November 3, 2025 • 59 mins
We're continuing the 40th birthday celebration with recent initiate Yvonne Orji. The unofficial hype woman for the US Women's Tennis team, Orji says she doesn't know how to do loose. She's become obsessed with the sport. Growing up with brothers, she learned to be rough and tumble and embraced her tomboy energy. Then she went to an all-girls school in Amish country. It wasn't until she was cast on Insecure, she learned she was a "real girl." Yvonne tells Ashland about her love for the $0.99 Store, how she learned to acknowledge her beauty, and how she balanced life in America and Nigeria.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I just like I like people who don't take themselves
too seriously, and I think that is what has always
drawn me to Yvonne is her ability to say, stay
so true to who she is while making it funny,
but also poking fun at herself. And it's not just
(00:21):
like coming from Nigeria, but it's also being raised in
this Western culture in the US. I think she does
such a beautiful job of bouncing in between both and
making light of it without it being horribly offensive. So
I just love I love how funny she is. She
(00:42):
makes me laugh, and she brings me through the lens
and pov of how she was raised in her culture,
which I find very fascinating. And it's good to know
how these people move, why they move in the way
they do, and just really get paint the whole authentic circle.
All right, let's get right into it. Here is Avon
(01:05):
Orgy today on Wide Open. I have someone who's as
funny as she is fearless, the one and only Yvonne Orgy.
You know her from Insecure, from her stand up specials,
(01:27):
from her book Banboozled by Jesus, and of course from
hosting dating shows where parents find love while their kids watch,
which honestly is already more drama than The Bachelor could
ever handle at this point. But we're talking about her
love for tennis, growing up in Nigeria, surviving an all girls' school,
(01:47):
and why her Nigerian parents still think she should have
been a doctor. We're diving into modern dating, the good,
the bad, the ghosting, and trust me, we laugh a lot.
She's brilliant, she's she's beautiful and possibly the only person
in Hollywood who could actually talk about Jesus and dating
apps in the same sentence and make it make any
(02:10):
kind of sense. Let's go into it. Welcome to Wide
Open and our guest, Yvonne Orgy. You've been waiting for this.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Actually, and make sure I'm still on sleep. Yes, I'm asleep,
don't bud. My niece was approving my look. She is
she They just landed in Ghana and she was like, Auntie,
she's five.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Aunt Yvonn, where are you going? I was like, I'm going.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
To the next room, but I have a podcast. She
was like, you look gorgeous. I said, affirm me things
I want a man to say to me. She's like,
you look gorgeous. And then then I realized why she.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Was putting me up.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
She's like, are you coming to Nigeria this year? Because
I already have an Amazon gift list of what I was.
I said, oh hoo, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Absolutely stardom, young young, that sounds like my daughter. She
was like, great, it's your birthday, but what did you
get me? So I had to go out today and
get her. She loves she loves making necklaces, so we
got all the jewels.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So is she a future desire? Like it's Hannah Whinston?
Is Harry Winston about to like?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Move over? Is Tiffany? Did they find your new executive director? Girl?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Whoever can afford her? She got expensive taste.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
That for I feel like she's my spirit animal. Thank you?
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Yeah, I wonder where she gets it from.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, as you're blink blink. Every time I come around
the city of blank, Blank, I see you.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I'm so happy you came on. I fucking adore you
and you make me laugh. And you know what, like
you have literally been the new MVP of the w
t A And I can't wait to talk about I
fucking can't wait to talk about it right now.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I want somebody's roster, baby, Okay, I want I thought
you were.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
I thought you were are already an athlete at this point,
like certified hype woman. I mean, I see you at
every major tournament. I'm like, there she.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Is when I when I tell you, I'm so African.
I don't know how to have like a regular hobby.
Like most people are like, oh, I enjoyed tennis. I'm like,
how do I dominate the sport? And they're like, do
you play? Don't worry about it.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
But how do I dominate the sport?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You always look good? But yeah, I've yes, but I've
never seen you play. So for as far as I do,
I do play my head, you're like certified a talent.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I I I'm nice, okay, don't let no, I'm nice
with it.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I mean, so I have a coach now, and who
she's Yes, I have a coach now. We actually did
and I just matched together. It's fantastic. Shots in k
Aka Doris. I was like, which name you used today?
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Babe? She was a former player, so yeah, I got
the best of the best.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Well, you've already jumped right into it. I'll do an
intro later because I just have things to ask. I mean,
if people don't know who you are at this point, girl,
they need to be slapped upside their heads. So I
will do the intro later, but I have to know,
like what is it about tennis that you love so much?
Like what drew you into the scene because you are
(05:20):
like I know, MVP hype Women of the Women's Tennis
Association and certified baller. And now that I know you,
you actually are coached and I don't even I mean,
are you pro? Now? Like where did this start? Like
when did this become a tang?
Speaker 3 (05:37):
So a tang a small thing? Yeah, okay, So here's
the thing.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I I'll take you all the way back and I'll
bring you forward. So child of immigrants, grew up born
in Nigeria, grew up in Maryland. My dad would always
go back and forth between Nigeria and Maryland. And whenever
he would come, it would be summertime. You know what
happens in the summertime. Wimbledon. You know what you want
(06:03):
to watch when you're a kid in the summertime, Not Wimbledon.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
You want to watch cartoons. You want to watch schipp
and Dale Rescie Rangers. You want to watch you know
what I'm saying. You want to watch Fower Rangers.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
But my dad and this was like, I mean, I'm
an eighties kid. So we had like one like TV box,
so like whatever he's watching upstairs, were watching downstairs. And
so it was on Wimbledon, and I remember hating tennis.
I said, this man is ruined in my childhood.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Hated it.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
My god.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Then I went to an all girls boarding school for
high school and they had an equestrian team and they
had tennis courts. So then I was like, oh, this
is that thing my dad be watching. So then I
started playing tennis. And then me and my dad like
had that as are like as our thing, and so
I played. But you know, it does really matter how
(06:52):
you start, because I learned all the wrong things. I
got patilaitenanis I berniated this like it just a bad
because the reality is like you don't realize tennis really
requires you to like be loose again.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
I'm a child of immigrants. We don't know a loose.
We ain't never met a loose.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Okay, everything was hot, So I'm like Leaven my coach.
Now she's like, whll yo, why you grew up in
the rect I'm like, what am I supposed to do
with this.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
She's like relaxed. I was like I am relaxed. He's like,
I can see your veins. I said, all hell.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
So I got to unpack a lot of things in
therapy before.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I get to the court.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
So anyway, I played in high school, got injured and
it was like all right, that was it.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Then of course, what happens. The pandemic comes and everyone's
learning the bike bread. I don't cook, so that was
never gonna be my thing. I was like, no, thank
you now I like and also cars, I don't need them.
So my roommate was like, yo, you need to find
a hobby and I'm like what. She was like, what
did you do as a child? Yo?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
The reality is like when you look back, like I
was such a studious student. I was like, what did
I do as a child that I enjoyed? I was
like got straight? A's like you know, like I don't know,
like what is a hobby? And so then I was like, oh,
I remember you used to play, like what's that thing called?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Uh water balloon? A super soca?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
But I was like, no one's really going outside in
the grown yeah, like water. I have three older brothers,
so like I just lived in that. My brother grew
up to be a boxer. Two of my brothers played football,
like basketball, like every like every sport was in my house.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So I thought I was my mother's fourth son, to
which she's like, no, no, no, I had maybe gat
And I was like okay.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
So then I'm like, oh, you know what's really good
socially distancing and you can get a good workout.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Tennis.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
It's the perfect sport for the pandemic. But here's what
to answer your question, why really rock with it? So
as a comedian, it's you and the microphone, and every
city you go it's a new tour, it's a new audience,
but you got the same jokes you got to say.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
So on tennis, it's you and the racket. You go
to different cities, it's.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You and your it's you and your backstroke, it's you
in your front stroke, it's you different opponent and that
singularity of knowing you're either going to win. Like I
can tell when a tennis play is about to lose,
I show it off. I'm like, they're about to lose
because it's like are you still in the game, and
or like do you give up? Same thing with comedy, Yo,
(09:23):
you gotta find minute set. Never let him see you
sweat you just they don't know the rest of your material.
So finish your set out even if you're bombing right now,
fish your So for me as a comic, I really
sit in the singular nature of tennis and knowing that,
like it's kind of all on you in a way,
and I rock with that.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Do you feel like that gives you somewhat of an
advantage because I don't think most people have that tool
because it is like people always say, like, oh, these athletes,
how do you relate it to everyday life? And I
say this as a huge advocate to get women in sports.
You just nailed exactly what you said. Sport is such
(10:02):
a pivotal part to teach young girls and women how
to lead, how to stand in their own body, how
to appreciate what their body is capable of the mental
and physical aspects it gives you, and the toolbox it
gives you to navigate life. You're right, standing up there
is really no different than standing down there on the court. Yeah,
(10:25):
especially when it gets hard.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Listen, I think Billy jan King just said, like, you know,
sports teach women like you just said how to be leaders,
and I don't know. I think for me, I grew
up with boys, so even like that, like I was
always rough. I was like my brothers would would try
resting moves on me. They'd be like, yo, just sit
right there, We're just gonna put you to sleeperhole. I'm
like why, Like you're like like that out.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Bro, And then they were like, okay, We're gonna jump
from the couch and do a DDT move. I'm like,
why are you have some.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That's like you're speaking. I literally thought I was in
Mortal Kombat at one point. I was like, me and
my brother were like.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Oh finishing, finishing, ty girl.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Oh god, when I tell you Street Fighter and Morna Coombat,
me and Chung Lee hold on, and then ianah, this
move right here with yes, I'm sorry right now.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Wait, I'm getting so much whiplash between the fact that
you said you were like, yeah, I was in Nigeria.
