September 4, 2023 • 38 mins
Phoebe Robinson returns to the podcast and she is back on tour! We love having her join us and being witness to her genius. Robinson is having a good time developing spaces for her creativity to thrive and it's allowing her to live and work outside of any specific box or idea. When Phoebe entered the indie comedy scene in 2008 it wasn't her ideal, but now she has hit her stride.
Connect: @CariChampion @dopequeenpheebs
Tour Dates: PhoebeRobinson.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Paying for everything I was supposed to be cooking and
doing laundry. And I'm sort of like being a girl
boss is a track, you know. And I'm joking, of
course in a lot of ways, but I did you
know the underlying is that society has sort of told
women like, if you just hustled non stop, all your
dreams are gonna come true. And it's like, okay, but
we're tired. I'm still underpaid, I'm stressed out. This is
(00:24):
not the Promised Land. And so I'm like, I'm joking
like I want to sugar Daddy because I want some
time off. I need time off.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
That is Phoebe Robinson and she's on tour and I
asked her if the name of the tour was I
need a sugar Daddy.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
But it's not.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
It's called Messy a f for the kids. You know
what that means. And she gets into it on today's
edition of Naked.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
It's the greatest dispersion.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And then the same CANNETI win carry.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Chap and then Carrie Chappy is to be a champion,
a champion and Carrie Chappie and they play a champion.
They carried chapion and carried shepy.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
War Hey, everybody, she is back and by that I
mean back on the road again. My next guest is
a comedian, an actress, a writer, and she is back
on tour and today she joins us on Naked to
talk about her comedy tour, but more importantly, how she
has been able to arrive at this point. Phoebe Robinson,
(01:35):
known to many of you guys as the one half
of Two Dope Queens that hit show on HBO, turned
from podcast to TV show. She's always been able to
take her ip her property, if you will, intellectual property,
and turn it into a television show. She's such a
creative and she's so smart. I've watched over the years
that she built a very I guess I would say
(01:58):
profitable enterprise using her intelligence, her wit, and her humor.
Sit back and relax and listen to Phoebe. She's funny,
she's honest, and more importantly for this particular podcast, she
is extremely naked.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
Champion and care with Chapion and care with chap.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
First and foremost. Welcome to the podcast. The greatest there
ever was in life to ever do it by girl magic,
super defined underlined everything, exclamation.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Phoebe Robinson, How are you my friend?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Wow?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Talk about an intro. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
I'm so happy to see you're so pretty. It's actually
kind of annoying it.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 6 (02:39):
I'll take it, Carb, I have, And.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
I gotta be honest with you. You know, I followed
your career for very many years. Everyone was introduced to
you with your HBO hit television show, which was a
podcast cast before Two Doube Queens, which was a podcast
before you were a podcast queen. And you're able to
take projects and make them into other projects based on
(03:04):
the original project. When I talk about recycling and getting
all of my money, I got a podcast s dope,
I'm gonna make it a television series and then ultimately
I'll take all of my experiences and probably write about
them in some former fashion based on the material that
I have from these two outlets. And I think you're
a genius. Do people say that about you?
Speaker 4 (03:22):
No? You knowing a white hye call black woman a genius?
Come on, they say that for the white people, come.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
But you that word is not thrown around.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
But you legitimately are your empire, your business empire that
I can see from my simple view allows me to
see the vision, and in my mind you're always on brand.
There is something about you that is just that to
me makes people curious. Like you write about being black,
being a black woman, tiny reparations, the name of your
(04:01):
imprint as well as your company, and you do an
HBO special that says I'm sorry, Harriet Tubman like you
to me do it.
Speaker 6 (04:12):
All, and I'm all like, gosh, she's so smart. Tell
me why she's sorry to Harriet? Do you what do
you call your brand of work? Do you have a
brand for it? How would you describe it in a pitch?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
God? I mean that's such a good question.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
I mean, I, you know, first and foremost have always
been a lover of film and TV a lesser degree
comedy because I thought I was going to write dramatic movies,
like I never wanted to get into comedy. I thought
I was like funny, sort of like, oh, you know,
funny with my friends. But I didn't think like as
a career.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And so I think.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
I just am someone who just unabashedly embraces themselves and
all their quirks, like the nerdy things about them, I mean,
with the thing that like people don't think are cool
or like in fashion, Like I really just celebrate that
because I think there's so many people out there who
have a colectic taste, who lack lots of different things
(05:12):
and just sort of want to dine on life. And
I feel like I'm very much in that headspace where
I just I just want to like eat it all
and really and even though you know, with the strikes
and everything is a tough moment right now, I just
I just have such a love of communication, and I
(05:33):
think that's all my work is, Like I try and
connect with the audience, whether it's podcasting or stand up
or writing the books, Like I always want to have
this relationship with whoever my audience is and let them
know that like I see them and I hope that
they see me and that they don't feel alone. So
I can't sum up in a word, but I think
(05:55):
it's just, you know, I feel more like feeling and
like what's.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
In my gut?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Okay, So this woman the first thing that comes to
mind when you describe that, and and bear with me
because it's a bit of a reach here, but I
think of Taylor Swift whirl.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Girl, about the logout girl you compare with.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Me to Tay tastes sweat.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Would let me tell you why Taylor has eight to
eighty right, Yeah, she has eight to eighty in terms
of the people that she can speak to with her music.
And when you are an artist and you can speak
to various groups with your art, that is special.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
So someone could say, well, I don't like Carrie.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
I appeal to her, but my approach and things that
I say, and perhaps even the way I look might
be like.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, she pro black woman woman, black black black pro.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You were that, Yeah, but you also were going to
give me my thirsty thursdays with every hot guy in
the world that I also like that other women also
like of different backgrounds and we can relate.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
And then you're talking.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
I'm like, okay, and then you're like.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
But let me tell you I do know how to
double Dutch or whatever fill in the blank black girl thing, and.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Then you're and then I'm very open about inter racial dating.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
My point is you speak to everyone where they are,
and you can are relatable. You're just relatable to all
walks of life, not just one little bucket. They can't
put you in two buckets. They can put you in
a lot of buckets. I didn't love Taylor Swift. Yeah,
I am a new Swiftie.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
But once I started to learn more and more about her,
I was like, Oh, I get it. It's not even so.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Much her music, it's her business acumen. It's how she
moves in the world. It's like and I could tell
she is about that business, no matter how sweet and
she's smiling.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I'm all like, you don't get up there being a
sweeten smilet.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
So I did you see what I'm saying about you?
Do you see what I'm saying? You appeal to a
lot of a lot.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Of genres, if you will.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
I think that is good. I feel like I'm specific
yet relatable. I think that is a perfect encapsulation. Yeah,
it's and it's hard to do. And now you're on tour,
which I want to say, congratulations, first time since twenty nineteen.
Obviously COVID hit and then during you had eighteen thousand
TV shows. We'll get to that, but talk to me
about this tour why now? Yeah, it's really exciting. I mean,
(08:08):
you know, I started doing stand up in two thousand
and eight and I was twenty three going on twenty four,
and I just really felt like I found my voice
and my confidence through stand up over the years, and
you know, I'm a big believer certainly, Like when my
TV show Everything's Trash, you know, got canceled and ripped off.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
The shaming platforms. We love Bob iger.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Fame, I was gonna get there delicately, but we'll get
their necks.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Go ahead.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
But like when that that, because that was such a
that was like a three year process and you know,
being in TV, like people didn't just show up and
you do it and like you go home and it
really takes on a life of its own and becomes
off assuming. So that was really my process for like
three years. And like I had a book come out,
I you know, did like a podcast or in the pandemic,
(09:07):
I'll put out a special and I really just felt like, Okay,
all that stuff is done, the show's over. It's you know,
end of summer twenty twenty two, and I just wanted
to kind of return to basics. I always feel like
whenever you're having those moments of transition, if you will,
I always feel like it's good to go back to
(09:29):
the beginning and go back to the root, back to
the things you love, and then like you have all
this experience and this knowledge that you could take and
do it again and I'll help you go further. And
so I was just like, I really miss doing stand up.
