October 24, 2024 • 42 mins
There is only one Raven-Symoné. From That’s So Raven to The Cheetah Girls to the CW’s original game show Scrabble, she is a luminary in the art of television. She joined superfans Danielle and Simone to talk about what she has learned from her tenure as a performer, what is next for her as a director, and why she always asks her younger actors to closely study the slapstick comedians she grew up with.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey fam, Hello Sunshine.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Today on the bright Side, we're joined by Disney Channel Royalty.
You might know her from that So Raven, The Cheetah Girls,
and now the CW's original game show Scrabble. It's the one,
the only Raven Simone. She's here with us today. It's Thursday,
October twenty fourth. I'm Danielle Robe.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
And I'm Simone Voice.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
And this is the bright Side from Hello Sunshine, a
daily show where we come together to share woman's stories, laugh,
learn and brighten your day. Danielle, Danielle, today is such
a big day for the show. We have Raven Simone
here with us today.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Are you crying? Not yet? Not yet, but there will
be tears. I'm sure. I'm so excited about this.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
She's she's one of the few people in Hollywood who
has almost checked every box. She's hosted, she's acted, she's directed,
she's danced, I mean just across the board.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Well, she checked the box of My Heart a long
time ago. I've probably seen every episode of that So Raven.
I just have these vivid memories of me and my
little cousin Maya sitting on her couch watching That's so Raven.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Until we passed out.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I mean not to get too deep, but like we
were actually going through some grief as a family, and
Raven Simone just brought so much joy to our lives.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Like she was just so goofy and silly and fun
and free, and that energy was so contagious.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I feel like that's what the best comedians do, right,
if they like bring joy in in good times and
in hard times.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Fun fact about that so Raven It was actually the
first time a black woman starred in a self titled
comedy series on the Disney Channel.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I mean that's huge.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Like, I truly don't know that we have given Raven
Simone enough credit for her how much of a trailblazer
she is.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Okay, we've talked about her acting chaps, we've talked about
her comedic genius. Can we talk about the Cheetah Girls,
Girl Power two point zero.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
She had a girls, she had a sister.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Those albums and movies just brought so much joy to
our lives.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
And I actually didn't know this.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
She's released four albums and performed on Broadway. She's really
done so much.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Just a megawatt talent, and now she's in her game
show host Era I'm so excited for her. Raven Simone
is currently hosting Scrabble on the CW and she's actually
a board game fan irl.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Y'all, Hi, Dan, Yelle.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
What do you think that we have to do to
score an invite to one of her legendary game nights?
Speaker 1 (02:44):
How do that?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Okay, that's our goal for this interview is we need
an invite to game night.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
You and I are word girls.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I always say that my goal for an interviewer conversation
is to get another conversation. I want to get a
game night out of this conversation.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Okay, we're definitely putting that on our wish list, So
let's bring her in. The one and only Raven Simone.
Welcome to the bright Side.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Raven Simone. I have to fangirl just for a moment.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You mean a lot to me because you were my
first famous Simone on TV. I know it's only part
of your name, okay, but for all the Simones in
the world and for all the times people have misspelled
my name, I was just like, oh my gosh, there's
another Simone and she's goofy.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Do you smell like similar, We don't, okay, but that's okay,
that's fine. It was the same, you know syllables exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
I feel like we have to give you your flowers
because you were the youngest black woman to have a
show named after her on television, one of the longest
running Disney Channel stars ever. I truly don't think you
get enough credit for what you did for POC representation
before we were even talking about the representation, you know.
And then I looked at the comments beneath this YouTube
(03:57):
interview that you did, and it restored my face in
the internet, because clearly everyone knows that you are still
that girl. If I can, I want to read you
some of these comments. Oh my people said, this woman
is literally living black history. She's my inspiration. She raised us,
she is the blueprint. Now, something that I've learned as
I've gotten older is that receiving love can often be
(04:20):
harder than giving it immediately. Yes, do you feel like
you're at a stage in your life where you're able
to receive this love?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
No?
Speaker 4 (04:27):
No, no, no, it's really I guess there's two types
to it, right, Like I hear you and I say
thank you, and that's a genuine thank you and a
genuine like oh, thank you, And then the other part
of me is like, who are you talking about? Like
I don't know who you're talking about, because I was
working so hard and a lot of stuff was going
on at certain times, and I wasn't always present for
(04:48):
those moments, so it is hard to receive the flowers.
And then sometimes I'm like, yeah, you're right, I was
that thank you. I do want my award that nobody
gave me, but and that doesn't sit all the time
on my shoulders.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
And then the other side was like, you don't really
need it because you have so many other things that
you want to do. And I'm not in it for
the awards. I'm in it for the money. And I'm
also in it real talk, real time talk, We'll talk.
You are so funny, but I am. I'm in it
to just keep working and sustain my life. And people
(05:22):
like Debbie Allen have been working for years and I
see her. She's healthy, she's happy, and I'm like, that's
what I want. I work so I can live and
enjoy life.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You know, when I saw how happy Debbie Allen and
her husband were in real life at a party, I
just looked at them and I thought, that's what I want.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Yeah, that is special. That whole family is our goals
for me. I am friends with the family and we
have waves like I'm in their life full, I'm like
sleeping over and then I'm like, I gotta go, i
gotta work, and we will see each other for a while.
But all the while we are always connected and we
know how the industry will try to tear families apar
who push wedges between people, but we understand it. We
(06:02):
can look each other in each other's souls and be
like love you, love you too, see you in the
next ones. I love Miss Debbie and her whole family.
I was having a conversation with my friend the other day.
She's a musician, but she said something that I thought
was really profound. She was like, it's not the failures
that you have to worry about, it's actually the successes,
because the successes.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Are the things that can tear families apart.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Oh yeah, that is a true statement as well.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Both can do.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Yeah, I'm going to be honest, like, especially in our industry,
failures haunt you forever. Really, I think so, especially now
social media. Unless you pay somebody to get it off
the internet. That's gone. Anytime you type certain people's names,
you're always going to see their failure first. But yes,
the successes in families just like a just like a
good old will reading that's funny, just like a good
(06:51):
old death. In a family, somebody's going to be fighting
for the success and that's my money. It's like, oh goodness, gracious,
go sit down.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So you bring up Debbie Allen. I want to talk
about Whoopie Goldberg because I love that. Did you meet
when you started co hosting the View?
Speaker 4 (07:08):
So we met before? Actually she remembers more than I do.
We met when I was a lot younger, and she
said I scared her because I was like an adult
in a baby's body and she was very scared of me.
I do not remember this moment, but we do have
a picture together, and I'm like, it's probably that time.
Then when I did Sister Act, we met while I
was an adult officially conscious, and then we grew to
(07:30):
love each other and become family.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
On the View, I interviewed Ego Nowoh diem a few
months ago, and she has this photo with Whoopee and
she said that it felt like an invitation I loved
that description because you're nodding your head, did it like
it feels like a stamp almost. What does that relationship
or mentorship with Whoopee mean?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Whoop Bee? I don't even have a word to describe
Whoopye Goldberg and the energy field that she lives in
on an everyday basis. All I know is that she's
Auntie Whoop and you know, she's a woman of a
certain age. So she has her times and her thoughts,
and she speaks her mind and she has her moods,
(08:12):
and at every single step of it, I'm like.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
What do you need?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I got I will hold your coattails for you whatever
you need. And my wife feels the same way. My
wife is like, you should call her more like I
still get starstruck because that's like.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Auntie Whoop in the phone, even when you're out her
Thanksgiving table, your starstruck.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
When she cooked for us, I'm still like, thanks, thanks,
whoop Like, I still she's majestic, she's a unif's immortal.
She's immortal, and she's looking better with age. Honey, have
you seen her recently? I don't know why she likes me.
I'm I'm projecting here but I have a soul and
(08:51):
she has a soul still even though we've been in
this industry for so long, and she checks in on me, man,
like I just did the view the other day. She
didn't talk to me through the whole television interview, and
some people are like, why didn't.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
You talk to you?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
I said, because we had a whole conversation offline. We
don't have to talk in the public to show that
we love each other. Like she's like, you didn't call
me when your brother died. I'm mad at you because
you know what that is, and I'm supposed to be there.
I was like, you cared.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
I love somebody she is.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
She's majestic.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
I love here, surely, thank you for sharing that with us.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
Yeah, don't worries she's I love that woman.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Did it feel good to be able to dip in
and then dip out of the view on the same
time every.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Time I kept one foot by the door, Yes, in
case they tried to close me in. No, no, no,
I absolutely love the people there, from Brian Teta to
all of the producers, would be Sarah, all the the panelists.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
I think that's a special place.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
I do get PTSD when the cameras start rolling and
we have to actually quote unquote work and do the
job that we're there for. That's not my favorite, but
it is my favorite to see those people and feel
that love. It's a different kind of love on that set.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Yeah, Raven, your range is so impressive, Like between your
work on the Cosby Show that's so Raven, Raven's Home,
everything in between. You've truly amassed this intergenerational fan base.
