Of Course Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora.
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Welcome to QLs Classic Episode eighty with Lena Waithe from April twenty eighteen, freshaffirs Emmy victory for writing on the season. Sorry is Awesome, Master of None. We chop it up with Lena Waith about life in Hollywood star now as intern to an assistant to an actress, to creator to showrunner. Her journey's still going strong, So get ready for a nice ride and enjoy. Lina Wath Oin QLs Classic.
Subramo Su su Supremo Roll call Suprema su su Supremo, role call supremea su su Subpremo roll call Suprema su su Supremo roll call.
Her name is Lena, Yeah, not Lynnaea clever roll call verse.
Yeah, I don't have en.
Suprema roll call Suprema sound Suprema role call.
My name is Fante.
Yeah.
My word is born.
Yeah, only Lena, I acknowledge Yeah, other than horn Supremo roll.
Supremo role called.
Her name is Lena. Yeah, let's introduce her Yeah, even though common yeah is her exact Producer.
Supreme Supremo Roll Call Supremer Supremo Role.
I'm paid bill.
Yeah.
And when it's said and done, Yeah, I'm the jack a few trades. Yeah, master of Roll.
Supreme Roll Suprema s Supremo Role.
Come fly Yeah, up in this piece. Yeah, I'd let me some Lina. Yeah, but I'm looking for Denise.
Roll Supreme Supreme Supremo Supremo Roll.
My name is Lena. Yeah, I'm from the Shy. Yeah. I hope I don't mess it up so I don't die.
Supreme Suprema Son Supremo Roll Call Suprema Son Supremo, Roll Call Suprema Supremo Roll.
Yes, gentlemen, welcome to another episode.
Of Course of Supreme. I'm your host, Quest Love. This is Pandora. Hello, Team Supreme. Hey chatting with Sugar Yo.
Man's got a logo.
Man, let's move on. We'll talk about this other time.
You made her mark and now you are officially Sugar Steve chat He's the flash of the crew.
Now he's it's coming in two weeks.
I haven't just don't know what they're talking to have my own talk show.
Now, Yes, he has a spin off already all Chat with Sugar.
Yes, I still think you should change the title man like Sugar. Not yet.
It's already in the history books when sometimes No, you didn't want us call you Sugar Steve when we first started the show, and not to force that title on you.
So I mean he's branded now. I like chat. I'm gonna pop in on you one time. I'm I'm gonna Joinmnna said your wife watches.
My wife is avid watcher of Chat with Sugar.
Number one you already started to change is already.
Should have Really he's on the seventeenth really happening.
I see you all the time, but you taught me everything I know. I know as a host.
Oh that's always the death nail.
Whatever someone says you talking, He's like, He's like, that's why I was failing.
I was like, Van Door is about to offer me? Yes? Oh God.
Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, today, our special guest is an accomplished actress, producers, screenwriter, showrunner, director uh She made history in twenty seventeen as the first Wait, are you tired of people bringing up this fact to wait about you?
Like it's a unicorn? Like it is?
I mean, yeah, here's the truth, I'd be.
The first show that doesn't just be up that factory.
Well bring it up.
No one will let you not bring it up. That's the thing is I have just own that it's always going to be a part of my life and my career. But I think it's you know, it's a cool thing. It's a really cool thing, you know.
But it's also sort of sad that in two thousand and seven, that's the first.
People have to be reminded of that sad fact.
Yeah. But so it was a dope because I shared with Donald, Like, Donald is the first black person ever win for directing episode of comed television. So I feel like it was nice to make history with him.
I did a Halle Denzel before the Emmys.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
I love when we do the interview before I even get the introduction. Now.
She made a history in twenty seventeen as the first African American female to win an Emmy for Outstanding Writing on the Comedy Series for the very excellent Thanksgiving episode of one of my favorite shows, Master's Master of None. And you're also the showrunner of the critically acclaimed Shy Yeah Yes, creator.
Is also a big thing for a black woman because it's only like three of y'all.
It's true, It's true. It's like me, Shanda Mara, Courtney Camp who created power. A lot of people forget about Courtney, but Courtney's like.
Absolutely season waiting. She's shined there and waiting because she's about to do get Christy Love.
We have an introduced our guest, welcome away to Yeah, yes, happy to be here.
I'm glad you're here. Yeah. So that's well.
My question was, are you tired of having to bear the burden of being the first of you know, in twenty seventeen.
Yeah, I mean, I don't know if I'm tired of it. I think I'm very proud to be a vessel. That's what I really feel like. It is like, because I know I'm not the first black woman whoever has written a funny episode of television. I just think it takes the while the industry a while to kind of catch up. So I think the stars are sort of aligned and
for me to have that amazing accomplishment. But the truth is, I was just I went to the Oscar parties and stuff like that, got a chance to top it up with Halle Berry, the one and only she still looks great. And the sad part was when we watched the packages for Best Actress, Best Lead Actress, she's still the only one. No one has followed her since winning for Monsters Ball and so, and I brought that up, you know, to her, and I thought, man, like, that's still there's troublesome, and
she said yeah. And I think for me, my biggest mission with it is to make sure I'm not the last is to I'm here mentoring like crazy. I'm trying to, you know, walk people into rooms because I don't mind being the first as long as there's others that can walk through. Because then what happens if people just celebrate that moment and go, oh, aren't we grand? Like we had this moment? And I think Donald feels the same way.
I think, you know, I think we want to make sure that we're this This short list that we're on, which we are on, is a very short list of people that they just go to us for everything. We want to make it longer. We want to introduce them to these new writers that are out here doing dope stuff.
How can what's the uh, what's the process of even finding quality? Because I know, like there's there's an argument of of being included or getting a seat at the table right versus bringing something quality to the table, And that's often the debate we have. I mean, there's you know, black film out there now that might or black actors or writers or whatever who are.
Might be whatever, but it's black.
We gotta support it, right, We're gonna get to know and some that bring in the money aren't necessarily the quality that you particularly enjoy that sort of thing.
So how can you How is one able to vent through that?
Because I always feel, always felt as though the process of getting to greatness, not saying that I've ever heard stories of Martin Scorsese being an internal a set somewhere eventually working his way up to what do you start with Woodstock as an editor? But it's like, what's the process of getting in behind the scenes? Because I feel what's more notable about you is that, even though you're an actress, I know on a show, I like, your behind.
The scenes work is.
Very substantial and that I feel is more important for you to pull people in right.
Well, Look, I mean you bring up a really interesting point because it's a very controversial topic. You know that I'm trying to deal with and I gotta we just got green let to do a pilot called Twenties over at TBS, which is a half hour which is loosely based on my twenties being a queer black girl living Los Angeles, thank you so much, who is an aspiring television writer as well. And she's a little bit this character is not exactly me, but she's a little bit
basier than me. And there's a fictitious, you know, black show that she's trying to get a job on, and she talks with her girls about it, and she's like, man, I don't want to go work on that show. And this is based on the G word no no, no, no, no no.
Because I know you worked at Girlfriends.
Yeah, but no, it's not that. It's not that no no, okay, but it's honestly, it's like, it's not based on I'm creating like characters to kind of talk about issues I want to discuss, even though, but I'm also just using my dating life as a bit of fodder for like this character. But the thing is, it's like there are shows that black folks don't love, but you can't say it in public.
Right, And so every show.
No, not black shows. No, who don't like Atlanta?
Well in Atlanta is no?
Those are those are I'm talking like like Tyler period.
And public you say into other people?
Yeah, cool. Well I don't know if that I don't know necessarily true. I think there are people that genuinely
can I curse on? Yeah, the people that genuinely fuck with those shows, you know, oftentimes they live in the South, you know what I'm saying, or maybe not maybeposed to live in New York City regious, but I'm just saying, but there are people that really I'm talking about shows that you feel like or even movies sometimes where you're like, okay, and you see the campaigns like they go on Instagram, all the celebrities are saying, yeah, yeah, there's a guilt
trip you almost feel like you own if you don't go see I don't post your ticket, you know, and I just kind of feel like that then becomes it kind of goes oh, I mean, look, hey, I'm just saying like there's a there's a guilt that you feel, and the question that becomes is like when do we get to that point? But I think that's why Again, it's proof that the playing field is still not leveled because we don't have enough movies where we can skip it. How many white folks you know, it's like, oh yeah,
gotta go see Death Wishes? We can you know what I'm saying, Like, I don't know, it's just like, but I do think there's this pressure on black folks to go support black stuff, whether you love it or not. And I just don't think we've gotten to that place where you can't go online be like even if even with my show, I don't know what's real because I don't know if this somebody's gonna come on, yeah, the shot is just okay, because then folks will be like,
why you hating? You know, da da da? That becomes it. My thing is, I'm like, I welcome it. If you don't, fuck would it tell me why?
It's like in private amongst us.
I've heard some some interesting Chicago comments about the shot, but they would never say it in front of others.
But my thing is, you have to like, what's the deal. I feel like until we can start criticizing each other in public, we win't gonna never overcome, like we just kind of have to. But I think there's this thing of like we don't want to talk about it, and trust me, I'm guilty of it. Like there's things that maybe I don't love, but I'm gonna talk about that shit on Twitter, i gonna go in on on Instagram. I'm gonna be supportive.
And I think that's just about about our community too, Like we just don't kind of air our dirty laundry. Like if we if I have a criticism about your show, I can say that to you, me and you talking, but I ain't gonna say that in a room full of white folks.
You know what I mean.
I get it, but but I also think it's and I think that Donald and I have had this conversation, is that he ain't always want to be better. We always want to make our stuff great.
You know.
We don't ever want somebody to say, oh yeah, I like that show because I'm supposed to. It's like, now, mind you. We can't you please everybody. You know what I'm saying. We're making TV shows. This is our point of view, this is our this is this is our cities from from through our lens. So everybody may have a different version of Chicago than I do, or people may have a different version of Atlanta than Donald does.