I wanted tour, and so this is my first theater tour.
I'm doing small theaters. This is very exciting, and yeah,
(09:52):
I just was like I miss it. And I always
tell people this, I really used to dread doing stand
up until, like I started back this year, Like every
free set I would have like a pit in my stomach.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
I'd be like, I don't want to do this.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Look, I just was like so on my head and
I wasn't able to be fully president joing the moment.
I think some of that, obviously I was doing because
the indie comedy scene when I started down in two
thousand and eight was toxic. It was very male dominated
(10:31):
in a way that I think. I think a lot
of women who started in New York certainly like have
residual kind of like you know, like pits in their stomach.
And I think when my show got canceled last year,
I just sort of was like, Okay, I could put
all this love and energy into this thing that I
(10:51):
think is wonderful and beautiful and it could be taken
away from me. So at the end of the day,
all I can control is the process in the journy.
And so I've been having such a fun time doing
stand up, and I think I think people can tell
when they watch me, but that there's a sense of
joy and ease and confidence because I'm really enjoying the experience.
(11:13):
And no bad set defines me, no grace set defines me.
All sort of evens out in the end. And so
I think I'm at a place that feels I think
I've right sized sort of the emotion and the mental
inguish about stand up. I think before it was too
(11:33):
oh my god, my god. Now it's like it's stand
up and I love this, but it does not define me.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Yeah, it's interesting how what you're good at, or what
it could be that you once loved or loved something
about it. It's something that you dread. I'm not surprised
to hear you say that, so were you. And when
you say small theaters, ruh, what was that size? What
is a small theater?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
It's like, you know, like the Wolbird is like a
little over a thousand and so it's like and then
there's places like Revolution Hall and like Portland, which I
think is like seven hundreds, so it's anywhere from like
seven hundred to like eleven hundred.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
I think it's great to sort of dip my toe in.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
And my opener is Chalice Hawkins, who's this brilliant, hilarious
black woman. Also Ush's based in New Jersey, but I
met her through stand up and we've just always been
friends and she's really amazing. And I'm like, if I'm Lenna,
have someone open for me, I want it to be
another black woman.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Oh, I love that. Always important do you with your work?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
And I did, Like I said, you do speak to
a lot of genres, but you speak as your perspective
of your first person perspective as a black woman. Is
it ever uncomfortable to get political and speak your truth,
be your full self.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I don't know if it's like I feel like I
just don't even think about it, Like I jumped him,
so like I'm just gonna read it.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I just this is what I'm thinking you're about to
hear it.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Yeah, it's in my head out.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Yeah, it's the sort of libra energy. It's like, this
is what I have to say.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So I'm just gonna say it, and I think, you know,
my brother is a politician in Ohio and he works
at a nonprofit Reading Partners, which is about literacy, and
so like he's just doing all these amazing things and
he's showing up every day, especially in Ohio, which in
my opinion is a red state.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
It's not a perfect thing anymore.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
And he's very fearless, and so I'm just so like,
if he could be fearless and I can say whatever
I want to say, and luckily, like I haven't been docked,
like no one sucked me.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
So I think, I I don't know, privilege is the
right word.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
And maybe I'm just very lucky that, like I've been
outspoken and I haven't gotten like any blowback that made
me feel uncomfortable.
Speaker 6 (13:57):
I yeah, I one, I'm always I remember doing pandemic.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Your posts were powerful, they were you're fighting for you
literally giving a voice to the voiceless, and I always
thought amazing, and I didn't really I don't. I wish
I do now, But I don't ever read comments. Really,
I'm not a comment reader of other people's comments. Yeah,
but I find out that's where the fun is. But so,
but I don't remember too much pushback. I know people
(14:21):
who have a platform that is of note, that can
consider that can be considered mainstream in a lot of ways. Worry,
do you ever worry that you lose work when you
speak from honest and true experiences like what happened during
the pandemic.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Yeah, I mean I definitely have had a couple people
write comments of like I talk too much about race
or you know, whatever right they have, or like, oh,
I like I'm disappointed, and I'm always just like I don't.
I'm like, you don't actually know me, Like, just like
you don't even like you like my comedy.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Or my podcast or or a movie that I was in.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
But like your disappointment honestly literally means nothing to me,
you know what I mean. Like, I'm very much a
believer and consider the source whenever you get feedback, and
so it's just like who is it coming from? Is
it coming from someone who's like if it's my parents, okay,
I'm gonna investigate that. If it's a close friend, sure,
I'm gonna investigate that. But I think a lot of
(15:23):
people love to live online and spew hatred and feel
like they're a victim. If people from marginalized communities are saying, hey,
things should be more equal. So I have just always
come from a place of if you're not a true
factor in my life, I'm not gonna give your words
(15:45):
power because that's only gonna harm me.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
You know what I mean? And you know I think
just I sello. Who's like on the cusp of forty
I turned thirty nine next month.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I cut.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Yeah. I just think I'm less. I think people say true,
it's true. It's just like I kind of care less
what people think. I'm just like, if I lose you
as a fan, you weren't meant for me and not to.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Play, yeah, and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And if I lose the job, that was the job
I didn't want, yeah, or the opportunity. I may have
thought I wanted it, but it would have made my
life much more miserable. I'm a believer in rejection is
always protection.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
All Right.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
We have to pay some bills, uh, and I do
that with a lot of commercials. You all know what
to do, Okay. You can fast forward or you can
listen to them. You might find something interesting. We'll be
right back in just a few moments.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Every champion and car every champions to be a champion,
a champion and carry champion and carry chat be out
a champion and carry chatpion and carry chat.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Entertainment can make it champion.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
The Cary Chappie is to be a Champiana champion, the
Carr Chappie and the champion the car Chapi and.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
They carried shep.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Okay, everybody, welcome back to Naked. Phoebe Robinson is still here,
and we get into what the tour looks like, what
the future looks like, and why she's so vulnerable and honest.
I hope you enjoy Phoebe Robinson. I think it's interesting
that you say you're doing these small The first thing
you just said when you said you're doing small theaters
and now she was like just a thousand. I was like,
(17:32):
I have I would throw up if I had to
entertain the thousand people. She saying, even though I'm from
the television, there's no one there, there's no one behind me.
It's me just talking to a camera. There's a total
totally different point of view. What do you think this
set that you have been working on, this is what
you're gonna take on tour? What does it encapsulate in
(17:53):
terms of what are we talking about?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, well there's I say, small theaters is just like
in comparison, like the radio city to call up oh
yeah Court. So it's like I'm working my way to
that one day, hopefully knockout Wood tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yes, around the corner, Around the corner, Superstar. I believe it.
I claim it.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
It's really interesting about this hour because when I started
working it in January, it was sort of just you know,
just writing jokes and sort of figuring out like what's funny.