But I want to know what's something only the real
Raven Simone fans know about you?
Speaker 4 (10:10):
Ooh, oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Great question and a toughie.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
I mean, I guess the real Raven Simone fans know
that I went on tour within Sync back in the day. Yeah,
that I was like massively touring during ENGL. Mister Cooper, maybe.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
How old were you when you were touring with them
with in sinc.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I was thirteen twelve area it was the Bye Bye
Bye era.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
My goodness.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Yeah, it was crazy. Mandy Moore was on there, Jordan
Knight was on there, A third Story was there. Yeah,
it was a It was a massive tour that I
traveled around and I went a bago because we didn't
have any record label and went to every city that
they did, and they had two stages back then. Yeah,
I mean like you had one stage that was by
(10:54):
the front that everybody came in. It was like me
and all the other ones, and then you had the
big stage.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
So I'm gonna give all the listeners a little inside
Scoop Raven showed up fifteen minutes early.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
I did to our interview.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Well, you're one of the only people to ever do that,
and I wanted the reason I noticed it was, I
was thinking, you've spent so much of your life on set.
I was going to ask you what you've picked up
that you carry over into your life. But timeliness, I
think is one of them.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
Because I did not get that from Segur.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
You didn't know.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
That came from people being late for me and me
being irantated as hall because you're late and you're wasting
my time. I have things to do today. Why do
you think that you're more important than me? My wife
is like yeah, but we're in LA like fashionably late
is like cool. I'm like yeah, yeah, yeah, get the car.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
We got to go.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
It's the appointments at one. Let's get the car at
eleven o'clock, and I want to be there just in
case they could take me early, because if I can
get in early, I can go home early and then
I can go and just relax on the couch. But
I don't like when people have to wait for me.
I think it's disrespectub full, and I feel disrespected when
people do that to me.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
I think that's so cool.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I agree, completely agree.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
Okay, can we talk about that, so, Raven, let's do it.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
So dn't didn't.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
Sorry, I'm not gonna do it, Simon, and I.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Do it.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
My soul is gonna leave my body if he starts
singing the you guys sing with me, I'll sing it,
of course, of course dn't.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Dn't.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Didn't. If you can.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Into the future, future future, my thing life would be
a Drees life.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Is a free trouble from this.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Yeah, but it's not that easy.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Oh no, I try.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It's goody good, Oh my wait, I just need a
moment that was so insane, my jack it off.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Those are so cool. You don't understand, Raven. Maybe you do,
I don't. I don't get it.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
I mean my version version.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I cannot do this interview anymore. I'm again, Yeah, thank
you so much. When I tell my cousin that we
just did, I just I'm hilarious. Oh thanks, ladies.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
We have to take a short break, but we'll be
right back with Raven Simone. And we're back with Raven Simone.
A lot of news has come out recently about how
during a few episodes of That So Raven, there was
(13:41):
footage that was edited of you to appear slimmer.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Really, yeah, were you aware of that? Yes, you told that.
It's on the internet.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
There was a former Disney Channel exec that wrote something,
where are they SIPs her water?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Wow? I can't believe they released that. Cool beans, what
do you say?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Who was it?
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Adam Bonnet specifically referenced a school dance episode.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
So that's the Raven is. It was during a time
when weight was not celebrated like it is now. There's
this really interesting thing you can do with film when
you're in television, and you can stretch the film. So
if you're wide and you stretch it long ways, you
(14:38):
look skinnier. And there were talks about that. I can't
believe he said that out loud. Okay, Adam, do.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
You feel like that wasn't his story to tell?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:49):
I don't care. It's uh, that's actually if he was
the one who started it, that's fine. But I also
know the culprits in that conversation that I will not
name right now.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
In hindsight, how do you feel about that because you
were just a kid, Like it's not like you had
say over them doing that, or.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
In hindsight, I was told I was fat all the time,
Like I'm used to that on set as a kid. Yeah,
but not by people on set. Where was it coming
from behind the scenes. That was the industry executives. No,
not at all. That was the industries. That was the
industry back in the day. I mean, I don't know
if you guys remember, but back in the day, they
thought I had O Marion's baby because I was fat.
They were like, she must be pregnant. I'm like no,
(15:26):
I like in and out, go sit down, Like what
are you talking about? I'm depressed. Here's my food, Which
is why if you look at my pictures from back
in the day, Perez Hilton, she looks like a poodle.
I didn't get the same visuals as the other ladies
did because I didn't look the same, especially during that
time when I gained a lot of weight from a
really bad breakup, so and depression, all kinds of stuff.
(15:47):
But yeah, that was Why do you think I was
in heels during all of the Cheetah girls, Because if
you were heels, you're taller and you look skinnier. Who
struts in the middle of those struts in Spain?
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Just heels?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
When these ladies are in fled I love them.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
I would have never noticed that.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Yeah, yeah, how old were you when that footage was edited?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Oh? I remember edited footage. I remember the conversation's happening
like from the start. So so that wasn't the only time.
Oh do you hold on to that? No, I actually
forgot about it. I'm really good at disassociating you guys.
You guys, if you have a problem, just like, forget
about it.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
It works that all the experts say.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Just just forget about it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
The only problem is, like I've heard, if you keep
running from yourself, eventually you run into yourself.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Oh all day, And I'm not worried about that right now, Okay,
I'm talking about the initial pain. Get rid of it,
it's right, and then you'll deal with it later.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
How did you process those things as they were being
said to you, did you have someone that you could
talk to about it?
Speaker 2 (16:54):
No?
Speaker 4 (16:54):
How did I process it? I just did?
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Yeah, I just did.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
You just do what you gotta do because you have
hundreds of people that rely on you to show up
for a job, you have goals, you have overbearing people
around you. And I was in a relationship at the time,
and that person actually helped me with a lot of
my self esteem because of whatever. But honey, if you
(17:19):
only knew I'm writing a book, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yeah, you were carrying so much from such a young age.
You started performing when you were what sixteen months or something.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Yeah, I have a three year old and.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
All he says to me is like, fart, poopy mommy,
poopy penis fart. I can't imagine someone being competent.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
And incompetent and.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Articulate enough at three years old to do what you did.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
You just I'm so impressed by you. Took a lot
of work.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Took a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Well. I was watching that Hulu documentary Child Star.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
That was good.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
I liked it. I was a little afraid.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
I didn't know I was going down. I mean, you
get to see the cut beforehand.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Yeah, I was like, oh, this is good.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
I actually want people to watch it.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
There's this one scene that really stuck with me where
you're having a conversation with Demi Lovado about a time
when you worked on her show and you told her
that you instantly pinpointed this glazed overlook in her eyes,
and it sounds like you kind of experienced it too.
What did that term mean to you?
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Oh, I didn't have a glaze. I was very aware
of what's going on. I think I was aware because
I had multiple masks that I was working through. I
knew at eleven or twelve that I was gay. So
first mask towards family, next mass, family teaching me how
to be in public, that's the next mass. Next mask
coming through, Like I think I'm a little bit dudish,
(18:42):
but I'm also in a relationship with a guy, So
here's the next mask. I blocked out a lot of that.
I never really had the glaze. What I have is
the ability to turn off my light when I want
to to not be seen, and people might take that
however you want to. But with Demmy and a couple
other people that I witnessed in the industry, the sadness
(19:03):
is too thick.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
To mask.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
It's a little too thick to mask. And I'm sure
people meeting me at a certain age might have thought
the same thing. But I was very aware, so much
so that when I turned eighteen and I got free,
I was like, I need to go to therapy. This
is incorrect. And never had a drug problem, never had
an alcohol problem. I have other problems which all of
my partners know about, but they're getting better now, you
(19:31):
know what I mean. My wife has helped me so
much and just grounding and integrating with who I am
and undoing programming, reprogramming and making sure that I'm a
semi well rounded human as best as you can be
in this industry and on this planet.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
I personally, as like a fan of yours, have seen
the light turn back on since you got with your wife.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
It feels like a lot changed.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yeah, a lot changed. It's not always a safe space,
but my wife is a safe space, and and I was,
you know, I had had a lot of different things
going on that I don't tell a lot of people
about because I try my best to let the quote
unquote celebrity of Raven Simone rule the industry and not
the personal life. Really bleed into it, but thank you. Yeah,
(20:16):
a lot of people said I look a lot happier,
and it was. I was a lot happier once I
got married to her and who she is and how
she treats me.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
When you say you let the celebrity of Raven simone
rule is that because you've seen it with other celebrities
or what rules that decision?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
What rules that decision is my old programming as well
as they weren't ready for me. I knew who I
was when my house door closed, you know what I mean,
Like that was me, that was hoodie, that was my
(20:55):
sexual orientation, my gender orientation, all that. And then when
I open the door to walk outside, Oh, Hi, how
are you Tit's up. Let's do it. Let's have a conversation. Hi,
Like I know it. So I just knew how to
play that because my programming taught me that that's what
people want to see. And it's still in that way,
you know, especially as a female in the industry, they
(21:16):
need to lust after you. For you to be popular,
you need to have the sex factor. And I never
really totally grasped my sensuality and sexuality in public view
because that was not really a true moment for me
now being that I'm in a comfortable space in my
life and who I am. I have it myself and
(21:39):
if somebody sees it, they see it well done. But
it's not not like it used to be.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
What do you think young closeted Raven Simone needed to
hear the most what age?