But I think if there's a real thing of like, don't that is not a real thing in the city, or we don't go through that, or that's some fake shit you don made like please by all means like tweet, abode, talk about it, pipe up about it. But I do think there's a lot of these black artists live in
this bubble of like you only want good things. And you know, there's some artists that I feel like, I like to call it being under the tent for too long where they start you see their material and it's almost like watching Muhammada a Lei fight past his prime.
M Well, okay, is there a such thing as fire?
But you'll know who I'm shooting mat, So it's all good.
No, no, okay, So let's take.
Like, does it make me snobby if I look down on h meet the Browns and Tyler, because I meant the prose of it is that he's he has his own studio, he's putting people to work, right, YadA, YadA, YadA.
But charming dude. I met him for the first time over Oscar Weegain.
Yeah, fucking I'm Tyler, but I'm just saying that.
The way that Spike went about criticizing him, right, I mean, is it again it almost makes you question your taste and I have it's about hip up all the time, Like you know, I wasn't very forthcoming and saying that, I mean maybe I was a little indifferent to something. Let me think of b or now I'm thinking of something like okay, back when first came out or UGK, I was slow to open up to UGK and MJG. And then once Reek started really fun on the tour bus and I was like, oh, okay, Chicago that yeah.
We used to really go hard on that.
It took me a while because I came from jazz samples with like my East Coast that sort of thing.
But is it Like.
I'm trying to figure out if either I have my mentality and willing myself to like something that I normally I would think is low brow humor.
I think you just have to for me, I look at it.
You have to look at the audience that is intended for and like there's something, does it hit its target?
You know what I'm saying.
And so for me, like my mom watches Meet the Browns and like, what's the other one you got the haves and have not you is wrong.
But all of this you can't call her snl s git us running through these titles.
She watches. So it's like it's not for me. You have to learn this is not my kind of thing.
But the audience that he's going for, that audience.
But is it subjective? Is it? Is it really low brown humor that you're.
Above or are we just here cast it all and we think we're better than that?
Look here and I own my snobbingess, Like I'm totally aware of it. Like I work in the business. I have a very critical eye. I try to sometimes come back from that, but I just can't. And also my fiance is well she's she's an exact but now she runs Michael B. Jordan's production company, so we are aware that we go to the Arc Light, we have our science seats like where those black people are. But yeah,
like it's just like whatever is what it is. But I think, to me, me, what's scary about those shows is that they're constantly being pumped to the same black audience. Is what happens is I always look at it like food and what you digest. So they're being given McDonald's, which is fast, it tastes good, and it goes through
you really quick. So then it's like when you try to give you something like filet mignon, like four gua, Caviard's, cargo Allah, Moonlight, get out, things like that, sometimes it becomes difficult for them to eat that food because they're so used to McDonald's. So that's my only thing. Like I'm cool people, you know, taking in that kind of entertainment.
But the tough thing, especially for black folks, it's like it's like what I want is for our people to have a more sophisticated palette, so to speak, which is like they go see Boom, you know, but then also go see Moonlight, you know, go see you know, a movie like Shape of Water. I just kind of want
our folks to have that kind of exposure. It's not onlike, you know, when we deal with kids on the South Side who've never been downtown, you know what I'm saying, Like they're only watching those and so what happens is and also too even though yes it's funny and light and it's all good, and Tyler is like I got to he's such a good dude, I think it can get a little nutty when that's the only images are so powerful. Because I grew up, I was very blessed.
Like I was a kid, I got to watch a different world like Every Thursday and The Cosby Show and like Fresh Prints and things like that, and so I was seeing images of people that I wanted to be. They were smart, they were flying, they were cool. They were literally on a fictitious like the HBCU, you know, a campus every week. And it may seem like, ah, isn't that cheesy, but look at what it did. My production company is called Helm and Grad Productions.
Like yo, I was gonna say at the end of the shy, Yeah, first of all, y'all have a lot of tags at the hope.
You'll get rid of some of the mofuckers.
That was the funny. That was the funniest thing to be because after the third one, I was like waiting for.
People.
At least I got a card in that mofucker.
But when I saw Hillman he going back, I was like, wait a minute, that's what I said.
That has to be heard.
And look, it's like some people know, some people don't. It's like whatever, if you know you know it, get it. I really fuck with you usually like.
It's your show, though, why would you put yourself fifth? Like your card?
No, that's Halloween, that's Hollywood politics. It's my first show. So you get executive producers that go, I want you know where the cards are placed? It was my first show.
Did you even know that they gave it to me after the fact.
I want some stuff happened in my career. They're like, oh, yeah, we'll get you a card.
Let me ask you. You mentioned Hillman.
That's a whole other conversation.
You mentioned him in a different world.
I was wondering what you think about the evolution of a grown is because I just really started watching that and you know that that is a real child of different a different world.
Yeah.
I would never put the two in the same weight class. I mean honestly, to me.
That's promise is intense, especially because it's on free form. I've seen it. I'm addicted to it.
I kind of like to people kind of be throwing sha at it. I was like, the go into it. Yeah, some some people, I know, maybe it's those black people that's like I don't want to say something publicly, but some people be coming at me about it. I'm like, I don't know. I kind of get a good vibe from it. I mean, it's just it's interesting. I'm intrigued.
First of all, it's a free form show, which is basically like Channel very people get the ABC Family recontextualizes free form.
But it's like, I don't.
Seen everything else.
She pops, she pops, uh pills every episode, and.
It's like they're trying to get real with it, you know. But I mean, but again, it's like to me, it's like, I just don't. I would never put them on the side. Even if Kenya was sitting here right now, he'd like, please don't put that on me.
I wasn't, But would it be there if it wasn't for a different world, That's what I was kind of saying.
But you, I mean, I don't know. I just here's what I'm in a different world, purist, and I think that, and I think that grown ish is not because that's
not the age we see you, is it. I feel like I think even with your white people people try to like say, oh, you guys influence, I'm like, no, I'm like, because dear white people is literally a metaphor for America because it's like the black people on that campus are minority, and it's all about how weird you feel, and like what kind of black person you are, what kind of black people you hang out with? So I just think it's very different. I think a different world
existed in its own space and time. I'm also one of the people that's anti the reboot of it or all this kind of shit. I just think it's silly. It's like a different world existed at that time, and we don't need to reboot it. We don't need to have another version. And I've gotten to get cool with a lot of the actors from that show. I'm just like, nah Son, it happened and thank God and a live bit alone. I have thought about Bad Boys. It's never been a sequel, like Bad Boys is a classic and
what's supposed to work. It did by accident. Thank god Bad Boys too, and Bad Boys I think they I think they pulled it though, thank you about it.
Is getting to remake everybody's getting but I don't know.
I mean, I don't know.
Well, yeah, grow Grown as to me is like a more new, watched, friendlier version of Kids WHOA I mean, Kids was shocking in ninety five. Yeah, but now that's just like, oh, that's that's a Tuesday.
Yeah.
So Lena, Yeah, what was your beginning in the world of acting, Like, how did you how.
Did you first start? Honestly like production, Well, well, I'll.
Talk about the acting. I had no plans on being an actor, Like it's I literally give a lot of credit one to God because he ordered my steps, but also to these amazing casting directors that looked at me and said, bitch, you should be in front of the camera as well. And one of them was Alison Jones, who was a famed casting director of Google.
Her.
I mean, her credits are ridiculous, everything from like she cast Freaks and Geeks, which little shit us you know, you know, seth Rogen and James Frank, all these people, and then she also cast like Veep and Bridesmaids, all these amazing things. So I heard she wanted to meet with me. I didn't know why because I was like, I'm not casting anything. But I went and sat down with her and she asked if I had any interest in being an actress. I said no. She's like, okay,
well let me bring you in for some stuff. And so she did. She brought me in for some things. I booked a small part on the Comeback season two, which Lisa Kujo's show on HBO, and then she didn't even call me in for Master or none like apparently as he's and Allen just said, send us interesting people, and by the grace of guy, she said, well, then you should meet Lena. I went to Jesus Crib, sat with him and Allen uh and had it was just myself and I got a call then like, hey, does
he just wants you to come read with him? I saw the pages and I was my writer he self, and I said, Yo, can I punch this up? And he was like sure, and so I did. And so I was saying stuff back to him that he obviously wasn't prepared for, and he was sort of chuckling and laughing. But as he's and I just had an instant like vibe and a chemistry because people seriously asked us if we've been friends for before the show, and we had we met, like you know, at his house and talking
and doing these scenes. And then he called me and he's like, come in New York for a couple of months and do this show with me. And I just really went off of like the fact that I was a fan of his already, his humor, the fact that he knows black culture in a very unique way, and I just loved him on Parks and Wreck and I literally I had just sold the Shy to Showtime, and I was like, can y'all give me three months to go away do this thing? They were like, okay, sure,
and so I came here. You don't know what you have with Netflix. It was early Netflix that we were like one of like Netflix, like fourth or fifth original show, So we didn't know what it was gonna be. We don't have an audience, but we just trusted that what we were doing with something interesting. It was new, it was fresh, and people just really responded to it. And then for the Spielberg joint, Ellen Lewis, another famed casting director, saw my picture in Hollywood Reporter and was like, why
haven't we seen this girl for this role? And my agent were like, cause, she's not auditioning for stuff. So I came in read with them, read again. Thank god, Spielberg was not out of those auditions, but after the second one he saw my tape and I was like, yeah, I want her to be in the movie, and then I went to London for four months.
So wait, you just said something real big. Before we saw your face. You had a deal with Showtime.
They had bought the pilot. Yeah, i' written the pilot and they were like, yeah, we want to make this.
How did it I mean, because.
What was the time between making your pilot? Too?
Well?
