The Jim Jackson Show: Chris Spencer

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Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability and eligibility vary by state. All right, welcome to the show. My guest today is a straight up legend in the game. Yeah you.

You've seen him on the stage, on the screen, and possibly giving notes in the writer's room full of people. Pretending to take him seriously, but he does. Please welcome the one and only a good friend of mine, avid golfer. He doesn't smoke cigars, but I get him there. Chris Spencer.

Golf addict. Yeah, you're ridiculous. We've been sitting there talking about golf courses the whole time. Liz, what's funny? I don't care who you are.

Like today, I was just eating. And this guy disrespected me. But he had on a golf shirt, so then I became his friend. Like I said, I said, Hey man, you went to UCLA? I go, Yeah, I go, Me too.

He goes, Oh, you're an athlete? Man, I was like, now is that racial or do I look at that with shit? No, that's a default question for a black dude that's kind of tall.

So I was, then he had a golf shirt, and then we started talking golf, and then now. Yeah, he became my racist friend. Hey, so listen, it's a funny thing, too. I started off golf as a caddy when I was younger. Really?

I caddied at Inverness Golf Club in Toledo, Ohio. But I did at times because my father made me work.

So I would ride my bike. to the golf course. I immediately went from a junior caddy or apprentice all the way up to an A caddy. It means you go get paid more. But I would do like two rounds sometimes.

You know, during the day in the summertime. You know, and that's when we had back then, it was all tour bags. It wasn't none of those light bags. Oh, especially when you had women that had a lot, had everything in the bag. But at the time, I didn't appreciate the sport.

It was like there really wasn't a lot of black people out there playing. My uncles had their old crew that they would go play, but they played on the public. Right.

So I didn't appreciate the game. But then when I got into the league, And some of my old heads were playing. I got back into kind of okay. This is. Who are some of those people?

It's Ron Harper. Yes. That's a Ron. Ron took me to, is it Yankee? Yankee, whatever, something, Yankee Doodle, Yankee Straits in Ohio.

That's my first real golf course. Right, right. Yeah. And it was Ron.

So, and then. I remember the name Bimbo Coles. They used to hoop.

Okay, so when we were at Golden State, no, when we were at Atlanta. Listen, I'm a little older than you, but everybody you name in basketball.

So we would take this: Lindy Wilkins was real cool. He was our coach at the time. We would take our clubs on the road sometimes.

So I got into the game that way and then. Especially once I retired, that was it. It was just like, where can I go?

So for you, And we'll talk about the comedy stuff later, but this is even more interesting. You know what I mean? What got you in the golf?

So most Black men and people of color, my age, right? I'm talking 26. No, early 50s. Right.

If you could literally go up to somebody that's in their 50s, that's black, that's playing golf, and go, did you start in 97? And they'll be like, how'd you know? Exactly. 97, when Tiger got the checking on Sunday. All of us, especially the entertainers.

We were Hitting golf balls on Monday. Me, Flex, Will, Dwayne Martin, Anthony Anderson, Cedric. Like, we're like, yo, we don't have to hoop no more? We can go golf. We can go golf.

What is it about the game? I've never ever, you know, I used to hoop, but not on your level. I've never dreamt And put outfits out about what I'm wearing tomorrow. Like, I'm thinking what I'm going to wear. Exactly.

We do a golf trip like y'all to the DR, right? I pack all the golf stuff. And then I try to make room for whatever we're gonna do at night. It's sickening. It's sick.

It's sick. Listen, this is how sickening it is. Tell me if you ever do this. You've been driving somewhere. And you're on the freeway, and you look and see some grass, and you'll be like, Is that a golf court?

It's a golf court. Where the sand traps? Where everything is? Yes, or from the plain. Excuse me, sir.

I know I've never been to this part of Portland. What's the country? The thing that people you got to understand, especially playing the team sport, because it's different dynamics when you're in a team sport. Like, does somebody pass you the ball? Do they rebound?

Do they play defense? Whatever, do they help? In golf, bro, you can't blame nobody. You shanked that thing in the woods, you missed the putt. You you dribble it off the tea.

Right.

You can't blame anybody. At all. You want to. Oh, you want to. Man, were you thinking while I was in my backyard?

You know, Carl, I mean, if somebody's working on the core, they go by, you want to blame the shadow on that? Oh, so sorry. Did you ever play with Jim Brown? You've heard stories. I heard stories.

For ladies and gentlemen, Jim Brown, arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time. Um You could, you had to be in certain areas when he was playing. Like, you either had to be dead in front or in behind, or behind. You could not be on his side, you could not be in his peripheral. And I always wondered why.

And then one time I was in Palm Springs, Palm Springs, playing with Fred Williamson. Yeah. Who's his partner? He told me, he said, yo. He said, he said.

He said. Get get behind me or in front of me. I said, what? He said he said, Could I cut us on this? Because of it.

He said, Ass or balls. I go, we said, Mean. He said, You had to be in front of me or the back. I said, Your best friend, Jim, because I know. I go, Why?

He goes, Because in football, that was our blind spots.

So, this is we don't like this. We'd like to see. You're either here or here, but don't be back here effing around. Exactly. Bro, it is, it is.

Traveling now, and I hate this though. I hate this. It's tough to take clubs if I'm only going to go somewhere and play one round. For me. Right.

I want to play multiple rounds, unless it's like a special place that you want to play. Because if I'm going to drag my clubs, I really want to play. Right.

But it's hard for you. You're not going to get Reynolds your size. I know. I can't play with Reynolds. I play Wingfoot.

Wow. because uh it was during the playoffs about three years ago. and FedEx lost my clubs.

Okay, they lost it in a warehouse in Fort Worth.

So I didn't have any clubs. But so I got invited by Mike Breen, who's a play-by-play. Uh for uh ESPN. Yep.

Okay.

So He was like, and my partner, Brian Anderson, who I was with on TNT, he said, I want to invite you guys. You're doing the playoff games. I want to invite you to Wingfoot. I'm like. I don't have no clubs.

I said, I got to do it.

So I just play with rental clubs, play terrible, but you know what? I play Wingfoot. Played Wingfoot. Play Wingfoot. But, bro, I mean, that's, but that's, people don't understand when you, when you golf, You just, I'm not going to rent clubs.

I gotta have because they're spec right. My grips are right. Right.

My shafts, everything else. Everything is capable. My putters catered towards my swing and my getting. Whenever somebody comes to town, And they go, you gonna play? And they go, I'll just rent some.

I go, oh, you don't really play. You don't really play. You don't really play. I only have one friend that does that, and he's a pro and he's just lazy. Will Laurie.

Uh-huh. Will just take anybody's club to shoot 68. See, that's just a skill set right there, bro. But in terms of like dragging your clubs around as an athlete or still being in this. Brevin?

Yeah, Brevitt take it everywhere. Brevit's at Pine Valley right now. Yeah, Brev plays all the time. Brevitt takes his. They told me, like, Yeah, our kids are room we're roommates at college at Howard.

And so, I I found someone just as sick as me. He's sick. He's sick. Like, we have this thing called Grint. Are you on that app, Grint?

He d I You get an alarm when people in your group or friends that are on grant tee off. But Where's Bruce?

Now you Where is he? He plays a lot.

So 97. And speaking of 97, does that transition? Uh at that time It's funny because we're going to talk about it. I want to talk about what you're doing currently and stuff like that. But I want to go back in time because I like.