Speaker 4 (21:51):
Pick an age? I'm gonna let you pick the age.
Oh goodness, I'm gonna pick like seventeen. You don't have
to continue the facade anymore and lash out at people
around you because they want you to be something you're not.
You don't have to continue those sad and you're okay
(22:12):
to just do you. But then again, that would have
been a lie because at that time it was not okay,
you know what I mean? Like I needed to hear
that the world has changed, even in the past five years.
It's changed, you know, and it's rapidly doing that even
more now, more and more is okay? I don't know,
other than you can quit. You can quit. Probably needed
(22:34):
to hear that.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Did that not feel like an option? That was no?
Speaker 4 (22:38):
No, no, not feel that was not an option? Still
is not.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Can't quit?
Speaker 4 (22:44):
You can't quit because I'm addicted to the life. I'm
addicted to the check. I like it. Now I found
what I like and if back then I was doing
things that I didn't like, you know what I mean.
So now I found I direct, I produce, I'm working
with my wife like, I have people around me that
I like and I want to really work with. Back then,
I probably should not have been in the public eye.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
I feel a heaviness when you talk about that time.
Just sitting here with you. I know that you are
doing your own development deal with Disney now and you
have opportunities to tell stories that you want to share.
I'm wondering what you're excited about producing if there's a
gap you see the stories that you want to tell.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Thanks to Disney for giving me an overall deal for
directing and producing. Really excited about that. So obviously there's
a mandate for Disney Channel, and I want to make
sure that I'm a part of the zeitgeist of Disney
Channel and what they're looking for. So I just directed
a pilot called Alice in the Palace. It's a spinoff
of Raven's Home with Michael Michelle Harris. She plays two
characters in one show, Awesome I'm so proud of her.
(23:49):
We just got a cut of the pilot and I
started to tear up.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
What made you tear up?
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Why a POC in a big princess dress for a
television show.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
I want to cry.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
That's why. That's why I started tearing up. She's killing it.
She's killing it, and I hope they pick up the show.
That's one.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Two.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
The stories I want to tell are normalizing stories of
someone that is an LGBTQ bus libgitqua community.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I like that libergita qua.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Qua. It's so much better.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
When I host lgbt Q i A events. Do you
think they'll be cool with me saying the legit community?
Speaker 4 (24:41):
I think if you make sure it has a French
accent on top of it.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yes, I would love to see you try, Danielle.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
I would love.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
And I'm sending you the.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Video and I'll stick of for you.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Girls.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
I just can't say that. Listen, there's eighty million letters
in our I don't know. I just mean something easier.
Just give me one word, libita qua. I want to
tell libigit da qua stories that are not quote unquote.
When some people would say, like, oh, you're forcing it
on us. No, we're not, but I do want to
have those romance holiday conversations. When it comes to television
(25:23):
shows and kids network, I want to make things that
are actually funny. Now you're gonna say, what do you mean?
What I'm gonna say is I truly believe that a
taste for comedy is learned. I grew up with Jim Carrey,
I grew up with Adam Sandler, I grew up with
(25:44):
Lucy and all these people. I have a taste for
comedy that's different than and I love them, but hear
me out than a friend's cast. And I don't think
that I'm trying to like give slapstick comedy for everyone,
but I do think that for the years. Sometimes not
all the times, and definitely not with my channel, but
sometimes comedy for kids can be watered down because they
(26:07):
talked down to kids, and I don't think that that's necessary.
That's one of the reasons I loved doing the pilot
because Michael Michelle Harris knows how to integrate physical comedy
as well as standard but I'm bump jokes, but she
does it in a way to where it doesn't seem corny,
and I don't want to give kids corny material anymore.
(26:29):
I want to laugh along with children's comedy at the
same time a four year old is laughing the Shrek effect.
I think that's fantastic, and I want to make sure
that happens with anything that I touch within the Disney universe.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
I just had a whole revelation as you were speaking
about this.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Do you have a vision slight a second?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
That's so raven question I really want to ask you,
and I'm to ask, is what is the secret to
mastering that?
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Fund shouldn't look okay, Isaac, there is a secret. What
is it? There is a secret. You have to keep
your mouth slightly opened and your tongue down.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
I feel like she's drinking us, right, I'm not.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
I swear you can open your eyes and keep them
open if your mouth is open a tiny bit and
your tongue is down, and when you start to water
and fight through it, you think about here you go,
mouth open exactly a little bit.
Speaker 5 (27:32):
You did it so well.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I don't even want to try.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
You can do it.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
No, you just did it. We're talking about nobody can
do it like you.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Well, this is true, but you did it pretty well.
No Isaac, my little my son on Raven's home. He
asked me that question. I was like, you gotta do it.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
So I love this boy. Guy.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
He's a grown ass man. Sorry, I love this dude.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
He the way you described him was like he was
a four year old.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
I know because I knew him when he was twelve
and I was eighteen. He's like a sexy boy.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I can't handle.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
It's weird. But he has a music career and she
go check it out. He asked me, how do you
do it? I was like, haha, I'm not gonna tell you.
I'm i gonna tell you how you do it. And
during the season we would have vision offs, like who
could last longest without blinking. I always won, of course always.
He always I'm like, you blinked? He so I can't
do it.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
I said, I have a fu.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
You got the visions you can't blink.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Oh my god.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
I had so much fun with him.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Well, the vision I had we were speaking was that
that is what made you so funny on that so Raven.
It wasn't like you were playing this character. It was
like you were the next generation. You had inherited this
gift from people like Whoopee and Jim Carrey and Robin Williams.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
There are very few people carrying that torch. Now, I
think Michael Michelle Harris will be able to do it.
And I think that as we continue to look for
talent in the younger community and I'm there to help
them through it, I think we can do that. I mean, listen,
when I go through a boot camp with any of
my kids from any of my shows, the first thing
I do is say you better get Nike ad night
(29:02):
because I'm gonna make you watch everything. And I always
ask in an audition what television shows do you watch?
And when they go to two thousands comedy and say,
oh my god, I go, mm okay, I'm gonna take
you back to the fifties. I'm gonna take you back
a little bit further, just suck it up, and I
need you to watch and see the difference. When they
see the difference, they go, oh, there was something grounded
(29:25):
about those characters, like they weren't acting. But I really
do request strongly that anybody who works with me goes
and watches what I watch because I also need to reference,
you know what I mean, Like if we're doing something
and I don't know how to give a direction. I'm like,
did you watch the Jimmy Fox show? Okay, now I
(29:46):
need that character and this we're oh got it? Did
you watch Martin?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You did?
Speaker 4 (29:49):
And you're too young? That's okay, go to Jimmy Fox.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Here we go.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
But you need those things to pull from. It's an encyclopedia,
and I think with comedy, you have to learn from
your ancestors, and you have to learn George Carlin, even
Warren Hutcherson, Like he's a writer that worked on Raven's Home,
but he was also a fantastic stand up comedian that
I used to watch, and so when he came on
the show to write, I was like.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Oh, I'm sorry, who's taught you that?
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Like?
Speaker 5 (30:14):
How are you such a student of the game.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
My parents, I wasn't allowed to watch certain television. I
was only allowed to watch Nick at Night and classics.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
This is why whoopee said you were an old soul
and a young body.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
We need to take another quick break, but we'll be
right back to our conversation with Raven Simone. Don't go anywhere,
and we're back with Raven Simone. So now that you
are at this creative helm and you have the ability
to direct and produce, what does a raven simone set
(30:53):
feel like? What have you made a point to do
on your set that comes from your own experience as
a child.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Oh my goodness, Well, how am I gonna say this
without sounding absolutely tyrnoral like a tyrant. I like things
to be done quickly, efficiently, and move on. I don't
like to belabor situation. So a rehearsal day for me,
(31:21):
every actor, no matter what age. If you're under the
age of eighteen, your parent is on set, and I'm
giving parents the notes as well as the kid, and
I require you to have a script at all times.
There are certain things that I just don't budge on.
I require you to have your script. I require you
to read the stage directions so that if I don't
(31:42):
tell you to move to the left because it's in
the stage directions, you should be doing it anyway because
it's there unless I tell you differently. I'm also one
to have fun after we get our work done, and
if we're doing so well because people are on their game,
will have fun during I don't rehearse a lot. I'll
do one or two who takes for rehearsal and move
on to the next one, no matter what stage of
(32:03):
professionalism you're at, because I do believe that comedy is
better fresh. I believe that if you belabor it, it
becomes spoiled. People start overacting and it's dangerous. And you
can tell when it comes to tape day. After three
days of rehearsal, everybody's like, can they do this? They
did it and run through. I said, yeah, that was
the first day. It was hilarious, and now we've noted
them eighteen times and it's not going to work anymore.