Then I had to move to Maryland, which gives me
enough enough whiplash for the rest of the day. But
you also were like such a tomboy and you grew
up with brothers, but you went to an all girls
private school.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So yeah, glow, you'd be listening, okay, So I still
am a tomboy. Like Insecure for me was like that
moment where I'm like, I'm a real live girl, Like
it's like Pinochio. So the reason why I went to
an all girls born school, I say, it's very simple.
So my mother, My mother sent all of us to
boarding school, like we're very African in that way.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
She literally had a book and it was all New England.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
It's gonna be something, honey, she said.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
You you I'm leaving here with something. Okay. She said,
you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Pay me back, pay me back like you, oh, you'll
pay me back like this money aspect.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Anyway, I'm a human jukebox, So strap in.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Stay tuned. I'll be back in just a moment after
this brief message from our sponsors.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So anyway, she had a So all of my brothers
before me, like left and anytime they would go, family
members would always come and like give them a care package,
give them money.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
And I was like, hmm, yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I think I need to go to boarding school because
I also want a care practice. I also desire buddy.
And I was also bullied at school. So I was
bullied where I lived in Maryland, so I got I
had to get the hell out of here.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
My mother was like, you need to restart and a refresh.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
So boarding school was I didn't know it was gonna
be in Littits, Pennsylvania, Amish.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
God, yes, horse and buggy traffic jams. But it was great.
So we had.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
It was a school from six to twelfth grade, one
hundred and twenty five students total exactly, so like average
class size forty six.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
My graduating class was twelve. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
There was no version of you not raising your hand. Nah,
you had to participate.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I didn't.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
That's what I liked about it too, because I was
I was smart, and so I graduated salutatorium because why not?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Whyn't you?
Speaker 2 (13:37):
But it was that thing of like without boys there
there was no focus on anything else, and we had
with uniforms. So for me it was great like I
ain't had to You didn't know if I was poor
or not because we both got the same class skirt on.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Okay, yep, don't worry about my scholarship been a.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Big distraction for me. I would have really figured out
my sexuality way early on.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Well just tell you.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So we had girls that got kicked out because they
snug in boys. But then we knew that there were
some girls who was dating other girls. So we were like,
I have a question. And we were in high school.
We were like, uh, how does work? And I remember
one time, I'm not gonna dame no days. I remember
one time I was like, are there are there two
sets of feet in the shower? We were just like, hey, man,
we get it. And then the next and then the
(14:22):
next year they were like roommates. I said, y'all, y'all
basically married. Okay, that's what y'all giving. It's giving one of.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Those I have one of those.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Stand up, it's given a relationship. Okay. I said, uh,
it's giving.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
I'm figuring it out and it figured.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Okay. Let me tell you right now.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
The couple of them that you are like I when
I tell you, I see pictures of you guys, and
I'd be like, that's a good looking couple, bro, Like,
y'all are.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Beautiful, And it actually sickens me. I'm sick.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
I'm sick of it. I want to put y'all down
some stairs. How beautiful y'all are. And remember saw y'all
in Paris at I think it was the was it.
It was Pharrell's party, it was the Lubaton party during
the Olympics, the Olympics, and I just was like, I
saw all the pictures that we took and I was like,
I don't like these people. I don't because it makes
(15:16):
you had this orange outfit, like you look it was
like a ballero.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
You look like you were.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
It was like like you were about to do a
really sexy bullfighting okay.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
And I was just like, you know what, God, just
trying to find one man to love me. Look at
the beautiful, this whole couple.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You know what, Jesus, you talk about two years and
then we don't have to figure this out.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
We have to figure really, I've got a lot of friends. Listen,
I've got a lot of just a lot of availability.
You would be a a hot item for all of
my people. We are very we are very welcoming over here.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Listen one my mother, my mother at some point and
I'll be like, oh, okay, just just anybody tell me
the truth, Like what thought we doing.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
I'm like, whoa, whoa, wait, Mom, I.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Can't more shit she needs to go through I can't.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
But yes, funny, I went to on an Argos boarding
school because my mother had a book for boarding schools
because he's very African, and so yeah, we all went
to boarding school.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
But I was I was very much a tomboy.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
And I think I think because I was like, well
if I'm not, if i'm not, if you don't think
i'm pretty, then I'm just gonna be smart. And so
then it didn't matter like what I wore or whatever,
So I didn't. It took me a while to be
able to say or believe that I was pretty, like
without the Kuchuma song, cause it just I wasn't affirmed.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I can't imagine. You know, when you go back to Nigeria,
you're seen as like an American girl, but when you're here,
you're seen as a Nigerian girl. So like, how do
you even see yourself?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Girl?
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Up and not landscape? Well, where do you feel most
like yourself? I guess there's a better question both.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
My dad did a very good job of being like
this is before the current state of affairs. My father
was like, if anything happens in America, where will you go? Okay, Nigeria,
that's the job. And I was like, well, also here,
also here, yeah, and so he definitely made sure that
(17:30):
we had a connection back on. So we stayed in
America for six years, and then when I turned twelve,
we were going back home for summer vacations, went to vacations,
and I remember my oldest brother, he spoke pigeon English,
and so when we would go to the market.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
What is that?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Ah, That's like, you know is English, but it's like,
you know, when you go to markets, you can't just
be speaking regular English. You have to speak pigeon English
because then somebody will haggle you and then it will
see your morney and then you'll just be dead, like
what happened.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I can't wait for you to take me because I
think I'm gonna confuse the fuck out of everyone. And
I'm into it.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yes, So I would watch my older brother like speak
Ebo speak Vision English, and I was like, nah, I
need that for myself because it just felt so cool.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
And again I wanted to be one of my brothers.
I wanted.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
I wanted to even while I'm a comedian. The reason
I'm a comedian is one because of God.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
But when.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
I would see my dad holding court, So my father,
my grandfather was the king of our village. My father's
a chief and so we in our compound. He would
just have like cheers in a circle, bottles of goulder
and star, maybe some moett like just they're just kicking it.
(18:48):
We had like a ram barbecue like whatever. It was
like he just had his guy friends over. And my
dad has this belly laugh like it comes from his
big toe. Okay, it's like it it verberates through his body.
And I remember just sitting around as like a kid
to be like I want to hold court. Like I
didn't know I was gonna be a comedian because the
(19:09):
reality is I was silenced so much as a child
and as a youth, and then God gave me a microphone,
which I got things to say right, But in that moment,
I was like, man, when I do become a comedian.
When I did become a comedian, I was like, I
need to channel this energy. So I never felt like
(19:31):
I'm a girl. I hope you take me seriously. I
was like, yo, what up?
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Doll? Like was good? Was popping? And because that starts though.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Like when did you like before when was it?
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Like?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Aha, this is it? This is my microphone, this is
my future, this is my career and I'm good at it.
Like when was that? Because you say that lightly, But
like what people may not know about you is you're
highly fucking intelligent, Like you have a master's in health,
right public health? Yeah, public health. Like all of a sudden,
(20:05):
you're like.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
I know what the best I think the best comments
are also the swartest comics because like the jokes you
can't see coming are like ah Chef's kids. But here's
the reality is, I didn't I was going to be
somebody's really bad doctor. Like I knew I would have
like very good bedside banners, but the actual practice of
(20:28):
like I don't like blood, like I'm telling somebody the
other day, I was like, I don't like blood so
much in every twenty eight days, I'm like again the
health the bommy eggs ym like I like it takes
me by surprise. I'm like, yeah, So anyway, how it happened,
I was getting my messages of public health because I knew.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
I think I knew at.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Some point I didn't want to be a doctor, but
I didn't know what else I wanted to do because
I had spent so much time taking stem like I was.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
You know, math science, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So I was like, it's gonna be a hard pivot
to do anything else, So let me just go get
my master's of public health. That's like in the same realm.
And what I liked about public health was it was
more it was more focused on people and traveling and like,
get how do we help people make better health decisions
but also take into account all the barriers for them to.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Make in those decisions.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
So you can't just go into Kenya and be like
you should be getting vaccinated or you should use a
mosquito net. They're like what, And so it's like you
have to then like speak their language in order for
them to adopt the better health things. So I like that.
I was like, cause I like people again. Actually, when
I tell you, I did not know that there were
celebrities that did not like people. I was like, what
how does work?
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Oh yeah, I had no idea in my mind.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I'm like, if you're going to be like, if you're
a public figure, like this is part of it. But
I think I because I grew up without friends, I
think I genuinely have a heart for like people and
like making sure everyone feels connected and making sure people
feel seen and heard, So I think that maybe that's
my thing. So when I became a pebble figure for me,
I'm like, hi, how are you? And then I have
(22:05):
friends who're like, man, can we go?
Speaker 1 (22:07):
I'm like that was that was us in Paris. You
couldn't pull us out of that dinner. We followed each
other everywhere. We were the last lead. We were like,
of course, we were like having this dinner. I was like,
I gotta get up, I gotta go see. These are
the girls, these are the homies.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
We got track and field to go watch, he got
things to do, right, Yeah, it was all the things.
So anyway, I so I'm getting my masters and my
one of my brothers comes to me and was like,
would you ever do a pageant? And I was like
what that means? And he was like, Yo, my friend
is doing this pageant, and I think again. I was
still like, I want to know if I'm pretty, Like
(22:47):
it sounds so crazy, but I was like, I want
to know if I'm pretty. And uh it was the
Miss Nigeria and America pageant, so it was very specific.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
So I was like, I'm Nigerian and I'm in America.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Cool, don't go this This sounds very on brand.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
So anyway, I what happened. So I didn't know that
much about it.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
I was like, oh, I'm pretty certain I'm gonna need
like a swimsuit and like a formal gown.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
That was it.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Well, two weeks before the pageant, they hit me up.