And so I have a workout show that I do
in Brooklyn, a Union Hall with Calice that's the.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
Second Monday of every month.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
And I was just sort of like writing jokes that
weren't necessarily related to a theme or anything.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
And then I remember in March I.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Had it was just such a chaotic month where I
was just traveling on stop.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
My brother was coming to town.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
I bought this apartment, was moving into it, and then
was gonna leave for like immediately leave for like three weeks,
so like everything was happening at once, and I was
just going from here, I mean, the one sitting four
twenty hours another place, and I remember being on a
flight and I was just like, I want a sugar daddy,
(19:08):
Like this is. I was like, being a girl boss
is it's it's a lot.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Here's so basically part of my hours.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
That the why that we were fed of being a
girl boss is sort of like it's gonna be different
because the women are gonna be in charge and it's like, well.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
We're just doing We're still doing more work at home.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
But I was with my ex boyfriend, like he and
I was paying all the bills and I was like
calling this down during COVID and he would complain that
I like wasn't cooking, and so it was like the
expectation that I was supposed to like work all day
paying for everything. I was supposed to be cooking and
doing laundry. And I'm sort of like being a girl
boss is a trap, you know? And I'm joking, of
(19:49):
course in a lot of ways, but I did you
know the underlying is the society has sort of told
women like, if you.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Just hustled non stop, all your dreams are gonna come true.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
And it's like, okay, but we're tired, I'm still underpaid,
I'm stressed out.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
This is not the Promised Land.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
And so I'm like, I joking, like, won'ts for your
daddy because I want some time off.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I need time off.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
But you are preaching to the choir.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
If you get guys, if we can pass the collection
plate or phoebe, because I have the kind of money
that bolds, not that jingles for her. Because literally the
other day I sent my hair Salas in. His name
is DeVante. He'll get a kick out of this. He
listens to the podcast all the time. I sent him
this meme and it was so and I'll send it
(20:36):
to you. This is a cartoon character singing I want
to share daddy. You know why because I want someone
to take care of me. I I'm with you, and
society has told us that. And there is this there's
this happy medium because it also provides a provides us
with the freedom that a lot of women I know
(20:56):
don't have the freedom to say what you feel, to
live your truth, to say I know my worth and
I will not settle. It provides us with the freedom
to say I can be bad by myself and you
know what I mean, You're not enhancing my promise. So
although there's this upside to it, but then it's but
to your point the day to day and when you're overwhelmed,
(21:18):
you're like, it would be nice if someone just gave
me seven figures inside of my my checking account.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Just here you go.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Yes, So I'm like not the stressed out.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
You know.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
You read these things where it's like the more a
woman like rises up within a company, like her title
gets bigger, the more people dislike her. The more successful
woman is, the more likely she is to be cheated on,
to be left. So it's all these things where it's
like I love that I'm independent, that I have this
apartment that you know, it's my dream home. All these
(21:48):
things are amazing and I wouldn't get rid of them,
but there is something to be said that, like, I
don't know if being a girl boss is going to
save us the way that people presented it, you know.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Full agreement, touch and agree. Amen.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
So is this what the hour is about? Because no,
I'm going to try to fly to every city you
see it.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Maybe yeah, yeah, So this is the umbrella of like
which everything is under. And it's been so fun to
perform and do sort of the workout shows that was
doing the spring. We're really sort of clicked into place
for me, and a lot of women in the audience
were like, I so feel this, I so understand this,
(22:29):
Like this is what I'm going through.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
So I think there's a lot of women.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Who we're really happy with like the empowerment and sort
of being leaders, but we're still filling the lack of
support from society. I think in a lot, even like
with material leave, it's like you want us all to
be bosses, but you don't want to take care of
women when they become others ridiculous. So I think it's
(22:54):
for me. It really just was like, let's like have
fun sort of deconstructing this a little bit and make
people feel better about the stresses they go like there
is so when they go home they can be like
I laughed, I have fun. Maybe I peede a little
bit because I was laughing. So logic, yeah, I like that.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I like that. I like that that shake you that.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
But you are saying like, and I also think I
also think it there is this in eight Like I
think it's in our DNA. I think hunters and gatherers.
I think God who had to write Hi, you know,
there is this. We weren't built or initially set out
for that. Nothing's wrong with it, but we will always
(23:31):
go back to our instinct, which is I need to
be provided for and protected at what level? Different for everybody?
Somebody just wants to make sure I can get some
extra walk on a burrito, right. You know, you might
want something a little more than extra walk. You might
want to drink. You know, I might want a whole meal,
you know, a combo meal. But my point being right,
you get the point, right, like we we all, no
(23:53):
matter where we are in life, want something in terms
of protection and provision. I think that is genius, as
you are always do and I want to go. I
want to circle back to something you said this about
being successful and what happens when you do acquire success,
especially as a marginalized woman, it feels as if we're targeted.
(24:15):
You most recently had an entire show and free Form,
and not only was the show canceled, they removed it
off the platform. What did that tell you? That that
to me felt punitive and extreme? What did that tell you?
Speaker 4 (24:30):
It was? Really?
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Sort of It was obviously was so disappointing, and it
was so infuriating. And you know, just as much as
I love this industry, there is sort of the talent side.
We're treated as disposable, and that's really sort of frustrating
(24:54):
because no one's watching a show because Tess Randall's is.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
In it, you know what I mean, Like they don't
give a fuck about him.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
And so because I thought it was a girl, yeah
to your point, to your point, and.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
It doesn't mean that he doesn't have value.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
But I think the thing that's frustrating is that the
powers that be don't feel like the writers, the producers,
the actors, it's a marriage, like we need each other,
we need a platform. You need content on your platform
so you can get paid. And so it just feels
sometimes that they're swine away and it's like we're flies
and we're bothering them, and I'm like, where are you
(25:40):
without a succession or you know, a Martin or a
living single or a sex and the city. You're nowhere
without the creative people as well. And so I think
when my show got taken off, I knew it was
a financial move.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
I thought it was just.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Very I just thought it was like in poor taste,
because it's one of the things that you know, the
writers are striking against and the actress who are striking
against now we're just like the lack of residuals and
you know, I know, shows like later on after mine
got canceled, like the day was announced, it was taken
(26:18):
off the platform, so it's like they didn't even get
it just feels very cool, and it's hard to sort
of wrap your head around because it's like when the
strike is over, we all gotta we all gotta.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Work together.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Like this then just happened. You know, it feels very
much like what are we doing?
Speaker 1 (26:35):
So that was really heartbreaking, and you know, it really
has like had me down and I think this is
the lowest I felt, just like emotionally since I like
better doing comedy because it's just sort of like I
just want to create and have fun and it just
feels like there's all this other beat assets in the
way of it, and it's just so it's just so infuriating.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Yeah, it just means that you're becoming more and more successful.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
I have to tell you.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
It just means that you're rising the ranks and you're
understanding what it is, and it just means that you
have to stay committed to the essence of why you started.
I think everyone gets to a point where you're like,
I cannot believe y'all did that to me, Like I
why that's cool? And the business is exactly that, it
is cool, And that's so unfortunate because you show up
(27:29):
and you stay kind and you say genuine and you
don't even you don't even know how they think like that.
You're like, how do you even how do you sit
and say I'm taking this, I'm just removing everything from
the platform, Like what do you how do you even
think like that? You wouldn't even think to do that,
you know what I mean? So I get it. I
understand your disappointment, but that means something more exciting as
(27:50):
along as coming along. Have you have you felt like
more opportunities are coming will be coming your way after
the strike?
Speaker 4 (28:01):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I mean, are you feeling unsure of work?