(32:26):
Tape day is a little interesting. I tell my kids
all the time. I'm like, I love you guys. We
had Monday to Wednesday together. Just because I'm not talking
to you like I did on rehearsal day doesn't mean
that I don't love you. Have to change my brain
into cameraman, set deck and all these modes. Now, so
you guys huddle together. You've created your community. You guys
can handle yourself. I know you can. And then I
(32:47):
start dealing with all the adults who have their notes
and studio and to make sure that that's good and
that to find that balance between the two. I let
them speak. But then one of the things that I
remember when I was a kid, after you did a take,
it took forever for the director to come over because
he was taking so many notes from so many people.
I have a wonderful dialogue coach that stands with me.
(33:12):
I say, hey, any camera things, tell me. Tell the
acting to the dialogue coach, so I can go over
there and make sure that these kids.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
No.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Just because I'm taking a long time doesn't mean anything,
because the longer it takes, the more notes you have.
But if you're just left on set and you haven't
been through as many shows as I have, you'd be like,
oh my god, what happened? You're gonna start getting anxious.
So I try to get over to the kids as
much as possible, and then I like to get out early.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Honeys.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
I like an hour lunch. I like to beat the clock.
I do not like to be at their I don't
like to be on set all day. I love working
you guys, it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
You know what else.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
I love going home. There's some people I feel like
they belabor work because they don't want to go home.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Yes, you're basically every studio's dream. I mean, I'm righting
there thinking an excellent person. Sign me up?
Speaker 4 (33:58):
I really do you guys?
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Don't you want to go home? Yes?
Speaker 4 (34:00):
And I tell my guys that all the camera men,
I'm like, listen, fellas, Yes, show me what shot I need.
If it's better than mine, I'm taking it.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Let's go. Let's go. We may want it's done well
and right.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Well and writing. I'm not always going to be right,
and I'm definitely not always well in the brain. So
help me out here.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
I mean, help me out.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
That's my life.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
Oh my goodness, she's holding the table.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Spoke to some friends at ABC.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Oh no, and they told me that I had to
ask you about Cheetah girls for really what they say?
They said, it's it's there's been talks, there's been rumors,
there's been rumblings in the hallways.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Really have any of those come to you?
Speaker 2 (34:43):
No? Really, Oh, it's coming, it's coming. Really, you don't
have to tell me yes or no. Can you just
tell me what city it's going to be in. We
might be very excited, we.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Might be we might not. There's so many things on
the horizon with the Disney channel alone, Disney brand of television,
that everything is up for grabs. And I think we're
in a time period and a time period in our
society in the resurgence of nostalgia that I think that
would be a fantastic idea.
Speaker 5 (35:14):
I do too.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
What would it look like to you? Like, what would
your dream Cheetah reunion look like?
Speaker 2 (35:23):
First of all, we're Cheetah girls, Cheetah sisters, So the
sisterhood's really important to me. I feel like there was
one Cheetah girl that nobody liked and so we need.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
To replace her. So there really is a sisterhood. Wow,
no bad.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
Apples, No bad apples?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Whoa? This is like if we're gonna have a set
that's well and right. Yeah, we need everyone to be kind.
Speaker 4 (35:50):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
And then I love seeing a new city through your eyes.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Okay, so whichever city you guys choose, I'll be hyped
for lovely.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
Here are my notes.
Speaker 4 (35:57):
Okay, here my notes them.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
I wanted to be real, like I want it to
be honest about what's transpired between all.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
The two in real life or in like, no, just
for the characters. Okay, cool?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
You know, Like I think us as millennials who grew
up with these characters. We're gonna appreciate that because we've
all been through some shit, yeah, between the last one
and now, so i'd appreciate that.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
Honestly, We'll take you Cheetah fans who haven't grown up
on them.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
They can, They could get larious. Did you keep any
wardrobe items from the.
Speaker 4 (36:26):
Set from Cheetah? Yeah, no, I kept it. I kept
a lot of stuff from that so raven though. Okay,
the group of women that were raised on Cheetahs are
so special and beautiful and colorful and excited. And the
boys that were raised on Cheetahs, Honey, let me talk
about a Cheetah boy.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Cheetah brothers.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
The Cheetah brothers don't play around. The strutt is real.
So yeah, we'll see what happens. I'll let you guys know. Hey,
if it comes up, I'll come back.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Thank you. Cool.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
I just think like after Spice Girls, we didn't have
like Destiny's Child wasn't in that same arena. It was
gave us something else. Cheetah Girls gave us like sisterhood to.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Hold on to.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
So it was a special pop music. I mean, I was,
like I always said, if there was a cheatera reunion.
I need like a rapper cheetaha. I need a cheetah.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Emcy, we need a left eye. Lisa cheat a left eye.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Lisa cheatah, Lisa, Lisa cheatah.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
I'm down for a Lisa cheetah.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
So much fun to.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Say, almost as fun as to be.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Have you seen Girls five ever?
Speaker 4 (37:45):
Because no, but I heard it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Yeah, there's so much of that that reminds me of like, yes,
that's quite affair.
Speaker 4 (37:51):
Yea.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
We actually have to talk about why you're here before
you leave.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
I got really Oh my god, hilarious. I am here
for a reason.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Every day you're on your game show hosting era.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
Yes, you're hosting the all new game shows Scrabble for
the CW. Here's the thing, Raven, you could sign on
to so many things. I know you're very particular. Why
did scrabble get you hype?
Speaker 4 (38:16):
Scrabble got me hype because I love games?
Speaker 2 (38:21):
You do?
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (38:23):
I love a game During Raven's home Yeah, to keep
all of us busy, including me, I would bring games
on set. We created games to keep filming interesting. I
play boggle, I play Scrabble, I play sequence, I play poker,
I play all of the card games, all the games
I got asked to play Scrabble, and I never thought
(38:47):
that I would ever host a game show. That was
never even came through my brain for a while because
the weakest link, before the weakest link, there was only
one other female game show host, and barely call that
a game show never really was in my peripheral. And
then when I saw ke Key, I was like, oh yeah,
game show still didn't hit me as if I should
do one. And then the executive producer from twenty five
(39:10):
Words or Less said he put my name in the
hat for a host of Scrabble, and I was like,
what would you do, sir, there's no I really think
you can do it. I'm like, no, I can't, sir.
I'm gonna I'm gonna fangirl out on you right now,
start crying. You guys, I've really been in my crying era.
And we're not going to talk about it, blabes. I
don't like to show that side of me anyway.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
I was gonna say, you didn't cry on this show.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
We're offended. We're offended.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
So much.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
But they told me about it, you guys. When I
talk about research, I went down the rabbit hole of
game shows. I refused to walk on that set and
not know the Dick Clark specialties, the Steve Harvey specialties,
the Bob Barker specialties, all the old school even like,
oh my God, all the other ones that I used
to watch. I wanted to make sure because rarely do
(39:58):
you get a person of color, female to do service
to a game show that part. And I also have
been in the industry for thirty seven years, and I
felt like it was the universe saying, hey, go get them, Tiger,
you paid your dues, go get a game show like
I want this to go forever and evil and evil.
(40:19):
It was the best experience of my adult life. Wow,
I got to do a whole season in a matter
of a week. But to be able to stand up
there and just like talk like I am with you guys,
but then sometimes go and read my prompter, make sure
I'm on point, Like get to interact with people and
not have to say, oh, SMP is going to be
mad at me here, you know what I mean? Like
(40:41):
I don't have to be a kid, I can be myself.
It's been an absolute pleasure and I feel lighter, Like
you talk about earlier that my wife helped me put
a smile on my face. This show has done the
same thing for me when it comes to my face
on screen, because honestly, honey, before this, I was like,
I'm out, I'm not about to be acting. I'm not
doing any of it is. So I'm going to direct
(41:01):
and produce and if you pay me, I'll come on.
But I was like, you don't even have to pay
me to host this. But at the same like, I
love this game. You can get it on the CW
app the night after if you want, but watching it live,
playing with friends and family, it's one of those game
shows you yell at like family few you know what
I mean. So it's it's an absolute pleasure. Yes, don't
(41:22):
tell me it's over.
Speaker 3 (41:24):
Say we don't want you to be late for your
next But you know what, Whoopie always says this on
the view.
Speaker 5 (41:32):
You gotta come back.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
Will you come back?
Speaker 4 (41:34):
Oh, I'm gonna come back for the book. I'm gonna
come back. If there's a reunion and you guys have
to come and meet my wife on our podcast, we
would love to have you.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Oh my dad, it'll be so cute. Would excited done
it babes. You heard it, You heard it.
Speaker 5 (41:48):
It'ank you, thank you, and thank you.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
Raven Simone is an Emmy Award winning actor, singer, producer, director,
and the host of Scrabble, which airs Thursdays on the CW.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
That's it for today's show.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Tomorrow, we're popping off with the co hosts of the
Breaking Beauty podcast, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Join the conversation using hashtag the bright Side and connect
with us on social media at Hello Sunshine on Instagram
and at the bright Side Pod on TikTok Oh, and
feel free to tag us at Simone Boyce and at
Danielle Robe.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
See you tomorrow, folks, Keep looking on the bright side.