I wrote them, Well, here's the deal. We shot the first pilot and we weren't We weren't super happy with how it turned out. We thought it was fine, but we were like they were like I told them, I said, I need a director that really gets my voice. I know my voice is unique. I know The Shy is not the typical formulaic show, so I need somebody that's not the typical formulage director. And Rick Fomer Youua, became available and I was like, can he do get a swing at it? They were like sure, Like we we
think that would be a great match. We got a new cast and director. We got Jason Mitchell came in and read and Jacob Latimore. All these amazing song your song, all these amazing people.
And the original pilot is different than what I seen on the pilot.
For us show.
I mean it's the script is the same, but the cast is different and the director is different.
So please, I just want to an back. Can you send me a copy of the original one.
If I have an original copy of it anymore? I got because like that was two years ago. But it was like and mind you, I liked it. I liked it, thought it was fine. But I think Showtime and that's a testament to them, they really believed in it, and they were like, we think we can do better, and I was like, okay, I.
Was like cool, Now, was there any concern of yours that Showtime was trying their hardest to not mention the W word as they gave you the shy like you know, we need a version of the Wire like that sort of thing.
It's funny like they didn't know, they didn't well, they didn't bring that up at all. And the crazy thing is, and I don't want to be a bad black person, but I never like obsessed over the wire like that. I was more about the white people love the wire more than yeah I love the Wire. I like the Wire, but I was more into the corner. Yeah, white people love the Wire. They love insecure, Like they're like all
about it, you know what I'm saying. It's like, but I feel like I I just never that was never my thing. Like the Corner was really dope. This is a thing that Spike did a long time ago people may not remember, called Soccer Free City, and that was that was really cool that really I just really liked and thought it was really interesting. So those are things. And also to like House of Cards you know, had
come out, so I was really inspired by that. So those are really inspirations for me while I was working on The Shy in terms of characters being interconnected and bumping into each other and and yeah, but it's so funny. Is I understand the comparison, I guess, But when you watch The Shy, it's the completely.
I know there's there's no comparison, but just with large black on on a cable shl sure.
You know, And and I mean.
Had a connection with each other. It's sort of like an effortless watching the Magic Circle for their home glue chot. It's like very effortless, no look past chemistry that they had with each other.
Right, So The.
Shy, like my bigges thing was I didn't want to focus on the system or the police or the cops, and I think we're gonna get away from that even more in season two that I think first season I was like, Okay, well, what's the engine. But I was like I would say, like I really don't care about the cops. I care about the people, Like I don't want to care talk about the police. I want talk about the people of being policed. Like that's just more interesting to me.
So not to step on your toe, boss man.
But I'm like, okay, so nobody saw your face yet you have to deal with show time. I know that your your background as writers assistant in in your relationship with Gina p.
Princeville, but can you really break down, like.
Who the hell are you leaning to get these amazing deals to this writing? Like where did you come from?
Sorry so sorry, but I just you know, like honestly, like I, you know, graduated from Columbia College, which is in Chicago, moved out to LA in two thousand and six, and just started like pounding the payment just grinded. I think it's just a Chicago hustle in me where I was just like I went out there with the intent of running the town, and I was like eventually and you know, And I think that was genuinely my mindset.
You know.
I wasn't like ongoing to anybody this year, dad, But I was just like, I want to be a phenomenal writer. I really cared about the craft. And I think that's a big thing I see was as I mentor a lot of young writers, I think that's of the last thing on their list to conquer. They're sort of like, well, where's the red carpet? Like when do I get the deal?
And d D.
They don't realize there's so much politics. Youre talking about me being a third card on my own show, but these folks be thinking you get a show and like you king or queen. It's like no, it's like I was like the least powerful person at the table. Now I'm in a different space, you know. But the first season any truth, And that's that's no shade to my network, on my steel that's any case, if you go sold the show tomorrow, they don't know you. They could fire you. They own your shoes.
But how different was yo?
Like the day after the Emmy, Like it's but the Emmy, the.
The Emmy changed. Yeah, I mean, let's you know, that's let's be clear like it just and also too, it's like it changed the dynamics on the shy for me. It changed, you know, you know in terms of how I walked through the world. But even here's the truth, Like I was already very clear about who I was and the kind of artists I want to be before the Emmy, Like I was, you know, I would say
no to things, certain things. I would go like, I don't know if I'm the right person for this or that just feels like a check and I don't want to just like sell myself for that. Like, and I think there's this element where I sometimes see people and they go like, but why would you not do that? That makes it I'm like, but it may seem cool. Don't get caught up in the announcement on deadline, you know, because that's fleeting. It's like it would be a cool
thing for people to retweet. Sure, but like, what about the quality of my life? Do I want to work with that person? Really? Yeah, they're a big star, But do I want that person being my partner that I'm getting in bed with? It's like, no, I'd rather go with the normal motherfucker who ain't that hot than the famous person that might give me a headache.
You know what, I'm gonna use this moment. I'm sorry now I got to step on all y'all. Two, I need some advice right.
Now, advice from le don't eat in bed.
Eat in bed every night.
So, uh, when you.
Just just for those that don't understand the the the process of creating a script and show running, can you run us through? So are you saying that once you complete a script that you're happy with you and your collaborator or you yourself whatever. Once it's in the hands of the production company or the whatever, showtime or whoever you're rolling with, is it out of your hands. Is it up to the director to then see what he wants to or she wants to see with what's on the script.
Well, it usually depends because like for me, and I'll try to take you through like a fictitious scenario. But like but even for the shot, I wrote that by myself, like onspect means for free, Like nobody paid me to write that. I just said I want to write this story. So I wrote it, and then I gave it to my agents and I was like, Okay, I want you guys to send us out to production companies because I
do feel like having a production company. Then you put like places like like Brad pay has production company called Plan B. You know what's another good one. I don't know, Kery Washington's a production company. There are certain places you can give you a script too, because at the time, like I wasn't really your name, so I was like, maybe I can get in bed with the producer who has a little bit more weight, who's got those connections that then they then say, okay, we put our arm
around Leana. We're gonna walk into all these different networks and say we really believe this is the thing, or then go to a studio, because a studio is like a bank. A studio they pay for everything and the network airs the show. So I got in bed with a producer Aaron Kaplan. Dude, I call him a tony soprano of like TV producers. He's got like eight shows on that he's an ep on and so he doesn't necessarily have to be like super involved in every single show.
But he's a person that has a lot of like connections and can walk in the door and say, yeah, I think this is dope. So he and I He's like, if I can't produce this show, it's not producable. Okay, I believe you. So then he takes me into a studio which which is now Fox twenty one, but it used to be FTVS. So, so he was like, yo, I think you guys should read this this girl's script. Andy Bourne exac over there. He read it. He's like,
I like this script so much. If we don't sell this script to a network, we're going to floats into a blind deal. That's how much we believe in Lena. And a blind deal means if it don't go, they'll pay me just writes whatever else I want to write. So that means they had a lot of confidence in my voice and who I was and around what year is this? Oh jesus, I'm so bad with that. It's probably three or four years ago something like that.
Okay.
So then so now I got a producer who has his production company. He's like a production company, And now I have a studio. So I got a place that saying like we're gonna componly have the money for this show whoever decides to do it. So then they're like, where do you want to sell us? Then you figure out what makes sense for the show, Like what's a
good home for the show. So I was like, I really like Showtime, but they've just done the show called The Affair, which I thought was super dope and really unique and really fresh. And I was like, if they can do The Affair, they should want to do, you know, the Shy. So so we went into Showtime first. That was like, that was like my top school that I wanted to get into. So we go into Showtime. We have a wonderful meeting and they bite immediately. They're like, yeah,
we love it, we love you. Let's do it. So so and by that time, and also some other stuff like Common was like I want to be involved. I was like, you absolutely should be involved. We brought him on as an EP and then we even brought in a director as well. But low key. I think, depending on who you are, you don't necessarily need a whole
army to walk with you into a network. But it's only no longer out of your hands once you signed a deal with somebody, Like if you sign a deal with a studio where they're like, yeah, we want to be in business with you. Queslove with this script. We want to buy it. We want to give you a check. We're going to do all things. Now they do own it.
They now own it. You don't own it anymore. And if they don't like you or you do something wrong, they do have the right to fire you off the show and bring somebody else in to run it and do it. And even on my show, my first season, I had a short runner. I didn't run that show for the firstus because also you don't want to show run your first season, because being a shortrunner is like the worst job on the planet, but it's also the most powerful job on the planet. The showrunner has more
power than the creator of the show. Does that make sense because the showrunner is the person who is running the room, who's talking to the network, talk to the studio, and a lot of people don't even know what the showrunner is. So funny, like, I'm not putting nobody on blast. But the showrunner of Empire, for who still is it was never Lee Daniels. He created the show with Danny right,
was yeah, Danny Strong they created the show together. But on the really Danny might say he kind of helped Shan, But yeah, a white woman showran that continues to show run the Empire the secret. I just thought it was Danny Strong Shaking who created.
So by the transitive axiom, because because yeah, what is that hopeful what I'm saying now, I'm trying to transit vaxium And you're basically telling me the Tony Braxton or TLC story like you're on the face, which is a production deal under another interview, which is under Arister records.
So it's like she has more power than them, right, No, no.
No, I know.
But you said you have the option to either go with someone that can walk into the room. I'll either Black brad Pit or whoever the Tony soprano is, Yeah, iron can right right, So are you saying that it's likely it's not that likely if you yourself just walked it to the head of showtime, it's well you actually.
Would he but see, I don't know if I agree with that anymore, sorry.
Because your youth.
Now though, the truth is they wanted my script. They wouldn't have cared iout. I came from Tim Buck fucking two. So what I want that script? The position that you're in there right now? Yeah, would you walk someone direct to I already? Have I already had like there's.
