November 29, 2024 • 43 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. This episode originally aired Oct. 24, 2024.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey, besties, Hello sunshine. It's Friday, November twenty ninth, and
we're wishing you all the very best as you enjoy
your Thanksgiving holiday.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yes, and as a little cherry on top of this Friday,
as we're all savoring leftovers and quality time with our
friends and families, we want to share an encore presentation
of our chat with Raven Simone. On a personal note, Besties,
I never thought in a million years that we would
get to sing the theme song to That's so Raven
with Raven herself. I mean career highlight, right, Danielle.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Oh, yeah, Raven was so much fun and actually her
wife Miranda came with her to record and she was
so much fun. And so this December we're going to
be guests on their podcast called Tea Time.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I'm excited for that.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
You know, this is out of my comfort zone. I'm
normally in the chair where I'm asking the questions. But
this is going to be so much fun with them.
It's going to be great.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Well.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
In the meantime, enjoy our conversation with Raven Simone, Danielle. Danielle,
today is such a big day for the show. We
have Raven Simone here with us today.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Are you crying? Not yet, not yet, but there will
be tears, I'm sure. I'm so excited about this.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
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 2 (01:34):
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 So
Raven until we passed out. 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
(01:57):
much joy to our lives. Like she was just so
goofy and silly and fun and free, and that energy
was so contagious.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
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 2 (02:13):
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 3 (02:21):
I mean that's huge.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Like, I truly don't know that we have given Raven
Simone enough credit for how much of a trailblazer she is.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
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 3 (02:38):
She had a girls, she had a sister.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Those albums and movies just brought so much joy to
our lives. And I actually didn't know this. She's released
four albums and performed on Broadway. She's really done so much.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Just a megawatt talent, and now she's in her game
show host era.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I'm so excited for her.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Raven Simon is currently hosting Scrabble on the CW and
she's actually a board game fan irl. Y'all, y'eall, what
do you think that we have to do to score
an invite to one of her legendary game nights?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
How do that?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
That's our goal for this interview is we need an
invite to game night.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
You and I are word girls.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
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 1 (03:26):
Okay, we're definitely putting that on our wish list, so
let's bring her in, the one and only Raven Simone.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Welcome to the bright Side.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
I'm glad to be here. I have to fangirl just
for a moment.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
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 3 (03:54):
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 2 (04:01):
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 representation, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And then I looked at.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
The comments beneath this YouTube interview that you did, and
it restored my faith 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. My
people said, this woman is literally living Black history.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
She's my inspiration. She raised us, she is the blueprint.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Now, something that I've learned as I've gotten older is
that receiving love can often be 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 3 (04:52):
No? 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 thing, thank you,
in 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
(05:14):
for 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. I don't. 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
(05:36):
for the money, and I'm also in it floor real talk,
real time'll 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 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 1 (05:57):
You know, when I saw how happy Debbiel and her
husband were in real life at a party, I just
looked at them and I thought, that's what I want.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
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 won't 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 apart,
who push wedges between people, but we understand it. We
(06:28):
can look each other in each other's souls and be like,
love you, love you to see you in the next one.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
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 are the things that can tear families apart.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Oh yeah, that is a true statement as well. Both
can do. Yeah, I'm going to be honest, like, especially
in our industry, failures haunt you forever. Really, I think so,
especially now a 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
(07:11):
like a good old will reading that's funny, just like
a good 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 1 (07:25):
So you bring up Debbie Allen. I want to talk
about Whoopee Goldberg because I love that. Did you meet
when you started co hosting the view?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
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
(07:56):
love each other and become family.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
On the View, I interviewed Ego nowoh Deem 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?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Almost?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
What is that relationship or mentorship with Whoop?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
You mean Whoopy? I don't even have a word to
describe Whoopy 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,
(08:39):
and at every single step of it, I'm like, what
do you need? 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 Auntie whoop
in the phone.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Even when you're out her Thanksgiving table, your starstruck.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
When she cooked for us, I'm still like thanks, thanks whoop.
Like I still she's majestic, She's a uni, she'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
(09:17):
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 you talk to you?
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
(09:38):
you know what that is, and I'm supposed to be there.
I was like, you cared somebody. She is she's majestic.
I love here. Thank you for sharing that with us. Yeah,
don't worries, she's I love that woman.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Did it feel good to be able to dip in
and then dip out of the view on the faite time?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Every time? I kept one foot by the door. Yes,
in case they try to close me in. No, no, no,
I absolutely love the people there. Brian Teda to all
of the producers, would be Sarah, all the panelists. I
think that's a special place. 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.
(10:14):
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 2 (10:19):
Yeah, Raven, your range is so impressive, Like between your
work on the Cosby Show, That's a 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 3 (10:36):
Ooh oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Great question and a toughie.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
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 hanging mister Gooper,
maybe how old were you when you were touring with
them with in sinc I was thirteen twelve area that
was the bye Bye Bye Erah goodness. Yeah, it was crazy.
(11:01):
Mandy Moore was on there, Jordan Knight was on there,
A third story was there. Yeah, it was. It was
a massive tour that I traveled around and I win
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 the front that everybody came in.
