it's not disrespect. But it's just a matter of when you're going up at an event like this, how do you make sure that you maintain the respect and the reverence for while also doing humor. And I'm thankful tonight because I have a co host.
So this Sherry Shepherd co hosting.
The other interesting you weren't listening to and clearly, but the other interesting thing is Roy that the chair of this year's event is Congresswoman Terry Sewell and you are son of Alabama.
So it is it is a.
Terry Sewell used to come on my Morning show in Birmingham, and I got to give her props because she wasn't just coming on when it was time to grab votes and re election and blah blah blah. You know they're there's a there's a connection, and I'm gonna talk about it tonight before we bring out Fantasia. But you know, we had an F five tornado that came through Alabama. Tornado came from Tuscaluse to Birmingham, killed fifty people, and it hit one of the blackest parts of town, super hard.
Terry Sewell was in that thing before sunrise, before the Red Cross pulled up. Same night Fantasia was supposed to have a show, could have canceled easily. Hey, y'all had a tornado. I'll come back another time. Stay did the show,
donated every penn. So like the connections between you know, Fantasia and you know, congress Woman Sewell and myself, I'm just like even to be here with y'all, Like I don't y'all don't understand, Like I don't go nowhere, I don't talk, I don't get around people that I don't rock with. So when I'm in a space where I feel like I don't have to look over my shoulder.
I don't have to wonder if this is being recorded for some other plicitous thing, and honestly, working at CNN and Angela, I might need to talk to you about this because this has opened up a whole nother can of how the energy that people have towards me simply because of the network that it's a Saturday night, it's jokes.
Yeah, yeah, and they'd be like ha ha, hell yeah, I get it.
We need premiere yeah anywhere near.
But I do want to know if you can give oh sorry, go ahead, Andrew, No, I.
Said, not in the same category.
Yeah, I do want to know if you can give us a little preview of a joke you might could potentially teill on stage tonight.
I don't know. Here's what it comes down to, and
this is a conversation I had with Sherry. If Biden, how soon until Biden comes in the room before he speaks is kind of the deciding factor because I don't know if anyone has been able to look the president in the eyes and go, hey, thank you for what you did, like they all did it at the convention in their own way or whatever, but just to be able to stand on the stage and look at him and just go, you are better than me, because if I put in my two months notice, I'm not showing
up for no more shifts.
Baby.
This is me trying to get you to let me. This is me telling you I don't want to come to fleee fireman. So you know, to give them prop because who you know put in they notice and then keep showing up.
Right, A good point. I never thought about it.
Although Trump did say at the debate he sleep till four pm.
He snuff that in. Nobody called that. That's the type of joke though, that you can only do if he's in the room, because if he comes up back to the fact, that's the sucker move. I know Sherry is gonna, you know, have some conversation with the Divine nine in the room as well. I think she's gonna make sure they get their time. I'm not a member of the Divine Nine. I did not have the grades. I didn't I didn't know they needed two five.
Boy, I don't think anybody we had we might have had the grace. But none of us are dividing.
Yeah, none of us are that crazy.
This is defind odds up here.
People always see me and they're like, hey, so rouror and always.
Have to.
They definitely make sure you don't make any of their sounds or designs on air.
I worked with somebody who did that.
I just tried to go.
It's a non.
I want to tell you Roy, because we texted, but I didn't get a chance to look you in your face and tell you how hilarious you were. I was so honored and privileged to be at your taping.
You taped your.
Hulu special, right, it was so what I loved about your comedy. And I won't give anything away. You guys, please be sure to tune in. I'll let Roy tell you win and wear. But I love comedy that makes a point, but also that touches you, you know, and I felt like I was laughing. But I also felt when you talked about connection, I really felt that.
So I just want to tell you you don't talk anymore, like.
We don't interact as a society, Like we get mad if people call us. Every meeting at your job is on a computer. There's no employees in the stores anymore. What I tried to make chit chat on the elevator one time, Never again, you were able to talk for three four floors in the hotel. Don't nobody want to talk?