Kind of the origins, not the origins, so to speak, but kind of a growth process back then and. 1997, you and I did something together because you were hosting the vibe show. Quincy Jones at the time. You got it. 97, right?

We did a sketch or something too, didn't we? We did, I was trying to find some cuts, but we couldn't find it. And you hosted the show. That was your. I have all the episodes.

Do you? Is this live? Yeah, it's live. Damn it. Yeah.

Rewind, you guys. Yeah. No, no, we taped it, so we might be able to put it in. I'm just fine. I'm going to try to find it.

We did a sketch or something. You drove a car, it was like action j it was insan all if it was a spoof. We did something. Yeah. It was, but, but talk to me about it.

I want to go. I want to go back to that time. And people got to understand too. Arsenio kind of set the tone for late night, but African urban show. People, if you're not old enough to remember, kind of.

the feel and sense of what it meant For Arsenio Hall, who happens to be from Ohio, Cleveland. Shout out. Oh, he's in the dye. What he did for TV, okay, late night. Because it was different.

You didn't see people of color like us do what he did, get the guests, but it was energetic. It was exciting. He was emotional at times. It was a party.

So he kind of said that.

So. Take me back through kind of what you were. You're just a young Chris Pencil. Yeah. Hair.

Hair. He had to line up, edge up, everything. What you were, what prompted that with Quincy to come to you? Right.

At that time at a young age, to say, I want Chris to be on the show. and initially what you were feeling when it finally started to come together.

So there was a nationwide search to do a late-night talk show based on the magazine, which was hot. It was the hottest urban magazine, them and source. magazine. And so they wanna do a late night talk show. They they there was a void.

And, you know, there was there was Letterman and Leno. That was it. nothing for us because our sinew had left so did a nationwide search and The manager of the Laugh Factory, Jamie Masada. Uh, was kept asking me, you should go, you'll be a great host. Because I used to always host nights at the laugh factory.

I go. Why would I do that? I'm an actor. You know what I mean? Like, I want to be an actor.

I want you to take you seriously, right? People don't. Not necessarily seriously, but my path was Eddie Murphy. I wasn't thinking Arsenio. And I knew if I became a late-night talk show, it might take me somewhere else, and then I may not ever act again.

So I was a thespian. And he's like, just go meet Quincy Jones. I said, if I meet him, he's going to talk me into it, right? That's how cocky I was.

So I kept saying no, no, no. And he finally said, buddy, just go have a cup of coffee with him. I said, I don't even drink coffee. I'll go meet him.

So I go to Universal Studios, not the rides, but the actual office is at Universal Studios. His back is turned, looking out the window. And I go, they go, Mr. Jones, Chris Spence is here to meet you. And I go, how you doing, Mr.

Jones? He turns around and goes, so you the motherfucker that don't want to be. I was like, oh, this is the real Hollywood. OG. It's the real Hollywood Hollywood.

And we talked about the history of comedy, the history of. Of late night talk shows from you know the Leno's, the Lettermans, the Jack Parr and Merv Griffin. Like he loved it. He's like, we gotta find something to fill this empty void. And so he said, I want you to basically audition for this.

There was like five or six guys that I guess they had a w a week of Uh, mock interviews and who else? Who else? Do you remember who else they interviewed for that?

Okay, I don't. It'd be interesting to see who else they had for that. Yeah. And I won. I won.

And we had this concept of me doing this incredibly late-night talk show based on the magazine. And then things went awry when Keenan. Also got a late night talk show. And so now, not only were we going to split this. Underserved black audience.

They announced us coming out on the same day at the same time. August 4th at 11 p.m. Chris Spencer, not even Chris Spencer's the vibe. I can talk about that too. Vibe and the Keenan Show.

So now we have people flipping back and forth trying to figure out which black show they want to watch.

Now, do you think what Hollywood too was that something that was done on purpose? Absolutely. Back then, I couldn't. They were like, it's such a great sport that you don't talk bad about it. I think it was like.

Let's let them battle it out. Really? Because Arsenio at that time in 97 had already done 94 after the Ferra concept, right? No, no, no. People, that's what we all think.

Right, but it's not. He actually carried on for like a year. But that, but that was kind of like. The straw right there that kind of started stuff. Because I know at the time, And you know, you know better than me that The network and the show, they didn't want him to have.

Minister Fair Common. Our CNEO was like, no, I'm having them on. Right.

So he fought that. Yeah. So at that time, so the void was there, two black shows. Two up-and-coming well, he was already kind of Keenan was already a host.

So, Ten's a host, right. battling out For not only this audience, but even guessed Like, I'll be like, yo, for example, Jamie Foxx, I need you to come to my show. He'd be like, you know, I got to do Keenan first. That whole experience, because it was kind of short-lived with because of all these dynamics that's going on. Right.

Okay.

That you had to deal with. You wanted some creative control, you wanted the show to go a certain way. Sure. They didn't.

Well, what would happen is, I hate to interrupt you. No, no. is There's this urban magazine, right? And I'm trying to be urban, but of course we have to. Uh We sh should have had to.

They wanted to cater to The entire country. And I'm like, yo, we need to actually focus on our audience and then they will come. You're right. Like, they would tell me I was talking to the black guests differently. Um And like, you know, you you had this whole conversation with Don Cheeto, like, I don't know if a little lady in Idaho knows what that is.

I'm like, why is she watching Vibe at 11 o'clock at night? Why are you caring about her? We should be caring about the people who love Don Cheeto and love Vibe magazine and love this culture. And then they will come, just like with the music. People come.

They didn't.

Nas didn't write songs for everybody. He wrote songs for us, and then everybody came. Oh, wait, but let me ask you this, though.

So, was it during the pitch when they talked to you about how we're gonna structure the show? Right.

Was that a conversation at the time? Of what your target audience is. Sure, the target audience was definitely us, but they definitely would market it to everybody so everybody would know about what us was doing. And it just kind of went awry, especially that now you have these two black hosts. Fighting for this little audience.

You know what I mean? But the influence of Vibe was crazy because. Stuff that I was creating on the show, like, you know, our city, we had Woof Wolf, and I had a thing we were doing Razor Roof. I would turn on Leno and Leno was raising the roof. I'm like.

And They started having more urban guests on Letterman and Leno. Like, they definitely had black people on the show, but they were urban, but they had more urban guests. Yeah, black people, don't get me wrong, but really at that time, because hip-hop, like hip-hop, everything, everything was really animated and genuine, and those kind of people started going on Leno at first, at first they were no Mary Jane. No, no, she was on my show first, right? Usher was on my show first.

Yeah, and then they were like, yo, we gotta We got to get this audience. Wow. So for s going through that too, and it it's all As you evolve as a comedian, actor, What did you take away from that? Because it's easy to go one way, like, man, I failed, or I didn't succeed. I got to hear all this negativity.

I may not recover from that. But you went a different way. What. Did you learn from that whole experience? Um And call it negative, and it's so funny.

I have a thing called Chris's Two Cents. I love it. You're stupid, too. You still.

So, yesterday, I said one of my people: you know, if you come to this city, get ready to deal with liars because people lie. That's the one. Yes. And every, you know, people call me. $5 million.

People call me. You said, say, go give you $5 million for your movie. People call me, we talking about me? I was like, kinda. There's so people lie, they lie to each other.

And then people, you know, since I'm like. The mayor of Black Hollywood, right? Like everybody calls me for everybody else's number because I'm friends with everybody, I get along with everybody. And so. When people were calling me, going, are you talking about me?