A direct to the front of the line or is it like come through me and then I'll put you through Mumbo and then.
No, no, I'm a I'm believe of going straight to the source. Like there's a girl who writes on the shot who's super dope and name is Catholic Asake. She wrote a phenomenal Poloty also wrote another pilot. But I'm an EP on that pilot, and we just had a meeting at showtime and like and we went around all the kind of stuff like that. I was like, we're going straight to the source now. Mind you. I have a very different relationship with show Time now, and so
when I walk somebody in, they're like, oh great. But I also believe that at the end of the day, everybody dope script is like a freaking lottery ticket. So you don't need, you know, a team of people with you. If you got a lottery ticket, go cast your shit in. If you got that lottery ticket, that's all that matters. And what's happening now is like content is king and Queen,
so they don't care where you're from. Look at the avol Cody like she look at her story, look at you know, what I'm saying, look at even though Jordan Peel had been around for a long time doing that, but like that script was something people were like, Okay, this is a game changer, and that's why you never heard of Blumbhouse, you know what I'm saying. But they were like, we want to do this thing, and now
everybody nam Mama wanted to get in business. But ultimately it's like if you got a dope script, those execs want to make the thing. Now what they want to do is surround you with people who know what the fuck they're doing. You don't want some kid, you give them a key to a porch. It's like, okay, go drive.
So it's like, so what happens is usually you sit in the passenger side while somebody who knows how to drive drives the car for you, and you tell them where to turn and where to go and keep straight this and that. But it is very complicated. It's the thing that nobody knows cause I like, you know, it's like even like what TV works, Like no one person
could write every single episode of a show. Just you hear people like Aaron Aaron Sorkin and like Matthew Winer, but people like even Shonda and myself, and like, we need help to do these shows. There's a writer's room. It's people we have to lean on and trust. And you know a lot of us have showrunners, you know, that are running the show for us and we get the creative input. But if you don't get along with your showrunners, shit gets real sticky.
So from the time you created the pilot to it actually making it on air, that was what three four years?
About maybe two two years actually, yeah, because we took one year we shot the room. We took another year to do that when they put it out.
But how many great scripts get overshadowed because there's not a great team around it. I feel like that happens all the time.
But yeah, and I is sure, and I think that's what the Blacklist site is becoming really helpful. My dude, Franklin Leonard started that where like anybody, you ain't gonna have a manager, you're gonna have nothing. If you put a script up there, you pay to get in evaluation. If you get like an eight or above, that means you got a really good script. And what happens is people like me can download them send them around. That's why. I went on my Twitter and said, look, I gotta
I now have a development fund. I'm looking to find writers. I don't care where you are. If you got to manage, you've got agent. If you're young, black, old, white, aquer whatever. If you got a dope script, that's interesting, that makes sense for my production company to help get developed and get out there in the world. I want to see it. When you talk about how to cut through all the clutter, that's what the Blacklist site does. And a lot of black folks sometimes be like, well, I don't want to
put my shit into the Internet. I'm like, look what else? What's your alternative? You know what I'm saying. It's like pay to get evaluates, like seventy five bucks for a feature, like something less than that for a pilot, and you put it up there and you get professional fucking feedback. Because that's a lot of people out here writing in their offices and thinking they got Shakespeare. And then somebody's like, no, this is to happen and have not. It's no shape,
no t you know what I'm saying. But the end of the day, it's like nobody's getting feedback.
The way it again.
Blacklist site. But that's it's without vowel, So b lck lst dot com. B lck lst dot com. But if you google Franklin Leonard Blacklist site, it'll pop up and you don't have to do all you gotta do. If you got like seventy five bucks, you got a feature you want to just upload, pay to get a fucking evaluation. And if you get a five, you know what that means, Maybe you get some writing classes. It ain't nothing wrong with that. If you get an eight, that means you
got a pretty solid script on your hands. And then you should either hit me up or you can hit any almost anybody up and say, hey, I gotta I got an overall eight score on the Blacklist site. And motherfuckers in the business will know what that means. They're gonna go, oh, so that means you got a pretty
decent script, can you say? And also, here's a great thing that cuts the work out for me because because you can send me that evaluation and it'll tell me how many pages it is, what the log line is, what the title is. It will tell me what the strengths are in the script, what the weaknesses are, and what its potential is sorry.
What's the How long is that process take for him to value sometime?
It takes about, like, you know, a few days since I was a week. Wow, Okay, they just don't know about this ship.
Unlike unlike someone playing me a demo, and I'm telling you there's maybe eight times in my life I listened to a demo.
His was one of them. Not for real, like Jill Scott.
Wow, yeah, like there's.
Yeah, I don't have the patience to sit through.
But how did you my questions, but how did you? How did how did you end up listening to like a Jill Scott's.
Very specific circumstances long time ago, Jill, I was really and I thought it.
Was people saying that videos she don't know.
You're not you're not, you're not I have a woman.
No, No, that's right, okay, I won't even bet no more promise no, but no, it was very specific circumstances, like what was it like a thunderstorm.
When we were at the Little Brother show.
Yeah, so a thunderstorm, uh canceled our show and I felt bad for all the Duke fans that had to stand this monsoon wait for the rooms to come on. So I was like, all right, let me just go in the front room and shake everyone's hands, and you put.
It in my hand. Yeah, I gave it to you.
I gave you the little brother like our first little joints had like four or five joint Yeah, he put.
It in my hand.
And I don't know what made just and I never it's always. See, these are always like coasters to me.
Right.
I was like, let me listen to this, and I heard a sample I recognized child. I was like, oh ship, and then I realized that these guys are awesome.
So wow. Yeah, it was very rare circumstances to.
Which was like a human saxophone or something you heard is.
Just crazy and still crazy.
But that's the thing. It's like, you know, even more energy.
I was going to say, for me to listen to a five minutes song, it's hard easier for you.
You need silence and time.
Like, so, do you have a regiment that you do, like you spend two hours every morning in silence looking at scripts?
It depends, like I mean, honestly, I what I try to do is make it so that if I'm reading a script, it better be damn good.
So I have how do you know if it's bullshit by page what oh, I.
Can tell from the first like, what are your what's your opening line? I mean it's right there. The voice is either there or it's not. It's it's like it's almost like singing or a competition like that. It's like either you can hear it from the first note. To me, action lines are really important because and Joe's dialogue. But action lines are the things that you guys don't know or see, like you know, that's you hear the dialogue with the action lines are like describing the space, describing
the characters. That's where my personality comes out, you know, about how I describe someone Like I'll describe a character like she has the kind of beauty that sneaks up on you, and she has mommy issues that she still hasn't dealt with. This is so and so, and she's thirty five years old whatever. That's how I'll describe a character, which speaks to how my personality and who I am.
You want them to know how smart and witty you are based on how you describe it.
Yeah, Like that's that's me giving you my shit, you know, because when I say when I when the characters start talking. That's them like I can't you know that have to step into their shoes. But in between that, I get to kind of have my own little relationship with the reader and not the audience because the audience isn't gonna hear that. But the director looks at that as a way to go, Okay, God, this helps me cast. This
helps me determine what she's going to wear. And whether they describe the room or if I'm like, it's it's like like I described like a hotel room, like this is the place where you know, uh, sex is exchanged for money in this in this hotel room. They didn't know how to. So that's also my way to communicate with my you know, production designer, my warfare department, all that kind of stuff as well.
Awesome, Lesson tell me about your pounding the pavement these because I don't want to. I don't I don't want to think that your life was green lights. No, I haven't seen the team. Like, so the pounding the day that you decided to go to LA to pursue your dream, Yeah, I assume in two thousand and six, or wait, yeah, didn't you writing weren't you with girlfriends by two thousand.
No, I was a girlfriend the last season like two thousand and eight.
Oh okay, yeah, yeah, I just want to say six years.
Yeah no, no, no, no, like cause I graduated from college in two thousand and six, so I literally like moved out there. And it's funny because my first internship really kind of was was with Edmond's Entertainment when it used to be called Edmonds Entertainment, which is Babyface and Tracy when they were maybe they weren't together anymore, might ah, I wasn't there yet, but I knew about that movie.
Knew about that movie is dope, And so internship, you know what, Actually I just found because Columbia College has this great message board where you can see about internship. So I saw it on there. And then like this white guy, I think there was Lucas. He was working for them. He caught me in. I didn't need much, you know. He was like he's like, okay, you're on time.
Your resume is cool. And I interned for them, and you know, I was around Tracy and you know those guys, and they were like they were like they had like a studio and people come in and do music. I remember Reich used to come up in there, uh uh, and they had like very expensive cars. Eddie Murphy might have been kind of sort of dating Tracy at the time, I think, so I saw him a few times, but like they were doing like reality show stuff. They were like I was like pa on some of their stuff
they were doing. But it was just a cool place cause I was like, all these the motherfuckers they did sould fool like this is lit. And so I was up in there, and then I started working in a reality TV where I was like a person transcribing like videos for the real world and shit like it was that's how you make money, we living, you gotta work in reality And then I started because then that was from like six pm to three am every night, and because I wanted my days free so I could intern.
So I interned at a literary agency that ltsmly ended up repping me later, but I was there from nine to five and Beverly Hills and drove an hour to the valley from six to three am for like two months.
Like your first apartment was deep in the valley.
Yeah, so I was. But that don't even day jobs. That was an internship. So I wasn't getting paid eight three hours. We started off as three days a week, and then they were like, well, we're gonna bring somebody else in. I was like, no, I'll do it, yeah, because I was like, if you have an opportunity comes up, I want that opportunity. They're like, okay, so you really want to work here five days a week and go to work at night everything. I was like, yeah, I'll sleep on the weekends.
How how long was the process before you felt there was a light at the end.
Of the tunnel?