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Well, it's just like we just don't know what the
industry is gonna be like because the longer that this
goes on, I'm just like, okay, even like the strike
and it in like September or it's not, but like
end of October, like the quickest, like for scripted, you're
(28:27):
gonna start shooting like sometime in January, and so it
just feels like I don't know what the landscape is
gonna be like, but I still have like my head
full of ideas, and so I want to like create.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Another TV show and like you know, act and produce
because that's like my happy place professionally, and so I
still want to do that, and I hope that the
industry will sort of come back together and sort of realize, yes,
everybody like wants to make money, but like the joy
(28:59):
is in doing the craft and the process and like
being in writers' rooms and looking at producer cuts and
like all those things and collaborating with artists and authors.
Is so I really just feel like the powers that
be have you know, totally lost track of that, and
that that's like I want to try and calibrate them back.
(29:23):
But yeah, I'm gonna hold hope. There's been moments during
this stripe where I'm like, I just want to quate
a waff away, but I'm like I want to hold.
I hope that I can like keep producing and be
a platform for other people too, because I think that
that's like sort of the through line of my careers
that I always want to share my space with other creatives.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
You know, we feel the same way. My world is
a little different because we are not necessarily sag after
but the uncertainty of television right now, But it's not
just our industry. It affects every industry. Like my girlfriend's
a real estate agent and she's like, hey, sold a
house and I don't know how long because everyone's so
uncertain with Hollywood and what's going on with the market,
and the markets are uncertain, So there is definitely this
(30:04):
feeling of and fear is palpable. People catch it quicker
than you know, they do courage, But I just I
do believe that everything will work itself out in its
cyclical And I look at your business model, what I
think is your business model, because that's the way I'm
thinking now because I was like, I gotta do other
stuff besides this TV thing.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
Every champion and carry champion is to be a champion,
a champion and carry chatpion and carry chat beata champion
and carry chatty and carry chatty. Entertainment can naked word,
Harry Champion and carry champion is to be a champion,
a champion and carry chatty and nigger got a champion
(30:45):
and carry champion and carried chat entertainment.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Nakeet working, you create, you have an imprint, U tiny reparations,
and then you have your production company. Obviously we know
we're going to put that on pause for a moment.
But you still have ways of making income. And I
want to know why. First of all, congratulations because you
had a New York Times bestseller, didn't you? And with
(31:09):
your emperor, and you just did a poem. I guess
most a book of poems or just poetry came.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
Out today for sure. Yeah, congratulations.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
So I'm allike looking at you like you got money
over money, over money, But tell me about a tiny roll.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
We all know, yeah, touches after pay?
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Did the coins dropped?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yes, shrink, Yes, I'm aware, But tell me about this
business model because you're you are hitting on all cylinders
in terms of I'm working in each aspect of this industry,
in terms of entertainment. So I'm curious how you came
up with the imprint and partner with Penguin. And I
believe in plum plum.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Yeh yeah pluk. So they publish my nick poems all
on my books. So I started working with them in
twenty sixteen. Well, twenty fifteen and twenty sixteen when you
Can't Touch Been Here. It came out, and they've always
just been really supportive, totally got what I wanted to do,
and when I wanted to do an imprint, I just
(32:09):
approached them. I was like, hey, I think I'm ready
for this next step, Like I think I've proven myself
that not only do I love writing, but I think
I have like a good eye for talent.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
And yeah, So we launched.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
In twenty twenty and my book was the first one
to come out, and then the next they had a
couple more that came out in twenty twenty one, and
then the New York.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
Times bestseller was a Portrait of a Thief by Grace Dan.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yes, that's what it was.
Speaker 4 (32:35):
Yeah, she's fantastic. She's currently writing a second book with us.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
And author retention was always like a big deal for
me because I think, you know, publishing is big, you
have like all the big name authors. I think sometimes
if you're a newer author, you might feel like a
little loss in the shuffle. So I always wanted to
make sure our imprint was like flalling here way, I
(33:00):
think we're I think we're the dream is for us
to publish like fifteen twenty books a year. I think
right now we're around like seven eight, so we're getting there.
And so I really just always wanted to be a
place where authors could feel like they can write the
books that they want to write. They won't be supported
(33:20):
not only by name, but by people at Plume. And
it's really been a dream come true. And I just
I think business wise, it just was sort of like
I love books, I love movies, I love TV, I
love stand up and so those are the things that
I've done, which has been really exciting and great, and
I don't know, I think the imprint is one of
(33:41):
the things I'm the most proud of that I've done
because you know, a lot of people don't know this,
but like when you write a book, like the average person,
you don't know, like, especially if it's fiction, you have
to write the entire book. So people are spending years
writing like their dream novel for free and then hoping
(34:02):
they can sell it to so on. That is such
a leap of faith of not only in your talent,
but just like you have to love writing in order
to want to do that, and to see like these
authors who are like first timers who are just sort
of like, Okay, I'm want to try my hand at this.
I'm believe I'm really talented. I have a good storytell
and be able to publish your books. It just feel
(34:23):
I just like a proud mama, like I'm never going
to have kids because I don't want to be a mother,
but I feel like I love book babies.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
So yeah, and you aren't giving in your God, You're
creating such a wonderful entry into this world for so
many people who otherwise be overlooked. And I think we
all know what that feels like. But even and at
the same time, I think it's just really smart. When
I told you, I'm like, God, I love this business plan.
I see this, I see this corporation we're building, if
(34:52):
you will, right, I see the mogul U becoming, if
you will. But it's all inspiring and and that's why
I am a huge fan of yours. I want to
know when people can where people can go to find out,
how to check you out on tour? And is it
called I need a Sugar Daddy tour?
Speaker 1 (35:12):
No?
Speaker 3 (35:14):
If not, you're missing out right now you can give
it away.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
You have my id, go ahead, the messaf tour and
you can go to Phoebe Robinson dot com. You know
it's on the landing page. I don't even make you
click to the tour no.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Street when I got time for that.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
They're on their phones. I want to kick your ship
and make you not want to have to go to
another page.
Speaker 6 (35:43):
We don't because we watch TV with our phone so
we can back checked.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
And we we are be busy.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
We have busy people doing nothing. Ain't nobody got no
job If you're busy people doing nothing? According to the ecotomy,
we trash. Okay, so I really truly want to support.
I saw that you were in Seattle.
Speaker 7 (36:01):
When you come to La September twenty second, okay, yeah,
and then and then I can always see you and
are soon to be hometown, our mutual home area in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Brooklyn.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
Yeah, I'm excited for you to be in Brooklyn.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
I mean, obviously, as someone who's been here for twenty years,
I'm clearly biased, but you'll love it.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I can't.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I stayed for three months in Williamsburg and I was like, oh,
I have to move here because I have going to Brooklyn.
Different parts of Brooklyn I was like, I have to
move here. Not Williamsburg per se, but I was like,
I must move here, and so I it's just a
wonderful experience. So I can't wait to really take this
off of social media, the podcast and the TV and
hang out with you. We can have a lot of fun, girl,
(36:48):
because I'm fun. I don't know if you know that.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Judging by your Instagram, you seem very fun and you
always turnel look good time.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Phoebe Robinson brilliant, brilliant and successful, also beautiful.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Thank you for joining me on the podcast.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Thank you for happy bed.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
So don't forget you all head to her a website,
even her Instagram Phoebe Robinson dot com and support she
is on tour and I think it's great, she said.
For some time, as you heard her say, it was
difficult for her to get up in front of an
audience and just bring her full self, and now she
loves it. It was a tough ask. But now she's
given you all that she has and I really want
us to support her. It's rare that we find people
(37:31):
who are truly humble and kind and then have this
great mind, and when they get this success, they still
remain the same. Hollywood changes people, and I'm proud to
say she's one of a few that I know intimately
that I can say has not changed again. She deserves
all of our support. Check her out Phoebe Robinson dot com,
go see her on tour. If not, watch some of
(37:52):
her television shows. Follow her on Instagram. There's a lot
to learn. Talk to you all next week.