I'm like, Not you, but a prototype. Because people they have your best interest. A lot of times. And then sometimes they blow smoke up your airs and sometimes they just want to be liked. You know what I mean?

But people, people promise you stuff. And I go, oh, people call me about, do you think this can happen? Or they tell me, yo, this dude just told me this, this, and this. And I'll be like, It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen.

You're a hater. No. No, you'd have been through it. You'd have been through it. You've been through it.

And that's what I'm talking about as far as what. How that situation It's been some other times after that you still had to learn. You still had to go through some stuff.

So, what I learned was that. You have to keep your guards up. Right? You have to protect yourself because I don't care who they are. They will disappoint you.

And you'll be like, You? The one I loved and trusted you. And he goes. He would want him to go. I'm the one that usually does that.

You're not going to be disappointed by somebody you don't care about. True.

So Uh keep your guards up people coming out to Hollywood. Um It's make-believe.

Okay.

It's make believe. And so, if you keep that in mind, like all this ain't real, I think you'll do just fine. The people who are doing just fine understand that. But yeah, it's his It's tough out here. Even the safest drivers still encounter unsafe conditions, so it's important they do it in a safe vehicle.

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So, how have you got burnt out? I'm looking at this because you're out there. I'm burnt. Look at this. You know, you're just that here.

A Morris here in Boris. Did you wear a hat? Yes. That just didn't work. Yeah.

Yeah. No, this is I just started wearing a hat Yeah, I was horrible with the hackers I I know. I know. I had I I need to be wearing glasses too, they told me some shades.

So, I can't play with Shays, bro. I've never tried, but I'm supposed to. It feels uncomfortable. That's how the hat needs to feel for me. But then, you know, I gotta wear a hat.

And then my wife's telling me I gotta wear the this this the suntan, whatever this sun block. Yo, you know, the chemicals in that kind of messed up. Exactly. It's real messed up. Yeah.

And I think I'm real Afrikaner, so I don't need to. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The melanin. Um the What's interesting about your career, too, is that... You've grown so much as a comedian, and as an actor.

You talked about it, and we're going to go back to. Part of your trajectory, what you want. Have you seen me since that was about since the beginning? Because you, it's funny because you talked about this, and I think that's a very important point that you wanted to make and you wanted to kind of stick to that you had a plan already. Your plan, even though it was kind of set in set, not gonna say it in stone, but.

It was already The precedent was already set with Eddie Murphy by being this high-level comedian, but then being able to transfer. that talent into a bigger platform in the film and movie and stuff like that. But from the comedy side, you had to take care of that part first. How, go back in 2000, 2001, what kind of comedian was Chris Finch?

So here's the problem with why I don't think I. I did myself a disservice because Of a talent that I have as a comedian.

So, as a comedian, you need to, all the greats, right? Kevin, Dave, Chris, Epps. Cedric uh They work on their act over and over and over again until it's perfected. I had a problem. With saying the same stuff over and over again.

Cause I relied on my wit a lot. I liked, you know, Crowdwork is real famous now and popular. Like, I was the king of that. And so I never ever really Focused on honing my act. And I never really did the road much.

Like how these people, you know, you start off as a feature, then you become a middle, and then you become a headline. Because I kind of came into the industry spoiled. I was on the road opening for Jeff Foxworthy.

So I'm staying at the Ritz, and we on, you know, I'm in first class, and I'm in theaters. And then, and then from him, I went to Damon Wayans. And I'm at the Ritz and then I'm on, you know, first class. And then and so. I never ever Did it that way where you really grow and become a great comedian?

You need to be doing an hour night in, night out. I was in town doing commercials. I was hosting rooms, so I made enough money to not have to do that.

So I did myself a disservice of not. Becoming a great comedian because I hated repeating.

So I hosted a lot of stuff all around the country. And so if I was to go back. I would definitely do just that. In 2000. is when I I see.

Two thousand, two thousand one Yeah, I was still, I was, you know, I was doing bit roles and movies and TV shows. I didn't really focus enough. On the pure art of standing. Of really. It's like.

I can hoop, like a player, not me in general, but a player. And this is what you're talking about. I can hoop, but I really don't put in the work the hours needed to really be great. I can be really good because I'm talented as a player. But to really be great, great, it's the repetition.

It's those Kobe stories, those Jordan stories. That's right, in the gym, all the time. And that's what separates. And for you, I don't think it's not. the the comedy side Because you're you're really good, especially Writing jokes, but also impromptu, but it was putting in the work to develop your show and what that was.

You know what I mean? And that part is as important as because the presentation on stage is what brings people in or makes people want to leave. Absolutely. Yeah. You know, it's interesting that you say that too, because I, you know, from the outside looking in, I'm like, well, he has all these different options.

Right.

He's, you know, over here, he's doing this. But in your mind, you're like, Yeah, but if I would have to be able to do that. If I really would have honed in, but but maybe that's your gift too, though. Mm-hmm. With regards to Maybe the The stand-up Putting those hours in really wasn't who you truly are as a performer.

It's quite possible. I mean, it could possibly be that. But at the time when you're younger, a lot of times you don't see it. No. You know, you're on that grind.

You're on that. And you know what you wanted at the time, too. If you were to go back and play, would you have Done more?

Well, but here's... Because it came natural to you, right? It came so natural, but I always worked hard. I mean, when guys were asleep, but guys. You know, we talk about Kobe's work ethic and Mike's.

It's so it's a lot of guys that put in the work, sure, but. Those guys, because they're Such phenomenal players and great information. you know, once in a lifetime. It seems like they do above and beyond. And they do at times, but they have a gift.

Mm. I was out here running the sand dunes. I was out working two to three times a day. I'm doing all the stuff.

So I put in the work. My thing was I got hurt. My third year when I tore my ankle up.

So that totally changed. Right.

Ask a Grant Hill, ask a Penny Hardawood, not seeing that I'm on their level. We, I don't know if I don't know if we were in a barbershop, but we had a barbershop conversation of what if they never got hurt. And the three names you just said. I'm telling you. But I see it, though, with players that are so talented that they've been so much better.

That the work ethic is not there. And you're seeing that in the comedy side, too, because I love comedy. I love watching, but I love to see how people perform and kind of put the show together and evolve. And speaking of evolvement though, You not only, and we'll talk about this in a little bit more depth too. The On stage presence.

Acting but also the writing. And do people really understand kind of the writing part of what you're doing? This was crazy. People come up to me who I don't know and they'd be like, Hey, but You'd be right. How do they say that?

They think I'm like, remember the commercial Beatrice? They don't invent the blah, but they make it better. They think I'm that guy for everybody. He'd be writing for everybody. I'm like, no.

So I think I got the moniker writing for everybody because I do the award shows, right?

So I'm always writing for everybody.

So, what award shows? From Image. Golden Globes, BET Awards, Emmys.

Now these are white and black comedians. White and black comedians. Right.

Most of the blacks.

Okay.

I prefer the blacks. The blacks. Yes. That's where I get hired. The white comedians usually have their friends just like me.

So, what happens on these award shows is that. If Jimmy Jackson is hosting the Espies, he's going to call the people who know his voice, and we're going to write for you. Like I wrote for Steph. I called him out of nowhere. I called Will Lowry.

Steph's hosting the Espys. He needs me. I don't want no money. I just need to be there by his side. Really?

Really? Then take a check. Yeah. And how open was Steph to that? Very open.

Very open wide open. And he hit the shot. Right.

