Questlove Supreme: Kim Fields

Kim Fields drops in to talk about her iconic TV roles, avoiding the pitfalls of childhood celebrity, and so much more!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. Wait, we're
doing this garage Man.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Supreme Supreme Audition, Supreme So Supreme role called Supremo Supremo Role,
Suprema Supreme roll.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Call my feelings. Yeah, I can't control Yeah, because we're Finn.
Talk to ye, missmocas Soul.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Supremer Supreme Role came Suprema Supremo Role.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
My name is Sugar, Yeah, and I don't care, Yeah,
because I just met two D Yeah, and we're friends
with Blair.

Speaker 4 (00:47):
Supreme Supreme Supremo roll every Wednesday. Yeah, that's when we're on.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
My name is Boss Bill and that's one to grow on.

Speaker 3 (01:03):
SUPREMEA So Supprema roll came Subpremer Supremo roll.

Speaker 5 (01:12):
Yeah with kim the Queen. Yeah, if you're sure, Yeah,
Reference Regime.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Supprimer Supremo roll called.

Speaker 4 (01:22):
My name is Suprema.

Speaker 6 (01:26):
My name is Kimmy.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:28):
I'm in the house. Yeah, I'm in New York. Yeah,
I saw a mouse.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Something Supremo role called Supreme Suprema roll called Suprema Son
Suprema roll call.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
I'm so glad someone gets me. I'm currently as we speak,
I'm currently house shopping right now. And my second question
is any burn men. Yeah, I'm I'm I'm out. I've
given houses away because.

Speaker 5 (02:08):
Oh you know what are you talking about there?

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yes? Yeah that house. I saw a few rats in there.
I was like, hey, merry Christmas.

Speaker 5 (02:28):
Yes, that's what he did.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
I gave my house my sister. All right, guys, of
course love here. You may have heard me. We got
a bill, we gotta lie here, we got Steve and
a family member is still out getting cigarettes. He said
that he comes home eventually. But I don't know. I'm
not being kurt, but there's really no time to waste,

(02:53):
and it's not every day a guy gets to interview
his uh childhood celebrity, which is anyway.

Speaker 4 (03:01):
I don't want to that next tool.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
I want to wait. I don't want to waste to act.
I want to waste a second on acting royalty. I
will say that our guest today, UH is pretty much
maybe the reason I sort of kind of talked to
UH bottles of syrup every uh pancakes Saturday? Wait in
Black Households is set? Is pancakes on a Saturday? Like

(03:23):
an event? Yes?

Speaker 4 (03:24):
Yes, yeah, any day of regular.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
No for Black Households like that was a treat.

Speaker 7 (03:29):
That was a Saturday.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
I survived off of like tasty cakes, quarter waters for Saturdays.
That's that's that's when we're rich. That's when the cat
you know, check our cash. The first black roller skater avenue. Uh,
the reason why I fell in love with any girl
who wore braces in my in my school. Oh yeah,

(03:54):
the only the only person whose character truly understands uh
what uh dejection from a Jackson means, especially when one
works works so hard to give them gifts that they
made with their own money anyway, and the fact that

(04:17):
most people don't know. Without this person, the the empire
known as Friends would have never existed. Yes, Like did
you know this? Yeah? Your your beloved Chandler, Joey, Monica
and I guess and Rachel you know, I'm just saying

(04:38):
Ad and Becky whoever else is on Friends, you miss
Joey with Without with our guest today, none of that
would have been possible. Uh yeah No, Seriously, Ladies and gentlemen,
acting royalty or quest Love Supreme today, welcome incomparable Madam
Kimberly Victoria Field. What's like supremes? Finally?

Speaker 6 (05:00):
What an intro? Finally? Man we've been trying to do.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
I know we've been doing five minutes intro.

Speaker 6 (05:06):
Wow, thank you for that intro.

Speaker 5 (05:09):
Get better little TV for real.

Speaker 1 (05:12):
Yeah, seriously, no, seriously, we have so many questions that
asking so little time. So, Kim, where were you born Harlem?

Speaker 6 (05:21):
Right here?

Speaker 1 (05:22):
Really?

Speaker 6 (05:22):
And I'm Kim. I was born Kim Victoria, not Kimberly.

Speaker 1 (05:26):
Kim Victoria, Yes, just Kim is okay.

Speaker 6 (05:29):
Yes, we will request love you can call me.

Speaker 1 (05:34):
No, no, we were not to give the proper respect
respect due. What were your memories of Harlem? How long
did you live there?

Speaker 6 (05:43):
Six years really from zero to six?

Speaker 1 (05:46):
So what what what were your memories of Harlem growing up?
Is it anything close to the centerfied?

Speaker 6 (05:52):
Well not the gingrified, right, No, but I mean like
my building is still there, My park is still there,
my beloved Saint Nicholas Park, the the whole grass lawn
that we used to slid down in you know, cardboard
boxes because who had or you get them old busted
up tires and you'd slide down the cracks on the
sidewalk in front of my grandmother's building, which was six

(06:14):
fifty four Saint Nick. So you know, it's nothing but
love the other dad one in front of my elementary
school ps. Ninety two. Really yep, still looks the same.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
Any other notable peers of yours growing up in that.

Speaker 6 (06:28):
Area or I don't remember where they lived, But Danielle
Spencer who played Deal on What's Happening, So basically my
mom and a whole bunch of other amazingly talented actors
would go to acting school in Saint Philip's Church. Alfan
used to hold his classes there, the Alphan Theatrical Ensemble,
And so basically all of like the dopest actors on

(06:52):
the planet were in New York and in that environment
in the early seventies, and so you know, some of
them who had kids, they couldn't afford babysitters like us,
And so we would be at the at the acting classes,
imitating what we saw our parents doing to keep ourselves entertained.
And so Danielle was there because her stepdad Tempell got
rest to saw he was there. And and your mother

(07:15):
was a part of this troop.

Speaker 1 (07:16):
Yes, okay, so we would be remiss. Are you tired
of people coming up to you saying how much their
mom is Your mom has traumatized them all their lives
cackle right now, But I got I'm just saying I
thought about it and the Okay, yes, of course, now

(07:40):
that we're adults, we know what acting is. Yes, but
let's take it back like thirty years or whatever. How
many of your friends were traumatized at the side of
your mom.

Speaker 4 (07:53):
For those that haven't seen good times, Oh god, yeah, yeah,
I'm just kidding. Kim's mother played uh, Penny, well, Penny.
But what was the character's name?

Speaker 6 (08:03):
I can't remember, Missus Gordon.

Speaker 4 (08:04):
Missus Gordon, Yes, her name was, Yeah, she was Plenty's mom.
Penny of course was was Janet Jackson and the Penny
was being abused by her mother.

Speaker 5 (08:14):
And what iron I said.

Speaker 4 (08:17):
Miss Missus chip Fields played the hell out of that,
Yes she did.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
Yeah, yeah, that hit.

Speaker 4 (08:26):
If I ever see in the street, you know, it's
a hat, tip of the hat and you know, what
do you need? What can I get for you?

Speaker 1 (08:33):
So you're just saying that watching your mother and these
workshops prompted you to.

Speaker 6 (08:37):
Also not No, that was just the intro and and
kind of the environment to just be exposed to it all.
It wasn't until I actually saw her and saw the environment. Uh,
when mom was doing Hello Dolly with Pearl Bailey on
Broadway and on tour that I really started getting a

(08:57):
sense of all that goes into this, you know, and
the people who were a part of the craft and
makeup and hair and wardrobe and sets and props and
all of that. And then when you see it all
come together as a little kid, you know, looking at
it on stage, and that's that's really what what got
me into it.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
So was it commercials first? That?

Speaker 8 (09:16):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (09:17):
What was your very first commercials first? First? So with
technology not being as advanced as it was back then,
where you just speaking to.

Speaker 6 (09:28):
A still bottle still? Okay, Yes, I was, you know, yeah,
it was just just a bottle that was just there.

Speaker 1 (09:36):
Oh, another course left first. So I'll say that Baby
I'm Back was technically the first sitcom I was allowed
to watch. Okay, I wasn't allowed to watch TV much
back then. Yeah, because you guys came on right after
the Jacksons and in seventy six seventy seven the Jackson's.

Speaker 6 (09:57):
Had Yes, they did the specials.

Speaker 1 (09:59):
Yeah, Arriety show. So you were I think your character
was Angie, yes, uh, and Baby I'm Back with it
was Damon Wilson's Damon. Yeah, I never that's how he
pronounce his name, demon like he was a Shakespearean actor.