Paying for everything I was supposed to be cooking and
doing laundry. And I'm sort of like being a girl
boss is a track, you know. And I'm joking, of
course in a lot of ways, but I did you
know the underlying is that society has sort of told
women like, if you just hustled non stop, all your
dreams are gonna come true. And it's like, okay, but
we're tired. I'm still underpaid, I'm stressed out. This is
(00:24):
not the Promised Land. And so I'm like, I'm joking
like I want to sugar Daddy because I want some
time off. I need time off.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
That is Phoebe Robinson and she's on tour and I
asked her if the name of the tour was I
need a sugar Daddy.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
But it's not.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
It's called Messy a f for the kids. You know
what that means. And she gets into it on today's
edition of Naked.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
It's the greatest dispersion.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And then the same CANNETI win carry.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Chap and then Carrie Chappy is to be a champion,
a champion and Carrie Chappie and they play a champion.
They carried chapion and carried shepy.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
War Hey, everybody, she is back and by that I
mean back on the road again. My next guest is
a comedian, an actress, a writer, and she is back
on tour and today she joins us on Naked to
talk about her comedy tour, but more importantly, how she
has been able to arrive at this point. Phoebe Robinson,
(01:35):
known to many of you guys as the one half
of Two Dope Queens that hit show on HBO, turned
from podcast to TV show. She's always been able to
take her ip her property, if you will, intellectual property,
and turn it into a television show. She's such a
creative and she's so smart. I've watched over the years
that she built a very I guess I would say
(01:58):
profitable enterprise using her intelligence, her wit, and her humor.
Sit back and relax and listen to Phoebe. She's funny,
she's honest, and more importantly for this particular podcast, she
is extremely naked.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
Champion and care with Chapion and care with chap.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
First and foremost. Welcome to the podcast. The greatest there
ever was in life to ever do it by girl magic,
super defined underlined everything, exclamation.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Phoebe Robinson, How are you my friend?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Wow?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Talk about an intro. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
I'm so happy to see you're so pretty. It's actually
kind of annoying it.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 6 (02:39):
I'll take it, Carb, I have, And.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
I gotta be honest with you. You know, I followed
your career for very many years. Everyone was introduced to
you with your HBO hit television show, which was a
podcast cast before Two Doube Queens, which was a podcast
before you were a podcast queen. And you're able to
take projects and make them into other projects based on
(03:04):
the original project. When I talk about recycling and getting
all of my money, I got a podcast s dope,
I'm gonna make it a television series and then ultimately
I'll take all of my experiences and probably write about
them in some former fashion based on the material that
I have from these two outlets. And I think you're
a genius. Do people say that about you?
Speaker 4 (03:22):
No? You knowing a white hye call black woman a genius?
Come on, they say that for the white people, come.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
But you that word is not thrown around.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
But you legitimately are your empire, your business empire that
I can see from my simple view allows me to
see the vision, and in my mind you're always on brand.
There is something about you that is just that to
me makes people curious. Like you write about being black,
being a black woman, tiny reparations, the name of your
(04:01):
imprint as well as your company, and you do an
HBO special that says I'm sorry, Harriet Tubman like you
to me do it.
Speaker 6 (04:12):
All, and I'm all like, gosh, she's so smart. Tell
me why she's sorry to Harriet? Do you what do
you call your brand of work? Do you have a
brand for it? How would you describe it in a pitch?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
God? I mean that's such a good question.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
I mean, I, you know, first and foremost have always
been a lover of film and TV a lesser degree
comedy because I thought I was going to write dramatic movies,
like I never wanted to get into comedy. I thought
I was like funny, sort of like, oh, you know,
funny with my friends. But I didn't think like as
a career.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And so I think.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
I just am someone who just unabashedly embraces themselves and
all their quirks, like the nerdy things about them, I mean,
with the thing that like people don't think are cool
or like in fashion, Like I really just celebrate that
because I think there's so many people out there who
have a colectic taste, who lack lots of different things
(05:12):
and just sort of want to dine on life. And
I feel like I'm very much in that headspace where
I just I just want to like eat it all
and really and even though you know, with the strikes
and everything is a tough moment right now, I just
I just have such a love of communication, and I
(05:33):
think that's all my work is, Like I try and
connect with the audience, whether it's podcasting or stand up
or writing the books, Like I always want to have
this relationship with whoever my audience is and let them
know that like I see them and I hope that
they see me and that they don't feel alone. So
I can't sum up in a word, but I think
(05:55):
it's just, you know, I feel more like feeling and
like what's.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
In my gut?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Okay, So this woman the first thing that comes to
mind when you describe that, and and bear with me
because it's a bit of a reach here, but I
think of Taylor Swift whirl.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Girl, about the logout girl you compare with.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Me to Tay tastes sweat.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Would let me tell you why Taylor has eight to
eighty right, Yeah, she has eight to eighty in terms
of the people that she can speak to with her music.
And when you are an artist and you can speak
to various groups with your art, that is special.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
So someone could say, well, I don't like Carrie.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
I appeal to her, but my approach and things that
I say, and perhaps even the way I look might
be like.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, she pro black woman woman, black black black pro.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You were that, Yeah, but you also were going to
give me my thirsty thursdays with every hot guy in
the world that I also like that other women also
like of different backgrounds and we can relate.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
And then you're talking.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
I'm like, okay, and then you're like.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
But let me tell you I do know how to
double Dutch or whatever fill in the blank black girl thing, and.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Then you're and then I'm very open about inter racial dating.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
My point is you speak to everyone where they are,
and you can are relatable. You're just relatable to all
walks of life, not just one little bucket. They can't
put you in two buckets. They can put you in
a lot of buckets. I didn't love Taylor Swift. Yeah,
I am a new Swiftie.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
But once I started to learn more and more about her,
I was like, Oh, I get it. It's not even so.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Much her music, it's her business acumen. It's how she
moves in the world. It's like and I could tell
she is about that business, no matter how sweet and
she's smiling.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I'm all like, you don't get up there being a
sweeten smilet.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
So I did you see what I'm saying about you?
Do you see what I'm saying? You appeal to a
lot of a lot.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Of genres, if you will.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
I think that is good. I feel like I'm specific
yet relatable. I think that is a perfect encapsulation. Yeah,
it's and it's hard to do. And now you're on tour,
which I want to say, congratulations, first time since twenty nineteen.
Obviously COVID hit and then during you had eighteen thousand
TV shows. We'll get to that, but talk to me
about this tour why now? Yeah, it's really exciting. I mean,
(08:08):
you know, I started doing stand up in two thousand
and eight and I was twenty three going on twenty four,
and I just really felt like I found my voice
and my confidence through stand up over the years, and
you know, I'm a big believer certainly, Like when my
TV show Everything's Trash, you know, got canceled and ripped off.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
The shaming platforms. We love Bob iger.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Fame, I was gonna get there delicately, but we'll get
their necks.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Go ahead.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
But like when that that, because that was such a
that was like a three year process and you know,
being in TV, like people didn't just show up and
you do it and like you go home and it
really takes on a life of its own and becomes
off assuming. So that was really my process for like
three years. And like I had a book come out,
I you know, did like a podcast or in the pandemic,
(09:07):
I'll put out a special and I really just felt like, Okay,
all that stuff is done, the show's over. It's you know,
end of summer twenty twenty two, and I just wanted
to kind of return to basics. I always feel like
whenever you're having those moments of transition, if you will,
I always feel like it's good to go back to
(09:29):
the beginning and go back to the root, back to
the things you love, and then like you have all
this experience and this knowledge that you could take and
do it again and I'll help you go further. And
so I was just like, I really miss doing stand up.