So. But Jamie, Cedric, Kevin, Epps. Tiffany, Wanda Sykes, like I'm there somewhere. You know what I mean? And it's gotten to a point where this is where I people point at me and they don't name like TV shows, they go.

You be right. You be right. You make everybody great. Not everybody. But it's gotten to a point now where people will watch an award show.

And then they'll go. They know exactly which, they know which joke I wrote. Really? Every time.

So you did it for Tom Brady, right? For The Roast? Yes. For Kevin. You did it for Kevin.

I wrote for Kevin. For Kevin. Yes. I wrote for Kevin. So, how is it working with comedians like that?

Because we came up in the trenches together. You know what I mean? So imagine dudes who went to your AAU camp and now they demand. I know. I love it, man.

I love Kevin. I love seeing him win. And he always hires me. You know, we created real husbands together.

So. Our children are best friends, so that's like my brother, you know what I mean? But These people trust me because we know each other. When we were at McDonald's or whatever, joking, and before there was a show and all of this. They know I'm funny.

They know I know. Jamie knows if, for example, we did the Espes in 2000. You're there. Matter of fact, it's a shot when he says a joke, and you go, ooh, yeah. I think it was about Serena or something.

Anyway, the tennis ball thing, remember tennis?

So. Jamie, they hired me a lot because I'm the liaison sometimes between the production people and the act. Right.

So Jamie might not say F that joke, but I'm gonna go. You know, Jamie ain't gonna do that, so we gotta kind of figure out a way to do it. I'm the voice for these people.

So they could always be The good guy. You know what I mean? And not that I'm the bad guy, but I'm going to speak for I'm going to speak up for them. And that's why they also they love my pen, but they also love my voice. Is it but for a comedian like Jamie, for a comedian like Kevin Hart or Say, is it Because you know them.

Is it tougher still because you know them?

Sometimes to when they don't take a joke you want. No, okay. 'Cause I have another one. Another one. Listen, I'm so arrogant now with my comedy.

Like, if I do it, if I'm on stage and the joke doesn't work. I think you didn't get it. There's no way. There's no way it can't be funny, right? Who are these re- These people, these people who don't get it.

Is it someone you wrote for that you say I'd never write for him again? Didn't come across. I mean, I've written for people and they've said my words wrong, and this didn't work, and I told you that wouldn't work. But no, we love each other. This comedy fraternity.

You know, you hear all this beef. And It's so small. You know, the people who are going at each other, but the rest of us. Love seeing each other. We love seeing each other at the airport.

Right, when you're traveling, doing stuff. But is it. Like competition, you got competition in in sports. And now in con in in comedy, but you have a A camaraderie, unwritten, friendly competition. But how how big is it?

In your time as far as Joke stealing. I don't really hear about it. Here's what's so funny. Uh, I have a friend. And He called me one night and said, Yo, I was in Toledo last night.

And uh I wasn't doing well. And I I did your joke. That's honest, right? I said, did it kill? It killed.

It killed. But this is how funny he is.

So he calls me a couple months later. I go, you know, he goes, I just shot my special. I go, congratulations. He said. You know that joke we do?

That sounded weird. He did my junk on the special. Did he? It was actually an older joke, but it was just the honesty. I don't really hear about people stealing jokes anymore.

It used to be bad. You remember the 90s? People getting the fights, knocked out. That's what I was, and that's the point I was getting to.

So, did the era, the time to switch? Because. Even you had some stuff going on in the 80s like that, too. Right, yes. Comedy-wise.

Why do you think that changed? I know it still happens. I mean, maybe, maybe not everybody. I'm an elderly statesman now.

So just like you don't hear Much locker room stuff anymore. I don't really hear. That stuff as much anymore. I'm sure. I'm going to push back because in today's world with social media and all these internet and everything.

A lot more stuff gets out. I know the stuff that's out, sure.

Okay, okay. But I'm just talking about like the inner working. I'll have to hear it later. You know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And so, but I'm not in the trenches like that anymore.

Maybe that's a better way to say it. I'm not sure. Yeah. They see me and they're like, oh, you know, hey man, can you help me with this? I'm not hearing about these two younger guys fighting over a joke, but you remember in the 90s, dude.

It was. It was. It was ugly. I remember arguments like this: Hey man, you stole my joke. What joke?

The thing about the blah blah blah. He said, Dude, I've been doing that joke for eight years. He's like, I've been doing it for six. Like he had a point. Hey, but it it's it's But you've been in it.

So changes in comedy and you know And I always like to relate things to sports because each era is different. And I tell people this all the time. They say, well, Steph. If Seth played back in the late 80s, 90s. He couldn't compete.

I said, let me explain something to you. I said, one, you can't just transfer his talent, what he's doing today. And take that back. They said, well, why? I said, because he would grow up playing the game, being taught differently.

Okay, so you're telling me. Steph couldn't play back then, but Muggsy could. Dee Brown could. Michael Adams could. Terrell Brandon could.

Spud Webb could. And they're shorter than staff.

So But they grew up being taught to play on the playground in the alley, you know, in these gyms and physical.

So his game wouldn't be the same. Right.

And you, and it's just like you can't. transfer a player from the 80s and put him into Like Jordan if Jordan played today, he'd be a different player because he'd be so. From comedy. Yep.

It's changed so much, it evolved, but yet the essence is still the same. How have you seen the growth? Or the changes since the 90s, 2000 to where we're at now.

So earlier, I think there were more storytellers, the Cosby's, the Pryors, and audiences were patient. Right? You could tell a long form story. You could do mud bone. And you could do these characters.

and the audience would sit. And I think With the advent of Comic View and DevJam, comedy became faster. We want the joke now. You know what I mean? And I think.

That storytelling form is starting to come back with Dave and like Ali Sadiq. Like people are taking their, Kevin takes his time with these stories. And so, I mean, funny is funny. Like you said, if you're good, you're good. You can adapt into any era.

And so I like seeing that kind of stuff again. Where people are telling these Longer form stories as opposed to joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke. But David does it, Chappelle does it. with a mixture It's comedic. Oh, there's, but it's political.

Yes. It's truth. It's. It's a lot of things that go, and I think that he's earned that reputation where people are going to be more patient to actually see what he's going to say. Exactly.

And sometimes it's not even a joke. It's kind of the depth in which he's telling the story. And everybody can't do that. Kevin does his a different way, he keeps you in. Right.

By little sidebars and then he leads up to it.

So Who else would you say? Kind of from a young perspective, you've seen a young comedian. that kind of has those chops right now. It was a good question, right? Yeah.

There's a guy Named Brian Simpson. Makes me laugh. One. He's just so smart and he sits in the pocket and this stuff going by him and he doesn't really do many urban rooms. But he'll kill in any room.

He's just patient, and his stuff is. Sidney Castillo has a special out right now. He kind of came up under us, right? He's he was on a roll with me early and then uh with with Marlon Wands. Marlin has grown Like, I've never seen somebody go from that to that.

Like, so I don't know if you can call Marlon young anymore. He used to be the young guy, now he's 52, so maybe not Marlon. But City Castillo is one to watch. Um Who are some of the other people I think? Oh, he's great.

Ohio, by the way. I know that's why you said it. Oh. Come on, bro. Matt Reif is great.

Nate Jackson, who's kind of an underling of, not an underling of Matt. He was one of his boys. He does a lot of crowd work like that, too. Um so there's some there's some funny kids out there. Like Ryan Davis, he sits in the pocket too.