I don't already sold tickets. I feel like this is
a shoeing. They're like, what's your talent? I said, oh, don't.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
I don't really have one.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
They're like, well, anybody who competes needs a talent. I said,
well you should have led with that. I wouldn't be competing.
And I'm like, I'm African, y'all know we don't. Like
in my mind was like we're African, we don't have talents.
Our talents are making straight a's. And they were like, nah,
sais you gotta figure it out. So one thing about me,
I can let myself down. Sometimes I can't let other
people down, Like if I know you don't already bought tickets, Oh,
(23:50):
I gotta figure this out.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
So I got saved freshman year of college.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
So like became a born again Christian, like I I
was raised Catholic, but then like it like literally I
thought I was about to be out on these streets.
I was about to be on the swimming pool. And
the problem is my birthdays in December. So I started
in school when I was seventeen. So essentially God was like, okay,
you thought she was gonna be outside, And in my mind,
(24:16):
I was like when I turn eighteen, I'm about to
be doing this that that that God was like, well,
I got three months to get her, and.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
He got me.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
He got me in them three months. And I was like, ah,
well then, and that's how I got bamboos and by
Jesus how But anyway, so I didn't. I was just
like I really wanted to be pretty and so and
then but then they wanted me to have this talent.
So I'm like, all right, hey God, I'm in my
(24:43):
master's now. So I've been rocking with Jesus for a
couple of years, so I'm like, hey God, it's me.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Uh so you heard what they said. This is crazy. Help.
That's how my prayers go.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Like people be like that was now my prayer be like, hey,
well what up, Dad, what are you gonna do about this?
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Because this is crazy?
Speaker 2 (25:00):
And so I'm praying to Jesus, and before I even
get up off my knees, before I even finish the prayer,
I hear do comedy and I said no, because are
you crazy? Like that doesn't make any sense? Like God,
I don't like being rejected. I was rejected half of
my childhood. If you're not funny as a comedian, guess
(25:22):
what they do they booth you know what? That is?
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Rejection?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
And then I'm gonna be performing in front of Africans,
which is even worse because they won't just boom, They'll
just be like, who's delta is this?
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Get off these stage? No sense?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Like I, Oh my God, mortified. And so I'm pleading
my case with God. I'm like, hey God, I'm thinking
he gonna be like you right, thought her. I didn't
know what I was talking about. God was like, either
you're gonna learn to trust me or you won't.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
And that was it. Conversation was over. He where'd you go?
He said, I'm not going out?
Speaker 2 (25:59):
He basically Jesus said, I'm not going back and forth
with you, Okay, I'm living my mass life and so
and so, I at that moment had to figure out
am I going to learn? Am I going to trust
him like I say I do or I'm not. You
(26:21):
know what I'm saying, like, am I am I going
to do? Like the double Dutch Christianity of like I
trust you here, I'll trust you here, like am I
gonna pick and choose? And then I'm being honest with you.
I think people had let me down so much in
my life that it was easier to be like I
ain't well guide you up and if it don't work out,
it's your fault. And if it do, then I'm riding.
(26:44):
And I think that was just how I approached it.
So for those two weeks, I don't ask me how
this is nothing but those right.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Oh my god, the stress I feel right now.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I started like I was like an observer, like what
is that thing that my mom does or people in
the community do that is like really interesting looking at
it from a like Nigerian lens, but in an American landscape,
and so I'm like, oh, my mom does this thing.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
I wonder if other people's parents do this thing.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
And I was like, this is really funny because I'm
sure my American friends were like why did I do that?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
So I just literally just started right now what I
thought and.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I was so deathly afraid, one of forgetting my lines
and two of people not laughing. So I didn't even
like there was when I performed it, there was no
like cause for laughter. I ain't know who's gonna come.
So I delivered it like it was like a monologue.
I delivered it like a script. So when people laughed,
(27:45):
I was like, y'all, y'all throw me off, please stop,
And they were like, see save.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
The laughter till the end.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah. Literally, So anyway, it worked out well.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
And at the end, this woman I've never read this
reporter was like, I got you're amazing. Do you do
weddings or birthdays? I said, m bar misfas I do it?
Oh listen safe, it's your make it.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
I love that. And I'm but you know what I
love so much about your work is it your humor
feels so rooted in your truth. So I imagine like your
background has really shaped your like comedic lens, which not
many people have, Like you have so much material because
(28:33):
like I can only imagine the shenanigans that go on
going back and forth. Because like I ended up going
to Liberia to do a women's empowerment I won the Labia. Yeah,
and I literally walked in. I had all my US
soccer gear on at the time. I was with h
one of our coaches at the time, Jill Ellis, and
(28:56):
I walked in and literally I just remember all of
these girls being like she looks like is that a
woman or Lebron James? I like, girl, I know, I'm
just as confused, trust me. Like it was so funny
to see and hear the things like zero filter all truth.
(29:18):
They were like this girl covered in tattoos, looking at
like what is this?
Speaker 2 (29:23):
They probably were like, you know, like white people want
to test black people's hair in America.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
That's why how they were when they were like we
what can we can we? Yeah? No? I So I worked.
So Liberia was where I went.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
So after the pageant, I was like, God, am I
really about to do comedy? This is crazy? How am
I gonna tell your daughter?
Speaker 3 (29:45):
My mother?
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Because you know, she got to ill backhand and we're
not talking about she, we're not talking tennis and so exactly.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
And so to stall from not going to med.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
School, I was like, you know, I have to work.
I have to work in public health. And like Liberia
had just finished the war. It was easier for me
to go to war torn Liberia and stall than to
tell my parents like I think I want to do
comedy for a living. But to your point, like I
love going back home because it is so rich and
(30:16):
so ripe with with uh, with humor, because like every
Nigerians a comedian, like the real every oh, like yes,
every Nigerians, even when they're not trying to be funny,
every single like even like so my first special I did,
I shot it both in DC and in Nigeria. And
a friend was like, just ask just asking Nigerians for
directions is ridiculous because like they will lie to you
(30:37):
in your face, they don't know how to get there,
but they will make you believe like they can't just
say no.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
And I was like, we're gonna test it out. Andy.
Sure enough, this one guy was like, eh, you want
to go with y'all? Go strets, go all the way down,
go down, down, down, down down. You got me. I'm like,
definitely missed it. Definitely, there was no street there I care.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
So that's the kind of stuff that for me, I'm
always looking at. I'm very observation of my comedy and
so like, uh, I'm working on my third special.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So I'm going on my another tour.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
I'm very I'm very excited about this one because I
get the most personal, like I've been personal and the
other ones, like the first one, my.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
Mom made it.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
That was like if I never get another special, this
is my love letter to my parents and to the culture,
to my It was brilliant.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Thank by the way, thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
I really really loved it. That's that was one of
actually my favorite.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
And then the second one was shot like it was
in the pandemic where we're going through a lot of change,
Like I think everyone was kind of doing like healing work,
and I had like a friendship breakup. And then I
also wanted to wanted it to be like a back
door to a sketch show, so people were kind of like, figure,
I'm always trying to figure out, like what's a creative
way to do with an hour? Like every you can
(31:52):
do an hour, you can just say I can do
an hour, but I'm always like, what else do I
want to say and with this time and with with
my creative because the reality is like as an actress,
as a comedian, as somebody who is a human being,
and learning, like I want to bring all those aspects
into my into my craft.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
And so the third one it is.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
It is it is going to be talking about all
the things people put on you when you turn forty,
like that you didn't ask for, like and and then
all the observations that you make about things that are
still happening, like in your fourth decade that you're like, you,
we haven't fixed this yet, like we we're.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
Still here, okay, okay, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
And then and then I get personal about like the
relationships that I've had, which is very interesting because it's
like I I talk about this stuff that has like
I did wrong, and then and then the like the
people that I'm like, yeah, this is where it went
wrong and.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
This is why we're no loment together.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
So but in a funny way, like I've always I'm always,
I would say protective of people, but I'm never going
to be that comment that will say something crazy because
I can't fight you.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I make you disappear because I know the people in
the villa. I can't fight.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
But it's it's the truth because like I said before,
like so much of what you've done, you've really literally
and figuratively have opened the doors of your home, like
you brought all of us into what it looks like
between the whiplash of where you were born and coming
here and experiencing this wild ass culture. But do you
(33:28):
feel because of that openness and you are very open
in everything you do, how how do you handle the
public scrutiny? Like how do you protect your peace as
a comedian who has to live life through story telling
and vulnerability? Like that is the through line because they'll
(33:53):
sniff out the fakeness really quick.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
I think I think a couple of things happen.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
One before even so comedy was my like my gateway
into acting, and before I even like got on the
main stage, right me, Me and God had our conversations privately,
like in those very I called them the pride Land years,
the scar like I was like, moas gone, this is
(34:22):
Simba has taken over the Pride Lands and.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
We are arged.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
So in those in that season, God really was like,
I got to prepare you. Uh, And I heard I
heard a pastor say this way, So I'll just this
is the only thing that makes the most sense. She said,
if the spotlight shining on you is greater than the
light shining in you, then the light shining on you
will kill you.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
And yeah, I'm gonna let them murn it.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
Wow, Yeah, because I think a lot of people are
like looking for the spotlight. A lot of people are like, yeah,
it's trying to but if like the light in here
is hella dim, then that light is gonna be so
bright it's gonna burn.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
It's gonna burn you. And I think when I was hidden,
God and I we were like, all right, so who
you gonna be? Like, what does integrity look like for you?
Speaker 2 (35:12):
What is being a person of high character look like
for you?
Speaker 3 (35:15):
You know, what does excellence look like? Like?
Speaker 2 (35:17):
All those conversations that I think people don't think are
important because you're like, I'm just trying to make it.
I'm trying to get this money. I'm just trying to
be famous. And as somebody who's in the public eye,
whenever anyone says they want to be famous, I exit
stage left like I can't be because that means you
will do anything to be famous, and I you need people.