(11:22):
It was like me and all the other ones, and
then you had the big stage.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
So I'm gonna give all the listeners a little inside scoop.
Raven showed up fifteen minutes early. I did to our interview,
You're welcome. 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
(11:46):
what you've picked up that you carry over into your life,
But timeliness, I think is one of them, because I
did not.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Get that from Segur. You didn't know that came from
people being late for me and me being irantated as
hall because you're late in your waisted 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, I get the car. We
got to go. It's the appointments at one. Let's get
(12:12):
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 disrespectful and I feel
disrespected when.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
People do that to me. I think that's so cool.
I agree, completely agree. Okay, can we talk about that,
so Raven, let's do it.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
So I'm dn't didn sorry, I'm not gonna do it.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
I go.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
It.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
My soul is gonna leave my body. If he starts
singing the tee you guys sing with me, I'll sing it,
of course, of course, dn't, dn't.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Didn't.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
If you can into the future, future future, my thing
life would be a dream. Life is a free trouble
from this time. Yeah, but it's not that easy. Oh no,
I try, Oh my wait, I just need a moment.
That was so insane, My jack it off because are
(13:19):
soo you don't understand ray. Maybe you do, I don't.
I don't. I don't get it. I can't. I mean,
I try my version, I have my version. I cannot
do this interview anymore.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
I'm again, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
When I tell my cousin that we just did, I
just I'm hilarious.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Oh thanks, ladies.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
We have to take a short break, but we'll be
right back with Raven Simone.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
And we're back with Raven Simone.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
A lot of news has come out recently about how
during a few episodes of That So Raven, there was
footage that was edited of you to appear slimmer. Really, yeah,
were you aware of that? Yes, it's on the internet.
There was a former Disney Channel exec that wrote something,
(14:24):
where are they.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Her water? Wow? I can't believe they released that. Well, beans,
what do you say? Who was it?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Adam Bonnet specifically referenced a school dance episode.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
So that's what raven is that it was during a
time when wait 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,
(15:04):
you look skinnier. And there were talks about that. I
can't believe he said that out loud. Okay, Adam, do.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You feel like that wasn't his story to tell?
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Oh, 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. In hindsight, how do you feel
about that?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Because you were just a kid, Like, it's not like
you had say over them doing that, or.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
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,
(15:53):
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 get 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 in depression, all kinds of stuff.
(16:13):
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 whose struts in Spain? Just heels?
When these ladies are in ballet flats, I love them.
I would have never noticed that.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Yeah, yeah, how old were you when that footage was edited?
Speaker 3 (16:34):
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 2 (16:54):
It works that all the experts say, just a good.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
About The only problem is, like I've heard, if you
keep running from yourself, eventually you run into yourself. Oh
all day.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
And I'm not writing 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 2 (17:14):
How did you process those things as they were being
said to you?
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Did you have someone that you could talk to about it? No?
How did I process it? I just did? Yeah, I
just did. 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
(17:38):
at the time and that person actually helped me with
a lot of my self esteem because of whatever. But honey,
if you only knew I'm writing a book.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Yeah, you were carrying so much from such a young age.
You started performing when you were what sixteen months or something?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Yeah, I have a three year old and all he
says to me is like.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Fart, poopy, mommy, poopy being as fart.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I can't imagine someone being competent.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
And incompetent and articulate enough at three years old to
do what you did.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
You just I'm so impressed by you. Took a lot
of work. Took a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Well.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I was watching that Hulu documentary Child Star. That was good.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
I liked it.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I was a little afraid. I didn't know I was
going down. I mean, and you get to see the
cut beforehand. Yeah, I was like, Oh, this is good.
I actually want people to watch it.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
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.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
What did that term mean to you? 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 fan,
next mask, family teaching me how to be in public,
that's the next mass next mask coming through, Like I
(19:07):
think I'm a little bit dudish, 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 Demi and a couple other people that I
(19:27):
witnessed in the industry, the sadness is too thick to mask.
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
(19:53):
my partners know about, but they're getting better now, you
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 1 (20:11):
I personally as like a fan of yours have seen
the light turn back on.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Since you got with your wife. Thank you. It feels
like a lot changed. Yeah, a lot changed. It's not
always a safe space, but my wife is a safe space.
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
(20:38):
industry and not the personal life really bleed into it.
But thank you. Yeah, 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 1 (20:50):
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 3 (21:01):
What rules that decision? Is my old programming as well
as they weren't ready for me, Like, uh, 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 sexual orientation, my gender orientation, all that,
(21:25):
and then when I open the door to walk outside,
Oh hi, how are you tit's up, Let's do it.
Let's I'm 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 need to lust after you.
For you to be popular, you need to have the
(21:47):
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, oh, being that I'm
in a comfortable space in my life and who I am.
I have it myself and if somebody sees it, they
see it well done. But it's not not like it
(22:10):
used to be. What do you think young closeted Raven
Simone needed to hear the most? What age? 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
(22:35):
they want you to be something you're not. You don't
have to continue tho sad You're okay 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
(22:57):
you can quit. You can quit. Probably need to hear that.