I wanted tour, and so this is my first theater tour.
I'm doing small theaters. This is very exciting, and yeah,
(09:52):
I just was like I miss it. And I always
tell people this, I really used to dread doing stand
up until, like I started back this year, Like every
free set I would have like a pit in my stomach.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
I'd be like, I don't want to do this.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Look, I just was like so on my head and
I wasn't able to be fully president joing the moment.
I think some of that, obviously I was doing because
the indie comedy scene when I started down in two
thousand and eight was toxic. It was very male dominated
(10:31):
in a way that I think. I think a lot
of women who started in New York certainly like have
residual kind of like you know, like pits in their stomach.
And I think when my show got canceled last year,
I just sort of was like, Okay, I could put
all this love and energy into this thing that I
(10:51):
think is wonderful and beautiful and it could be taken
away from me. So at the end of the day,
all I can control is the process in the journy.
And so I've been having such a fun time doing
stand up, and I think I think people can tell
when they watch me, but that there's a sense of
joy and ease and confidence because I'm really enjoying the experience.
(11:13):
And no bad set defines me, no grace set defines me.
All sort of evens out in the end. And so
I think I'm at a place that feels I think
I've right sized sort of the emotion and the mental
inguish about stand up. I think before it was too
(11:33):
oh my god, my god. Now it's like it's stand
up and I love this, but it does not define me.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Yeah, it's interesting how what you're good at, or what
it could be that you once loved or loved something
about it. It's something that you dread. I'm not surprised
to hear you say that, so were you. And when
you say small theaters, ruh, what was that size? What
is a small theater?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
It's like, you know, like the Wolbird is like a
little over a thousand and so it's like and then
there's places like Revolution Hall and like Portland, which I
think is like seven hundreds, so it's anywhere from like
seven hundred to like eleven hundred.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
I think it's great to sort of dip my toe in.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
And my opener is Chalice Hawkins, who's this brilliant, hilarious
black woman. Also Ush's based in New Jersey, but I
met her through stand up and we've just always been
friends and she's really amazing. And I'm like, if I'm Lenna,
have someone open for me, I want it to be
another black woman.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Oh, I love that. Always important do you with your work?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
And I did, Like I said, you do speak to
a lot of genres, but you speak as your perspective
of your first person perspective as a black woman. Is
it ever uncomfortable to get political and speak your truth,
be your full self.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I don't know if it's like I feel like I
just don't even think about it, Like I jumped him,
so like I'm just gonna read it.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I just this is what I'm thinking you're about to
hear it.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Yeah, it's in my head out.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Yeah, it's the sort of libra energy. It's like, this
is what I have to say.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So I'm just gonna say it, and I think, you know,
my brother is a politician in Ohio and he works
at a nonprofit Reading Partners, which is about literacy, and
so like he's just doing all these amazing things and
he's showing up every day, especially in Ohio, which in
my opinion is a red state.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
It's not a perfect thing anymore.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
And he's very fearless, and so I'm just so like,
if he could be fearless and I can say whatever
I want to say, and luckily, like I haven't been docked,
like no one sucked me.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
So I think, I I don't know, privilege is the
right word.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
And maybe I'm just very lucky that, like I've been
outspoken and I haven't gotten like any blowback that made
me feel uncomfortable.
Speaker 6 (13:57):
I yeah, I one, I'm always I remember doing pandemic.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Your posts were powerful, they were you're fighting for you
literally giving a voice to the voiceless, and I always
thought amazing, and I didn't really I don't. I wish
I do now, But I don't ever read comments. Really,
I'm not a comment reader of other people's comments. Yeah,
but I find out that's where the fun is. But so,
but I don't remember too much pushback. I know people
(14:21):
who have a platform that is of note, that can
consider that can be considered mainstream in a lot of ways. Worry,
do you ever worry that you lose work when you
speak from honest and true experiences like what happened during
the pandemic.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Yeah, I mean I definitely have had a couple people
write comments of like I talk too much about race
or you know, whatever right they have, or like, oh,
I like I'm disappointed, and I'm always just like I don't.
I'm like, you don't actually know me, Like, just like
you don't even like you like my comedy.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Or my podcast or or a movie that I was in.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
But like your disappointment honestly literally means nothing to me,
you know what I mean. Like, I'm very much a
believer and consider the source whenever you get feedback, and
so it's just like who is it coming from? Is
it coming from someone who's like if it's my parents, okay,
I'm gonna investigate that. If it's a close friend, sure,
I'm gonna investigate that. But I think a lot of
(15:23):
people love to live online and spew hatred and feel
like they're a victim. If people from marginalized communities are saying, hey,
things should be more equal. So I have just always
come from a place of if you're not a true
factor in my life, I'm not gonna give your words
(15:45):
power because that's only gonna harm me.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
You know what I mean? And you know I think
just I sello. Who's like on the cusp of forty
I turned thirty nine next month.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I cut.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Yeah. I just think I'm less. I think people say true,
it's true. It's just like I kind of care less
what people think. I'm just like, if I lose you
as a fan, you weren't meant for me and not to.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Play, yeah, and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And if I lose the job, that was the job
I didn't want, yeah, or the opportunity. I may have
thought I wanted it, but it would have made my
life much more miserable. I'm a believer in rejection is
always protection.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
All Right.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
We have to pay some bills, uh, and I do
that with a lot of commercials. You all know what
to do, Okay. You can fast forward or you can
listen to them. You might find something interesting. We'll be
right back in just a few moments.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Every champion and car every champions to be a champion,
a champion and carry champion and carry chat be out
a champion and carry chatpion and carry chat.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Entertainment can make it champion.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
The Cary Chappie is to be a Champiana champion, the
Carr Chappie and the champion the car Chapi and.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
They carried shep.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Okay, everybody, welcome back to Naked. Phoebe Robinson is still here,
and we get into what the tour looks like, what
the future looks like, and why she's so vulnerable and honest.
I hope you enjoy Phoebe Robinson. I think it's interesting
that you say you're doing these small The first thing
you just said when you said you're doing small theaters
and now she was like just a thousand. I was like,
(17:32):
I have I would throw up if I had to
entertain the thousand people. She saying, even though I'm from
the television, there's no one there, there's no one behind me.
It's me just talking to a camera. There's a total
totally different point of view. What do you think this
set that you have been working on, this is what
you're gonna take on tour? What does it encapsulate in
(17:53):
terms of what are we talking about?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, well there's I say, small theaters is just like
in comparison, like the radio city to call up oh
yeah Court. So it's like I'm working my way to
that one day, hopefully knockout Wood tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yes, around the corner, Around the corner, Superstar. I believe it.
I claim it.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
It's really interesting about this hour because when I started
working it in January, it was sort of just you know,
just writing jokes and sort of figuring out like what's funny.