Man, I just kept thinking that. But I did that for about two and a half months, and I kept thinking, like, I'm going to get something out of this, Like me doing this, something's got to come out of it. And then sure enough, one of their clients, they were like one of our clients, he's a new assistant and they happened to be running girlfriends and so I was like,
I wanted I want an interview for that job. So I went in and I loved to sit in a room like this with my competition, and I was like, Hey, don't none of y'all know this show better than me? And I walked in there, got the job, and it really was the start of my life, you know, in
that industry. You know, I got to meet Mara, Tracy Ellis Ross, like Kenya was working on the game at the time, Like everybody I'm cool with now, Like I met at Girlfriends and all of them have like Prince Penny, who was like he might have still been like staff right,
he now runs Insecure. Karen Jis, who was writing Our Girlfriends at the time, now run star Regina Hicks was currently writing on Insecure, like obviously Kenya Barris went on The Great Blackish and Grownish all this kind of stuff, So like all those people and then like you know, you got my black ass was over here trying to do something too. But they literally like can you text me last night? Keny was like, bitch, you a fucking
kim On what the fuck? Like He's like they I think for them it's trippy because they remember me being like the show runners as.
System, what was your biggest like mar or Lesson. I find her so fascinating.
I mean, honestly, the thing I learned, She's not a person that's like like say this directly to me, But what I took from it was like she was a real I think a politician in that like she's like JFK, you know what I mean, like very she's she knows it. In order to get you to pay attention, she's got to bring a look, a brand, a vibe. And I think that's what people don't really know about Mar's brilliant in terms of her brand, is that she doesn't she
when she walks in, you're already like sold. She's going, whatever it is you're telling me, like I'm going to buy. And I think that's and that's a big thing I really picked up from her is that it's not just about having you know, talent and scripts, but it's about what's your brand, Like what's your personality? Like who are you?
And even like her and her husband the kid, like that's a part of her brand, like being a mom, being a wife and having you know, you know, doing love is or you know or you know, being Mary Jane, Like all these things are pulled from her life and her like girlfriends is pulled from pages of her diary. And I think I really picked up on that. I was like, oh, I should just talk about who I am and be myself and people will always remember that.
That's why I was just telling somebod advice. The other day, I'm like, these fucking general meetings that people have that they going, I'm like, what's the fucking point. It's like, if you can't when you walk out of that room, they got to you gotta haunt them once you lead a room, they got to be like, I can't get this right out of my head because the story they share with me, whatever, it's like going there and treat
like a fucking therapy session. Don't be crazy, but like tell them, tell them, like what's going on, Like if you went through a breakup, like say that, Like you know, if you went through a thing, say that, because you never know what they went through. They make like I would breakup too, Like what? And then next thing, you know, you having a real connection with an exec that may not even like your script that much, but when you walk out the door, they like, I feel like that
person just really gave me a real moment. That's why I used to always do it. Gentlemen, I'm like, I'm gonna walk I walk out of here, They're gonna feel like they had a real conversation with me. And for the most what they would beause I would give them some real shit.
What what?
Uh?
What will prevent not prevent you? But now that the heat is on or now that it's on and popping right. Whitney Cummings once told me, like, at one point it was so exhausting for her, uh fine tuning every detail of her show and Two Brooke Girls, and at the time she was trying to develop like two other shows.
And I was just like, you know, and people asked me, like when need you sleep and all that, But.
It's like, I mean with me, it's like I kind of have a team for each project I do, so I could just come to check the shoulders, check over the shoulders, you know. But are you totally immersed in all the projects that you're developing, as in you have to micromanage every fine detail of all these projects, or you know, at one point, will you become doctor dre and.
Just nigga, I saw the Divine Ones, you know, which is brilliant.
His wife was like, won't you be home? Like, I don't know, okay, cool baby, that studio it's crazy, but I think I don't need I don't. I don't micro manage every project. If I did, I would never sleep. And I wouldn't have a healthy relationship. There are certain projects like Twenties with that pilot, like I got a micro manage that because I'm sill trying to get a serious order that people think like, oh, you got another show. I'm like, not not yet. I got a pilot order.
Me and Justin sent me is gonna come and direct that pilot. Yes, we're very excited to be working together again. We're gon we're gonna try to give them a phenomenal pilot. So we didn't get a series order, and then it's about I'm gonna try to bring Susan phils Healing the co show run that with me. She she was the show run of a Different World and she's phenomenal. But I want to bring her in and help me run that and have, you know, maybe have her teach me
some things. But I'm gonna go like, hey, I want to do this and learn from her. Did Sean? I have a phenomenal new show runner. Her name is Iana Floyd Davis. She's a black woman. She's Jamaica, and she's like the auntie I always you know, never knew I needed. But she's she's a showrunner. So it's like I'm there to help and guide, but she's show running. I got a project with Kim that Kim Whitley who played my aunt on Thanksgiving. She wrote something for her Lucy based on
her life, so we have it set up somewhere. Still trying to get that serious order. I still have some writing to do on that one, but but yeah, I want to find a show runner that really gets her voice and gets what I'm going for. So again, I think you're right. It's about having teams of people that you trust and you love and you fuck with. And
I really talented because there's things I'm producing. That's why I really like producing, because then I ain't got to like come in and it buys and give thoughts and this and that and then go. You could take it to leave it, but I think you should take it. But you know, but I think that's really how I
think you build and build a brand. And it's tough because you It's true if you look at Whitney Commings and I remember that that time where she was popping, like everybody was like she had all these pilosts and that, and I think she's still really talented, and I think she's still doing really dope things. But I think for me, it's about also managing that at some point, I'm gonna step back. I'm gonna go away for a bit where
I'm not everywhere. You know what I'm saying. But you see my work, you see my shows, you know what I'm saying. You see the Shy, you see twenties, you know, you see you know. I know I pop up in season two of Dear White People, But it's like little things like that that makes sense. Or it's like we've got the Spielberg movie coming out in this month. I'm
in that. Obviously I'm not promoting that, and it's like that, but once that movie comes out, like I'm gonna step back a bit and go back into the lab and do some work. And I think that's really the trick. I think it's knowing when to go back and when to come out. We love Kevin Hart, but Kevin Heart's kind of everywhere.
What did you What did you say no to that?
You know, not that you regret, like something that was like, ah, this is the dream, But I can't do it right.
I mean, I won't say exactly what it is because I'm cool with the person. End up writing it. But I did get offered to write a movie that ended up doing really well, and I was just like.
Uh, you can't say the movie.
No, I'm not gonna say no.
No.
Well you said yeah, but but I don't want the person that ended up writing it. I said no, so you go ahead, but here's what I'll say. But well, the politics, it's because she's my friend. But I feel like to me, I was like, that's not my brand or like that doesn't speak to my brand. That's me writing for someone else's brand, and I don't know how that furthers what I'm trying to do. So I think that's I think sometimes when you grab these things or isn't that cool, I'm like, yeah, but who is that
really helping? Because then if you look at like Black Panther, Yeah, Marvel's a huge brand. Marvel maybe bigger than Ryan Coogler, but Ryan Coogler made Marvel not his bitch, but like they made it like I'm gonna do my thing with this movie so much so that it will always be associated with me and his brand, you know. More so people think of it as a Marvel movie. Oh yeah,
that Brian Coogler joint. You know what I'm saying, and I think if you can do that, cool, but that particular thing, especially where I was in my career, I would have just been a higher hand. I'm like, no, I'm cool. I want to make that like really feels like.
Me, Lena.
Is it safe to say that nobody has tried to like dumb down or worder down your brand, whether we're talking about your outside or your inside, because it seems like you have a freedom. You feel a freedom, and you are allowed this freedom that somebody maybe ten years ago may not have.
I don't know or even now. That's my big beef. I still think more. I know a lot of gay black celebrities that are not gay publicly.
Yo your essence speech when you was calling Knicks out, like stayne listen, did you get some back? No?
I look, it was nothing but love. I got a lot of love from people, and a lot of folks that I know who are gay but aren't out yet. By the way, I wasn't like trying to like throw shape a Coeople text me and say yo, I'm not hide and sist. You know, I'm just out here, And I was like no. But I was like no, I was like I don't think that you are. Yeah, you know, it's like, look, I'm not I don't. I wasn't trying
to call nobody. All I was saying is we I believe for particularly for gay black motherfuckers, it's our responsibility to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Because it's like, if you look at how many black people there are in Hollywood, and there's a nice number of us, and you think about how many out kay black people that are in Hollywood, it's about what me wantuh Titus.
Lee, and probably more than men because black men got a whole different study.
But also to here, here's another thing to it. Even in music, you know what I'm saying, a lot of times I'll be thinking about like some of these R and B singers who I know them right well, but I'm talking about But here's the here's the interesting.
Sarcasm when you hear it that.
But here's the deal. There's some like there's some R and B like black men singers who are uh faking the funk, shall we say, singing to women where they know they don't want to be. And here's the deal. And I see them, I look at them on I g I see the a cappella Tuesday, and I'm just sort of like, but it's so interesting to me because you look at like, yeah, a lot of casts like saying, I'm really saying I do this, like they're trying to be like and they're dope and they're no. I follow
these cats. I love singers. I think it's great. But some of them, I'm like, dog, really, come on, come on, brother, And a lot of them are like, I don't know why I'm not on yet. I don't know. I'm not own yet. And I'm just saying, like, if you fucking came out and told your truth, maybe motherfucker will talk about you. And no, I don't know, ship like, oh, let me be gay for pay. But it's like to me, what Frank did. Here's the other thing too about Frank.
He's just dope, Okay. I really fuck with his music. Really liked Blonde. I thought it was really dope. I think that because he's living his truth, it bleeds into the art, it beleds into what he's doing. He can't not be just like this authentic motherfucker. Even though he's like this, you know, he's a weird guy. He goes away for too long sometimes, but there's something about it that just speaks to everybody.