Did that not feel like an option? That was no? No, no,
not feel that was not an option? Still is not.
Can't quit. You can't quit because I'm addicted to the life.
I'm addicted to the check. I like it now. I
(23:18):
found what I like in it bags In 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 begs In.
I probably should not have been.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
In the public eye. 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
(23:52):
want to tell.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Thanks to Disney for giving me an overall deal for
directing and producing. Really excited about that. So obviously 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 spin off
of Raven's Home with Michael Michelle Harris. She plays two
characters in one show. Awesome. I'm so proud of her.
(24:16):
We just got a cut of the pilot and I
started to tear up. What made you tear up? Why
a poc in a big princess dress for a television show?
Speaker 1 (24:26):
I want to.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
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 two. The stories I want to tell are
normalizing stories of someone that is an LGBTQ plus libgita
qua community. I like that. I don't like that agita
(24:52):
ligita qua, digita qua.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
It's when I host lgbt Q i A events. Do
you think they'll be cool with me saying the legit
community Libgitaqua, I think.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
If you make sure it has a French accent on
top of it. Yes, I would love to see you try, Danielle.
I would love Raymond and I'm sending you the fucking
video and I'll stick up for you girls. I just
can't say that. Listen, there's eighty million letters in our title. Now,
I just need something easier. Just give me one word.
(25:30):
I want to tell Libgitaqua stories that are not quote
unquote what 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 shows and kids Network, I want to make things
(25:54):
that are actually funny. Now you're gonna say, what do
you mean? What I'm gonna say is I believe that
a taste for comedy is learned. I grew up with
Jim Carrey, I grew up with Adam Sandler, I grew
up with Lucy and all these people. I have a
taste for comedy that's different than and I love them.
(26:18):
But hear me out then 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 over the years.
Sometimes not all the times, and definitely not with my channel,
but sometimes comedy for kids can be watered down because
they talked down to kids, and I don't think that
that's necessary. That's one of the reasons I loved doing
(26:39):
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. I want to laugh along with children's
comedy at the same time a four year old is
(27:01):
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 1 (27:10):
I just had a whole revelation as you were speaking
about this.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Do you have a vision light a second? See? That's
so raven.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Question I really want to ask you, and I'm embarrassed
to ask, is what is the secret to mastering that?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Finda 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 (27:38):
I feel like she's drinking us right, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
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 there you go, mouth
open exactly a little bit. You did it so well.
You can try. You can do it. No, you just
(28:01):
did it. We're talking about nobody can do it like you. Well,
this was true, but you did it pretty well.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
No.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Isaac, my little my son on Raven's home. He asked
me that question. I was like, you gotta do it.
So I love this boy. Guy. He's a grown ass man. Sorry,
I love this dude. He the way you described him
was like he was a four year old. I know
because I knew him when he was twelve and I
was eighteen. He's like a sexy boy, can't handle It's weird,
but he has a music career and you go check
it out. He asked me how do you do it?
(28:28):
I was like, haha, I'm not gonna tell you. I'm
not gonna tell you how you do it. And during
the season we would have vision offs like who could
last longest without blinking and I always won. Yeah, course always.
He always I'm like, you blinked because like I can't
do it. I said, I have a fop. You got
the visions you can't blink. Oh my god. I had
so much fun with him.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Well, the vision I had you 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.
There are very few people carrying that torch now.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
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 nick ad night
because I'm gonna make you watch everything. And I always
(29:32):
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 mmm, 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
about those characters, like they weren't acting. But I really
(29:57):
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
need that character and this we're oh got it? Did
you watch Martin? You didn't, you're too young. That's okay,
go to Jimmy Fox. Here we go. But you need
(30:19):
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, I'm.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Sorry who taught you that?
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Like, how are you such a student of the game?
My parents, I wasn't allowed to watch certain television. I
was only allowed to watch Nick at night and classics.
This is why whoopee said you were an old soul
and a young body. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
We need to take another quick break, but we'll be
right back to our conversation with Raven's 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
(31:19):
feel like? What have you made a point to do
on your set that comes from your own experience as
a child actor?
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Oh my goodness, Well, how am I gonna say this
without sounding absolutely tyrantal? 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
(31:48):
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 time.
So 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
(32:08):
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,
we'll have fun during I don't rehearse a lot. I'll
do one or two takes for rehearsal and move on
to the next one, no matter what stage of professionalism
(32:31):
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. Tape day is
(32:53):
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 start dealing with all
(33:15):
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. I say, hey,
(33:39):
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 (33:46):
No.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
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 I like to get out early honemyes.
I like an hour lunch. I like to beat the clock.
I do not like to be at their I don't
(34:07):
like to be on set all day. I love working
you guys, it's fantastic. You know what else? I love
going home. There's some people I feel like they belabor
work because they don't want.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
To go home.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Yes, you're basically every studio's dream, I mean my dream, right.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
They're thinking an excellent person, Sign me up? I really
do you guys? Don't you want to go home?
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
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. Let's go.