Speaker 5 (10:18):
He may have been.

Speaker 4 (10:20):
He was a preacher too, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (10:22):
Jamond Wilson and the great What's Your Brother? On the show? Okay,
I don't know what became of him whatever, but yeah,
my mom loved Denise Nichols. I guess everybody was.

Speaker 6 (10:34):
Everybody, yes, and everybody's uncle loved Oh. He was so
happy when I got that job.

Speaker 5 (10:40):
Really, everyone until the heat of tonight, yeap.

Speaker 7 (10:47):
Up until I mean, well that's when the last time
he really started to start seeing it.

Speaker 1 (10:50):
Okay, I'm like, why are you starting? So that was
your very first sitcom? Yes, so how easy was it
for you to adjust to that environment?

Speaker 6 (11:05):
It was definitely a learning experience, you know. For example,
I didn't know about continuity, and so we did a
scene and I was supposed to come into the kitchen
area from having been awakened, and so we did the take,
you know, one time, and then I thought I was
backstage and I thought, well, if I was asleep, my
hair should be a little messy, so I must my

(11:27):
hair and then it came out and they were like,
cut who touched her hair. So that was the first
time I learned about continuity. Yeah, absolutely, and things like,
you know, don't look in the camera and don't laugh
at your own jokes and don't laugh at other people's
jokes and you know, stuff like that, and so it
definitely was a lot of fun, you know, but it

(11:50):
was it was on the job training because I had
never done a series.

Speaker 1 (11:52):
Before, and by that point you moved to Los Angeles. Yeah,
So what was that transition like because the seventies, I
mean a lot of people don't even realize that for
a lot of African Americans, like you know, we've only
known the current environment that we're in right now for
just fifty years. So I'll say for at least the

(12:15):
first ten years, I'm sure that it was a learning
curve for anyone in Hollywood in the seventies. Sure, kind
of trekking uncharted territory that wasn't previously available to them
any decades or time before. So what was it like
coming Like, where were your memories of moving to LA Like.

Speaker 6 (12:36):
Well, I went to school back at PS ninety two.
I went to school that morning, and when I came
back to our apartment, the little few things that we had,
including like my little easy bake oven and you know
those like everything, my view Master. Everything was packed up.
It wasn't a whole lot. And my mom said, we're
moving to La tonight. I was like, without no, just

(12:58):
because we hadn't done I just went to school like
any other day.

Speaker 5 (13:01):
So why did y'all end up moving to La So.

Speaker 6 (13:03):
Mom had been there when she toured with Hello Dolly,
and she just felt like that area had more opportunities
work wise. Harlem in the early to mid seventies was
a lot different than it is now, and so Mom
just thought that that was going to be a better
look for us, and so she she, you know, packed
us up and we went out there. One of the

(13:25):
other guy persons who was a part of the acting
troupe that Alfan had was Laurence Hilton Jacobs, and him
and my mom were like brother and sister, and so
when we came out to La he was like, you know, Chip,
I got you and a guy Kimmi, and you know,
whatever you guys need. And so what you're talking about
right there, you know that there was really no blueprint
and everybody just kind of, you know, that village holding

(13:46):
it together and figuring it out. Yeah, exactly, exactly, Yeah,
because he had gone out there and booked Welcome Back,
caught her, and so he knew kind of the ropes.
But it was still different for you know, a female
and a female with a little kid. And so we
moved and got an apartment eventually in West Hollywood, and

(14:06):
then Mom started working. Then I started working.

Speaker 5 (14:09):
How does that work?

Speaker 7 (14:10):
That's what I was wondering, because I'm like, you guys
are both working actors. Of course her more than you, right, right,
But how does she do that? How is she mom
an agent manager in her own career? Right?

Speaker 6 (14:20):
Well, she was never. No, she was she was mom
And it stopped right there. And one thing I always
to this day, I'm marvel at like like Mom had
me when she was eighteen and and and you know
it's like she's such a good parent, but she knew
nothing about parenting. She was a kid herself, and you know,

(14:42):
just just how did that? How did she know the
stuff to teach me and to pour into me and
to know things like, hey, she is not my competition,
She's my child, especially when we are you know, both
at you know, at some point we both began working
my Aunt Pat, my mother's sister, was an integral part

(15:02):
of all of this. Mom asked her to come out
and to move to LA And so my aunt Pat
was actually the one who was on my on set
with me all the time I was working up til
I was eighteen. She would travel with me to all
my appearances and everything.

Speaker 1 (15:17):
Wow. Man, so it's I guess you can say that, Well,
that's weird because I always thought she was your manager.
So but that's that's good that she had the insight
at least to to put some distance, no distance, because
most parents don't do that, like they either live their

(15:39):
dreams through their kids or yeah.

Speaker 6 (15:41):
And she and she was not that, you know. And
she also she never stopped parenting me even though she
was finding her way as a parent. You know, one
time I had said it was like maybe the second
or third season of Living Single, Facts of Life. And
she had raised me to be a really good kid,
like don't talk back, be very disrespectful. You know. I

(16:01):
had home training and she said to me one day,
can me clean up your room? And I promise, y'all,
I promise, y'all. I was not trying to be smart.
It was a genuine question when I said, isn't that
what we have a housekeeper? And I really was love

(16:26):
and then sure enough, before I could finish, I got
popped in my mouth.

Speaker 5 (16:29):
That's my next question. I wanted to know if you
was a baby.

Speaker 6 (16:31):
Okay, that wasn't a whooping baby, because I was a
good kid, but she caught me in my mouth.

Speaker 4 (16:37):
In your book, you're talking about a situation when you
were on set and you had to talk back to
a parent and you weren't really sure how to do that.

Speaker 6 (16:44):
Exactly. I had to talk back to missus Garrett and
Jermaine Jackson episode and my mom was like, no, no,
it's okay, you can do.

Speaker 5 (16:51):
This now here.

Speaker 6 (16:52):
This is fine.

Speaker 5 (16:53):
But she knew.

Speaker 6 (16:53):
I mean, you know, I wasn't talking back, but it
was just that sense of we're not You're not going
to be that child, you know, And then she called
Then the top it off girl, she called the studio
and talked to one of the producers and said, I'm sorry,
but Kim won't be returning as as two D any longer.
She doesn't know how to deal with this. And yeah, when.

Speaker 4 (17:16):
Yeah, I love it, I love it, I love it.

Speaker 6 (17:20):
That's something Yeah, absolutely, and of course him, being a parent,
was right there with her and said, okay, Chip, no problem,
we understand. Tell her thank you so much for her
time and everything. And of course they were dealing with
being They were parenting me to make sure that I
didn't start tripping at age you know, eleven or twelve

(17:40):
or whatever it was. And I was like, oh my bad,
I didn't know. No problem, I got it, my socks,
got it, my toys, put these away, you know, and
that sort of.

Speaker 1 (17:52):
Absolutely I always wondered, like, what's the what's the power
dynamic where you're an established person at your job but
you still got to come home and take the garbage out?

Speaker 5 (18:04):
That's right?

Speaker 6 (18:05):
Yeah, well it keeps you grounded. I mean, think about
when the Obamas won and Michelle was like, but you're
still taking the babies to school in the I know,
you just became, but you take your babies to school.
I mean there's certain things that you know conceptually, no
matter if it's fame or or or whatever it is
being connected to, some form of groundedness has to be

(18:28):
in play. Otherwise you turned.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
Up from chrisis when Randy Jackson was on the show.

Speaker 6 (18:33):
Which one he not dog got it okay.

Speaker 1 (18:38):
No, and he was saying that they had just did
four sold out out nights at the Forum and got
home back to Xino and you know, like, there it's
your turn that you didn't take the garbage out and
he's like, I just played sold out con to that,
and then Joe's like what you say? Okay?

Speaker 6 (18:57):
So right?

Speaker 1 (19:00):
What was what was the.

Speaker 6 (19:02):
By the way, I mean, Randy Jackson was my that
was everything. He was everything to me. That was my crush. Yes,
oh my god. Listen when they let him sing on
can you feel it?

Speaker 4 (19:14):
Right there?

Speaker 6 (19:19):
I was the only one in the Forum screen.

Speaker 1 (19:27):
As a working actor? What was the Hollywood shuffle process?

Speaker 4 (19:31):
Like?

Speaker 5 (19:32):
I love when you asked that question that way.

Speaker 6 (19:34):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (19:35):
No, no, dude, it's like, yeah, like what was the
process like, now, of course you were lucky enough to
land key memorable roles in your career, but or in
the average could you talk about the audition process? And
oh yeah, like even as an established act, like did you.