Like anything's specialized? Can an arm? Can there?
Are you ready for an gay R and B singer that just wants to sing? And I'm gay and I'm not singing about man?
Are we ready?
You think you ready?
Yeah?
I wasn't for us like a big hit it is, but you remember what.
We talked about before we started the show. I just think what and this deals with the Thanksgiving episode? I think that just conservative Black Christianity.
Yep.
It's such a heavy burden on everyone. It's always like you're always every step you make is like what will my mama thinks?
Look at gospel?
I think?
But once I stopped caring about what my mama thought, that's what I really even though like it took me obviously have to come out to her and I went through that whole situation, and we went through our thing and we finally have like found a comfortable place to be.
But I realized, in order to come out, you kind of can't give a fuck what anybody thinks because you got to prepare yourself with your mama may be like, okay, well you do that and I'll be in heaven when you're not you know, but it's like but but but you have to come to a place where you don't care. You got to be like, this is my true this is who I am. How you react to that's how you react to? Yes, I gotta say it.
So how did you convince or how did the idea of the Thanksgiving episode?
Well, it really it was born out of me, uh, because I didn't have any plans on telling that story because I just also didn't think it was that fascinating. I ain't a.
Real verbata, that's your real verbata.
So it's like a full, like I mean, thinly veiled version.
Sugar video. Yo.
I didn't even know what the episode was about. Watch that well, because the season was like what's best man?
You educated black people?
Like?
Well, I was in London filming, so, uh, these gratefully came to me so we could write that. But so I have to write it in three days. I had like three days off from filming, and he's like, we'll get this done. So but what we did was, and I don't know why, but we just started like we were trying to obviously go back into like the nineties and us coming up so we was like watching music videos and and one of them was like new a Edition, Case,
standa Rain. We watched D'Angelo all that kind of stuff, and that's really kind of how that bled into because we were like what. He was like, what did you do all the time? And that's a real thing. When I was young, BT used to really be about fucking music videos and we watched the Countdown every Friday night and that's and that so I learned a lot about like just culture and swag and this through just music videos.
So we really because He's and I both know, we wanted to incorporate one and that one just for both of us. It really sang to us. But it came out because like Alan just asked me. He's like, how did you come out? Because I was talking about dating and this and that. He asked me. And I started telling them the story and they were like, bitch, that's an episode, Like that's interesting, and I was like is
it okay? And then they were like we want you to help write it and I was like, I said no. I was like, dude, I got too much of my plate the Spielberg movie. I gotta put online energy into that. I'm so Shy hadn't been officially green Lilit the series yet, I was still We had a mini room and I was just like, yo, it's he I cannot spread myself like any dinner than I'm already spread right now. And he was like, well, if you don't help me write it,
then I would feel weird writing about myself. And so I was like, all right, man, I was like cool. I was like, well, what is it gonna be. He's like I don't know. He's like, well, just we'll outline it, we'll talk about it, we'll email back and forth. And he was a man of force.
So we did.
We just like email back and forth. His brother, a niece, actually came up with the idea of like centering it around Thanksgiving because I told him I was like, I can't just do some straight line like thirty minutes. I got to go through the stages. But then as he's really liked that, he's like, I like the idea of you showing you as a kid and growing up and
this and that. So it just sort of really happened after our conversation we had while we were here in New York, and then I went off to London and we was like emailing back and forth and just kind of came together crazy and then Angel fucking Malina's assam and as because they were like, let's get angela basket. I was like, both of y'all are fucking crazy. And she knew what it was. I think I was like,
they reached out to her manager and he knew. Her manager knew what the show was, and I think her manager was like, this is like a hoop show, like you should kind of do it. And it worked out with her schedule like she like, I think she had like a little bit of a break and they came back like real fast. But I swear because Molina always shoots for the Malina Masucus that Amazon maliam Suus, who
who directed the episode. But Malina always shoots for the stars because she's just like why not, who gives a fuck? Come on? Because she was kicking to with Swanta Beance all the time and I was, but I was just like Malina. I was like, Angel don't know with the show and she don't know who we are. I'm like, this is fucking nuts. Butlina was like, just let me
just you know, just let me ask. I was like, all right, but then they came back like like they were like, it's looking good, like Angela's ready and nothing that. But then once Angela came on, and then when she then he's called me, He's like, we always call her Katherine Jackson because we're obsessed with Jackson five America. He's like Catherine, like but like, seriously, if people knew like me and sent each other gifts of the Jackson of American dream all the time, so.
And I don't even know nothing.
We're obsessed with it and go to be what are you gonna do? Beat him?
Give me some so many times like ten years and the Temptations movie.
I know you cut you cut your mane out of this group, it will kill him.
A random casting question, Eric, ericamer let's talk about it.
I left very charming girl about it?
Super charming. That was awesome.
She realized she was Was she on the ke? I think she was?
Yeah?
I mean, and here's the thing, we knew whoever it was. We were like, we have to have the and also it's Lucy based on a real girl I dated. Don't judge me, but but so we we put that in and and Malina was like, oh, I think we should get Erica Mena and I'm not great about the love and hip hop, so I don't really watch those shows.
So I was like what and then and but Malina was like no, but I like Malina had auditioned her and she told me, like, Lena, I think she'll be great, because it was like, we need somebody fun who can play and look, you're coming into it's nerve wreck. I mean it's a Netflix show, like you got a zesus ass, you got as the Basket. There's a lot going on, so we needed somebody that could really handle it. And
Erica was so happy to be there. And I remember her being like all the haters gonna be like I'm here, we have the Netflix Lena, and I'm going like who the haters? What's going on? So I'm like, so Belina's like, Lida, you don't know nothing.
I was.
I was like, what's up? Like she's a pretty girl, nice, sweet girl. But Erica was like so happy, like she's like and she was all cuddled up. It's like, Lida, what do you do? I was like, no, I got the buddy, I got a girl.
But she's very sweet. Seeing her on great, she is great.
And then I kind of after the fact, I'm like, oh, she's like this girl like on the show, like people like follow her, they know how that she did it? Bow wow. For a second, I was like, I need to do my research.
You know what.
When it came on and watching all the all the Thanksgiving table, all I could think about was, I wonder if these people know what this is right now? That the fact that and again I was wondering, does Angela know like how masterful masters?
And does does she does know?
Or do you Like I just felt that all of these great characters were at this table and only a these knew what he was cooking up, like bringing these people together that I.
Knew because it was really me and Malina that really buy body together, you know, is these was kind of almost like, you know, he was sort of letting us like do our thing, Like he would leave the set for time, like you know, he would be in editing and Alan would go and I had to convince him to getlet Kim Whitley be that my aunt because they're like, well, she's not New York based, and we got to pay it.
I was like, I don't give a fuck. I'm like, she's a black female comedian, single mom, she can figure out how to get to New York. Sure enough. I call Kim, I'm like, can you get here? She was like yeah, she was like I'll figure something out. Cut to her as books a judging gig on Top Chef Kids. So he flew her out and you know, she get the show. Like, but me and Malina like we did that.
Aziz like stood back and kind of let us do our thing, you know, And but that is that episode to me, every woman, And that's only he's the only man on the whole episode. At people don't pick up on that right away, but it's like he's the only guy. His character little boys or whatever. But it's like, it's women of color and that a woman of color, and that's what happens when you allow us to do our thing and get the fuck.
Out the way.
And does he understand too that because for that episode, like that episode is my way of introducing older black people to Masters of None, right, Like I my mother, I was like, Mommy, you're gonna love Masters of None. Let me just show you this one episode and then and she fell hard. I've probably watched about six or seven times since, just like exposing people to the oh are you kid? I cried when my god, the scene when Lisa come back Lisa, right, that's the final girl friend.
Uh yeah, Michelle, Michelle the final girlfriend.
When they had that moment in the kitchen and like Angela talks to her and they just and then y'all are all wearing these nice like pastel colors.
You know what I mean. It was department holding us yea, yeah, you know I mean. And I never, I never I thought like, oh, it was just cool. We got a really nice black episode a.
Master or guys all ship.
I am.
That's perfect because I really didn't think like it would take on that kind of life. And that's the other thing to when you a Netflix show, you don't you do have to wait like until it comes out and people to tweet about it, but people immediate. But as he's always knew because he was like leaning people watching this episode they love. He would text me all the time because they would do like little screenings and stuff
and he was like people with things. Give an episode and then when the Emmy happened, we just it was like icing on the cake because we had so much fun doing it. And now Malina I wrote a feature that she's going to direct, Like Molina's like my sister for the rest of my life. Angela is like such a close like she's like family to me now and now Kim, I'm doing this show. So it's like really spawned these different things that you know, from that one episode of television.
Okay, am I allowed to ask what season three?
You're allowed to ask? I don't know the answer, you know, you know, and it's you know, look, I mean it's tough, you know, with everything that's going on in the world, and look, I'm a I'm a big part of you know, Time's up, and you know, I'm very much, you know, an advocate of the me too campaign. I think people should be pipping up. I know it is. He's you know, he was touched by it, and uh, it was not easy for for me during that time because it's like I can't just be oh rah rah, I'm a part
of this movement, fuck everything else. Like this is someone who I'm known from all the time. You know. It's like, you know, he really saw something in me at a time where I didn't even think like I would have this kind of career. He really introduced people to me in a way so it's like, you know, I and he's just like my he's my friend. You know, I can't just turn my back. I'm not that bitch. And so I really kind of got a real front row
seat to what this means. And so for me, it was about people like, well, who side are you on? I'm like, well, that's the thing. There aren't any sides. I feel like in this particular situation, Harvey Weinstein, there's a side kept spacey, there's a side story, you know, and look, you know, I a long conversation with him. I read everything, and I'm just like, I think there's a lot of shades of great here. I think a lot of people have been in those scenarios, whether you've
been the guy or the girl. And I think what I got from it was more about us is having to re educate ourselves about what consent looks like, what it feels like, what it sounds like. And I think that just means it's not gonna be fun for everybody. But I think that's something we just kind of have to do. We have to really make sure it also just make sure we're being in tune with the person that we're kicking it with and making sure we're paying attention. They say they're cool, maybe ask again.