And so I have a workout show that I do
in Brooklyn, a Union Hall with Calice that's the.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
Second Monday of every month.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
And I was just sort of like writing jokes that
weren't necessarily related to a theme or anything.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
And then I remember in March I.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Had it was just such a chaotic month where I
was just traveling on stop.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
My brother was coming to town.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
I bought this apartment, was moving into it, and then
was gonna leave for like immediately leave for like three weeks,
so like everything was happening at once, and I was
just going from here, I mean, the one sitting four
twenty hours another place, and I remember being on a
flight and I was just like, I want a sugar daddy,
(19:08):
Like this is. I was like, being a girl boss
is it's it's a lot.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Here's so basically part of my hours.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
That the why that we were fed of being a
girl boss is sort of like it's gonna be different
because the women are gonna be in charge and it's like, well.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
We're just doing We're still doing more work at home.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
But I was with my ex boyfriend, like he and
I was paying all the bills and I was like
calling this down during COVID and he would complain that
I like wasn't cooking, and so it was like the
expectation that I was supposed to like work all day
paying for everything. I was supposed to be cooking and
doing laundry. And I'm sort of like being a girl
boss is a trap, you know? And I'm joking, of
(19:49):
course in a lot of ways, but I did you
know the underlying is the society has sort of told
women like, if you.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Just hustled non stop, all your dreams are gonna come true.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
And it's like, okay, but we're tired, I'm still underpaid,
I'm stressed out.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
This is not the Promised Land.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
And so I'm like, I joking, like, won'ts for your
daddy because I want some time off.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I need time off.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
But you are preaching to the choir.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
If you get guys, if we can pass the collection
plate or phoebe, because I have the kind of money
that bolds, not that jingles for her. Because literally the
other day I sent my hair Salas in. His name
is DeVante. He'll get a kick out of this. He
listens to the podcast all the time. I sent him
this meme and it was so and I'll send it
(20:36):
to you. This is a cartoon character singing I want
to share daddy. You know why because I want someone
to take care of me. I I'm with you, and
society has told us that. And there is this there's
this happy medium because it also provides a provides us
with the freedom that a lot of women I know
(20:56):
don't have the freedom to say what you feel, to
live your truth, to say I know my worth and
I will not settle. It provides us with the freedom
to say I can be bad by myself and you
know what I mean, You're not enhancing my promise. So
although there's this upside to it, but then it's but
to your point the day to day and when you're overwhelmed,
(21:18):
you're like, it would be nice if someone just gave
me seven figures inside of my my checking account.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Just here you go.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Yes, So I'm like not the stressed out.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
You know.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
You read these things where it's like the more a
woman like rises up within a company, like her title
gets bigger, the more people dislike her. The more successful
woman is, the more likely she is to be cheated on,
to be left. So it's all these things where it's
like I love that I'm independent, that I have this
apartment that you know, it's my dream home. All these
(21:48):
things are amazing and I wouldn't get rid of them,
but there is something to be said that, like, I
don't know if being a girl boss is going to
save us the way that people presented it, you know.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Full agreement, touch and agree. Amen.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
So is this what the hour is about? Because no,
I'm going to try to fly to every city you
see it.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Maybe yeah, yeah, So this is the umbrella of like
which everything is under. And it's been so fun to
perform and do sort of the workout shows that was
doing the spring. We're really sort of clicked into place
for me, and a lot of women in the audience
were like, I so feel this, I so understand this,
(22:29):
Like this is what I'm going through.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
So I think there's a lot of women.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Who we're really happy with like the empowerment and sort
of being leaders, but we're still filling the lack of
support from society. I think in a lot, even like
with material leave, it's like you want us all to
be bosses, but you don't want to take care of
women when they become others ridiculous. So I think it's
(22:54):
for me. It really just was like, let's like have
fun sort of deconstructing this a little bit and make
people feel better about the stresses they go like there
is so when they go home they can be like
I laughed, I have fun. Maybe I peede a little
bit because I was laughing. So logic, yeah, I like that.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I like that. I like that that shake you that.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
But you are saying like, and I also think I
also think it there is this in eight Like I
think it's in our DNA. I think hunters and gatherers.
I think God who had to write Hi, you know,
there is this. We weren't built or initially set out
for that. Nothing's wrong with it, but we will always
(23:31):
go back to our instinct, which is I need to
be provided for and protected at what level? Different for everybody?
Somebody just wants to make sure I can get some
extra walk on a burrito, right. You know, you might
want something a little more than extra walk. You might
want to drink. You know, I might want a whole meal,
you know, a combo meal. But my point being right,
you get the point, right, like we we all, no
(23:53):
matter where we are in life, want something in terms
of protection and provision. I think that is genius, as
you are always do and I want to go. I
want to circle back to something you said this about
being successful and what happens when you do acquire success,
especially as a marginalized woman, it feels as if we're targeted.
(24:15):
You most recently had an entire show and free Form,
and not only was the show canceled, they removed it
off the platform. What did that tell you? That that
to me felt punitive and extreme? What did that tell you?
Speaker 4 (24:30):
It was? Really?
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Sort of It was obviously was so disappointing, and it
was so infuriating. And you know, just as much as
I love this industry, there is sort of the talent side.
We're treated as disposable, and that's really sort of frustrating
(24:54):
because no one's watching a show because Tess Randall's is.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
In it, you know what I mean, Like they don't
give a fuck about him.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
And so because I thought it was a girl, yeah
to your point, to your point, and.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
It doesn't mean that he doesn't have value.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
But I think the thing that's frustrating is that the
powers that be don't feel like the writers, the producers,
the actors, it's a marriage, like we need each other,
we need a platform. You need content on your platform
so you can get paid. And so it just feels
sometimes that they're swine away and it's like we're flies
and we're bothering them, and I'm like, where are you
(25:40):
without a succession or you know, a Martin or a
living single or a sex and the city. You're nowhere
without the creative people as well. And so I think
when my show got taken off, I knew it was
a financial move.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
I thought it was just.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Very I just thought it was like in poor taste,
because it's one of the things that you know, the
writers are striking against and the actress who are striking
against now we're just like the lack of residuals and
you know, I know, shows like later on after mine
got canceled, like the day was announced, it was taken
(26:18):
off the platform, so it's like they didn't even get
it just feels very cool, and it's hard to sort
of wrap your head around because it's like when the
strike is over, we all gotta we all gotta.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Work together.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Like this then just happened. You know, it feels very
much like what are we doing?
Speaker 1 (26:35):
So that was really heartbreaking, and you know, it really
has like had me down and I think this is
the lowest I felt, just like emotionally since I like
better doing comedy because it's just sort of like I
just want to create and have fun and it just
feels like there's all this other beat assets in the
way of it, and it's just so it's just so infuriating.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Yeah, it just means that you're becoming more and more successful.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
I have to tell you.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
It just means that you're rising the ranks and you're
understanding what it is, and it just means that you
have to stay committed to the essence of why you started.
I think everyone gets to a point where you're like,
I cannot believe y'all did that to me, Like I
why that's cool? And the business is exactly that, it
is cool, And that's so unfortunate because you show up
(27:29):
and you stay kind and you say genuine and you
don't even you don't even know how they think like that.
You're like, how do you even how do you sit
and say I'm taking this, I'm just removing everything from
the platform, Like what do you how do you even
think like that? You wouldn't even think to do that,
you know what I mean? So I get it. I
understand your disappointment, but that means something more exciting as
(27:50):
along as coming along. Have you have you felt like
more opportunities are coming will be coming your way after
the strike?
Speaker 4 (28:01):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I mean, are you feeling unsure of work?
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Well, it's just like we just don't know what the
industry is gonna be like because the longer that this
goes on, I'm just like, okay, even like the strike
and it in like September or it's not, but like
end of October, like the quickest, like for scripted, you're
(28:27):
gonna start shooting like sometime in January, and so it
just feels like I don't know what the landscape is
gonna be like, but I still have like my head
full of ideas, and so I want to like create.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Another TV show and like you know, act and produce
because that's like my happy place professionally, and so I
still want to do that, and I hope that the
industry will sort of come back together and sort of realize, yes,
everybody like wants to make money, but like the joy
(28:59):
is in doing the craft and the process and like
being in writers' rooms and looking at producer cuts and
like all those things and collaborating with artists and authors.