Hey fam, Hello Sunshine.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Today on the bright Side, we're joined by Disney Channel Royalty.
You might know her from that So Raven, The Cheetah Girls,
and now the CW's original game show Scrabble. It's the one,
the only Raven Simone. She's here with us today. It's Thursday,
October twenty fourth. I'm Danielle Robe.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
And I'm Simone Voice.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
And this is the bright Side from Hello Sunshine, a
daily show where we come together to share woman's stories, laugh,
learn and brighten your day. Danielle, Danielle, today is such
a big day for the show. We have Raven Simone
here with us today.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Are you crying? Not yet? Not yet, but there will
be tears. I'm sure. I'm so excited about this.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
She's she's one of the few people in Hollywood who
has almost checked every box. She's hosted, she's acted, she's directed,
she's danced, I mean just across the board.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Well, she checked the box of My Heart a long
time ago. I've probably seen every episode of that So Raven.
I just have these vivid memories of me and my
little cousin Maya sitting on her couch watching That's so Raven.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Until we passed out.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I mean not to get too deep, but like we
were actually going through some grief as a family, and
Raven Simone just brought so much joy to our lives.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Like she was just so goofy and silly and fun
and free, and that energy was so contagious.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I feel like that's what the best comedians do, right,
if they like bring joy in in good times and
in hard times.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Fun fact about that so Raven It was actually the
first time a black woman starred in a self titled
comedy series on the Disney Channel.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I mean that's huge.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Like, I truly don't know that we have given Raven
Simone enough credit for her how much of a trailblazer
she is.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Okay, we've talked about her acting chaps, we've talked about
her comedic genius. Can we talk about the Cheetah Girls,
Girl Power two point zero.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
She had a girls, she had a sister.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Those albums and movies just brought so much joy to
our lives.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
And I actually didn't know this.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
She's released four albums and performed on Broadway. She's really
done so much.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Just a megawatt talent, and now she's in her game
show host Era I'm so excited for her. Raven Simone
is currently hosting Scrabble on the CW and she's actually
a board game fan irl.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Y'all, Hi, Dan, Yelle.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
What do you think that we have to do to
score an invite to one of her legendary game nights?
Speaker 1 (02:44):
How do that?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Okay, that's our goal for this interview is we need
an invite to game night.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
You and I are word girls.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I always say that my goal for an interviewer conversation
is to get another conversation. I want to get a
game night out of this conversation.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Okay, we're definitely putting that on our wish list, So
let's bring her in. The one and only Raven Simone.
Welcome to the bright Side.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Raven Simone. I have to fangirl just for a moment.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You mean a lot to me because you were my
first famous Simone on TV. I know it's only part
of your name, okay, but for all the Simones in
the world and for all the times people have misspelled
my name, I was just like, oh my gosh, there's
another Simone and she's goofy.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Do you smell like similar, We don't, okay, but that's okay,
that's fine. It was the same, you know syllables exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
I feel like we have to give you your flowers
because you were the youngest black woman to have a
show named after her on television, one of the longest
running Disney Channel stars ever. I truly don't think you
get enough credit for what you did for POC representation
before we were even talking about the representation, you know.
And then I looked at the comments beneath this YouTube
(03:57):
interview that you did, and it restored my face in
the internet, because clearly everyone knows that you are still
that girl. If I can, I want to read you
some of these comments. Oh my people said, this woman
is literally living black history. She's my inspiration. She raised us,
she is the blueprint. Now, something that I've learned as
I've gotten older is that receiving love can often be
(04:20):
harder than giving it immediately. Yes, do you feel like
you're at a stage in your life where you're able
to receive this love?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
No?
Speaker 4 (04:27):
No, no, no, it's really I guess there's two types
to it, right, Like I hear you and I say
thank you, and that's a genuine thank you and a
genuine like oh, thank you, And then the other part
of me is like, who are you talking about? Like
I don't know who you're talking about, because I was
working so hard and a lot of stuff was going
on at certain times, and I wasn't always present for
(04:48):
those moments, so it is hard to receive the flowers.
And then sometimes I'm like, yeah, you're right, I was
that thank you. I do want my award that nobody
gave me, but and that doesn't sit all the time
on my shoulders.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
And then the other side was like, you don't really
need it because you have so many other things that
you want to do. And I'm not in it for
the awards. I'm in it for the money. And I'm
also in it real talk, real time talk, We'll talk.
You are so funny, but I am. I'm in it
to just keep working and sustain my life. And people
(05:22):
like Debbie Allen have been working for years and I
see her. She's healthy, she's happy, and I'm like, that's
what I want. I work so I can live and
enjoy life.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You know, when I saw how happy Debbie Allen and
her husband were in real life at a party, I
just looked at them and I thought, that's what I want.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Yeah, that is special. That whole family is our goals
for me. I am friends with the family and we
have waves like I'm in their life full, I'm like
sleeping over and then I'm like, I gotta go, i
gotta work, and we will see each other for a while.
But all the while we are always connected and we
know how the industry will try to tear families apar
who push wedges between people, but we understand it. We
(06:02):
can look each other in each other's souls and be
like love you, love you too, see you in the
next ones. I love Miss Debbie and her whole family.
I was having a conversation with my friend the other day.
She's a musician, but she said something that I thought
was really profound. She was like, it's not the failures
that you have to worry about, it's actually the successes,
because the successes.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Are the things that can tear families apart.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Oh yeah, that is a true statement as well.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Both can do.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Yeah, I'm going to be honest, like, especially in our industry,
failures haunt you forever. Really, I think so, especially now
social media. Unless you pay somebody to get it off
the internet. That's gone. Anytime you type certain people's names,
you're always going to see their failure first. But yes,
the successes in families just like a just like a
good old will reading that's funny, just like a good
(06:51):
old death. In a family, somebody's going to be fighting
for the success and that's my money. It's like, oh goodness, gracious,
go sit down.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So you bring up Debbie Allen. I want to talk
about Whoopie Goldberg because I love that. Did you meet
when you started co hosting the View?
Speaker 4 (07:08):
So we met before? Actually she remembers more than I do.
We met when I was a lot younger, and she
said I scared her because I was like an adult
in a baby's body and she was very scared of me.
I do not remember this moment, but we do have
a picture together, and I'm like, it's probably that time.
Then when I did Sister Act, we met while I
was an adult officially conscious, and then we grew to
(07:30):
love each other and become family.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
On the View, I interviewed Ego Nowoh diem a few
months ago, and she has this photo with Whoopee and
she said that it felt like an invitation I loved
that description because you're nodding your head, did it like
it feels like a stamp almost. What does that relationship
or mentorship with Whoopee mean?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Whoop Bee? I don't even have a word to describe
Whoopye Goldberg and the energy field that she lives in
on an everyday basis. All I know is that she's
Auntie Whoop and you know, she's a woman of a
certain age. So she has her times and her thoughts,
and she speaks her mind and she has her moods,
(08:12):
and at every single step of it, I'm like.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
What do you need?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I got I will hold your coattails for you whatever
you need. And my wife feels the same way. My
wife is like, you should call her more like I
still get starstruck because that's like.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Auntie Whoop in the phone, even when you're out her
Thanksgiving table, your starstruck.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
When she cooked for us, I'm still like, thanks, thanks,
whoop Like, I still she's majestic, she's a unif's immortal.
She's immortal, and she's looking better with age. Honey, have
you seen her recently? I don't know why she likes me.
I'm I'm projecting here but I have a soul and
(08:51):
she has a soul still even though we've been in
this industry for so long, and she checks in on me, man,
like I just did the view the other day. She
didn't talk to me through the whole television interview, and
some people are like, why didn't.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
You talk to you?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
I said, because we had a whole conversation offline. We
don't have to talk in the public to show that
we love each other. Like she's like, you didn't call
me when your brother died. I'm mad at you because
you know what that is, and I'm supposed to be there.
I was like, you cared.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
I love somebody she is.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
She's majestic.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
I love here, surely, thank you for sharing that with us.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
Yeah, don't worries she's I love that woman.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Did it feel good to be able to dip in
and then dip out of the view on the same
time every.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Time I kept one foot by the door, Yes, in
case they tried to close me in. No, no, no,
I absolutely love the people there, from Brian Teta to
all of the producers, would be Sarah, all the the panelists.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
I think that's a special place.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
I do get PTSD when the cameras start rolling and
we have to actually quote unquote work and do the
job that we're there for. That's not my favorite, but
it is my favorite to see those people and feel
that love. It's a different kind of love on that set.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Yeah, Raven, your range is so impressive, Like between your
work on the Cosby Show that's so Raven, Raven's Home,
everything in between. You've truly amassed this intergenerational fan base.
But I want to know what's something only the real
Raven Simone fans know about you?