About to say, Leana, you better watch.
Out too, watch out for I'm engaged.
But it was life before her though, I'm just saying like, no.
I'm good. I mean, like, you know, but no, but also too. But I'm just I'm a different kind of chick. I'm very I'm hyper aware, you know what I'm saying of Like I'm not saying that's because I'm a woman, but I just I think in terms of you know, that's just how I get down. But I think if you're a comedian who's maybe not always great about paying super close atten, you know, I don't know if that's
but it doesn't necessarily make you a bad person. So it's just really she got really complicated, and that was the one story I saw that people were like, I don't really know where I fall and this too, so you know, but I'm happy that us opening up a dialogue and happy that people are talking because that's I think the issue that motherfuckers don't talk to each other.
Well, still breaking for me is is she kicks you out a big because you can't eat cookies.
My fiance don't allow She's like, she won't even let me eat on a couch. She's like, no, that's what the kitchen counter is for, and that's what we take the shoes off when you come in the house. Listens out there.
There, we go to our listeners out there.
We had a pre conversation for the tape started, which I sort of complained bitterly that sort of Yeah, my my new and last current whatever.
You better say last. I love it.
Best thing ever.
Did let me eat in my bed, which is a great thing.
Problem you call your bad Wait Lea right now, Wait everybody listen Leana, right now, would you just say your bit?
You get there yet?
Hold on you you need to explain the whole I've been on tour my whole life, and I'm used to for.
Me, I'm a hotel guy. I've been on to the last twenty years of my life hotel beds, so kind of yeah.
Even before this bed I got, all my beds were from the w hotel, Like I love hotel life.
Yeah, specials to clean up and that hotel they coming in right after.
I'm not messy Man's tennis.
You gonna get some some too, because I'll smoke put on you know all about Eve and want to be washing in the bed, but my lady is the only I can only do that when I just yeah.
I'm sorry, I just go.
Into it the bos one of the two. If it's at night.
Yeah, yeah, we Steve, I'm like Steve the show right now, what's happening?
Everyone agrees here that you shouldn't eat in bed. I mean it's a little dangerous dog because yeah, do you smoking bed? Smoking bed?
Do you smoking bed? You would rather die?
Drums and shipping in the bed. We got the vape, I do vapor bed.
I'm trying to get vapors.
I mean yeah, but there's no that doesn't count as.
That's what's so great about it.
Eating bed alone. Man, we're too old for that ship.
Can I ask a randomly in the question, since you want Justin working on something else, does that mean that it's a wrap for Dear White People?
Season two?
No, Season two was coming. Season two was done. That's in the can, that'll be out in the summer.
Uh, I'm back to eating.
I mean, I don't know. Justin may go through some movies, but Dear White Peoples never did. Dear White People always Gonna live forever. We always you always got reasons to say dear white people. Always when we think we don't, it always comes back hidden fences remind us of that we.
Were like hidden. So, uh, explain before we wrap? We do want to go? When does?
The Spielbirg movie March twenty ninth title is Ready Player Ready.
Player one, which is based on the bestselling novel by Ernie Klein. Uh Steven Spielberg. Here's a drink. We we We showed it to an audience for the first time at south.
By, and I tried to get into that show.
So I wish, like somebody would have, I would have tried to, like figure it out this one.
Don't do that, don't do that, don't do that, don't do it.
It's already done.
On the plane Chicken ship to say hello, what Yeah, she was like some weird stalkers, like what happened the question?
I have told you? Like, I'm like the most real motherfucker.
You know, told me you were cool and ship. It wasn't about that leaning.
Sometimes there are like five people in this world that I'm real fans of their work and their art, and so sometimes it's hard for me to like approach.
You know what I mean, say hi, but I'm ware we're talking now, but you could tell you and you.
Know, I'll see you in a couple I see you next week.
You would have been like, yo, I'm right on this on this.
Story.
I saw you in the eatery before we bought it, and then I saw you sitting down and first getting.
You see what he's sitting in first class. The whole walk is awkward, like figure something out. It's like I feel bad. I feel like a lot of people out there feel bad because we're like we want you to have the TV and able to charge your phone as well.
I'm going to use your bathroom. Don't tell me I'm coming.
That's why. Like, so, then you don't know who I want.
To be on first I can gloat and everyone awkward.
Wait, wait, look at the poverty.
Right.
So you remember, uh, when Bone Thugs and Harmony did the MTV Awards with the Horses the night the Horses Empty Awards, they did cross Roads Across So we were that night with the Michael Jackson kiss with. So I was on an airplane at JFK and like I had that moment with Bone Thugs and Harmony it was like you peasant, you and we like we went to the coach section. We felt all bad about ourselves. Uncle Charles all the one, just like sitting first.
That moment when the first class like damn.
But it was just like you economy, like we were peers and stuff, and you know we were no no, no, Like the security guard was like no, no, not not not right now.
Damn. So it was.
Like yeah, so always we were sitting in the back, like watch, one day we're gonna ride first class. We're gonna look down everyone when they walked past us. So to this day, we always make sure we pre board with the handicapped people to make sure that we.
Got better.
Well, I appreciate those sunglasses that you was wearing to make yourself feel like you wasn't really there, but we saw.
First.
I do some classes because like I might have been like a little sleepy little time sometimes like trying to you know, on the planes and one.
Going to sleep. That's what.
Yeah, I just I don't be wanting this too much.
Light people that have their you know, when I was a kid, thing open up. Yeah, man, I was sitting in front of a kid. I was like this kid, yeah you just seen the sun before.
I needed to shake down, put the blanket over my head. I just be like, Johnason out, you're.
One of those people, like I don't know if I trust that with You know, on a plane, on.
A plane like that, do a lot of white people recognize you? How does that work? I was thinking that too. I was like, do you get them?
I mean, it's always we I don't know, it's like people, well, yes, a lot of white people for sure. Watch Master of None, so like, you know, uh so they but it's weird. But I sometimes you just see them. They they look, they acknowledge, and they go, oh, yeah, it's a girl. Sometimes they say hi. Sometimes they won't, but it's all good. Sometimes they'll come up this white story.
The other was my man's name was on the flight with you from Hamilton. I know I should.
So.
The guy that sat beside me on the flight was like, oh my god, did you see dib just sitting in the first class?
But blah blah blah.
I was like, did you see the lean a wait to sit in the first class? He was like, who's I was like, oh my gosh, she's the first black woman that I didn't.
Oh ship you were.
I mean even I said, was I don't know that. I was like, what brother, figure out when you.
Were talking about the Rady player one premiere and I want to hear like your sir, because I had a friend that was there and she told me about like the sign.
So speakers, we blew the speakers. It was like, it's like it's a very like big freaking movie. It's like a blockbuster movie, that's what it is. And so Spielberg, he fucking went in and it's like, so the speakers blew and a great The good news was everybody was so captivated that when the speakers of the sound went out, motherfuckers like lost that shit. They're like no, because a very critical point. And then we tried it again the
sound still wouldn't play the like, oh my god. Then the third time when they played and the sound went through, like everybody like there was a I heard little like standing ovation because they were ready to see how the movie ended. But they it was just a phenomenal experience in the sit in the theater with those people and like as excited as they were. And obviously Stephen came out and surprised everybody, but it was just a phenomenal, phenomenal energy.
Is that your first time watching it?
That was my second time watching, but my second time watching it with the art it felt like the first time because first time you watched it you were at the Warner Brothers lot, Like there's like exacts and stuff, so it's like but seeing it with these people, like it blew my mind.
It was out front the ship.
Well, yeah, because Ernie Klindraw was a Dolorian. You pulled up in that motherfucker.
And working with Steven Spielberg is like.
Heaven on her.
Did you nerd out over the Delaurian or just over working with Steven Spielberg.
Well, here's the thing, you gotta play it cool. It's fine.
Have you ever nerd it?
Because I imagine that you play cooler than thou with any situation that you're in.
Yes, and that gets you in the rooms better than nerding that. But have you ever just lost your ship over someone that you met?
Like, you know, I kind of did a little bit with Hollie when I like, you know, it's funny because I had met her a couple of times, but like we were well, it's weird because she at that point she knew me and she's like, ohlean, this is my friend. I was like, what's uping It was Oscar night and we were at the Vanity Fair party. It was like the Oscars had happened. Was after party, and I just I just have to tell her. I was like, your Oscar speech like really made me feel like I could
do anything. And I was like, so for me to be a first on the Emmy stage, just I just couldn't help but think of you, and I wanted to be as eloquent in my sweet as you were in yours, and that to me was like it was And then I just started saying like, yo, man, I own losing Isaiah on DVD.
Just so you know.
I remember watching Alex Haley's Queen. She was so good and I said, I said, I still can't believe you played the second field of Robin Gibbons and Boomerang and she was just like my fie was like, oh, here we go, like he just started coming out. I was just like, bitch, you mean something to us, like you icon. She was like really, I was like yes, Like no, I think sometimes she's like what's up? No, thank you, she don't like She's like like I don't know what was it.
I was like, Yo, Hallie A big deal.
Yeah, I just think like your ass home. I was like, yo, how you mean a lot to us? And I was like you should always know that. She's like I see that. It's like thank you, but you could tell like she really was like, oh okay, like I appreciate that, but like she's still like she's dope and she has she's really had a really great career, continues to have a really dope career. But she's just amazing. She's amazing. So I geeked out. I geeked out on her.