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
We move on.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
It's done well. And write 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, I mean,
help me out. That's my life. Okay, Oh my goodness,
she's holding the table.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Spoke to some friends at ABC. Oh no, and they
told me that I had to ask you about Cheetah
Girls for really what they say they said, it's there's
been talks, there's been rumors, there's been rumblings in the hallways.
Really have any of those come to you? No?
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Really, Oh, it's coming, it's common.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
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 might be,
we might not.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
There's so many things on the horizon with the Disney channel,
let alone Disney brand of television. Yea 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. I do too. What would it look like
(35:44):
to you? Like, what would your dream Cheetah reunion look like?
Speaker 1 (35:49):
First of all, we're Cheetah girls Cheatah sisters. So the
sisterhood's really important to me. Okay, I feel like there
was one Cheetah girl that nobody liked and so we
need to replace her. So there really is a sisterhood.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Wow, hot, no bad apples, no bad apples.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
No, this is like if we're gonna have a set
that's well and right. Yeah, we need everyone to be kind.
I agree. And then I love seeing a new city
through your eyes. Okay, so whichever city you guys choose,
I'll be hyped for lovely.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Here are my notes, Okay, here my names them.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I want it to be real, like I want it
to be honest about what's transpired between.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
The two in real life or in like.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
No, just for the characters, okay, 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
ship between the last one and now, so I'd appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
Honestly.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
We'll take you Cheetah fans who haven't grown up on them.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
They can. They could get hilarious. Did you keep any
wardrobe items from the set from Cheetah? Yeah, no, I
kept it. I kept a lot of stuff from that's
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
(37:09):
me talk about a Cheetah boy.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Cheetah Brothers, the Cheetah Brothers don't play around.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
The strut is real. So yeah, we'll see what happens.
I'll let you guys know. Hey, if it comes up,
I'll come back. Thank you. Cool. Cool.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
I 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 hold on to. So it was a special
pop music.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
Yeah, I mean I was like pop. I always said,
if there was a cheatera reunion, I need like a
rapper Cheetah yah. I need a Cheetah emc.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
Yes, we need a left eye.
Speaker 3 (37:51):
Lisa cheat a left eye, Lisa cheatah Cheatah. I'm down
for Alisa Jetah.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
So much fun to say, almost as fun ask have
to be.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Have you seen Girls five ever? Because no, but I
heard it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Yeah, there's so much of that that reminds me of like, yes,
that's quite a fair.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Yeah, we actually have to talk about why you're here
before you leave. I got really sidetrap.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
Oh my god, hilarious. I am here for a reason.
Every you're on your game show hosting era.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
You're hosting the all new game show 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 3 (38:43):
Scrabble got me hype because I love game? You do,
Oh 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 played Boggle, I play Scrabble, I play Sequence, I
(39:05):
play poker. I play all of the card games, all
the games I got asked to play scrabble. And I
never thought 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.
(39:28):
And then when I saw ke Ky, I was like,
oh yeah, a game show still didn't hit me as
if I should do one. And then the executive producer
from twenty five wards or less said he put my
name in the hat for a host of Scrabble, and
I was like, what wou'd you do?
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Sir?
Speaker 3 (39:41):
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 gonna talk about it, babes.
I don't like to show that side of me.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
Anyway. I was gonna say, you didn't cry on this show.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
So much, 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
(40:21):
used to watch. I wanted to make sure because rarely
do 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
(40:42):
game show like I want this to go forever and
evil and evil. 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, get to interact with
people and not have to say oh s and P
(41:05):
is gonna be mad at me here, you know what
I mean, Like 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.
(41:26):
I'm not doing any of this. I'm going to direct
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 that you know
what I mean. So it's it's an absolute pleasure. Yes,
(41:48):
don't tell me it's over. Say we don't want to
be late for your next But.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
You know what, Whoopy always says this on the view,
you gotta come back, you come back.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
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 (42:09):
Oh my dad, It'll be so cute, it would be
so excited.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Done it, babes, you heard it, you heard it. It'll
be thank you, thank you, and thank you.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Raven Simone is an Emmy Award winning actor, singer, producer, director,
and the host of Scrabble, which airs Thursdays on the CW.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The bright
Side is a production of Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts
and is executive produced by Reese Witherspoon.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Production by Arcana Audio. Our producers are Jessica Wank, Krista Ripple,
and Amy Padula. Our senior producers It's I Kin Tania,
and our engineer is PJ.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
Shahamat.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
Arcana's executive producers are Francis Harlowe and Abby Ruska.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
Arcana's head of production is Matt Schultz.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Natalie Tulluck and Maureen Polo are the executive producers for
Hello Sunshine.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Julia Weaver is the supervising producer, and Ali Perry is
the executive producer for iHeart Podcasts. Tim Palazzola is our showrunner.
This week's episodes were recorded by Graham Gibson and Joel Morales.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Our theme song is by Anna Stump and Hamilton Lighthouser.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
Special thanks to Connell Byrne and Will Pearson.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
I'm Simone Boyce. You can find me at Simone Boyce
on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
And I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
That's ro b a y.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
We'll see you Monday, y'all keep looking on the bright side.