Someone said you always gotta hang around with people who
(35:39):
got something to lose, Like, like, don't don't hang around
nobody that's like you gotta hang around people who got
something to lose, like they children, you know, they fall
on kay like sign like like they you can't just
be out here willy nilly. And so for me, I
(35:59):
was never chasing fame. I was always chasing purpose and
so yeah, I love that because this is a god dream.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Like.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
There was no version of me that was like I
want to be a coman and not even when I
was watching my dad, I was like, oh, I want
to hold court, but I don't know what that means,
like I just want to I want to be able
to have a good group of friends like my dad
had that like would laugh with him. That didn't translate
to I want to be in the public eye as
a comedian. So anyway, by the time Insecure happened, it
(36:29):
wasn't about like I was in service to Lisa. Like
for me, like I like, I know, I booked it.
I did, there was five auditions. I believe I'm talented,
but I really do believe it was because I was
willing to be in service to Lisa and her vision.
It was never like the by Norgy Show. It wasn't
like pick me, pick me, pick me. It was like, oh,
I have a front row seat, and how I serve
(36:51):
this woman is how one day someone will serve me.
So if I trick off this experience, trust and believe
when it's my turn, it's not gonna end well. And
So I feel like when you talk about being in
the public eye and the scrutiny, no one loves being scrutinized,
because scrutiny something a lot of times means you were misunderstood,
(37:14):
you know. And we've talked about this a little bit.
People don't like nuanced like Instagram, Twitter, social media is
not a place where you can have nuanced dialogue. No,
because people at all. People don't even read headlines. We're
not even talking about the whole article. We're not even
talking about like the like people read comments and like
(37:35):
docs and and emoji. They don't read headlines. So you
think that somebody who's not even taking the time to
care about what you meant, what you what you're trying
to say, is going to give you grace. So I
think whenever I have been scrutinized, I'm like two things.
Am I getting grace in this moment? Have I given
(37:56):
grace in this moment for other people? And also, do
any of these people pay my bills.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Ooh that part right?
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I have part like not you know, like because it's
just like I can't even what's your what is your
screen name? You you have zero followers and your private
and get like stuff.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You have two poles like this is a bot. I'm
not arguing with you, like god bless like I'm not to.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Touch your energy, yeah, yeah, your energy?
Speaker 3 (38:28):
And then it's just like a piece.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Do any of these people want to understand my point
of view? And if the answer is no, then it's
just like then what you're arguing for? They don't want to,
Like you only engage in conversation with people who are
who are designed the desiring dialogue when people don't desire dialogue,
but they just want like your downfall.
Speaker 3 (38:50):
They don't desire dialogue, they desire your downfall.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Well that's that's like the current landscape right now. Yeah,
that's what people want. People are fueling just hatred and
like you nailed it. Stay tuned. I'll be back in
just a moment after this brief message from our sponsors though,
But what you often like people often talk about making it,
(39:17):
but few actually talk about what comes after it and
what I can only imagine after Insecure, I know you
were you say you were like you are meant for
that moment. Thank you, Like I do, I thought your character.
I thought you did such a fucking insane job you
added so like everyone could sit down and be like,
(39:40):
oh I fuck with that as like I want that
to be my type of friendship. I want to have
that kind of fun. I want to have that lightness.
I want to have that kind of connection in a
world right now that is so fragmented. Like that was
a beautiful storyline. And I imagine it has been quite
(40:00):
a hard shift for you because I like that fucking
show took off, which means your life probably changed very quickly.
Speaker 2 (40:10):
It was a role of a lifetime. And when I
tell you, we were in the Pride Lands for a
long time. So I remember being like, oh, I don't
want to pay my my student loans, uh incrementally, I
want to write one check for them. Now this is
when you're poor. So like me, when you talking about
dream big, I am the epitome of like, so, what's
the biggest desire you have?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Like and I just like I just I want.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
To write one check when you can't even put gas
in your car for twenty dollars, but you're like, you're
gonna write a check for fifty thousand dollars in one
like I love this for you.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
And that's say I deferred the firs. I know. GW
was like, oh where is your where is all maney,
You're not even us this degree, no more pay us back.
And there was there was one woman, Miss Ruth. I
want to tell you there are some people that got
really put in your life as angels. I think miss
Ruth stuck around.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
This Ruth to retire until after I paid my dance
it alone because she was the one who who who
processed our deferments, and so I was the fern.
Speaker 3 (41:13):
The fern.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
She was like, it's okay, I just need to know
you was looking for a job. I said, Miss Ruth,
I'm doing my best. She's like, it's okay, baby, we
believe in you. And then I said, miss Ruth.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
I called her. I said, Miss Ruth, I'm paid it.
She's like all of it.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
I said, I paid it all and she was so
like she took that call, she took that check and
like the next week she was like, I'm retired. I said,
so yes, my life changed in the in the in
the best way. But then also here's the crazy thing.
Remember how I told you like I didn't think I
(41:47):
was pretty. So now when people see Molly, I'm confused
because they're like, yo, Evannas, like you know, women crushed
Wednesday goals And I'm like, because I got somebody else's
hair in my head, like because I got a new
clothes like I didn't because when I was bullied, I
(42:08):
was like, look at me because I'm smart, because you're
not gonna look at me because I'm pretty. And so
now I have this role where I get to play
this smart and beautiful woman and now guys are like
and I'm like, this is that was more of a
Jedi mind trick for me, Like I was like, I
don't know how to process this, and then it's you're
just like, well, what's real? And I'm so grateful that
(42:32):
I had that season of not just poverty but just preparation. Yeah,
because when I did make it, I got the same friends.
Like I remember I got one friend, Shamikaika Shamika Shamika.
I used to talk with the ninety nine cents store
heavy I like because I could get groceries and I
could get good.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
You know what I'm saying. You can get arugula and
you can get some scotch tape for a dollar.
Speaker 2 (42:58):
And I remember remember when we booked and Secure, Jay
Ellison was like, you know, you can't shop at the
ninety nine cents store no more.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
And I was like, man, you don't know.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
My life, like you know, cause you're like, watch me.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
Bro because after season one, I was back to being
broke because I paid off all my debts like a lanister.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Okay, I was gave with thrones. The lanister pays.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Their n juice. But I was let it fly, baby,
let it fly.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
And my friend Shamika was like, what you need. I
was like, I really need to go shopping in a
ninety nine cents store because that's all I can afford.
But Jay told me I can't be seen there, and
she said, wait in the parking lot, give me your money,
and she went in and got me and like came
out with my bags.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
And I said, that's a real one. That's a yes,
that's a friend.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
And so with the life changingness of Insecure, it's like, yes,
my life changed, but my circle, my core was what
held me down. Because again, when you become a public figure.
You don't know why people want to be your friend.
You don't know why people want to be around you,
because I'm like, hi, y'all met.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
We have known each other for a very very long time.
So I mean she was straight, so I was like,
she's a homie. I used to call her sis, and
you know, when I would go out to play in La,
her and her friends would show up, like it was
very sweet until it was like she touched my arm
a little differently. Here.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
Well, I'm telling you, I can't look you in your eye.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
I just not know that for a fact. I can't
look you directly because you you put up quick to
retrieve it. You are a start mix a lot, that's
what you are. You got that star mix a lot.
Speaker 3 (44:33):
Of spirit on you. I can't look you all bo
nah ah.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Well we're about to hang out. We're going to LA
soon and we're doing friends giving, and you know you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Be I'm we're in my saves. I'm gonna be looking
just like this, and I'm like, I can't look I'm like,
but here, here's what I will say.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
Me and all my.
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Girlfriends we made this joke. We were like yo' said
right now, we said the bar so high in each
of this life. But any dude trying to pett trait
like this circle, they not, Like, you can't just be
sending me any kind of bouquet, Like look at the
bouquet that my homegirl set me, Like, eh, you can't
(45:11):
just you can't just want rows?
Speaker 3 (45:13):
What is this the best line?
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Nah?
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Like you know what I'm saying, Like, yeah, so I'm
not surprised that you got the best birth of your
life because.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
We may just know, Hey, we just be knowing. You
know what I tell you?
Speaker 1 (45:27):
What it really is something like she is an insane human,
like a fucking magical unicorn. I don't get it. And
I'm like, also, there's no way you've been straight for
this long? She she was fitting in two Well, she
knew those streets, you know what I'm saying. Not she
(45:47):
wasn't new to it.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
She was not new to it. But she was true.
Speaker 1 (45:51):
She was true.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
She was probably like you know, I've been diling, I've been,
I was, I was. She was ready for the right moment.
She was ready for the right you know, opportune tea.
Speaker 3 (46:01):
I guess. So that's why.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
I love us. I cannot wait to hang out in La.
I also, just to be clear, I don't have my
badgeh on right now, but I should. I actually wear
it on my forehead. I'm a great wing woman. I
do find straight men like aliens. But I could get
past it for you and listen.
Speaker 3 (46:26):
Well, I'm sure you got I know, I know you
know people. I have a tennis crush right now and like,
oh he is, Oh you better.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
That's all you're gonna give us.
Speaker 3 (46:36):
All if you guess it. If you guess it, then
I will confirm it. Bait.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
What country.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
You're you're it's a European country.
Speaker 4 (46:47):
Well that's too big. No no, no, no stop no,
no Italy No. I gotta do my research.
Speaker 1 (46:59):
I'm going need to see Rene Renee tonight for dinner,
so you know I'm gonna be okay.
Speaker 3 (47:04):
So I'll say it's France.
Speaker 2 (47:05):
It's France, okay, yeah, and he fine, but he's fine.