I said the same thing to Summer.
You know, I would geek out over Kree too, and I've met her like we've been at like nac BM, MAJE wors together whatever. But if I had an opportunity, I was like, yo, Cree, Yo, I had that crush when you got with Ron, like the depressed.
That was an odd storyline. We talked about that. She was like she was odd.
I don't I.
Didn't, I did, I did. I didn't know. She went straight into a lawyer and then it.
Was yo, I want to talk to you about but here's here's a realty. I think it actually made sense because it's kind of like that's how it is, this person that can't you kind of can't stand and get on your nerves. But also it made it's like they were very different people when they were in college and they didn't get together until after they both like graduated. I fucked although her and Shaza were lit her and
Shaza but also her, I made. It was so made so much since like, of course, I mean they look like brothers and sister. So with her and Wrong, I thought it was kind of hot.
I didn't get wrong because I don't. I just don't believe light skin on light skin love works.
That's right, Like I.
Just great theory.
I didn't like him and Kim. Him and Kim didn't work at all like him, and you can tell that they that the writers were like this.
I think it was.
You know, Kim had lost all episode when she revealed herself and Jemma was.
Fine, Steve, have you ever watched Different World?
No?
No, it's too black and black?
It is.
It is really black. It's not as black as Amistard, but it's black. It's black.
Wait is it on the iTunes? What a different world? It's I think it's you. You can Okay.
I watched all my TV and on Classic Classic.
I watched the shot.
I watched the first two episodes like I watched I think I watched first episodes over over your house when we were la and then finally when I knew you were coming, I was like, Okay, let me get the rest of them down, let me do my homework. You know what I'm saying, because I really did like the first two and I but then just like shit, So I was like one thing, I really like. It was one and you have the part of me because I'm terrible with character names. I know the actors, but I know
so one thing that really rang true to me. It was the scene where you showed the kid Alex the real yeah his uh scene where he's trying to get with the girl and he has a crush on the girl and so he goes to his sister and his sister is like, oh, you gotta respect women, you gotta do this and don't just tell her eyes pretty whatever. But then you showed another scene where he's riding with red and Redge tells him something completely that Shi it was.
Girl, Yeah, And that like rang so true to me.
Like as a kid, like as a boy, like you know, you'll see your mom might tell you one thing, your uncle got all the holes.
It's like, well.
Yeah, well yeah. And I think that's what we really try to do is just try to like be as honest and as authentic as we possibly can and and just really show like black life. And I feel like that's a part of it. Like dudes, don't they learned about how to be with women from other dudes. And we feel like Red who was sort of like, you know,
he's that dude, He's a runner. He out here, you know, working with people, and he we feel like, what would he say to a car full of three one of the ones of the Little Brothers and other boys, and we feel like this is what he was us, Like he was like.
Man, these kids are shining.
Oh those kids are phenomenal and real Chicago boy, you know, and just a lot of personality, a lot of swag and we and they really we're grateful to them because that's when we get to have the levity. But also, you know, we deal with the real ship, you know, with the character of Jake, who is obviously sort of his bigger brother, where we see how the gangsters are born. You know a lot of people think like, oh yeah, this little black boy is born with like guns in
their hands. We're like, no, it's it's it's nurture, you know, not nature it And I think that's sort of my you know, my mission to show and also sometimes you can have you can be a part of that environment and go the opposite way. Whenever people get all freaked out about Chicago, I'm like, I'm a I'm a part of Chicago. So it's a chance. So it's common. So Jennifer Hudson, you know, so it's like we So it's
Quincy Jones, you know what I mean. So it's like easy, you know, like we That's also what that environment can produce as well.
There was one uh, I'll just a question. I can't aget his name, Stephen Uh from swin Jump Street. We always just who how did y'all get him? Because he's my favorite character. He kills every fucking scene he's I love him.
Well, we kind of really wanted, Like those kind of guys used to be around my house. I live with my grandmother coming up, so those kind of cats are always around my How these old dudes who were like you know who you know where of the silk shirts and the fedoras and whatever. I think they too cool for school. And so I really kind of wanted to have that element of Chicago, like that kind of like O g like who used to run the streets? Yeah, I always know the Pam's rich boyfriend from the episode
of Martin. You know, he's like the skybo. Yeah, we all have street but like, but I was like, we gotta have that element of like what Chicago streets used to be, Like there was a cold, there was an honor because we kept hearing that from a lot of We would just talk to like cats of Chicago maybe who've been, you know, in the streets or whatever, and they were like, there used to be a code and like now there isn't and that's a difference. And so
we kind of want to show that character. And you'll see how now if you if you're caught up, you know how he's connected to the story. I'm not gonna talk about it. But and then the finale is you liked him? Like the finale's gonna really be dope that I was.
Going to ask how in the in the age of the policy, the political climate we're in now where people are so quick to say what about Chicago, like they're really concerned about Chicago. I mean, how heavy does that weigh on your mind when you're as far as how this show is presented to us. Because even for me, maybe the first five minutes when I started watching the pilot, part of me was like, Okay, I'm waiting for I'm waiting for the curtuitist violence. That's just what we know, you know.
And actually, what what were your opinions as a Chicago filmmaker, What were your opinions on Shirak?
Well, I mean, here's the thing. It's like, I feel like everybody has a right.
Spike's been on the show before, so he knows we have a beef with it.
But oh wow, okay, well look, I mean at the end of the day, and I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this, but I wouldn't be sitting here if it warn't a Spike, you know, like I watch shit and like, you know, it's like that's this. We're all his sons and daughters, whether we like it or not. And my thing is, he has a right to tell a story about Chicago. The tough thing is is like you're gonna get a unique story from him
because he's not from there. Like if I told a story about New York, it may not feel one hundred percent like New York because I ain't come up, you know, over here. So I think, and I think what he was trying to do was just bring attention to what was going on. And also he did it through his lens and through his vibe and how he gets down. So I would never attack the movie. I just think for me when I again, mine's not a movie, it's a series, but this is Chicago through my lens, And
I think both are valid. But people can also have a right to say I don't fuck with shy Iraq and I fuck with the shot. That's their right. Or some people may say I don't really fuck with the shot. I like sh Iraq more. That's their prerogative. So I think ultimately we all have a right to make story, to make a movie or a TV show about a particular place. I think it's just a matter of you know, I want to just my shit. I want to be grounded as fuck, real as fuck. That was my mission.
I was like, how can I make sure? And also I think there's ways we could be better about that in season two, and that's my mission as well, to make it blacker, to make it more authentic, to make it more rooted in the city, because that's my goal is just to get a really accurate snapshot of the city, not a super positive one, not a super violent one, because we don't shot away from violence on the show, like we we approach it, but.
It's not super violent. It didn't feel explctated.
I'm just like, that's not all Chicago is. You know, Chicago's also block parties. Chicago's also little kids, you know, not crossing certain blocks. That was a big thing for me. Like my mom was like, okay, you can't go past that street, Like okay, So I want to incorporate that into the show. It's full of grandmother's you know, it's full of like you know, it's like all little Hall's chicken.
You know, it's like and you got people. Because this was my experience where people who were in the community who I wasn't related to, feel very much like my family because they saw me come up, they would like look out for me. They contribute to my college fund, like all that kind of stuff. I think That's the thing I really want to get across Chicago is that we really are very familiar with very much like a community. Anybody ever been in Chicago, Like it feels like a
small town. And I think the same that people don't get when they watch show.
Where they were in uh where miss Ethel is talking to.
I can't remember the other the nurse mom his mom and she's like, get me my uh my cigarettes. I knew what it was.
I was like, yeah, and she and you know, she thought she had some cigarettes, but that was where she kept her money.
That was so my grandmother, you know what I'm saying.
Not with banks was straight up no.
And and I think, and that's to me, there's a homeliness that I'm trying to bring to the show and to show people the city and they just haven't seen before it because it's like I'm from there, Like I know those people. My mom still lives there, you know, My family's sill in Chicago. So I'm always gonna have a connection to it in a way that just other filmmakers just won't. And that's cool question.
When are you gonna execut, produce the two one five?
Look at him speechless welcome back to chat.
I have enough on my on my plate. I'm still trying to exact produce get a piece.
Of a chat with Sugar so uh, well, you know, I do you have anything else?
I do not.
She's about two on five.
Oh no, no, no, I'm good. Okay, thank you for all you do is.
I was about to say that, thank you, Lena. Please don't go anywhere.
I ain't going to where I might back up. You may not see my favorite. You always hear my work.
I just want to hear your voice as long as I can hear your voice.
Coming back on the on the podcasting that keep doing it.
Well, We thank you very much for coming on the show, having me.
And on behalf of Sugar Steve host of a Chat with Sugar Bill.
At the top, a little bit proprior of no news is good news.
And also it's like yeah, uh and thank you Leana for coming on the show.
This quest love, We will see you or the next go round and shout out to Boss Bill. Yeah better boss, go to Urgent Ken around, Craig mack Man, all right, and the other guy good day okay, Ephen.
Hawking, Yeah, only on this podcast with crag back back and that white dude who knew the sign.
Simpsons.
Hey man, you can do that, sience.
Oh my god, wait, wait time out, Just wait a minute.
You're Stephen Hawking references from his episode of The Simpsons.
Wow, I don't I knew who he was before you got.
A movie black. I love the theory of it.
Can't even I already shut down my machine. That is awesome anyway, all right, yeah, shout outs to Craig mac and Steven Hawkin and Matt Dyke, Delictens, Vinyl.
Absolutely, yeah, so we will. This is the only podcast to close off on that.
It's so lucky you would like shout out the Craig Man like no r I P.
Yes, all right, I feel like boss bield a gangst lean by d r s and posts.
All right, we'll see all the next direct.
West Love Supreme. It is a production of iHeart Radio.
This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.