Hey, besties, Hello sunshine. It's Friday, November twenty ninth, and
we're wishing you all the very best as you enjoy
your Thanksgiving holiday.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yes, and as a little cherry on top of this Friday,
as we're all savoring leftovers and quality time with our
friends and families, we want to share an encore presentation
of our chat with Raven Simone. On a personal note, Besties,
I never thought in a million years that we would
get to sing the theme song to That's so Raven
with Raven herself. I mean career highlight, right, Danielle.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Oh, yeah, Raven was so much fun and actually her
wife Miranda came with her to record and she was
so much fun. And so this December we're going to
be guests on their podcast called Tea Time.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I'm excited for that.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
You know, this is out of my comfort zone. I'm
normally in the chair where I'm asking the questions. But
this is going to be so much fun with them.
It's going to be great.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Well.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
In the meantime, enjoy our conversation with Raven Simone, Danielle. Danielle,
today is such a big day for the show. We
have Raven Simone here with us today.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Are you crying? Not yet, not yet, but there will
be tears, I'm sure. I'm so excited about this.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
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 2 (01:34):
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 So
Raven until we passed out. 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
(01:57):
much joy to our lives. Like she was just so
goofy and silly and fun and free, and that energy
was so contagious.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
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 2 (02:13):
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 3 (02:21):
I mean that's huge.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Like, I truly don't know that we have given Raven
Simone enough credit for how much of a trailblazer she is.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
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 3 (02:38):
She had a girls, she had a sister.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Those albums and movies just brought so much joy to
our lives. And I actually didn't know this. She's released
four albums and performed on Broadway. She's really done so much.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Just a megawatt talent, and now she's in her game
show host era.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I'm so excited for her.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Raven Simon is currently hosting Scrabble on the CW and
she's actually a board game fan irl. Y'all, y'eall, what
do you think that we have to do to score
an invite to one of her legendary game nights?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
How do that?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
That's our goal for this interview is we need an
invite to game night.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
You and I are word girls.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
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 1 (03:26):
Okay, we're definitely putting that on our wish list, so
let's bring her in, the one and only Raven Simone.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Welcome to the bright Side.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
I'm glad to be here. I have to fangirl just
for a moment.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
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 3 (03:54):
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 2 (04:01):
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 representation, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And then I looked at.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
The comments beneath this YouTube interview that you did, and
it restored my faith 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. My
people said, this woman is literally living Black history.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
She's my inspiration. She raised us, she is the blueprint.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Now, something that I've learned as I've gotten older is
that receiving love can often be 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 3 (04:52):
No? 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 thing, thank you,
in 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
(05:14):
for 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. I don't. 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
(05:36):
for the money, and I'm also in it floor real talk,
real time'll 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 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 1 (05:57):
You know, when I saw how happy Debbiel and her
husband were in real life at a party, I just
looked at them and I thought, that's what I want.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
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 won't 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 apart,
who push wedges between people, but we understand it. We
(06:28):
can look each other in each other's souls and be like,
love you, love you to see you in the next one.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
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 are the things that can tear families apart.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Oh yeah, that is a true statement as well. Both
can do. Yeah, I'm going to be honest, like, especially
in our industry, failures haunt you forever. Really, I think so,
especially now a 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
(07:11):
like a good old will reading that's funny, just like
a good 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 1 (07:25):
So you bring up Debbie Allen. I want to talk
about Whoopee Goldberg because I love that. Did you meet
when you started co hosting the view?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
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
(07:56):
love each other and become family.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
On the View, I interviewed Ego nowoh Deem 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?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Almost?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
What is that relationship or mentorship with Whoop?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
You mean Whoopy? I don't even have a word to
describe Whoopy 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,
(08:39):
and at every single step of it, I'm like, what
do you need? 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 Auntie whoop
in the phone.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Even when you're out her Thanksgiving table, your starstruck.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
When she cooked for us, I'm still like thanks, thanks whoop.
Like I still she's majestic, She's a uni, she'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
(09:17):
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 you talk to you?
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
(09:38):
you know what that is, and I'm supposed to be there.
I was like, you cared somebody. She is she's majestic.
I love here. Thank you for sharing that with us. Yeah,
don't worries, she's I love that woman.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Did it feel good to be able to dip in
and then dip out of the view on the faite time?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Every time? I kept one foot by the door. Yes,
in case they try to close me in. No, no, no,
I absolutely love the people there. Brian Teda to all
of the producers, would be Sarah, all the panelists. I
think that's a special place. 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.
(10:14):
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 2 (10:19):
Yeah, Raven, your range is so impressive, Like between your
work on the Cosby Show, That's a 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 3 (10:36):
Ooh oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Great question and a toughie.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
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 hanging mister Gooper,
maybe how old were you when you were touring with
them with in sinc I was thirteen twelve area that
was the bye Bye Bye Erah goodness. Yeah, it was crazy.
(11:01):
Mandy Moore was on there, Jordan Knight was on there,
A third story was there. Yeah, it was. It was
a massive tour that I traveled around and I win
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 the front that everybody came in.