Speaker 4 (10:10):
Ooh, oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Great question and a toughie.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
I mean, I guess the real Raven Simone fans know
that I went on tour within Sync back in the day. Yeah,
that I was like massively touring during ENGL. Mister Cooper, maybe.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
How old were you when you were touring with them
with in sinc.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I was thirteen twelve area it was the Bye Bye
Bye era.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
My goodness.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Yeah, it was crazy. Mandy Moore was on there, Jordan
Knight was on there, A third Story was there. Yeah,
it was a It was a massive tour that I
traveled around and I went a bago because we didn't
have any record label and went to every city that
they did, and they had two stages back then. Yeah,
I mean like you had one stage that was by
(10:54):
the front that everybody came in. It was like me
and all the other ones, and then you had the
big stage.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
So I'm gonna give all the listeners a little inside
Scoop Raven showed up fifteen minutes early.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
I did to our interview.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Well, you're one of the only people to ever do that,
and I wanted the reason I noticed it was, I
was thinking, you've spent so much of your life on set.
I was going to ask you what you've picked up
that you carry over into your life. But timeliness, I
think is one of them.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
Because I did not get that from Segur.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
You didn't know.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
That came from people being late for me and me
being irantated as hall because you're late and you're wasting
my time. I have things to do today. Why do
you think that you're more important than me? My wife
is like yeah, but we're in LA like fashionably late
is like cool. I'm like yeah, yeah, yeah, get the car.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
We got to go.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
It's the appointments at one. Let's get the car at
eleven o'clock, and I want to be there just in
case they could take me early, because if I can
get in early, I can go home early and then
I can go and just relax on the couch. But
I don't like when people have to wait for me.
I think it's disrespectub full, and I feel disrespected when
people do that to me.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
I think that's so cool.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I agree, completely agree.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
Okay, can we talk about that, so, Raven, let's do it.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
So dn't didn't.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
Sorry, I'm not gonna do it, Simon, and I.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Do it.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
My soul is gonna leave my body if he starts
singing the you guys sing with me, I'll sing it,
of course, of course dn't.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Dn't.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Didn't. If you can.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Into the future, future future, my thing life would be
a Drees life.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Is a free trouble from this.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Yeah, but it's not that easy.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Oh no, I try.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It's goody good, Oh my wait, I just need a
moment that was so insane, my jack it off.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Those are so cool. You don't understand, Raven. Maybe you do,
I don't. I don't get it.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
I mean my version version.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I cannot do this interview anymore. I'm again, Yeah, thank
you so much. When I tell my cousin that we
just did, I just I'm hilarious. Oh thanks, ladies.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
We have to take a short break, but we'll be
right back with Raven Simone. And we're back with Raven Simone.
A lot of news has come out recently about how
during a few episodes of That So Raven, there was
(13:41):
footage that was edited of you to appear slimmer.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Really, yeah, were you aware of that? Yes, you told that.
It's on the internet.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
There was a former Disney Channel exec that wrote something,
where are they SIPs her water?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Wow? I can't believe they released that. Cool beans, what
do you say?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Who was it?
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Adam Bonnet specifically referenced a school dance episode.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
So that's the Raven is. It was during a time
when weight was not celebrated like it is now. There's
this really interesting thing you can do with film when
you're in television, and you can stretch the film. So
if you're wide and you stretch it long ways, you
(14:38):
look skinnier. And there were talks about that. I can't
believe he said that out loud. Okay, Adam, do.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
You feel like that wasn't his story to tell?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:49):
I don't care. It's uh, that's actually if he was
the one who started it, that's fine. But I also
know the culprits in that conversation that I will not
name right now.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
In hindsight, how do you feel about that because you
were just a kid, Like it's not like you had
say over them doing that, or.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
In hindsight, I was told I was fat all the time,
Like I'm used to that on set as a kid. Yeah,
but not by people on set. Where was it coming
from behind the scenes. That was the industry executives. No,
not at all. That was the industries. That was the
industry back in the day. I mean, I don't know
if you guys remember, but back in the day, they
thought I had O Marion's baby because I was fat.
They were like, she must be pregnant. I'm like no,
(15:26):
I like in and out, go sit down, Like what
are you talking about? I'm depressed. Here's my food, Which
is why if you look at my pictures from back
in the day, Perez Hilton, she looks like a poodle.
I didn't get the same visuals as the other ladies
did because I didn't look the same, especially during that
time when I gained a lot of weight from a
really bad breakup, so and depression, all kinds of stuff.
(15:47):
But yeah, that was Why do you think I was
in heels during all of the Cheetah girls, Because if
you were heels, you're taller and you look skinnier. Who
struts in the middle of those struts in Spain?
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Just heels?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
When these ladies are in fled I love them.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
I would have never noticed that.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Yeah, yeah, how old were you when that footage was edited?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Oh? I remember edited footage. I remember the conversation's happening
like from the start. So so that wasn't the only time.
Oh do you hold on to that? No, I actually
forgot about it. I'm really good at disassociating you guys.
You guys, if you have a problem, just like, forget
about it.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
It works that all the experts say.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Just just forget about it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
The only problem is, like I've heard, if you keep
running from yourself, eventually you run into yourself.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Oh all day, And I'm not worried about that right now, Okay,
I'm talking about the initial pain. Get rid of it,
it's right, and then you'll deal with it later.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
How did you process those things as they were being
said to you, did you have someone that you could
talk to about it?
Speaker 2 (16:54):
No?
Speaker 4 (16:54):
How did I process it? I just did?
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Yeah, I just did.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
You just do what you gotta do because you have
hundreds of people that rely on you to show up
for a job, you have goals, you have overbearing people
around you. And I was in a relationship at the time,
and that person actually helped me with a lot of
my self esteem because of whatever. But honey, if you
(17:19):
only knew I'm writing a book, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yeah, you were carrying so much from such a young age.
You started performing when you were what sixteen months or something.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Yeah, I have a three year old and.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
All he says to me is like, fart, poopy mommy,
poopy penis fart. I can't imagine someone being competent.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
And incompetent and.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Articulate enough at three years old to do what you did.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
You just I'm so impressed by you. Took a lot
of work.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Took a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Well. I was watching that Hulu documentary Child Star.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
That was good.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
I liked it. I was a little afraid.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
I didn't know I was going down. I mean, you
get to see the cut beforehand.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Yeah, I was like, oh, this is good.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
I actually want people to watch it.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
There's this one scene that really stuck with me where
you're having a conversation with Demi Lovado about a time
when you worked on her show and you told her
that you instantly pinpointed this glazed overlook in her eyes,
and it sounds like you kind of experienced it too.
What did that term mean to you?
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Oh, I didn't have a glaze. I was very aware
of what's going on. I think I was aware because
I had multiple masks that I was working through. I
knew at eleven or twelve that I was gay. So
first mask towards family, next mass, family teaching me how
to be in public, that's the next mass. Next mask
coming through, Like I think I'm a little bit dudish,
(18:42):
but I'm also in a relationship with a guy, So
here's the next mask. I blocked out a lot of that.
I never really had the glaze. What I have is
the ability to turn off my light when I want
to to not be seen, and people might take that
however you want to. But with Demmy and a couple
other people that I witnessed in the industry, the sadness
(19:03):
is too thick.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
To mask.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
It's a little too thick to mask. And I'm sure
people meeting me at a certain age might have thought
the same thing. But I was very aware, so much
so that when I turned eighteen and I got free,
I was like, I need to go to therapy. This
is incorrect. And never had a drug problem, never had
an alcohol problem. I have other problems which all of
my partners know about, but they're getting better now, you
(19:31):
know what I mean. My wife has helped me so
much and just grounding and integrating with who I am
and undoing programming, reprogramming and making sure that I'm a
semi well rounded human as best as you can be
in this industry and on this planet.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
I personally, as like a fan of yours, have seen
the light turn back on since you got with your wife.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
It feels like a lot changed.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yeah, a lot changed. It's not always a safe space,
but my wife is a safe space, and and I was,
you know, I had had a lot of different things
going on that I don't tell a lot of people
about because I try my best to let the quote
unquote celebrity of Raven Simone rule the industry and not
the personal life. Really bleed into it, but thank you. Yeah,
(20:16):
a lot of people said I look a lot happier,
and it was. I was a lot happier once I
got married to her and who she is and how
she treats me.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
When you say you let the celebrity of Raven simone
rule is that because you've seen it with other celebrities
or what rules that decision?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
What rules that decision is my old programming as well
as they weren't ready for me. I knew who I
was when my house door closed, you know what I mean,
Like that was me, that was hoodie, that was my
(20:55):
sexual orientation, my gender orientation, all that. And then when
I open the door to walk outside, Oh, Hi, how
are you Tit's up. Let's do it. Let's have a conversation. Hi,
Like I know it. So I just knew how to
play that because my programming taught me that that's what
people want to see. And it's still in that way,
you know, especially as a female in the industry, they
(21:16):
need to lust after you. For you to be popular,
you need to have the sex factor. And I never
really totally grasped my sensuality and sexuality in public view
because that was not really a true moment for me
now being that I'm in a comfortable space in my
life and who I am. I have it myself and
(21:39):
if somebody sees it, they see it well done. But
it's not not like it used to be.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
What do you think young closeted Raven Simone needed to
hear the most what age?