Is so I really just feel like the powers that
be have you know, totally lost track of that, and
that that's like I want to try and calibrate them back.
(29:23):
But yeah, I'm gonna hold hope. There's been moments during
this stripe where I'm like, I just want to quate
a waff away, but I'm like I want to hold.
I hope that I can like keep producing and be
a platform for other people too, because I think that
that's like sort of the through line of my careers
that I always want to share my space with other creatives.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
You know, we feel the same way. My world is
a little different because we are not necessarily sag after
but the uncertainty of television right now, But it's not
just our industry. It affects every industry. Like my girlfriend's
a real estate agent and she's like, hey, sold a
house and I don't know how long because everyone's so
uncertain with Hollywood and what's going on with the market,
and the markets are uncertain, So there is definitely this
(30:04):
feeling of and fear is palpable. People catch it quicker
than you know, they do courage, But I just I
do believe that everything will work itself out in its
cyclical And I look at your business model, what I
think is your business model, because that's the way I'm
thinking now because I was like, I gotta do other
stuff besides this TV thing.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
Every champion and carry champion is to be a champion,
a champion and carry chatpion and carry chat beata champion
and carry chatty and carry chatty. Entertainment can naked word,
Harry Champion and carry champion is to be a champion,
a champion and carry chatty and nigger got a champion
(30:45):
and carry champion and carried chat entertainment.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Nakeet working, you create, you have an imprint, U tiny reparations,
and then you have your production company. Obviously we know
we're going to put that on pause for a moment.
But you still have ways of making income. And I
want to know why. First of all, congratulations because you
had a New York Times bestseller, didn't you? And with
(31:09):
your emperor, and you just did a poem. I guess
most a book of poems or just poetry came.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
Out today for sure. Yeah, congratulations.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
So I'm allike looking at you like you got money
over money, over money, But tell me about a tiny roll.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
We all know, yeah, touches after pay?
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Did the coins dropped?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yes, shrink, Yes, I'm aware, But tell me about this
business model because you're you are hitting on all cylinders
in terms of I'm working in each aspect of this industry,
in terms of entertainment. So I'm curious how you came
up with the imprint and partner with Penguin. And I
believe in plum plum.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Yeh yeah pluk. So they publish my nick poems all
on my books. So I started working with them in
twenty sixteen. Well, twenty fifteen and twenty sixteen when you
Can't Touch Been Here. It came out, and they've always
just been really supportive, totally got what I wanted to do,
and when I wanted to do an imprint, I just
(32:09):
approached them. I was like, hey, I think I'm ready
for this next step, Like I think I've proven myself
that not only do I love writing, but I think
I have like a good eye for talent.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
And yeah, So we launched.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
In twenty twenty and my book was the first one
to come out, and then the next they had a
couple more that came out in twenty twenty one, and
then the New York.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
Times bestseller was a Portrait of a Thief by Grace Dan.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yes, that's what it was.
Speaker 4 (32:35):
Yeah, she's fantastic. She's currently writing a second book with us.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
And author retention was always like a big deal for
me because I think, you know, publishing is big, you
have like all the big name authors. I think sometimes
if you're a newer author, you might feel like a
little loss in the shuffle. So I always wanted to
make sure our imprint was like flalling here way, I
(33:00):
think we're I think we're the dream is for us
to publish like fifteen twenty books a year. I think
right now we're around like seven eight, so we're getting there.
And so I really just always wanted to be a
place where authors could feel like they can write the
books that they want to write. They won't be supported
(33:20):
not only by name, but by people at Plume. And
it's really been a dream come true. And I just
I think business wise, it just was sort of like
I love books, I love movies, I love TV, I
love stand up and so those are the things that
I've done, which has been really exciting and great, and
I don't know, I think the imprint is one of
(33:41):
the things I'm the most proud of that I've done
because you know, a lot of people don't know this,
but like when you write a book, like the average person,
you don't know, like, especially if it's fiction, you have
to write the entire book. So people are spending years
writing like their dream novel for free and then hoping
(34:02):
they can sell it to so on. That is such
a leap of faith of not only in your talent,
but just like you have to love writing in order
to want to do that, and to see like these
authors who are like first timers who are just sort
of like, Okay, I'm want to try my hand at this.
I'm believe I'm really talented. I have a good storytell
and be able to publish your books. It just feel
(34:23):
I just like a proud mama, like I'm never going
to have kids because I don't want to be a mother,
but I feel like I love book babies.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
So yeah, and you aren't giving in your God, You're
creating such a wonderful entry into this world for so
many people who otherwise be overlooked. And I think we
all know what that feels like. But even and at
the same time, I think it's just really smart. When
I told you, I'm like, God, I love this business plan.
I see this, I see this corporation we're building, if
(34:52):
you will, right, I see the mogul U becoming, if
you will. But it's all inspiring and and that's why
I am a huge fan of yours. I want to
know when people can where people can go to find out,
how to check you out on tour? And is it
called I need a Sugar Daddy tour?
Speaker 1 (35:12):
No?
Speaker 3 (35:14):
If not, you're missing out right now you can give
it away.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
You have my id, go ahead, the messaf tour and
you can go to Phoebe Robinson dot com. You know
it's on the landing page. I don't even make you
click to the tour no.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Street when I got time for that.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
They're on their phones. I want to kick your ship
and make you not want to have to go to
another page.
Speaker 6 (35:43):
We don't because we watch TV with our phone so
we can back checked.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
And we we are be busy.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
We have busy people doing nothing. Ain't nobody got no
job If you're busy people doing nothing? According to the ecotomy,
we trash. Okay, so I really truly want to support.
I saw that you were in Seattle.
Speaker 7 (36:01):
When you come to La September twenty second, okay, yeah,
and then and then I can always see you and
are soon to be hometown, our mutual home area in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Brooklyn.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
Yeah, I'm excited for you to be in Brooklyn.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
I mean, obviously, as someone who's been here for twenty years,
I'm clearly biased, but you'll love it.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I can't.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I stayed for three months in Williamsburg and I was like, oh,
I have to move here because I have going to Brooklyn.
Different parts of Brooklyn I was like, I have to
move here. Not Williamsburg per se, but I was like,
I must move here, and so I it's just a
wonderful experience. So I can't wait to really take this
off of social media, the podcast and the TV and
hang out with you. We can have a lot of fun, girl,
(36:48):
because I'm fun. I don't know if you know that.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Judging by your Instagram, you seem very fun and you
always turnel look good time.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Phoebe Robinson brilliant, brilliant and successful, also beautiful.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Thank you for joining me on the podcast.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Thank you for happy bed.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
So don't forget you all head to her a website,
even her Instagram Phoebe Robinson dot com and support she
is on tour and I think it's great, she said.
For some time, as you heard her say, it was
difficult for her to get up in front of an
audience and just bring her full self, and now she
loves it. It was a tough ask. But now she's
given you all that she has and I really want
us to support her. It's rare that we find people
(37:31):
who are truly humble and kind and then have this
great mind, and when they get this success, they still
remain the same. Hollywood changes people, and I'm proud to
say she's one of a few that I know intimately
that I can say has not changed again. She deserves
all of our support. Check her out Phoebe Robinson dot com,
go see her on tour. If not, watch some of
(37:52):
her television shows. Follow her on Instagram. There's a lot
to learn. Talk to you all next week.
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