I mean, like I see him and I'm like, m hmm,
not that it's beautiful. God did his did his big
one with that one took his thigh.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
But again, so you.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Need to stop spending all your time at the women's
tennis tournament.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
So we need to start both of them. Oh I'm
a I'm a fan. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I'd be
both of them.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Like I just hosted the Women's the fat series of
the Women's but trust and believe I was at the Australian.
Speaker 3 (47:39):
I was that. The only one I haven't been to
is the is Roland Gattos.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
So whoever wanted to see, that's where we're going next.
You know, I'm always living through you. I like, I'm
texting you all the time. At every tournament, I'm like, hello,
did you forget the invite?
Speaker 3 (47:54):
You're like, are you? Are you there?
Speaker 1 (47:55):
Left out?
Speaker 2 (47:56):
It's okay, course we're gonna do it together. But yes,
he is friend and he is a great player. Fine, fine,
I love talent.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
I love it. I love talent and smart.
Speaker 2 (48:07):
You get me a man that can expand my world
like I never thought about it like that, or I
never knew that this world is ugh, yes, I'm sold
and then kind, considerate, passionate, chivalrous.
Speaker 1 (48:24):
Better check all the boxes, honey, because you're coming through me.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
Listen and healed. Don't tell me you've done your healing work.
Don't tell me you gotta standing appointment with your therapist.
Speaker 1 (48:33):
A what, Yeah, well you did say at the beginning.
You know, you're you're you're working working on a new comedy,
which I'm so excited about. Me.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
I'm like really excited about this one, like because you're
all gonna be like Evan, you're absolute fool, Like there's
some things that out there that you're gonna be like, ma'am,
Like I like if I'm calling myself before I know,
and also going to be like shade because I talk
about something that I did and everybody that I tell
the story is like, why would you do that?
Speaker 3 (49:08):
And I'm like, I know it was stupid and I
don't know how to fix it.
Speaker 1 (49:12):
Oh my god, I'm obsessed with you. But you you've
really checked so many boxes. You've been in so many arenas.
My question would be what, Because you are such a
risk taker and you're you know, a beautiful person at
your core and your storytelling capability, like you bring people
in and you are so warm and inviting. It's really
(49:36):
it's beautiful. It's a beautiful thing. I five minutes of
meeting you, I was like, oh, we knew each other
in a different lifetime. We were kicking it somewhere doing
something we shouldn't have been.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
We were in those woods.
Speaker 1 (49:50):
We were in those we were And what I would
say this for someone who has done so much, what
is one box you haven't checked that Maybe you haven't
had time, or you haven't had the energy, you haven't
had the opportunity. Like, what is one thing you are
(50:10):
really really excited to do you haven't done yet?
Speaker 3 (50:14):
Hmmm, that's a good question.
Speaker 1 (50:17):
Love.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
I feel like being truly wholeheartedly in love.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Like I've had relationships that I thought I was in
love or like it was getting towards there, but just
like like a love that like when people are in
love they talk about it, They're like it just takes
you by surprise or it just like you have no
idea how it happened. You just can't imagine yourself, like
your heart busts open. You're just like what like in
(50:47):
my mind, I'm like where is this magical negro?
Speaker 3 (50:50):
Like how does this happen?
Speaker 2 (50:53):
But you know, it feels like such a beautiful space
to be and not just that like I'm in a
relationship for the grand like that like oh my person,
like I found I found them. I think that I
think that'd be girl I've always known I was gonna
be a great mother. I've always known, like hands down,
(51:15):
I'm like, I'm a kid whisper, like I'll.
Speaker 3 (51:19):
Be fans and they'll have a baby. I'm like, can
I hold your child?
Speaker 1 (51:21):
And they're like you can, on teeth, come over with
my baby.
Speaker 3 (51:25):
Not easy. They love me now, I will say I
love I love the before they can talk.
Speaker 2 (51:30):
After they can talk, I'm like, hey man, take this
child like that that that like two that two to
eighteen range.
Speaker 3 (51:38):
I don't know what to do with them.
Speaker 1 (51:39):
That's a big ass range.
Speaker 3 (51:42):
I said.
Speaker 2 (51:43):
I'm a baby whisper, like the bait, like I used
to work in the nursery at my church and to
think about babies that I love.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
You already know what you're getting.
Speaker 2 (51:49):
It's like if they crying, they're teething, they're hungry, they
need to be changed, or they're.
Speaker 3 (51:54):
Tired, that's it. Like maybe that's that's it's it's one
of those four.
Speaker 2 (51:58):
And if they're teething, it kind of sucks, like you
can't really you just gotta give them that ice pack
and hope that it helps, but there's nothing.
Speaker 3 (52:04):
You just got to be like it's okay, it's okay.
Let them cry and I speak that language. When they
are like six, I'm like, I don't what is it
that you desired? Like what? Or actually? Four? Four? Is
that weird?
Speaker 1 (52:19):
Like four, I'm like, what, that's my that's my daughter.
She'll talk shit real quick. She'll be like she'll tell
you the truth real cool.
Speaker 2 (52:28):
And you know what, I feel like, no one breaks
your soul like a like a four year old, like
four to five year old child, And I'm like, I
have my soul broken already in life. I don't think
I want to do it with somebody that I can't
also break their soul back.
Speaker 3 (52:41):
That like I can't. I can't be over here like
what you say, that's why your breast is like I can't.
I can't do that. I can't.
Speaker 1 (52:47):
It's a four year old exactly.
Speaker 3 (52:49):
I was a snitch. I don't know where you a
snitch growing up. I was a snitch grown up.
Speaker 1 (52:53):
So oh, I blame it everything on my older brother.
I could do that. That was Chris. I don't know
where that came up.
Speaker 3 (53:00):
That was. That was Chris, well, not even Blaine. Just
like snitching like I like, it wasn't Blaine because I
didn't do it. I just knew who did it, so
I'm like it was them before anyone even asked. My
mother would like, jingle the key, the door were open, Mommy,
that's just what they did while you are gone. If
they were on stairs, check underneath the bed like I'm
i'm I'm I'm an.
Speaker 1 (53:21):
I was an op bro, like listen if it's if
it's me or youse ain't gonna be.
Speaker 3 (53:29):
I told you my mom had that backhand.
Speaker 2 (53:31):
I was not fitling to be interrogated because you know
what what she what they would do, she and my
dad before somebody would like confess. She was like all right,
like if they could be FBI agents, they would be
fantastic in it. So they would line us all up
and they'd be like, okay, I love this. Anyone bring
out your high and you were just like, why am
(53:52):
I about to get beat for somebody?
Speaker 3 (53:54):
Na man?
Speaker 2 (53:56):
So they had the ruler, they had the spatul or
whatever it was wooden uh And so I'm like, I'm
not getting bee for y'all. So I would look at
my one of my brothers like somebody please confess. So
one time they called my mother Joe Montana And here's why,
here's why.
Speaker 3 (54:12):
And it was my fault. I'm listen, I know how
to take the plane.
Speaker 2 (54:16):
So I remember my mother wanted somebody to go to
the mall to like put put her Maisie's bill in,
and the mall was like down the street, so it
felt like a right of passages, like, ma, I want
to go to I want to be able to walk
to the mall.
Speaker 3 (54:28):
And she was like okay. She had told me I
could go, but then my brother was like, ma I go,
and I'm like, no, You're not gonna take this away
from me. I'm gonna go to the wall. My mom
was like no, your brother's older and letting me go.
I'm god, no, no, no, no no. So in our house,
the dishwasher was just a drying rack.
Speaker 2 (54:46):
I still don't know how to use the dishwasher to today,
like I don't understand the dishwasher because we were the
dishwashers and we would just put the plates in the
dishwasher just to dry.
Speaker 3 (54:57):
And so we were in the kitchen. My mo was
sick and tired of telling me I wasn't on go
to the mall. She grabbed a special and.
Speaker 2 (55:04):
I'm not like she did a hoot and the pool
back was like I had I saw this slow motion. Bro,
So I don't like no when I tell you that.
Speaker 3 (55:16):
Joint clip No, no, my mother's perfect aid and that
don't clip my jaw, I said, god like fell on
the floor. Yo. My brother's called my mother Joe Montana
from like like a hole for them.
Speaker 1 (55:31):
And it never changed. Actually she still probably has that
arm jo Like, give me a break, bro.
Speaker 2 (55:36):
It was the way it the way it latched, it
was a perfect like she threw to the spot.
Speaker 3 (55:43):
Okay, she threw to the spot. She she knew I
was die. She threw to the spot and.
Speaker 1 (55:47):
The You are an absolute dream. I could sit here
all day with you and laugh my ass off, but
I am holding you to it. I'm coming in November.
Speaker 3 (55:58):
I will probably be celebrating a friends forty to birthday
and fly you.
Speaker 1 (56:06):
You're all over the place. Let me swap my life
with you.
Speaker 3 (56:09):
Please. I think you have a great life. I feel
I'm sorry I do. I have zero championships. I have
zero championships with my name.
Speaker 1 (56:15):
You've got more than championships, honey, you were more than championships.
Speaker 3 (56:19):
Listen, you got champion cheekbones. You got That's that should
been name. Of the podcast Championships and Cheekbones.
Speaker 1 (56:25):
Cheekbones, Okay, that's gonna be that's my new nickname so forever.
I'd love for you to call me cheekbones.
Speaker 3 (56:31):
Okay, champion, cheeks Champ, Champion, cheek Champ.
Speaker 1 (56:34):
And cheek But I adore you and keep calling in
good energy because you are electric. You are such a
beautiful human. I literally wish nothing but insane abundance for
all things you want. And I'm a great wing woman
and I will be there every step of the way.
Speaker 3 (56:53):
I have a lot of.
Speaker 1 (56:55):
Athlete male friends who hopefully are of eight. Check that,
check all the boxes.
Speaker 3 (57:04):
I want you to text me if if you think
you know who I'm talking about, Oh.