(11:22):
It was like me and all the other ones, and
then you had the big stage.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
So I'm gonna give all the listeners a little inside scoop.
Raven showed up fifteen minutes early. I did to our interview,
You're welcome. 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
(11:46):
what you've picked up that you carry over into your life,
But timeliness, I think is one of them, because I
did not.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Get that from Segur. You didn't know that came from
people being late for me and me being irantated as
hall because you're late in your waisted 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, I get the car. We
got to go. It's the appointments at one. Let's get
(12:12):
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 disrespectful and I feel
disrespected when.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
People do that to me. I think that's so cool.
I agree, completely agree. Okay, can we talk about that,
so Raven, let's do it.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
So I'm dn't didn sorry, I'm not gonna do it.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
I go.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
It.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
My soul is gonna leave my body. If he starts
singing the tee you guys sing with me, I'll sing it,
of course, of course, dn't, dn't.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Didn't.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
If you can into the future, future future, my thing
life would be a dream. Life is a free trouble
from this time. Yeah, but it's not that easy. Oh no,
I try, Oh my wait, I just need a moment.
That was so insane, My jack it off because are
(13:19):
soo you don't understand ray. Maybe you do, I don't.
I don't. I don't get it. I can't. I mean,
I try my version, I have my version. I cannot
do this interview anymore.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
I'm again, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
When I tell my cousin that we just did, I
just I'm hilarious.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Oh thanks, ladies.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
We have to take a short break, but we'll be
right back with Raven Simone.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
And we're back with Raven Simone.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
A lot of news has come out recently about how
during a few episodes of That So Raven, there was
footage that was edited of you to appear slimmer. Really, yeah,
were you aware of that? Yes, it's on the internet.
There was a former Disney Channel exec that wrote something,
(14:24):
where are they.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Her water? Wow? I can't believe they released that. Well, beans,
what do you say? Who was it?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Adam Bonnet specifically referenced a school dance episode.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
So that's what raven is that it was during a
time when wait 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,
(15:04):
you look skinnier. And there were talks about that. I
can't believe he said that out loud. Okay, Adam, do.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You feel like that wasn't his story to tell?
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Oh, 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. In hindsight, how do you feel
about that?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Because you were just a kid, Like, it's not like
you had say over them doing that, or.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
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,
(15:53):
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 get 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 in depression, all kinds of stuff.
(16:13):
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 whose struts in Spain? Just heels?
When these ladies are in ballet flats, I love them.
I would have never noticed that.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Yeah, yeah, how old were you when that footage was edited?
Speaker 3 (16:34):
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 2 (16:54):
It works that all the experts say, just a good.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
About The only problem is, like I've heard, if you
keep running from yourself, eventually you run into yourself. Oh
all day.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
And I'm not writing 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 2 (17:14):
How did you process those things as they were being
said to you?
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Did you have someone that you could talk to about it? No?
How did I process it? I just did? Yeah, I
just did. 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
(17:38):
at the time and that person actually helped me with
a lot of my self esteem because of whatever. But honey,
if you only knew I'm writing a book.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Yeah, you were carrying so much from such a young age.
You started performing when you were what sixteen months or something?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Yeah, I have a three year old and all he
says to me is like.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Fart, poopy, mommy, poopy being as fart.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I can't imagine someone being competent.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
And incompetent and articulate enough at three years old to
do what you did.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
You just I'm so impressed by you. Took a lot
of work. Took a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Well.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I was watching that Hulu documentary Child Star. That was good.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
I liked it.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I was a little afraid. I didn't know I was
going down. I mean, and you get to see the
cut beforehand. Yeah, I was like, Oh, this is good.
I actually want people to watch it.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
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.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
What did that term mean to you? 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 fan,
next mask, family teaching me how to be in public,
that's the next mass next mask coming through, Like I
(19:07):
think I'm a little bit dudish, 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 Demi and a couple other people that I
(19:27):
witnessed in the industry, the sadness is too thick to mask.
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
(19:53):
my partners know about, but they're getting better now, you
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 1 (20:11):
I personally as like a fan of yours have seen
the light turn back on.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Since you got with your wife. Thank you. It feels
like a lot changed. Yeah, a lot changed. It's not
always a safe space, but my wife is a safe space.
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
(20:38):
industry and not the personal life really bleed into it.
But thank you. Yeah, 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 1 (20:50):
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 3 (21:01):
What rules that decision? Is my old programming as well
as they weren't ready for me, Like, uh, 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 sexual orientation, my gender orientation, all that,
(21:25):
and then when I open the door to walk outside,
Oh hi, how are you tit's up, Let's do it.
Let's I'm 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 need to lust after you.
For you to be popular, you need to have the
(21:47):
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, oh, being that I'm
in a comfortable space in my life and who I am.
I have it myself and if somebody sees it, they
see it well done. But it's not not like it
(22:10):
used to be. What do you think young closeted Raven
Simone needed to hear the most? What age? 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
(22:35):
they want you to be something you're not. You don't
have to continue tho sad You're okay 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
(22:57):
you can quit. You can quit. Probably need to hear that.