Yeah?
So I just that was what I really wanted to drill in on because what I noticed in watching my mom and I talk about her a little bit and a special is that you know, my mom is seventy five, she's been a higher edge and she was twenty five years old still working at a black college in Alabama to this day. Yeah, I ain't gonna never quit. And I've always been trying to get my mom to quit her job, not understanding that it wasn't just about work
for her. It's about maintaining connection with the community, with her people, and so seeing how she's active, and you know, she's had friends that have passed and you still, like, I hate to say it, next man up, who I need a new friend?
Yeah?
Hey, you y'all got a book club? Cool, I'm here.
Yeah.
So the idea of working to make connections, that's something you have to actively do, the same as cardio every morning, the same as nutrition. So I just wanted to talk about that a little bit.
You made that point, but you wrapped it beautifully in humor, like we were laughing. But we all kind of looked at each other after like we felt really connected, just because I don't want to forget. I want you to tell the people win and where they can catch this special.
Oh, the Who's special will be out sometime. I think at near the end of the year. I think with the low key, I think who was waiting to see how the election goes to decide? Kind of yeah, because what you expect of me is political political. So you know, if we are a country in turmoil and riots, then maybe you slide de roy Wood Junior specially down to town a little bit after the riots came.
You have a prediction on how you think the election will go.
Yes, riots, I'm not pro riot.
I just I don't take that part seriously. I think I don't think they're gonna show like they once did.
I do not think that Republicans are going to accept the results of this election. I think that Kamala has turned a corner with enough moderates and undecided voters. I think most people at this point that are still undecided. You were intentionally undecided to some degree. This idea that you ain't seen us say nothing about it, Go find it. You find everything else you found everything else in your phone, So go find go find the policy that you care about it and read up on it and make a decision.
So I don't I just do not see when Dick Cheney says that he came. Now you noticed in the video he never said Kamala vot. He just said I'm not voting for Trump. That's gonna be enough for some of them old school Republicans and maybe they stay home, and even then in that regard, it's still a vote for Kamala in my opinion. I just I don't think though, at the rate of which they're locking up jan six offenders, we're going to have a new January. There's not going
to be another storm the Capitol Number one. The National Guard gonna be there at that time, and they won't put that thie out in your ass. You come up back and stupid. But I think that I think Kamala wins. But I think that we'll have another year of Trump lawsuit nonsense in trying to decertify the election. And I think the thing that we really have to look for in this election is the voter intimidation that I hope
doesn't happen. And a lot of disenfranchised places, and you know, you started talking about the way they've redrawn all the districts in these battleground states. To me, that's the bigger factor in this election is whether or not people will be allowed to even vote to the polls.
Yeah, it's interesting because there are like these laws and open carry states that you know, you have like these people guarding the election, and I'm like, I wonder how it will work if a bunch of armed black folks stood out in front of a vote the facility in a white neighborhood and we just here to observe and make sure things go well. I don't think that'll go to I think that's the fastest way to change laws.
What I want to shout you out also, Roy, because you are a journalist by training and you see degree.
I don't want you to let's go hope with it, but I have a degree. Yeah, yes, yes.
And I but so it makes sense to me that you would have a show on CNN, even if it's a comedy show, because I think you bridge those two things beautifully. And I just I have always been such a fan of yours, but also just consider you a personal friend. So I'm just so proud to see you here hosting a dinner tonight, and prow to see your comedy special and proud to see your new show premiere on CNN. And it just feels like it's your season.
And this damn thing, this has been one of my favorite You know what's funny, I thought when I left the Daily Showing, like, yeah, I'm done with Dina listening to no more politics. I ain't got to keep up. All right, let me go and see what and them talking about. Let me go the download another episode, let me go on subscribe, subscribe the Native Land and Daily Show, and.
I just keeping.