Speaker 6 (19:54):
Still have to absolutely you still have to audition? And
it was there was a big part of it that
was on almost like family Reunion because you go in
Hey t Show, Hey Jada, Hey Vivoica you know, and
it's like kind of the yeah, you know, because at
that time it was, you know, just a handful of
roles and we were all going out for them, you know,
and some of them you knew, up, yep, this one's

(20:16):
got deh, yet this is gonna be yours and you
know that sort of thing.

Speaker 1 (20:19):
Well, what was it like in your younger years, Like
were you still worn after commercials?

Speaker 6 (20:23):
And sure, I'd still audition, but not as much. Number one,
when you're on a series, and see, you have to remember,
in that day and age of television so to speak,
a season was twenty four episodes, so you were busy
for a much longer period of time than you know nowadays,
where it's like, oh there's six episodes, there's eight episodes.

(20:43):
So you know, then you were doing TV movies, so
I would do like the ones I did with Gary
Coleman and that sort of thing. And at that point
I didn't have to audition, you know, Children of Divorce
or the ones with Gary Coleman. I didn't have to
audition for those.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
Was there, ever, did you feel like a feeling of security, like, Okay,
we got through this year. Was there always like a
midpoint season where are you checking the Nielsen ratings every
twelve seconds?

Speaker 6 (21:07):
Too young? I was, I was too young.

Speaker 7 (21:08):
I was.

Speaker 6 (21:09):
I was really just into again, make sure I had
good grades, make sure I was professional, make sure I
was a good kid. And so my priorities were not
about that part of the industry because I just I
was too young to really focus on that and the
things that I did that were important to me, aside

(21:30):
from the kids stuff. I really enjoyed being around the
crew and learning from them. You know, it's like it's
like a kid being around musicians and they love music.
You're just going to keep gravitating tourism every chance you get.
And so that was really, you know, my lane right there.

Speaker 1 (21:45):
Here's a fact a lot of question I had. I
remember when it first came on the air, there was
a larger ensemble cast and then it was just whittled
down to the four of you. What was what was
the thought process or like what made that transition happen

(22:06):
because at one point, like Molly Ringwold was part of the.

Speaker 5 (22:09):
The Cat bigger housemember.

Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, way bigger, but I never I mean now, it's
like when you watch television, you got to watch every
episode and binge watch every second of it, whereas back
then it's just like, oh, it's on its horn. But
I never understood what was what was the decision factor
behind turning a seven castle to pay?

Speaker 6 (22:33):
Nothing was quite that. But basically, we had a half
hour show, and it's a lot of characters to service
in a half hour. And so after we did that
first season, they the network execs, evaluated it and felt
that there were just too many people to try to
focus on in twenty two minutes. And so then it

(22:54):
became okay, well, what if we changed some of the diet,
the dynamics, you know, changing the amount of people that
are there. You mentioned it being a bigger house, So
the that main set was more like the common area,
the commons or something like that, and so then they
shifted it to something that, you know, they had more
They felt they had more storyline ideas. So the idea

(23:16):
of the peace fill the yes yes, and so the
idea of like the cafeteria where you could still have
the all the kids coming and going, but it still
was more interesting than just having the common area and
us living above it. So that was that was the idea.
Now that was one of the few times I remembered thinking,

(23:37):
I'm gonna probably get cut too, because I'm the black kid,
and black people always get cut first. That was like
one of the first times I've had a well, that
was a horror movie to me, that people's.

Speaker 1 (23:49):
Getting you guys knew that the pendulum non pendulum, that
the guillotine button was about the depressed and somebody was leaving.

Speaker 6 (23:57):
Not quite like that.

Speaker 1 (23:58):
You know.

Speaker 6 (23:58):
When we heard that there was a pick up, and
everybody was, you know, ecstatic, and then they said, yes,
the show has been picked up, but there's been some
changes that have been made. These girls are not coming
back to the show. You're gonna come back, This one's
coming back on the phone. On the phone. Yeah, so you're.

Speaker 1 (24:18):
Waiting for a phone call and you didn't know.

Speaker 4 (24:21):
Yeah, that's the facts of life for real.

Speaker 5 (24:28):
You always knew you was the lone black girl in
the room.

Speaker 6 (24:31):
No, not like that. That was one of the few times.
That's why I said, it was one of the few
times where I really registered the idea of being the
black girl, being the black person. And that was very
early on. But but for the most part, one I
wasn't taught to look through, you know, the lens with
color I everybody was just people, not fire, just not

(24:58):
invited exactly been there.

Speaker 1 (25:01):
But in retrospect, yes, in retrospect though, or in hindsight
you being a first living a life of being a
first or whatever. What was the environment like on the set?

Speaker 6 (25:17):
It was great? Really, it really was great. Everybody was
It was a level playing field, truly, truly, like even
as the youngest, I didn't feel like the baby, you know,
like Tuty felt that more than Kim did. Does that
make sense? Yeah, oh good, because I didn't have nothing else.

Speaker 1 (25:42):
What was the average working like.

Speaker 6 (25:45):
Well, as a minor, you can only work, you know,
a certain number of hours a day, and then you
also have to go to school. So we would go
to school in the morning. And by the second season,
when Nancy arrived, Nancy and I were in studio school together. Mindy,
her family wanted her to stay in her school environment,
and so she would come to work after Lisa was

(26:05):
already what do you call it, she had taken the
proficiency test or whatever, so she wasn't in school anymore
even though she was sixteen. Uh. And that's also really
a huge contributing factor to why Nancy and I are
so close and were so close, even though to DM
Joe were not Nancy and I are. I'm oh, my gosh.

Speaker 7 (26:24):
I just thought it was in my mind, has always
been because that's because that show was.

Speaker 6 (26:29):
But I spent actually more time, far more time than
any with anyone than with Nancy, because you're in studio
school and so you start roughly about two hours before
everybody even comes to work us school.

Speaker 1 (26:42):
I always wanted to know what, Yeah.

Speaker 6 (26:45):
So you're in, you know, like one of the rooms
in the production office. When we filmed for three seasons
at Universal Studios, we were in a row of trailers.
Uh so there was facts of life, different strokes, one
day at a time, silver spoons. We were all in this,
not together, but we were just in a row of
trailers that you know, were separated by a door. But

(27:06):
we were all right there.

Speaker 4 (27:12):
I would have had so much fun.

Speaker 6 (27:13):
It was great.

Speaker 1 (27:18):
Show.

Speaker 6 (27:18):
Each show has a different teacher, uh and so, and
depending on you know, if the grade levels of the kids,
if there are multiple kids on a show, you might
have different tutors to cover different ages. But Nance and
I had the same tutor, Margaret god Reshearsal. Margaret was
our tutor for the whole time. Uh, and so you know,

(27:39):
you you go and you you you have two hours
of school. Then when everybody comes to work, you literally
man are ping pong back and forth between school and
and rehearsal until you've done enough hours in the day
because you have to be in school for three hours
a day and then you can be in this rehearsal
hall or filming full time. Now what they end up

(28:00):
doing is like if you're on a hiatus week. Those
are tough because there's no outlet. You're there and you
go to school and then you have to what you
call bank time, so you might be there for like
five hours doing school because when you're in production on
your filming day, you might only get twenty minutes of
school and which is the minimum that you have to

(28:21):
be there, and then they pull from your hours in
the bank so that you still have your time.

Speaker 1 (28:27):
Someone is there literally clocking like a union person like baby.

Speaker 6 (28:31):
We used to have booth time and Margaret time. And
Margaret if it was booth time, was like in the
control room where the producers would go, Okay, we're gonna
lose Kim in five minutes. We have to get this
scene done or you know that sort of thing, and
Margaret time was, y'all have to finish now. I don't
know that that that that clock's not right. My clock

(28:51):
says it's nine o'clock now, and so you've got to
pull the plug.

Speaker 1 (28:55):
Are they still doing that system today or is that.

Speaker 6 (28:58):
Back then to a certain extent, you know, because the
labor laws they got such a bad rap from, you know,
earlier generation, so they tried to be better at it.
But when our son Quincy was in the Pride and
Prejudice movie for a Lifetime this past summer, he filmed
it at the end of last year and I was
set mom, and I was in the trailer and you know,

(29:20):
there was his tutor and all those things, and I
actually took video and showed it to Nancy. I was like, oh,
my god, your nephew's at studio school right now.

Speaker 1 (29:30):
Are they all? Are? They?