Did that not feel like an option? That was no? No, no,
not feel that was not an option? Still is not.
Can't quit. You can't quit because I'm addicted to the life.
I'm addicted to the check. I like it now. I
(23:18):
found what I like in it bags In 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 begs In.
I probably should not have been.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
In the public eye. 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
(23:52):
want to tell.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Thanks to Disney for giving me an overall deal for
directing and producing. Really excited about that. So obviously 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 spin off
of Raven's Home with Michael Michelle Harris. She plays two
characters in one show. Awesome. I'm so proud of her.
(24:16):
We just got a cut of the pilot and I
started to tear up. What made you tear up? Why
a poc in a big princess dress for a television show?
Speaker 1 (24:26):
I want to.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
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 two. The stories I want to tell are
normalizing stories of someone that is an LGBTQ plus libgita
qua community. I like that. I don't like that agita
(24:52):
ligita qua, digita qua.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
It's when I host lgbt Q i A events. Do
you think they'll be cool with me saying the legit
community Libgitaqua, I think.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
If you make sure it has a French accent on
top of it. Yes, I would love to see you try, Danielle.
I would love Raymond and I'm sending you the fucking
video and I'll stick up for you girls. I just
can't say that. Listen, there's eighty million letters in our title. Now,
I just need something easier. Just give me one word.
(25:30):
I want to tell Libgitaqua stories that are not quote
unquote what 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 shows and kids Network, I want to make things
(25:54):
that are actually funny. Now you're gonna say, what do
you mean? What I'm gonna say is I believe that
a taste for comedy is learned. I grew up with
Jim Carrey, I grew up with Adam Sandler, I grew
up with Lucy and all these people. I have a
taste for comedy that's different than and I love them.
(26:18):
But hear me out then 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 over the years.
Sometimes not all the times, and definitely not with my channel,
but sometimes comedy for kids can be watered down because
they talked down to kids, and I don't think that
that's necessary. That's one of the reasons I loved doing
(26:39):
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. I want to laugh along with children's
comedy at the same time a four year old is
(27:01):
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 1 (27:10):
I just had a whole revelation as you were speaking
about this.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Do you have a vision light a second? See? That's
so raven.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Question I really want to ask you, and I'm embarrassed
to ask, is what is the secret to mastering that?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Finda 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 (27:38):
I feel like she's drinking us right, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
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 there you go, mouth
open exactly a little bit. You did it so well.
You can try. You can do it. No, you just
(28:01):
did it. We're talking about nobody can do it like you. Well,
this was true, but you did it pretty well.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
No.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Isaac, my little my son on Raven's home. He asked
me that question. I was like, you gotta do it.
So I love this boy. Guy. He's a grown ass man. Sorry,
I love this dude. He the way you described him
was like he was a four year old. I know
because I knew him when he was twelve and I
was eighteen. He's like a sexy boy, can't handle It's weird,
but he has a music career and you go check
it out. He asked me how do you do it?
(28:28):
I was like, haha, I'm not gonna tell you. I'm
not gonna tell you how you do it. And during
the season we would have vision offs like who could
last longest without blinking and I always won. Yeah, course always.
He always I'm like, you blinked because like I can't
do it. I said, I have a fop. You got
the visions you can't blink. Oh my god. I had
so much fun with him.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Well, the vision I had you 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.
There are very few people carrying that torch now.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
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 nick ad night
because I'm gonna make you watch everything. And I always
(29:32):
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 mmm, 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
about those characters, like they weren't acting. But I really
(29:57):
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
need that character and this we're oh got it? Did
you watch Martin? You didn't, you're too young. That's okay,
go to Jimmy Fox. Here we go. But you need
(30:19):
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, I'm.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Sorry who taught you that?
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Like, how are you such a student of the game?
My parents, I wasn't allowed to watch certain television. I
was only allowed to watch Nick at night and classics.
This is why whoopee said you were an old soul
and a young body. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
We need to take another quick break, but we'll be
right back to our conversation with Raven's 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
(31:19):
feel like? What have you made a point to do
on your set that comes from your own experience as
a child actor?
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Oh my goodness, Well, how am I gonna say this
without sounding absolutely tyrantal? 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
(31:48):
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 time.
So 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
(32:08):
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,
we'll have fun during I don't rehearse a lot. I'll
do one or two takes for rehearsal and move on
to the next one, no matter what stage of professionalism
(32:31):
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. Tape day is
(32:53):
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 start dealing with all
(33:15):
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. I say, hey,
(33:39):
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 (33:46):
No.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
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 I like to get out early honemyes.
I like an hour lunch. I like to beat the clock.
I do not like to be at their I don't
(34:07):
like to be on set all day. I love working
you guys, it's fantastic. You know what else? I love
going home. There's some people I feel like they belabor
work because they don't want.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
To go home.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Yes, you're basically every studio's dream, I mean my dream, right.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
They're thinking an excellent person, Sign me up? I really
do you guys? Don't you want to go home?
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
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. Let's go.