Speaker 1 (57:08):
I'm gonna start texting you a bunch of stuff because
I'm gonna be like, how about this, how about that?
How about this? How about this? I'm going to keep
you in my spirits.
Speaker 3 (57:16):
I love that. Well.
Speaker 2 (57:16):
First of all, can I just say thank you so
much for how you affirm not only me, but the
people in your life. Like, you don't get to have
the friends you do if you're also are not that friend.
Like they're a reflection and a representation of the spirit
that you possess and like the realness that you have
because it's a lot of people out here faking it,
(57:38):
but you don't phone it in.
Speaker 3 (57:39):
You're very genuine.
Speaker 2 (57:40):
You like even when the dms like, it's just like so,
it's so affirmative and I appreciate that, and that's why
I was like, Yes, we're gonna make this happen.
Speaker 1 (57:48):
Thank you. You're such a sweetheart, and I appreciate you
being on here. I can't wait till the next special
because you make me laugh my ass off and you,
I like, can't imagine what type of material you're gonna
dive into next.
Speaker 2 (58:04):
Actually, you're gonna you're gonna hit me up. Well, I'm
gonna be doing the tour, so you're gonna be there,
but you're gonna come back.
Speaker 1 (58:08):
I'm gonna be there.
Speaker 3 (58:08):
You're gonna come back and be like, woman, what the
hell did you love? Like I didn't know any better.
Speaker 1 (58:15):
I'm gonna be front row. I'm gonna be front row,
and I know you're gonna start poking some shit fun
at me too, because I'm gonna be part of the
whole skit comedy theme. I'm bringing you up and I'm
I'm a target.
Speaker 3 (58:26):
I'm breaking, I'm bringing you up. I'm like yo, she says,
she got a high five.
Speaker 1 (58:29):
Well, I appreciate that. I appreciate you taking the time.
Thanks everyone for tuning in and listening. Yvon, you are
an absolute gift. Everyone, stay tuned for this new comedy
special that hopefully do we know when it's coming out
or when you're going on tour? Like, what's going do
we have anything you can.
Speaker 2 (58:48):
We're going on tour next spring. I definitely want to
shoot it in London, so it may be right after Wimbledon.
Speaker 1 (58:55):
Well, thank you so much for coming to hang with
us for this hour, and thanks everyone for tuning into
another episode of Wide Open. I'm your host, Ashlyn Harris,
and I will see you next week. Wide Open with
Ashlan Harris is an iHeart women's sports production. You can
find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
(59:17):
you get your podcasts. Our producers are Carmen Borca Correo,
Emily Maronoff, and Lucy Jones. Production assistants from Malia Aguidello.
Our executive producers are Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder and I'm
(59:37):
your host Ashlan Harris
I just like I like people who don't take themselves
too seriously, and I think that is what has always
drawn me to Yvonne is her ability to say, stay
so true to who she is while making it funny,
but also poking fun at herself. And it's not just
(00:21):
like coming from Nigeria, but it's also being raised in
this Western culture in the US. I think she does
such a beautiful job of bouncing in between both and
making light of it without it being horribly offensive. So
I just love I love how funny she is. She
(00:42):
makes me laugh, and she brings me through the lens
and pov of how she was raised in her culture,
which I find very fascinating. And it's good to know
how these people move, why they move in the way
they do, and just really get paint the whole authentic circle.
All right, let's get right into it. Here is Avon
(01:05):
Orgy today on Wide Open. I have someone who's as
funny as she is fearless, the one and only Yvonne Orgy.
You know her from Insecure, from her stand up specials,
(01:27):
from her book Banboozled by Jesus, and of course from
hosting dating shows where parents find love while their kids watch,
which honestly is already more drama than The Bachelor could
ever handle at this point. But we're talking about her
love for tennis, growing up in Nigeria, surviving an all girls' school,
(01:47):
and why her Nigerian parents still think she should have
been a doctor. We're diving into modern dating, the good,
the bad, the ghosting, and trust me, we laugh a lot.
She's brilliant, she's she's beautiful and possibly the only person
in Hollywood who could actually talk about Jesus and dating
apps in the same sentence and make it make any
(02:10):
kind of sense. Let's go into it. Welcome to Wide
Open and our guest, Yvonne Orgy. You've been waiting for this.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Actually, and make sure I'm still on sleep. Yes, I'm asleep,
don't bud. My niece was approving my look. She is
she They just landed in Ghana and she was like, Auntie,
she's five.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Aunt Yvonn, where are you going? I was like, I'm going.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
To the next room, but I have a podcast. She
was like, you look gorgeous. I said, affirm me things
I want a man to say to me. She's like,
you look gorgeous. And then then I realized why she.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Was putting me up.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
She's like, are you coming to Nigeria this year? Because
I already have an Amazon gift list of what I was.
I said, oh hoo, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Absolutely stardom, young young, that sounds like my daughter. She
was like, great, it's your birthday, but what did you
get me? So I had to go out today and
get her. She loves she loves making necklaces, so we
got all the jewels.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So is she a future desire? Like it's Hannah Whinston?
Is Harry Winston about to like?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Move over? Is Tiffany? Did they find your new executive director? Girl?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Whoever can afford her? She got expensive taste.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
That for I feel like she's my spirit animal. Thank you?
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Yeah, I wonder where she gets it from.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, as you're blink blink. Every time I come around
the city of blank, Blank, I see you.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I'm so happy you came on. I fucking adore you
and you make me laugh. And you know what, like
you have literally been the new MVP of the w
t A And I can't wait to talk about I
fucking can't wait to talk about it right now.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I want somebody's roster, baby, Okay, I want I thought
you were.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
I thought you were are already an athlete at this point,
like certified hype woman. I mean, I see you at
every major tournament. I'm like, there she.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Is when I when I tell you, I'm so African.
I don't know how to have like a regular hobby.
Like most people are like, oh, I enjoyed tennis. I'm like,
how do I dominate the sport? And they're like, do
you play? Don't worry about it.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
But how do I dominate the sport?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You always look good? But yeah, I've yes, but I've
never seen you play. So for as far as I do,
I do play my head, you're like certified a talent.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I I I'm nice, okay, don't let no, I'm nice
with it.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I mean, so I have a coach now, and who
she's Yes, I have a coach now. We actually did
and I just matched together. It's fantastic. Shots in k
Aka Doris. I was like, which name you used today?
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Babe? She was a former player, so yeah, I got
the best of the best.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Well, you've already jumped right into it. I'll do an
intro later because I just have things to ask. I mean,
if people don't know who you are at this point, girl,
they need to be slapped upside their heads. So I
will do the intro later, but I have to know,
like what is it about tennis that you love so much?
Like what drew you into the scene because you are
(05:20):
like I know, MVP hype Women of the Women's Tennis
Association and certified baller. And now that I know you,
you actually are coached and I don't even I mean,
are you pro? Now? Like where did this start? Like
when did this become a tang?
Speaker 3 (05:37):
So a tang a small thing? Yeah, okay, So here's
the thing.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I I'll take you all the way back and I'll
bring you forward. So child of immigrants, grew up born
in Nigeria, grew up in Maryland. My dad would always
go back and forth between Nigeria and Maryland. And whenever
he would come, it would be summertime. You know what
happens in the summertime. Wimbledon. You know what you want
(06:03):
to watch when you're a kid in the summertime, Not Wimbledon.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
You want to watch cartoons. You want to watch schipp
and Dale Rescie Rangers. You want to watch you know
what I'm saying. You want to watch Fower Rangers.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
But my dad and this was like, I mean, I'm
an eighties kid. So we had like one like TV box,
so like whatever he's watching upstairs, were watching downstairs. And
so it was on Wimbledon, and I remember hating tennis.
I said, this man is ruined in my childhood.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Hated it.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
My god.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Then I went to an all girls boarding school for
high school and they had an equestrian team and they
had tennis courts. So then I was like, oh, this
is that thing my dad be watching. So then I
started playing tennis. And then me and my dad like
had that as are like as our thing, and so
I played. But you know, it does really matter how
(06:52):
you start, because I learned all the wrong things. I
got patilaitenanis I berniated this like it just a bad
because the reality is like you don't realize tennis really
requires you to like be loose again.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
I'm a child of immigrants. We don't know a loose.
We ain't never met a loose.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Okay, everything was hot, So I'm like Leaven my coach.
Now she's like, whll yo, why you grew up in
the rect I'm like, what am I supposed to do
with this.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
She's like relaxed. I was like I am relaxed. He's like,
I can see your veins. I said, all hell.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
So I got to unpack a lot of things in
therapy before.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I get to the court.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
So anyway, I played in high school, got injured and
it was like all right, that was it.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Then of course, what happens. The pandemic comes and everyone's
learning the bike bread. I don't cook, so that was
never gonna be my thing. I was like, no, thank
you now I like and also cars, I don't need them.
So my roommate was like, yo, you need to find
a hobby and I'm like what. She was like, what
did you do as a child? Yo?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
The reality is like when you look back, like I
was such a studious student. I was like, what did
I do as a child that I enjoyed? I was
like got straight? A's like you know, like I don't know,
like what is a hobby? And so then I was like, oh,
I remember you used to play, like what's that thing called?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Uh water balloon? A super soca?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
But I was like, no one's really going outside in
the grown yeah, like water. I have three older brothers,
so like I just lived in that. My brother grew
up to be a boxer. Two of my brothers played football,
like basketball, like every like every sport was in my house.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So I thought I was my mother's fourth son, to
which she's like, no, no, no, I had maybe gat
And I was like okay.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
So then I'm like, oh, you know what's really good
socially distancing and you can get a good workout.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Tennis.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
It's the perfect sport for the pandemic. But here's what
to answer your question, why really rock with it? So
as a comedian, it's you and the microphone, and every
city you go it's a new tour, it's a new audience,
but you got the same jokes you got to say.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
So on tennis, it's you and the racket. You go
to different cities, it's.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You and your it's you and your backstroke, it's you
in your front stroke, it's you different opponent and that
singularity of knowing you're either going to win. Like I
can tell when a tennis play is about to lose,
I show it off. I'm like, they're about to lose
because it's like are you still in the game, and
or like do you give up? Same thing with comedy, Yo,
(09:23):
you gotta find minute set. Never let him see you
sweat you just they don't know the rest of your material.