Um Uh Uh uh uh uh DC Youngfly. DC Youngfly. Like these people, this is another conversation: there was this advent of all these social media guys, right? Mm-hmm. And they were going out doing stand-up.

And selling out tickets, selling tickets. And a lot of the older guys were mad because these young guys who weren't funny were selling tickets, and then they're funny and not selling tickets. And then those young dudes start getting their ass handed to them. And they finally, and some of them realized I got to become a real stand-up.

So the DC Young flies, the King Batches, the Desi Banks, they all started to really study. Like, I would see DC Young fly in the club. Studying.

So he would go to different and not you want to go up to the he just watch it.

So she she's scouting. The scouting report. Scouting report. And I love seeing that because now I've seen these guys five years later now. And they're incredible comedians.

So, so for you, It's a two-pronged question. As a young comedian. Best advice you got and The advice that you would give a young comedian coming up right now? Damon Williams, right, who I used to open for. He told me He told me, which is kind of um Back to what I was saying about having These longer form conversations.

He says, You're not going to be great until you can enjoy the silence. Mm. And so And I'd be like, what? I didn't understand what they meant when I'm 26 years old. But I love being the puppet master.

Like we tell you Dave tell a story and it's quiet. And he's doing this, this and this, and then he goes Boom. Oh, when the room is silent. It's like a 300-yard drive. Or is like a musician.

That changes the tone and tempo of a song and brings the crowd down. I could do whatever I want, I'm the puppet master. And so If you want to be great young comedians, you have to learn how to appreciate the silence. I would just take exactly what he told me. And tell them, but that's silence for a that's silence from jokes that aren't.

Okay, that's what I'm saying. See, that's the difference. With Dave Chappelle, you see people lean into it a lot, exactly. They lean into that, right. Yeah.

One of my favorite comedians uh one of the greatest comedians and he's more of a Comedian's comedian, because he hasn't really done it in a long time. Do you remember Daryl Heath? Yeah. Dural He didn't do a lot anymore. They're all used to do stuff.

And I'll be like how? But he was good at the silence. Like He would do stuff to make you lean in. Like, I remember one time we're in Atlanta for Laffapaloo's earthquake. I keep hearing the word, who's this earthquake?

Earthquake, earthquake. I was like, Who's this earthquake? They go, You'll see it. I walked in, and the walls were shaking. And I was like, Oh, that's why.

And they're like, Darl, you're up next. He's like, Okay, I was like. Are you crazy? Hey, can we put something up before Duro? He's like, no, no, I'm good.

And so Duro would go up. Yeah, you're doing you're good.

Alright, everybody's a nice shirt, man. And now you like. Yeah. And when I was seeing him do this, I'm like, he got him. He got up.

It's home. He because earthquake, I mean, they're still putting the lamps back up. And he'd be like, Yeah, it's a nice shirt, man. Yeah. It's a great crowd.

That's your woman. She's beautiful. How are you doing? Yeah. I'm Durham, I'm from LA, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And people are like. But he he they were like Hypnotized. And so That's when the silence works, when you're in control of the silence.

Now, if you're saying jokes and they're quiet, that's not what Damon Williams was talking about.

Well, you know, it's interesting too because there's a lot of storylines and we use Tragedy, not me, but comedian. Sure. As a way to lighten the subject matter a little bit more. But I think you said this, and a lot of comedians said that, that back in the day, You had to you have some form of the laughter laughter. to get through the trauma that that you were going through.

But it's hard to tell the truth about yourself. It's easy to tell about somebody else. When did you get to that point in your career where telling the truth and being able to be cool with that with yourself? was comfortable. The real truth.

Damon. Damon would say stuff, I'm like You sure you want everybody to know that? You know what I mean? That honesty. You know why people love Kevin?

Not because he has the funny laugh and that he's short. He brings you in. Why do you put the short in there? He's sure. Why are you throwing this shit?

People like short people. He's amusing. He's short. He looks cute, right? Oh, he's so cute.

But he brings you into stuff in his world. He talks about his marriage. His father was on drugs. He talks about, you know, the way he came up. He talks about his kids and not liking this kid.

And this kid is a cry. Like, he's giving you information, like, yo, should you be sharing that? But then you go, yo. My dad does drugs. Exactly.

You know, so he makes yourself. He makes himself enduring to you. And even if you don't have the same problems as him, the fact that he's opening up to you makes you go, wow. I love this. That's why you love Mike Epps, too.

Mike Epps tells you everything. Everything. I think that's what. Mike Epps has a joke about. Yeah.

Yeah. Some of his kids are ugly. How could you say that? I know, right? Yeah, I hadn't made it yet, or whatever he said to them.

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So Bombus would like to thank you 150 million times, but we only have like 30 seconds. Go to Bombas.com and use code AUDIO for 20% off your first purchase. That's B-O-M-B-A-S.com and use code AUDIO at checkout. But it that's what us being older And I wasn't supposed to be watching it at the time, but because of the way my parents and the people were, it was Richard Pryor. Of course.

Richard would tell you about the cocaine addiction, about the women, about his abuse growing up. Growing up in a brothel. Growing up in a brothel. But if it You know, line of Sunset Strip. It just The red suit.

Yes. The black shirt. Sure. It just. It was so authentic.

Now, again, the story had been told about his life and everything, but yet, and still, even though you knew the story, you knew the background, you knew what was going on, when he started to bring you in and started to talk to these. to these things that happen in his life. It was almost like the first time hearing it because the way he presented it. Yeah, remember he talked about.

Well, he set himself on fire. That's right. They talk about the bad jokes y'all doing. I heard y'all's jokes. Yeah, I said, What is this?

Richard Perry running down the street. F y'all. Yeah. But he makes fun of and that's that's an endearing quality even though he was He had all this other he was. He had another person, not another person over here.

Yeah. You know, his. Personal life. than his comedic life. Two different people.

Two different people. In fact, the voice, and so funny, I was talking to my friend E. Clemens, who portrayed Richard Pryor in this miniseries. And a lot of people were wondering why he wasn't imitating Richard Pryor. Right.

But he's like, if you watch interviews with Richard Pryor, that guy doesn't sound like. Live on Sunset Strip. Like he had a different cadence, a different voice. He said, So I was doing. Him because you're going to see me do it.

I'm not really going to do a performance in this TV show. I'm going to be having conversations and interacting with the rest of these characters. And so Those I think there was two different Richards. Maybe three or four. It might have been, but you know, but you see.

A different Richard and Stir Crazy. Yeah. Okay, the movie. It's my one of my favorite, you know. Yeah.

I mean, but his. It's interesting too at that time. Was that in 70, 78, something like that? Uh, you got this picture in your mind, and I know. You know, probably for the white audience, they had this in his mind about Richard Pryor, who he was.

Even though they saw something, how could he pull this off? What was it? It was Gene Wilder. Who was a genius? He was a genius.

Willie Wonka, shout out. Made me want chocolate all day long. All day long. But, but. The chemistry between the two.

Remember, they did three movies together. They did Here No Evil, Saint No Evil, and Silverstreak. Silverstreak. But it's just Watching the dynamic and you talked about the Richard Pride, the genius in him, going from just doing stand-up. performing and then the acting.

Right.

And then even what he played in Harlem Knights. God. I mean, it's just to have to, and basically, you're talking about the funniest man in the world who said, okay, I'm here with Red Fox and Richard and Eddie Murphy. I'm going to be the straight man. The straight man.