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
We move on.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
It's done well. And write 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, I mean,
help me out. That's my life. Okay, Oh my goodness,
she's holding the table.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Spoke to some friends at ABC. Oh no, and they
told me that I had to ask you about Cheetah
Girls for really what they say they said, it's there's
been talks, there's been rumors, there's been rumblings in the hallways.
Really have any of those come to you? No?
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Really, Oh, it's coming, it's common.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
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 might be,
we might not.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
There's so many things on the horizon with the Disney channel,
let alone Disney brand of television. Yea 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. I do too. What would it look like
(35:44):
to you? Like, what would your dream Cheetah reunion look like?
Speaker 1 (35:49):
First of all, we're Cheetah girls Cheatah sisters. So the
sisterhood's really important to me. Okay, I feel like there
was one Cheetah girl that nobody liked and so we
need to replace her. So there really is a sisterhood.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Wow, hot, no bad apples, no bad apples.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
No, this is like if we're gonna have a set
that's well and right. Yeah, we need everyone to be kind.
I agree. And then I love seeing a new city
through your eyes. Okay, so whichever city you guys choose,
I'll be hyped for lovely.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Here are my notes, Okay, here my names them.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I want it to be real, like I want it
to be honest about what's transpired between.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
The two in real life or in like.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
No, just for the characters, okay, 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
ship between the last one and now, so I'd appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
Honestly.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
We'll take you Cheetah fans who haven't grown up on them.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
They can. They could get hilarious. Did you keep any
wardrobe items from the set from Cheetah? Yeah, no, I
kept it. I kept a lot of stuff from that's
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
(37:09):
me talk about a Cheetah boy.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Cheetah Brothers, the Cheetah Brothers don't play around.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
The strut is real. So yeah, we'll see what happens.
I'll let you guys know. Hey, if it comes up,
I'll come back. Thank you. Cool. Cool.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
I 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 hold on to. So it was a special
pop music.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
Yeah, I mean I was like pop. I always said,
if there was a cheatera reunion, I need like a
rapper Cheetah yah. I need a Cheetah emc.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
Yes, we need a left eye.
Speaker 3 (37:51):
Lisa cheat a left eye, Lisa cheatah Cheatah. I'm down
for Alisa Jetah.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
So much fun to say, almost as fun ask have
to be.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Have you seen Girls five ever? Because no, but I
heard it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Yeah, there's so much of that that reminds me of like, yes,
that's quite a fair.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Yeah, we actually have to talk about why you're here
before you leave. I got really sidetrap.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
Oh my god, hilarious. I am here for a reason.
Every you're on your game show hosting era.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
You're hosting the all new game show 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 3 (38:43):
Scrabble got me hype because I love game? You do,
Oh 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 played Boggle, I play Scrabble, I play Sequence, I
(39:05):
play poker. I play all of the card games, all
the games I got asked to play scrabble. And I
never thought 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.
(39:28):
And then when I saw ke Ky, I was like,
oh yeah, a game show still didn't hit me as
if I should do one. And then the executive producer
from twenty five wards or less said he put my
name in the hat for a host of Scrabble, and
I was like, what wou'd you do?
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Sir?
Speaker 3 (39:41):
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 gonna talk about it, babes.
I don't like to show that side of me.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
Anyway. I was gonna say, you didn't cry on this show.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
So much, 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
(40:21):
used to watch. I wanted to make sure because rarely
do 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
(40:42):
game show like I want this to go forever and
evil and evil. 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, get to interact with
people and not have to say oh s and P
(41:05):
is gonna be mad at me here, you know what
I mean, Like 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.
(41:26):
I'm not doing any of this. I'm going to direct
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 that you know
what I mean. So it's it's an absolute pleasure. Yes,
(41:48):
don't tell me it's over. Say we don't want to
be late for your next But.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
You know what, Whoopy always says this on the view,
you gotta come back, you come back.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
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 (42:09):
Oh my dad, It'll be so cute, it would be
so excited.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Done it, babes, you heard it, you heard it. It'll
be thank you, thank you, and thank you.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Raven Simone is an Emmy Award winning actor, singer, producer, director,
and the host of Scrabble, which airs Thursdays on the CW.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The bright
Side is a production of Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts
and is executive produced by Reese Witherspoon.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Production by Arcana Audio. Our producers are Jessica Wank, Krista Ripple,
and Amy Padula. Our senior producers It's I Kin Tania,
and our engineer is PJ.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
Shahamat.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
Arcana's executive producers are Francis Harlowe and Abby Ruska.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
Arcana's head of production is Matt Schultz.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Natalie Tulluck and Maureen Polo are the executive producers for
Hello Sunshine.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Julia Weaver is the supervising producer, and Ali Perry is
the executive producer for iHeart Podcasts. Tim Palazzola is our showrunner.
This week's episodes were recorded by Graham Gibson and Joel Morales.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Our theme song is by Anna Stump and Hamilton Lighthouser.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
Special thanks to Connell Byrne and Will Pearson.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
I'm Simone Boyce. You can find me at Simone Boyce
on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
And I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
That's ro b a y.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
We'll see you Monday, y'all keep looking on the bright side.
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