Speaker 4 (21:51):
Pick an age? I'm gonna let you pick the age.
Oh goodness, I'm gonna pick like seventeen. You don't have
to continue the facade anymore and lash out at people
around you because they want you to be something you're not.
You don't have to continue those sad and you're okay
(22:12):
to just do you. But then again, that would have
been a lie because at that time it was not okay,
you know what I mean? Like I needed to hear
that the world has changed, even in the past five years.
It's changed, you know, and it's rapidly doing that even
more now, more and more is okay? I don't know,
other than you can quit. You can quit. Probably needed
(22:34):
to hear that.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Did that not feel like an option? That was no?
Speaker 4 (22:38):
No, no, not feel that was not an option? Still
is not.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Can't quit?
Speaker 4 (22:44):
You can't quit because I'm addicted to the life. I'm
addicted to the check. I like it. Now I found
what I like and if back then I was doing
things that I didn't like, you know what I mean.
So now I found I direct, I produce, I'm working
with my wife like, I have people around me that
I like and I want to really work with. Back then,
I probably should not have been in the public eye.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
I feel a heaviness when you talk about that time.
Just sitting here with you. I know that you are
doing your own development deal with Disney now and you
have opportunities to tell stories that you want to share.
I'm wondering what you're excited about producing if there's a
gap you see the stories that you want to tell.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Thanks to Disney for giving me an overall deal for
directing and producing. Really excited about that. So obviously there's
a mandate for Disney Channel, and I want to make
sure that I'm a part of the zeitgeist of Disney
Channel and what they're looking for. So I just directed
a pilot called Alice in the Palace. It's a spinoff
of Raven's Home with Michael Michelle Harris. She plays two
characters in one show, Awesome I'm so proud of her.
(23:49):
We just got a cut of the pilot and I
started to tear up.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
What made you tear up?
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Why a POC in a big princess dress for a
television show.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
I want to cry.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
That's why. That's why I started tearing up. She's killing it.
She's killing it, and I hope they pick up the show.
That's one.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Two.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
The stories I want to tell are normalizing stories of
someone that is an LGBTQ bus libgitqua community.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I like that libergita qua.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Qua. It's so much better.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
When I host lgbt Q i A events. Do you
think they'll be cool with me saying the legit community?
Speaker 4 (24:41):
I think if you make sure it has a French
accent on top of it.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yes, I would love to see you try, Danielle.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
I would love.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
And I'm sending you the.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Video and I'll stick of for you.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Girls.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
I just can't say that. Listen, there's eighty million letters
in our I don't know. I just mean something easier.
Just give me one word, libita qua. I want to
tell libigit da qua stories that are not quote unquote.
When some people would say, like, oh, you're forcing it
on us. No, we're not, but I do want to
have those romance holiday conversations. When it comes to television
(25:23):
shows and kids network, I want to make things that
are actually funny. Now you're gonna say, what do you mean?
What I'm gonna say is I truly believe that a
taste for comedy is learned. I grew up with Jim Carrey,
I grew up with Adam Sandler, I grew up with
(25:44):
Lucy and all these people. I have a taste for
comedy that's different than and I love them, but hear
me out than a friend's cast. And I don't think
that I'm trying to like give slapstick comedy for everyone,
but I do think that for the years. Sometimes not
all the times, and definitely not with my channel, but
sometimes comedy for kids can be watered down because they
(26:07):
talked down to kids, and I don't think that that's necessary.
That's one of the reasons I loved doing the pilot
because Michael Michelle Harris knows how to integrate physical comedy
as well as standard but I'm bump jokes, but she
does it in a way to where it doesn't seem corny,
and I don't want to give kids corny material anymore.
(26:29):
I want to laugh along with children's comedy at the
same time a four year old is laughing the Shrek effect.
I think that's fantastic, and I want to make sure
that happens with anything that I touch within the Disney universe.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
I just had a whole revelation as you were speaking
about this.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Do you have a vision slight a second?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
That's so raven question I really want to ask you,
and I'm to ask, is what is the secret to
mastering that?
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Fund shouldn't look okay, Isaac, there is a secret. What
is it? There is a secret. You have to keep
your mouth slightly opened and your tongue down.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
I feel like she's drinking us, right, I'm not.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
I swear you can open your eyes and keep them
open if your mouth is open a tiny bit and
your tongue is down, and when you start to water
and fight through it, you think about here you go,
mouth open exactly a little bit.
Speaker 5 (27:32):
You did it so well.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I don't even want to try.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
You can do it.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
No, you just did it. We're talking about nobody can
do it like you.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Well, this is true, but you did it pretty well.
No Isaac, my little my son on Raven's home. He
asked me that question. I was like, you gotta do it.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
So I love this boy. Guy.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
He's a grown ass man. Sorry, I love this dude.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
He the way you described him was like he was
a four year old.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
I know because I knew him when he was twelve
and I was eighteen. He's like a sexy boy.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I can't handle.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
It's weird. But he has a music career and she
go check it out. He asked me, how do you
do it? I was like, haha, I'm not gonna tell you.
I'm i gonna tell you how you do it. And
during the season we would have vision offs, like who
could last longest without blinking. I always won, of course always.
He always I'm like, you blinked? He so I can't
do it.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
I said, I have a fu.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
You got the visions you can't blink.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Oh my god.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
I had so much fun with him.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Well, the vision I had we were speaking was that
that is what made you so funny on that so Raven.
It wasn't like you were playing this character. It was
like you were the next generation. You had inherited this
gift from people like Whoopee and Jim Carrey and Robin Williams.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
There are very few people carrying that torch. Now, I
think Michael Michelle Harris will be able to do it.
And I think that as we continue to look for
talent in the younger community and I'm there to help
them through it, I think we can do that. I mean, listen,
when I go through a boot camp with any of
my kids from any of my shows, the first thing
I do is say you better get Nike ad night
(29:02):
because I'm gonna make you watch everything. And I always
ask in an audition what television shows do you watch?
And when they go to two thousands comedy and say,
oh my god, I go, mm okay, I'm gonna take
you back to the fifties. I'm gonna take you back
a little bit further, just suck it up, and I
need you to watch and see the difference. When they
see the difference, they go, oh, there was something grounded
(29:25):
about those characters, like they weren't acting. But I really
do request strongly that anybody who works with me goes
and watches what I watch because I also need to reference,
you know what I mean, Like if we're doing something
and I don't know how to give a direction. I'm like,
did you watch the Jimmy Fox show? Okay, now I
(29:46):
need that character and this we're oh got it? Did
you watch Martin?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You did?
Speaker 4 (29:49):
And you're too young? That's okay, go to Jimmy Fox.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Here we go.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
But you need those things to pull from. It's an encyclopedia,
and I think with comedy, you have to learn from
your ancestors, and you have to learn George Carlin, even
Warren Hutcherson, Like he's a writer that worked on Raven's Home,
but he was also a fantastic stand up comedian that
I used to watch, and so when he came on
the show to write, I was like.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Oh, I'm sorry, who's taught you that?
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Like?
Speaker 5 (30:14):
How are you such a student of the game.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
My parents, I wasn't allowed to watch certain television. I
was only allowed to watch Nick at Night and classics.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
This is why whoopee said you were an old soul
and a young body.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
We need to take another quick break, but we'll be
right back to our conversation with Raven Simone. Don't go anywhere,
and we're back with Raven Simone. So now that you
are at this creative helm and you have the ability
to direct and produce, what does a raven simone set
(30:53):
feel like? What have you made a point to do
on your set that comes from your own experience as
a child.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Oh my goodness, Well, how am I gonna say this
without sounding absolutely tyrnoral like a tyrant. I like things
to be done quickly, efficiently, and move on. I don't
like to belabor situation. So a rehearsal day for me,
(31:21):
every actor, no matter what age. If you're under the
age of eighteen, your parent is on set, and I'm
giving parents the notes as well as the kid, and
I require you to have a script at all times.
There are certain things that I just don't budge on.
I require you to have your script. I require you
to read the stage directions so that if I don't
(31:42):
tell you to move to the left because it's in
the stage directions, you should be doing it anyway because
it's there unless I tell you differently. I'm also one
to have fun after we get our work done, and
if we're doing so well because people are on their game,
will have fun during I don't rehearse a lot. I'll
do one or two who takes for rehearsal and move
on to the next one, no matter what stage of
(32:03):
professionalism you're at, because I do believe that comedy is
better fresh. I believe that if you belabor it, it
becomes spoiled. People start overacting and it's dangerous. And you
can tell when it comes to tape day. After three
days of rehearsal, everybody's like, can they do this? They
did it and run through. I said, yeah, that was
the first day. It was hilarious, and now we've noted
them eighteen times and it's not going to work anymore.