Speaker 5 (29:31):
Absolutely?

Speaker 6 (29:33):
Absolutely?

Speaker 1 (29:35):
I was asking because during like I just never understood
and always sort of frowned. And first of all, yes,
I commit that. You know, I'm very bad at punctuality
and time and all that stuff. I'm working all myself, boss, Bill,
you know this. So when working on Hamilton, I didn't

(29:58):
realize that they are also very antal retentive with time.
So like they there was always a on set person
with a stopwatch and say if like George Washington had
to re sing a part over again, it's like, okay,
well we have six minutes and thirty seconds, guys, until
up now it's five minutes and fifty seconds. And I'm
just like, look, this is working on cast album. Yeah,

(30:21):
because they're also anal and you know there's like actual
people whose jobs it is just to look at the
stopwatch absolutely and enforce rules of which as a black person.

Speaker 6 (30:32):
I'm like, but the unions are to your point, really,
you know they're there to really protect the artists, is
what you know, the idea of the union is, and
so being able to protect, making sure that that you know,
you're not overworked and all of those things. So they

(30:53):
are sticklers.

Speaker 1 (30:54):
So does that leave you enough time to actually study
your lines and or you guys just given sides and
you recap them for two seconds and right.

Speaker 6 (31:04):
So when you're doing a movie, then you know you
shoot bits of it every day, but on a multi
camera comedy like that, then you you film just kind
of once or twice a week, so you have the
script and you rehearse the whole thing over and over
and over.

Speaker 1 (31:20):
Okay, so as a teenager, let's let's push on in
the years. No, I'm trying to cover every every aspect
of your career. Was there a general fear of Hollywood
trappings that have sort of sort of grabbed everyone? You

(31:41):
seem to, at least in my eyes. You got out
of it unscathed and you know, without a scratch or
I don't know, but like, how hard was that to
avoid in such a decadent time period social media?

Speaker 6 (32:02):
Yeah? Right, yeah, it was. It was. There was a
part of it that was really easy because I was scared,
meaning I was I was that kid that was like,
I don't even want to try weed because I'd be
that one person that they find out, oh my god,
it can't kill you if you puff. Once we didn't know,
and now God rest her soul, you know. So I

(32:24):
was like, so, you know, it's like, I'm not going
to try that, and certainly not anything stronger than that.
But but basically I just felt like I didn't want
to be a has been At eighteen, I clearly remember
having that thought, you know, as you get fifteen and

(32:45):
sixteen and you you know, you're just becoming a young adult.
And I remember thinking, I'm not going to be a
has been at eighteen, and I'm not gonna let my
village suffer because I'm a statistic. My village has put
way too much in me for me to go out
like that. That's that's not an option. So that's how
I avoided. Now. I'm not unscratched, not not at all.

(33:08):
It's just I didn't have some of those monumental tragic incidents,
you know, that sort of thing. But I certainly had
struggles and challenges. That's why I start my book with
the piece from Langston Hughes. Well time, I'll tell you
life for me been no Crystal stare because people think
they look at me and they go, oh, she ain't
been through nothing.

Speaker 5 (33:30):
You was the first. How could you not go through something.

Speaker 6 (33:35):
Exactly?

Speaker 5 (33:36):
The whole woman, the woman.

Speaker 1 (33:42):
I think.

Speaker 5 (33:53):
She been my friends, she just didn't know.

Speaker 1 (34:00):
How well, not how important, but how hard was it
to shake the T word?

Speaker 6 (34:07):
I love you for that man?

Speaker 1 (34:08):
Once once the series ended, what eighty six.

Speaker 6 (34:13):
Eight nine, eighty eight, eighty eight, seventy nine to eighty eight, Yeah, okay.

Speaker 1 (34:18):
Yeah, by the way, first everybody remembers the first show
they ever recorded when they got a VCR. So I
got my box over writing in time for the Eldbarge episode. Well,
we talked about this when it was on our show,
that's right, yeah, yeah, so it was first. Like back

(34:41):
when you in the eighties, when you got a VCR,
you recorded any and everything because, like you know, you
didn't want to miss anything.

Speaker 4 (34:47):
So we used to have like the mountains of EHS tapes,
like this is a Saturday lineup, pile, this isday lineup.

Speaker 6 (34:56):
Wait, funny, Maxwell just sent me a text of a
PI make sure of like just piled like like piles
of VHS and and cassette and he's like, I got mine.
You know you got shorts. Oh my god.

Speaker 1 (35:10):
If you think about it, we are like as a species,
we're the most documenting, never going back to watch people
like the amount. Oh wait, that's for Maxwell. Yeah, wait
with a floppy disc?

Speaker 4 (35:28):
You have stuff In comments.

Speaker 1 (35:38):
Kim just showed us her phone and Maxwell's center photo
of a bunch of VHS, a cassette and a floppy disc,
which reminds me of that to this day. To this day,
uh d'angela still creates his music on his A s
R ten and needs floppy discs bs.

Speaker 5 (36:01):
Uh he just said again.

Speaker 1 (36:05):
But my point being that, Uh, when when the series
was over, how hard was it to to shake the
character as far as figuring out what you're going to
do next?

Speaker 6 (36:20):
Well, thankfully the character had grown up. So you know,
I wasn't like a Shirley Temple type of of of
of child start trapped in you know, being a child.
So so and I had gone to college, and you know,
I'd gotten my degree, so I stayed busy number one,
So my mind wasn't idol and I wasn't just kind

(36:43):
of trapped my own self.

Speaker 1 (36:45):
What did you major in it, Pepperdine?

Speaker 6 (36:47):
I double majored in broadcast journalism and TV and film
production and a minor in religion.

Speaker 1 (36:52):
Wow, what whoa why did you use?

Speaker 6 (36:56):
I wanted to go to San Diego State, but I
couldn't go out of state for school or out of
out of town for school because the facts life was still.
Did you wear that from me?

Speaker 5 (37:05):
Oh you got on your head.

Speaker 6 (37:07):
It's just facts.

Speaker 1 (37:09):
Oh crash. Not even shout out to Dan Ricky h Now,
I did this weird thing when I meditated in the
morning and it was like the first word I saw,
so wow, okay, I did facts. And then when I like,
I grabbed a whole bunch of letters and whatever comes

(37:29):
out in my hand, I was just like, I'll use that.

Speaker 5 (37:31):
I swear to God, that's next level of meditation.

Speaker 1 (37:34):
Then again, like I didn't know crown.

Speaker 6 (37:37):
Or what, but look how connected we are that I
permeated your meditation time see and and you and and
you had me on your mind.

Speaker 1 (37:45):
Wow.

Speaker 4 (37:46):
I don't think you ever left.

Speaker 1 (37:49):
I don't even read the calendar in the morning. I
was like, oh, wait, I'm going to work right. Oh, oh, Kim,
I'm playing.

Speaker 5 (37:55):
Although he's been asking me almost once a week, so
when's is cam? Did you get cam?

Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (38:04):
I think because it's true.

Speaker 1 (38:06):
Yeah, I'm sadly true. How do you decide which crown
to wear each day?

Speaker 5 (38:09):
Different ones?

Speaker 1 (38:10):
Steve, Steve, Steve Anyway, No, I totally forgot I was
wearing a crown in my head.

Speaker 6 (38:17):
I interrupted you. What were you saying no?

Speaker 1 (38:20):
No about Pepperdine.

Speaker 5 (38:21):
Yes.

Speaker 6 (38:22):
So I wanted to go out of state and I
couldn't go out of state, And then I couldn't even
go out of town because Fact's life was still filming
when I started college, because I took seventh and eighth
grade together, so I got out of high school a
year early. So I was still done Facts Life when
I started college. And so we had done the Australian
movie and then I started school.

Speaker 1 (38:43):
Well, this was fun. I remember the Paris one. I
was on punishment for the other one.

Speaker 6 (38:49):
Man, weren't we older? How was you on punishment?

Speaker 1 (38:51):
Then we don't want to Paris. I remember being in
trouble that Paris was like, wait, eighty Irish tried right.
I was two of those special Facts of Life trips
was on punishment.

Speaker 6 (39:07):
For so okay, the other one I was. I was
seventeen eighteens. I don't even want to know.

Speaker 1 (39:12):
Why you was. No, no, no, my bad. Y'all went
to Hawaii.

Speaker 5 (39:16):
Everybody went to Hawaiian.

Speaker 6 (39:18):
Yeah, Hawaii went to Hawaii and you saw they took
their hairdressers.