But he still was funny. But he's like, I'm going to let them do that and I'm going to sit back and do this. I'm going to be the quarterback. Genius. And that guy ain't the same guy in the toy.

Right? Right? That's not the same guy in Lady Sings of Blue. Not at all. No, it's not.

He had range. He had. He had speaking of Red Fox. See that shirt right there, partner? It's so funny when young people ask me who this is, I'm like, you're so disrespectful.

So people don't realize, too, young people, they may see Sanford and Sun, they don't understand that he was a comedian. And Malcolm X is best friend. Right.

Isn't that crazy? Ain't that crazy? Can you imagine you walking down the street and you go, yeah, two different reds, two different reds. But, you know, watching those, I guess, part of. And again, I'm not the novice as far as knowing everything, but growing up at the time, comedy was huge.

Yeah. When I was younger. You know, because whether you saw a stand-up or not, a lot of the sitcoms had a lot of comedy in it. God, I miss. I missed those.

We came up in a great era. Seventies eighties We had more Black shows on T V.

Well, at that time, compared to what we see now. We actually have a lot of black shows now. I'm talking about more dramas. Dramas, and I mean, but. I mean, what's happening?

Good times. The Jeffersons, 228. I mean, 227. Yep.

What am I missing? San Fernando. San Fernand. Yes. I knew you want to come a little later to Cosme Show.

There was an era in the 90s we were winning too with Hang with Mr. Cooper and Jamie Fox and Martin.

So it's like, I don't know if it's cyclical. Right.

Like, they're going to be funny now.

Now we're going to make them dramatic. They're going to be funny now.

So I think they're trying to lean back in because actually Tommy Davidson. Has a new show possibly coming out from that character Varnell, he played on Martin. And so I think they're coming back. You know, Mike Epps, they have a multi-cam on Netflix, him and Wanda Sykes and Kim Fields. And then there was this great show called The Real Husbands of Hollywood.

You know, let me stop you there. And maybe I should, maybe I should skew it a little bit more. There are a lot of shows, but back then, Because of the change in how we're viewing shows, whether they're streaming platforms, And you don't have to be on network TV. Back then, you didn't have the offering. You had to run home and be on TV.

You had to be home and watch it.

Now you can watch it.

So let me preface that and say: back then, it was on primetime TV. Jeffersons came on at a certain time, prime time-wise, okay? And you had to be there to watch. If you missed it. If you missed it, it wasn't no rerun.

You had to wait. You had to wait somehow to they ran a rerun. Right.

But do you see that continuing to evolve with the expansion of. The streaming, the streaming and everything. Yeah, I think it's harder to sell now. I think. Um, they're making there's a lot of cutbacks.

All these studios cutting back. Oh my god, writer's rooms now are like one dude, two dudes. It used to be 10, 15 people. They used to be. Uh, you know, back then a season was 24, 26 episodes.

Now it's eight, six. And so you end up Binge watching, and then you have nothing to watch. You know what I mean? So that's kind of messed up. I hate that.

I hate when shows. Don't allow me to binge watch, and then I hate the watch. You should have binge watch it. I'm like, I don't want to watch another one. I want to save it.

Be up all night. Be up all night. Yes. All night long. That's the.

And I guess I see a lot of young and up-and-coming actors, comedians getting into the space. And then like what's the next iteration of Comedy. Are we are going to get back to those? Shows that, so back in the day, you got with your family. That was the beautiful part of.

Right.

You know, the 70s and 80s, and that you sat down, really in the 70s and 80s, too. You sat down with your family, got popcorn, got whatever it was, got in front of the TV. and you watch the show together. We do that. Like my wife We have a screen in the backyard.

We have movie night and TV night. And we bring, we have the kids come. What do you want to watch? And we've brought back the classics for them to know so they can know that their music ain't shit and that these TV shows ain't shit.

So you can know why we talk the way we talk, why we're so judgmental when we see this. Just like, hey, my dad thought Dr. J was better than Jordan. But I We make sure that they've seen all of it. Then now you can compare and contrast.

And what's speaking to bringing your kids back and growing up? In this world, in Hollywood, as a comedian. How has that shaped you as a father? And the kids, at one point in the day, again, with athletes, that's just my dad trying to be funny. He ain't that funny.

So one Being a father in Hollywood. How was that? and the things you had to go through, but. How do your kids when they were younger really see you. I mean, you know, it's so funny, like...

I'm just dead. You know what I mean? Like... Other people are famous. But I see dad every day.

Every day. I heard dad farting. You know what I mean? Dad picks his toes. Dad is getting cussed out by mommy.

He's normal, but I've never heard. Dave Chappelle gets cussed out. I've never heard. You know, Denzel, you know, so they're still. You know, even though you grow up in this, there's still somebody that's gonna make you go, yo.

You know what I mean? Cute story.

So, Kevin's daughter and my kids are best friends. We're in, God, this is gonna sound very bougie. We're in the vineyard. Oh, in the vineyard. About to play golf.

And um Don Chilo comes over to pick me up to go play. and Kevin's daughter froze. Hey, what's wrong with you? She goes. She knows she ran back in the room.

I go with you.

Now, she's a big comic book person. She goes, she's crying. I go, what's wrong? She goes, Is War Machine up to? War Machine.

War Machine. I go, yeah. I said, come say hi to War Machine. I can't say hi to War Machine. And I'm thinking, your dad's Kim and Hart, but that's her dad.

That's her dad. That ain't her. That ain't mouse, you know what I mean? Yeah. So yeah, I mean, you know, just like your kids.

You know, it was cool when they saw you. Yeah, they like. But then, you know, back then there was. Like, oh Jason Kidd or whatever, you know what I mean? It's the same it's a it's a funny dynamic, but what were some of the challenges to being a father in Hollywood raising kids?

I was lucky, man. My wife is such a disciplinarian. Like, You know, we were. Amongst you know the super uber wealthy And Our kids never were like, I want what he has, or I want what she has. Because we gave it to them.

Because we gave it to him. It might not have been the year. We gave it to them. It might not have been the year it came out, but they got it. They got it.

I don't think my kids ever. They were they were we were so lucky. They never were like trying to compare and contrast. But you know, and that's the problem with our culture like on my block Right, the block that I live on, some decent houses, right? But You know, we're the black family with the BMWs in the Mercedes.

Everybody's got Subarus and Camrys. That's what we're supposed to have, right? But I can't go on sunset with the Subaru or they'd be like, What happened to Chris? Is he okay?

Well, he thought you just wanted out back. Yeah, damn, man. He ain't surviving his vibe. He all bad. He ain't surviving his vibe.

You know what I mean? Like, we kind of have to have, although I also want nice stuff, but my block, you know. Pathfinders and this dude probably make way more money than me. But nobody would know by his government. Did you ever fall into that trap in Hollywood?

Again, you got the kids, but trying to keep up, trying to impress, trying to. I don't know about impress, but I was never gonna make us look down upon. You know what I mean? Nobody was gonna ever feel sorry for it. Not that they would have ever had to, but.

We keep up. You know what I mean? Like, I would literally, I don't know if you remember my post. Whenever I worked, I would tell my hashtag was another month of private school. That check going right up to check going right to him.

Yeah, so kids had a great life. And it's something too, because it's a challenge. With you one being famous. That's one thing. I'm not famous.

I'm popular.

Okay.

Okay.

Like, if like, if this was high school, there'd be the quarterback, the receiver. I was the strong safety. You were strong safety.