Android. Forget the haters. Man.
The fact that you are bringing to a cable news network, by and large, comedy says so much about who you are, what your record has been, what you've demonstrated that otherwise pretty conservative network. If I say so, in my limited time I work with him, would say, you know what, there's room enough to pioneer something new and and so doing and taking this Rik.
Let's find the best out there who can do it.
And I'm thankful for it. And the other beautiful thing about how I got news for you is that it's it's based on a British show that's been on for thirty five years.
Wow.
So in the eyes of CNN, it's not a risk. It's just the office. Let's see what else in Britain we can remix and you apply it to American politics. It's a quiz show where we don't keep points and no one wins, wins money and we just talk about the news. It's just questions about the news. So if you like quizzes, if you like the news, you don't know that it's a simple way to learn about the week that was and infuse a couple of opinions in there. I'm gonna get you all on it.
So you expect and we like to know who the winner.
Do you want to tell him who the latest winner was?
The latest winner?
For really, the most and thought unprovoking bet that.
We accept was whether or not Trump.
Take the bet and debate Kamala.
So we shouldn't have yeah.
For for for a second, for second for com for Vice President Harris and Donald Trump to meet on a debate stage at all. I said, that's never gonna happen. He'll find every excuse not to show up. And Andrew was with me, and was like, no, I think it's going to happen, and so we said, let's ben. So Angel was one, not one, but two dinners because she said no, no, no, I met both of you all.
So that doesn't mean that we go out.
And the bill last night.
That just means y'all got to split another dinner. That's what we said.
We love you guys.
I'm not going We did all your money.
A black owned restaurant at a black moby month. He accommodated us and don't so we were happy.
Can be running up this man bill he got a hold.
I know, Jay, I'm sorry, but he lost the bet.
Going over the credit.
See I used the one get the bills, Jay.
It was me. I was greedy.
I was very greedy.
Ida everything on the menu because I won.
That.
What is your prep time?
Like, what are you doing up there when you leave us and go back to backstage?
Is there?
It's so much show tonight that there's not a lot of space. Sharry and I have identified two pockets where we can do maybe like two to three minutes of bits. Everything else is getting the people on the stage honored and keeping it moving so that people can get back to mingling. Because What we also have to remember is that for a lot of our elected officials, this is the first time where they can just come sit and kick back and just on some class reunion what have
you been up to this year type of stuff. So, yeah, this is the lowest level of prep I've done this year. I can't wait. I'm this is this is how chill I am. I'm tempted to have a drink before. I absolutely will not.
Absolutely, I do want to let the folks know because I don't know what they can see. But behind us, it is a ball. It looks like a wakanda balls. As Angelis said, this is the what do you call it? Wakanda?
Oh?
Political political wakanda. It is a bevy of beautiful black people in floor length evening gowns. You know how the hair I member of the Congressional Black Caucus. President Biden will obviously be here tonight Vice President Harris or President elect Harris. If we want to speak it into existence, we'll be here tonight speaking some of the members of the press pool. We've already seen them arrive early anticipating her arrival.
Secret services all around us.
So I just want to bring you guys into what we're witnessing and experiencing here tonight, because it really is truly a night to make history. This will be the first time that Vice President Harris addresses this crowd as the nominee for the next President of the United States. Hosted then or hosted by comedian Roy Wood Junior, co hosted with Sherry Shepherd, and it's just a night of beautiful black excellence. And I'm so thrilled to share this
evening with my beautiful co host Angela. Got this dress shipped in from Wakanda. It was a three week.
Back order and it's beautiful.
Andrew is where you by look black, but he and Roy were in the same colors with navy blue and black.
True.
What a beautiful evening to be here with you guys.
Before to Oscar her, yes, yes, yes.