Speaker 8 (39:23):
Because here's here's here's something weird.

Speaker 1 (39:35):
Okay, so don't say we won't get we will in
a second, Okay, Okay, so APOLOONI and I have a
really good mutual friend in Chef Gordon, who lives in Mali.
And one of Apple's favorite thing is to uh what
do when you go I don't say thrifting when you
go to the thrift stories to antique, right, And somehow

(40:01):
and and somehow, Appollonia wound up with Roxy Wrokers polaroid,
uh scrap book of when the Jeffersons went to wh No,
she just like always had it and that's how I
introduced her to to Lenny and Zoey to get the
book back.

Speaker 5 (40:22):
So she's had it for Miss Roxy's hair was straight
and white.

Speaker 1 (40:29):
Yeah, so those on those special episodes, you guys were
allowed special amenities for your.

Speaker 6 (40:34):
Well facts of life.

Speaker 5 (40:35):
I wasn't.

Speaker 6 (40:36):
And that's why when that wind blew to these bangs
looked like all to be damned and my mother was like,
oh never again. That's the one time she was kind
of managers and was like, my baby will not be
looking like that if you guys go anywhere else.

Speaker 5 (40:50):
Did they have a hairdresser for you?

Speaker 6 (40:52):
Yes, like joe Anne Stafford. Baby, that's who created the
sig zag part. That's right, Heat of the night, Right,
did you want that?

Speaker 1 (41:03):
Wait?

Speaker 5 (41:03):
How do you know that?

Speaker 4 (41:04):
Read the book? And then I did google afterwards.

Speaker 1 (41:06):
Okay, I don't just say because you pioneered for me
like the the even though people now are sort of
crediting like salt and pepper for the mushroom is Oh yeah, no,
she had no like I felt like you were the
pioneering what's that.

Speaker 6 (41:23):
Called the page boy the page boy circle.

Speaker 5 (41:28):
I thought that halle Berry cut was a page boy, right.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
Single, I'm talking about her facts of life, That's what
I'm talking about.

Speaker 6 (41:35):
The mush mushroom, right, yes, And I mean I had
bangs that big barrel on the curl curlin iron. So yeah,
but the zig zag part picked all of my styles,
was joining, but they didn't take joy in the Paris
and old Kim.

Speaker 1 (41:50):
Say, it's good to know that. See when we go
in on location and I'm after big and fleet like
you afro, don't come let me. It's just as much
of the character on the show as I am.

Speaker 8 (42:06):
That's right.

Speaker 6 (42:06):
And then when we went to Australia, Kim was laid
though Kim Kim had her hair tight.

Speaker 1 (42:12):
On that one.

Speaker 6 (42:13):
But I took my hairstylist.

Speaker 5 (42:15):
Was that a really?

Speaker 7 (42:15):
Was you a relaxer or was that a blowout? I'm sorry,
I just always had that question. Press yes, okay, it
took a while. Does she ever, did you ever get
your hair chemical up?

Speaker 6 (42:27):
I don't think so, I don't think my mom. I
have to ask my mom.

Speaker 5 (42:30):
That was good to watch.

Speaker 6 (42:31):
Yeah, yeah, that wooden spoon on my ear, that's what
I really remember. And the blue grease, No, because it's
thank And now back to.

Speaker 1 (42:42):
Believe we are we are the rabbit Hole Kings on
the show good So, as I was mentioned earlier, and
you know, and I know that people seem to think, uh,
I'm talking out the side of my neck, but not
many people know that the reasons that Friends exist is
because the creators of Friends, my great pals at NBC

(43:04):
where I currently work to this day, what my job
and benefits. It's okay, No, well, you know, I thought
it was Brendan Tartakoff's last move. He had a chance
to have uh living single or an NBC. But they

(43:27):
were like, well, we have enough black shows already. We
already have Labelle's Up all Night, and we have the
Fresh Prince of bel Air, and we have L's in
the house, so maybe three is enough, you know, and
we still have Cosby in a different world. So that's
that's a lot of blackness. So we'll pass on this one,
and he was like, I don't know something about this

(43:47):
show and the chemistry they have, and I guess the
decision was, well, let's create the white version of living single,
and thus that's how Friends came to be.

Speaker 4 (43:59):
Is that correct?

Speaker 1 (44:00):
I did not know that, which it is is no, No,
I'm asked Brandon if she said no?

Speaker 5 (44:07):
He said it. He admitted it.

Speaker 6 (44:09):
Yeah, even jump in the grave and get him.

Speaker 1 (44:15):
I don't know that, you know, Joe when Emmys and Taro.

Speaker 4 (44:22):
I knew Joanne won the Emmy because I read the
book and then I did googlefter tartakov I actually remember
when he died. Yeah, I actually remember when he died.
I was like probably like eleven or twelve, but I
remember that shout out damn.

Speaker 6 (44:32):
Yeah. Well that's uh, that's what I'm surprised to have
Tartakoff connected to Friends.

Speaker 1 (44:36):
Well, even whoever whoever was the president of NBC in
ninety two ninety three admitted it on like one of
those like panel things. Yes, I'm getting and thus the
reason why jay Z made the Moonlight video with all

(44:58):
the Black Friends characters.

Speaker 5 (44:59):
I didn't know is that. Okay, I didn't know. I
didn't say that. I just didn't know that he was
up on his pop culture trivia like.

Speaker 1 (45:08):
That it's quasi common knowledge. But uh, were you aware
of those facts at all?

Speaker 6 (45:16):
Not those particular facts from other facts.

Speaker 5 (45:20):
What what I know, uh is that.

Speaker 6 (45:24):
Uh Yvett created this this this brilliant show and Evett
had a deal with Fox to develop a show with
Dana and Kim Coles Lativa and Kim Coles. I don't
know what the preamble was prior to that. What was difficult,
you know, and a bit of a challenge to work
through sometimes was that both friends of Limit single was

(45:46):
Warner Brothers, and so, you know, oftentimes real talk, we
we kind of felt like that.

Speaker 1 (45:53):
I'm sorry, Bill, looking up, I want you to you right,
I'm partly insulting as I'm listening to you, like, yeah, continue,
I'm like, I'm.

Speaker 6 (46:13):
So sometimes we kind of felt like the redheaded stepchild
right right now, from from the standpoint of we were
you know, quote unquote first and you know, if you're
able to inspire people to create great content, great, what
do they say? You know something is the highest form

(46:36):
of flattery, imitation, That's it. He came with that quick
to google that, but being able to you know, when
my kids wake up from nightmares, the first thing I
say is what's your truth? Speak your truth, know your truth,

(46:57):
and we know our truth bottom line, So we don't
have to have anybody validated and do memes about it
and start a hashtag campaign and used.

Speaker 5 (47:05):
To because we're just starting shitting people copying.

Speaker 6 (47:07):
Well, there's that, there's that part, But at the end
of the day, that's the part that was the most frustrating,
you know, to be a part of the same production,
the same studio essentially, uh and to be treated so
grossly different in terms of pay, in terms of you know,
there's there's a this is a true story. One day

(47:30):
we came to work in the set. The sound stage
was freezing, and even things like, you know what the
big Warner Brothers is the main Warner Brothers lot, and
then they have the ranch. Who do you think filmed
at the main lot? And who do you think filmed
at the ranch?

Speaker 1 (47:45):
The ranch was the better option and not the better option?

Speaker 6 (47:48):
No, the ranch was you know kind of that that
out the way. The ranch is not the big studio,
that's right, that's right. So we came in there and
the sound stage was freezing and they said that they
weren't going to turn the lights on, and so we
had to rehearse in these big, big puffer coats and

(48:10):
stuff because they were saying that they didn't want to
spend the money to turn the lights on and or heat.
And that's when we actually that that was the one
and only time that we collectively said we're not coming
to work. We're not going to do that because at
this point, this is a safety hazard. Meanwhile, meanwhile the

(48:31):
other folks walk off to get a million per episodes
and it's like they want money, we want heat. If
that don't sound like an episode a good time.

Speaker 7 (48:43):
So it was a whole black woman in that moment,
you know what I'm saying, Not even then the seventy six,
you know, and so so, so you.

Speaker 6 (48:52):
Have those moments where it's like, never mind all the
other stuff that goes around the comparisons, those are the
moments where it's like that.

Speaker 7 (49:03):
Can you ask them, I just real quick, I just
want to know since you knew this, right, My question
is because usually on the opposite side, the other people
have no idea.

Speaker 5 (49:10):
What the other folks are going through. So was it
the same way?