So finish your set out even if you're bombing right now,
fish your So for me as a comic, I really
sit in the singular nature of tennis and knowing that,
like it's kind of all on you in a way,
and I rock with that.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Do you feel like that gives you somewhat of an
advantage because I don't think most people have that tool
because it is like people always say, like, oh, these athletes,
how do you relate it to everyday life? And I
say this as a huge advocate to get women in sports.
You just nailed exactly what you said. Sport is such
(10:02):
a pivotal part to teach young girls and women how
to lead, how to stand in their own body, how
to appreciate what their body is capable of the mental
and physical aspects it gives you, and the toolbox it
gives you to navigate life. You're right, standing up there
is really no different than standing down there on the court. Yeah,
(10:25):
especially when it gets hard.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Listen, I think Billy jan King just said, like, you know,
sports teach women like you just said how to be leaders,
and I don't know. I think for me, I grew
up with boys, so even like that, like I was
always rough. I was like my brothers would would try
resting moves on me. They'd be like, yo, just sit
right there, We're just gonna put you to sleeperhole. I'm
like why, Like you're like like that out.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Bro, And then they were like, okay, We're gonna jump
from the couch and do a DDT move. I'm like,
why are you have some.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That's like you're speaking. I literally thought I was in
Mortal Kombat at one point. I was like, me and
my brother were like.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Oh finishing, finishing, ty girl.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Oh god, when I tell you Street Fighter and Morna Coombat,
me and Chung Lee hold on, and then ianah, this
move right here with yes, I'm sorry right now.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Wait, I'm getting so much whiplash between the fact that
you said you were like, yeah, I was in Nigeria.
Then I had to move to Maryland, which gives me
enough enough whiplash for the rest of the day. But
you also were like such a tomboy and you grew
up with brothers, but you went to an all girls
private school.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So yeah, glow, you'd be listening, okay, So I still
am a tomboy. Like Insecure for me was like that
moment where I'm like, I'm a real live girl, Like
it's like Pinochio. So the reason why I went to
an all girls born school, I say, it's very simple.
So my mother, My mother sent all of us to
boarding school, like we're very African in that way.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
She literally had a book and it was all New England.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
It's gonna be something, honey, she said.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
You you I'm leaving here with something. Okay. She said,
you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Pay me back, pay me back like you, oh, you'll
pay me back like this money aspect.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Anyway, I'm a human jukebox, So strap in.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Stay tuned. I'll be back in just a moment after
this brief message from our sponsors.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So anyway, she had a So all of my brothers
before me, like left and anytime they would go, family
members would always come and like give them a care package,
give them money.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
And I was like, hmm, yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I think I need to go to boarding school because
I also want a care practice. I also desire buddy.
And I was also bullied at school. So I was
bullied where I lived in Maryland, so I got I
had to get the hell out of here.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
My mother was like, you need to restart and a refresh.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
So boarding school was I didn't know it was gonna
be in Littits, Pennsylvania, Amish.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
God, yes, horse and buggy traffic jams. But it was great.
So we had.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
It was a school from six to twelfth grade, one
hundred and twenty five students total exactly, so like average
class size forty six.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
My graduating class was twelve. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
There was no version of you not raising your hand. Nah,
you had to participate.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I didn't.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
That's what I liked about it too, because I was
I was smart, and so I graduated salutatorium because why not?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Whyn't you?
Speaker 2 (13:37):
But it was that thing of like without boys there
there was no focus on anything else, and we had
with uniforms. So for me it was great like I
ain't had to You didn't know if I was poor
or not because we both got the same class skirt on.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Okay, yep, don't worry about my scholarship been a.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Big distraction for me. I would have really figured out
my sexuality way early on.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Well just tell you.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So we had girls that got kicked out because they
snug in boys. But then we knew that there were
some girls who was dating other girls. So we were like,
I have a question. And we were in high school.
We were like, uh, how does work? And I remember
one time, I'm not gonna dame no days. I remember
one time I was like, are there are there two
sets of feet in the shower? We were just like, hey, man,
we get it. And then the next and then the
(14:22):
next year they were like roommates. I said, y'all, y'all
basically married. Okay, that's what y'all giving. It's giving one of.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Those I have one of those.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Stand up, it's given a relationship. Okay. I said, uh,
it's giving.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
I'm figuring it out and it figured.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Okay. Let me tell you right now.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
The couple of them that you are like I when
I tell you, I see pictures of you guys, and
I'd be like, that's a good looking couple, bro, Like,
y'all are.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Beautiful, And it actually sickens me. I'm sick.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
I'm sick of it. I want to put y'all down
some stairs. How beautiful y'all are. And remember saw y'all
in Paris at I think it was the was it.
It was Pharrell's party, it was the Lubaton party during
the Olympics, the Olympics, and I just was like, I
saw all the pictures that we took and I was like,
I don't like these people. I don't because it makes
(15:16):
you had this orange outfit, like you look it was
like a ballero.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
You look like you were.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
It was like like you were about to do a
really sexy bullfighting okay.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
And I was just like, you know what, God, just
trying to find one man to love me. Look at
the beautiful, this whole couple.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You know what, Jesus, you talk about two years and
then we don't have to figure this out.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
We have to figure really, I've got a lot of friends. Listen,
I've got a lot of just a lot of availability.
You would be a a hot item for all of
my people. We are very we are very welcoming over here.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Listen one my mother, my mother at some point and
I'll be like, oh, okay, just just anybody tell me
the truth, Like what thought we doing.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
I'm like, whoa, whoa, wait, Mom, I.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Can't more shit she needs to go through I can't.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
But yes, funny, I went to on an Argos boarding
school because my mother had a book for boarding schools
because he's very African, and so yeah, we all went
to boarding school.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
But I was I was very much a tomboy.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
And I think I think because I was like, well
if I'm not, if i'm not, if you don't think
i'm pretty, then I'm just gonna be smart. And so
then it didn't matter like what I wore or whatever,
So I didn't. It took me a while to be
able to say or believe that I was pretty, like
without the Kuchuma song, cause it just I wasn't affirmed.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I can't imagine. You know, when you go back to Nigeria,
you're seen as like an American girl, but when you're here,
you're seen as a Nigerian girl. So like, how do
you even see yourself?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Girl?
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Up and not landscape? Well, where do you feel most
like yourself? I guess there's a better question both.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
My dad did a very good job of being like
this is before the current state of affairs. My father
was like, if anything happens in America, where will you go? Okay, Nigeria,
that's the job. And I was like, well, also here,
also here, yeah, and so he definitely made sure that
(17:30):
we had a connection back on. So we stayed in
America for six years, and then when I turned twelve,
we were going back home for summer vacations, went to vacations,
and I remember my oldest brother, he spoke pigeon English,
and so when we would go to the market.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
What is that?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Ah, That's like, you know is English, but it's like,
you know, when you go to markets, you can't just
be speaking regular English. You have to speak pigeon English
because then somebody will haggle you and then it will
see your morney and then you'll just be dead, like
what happened.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I can't wait for you to take me because I
think I'm gonna confuse the fuck out of everyone. And
I'm into it.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yes, So I would watch my older brother like speak
Ebo speak Vision English, and I was like, nah, I
need that for myself because it just felt so cool.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
And again I wanted to be one of my brothers.
I wanted.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
I wanted to even while I'm a comedian. The reason
I'm a comedian is one because of God.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
But when.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
I would see my dad holding court, So my father,
my grandfather was the king of our village. My father's
a chief and so we in our compound. He would
just have like cheers in a circle, bottles of goulder
and star, maybe some moett like just they're just kicking it.
(18:48):
We had like a ram barbecue like whatever. It was
like he just had his guy friends over. And my
dad has this belly laugh like it comes from his
big toe. Okay, it's like it it verberates through his body.
And I remember just sitting around as like a kid
to be like I want to hold court. Like I
didn't know I was gonna be a comedian because the
(19:09):
reality is I was silenced so much as a child
and as a youth, and then God gave me a microphone,
which I got things to say right, But in that moment,
I was like, man, when I do become a comedian.
When I did become a comedian, I was like, I
need to channel this energy. So I never felt like
(19:31):
I'm a girl. I hope you take me seriously. I
was like, yo, what up?
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Doll? Like was good? Was popping? And because that starts though.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Like when did you like before when was it?
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Like?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Aha, this is it? This is my microphone, this is
my future, this is my career and I'm good at it.
Like when was that? Because you say that lightly, But
like what people may not know about you is you're
highly fucking intelligent, Like you have a master's in health,
right public health? Yeah, public health. Like all of a sudden,
(20:05):
you're like.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
I know what the best I think the best comments
are also the swartest comics because like the jokes you
can't see coming are like ah Chef's kids. But here's
the reality is, I didn't I was going to be
somebody's really bad doctor. Like I knew I would have
like very good bedside banners, but the actual practice of
(20:28):
like I don't like blood, like I'm telling somebody the
other day, I was like, I don't like blood so
much in every twenty eight days, I'm like again the
health the bommy eggs ym like I like it takes
me by surprise. I'm like, yeah, So anyway, how it happened,
I was getting my messages of public health because I knew.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
I think I knew at.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Some point I didn't want to be a doctor, but
I didn't know what else I wanted to do because
I had spent so much time taking stem like I was.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
You know, math science, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So I was like, it's gonna be a hard pivot
to do anything else, So let me just go get
my master's of public health. That's like in the same realm.