Yes, how have you all been in terms of because I know for the podcasts and the prep I imagine you have to do. It's take in all of the bad stuff and then decide what bad stuff we will talk about and what bad stuff we will not. Have you figured out a way yet to only consume what you need in terms of what you want to present to your listeners or do you still have to take in every terrible thing, and if so, what's what's your system? What's your mental health?
This is a really great opportunity to pub podcast that we did. We did a mini pod where we actually had a battle tip.
And I have never gotten an argument.
We got in an argument that day about whether or not we should put something out. I thought she was saying something she wasn't, but it was like, I feel like we need to listen to everything that's happening. It was about black Trump supporters, and I wanted to hear it because I thought it was I couldn't even wrap my mind around it, but it's the same thing for me that was like the trigger of the trauma of twenty sixteen. So I was like, we have to be aware of this because I was oblivious to it in
twenty sixteen. And I think they Andrew and Tiff, who agreed, were both like, we don't have to go about it this way though.
So it was a whole battle. But I think what's good about the battle is there are a lot.
Of folks who have family members who have that same conversation in that same way every time they get together. Whether there was a picnic over the summer, if it's about to be Thanksgiving dinner, hopefully this man, well, I'm trying to be as nonpartisan as possible because it's the foundation, but in my personal capacity, I hope this man doesn't win. And that's, you know, kind of what we're up again.
So we try to figure out every week. I think Tiffany does a good, bad, good job of challenging us to not sound like every other news network and making sure that we're providing information to our listeners who sometimes don't get those stories. They're below the fold or there in the B section or the Z section, meaning they did not get in there, and she will go and find them and make sure that we are talking about those things. I'm grateful for you, tip for you guys, and and.
But I did want to say this to be very honest. It has evolved a number of times, and we've only done forty episodes up to this point around show format, how do we prepare and our preparation is very different in between the three of us. And then, if I could be even more honest, our show flow right now was like what you feeling, what you're feeling, and talk about it, and.
Every time we do a call before the show just to check in with each other, and we're constantly saying we're potting, like, don't talk about this. I want, like, I want the audience to feel like they're in the room with us, and if we have people there with us, you know, if we are too prepared, then it doesn't work. And as a journalist, obviously, I'm still reading eight nine papers every morning, so I have not figured out how
to only consume what I need. But I just have curiosity about a lot of things.
I enjoyed reading local news, you know, I like reading local papers and local sections. But the problem now is that with with the way that local newspapers are being gobbled up by larger outlets, a lot of local stories are the same across that's right, So you might have three true local stories. You know. I have a friend that's a reporter for Atlanta Journal Constitution. He was talking to me how they cut down their local reporter pool. Yeah, an even lower number. And it's okay, Well, now who
do you have have covering all of those stories? So it's just it's real.
It's happening everywhere.
That's why your show coming on CNN is so important because it makes you's accessible, your comedy special. Whenever it airs, we're excited about it. Well, thank you so and just everything that you have going on, Roy, your your previous pastors have not figured it out yet.
I think they lost a gym when they lost you.
But I'm just happy that your fans, and there are so many will get to experience and hear you on an ongoing basis.
Well, every Saturday night, nine pm CNN, streaming next day on Max, we're talking about the news of the week and some of the hole on the way. And let me also stress lastly, the show is not just political news like it could be the debate. Yeah, but also Shannon Sharp was laying pipe on Instagram.
Lot wow, Roy, And on that note.
I'm just saying we are covering a range of topics.
Yes, yes, let me tell you what you go see going live on it lampid good luck tonight, we're soup.
I couldn't make that joke later, so he gave it.
He's like, I gotta throwing out before I go.
Let me, let me I'm not God, let it go. Dignitaries, don't do that.
Roy, Thank you right by yourself.
You've got a crowd of people waiting for you up there.
Oh my gosh, we are thrilled at this time. Thank you, Roy, We appreciate you.
Hey, y'all, thanks for listening. Remember to rate, review, subscribe, and tune into our regular episode that drops every single Thursday, Welcome Home, y'all.
Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with Recent Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.