Speaker 6 (49:12):
I don't know. I never met that ran into that.
They probably we weren't. We weren't at the lotch so
we didn't. We didn't run into them in the comments.

Speaker 5 (49:21):
So somebody told them, you know, your show is based
off the show called Living Single. They'd be like, what
the you know?

Speaker 1 (49:25):
A well, okay, I know that there there have been
a few times on these episodes that you directed, Yes,
and often, like when I watched shitcoms, like a key
character will go away for a vacation, right, this week
she went on a convention and direct, right, how one?

(49:50):
How is that? How is that negotiated? And how hard
is it to direct? And or really the real question
is how welcome characters have to leave to go on
vacation to direct their own things? Like why can't you
also be there at the time?

Speaker 5 (50:06):
Right?

Speaker 6 (50:06):
You know what's funny is I remember when Anton Williams
and Ron Howard and those guys started directing like Happy Days,
and you'd see, like you just said, you know, Podgy's
going off to the right because he was directing Regime
didn't go anywhere Regime. But the first time I directed
an episode of eleven Single, I was the BT story.

Speaker 5 (50:20):
And I was like, wait a minute, what happened to
the rules?

Speaker 6 (50:23):
What I'm I'm directing and I'm the best story wait,
And really they try to do that because it's a
lot to direct an episode, and then you've got to
put yourself in it, you know, and then you've got
to have your stand in to be you. And then
when you're in it, then you have to make sure
that the assistant director or stage manager is watching. So
it's just it's a lot instead of just being in

(50:44):
one scene and then you go away and then you
can really focus on that, you know. And for the
type of sitcom that we were doing, this was when
they would have a control room and so you'd actually
leave the sound stage go to another part of the
building to you know, where we're basically master control was
where you're talking to the cameras and all just everybody

(51:07):
and all the monitors are there and you're switching shots
and things like that.

Speaker 1 (51:11):
She's determined that as well. Yeah, so it's a big
giant division of.

Speaker 5 (51:15):
Absolutely which makes Tyler Perry look even more genius than
his way. I guess, yes, no, I know, but he does. Yes,
you can't take it away.

Speaker 1 (51:24):
You don't have to defend it. I agree with you.
Oh sorry, Tyler, you know he's making power moves. Yes,
Steve clear in my throat. In the hindsight, what lessons

(51:44):
or valuable lessons have you learned in your career that
you wish you knew then at that at that particular
time period or you're fine with your outcome and yeah,

(52:06):
I feel like everything happens for a reason. Yeah, and
so even now, like I'll see someone that has done
better than me in my career or whatever, and like
maybe at that moment, I'll be like, oh man, I
wish I wrote that song or something like that. But
then I feel like I'm on the path I'm supposed.

Speaker 6 (52:23):
To be on exactly.

Speaker 1 (52:24):
But if there's something like, Okay, I wish I knew about, Like, Okay,
there's some real like it's about to I'm not. I've
known you for all my life, all right. I really
wish i'd gotten early in the game on like stocks
and investments, way earlier in my career. I'm on it now.

Speaker 5 (52:47):
We all do a mirror shoot.

Speaker 1 (52:48):
But you know, had I known then when I know now, yeah,
you know, I wouldn't left at askton Coat. You were like,
what's it? I mean, get out of here? Like that
sort of thing, but like, what things do you wh
she I.

Speaker 6 (53:01):
Wish I hadn't worn braces so long because fucking over
bites are sexy. Now what the hell like Live Live Tyler?
I mean, you know, just like, isn't that like a thing?

Speaker 5 (53:13):
But not her daddy, He's got one, but I didn't
bring him up right.

Speaker 7 (53:21):
We talked about physical things. Can I ask you a
question that I read? And I'm so curious just as
a woman, a bountiful, plentiful woman.

Speaker 5 (53:27):
Yes, why do you? Why did you have to get
two reductions?

Speaker 7 (53:30):
And I know one of them was covered on the
Living single, but yes, I'm scared for myself.

Speaker 6 (53:35):
Uh well, the first one was just physically. I was
five ft tall and and so just I'm still in
but my I had a lot of back issues with that.
Then yes, look at the pictures of us together, look
how like I mean like because she's and I always

(53:56):
wear heels when I'm on the show.

Speaker 5 (53:58):
Speak exactly, Prince, You're big on It's just something big
about you.

Speaker 1 (54:03):
I'm a guy, I'm dumb.

Speaker 6 (54:06):
But the second one was for aesthetics. I just felt
like I'm just you know, being on camera so much
and I just wasn't wasn't wasn't pleased. But you know,
but I mean, the the procedures have come such a
long way. Don't be scared. If that's what you want
to do, go for No. Well yeah, but then what
do you want to do it? Then don't do it?

Speaker 5 (54:24):
Yeah, I thought about it.

Speaker 7 (54:24):
I mean, it's funny because guys go but why would
you do that? But we all know sometimes you just
want to wear one sports bra, or sometimes you just
want to run, or sometimes you just want to stand.

Speaker 5 (54:32):
Straight and you know, have your shoulders down. It's hard.

Speaker 4 (54:36):
Okay.

Speaker 5 (54:36):
I was answering the questions because you know, because.

Speaker 1 (54:39):
Yes, you were. Wait, it just hit me. You on
your Instagram. You put up a photo that kind of
blew up, blew my mind, and it's you at west
Lake Studios. Yes, casually, uh, visiting Michael Jackson while recording

(55:02):
Thriller during the p y T background vocal sessions. Yes,
was that just like just like a regular Tuesday, just
about Hey, what are you guys doing? That's nice?

Speaker 6 (55:19):
So Janet, it was one of the times when she
was on different strokes and this was yeah, and she
had asked Mindy and I because again different strokes facts Life.
We all filmed in the same right there, in the
same areas, and so she asked us if we wanted
to hang out and go to the studio because Michael
was recording. Sure, So we show up and he was recording,

(55:43):
like you said, the backgrounds for p y T. And
James was there and mister Jones was there and uh
m hmmm, uh what LaToya was the toy Janet Bunny
Bunny Home.

Speaker 1 (56:00):
Stephanie is Frill Sprill.

Speaker 6 (56:03):
Yes, So they were all there and they were like, hey,
you know, we're at this part where we're doing the
column response and the p y T saying no, no, no,
want you guys all get in there. Okay, So we
all go in the studio and we do this yes
and we do the no no nos and mister Jones
is the but I hear an anchovy. I never forget

(56:32):
that he's a anchovy. And so we all was there
was like everybody, come on out, just come on out.
And then it became like you know, being picked for
the sport at school. Okay, you you you and you
go back in.

Speaker 5 (56:51):
Outside looking in.

Speaker 1 (56:54):
We'll take the girl. You guys take them mirror. Yeah,
manager man, that's funny.

Speaker 6 (57:06):
I was team manager of our baseball team at Burbank High. Really, yeah,
but I'm sure it's not funny because of what you
were Just.

Speaker 4 (57:15):
It's funny.

Speaker 1 (57:15):
It's funny. I'm still here. Funny, I'm still here. Yeah,
you know, I'm sure Grant Woods could see me. Now
you regret, you regret all them out. I was a
good first baseman. I know the sports, right, Steve, I.

Speaker 4 (57:30):
Understand we're calling out childhood bullies, all right, Shane.

Speaker 5 (57:36):
Yeah, An.

Speaker 6 (57:39):
I started that.

Speaker 5 (57:41):
I'm sorry she was little, Dan me.

Speaker 1 (57:44):
Any other casual flexes like that, No, yeah, we shall
all be scared of anyone smaller than us, bigger dudes.
I'm like whatever, but small people they have something to prove.
Any other casual flexes that you've had in your life
so far? Now, Red like, oh yeah, here's printing his cadillagers.

Speaker 6 (58:06):
You know when Johnny Gill and I met, it was
in the Glendale Galleria and we've been friends ever since.
And I just did a promotional thing for my Christmas
movie there and they were like, you grew up in
this area, do any special memories? And I'm like, you
know what, I met Johnny Gill here and they were like,
oh my god. And then he and I text each
other and joked about it.

Speaker 1 (58:24):
John is everywhere. Yes he's uncle Johnny.

Speaker 5 (58:26):
Oh so this are and this time you are directing
and starring at the yea, this.

Speaker 6 (58:31):
One I didn't direct.

Speaker 5 (58:31):
I epeed it.

Speaker 1 (58:32):
But yes, so what has this whole experience been like
doing the Christmas movie? And oh my goodness, and how
did you orchestrate this well with this one?