(32:26):
Tape day is a little interesting. I tell my kids
all the time. I'm like, I love you guys. We
had Monday to Wednesday together. Just because I'm not talking
to you like I did on rehearsal day doesn't mean
that I don't love you. Have to change my brain
into cameraman, set deck and all these modes. Now, so
you guys huddle together. You've created your community. You guys
can handle yourself. I know you can. And then I
(32:47):
start dealing with all the adults who have their notes
and studio and to make sure that that's good and
that to find that balance between the two. I let
them speak. But then one of the things that I
remember when I was a kid, after you did a take,
it took forever for the director to come over because
he was taking so many notes from so many people.
I have a wonderful dialogue coach that stands with me.
(33:12):
I say, hey, any camera things, tell me. Tell the
acting to the dialogue coach, so I can go over
there and make sure that these kids.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
No.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Just because I'm taking a long time doesn't mean anything,
because the longer it takes, the more notes you have.
But if you're just left on set and you haven't
been through as many shows as I have, you'd be like,
oh my god, what happened? You're gonna start getting anxious.
So I try to get over to the kids as
much as possible, and then I like to get out early.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Honeys.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
I like an hour lunch. I like to beat the clock.
I do not like to be at their I don't
like to be on set all day. I love working
you guys, it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
You know what else.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
I love going home. There's some people I feel like
they belabor work because they don't want to go home.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Yes, you're basically every studio's dream. I mean, I'm righting
there thinking an excellent person. Sign me up?
Speaker 4 (33:58):
I really do you guys?
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Don't you want to go home? Yes?
Speaker 4 (34:00):
And I tell my guys that all the camera men,
I'm like, listen, fellas, Yes, show me what shot I need.
If it's better than mine, I'm taking it.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Let's go. Let's go. We may want it's done well
and right.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Well and writing. I'm not always going to be right,
and I'm definitely not always well in the brain. So
help me out here.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
I mean, help me out.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
That's my life.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
Oh my goodness, she's holding the table.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Spoke to some friends at ABC.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Oh no, and they told me that I had to
ask you about Cheetah girls for really what they say?
They said, it's it's there's been talks, there's been rumors,
there's been rumblings in the hallways.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Really have any of those come to you?
Speaker 2 (34:43):
No? Really, Oh, it's coming, it's coming. Really, you don't
have to tell me yes or no. Can you just
tell me what city it's going to be in. We
might be very excited, we.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Might be we might not. There's so many things on
the horizon with the Disney channel alone, Disney brand of television,
that everything is up for grabs. And I think we're
in a time period and a time period in our
society in the resurgence of nostalgia that I think that
would be a fantastic idea.
Speaker 5 (35:14):
I do too.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
What would it look like to you? Like, what would
your dream Cheetah reunion look like?
Speaker 2 (35:23):
First of all, we're Cheetah girls, Cheetah sisters, So the
sisterhood's really important to me. I feel like there was
one Cheetah girl that nobody liked and so we need.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
To replace her. So there really is a sisterhood. Wow,
no bad.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
Apples, No bad apples?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Whoa? This is like if we're gonna have a set
that's well and right. Yeah, we need everyone to be kind.
Speaker 4 (35:50):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
And then I love seeing a new city through your eyes.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Okay, so whichever city you guys choose, I'll be hyped
for lovely.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
Here are my notes.
Speaker 4 (35:57):
Okay, here my notes them.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
I wanted to be real, like I want it to
be honest about what's transpired between all.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
The two in real life or in like, no, just
for the characters. Okay, cool?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
You know, Like I think us as millennials who grew
up with these characters. We're gonna appreciate that because we've
all been through some shit, yeah, between the last one
and now, so i'd appreciate that.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
Honestly, We'll take you Cheetah fans who haven't grown up
on them.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
They can, They could get larious. Did you keep any
wardrobe items from the.
Speaker 4 (36:26):
Set from Cheetah? Yeah, no, I kept it. I kept
a lot of stuff from that so raven though. Okay,
the group of women that were raised on Cheetahs are
so special and beautiful and colorful and excited. And the
boys that were raised on Cheetahs, Honey, let me talk
about a Cheetah boy.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Cheetah brothers.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
The Cheetah brothers don't play around. The strutt is real.
So yeah, we'll see what happens. I'll let you guys know. Hey,
if it comes up, I'll come back.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Thank you. Cool.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
I just think like after Spice Girls, we didn't have
like Destiny's Child wasn't in that same arena. It was
gave us something else. Cheetah Girls gave us like sisterhood to.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Hold on to.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
So it was a special pop music. I mean, I was,
like I always said, if there was a cheatera reunion.
I need like a rapper cheetaha. I need a cheetah.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Emcy, we need a left eye. Lisa cheat a left eye.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Lisa cheatah, Lisa, Lisa cheatah.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
I'm down for a Lisa cheetah.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
So much fun to.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Say, almost as fun as to be.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Have you seen Girls five ever?
Speaker 4 (37:45):
Because no, but I heard it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Yeah, there's so much of that that reminds me of like, yes,
that's quite affair.
Speaker 4 (37:51):
Yea.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
We actually have to talk about why you're here before
you leave.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
I got really Oh my god, hilarious. I am here
for a reason.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Every day you're on your game show hosting era.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
Yes, you're hosting the all new game shows Scrabble for
the CW. Here's the thing, Raven, you could sign on
to so many things. I know you're very particular. Why
did scrabble get you hype?
Speaker 4 (38:16):
Scrabble got me hype because I love games?
Speaker 2 (38:21):
You do?
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (38:23):
I love a game During Raven's home Yeah, to keep
all of us busy, including me, I would bring games
on set. We created games to keep filming interesting. I
play boggle, I play Scrabble, I play sequence, I play poker,
I play all of the card games, all the games
I got asked to play Scrabble, and I never thought
(38:47):
that I would ever host a game show. That was
never even came through my brain for a while because
the weakest link, before the weakest link, there was only
one other female game show host, and barely call that
a game show never really was in my peripheral. And
then when I saw ke Key, I was like, oh yeah,
game show still didn't hit me as if I should
do one. And then the executive producer from twenty five
(39:10):
Words or Less said he put my name in the
hat for a host of Scrabble, and I was like,
what would you do, sir, there's no I really think
you can do it. I'm like, no, I can't, sir.
I'm gonna I'm gonna fangirl out on you right now,
start crying. You guys, I've really been in my crying era.
And we're not going to talk about it, blabes. I
don't like to show that side of me anyway.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
I was gonna say, you didn't cry on this show.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
We're offended. We're offended.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
So much.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
But they told me about it, you guys. When I
talk about research, I went down the rabbit hole of
game shows. I refused to walk on that set and
not know the Dick Clark specialties, the Steve Harvey specialties,
the Bob Barker specialties, all the old school even like,
oh my God, all the other ones that I used
to watch. I wanted to make sure because rarely do
(39:58):
you get a person of color, female to do service
to a game show that part. And I also have
been in the industry for thirty seven years, and I
felt like it was the universe saying, hey, go get them, Tiger,
you paid your dues, go get a game show like
I want this to go forever and evil and evil.
(40:19):
It was the best experience of my adult life. Wow,
I got to do a whole season in a matter
of a week. But to be able to stand up
there and just like talk like I am with you guys,
but then sometimes go and read my prompter, make sure
I'm on point, Like get to interact with people and
not have to say, oh, SMP is going to be
mad at me here, you know what I mean? Like
(40:41):
I don't have to be a kid, I can be myself.
It's been an absolute pleasure and I feel lighter, Like
you talk about earlier that my wife helped me put
a smile on my face. This show has done the
same thing for me when it comes to my face
on screen, because honestly, honey, before this, I was like,
I'm out, I'm not about to be acting. I'm not
doing any of it is. So I'm going to direct
(41:01):
and produce and if you pay me, I'll come on.
But I was like, you don't even have to pay
me to host this. But at the same like, I
love this game. You can get it on the CW
app the night after if you want, but watching it live,
playing with friends and family, it's one of those game
shows you yell at like family few you know what
I mean. So it's it's an absolute pleasure. Yes, don't
(41:22):
tell me it's over.
Speaker 3 (41:24):
Say we don't want you to be late for your
next But you know what, Whoopie always says this on
the view.
Speaker 5 (41:32):
You gotta come back.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
Will you come back?
Speaker 4 (41:34):
Oh, I'm gonna come back for the book. I'm gonna
come back. If there's a reunion and you guys have
to come and meet my wife on our podcast, we
would love to have you.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Oh my dad, it'll be so cute. Would excited done
it babes. You heard it, You heard it.
Speaker 5 (41:48):
It'ank you, thank you, and thank you.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
Raven Simone is an Emmy Award winning actor, singer, producer, director,
and the host of Scrabble, which airs Thursdays on the CW.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
That's it for today's show.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Tomorrow, we're popping off with the co hosts of the
Breaking Beauty podcast, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Join the conversation using hashtag the bright Side and connect
with us on social media at Hello Sunshine on Instagram
and at the bright Side Pod on TikTok Oh, and
feel free to tag us at Simone Boyce and at
Danielle Robe.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
See you tomorrow, folks, Keep looking on the bright side.
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