Okay, but. You're very popular. But you're growing up in LA and in Hollywood in this environment raising. Kit. Yeah.

And Those intimate conversations that you had to have with them about what life is really about and stay with it, but yet give them. Yeah. The things that they were given. And you know, you grew up, where'd you grow up? You grew up in Inglewood.

As much as we want to duplicate how we grew up and give it to our kids, we know we can't. You know, from an education perspective, you got to send them to a really great school. I remember somebody said this. Yeah. I was trying to be my parents, right?

Right.

So they wanted something. I go. We can't be spending money like this, da da da, we can't afford it. She went. That's what you're doing.

Did she did she she said that thing She goes, yeah, we can go. Oh, he can't. I will try to be my mom. Yeah, we can. I was like, ah shit, you you ruined it.

But we definitely didn't. I wouldn't say we spoiled them. They worked for everything that they got. Yeah, and then All we want in return is is respect. And we love to hear other people say something great about your kids.

You know what I mean? I was always. Would make me excited, like the teacher or another parent of a kid when I go pick them up. Your son, I wish my son was like your son, or I wish my daughter cleaned up after herself, like that kind of stuff is rewarding. That's how they earned the Jordans.

You know what I mean? Right.

Did you feel it was an extra burden too that your kids had to be in line just because of who you were? I mean, how they cared themselves. You know what I mean? I'm the same way with Mike, just because the level of expectation. that I know my sons had to be on point.

Mm-hmm. Because the expectation. That's right. And I wanted them to represent themselves, first of all, and the family. But I felt that added responsibility as a father.

To ensure that they were prepared and can handle themselves in any situation. I got a young one that's seven, my oldest, 32. Yep.

That you can. You know, and I took pride in that. Yes. And when I hear those comments about it, yeah. Yeah, when other people say stuff about your kids, you go, babe, we did a good job.

I told you if we kept beating them, all this stuff would work. And as you look at it too, Kids are Hold now. 2018. 2018. Last one is going to be gone.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Okay, so now. What still drives you? on the comedy side.

Because I'm not finished. Finish okay. What's next? Like I have a special I need that to drop.

Okay.

Like, I don't want my tombstone to read, boy, he could write for everybody. Like, I want to be known as a great performer as well. And so we've got Bring that back to the beginning. Mm-hmm. Of the evolvement of Chris Spencer not performing.

In front of the camera or on stage? All of it.

Okay.

I'm too cute for radio. I'm burnt, but yeah, man, I'm a performer. Literally, like. I do all these other things. Like if this was high school.

We walk into the cafeteria. And I walked in and Spike Lee and F. Gary Gray and Gina Prince Bythwood were over here at the directors. These guys got to be the future directors. And then over here is Kenya Barris and Lena Waith.

And the future writer, showrunner, producer, Shonda Rhymes. And over here is Tiffany and Cedric and All the silly people. I'm going right over here. Jay Phillips and the clowns. I'm a clown.

Reuben Paul. This is somebody named Buddy Lewis. You know, buddy. I'm going over here. I am, I do all this.

I'll say what's up to them. Like, joker. Give me a fry. And these stupid, yo, yo, yo, that test was hard. I'm going to sit with.

My this is who I am. I am a clown. But do you think that hurts or helps you? I don't know. But no, because this is serious, about how people view you in the bigger aspect of what you want to do.

But all three of these tables are doing well. Yeah, but I'm saying, this is what I'm saying. Yeah. Because. For people to take you serious and do things, it's on the acting side.

And you don't want to be typecast just as Chris Spencer, the funny guy, all the time. How much does that be in the funny guy? May impact or impede it. I don't mind because Robin Williams, Kevin, Eddie. All these people We're dunking a lot as funny people, and then they got the opportunity to bring the ball up and do some dramas.

Okay.

So I wanna be a great dunker in this comedy stuff, and then. You know what I mean? Jim Carrey. Like they were great comedic actors and stand-ups, and then had Opera Chris Rock. They got opportunities to do these other things.

Mm-hmm. So, what's the path to that right now? Because you're talking about now you want to be the performer. Yeah. Now, when this special drops, people are going to be like, oh.

he can do that as well. And he's pretty good.

So when is it? Don't know teasers and don't Well, I mean, I know you can't divulge all of it. I would like to give a list. Give me a peer. It's been shot.

Give me a peer. Okay, it's been shot.

So I was. Back to liars. You was told what? I talked to a network. I know the president of the network.

I said, yeah, I'm shooting a special. He goes, you better bring it here. All I know is that Chris Spencer special better be here. I thought, oh, okay. And I saw him a little later.

You know, I'm shooting next week and We'll be here with open arms. And then when I gave it to him, the arms weren't open. It fell to the bro. And so now I've had to shop it. And I've had offers that's just not.

Quite the offers that I want. And it's going to come to a point where I'm going to have to just go. I just got to put this out here. And try some of these other methods of other ways that people are putting out specials, whether it be YouTube or another streaming platform. Because I was aiming at the big ones, disappointed that the biggest one disappointed me, one of the biggest ones.

And so I just got a. I might have to just suck it up and go, here it is. Here I am. And then it's like a musician's first album. I might have to take a L on this one, but I'll be able to tour and prepare for albums two and three.

Gotcha. A lot of information, man. But before we get out of here, I got a couple quick hitters for you that I want to get into. Just. PSG Oh, go ahead.

Or do you want some golf stuff? No, no, Bathson's going.

So, where do you play with PXGs? I play with PXGs. I know you got them freeze. I know you ain't PXG. I remember when all y'all had him early.

I was like, do y'all pay for these? You know what I'm saying? Man, stop playing. What are you playing with? Ah, it's Tate Amazee right now.

Tate Amazon. 790s, I got to get a new set, but I'm playing with the new Adapt. Uh Cobra, three wood, five wood. Everybody loves it. The driver, too?

No. So not to driver. What's your driver?

So I got the older Cobra driver. Everybody loves this Cobra. Hold wait. The Adapt right now got 33 settings, bro. See, I don't, I don't, I don't, I know.

You be adjusted to the question. I just got it. But yeah, I I've never adjusted my club, ever. I I just got it, so I'm I'm trying to learn how to hit it then. It's a trip.

But I the Cobra drivers And three woods. I just got the five, so I'm gonna see how that okay that hits now again. Still, the person swinging the club. I don't care how good the equipment is. I don't know if we can say Indian anymore.

The Native American. There you go. There you go. Okay, look, quick hitter.

Okay.

I got some rapid-fire questions. Who's the go-to comedy? Richard Pryor. Ooh, that was quick. That's easy.

Second. God, that's a toughie. Right? I wanna say Eddie. But it's almost like Biggie only had two albums and Eddie only had two specials.

And so, but those two albums and those two specials higher. But. David Kyrie Chappelle. Is something we've never seen.

So I have to have a a a two a A 2A and a B? Is that possible? That's possible. Yeah. I'll give you that one.

All-time Hollywood Crush. Your wife listening too. Yeah. So it better be in the past, partner. Sure.

Cicely Tyson. Really? No, I'm just out of here. Miss Jane Pittman.

Well, come on, man. I had to go back far enough. I was like, go back, but not Miss Jane Pittman. Hallie. Ohio.

By the way.

Okay.

Hallie Berry was. I used to do a joke. Hallie Berry's so fine that if anything ever happened, I would tell my wife. But what'd you do today? I'd be like, I'm glad you asked.