Speaker 6 (58:43):
You light up my Christmas a lifetime And I've been
in development for a couple of projects for a while now.
And then they said, we really want you on the
air this year, just bottom line, and that that really
meant a lot to me to have a network executive
say that, after this many decades, you know, in the
top it off and we want you to be the
leading lady. You're the start and you know, you're not

(59:06):
the friend, you're not the boss, you're not the sister.
And so that just really just did something for me.
Of course it would. And so they said, we have
a script. We have this writer that we really like.
She's got the script. If you like it, let's put
you in pre production and go. And so I read
it and I loved it. We made some tweaks to it,

(59:26):
and they said, great, go up to Vancouver. Here you go,
and we had this amazing six weeks up there, fifteen
days in production and we have this beautiful, amazing movie
called You Light Up My Christmas.

Speaker 1 (59:39):
Wait, fifteen days in production, but six weeks to edit
shoot or Yeah.

Speaker 6 (59:43):
So there was pre production, you know, where you are
casting and location shooting and wardrobe and designing the characters
and all that. And then they by the time they
saw the dailies bits of you know, the things that
we had been filming, they said, oh, we love this.
We're moving your production. Your air date up two weeks,

(01:00:04):
okay to December first. So the Sunday after Thanksgiving?

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
How was it being back with your cohorts?

Speaker 6 (01:00:11):
And it was fun. You know, it's not like we
haven't been together since, you know, eighty eight. I mean
we we certainly we're sisters and so we've seen each
other over the years. Our children know each other, you know. Again,
we're all you know there chat thread, Yes, there is,
but the living single one is better.

Speaker 5 (01:00:33):
She's really been killing it. I just had to say
that while you were here. Yeah, I mean that she's
been doing a lot of dramatic roles.

Speaker 6 (01:00:40):
Alexander has been my hero for a long time. And
then she's like, oh, Kim Fields, please be quiet. Let
you call me a little Fields because she's you know,
much taller than me.

Speaker 4 (01:00:48):
But by the way, girl, my mind is blown. The
fact that there's a living single group chat right now.

Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
I know we actually thought about it all that group chat,
I mean appropriate group chats, well you know ours.

Speaker 7 (01:01:05):
Yes, I'm like, does big Les ever drop in? Because
I mean for nothing, but she she's a part.

Speaker 5 (01:01:11):
She is, but no, okay, sorry, that's all right, that's
all right.

Speaker 6 (01:01:16):
But it was great being an executive producer being able
to say to them, hey, guys, because I called each
one after I got the go ahead from from Lifetime,
because I said to Lifetime, I'd really love to, you know,
invite my sisters to be a part of this, because
you know, the holidays about family and nostalgia and memories,
and I think it'd be a really cool look. And
we'd had we'd had two scenes in this ice skating rink,

(01:01:38):
and I said, what if we, you know, kind of
have them there is like this is their ice skating
rink that they either own or manage and work there
and we call the ice rink Charlotte for Charlotte Rent
and so they were like, yes.

Speaker 4 (01:01:52):
Go please ask and so I called, we're talking about.

Speaker 6 (01:01:59):
Thank you and they said yes, and so we and
then I said to them what kind of character would
you like to play, you know, and here's our ideas
for its story. You know, what, what do you think?
And so it was really great to have them collaborate
about their special appearances and things like that. And like

(01:02:19):
Lisa's character in the movie, she's named after Nancy's daughter,
Mindy wanted to name her character Rose for her grandmother.
There's a food drive component in the movie because Nancy said,
I think that compassion and kindness are just something that
people miss nowadays. Is that something you can put in
your script? It was like, yeah, sure, you know. And

(01:02:42):
then we've got little fun inside jokes and things like
Lisa mentions, you know, having a delivery from Edna's edibles,
you know. So there's just a whole bunch of fun
little touches there.

Speaker 1 (01:02:52):
In addition to Brilliant's going to be in trouble. I
was waiting for that, you know what.

Speaker 6 (01:02:57):
We tried a couple and it was like, oh, that
one's too on the show if it didn't feel organic, Yeah, exactly,
but we did try.

Speaker 1 (01:03:04):
Okay, yeah, see, so what.

Speaker 4 (01:03:07):
What is before you go? You mentioned you asked I'm sorry,
I'm sorry, but I just want to get this let's
get right. I just want to ask this question before
I lose it. You said you asked everybody else what
kind of character they wanted to play? What kind of
character do you want to play?

Speaker 1 (01:03:20):
Well? Thank you?

Speaker 6 (01:03:21):
I played you mean in this movie.

Speaker 1 (01:03:23):
In any movie or in general? Well, yeah, what's actually
that wasn't my question? Sorry, no bucket listing, Like, is
there anything that you haven't done that you wish to do?

Speaker 6 (01:03:32):
Absolutely? The ironic thing about being in the industry for
over forty years is that there's still a lot of
characters that I have not played because I number one,
I started when I was a kid, So you only,
you know, for a certain period of time, you can
only play kid characters. Uh, And then being on long
running shows, I mean it's a blessing, but then you're
those characters. So there's a lot of characters that I

(01:03:55):
want to play. There's more genres that you know that
that are being unearthed and created that I want to
be a part of so, like the whole graphic novel world,
I can't wait. There's something that we're working on and there,
you know what, we love working together. And that's another
thing with the whole reason why I asked my Fax
Life sisters. I really have had a great track record

(01:04:17):
working with a lot of great people and so being
able to ask them, you know, to be a part
of something that I'm doing, now, that's that's that's a
great you know, feeling to be able to do it.

Speaker 4 (01:04:28):
Don't well, I just remember another story from your book. Yes,
can you tell the story of when you were cast
a storm in x Men?

Speaker 2 (01:04:36):
Oh?

Speaker 6 (01:04:36):
You mean you were?

Speaker 4 (01:04:42):
It's such a waful.

Speaker 6 (01:04:44):
Sometimes I don't read all the detail and stuff. I'll
just gloss over it and be like, Okay, I got it.
It's a horrible thing. It's horrible, I know, horrible, horrible.
And so I got an audition that came and my
manager says, have an audition for x men. Uh, And
he sent me the information and I was so excited
and they said its storm and I was like, oh

(01:05:05):
my god, hell, he's not going to do this anymore.
What the hell's wrong with her? But oh, well, one
you know, one man's trash, another man's treasure. I mean,
I went through all the you know, little colloquialism. So
when I go into an audition, I really prep for it.
And so I had my boots and I had my outfit.
I mean, I was going in and then I went
to read where the location was for the for the audition.

(01:05:29):
Turned out it was for a voiceover for the animated series. Yeah,
she wasn't going nowhere. Storm was not available, and if
it was, they were not taking for your ass, king
for you. But yes, I love creating characters. I absolutely do.

(01:05:58):
And so even like tomorrow, I'm excited we're dropping on
Mylifetime dot com as well as on their YouTube channel.
We're dropping a short film called Designing Emma, and it's
all about how we created the character for the Christmas movie,
for hair, makeup, wardrobe, just everything designing Emma. Because that again,
I go back to our earlier conversation. I love creating characters.

(01:06:21):
That's what drew me into this when I saw other
people doing that as a kid. So any character I've
not yet played, I'm doing a new series at the
top of the year, I can't I can't tell you
what it is just yet. But it's really exciting. But
in a way, it's still kind of uncharted territory. Even
though it's a comedy. Even though it's you know, certain

(01:06:44):
things that I've done, there's still a great deal of
it I haven't done. If I haven't done it, you
can believe I'm probably gonna say yes because I just
I just love that, you know. And even with this
character in this lifetime movie, being able to place one
who is dealing with discovering, rediscovering, rekindling a romance, going

(01:07:06):
after the issues of family legacy, uh, and dealing with
your inner light, and you see everybody around you just
kind of like numb is the new joy and it's like, no,
that's not, no, we we have we have another level
of life and lifestyle and and laughter enjoy to tap into.
And so that's a lot of you know, what my

(01:07:28):
character in this movie is, but really just anything I
haven't done, I'm all in for.

Speaker 4 (01:07:34):
Wow.

Speaker 1 (01:07:35):
All right, inspirational words from Kim Fields. Kim Victoria Fields.

Speaker 5 (01:07:41):
That's right, I see now, Kimberly, No.

Speaker 1 (01:07:43):
Kim Victoria Fields. Wait real quick, well there's two minor questions. Yes,
now that Atlanta, which I assume is still your home
base for now kind of.

Speaker 6 (01:07:55):
Because we still you know, have a place here. Harlem
is home. Harlem is where you know in my heels.

Speaker 1 (01:08:00):
But go ahead, okay, Well, now that Atlanta has uped
its game and be sort of the industry factor with this,
with this giant studio system in its backyard, do you
think that will change at all for opportunities and as

(01:08:21):
far as work is concerned with actors and production.

Speaker 6 (01:08:25):
And well, a lot of cities have stepped up the game.
I mean, just being in Vancouver for as long as
we were there and just all the work that's there,
I'm like, oh, I'll be right back. I'm gonna just
go get my kids in my bed. Oh my gosh.
I can't wait to do more stuff there and get
a place there. I mean, it was, it was phenomenal.
I loved it. And Tyler's had other studios there, so

(01:08:49):
this is not his first go round with this, and
Marvel has you know, set up there, and there's.

Speaker 1 (01:08:55):
A lot set up in Atlanta.

Speaker 8 (01:08:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:08:58):
Yeah, there's a lot of production. I think that's that's
out there, okay, and smaller companies who do a lot
of movies swirl films they do about I don't know,
Jesus twenty movies a year or something, so a lot
of production has been there. But you know, an actor's life,
for the most part is really the gypsy life. You know,
you go where the work is. There's so much work

(01:09:18):
in Spain, there's work in Florida. I mean, it really
is just if you're able to have the lifestyle to
commit to it. And our kids are great because they're like, yeah,
we got a tutor, We're good where we're going.

Speaker 1 (01:09:32):
All right, my last this is my last random question
unless you have another one.

Speaker 4 (01:09:36):
I mean, is this question about dear Michael and he
loves me? He loves me not at all.

Speaker 1 (01:09:41):
Sort of but go ahead, you can go go ahead.
No you first.

Speaker 4 (01:09:45):
Question, well, I mean, okay, yeah, you put out these
two singles and was it one single or two? I
can't remember two? Well, I wasn't sure if it was
two releases or right, and yeah, he loves me and
he loves me not And dear Michael, can you explain
how that all came about in nineteen eighty Yeah?

Speaker 6 (01:10:06):
Sure, It's so funny because just yesterday I was telling Adrian,
my leading man in Uh you Light up my Christmas.
Uh that the gentleman who wrote got to be there
wrote Dear Michael.

Speaker 1 (01:10:19):
How David and.

Speaker 6 (01:10:21):
Yes, Elliot Wilensky, but Hal Davis also produced both of
them and the stuff with me. Uh And so you
know it's it's the eighties. It was a time where
everybody if you were a teenager on TV, then you
were making a record. I mean it's just that the
seventies and eighties, just all the kids. Ralph Carter had one.

Speaker 1 (01:10:41):
I mean, yes, you don't remember that, you lie, somebody
swindled the cowboy guy. You don't remember that rat that Gary?
I brought that twelve and I found it in Portland.

Speaker 4 (01:10:54):
I remember our Founds of Weberos breakdance record.

Speaker 1 (01:10:57):
Nah, Gary Coleman, did he spent the last of his
money on this rap record? Well, he was like a
wrapping cow.

Speaker 5 (01:11:04):
Sorry for that rat hole.

Speaker 6 (01:11:06):
I wanted you to not bring that up. And because
we were talking about when we were kids, so everybody
you know was doing that. And this was also when
um Thriller was popping out, and so you know he
was about to win all the awards and everything. So
the people at Motown was like, oh, you know what
we should redo dear Michael and get somebody to sing it,

(01:11:29):
because remember Michael did it first, and it was as
if he was reading a fan letter. So they had
the brilliant idea of what if we have someone that
it's actually them and their fan letter. And at that
time I was just about the only black girl available
around that was on TV whatever. They was like, you uh,

(01:11:54):
and so they asked me to do it, and I did,
and then that did so well beyond just kind of
the gimmick of he's winning, you know, all these awards
and this is you know, a big deal, and and
I could carry a tune. So they said, well, let'st
follow up single, and then that one blew up on
the dance charts and then it was like wow, I

(01:12:15):
was performing at the trump a cannon.

Speaker 4 (01:12:17):
So that what was there any any thought of doing
more music or no, no.

Speaker 6 (01:12:23):
It was I was.

Speaker 1 (01:12:23):
I was good on it.

Speaker 6 (01:12:24):
Yeah, until I did my my smooth jas spoken word,
which is still want to just for me as an artist,
truly one of the greatest things I've ever.

Speaker 4 (01:12:34):
Done, and impossible to find, by the way, it is,
you know what will.

Speaker 6 (01:12:39):
I will just send you the tracks I can I
can do that. Yes, yes, so.

Speaker 1 (01:12:47):
Stop it.

Speaker 6 (01:12:52):
Yes, yes, there is only one link.

Speaker 1 (01:13:02):
I want to seriously, this is what I'm obsessed with
finding out. Do you have a copy of that Jermaine
Jackson paper and shape bust.

Speaker 6 (01:13:14):
You are Jesus.

Speaker 4 (01:13:16):
No I do not.

Speaker 1 (01:13:18):
You didn't take it home, I said anything.

Speaker 6 (01:13:20):
No, Nor do I have any of regime's wigs. Next,
did you keep.

Speaker 4 (01:13:24):
Anything from those sets, either either Living Single or Class No?

Speaker 1 (01:13:28):
None, okay, not even a sharene doll.

Speaker 4 (01:13:33):
No, you know what.

Speaker 6 (01:13:35):
No from Living Single?

Speaker 2 (01:13:38):
No?

Speaker 6 (01:13:38):
Wow, I been master, Reggie. That is so funny.

Speaker 5 (01:13:41):
You are in baby.

Speaker 1 (01:13:42):
No.

Speaker 2 (01:13:43):
No.

Speaker 6 (01:13:43):
But when I did my when I did my final
episode of Living Single, uh, the prop guys gave me
the large mug and saucer that regime I would always.
I love drinking hot cocoa and tea and stuff, and
so any chance I could in a scene, I would.
And so they gave me that. And it says yes,
and it says we'll miss you very much, we love you.

(01:14:04):
So I do have that.

Speaker 1 (01:14:06):
Okay, so you're properly given a send off.

Speaker 8 (01:14:08):
Yes, not.

Speaker 1 (01:14:09):
Just came in to work and saw the cake one day.

Speaker 6 (01:14:11):
I was like, yeah, no, no, that was planned. Yes,
that's another episode of.

Speaker 1 (01:14:16):
Well miss Fields, I appreciate you coming here.

Speaker 7 (01:14:19):
Finally, finally, can I thank him? Can you pass this
on to your mom, to your sister. Thank you guys
for your time and your energy with us on these
te because even people forget, but Alexis, we were watching.

Speaker 5 (01:14:34):
So I just want to thank you for that.

Speaker 6 (01:14:36):
I will share.

Speaker 5 (01:14:37):
It takes a lot.

Speaker 6 (01:14:38):
I will tell her, thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:14:40):
Thank you on behalf of the QL S fan Sugar Steve,
that's name. Do you want to know Steve? Steve has
been engineering hold on the Burger King.

Speaker 4 (01:14:56):
I'll tell the story. I have diabetes, that's all, and
we have to and we have to rap.

Speaker 1 (01:15:05):
I love you.

Speaker 4 (01:15:06):
That's that's a longer story.

Speaker 1 (01:15:09):
He became my engineer and there gave him. Perhaps perhaps
it wasn't as savory as it is right now. And
after three months of work with each other, Steve has
to start getting this sold. The shots. Look, there was the.

Speaker 8 (01:15:25):
Never seen I never seen the spit take.

Speaker 5 (01:15:30):
I don't want to laugh, I swear don't. But as
you said, he's drinking sugar now.

Speaker 1 (01:15:35):
He was my engineer for doing like the Common records
and the D'Angelo Voodoo records. And once he became my
full time engineer. He sort of after my diet and
we used to go to the best old food spots
in Philly. And then three months and that did you
get struggle?

Speaker 7 (01:15:52):
Yes, everything to take time to apologize to Michelle and
everybody is getting built right.

Speaker 1 (01:15:57):
Now on behalf of Sugar Steve, Boss, Bill and Faith
Bill uh fan take. I hope you're doing lit cigarettes,
Brother and light Kim. Thank you so much for coming
on the show.

Speaker 6 (01:16:10):
Thank you for having me. This is fantastic, of course.

Speaker 1 (01:16:12):
Love signing off. We will see you next time on
the next go round, of course, Love Supreme. For more

(01:16:37):
podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.