Me and Hallie, she could be mad, and she could be upset, but she can't be really mad. She'd be like, all right. Because, yeah, she'd be like. Yeah, 'cause she probably got a Hollywood crush too. You think so?

It's probably me, but. Nah, stop playing.

Okay, look. Give me a joke that got you a gig. Hmm. A joke.

So it has to be in my stand-up, not just a regular joke. A good one, it got you. Over the top. I don't know about over the top, but I told a joke that got me a gig at a doctor's convention. Really.

So Huh, a dude is at a bar. He sees this woman. They're looking at each other. And they have some drinks. He's like, You wanna go back to my place?

And she's like, absolutely. They go back to his place. She goes, give me one second. She's in the bathroom forever. 15 minutes.

They come back. He's like, You okay? She's like, Yeah. They have sex. Great time.

Right.

He goes, let me ask you something. She's like what? says you're definitely They were at a doctor's convention, by the way. She goes, He goes, You're a surgeon. She goes, How'd you know?

he goes by the 'cause you scrubbed up for so long in the bathroom. She's like, yeah, I am. And she goes. And you're an anesthesiologist. He goes, How'd you know?

She goes, Because I didn't feel shit.

So I ended up doing this. I had this thing for this plastic surgeon who fixes like. People who have like cleft problems and hair lip in Africa.

So, but that joke, he's like, I want you to come to my thing. Get paid for it? I mean, pay pay. Pay.

Okay.

PayPay. All right.

Okay.

If you had to have a theme song for your comedy career, what would it be?

So fresh and so clean.

So fresh and so clean.

Okay.

or classic man. Yeah, so fresh and so clean. I like that one. Yeah. Last one.

How does Chris Spencer want to be remembered. We talked about the tombstone earlier. As one of the funnest, the funnest and funniest human beings. that anyone has ever met.

Well, I think if people get the chance to sit down and talk to you, understand who you are as a person. It'd be easy for them to come to that because I got the chance to know you over the years. We've all grown and evolved, but it's funny, we're kind of still the same. Right, we're still the same. You know, it's weird.

Oh yeah, dot, dot, dot can get up and down from anywhere. Yeah. That's important. That's important. That's important.

Man, I tell you what, this was so good, it felt like we should have maybe charged some people for this episode right here. And listen, so. But I do want you to let, you know. The audience, our fans that tune into the show, kind of know some upcoming stuff, like what you're doing. And how to get in touch with you too.

Okay, so on Vice TV, as well as, I think it's still on Hulu as well. Myself, Tiffany Haddish, and Ryan Davis did a 10 Episode retrospective on Black Comedy in America, and that's the name of the show: Black Comedy in America. And we take you from the Chitlin Circuit. all the way to basically Kevin Hart. Episodes like Deaf Comedy Jam, the Kings of Comedy, Dave Chappelle, Eddie Murphy, um.

And 80 sitcoms, 10 episodes. Excuse me. Spanish. It's incredible. It's shot well.

It's produced by this company called Smack. Michael Strahan's production company, Constance Schwartz, and my wife, Vanessa, is also an executive producer on it, as well as. A guy named Anthony, Anthony Brown, and it's just Anthony Smith. It's a must-watch and season two is coming soon.

So, before we go to this interview, I wanted to bring that up. By going through that process, Did you learn anything new by going through that, by putting all of this together, together? What was the biggest thing that you kind of got out of that? That the same way you just described listening to Richard Pryor, kind of having the sneak to listen to it, Everybody. From Michael Eric Dyson to, is it Eric Michael Dyson?

Always mix it up. Michael Eric Dyson. I mean, we didn't only interview comedians. We talked to Al Sharpton. We talked to, you know, You know, authors and other people who are in this game, Marcus King, who used to manage Jamie Foxx.

Like, we didn't only talk to people who were entertainers, but people who were around comedy and historians. And so a lot of people share those same Those same intimate moments. Um Bless you. Uh so I learned a lot. I learned, you know, Marla Gibbs.

Oh. Her story. No, she's got a story. The way she got the Jeffersons, I'm not going to tell you guys. I need you to watch.

You're going to be like. Really? Just this woman's ninety something. Incredible stories. Kim Whitley and Tiffany share stories.

Bernie Mac and Bernie Mac's daughter and Tiffany talk. I mean, you know, and then I have the D-Rays and JB Smooth and Guy and Joe Tory. I mean, it's just like, it's a. It's a nice, well-rounded 10 episodes. uh giving you some factual information of uh how we as comedians tick.

And how comedy, and how black comedy is the culture, and black comedy is comedy. Like really, if you think about it. What white comedians, maybe one or two, were doing stadiums like Cat Williams and Kevin and Dave and Chris. That's us Right. the superstar comedian It was invented by us.

I love it, man. Yeah. Well, good, man. You know, social media. I'm sorry.

Social media. Instagram, the real Chris Spencer. Uh Facebook, I guess, Chris Spencer. Uh some of you older people, MySpace, Chris Spencer. and some of you older black people, black planet, Christmas.

Stupid man. Stupid, man. You know, one thing I figured out too that As we get out of here, our commonality, what we really have in common. Is that when it comes to golf, we're America's guests?

Somebody told me. Uh he is a member who doesn't play dudes. At multiple courses. Listen, I dropped my membership just yesterday because I was at other people's courses more than mine. Right.

And sometimes I pay at those other courses. Oh, big, yeah. And if somebody invites me to, I'm like, you don't always have to give me a pay. I try, I do what women do when you take them to eat. They go, you sure you?

Please stop. You know, you ain't got that well. Man, you ain't got to pay. All right, I need a glove. Yeah, come on, don't worry.

Those are the kind That you do you want to do something nice for like I would I play with uh Some people at you play Alpine in in New York? No. Dude, I went in there. I said, I gotta get a shirt. Go ahead.

Right.

And then I got into a glum and some hand and some stuff. That's like I got some trinkets. Don't worry about it. Put it on the count. I was like, put it on the couch.

It's it's a Scotty Cameron over there that nobody has. Yeah, so I mean, we're spoiled. We traveled the world playing golf. It really is, man. I look forward to the next time we get out and play.

Absolutely. And I appreciate you coming on seriously because. I just thought it was important for me. to be able to have you tell your story. The story about comedy, the evolvement of it, the evolvement of what you're doing, and kind of where you're going.

Because a lot of times you get locked in the box a little bit. Right.

And it's it's good to have these kind of conversations to kind of open up you know that bandwidth a little bit more so people can understand that it's much more than being the funny guy. Right.

So I love it, man. Appreciate you, brother. Dude, my guy. You got it. We'll be back.

I'll be back next week. We're gonna play it. Got it. Free. If it's free, it's for me.

It's going to free. We're going to call some rich friends. Thanks a lot. And once again, you can catch the show at Jim Jackson Show, youtube.com, The Rich Eisen Show. But also, too, wherever you download any of your podcasts, please, please take a little time and download ours as well.

Thanks again for tuning in to the Jim Jackson Show. I am Michael Rosenbaum. I am Tom Welling. Welcome to Talk Bill, where it's fun to talk about small books. We're going to be talking to sometimes guest stars.

Are you liking the direction Plois is going in? Yeah, because I'm getting more screen time. That's good. But mostly it's just me and Tom remembering. I think we all feel like there was a scene missing here.

You got me, Tom. Let's revisit it. Let's look at it. See what we remember. See what we remember.

I had never been around anything like that before. I mean, it was so fun. Talk Bill. Talk Bill. I just had a flashback.

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