And what I liked about public health was it was
more it was more focused on people and traveling and like,
get how do we help people make better health decisions
but also take into account all the barriers for them to.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Make in those decisions.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
So you can't just go into Kenya and be like
you should be getting vaccinated or you should use a
mosquito net. They're like what, And so it's like you
have to then like speak their language in order for
them to adopt the better health things. So I like that.
I was like, cause I like people again. Actually, when
I tell you, I did not know that there were
celebrities that did not like people. I was like, what
how does work?
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Oh yeah, I had no idea in my mind.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I'm like, if you're going to be like, if you're
a public figure, like this is part of it. But
I think I because I grew up without friends, I
think I genuinely have a heart for like people and
like making sure everyone feels connected and making sure people
feel seen and heard, So I think that maybe that's
my thing. So when I became a pebble figure for me,
I'm like, hi, how are you? And then I have
(22:05):
friends who're like, man, can we go?
Speaker 1 (22:07):
I'm like that was that was us in Paris. You
couldn't pull us out of that dinner. We followed each
other everywhere. We were the last lead. We were like,
of course, we were like having this dinner. I was like,
I gotta get up, I gotta go see. These are
the girls, these are the homies.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
We got track and field to go watch, he got
things to do, right, Yeah, it was all the things.
So anyway, I so I'm getting my masters and my
one of my brothers comes to me and was like,
would you ever do a pageant? And I was like
what that means? And he was like, Yo, my friend
is doing this pageant, and I think again. I was
still like, I want to know if I'm pretty, Like
(22:47):
it sounds so crazy, but I was like, I want
to know if I'm pretty. And uh it was the
Miss Nigeria and America pageant, so it was very specific.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
So I was like, I'm Nigerian and I'm in America.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Cool, don't go this This sounds very on brand.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
So anyway, I what happened. So I didn't know that
much about it.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
I was like, oh, I'm pretty certain I'm gonna need
like a swimsuit and like a formal gown.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
That was it.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Well, two weeks before the pageant, they hit me up.
I don't already sold tickets. I feel like this is
a shoeing. They're like, what's your talent? I said, oh, don't.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
I don't really have one.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
They're like, well, anybody who competes needs a talent. I said,
well you should have led with that. I wouldn't be competing.
And I'm like, I'm African, y'all know we don't. Like
in my mind was like we're African, we don't have talents.
Our talents are making straight a's. And they were like, nah,
sais you gotta figure it out. So one thing about me,
I can let myself down. Sometimes I can't let other
people down, Like if I know you don't already bought tickets, Oh,
(23:50):
I gotta figure this out.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
So I got saved freshman year of college.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
So like became a born again Christian, like I I
was raised Catholic, but then like it like literally I
thought I was about to be out on these streets.
I was about to be on the swimming pool. And
the problem is my birthdays in December. So I started
in school when I was seventeen. So essentially God was like, okay,
you thought she was gonna be outside, And in my mind,
(24:16):
I was like when I turn eighteen, I'm about to
be doing this that that that God was like, well,
I got three months to get her, and.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
He got me.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
He got me in them three months. And I was like, ah,
well then, and that's how I got bamboos and by
Jesus how But anyway, so I didn't. I was just
like I really wanted to be pretty and so and
then but then they wanted me to have this talent.
So I'm like, all right, hey God, I'm in my
(24:43):
master's now. So I've been rocking with Jesus for a
couple of years, so I'm like, hey God, it's me.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Uh so you heard what they said. This is crazy. Help.
That's how my prayers go.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Like people be like that was now my prayer be like, hey,
well what up, Dad, what are you gonna do about this?
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Because this is crazy?
Speaker 2 (25:00):
And so I'm praying to Jesus, and before I even
get up off my knees, before I even finish the prayer,
I hear do comedy and I said no, because are
you crazy? Like that doesn't make any sense? Like God,
I don't like being rejected. I was rejected half of
my childhood. If you're not funny as a comedian, guess
(25:22):
what they do they booth you know what? That is?
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Rejection?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
And then I'm gonna be performing in front of Africans,
which is even worse because they won't just boom, They'll
just be like, who's delta is this?
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Get off these stage? No sense?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Like I, Oh my God, mortified. And so I'm pleading
my case with God. I'm like, hey God, I'm thinking
he gonna be like you right, thought her. I didn't
know what I was talking about. God was like, either
you're gonna learn to trust me or you won't.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
And that was it. Conversation was over. He where'd you go?
He said, I'm not going out?
Speaker 2 (25:59):
He basically Jesus said, I'm not going back and forth
with you, Okay, I'm living my mass life and so
and so, I at that moment had to figure out
am I going to learn? Am I going to trust
him like I say I do or I'm not. You
(26:21):
know what I'm saying, like, am I am I going
to do? Like the double Dutch Christianity of like I
trust you here, I'll trust you here, like am I
gonna pick and choose? And then I'm being honest with you.
I think people had let me down so much in
my life that it was easier to be like I
ain't well guide you up and if it don't work out,
it's your fault. And if it do, then I'm riding.
(26:44):
And I think that was just how I approached it.
So for those two weeks, I don't ask me how
this is nothing but those right.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Oh my god, the stress I feel right now.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I started like I was like an observer, like what
is that thing that my mom does or people in
the community do that is like really interesting looking at
it from a like Nigerian lens, but in an American landscape,
and so I'm like, oh, my mom does this thing.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
I wonder if other people's parents do this thing.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
And I was like, this is really funny because I'm
sure my American friends were like why did I do that?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
So I just literally just started right now what I
thought and.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I was so deathly afraid, one of forgetting my lines
and two of people not laughing. So I didn't even
like there was when I performed it, there was no
like cause for laughter. I ain't know who's gonna come.
So I delivered it like it was like a monologue.
I delivered it like a script. So when people laughed,
(27:45):
I was like, y'all, y'all throw me off, please stop,
And they were like, see save.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
The laughter till the end.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah. Literally, So anyway, it worked out well.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
And at the end, this woman I've never read this
reporter was like, I got you're amazing. Do you do
weddings or birthdays? I said, m bar misfas I do it?
Oh listen safe, it's your make it.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
I love that. And I'm but you know what I
love so much about your work is it your humor
feels so rooted in your truth. So I imagine like your
background has really shaped your like comedic lens, which not
many people have, Like you have so much material because
(28:33):
like I can only imagine the shenanigans that go on
going back and forth. Because like I ended up going
to Liberia to do a women's empowerment I won the Labia. Yeah,
and I literally walked in. I had all my US
soccer gear on at the time. I was with h
one of our coaches at the time, Jill Ellis, and
(28:56):
I walked in and literally I just remember all of
these girls being like she looks like is that a
woman or Lebron James? I like, girl, I know, I'm
just as confused, trust me. Like it was so funny
to see and hear the things like zero filter all truth.
(29:18):
They were like this girl covered in tattoos, looking at
like what is this?
Speaker 2 (29:23):
They probably were like, you know, like white people want
to test black people's hair in America.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
That's why how they were when they were like we
what can we can we? Yeah? No? I So I worked.
So Liberia was where I went.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
So after the pageant, I was like, God, am I
really about to do comedy? This is crazy? How am
I gonna tell your daughter?
Speaker 3 (29:45):
My mother?
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Because you know, she got to ill backhand and we're
not talking about she, we're not talking tennis and so exactly.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
And so to stall from not going to med.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
School, I was like, you know, I have to work.
I have to work in public health. And like Liberia
had just finished the war. It was easier for me
to go to war torn Liberia and stall than to
tell my parents like I think I want to do
comedy for a living. But to your point, like I
love going back home because it is so rich and
(30:16):
so ripe with with uh, with humor, because like every
Nigerians a comedian, like the real every oh, like yes,
every Nigerians, even when they're not trying to be funny,
every single like even like so my first special I did,
I shot it both in DC and in Nigeria. And
a friend was like, just ask just asking Nigerians for
directions is ridiculous because like they will lie to you
(30:37):
in your face, they don't know how to get there,
but they will make you believe like they can't just
say no.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
And I was like, we're gonna test it out. Andy.
Sure enough, this one guy was like, eh, you want
to go with y'all? Go strets, go all the way down,
go down, down, down, down down. You got me. I'm like,
definitely missed it. Definitely, there was no street there I care.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
So that's the kind of stuff that for me, I'm
always looking at. I'm very observation of my comedy and
so like, uh, I'm working on my third special.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So I'm going on my another tour.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
I'm very I'm very excited about this one because I
get the most personal, like I've been personal and the
other ones, like the first one, my.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
Mom made it.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
That was like if I never get another special, this
is my love letter to my parents and to the culture,
to my It was brilliant.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Thank by the way, thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
I really really loved it. That's that was one of
actually my favorite.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
And then the second one was shot like it was
in the pandemic where we're going through a lot of change,
Like I think everyone was kind of doing like healing work,
and I had like a friendship breakup. And then I
also wanted to wanted it to be like a back
door to a sketch show, so people were kind of like, figure,
I'm always trying to figure out, like what's a creative
way to do with an hour? Like every you can
(31:52):
do an hour, you can just say I can do
an hour, but I'm always like, what else do I
want to say and with this time and with with
my creative because the reality is like as an actress,
as a comedian, as somebody who is a human being,
and learning, like I want to bring all those aspects
into my into my craft.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
And so the third one it is.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
It is it is going to be talking about all
the things people put on you when you turn forty,
like that you didn't ask for, like and and then
all the observations that you make about things that are
still happening, like in your fourth decade that you're like, you,
we haven't fixed this yet, like we we're.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
Still here, okay, okay, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
And then and then I get personal about like the
relationships that I've had, which is very interesting because it's
like I I talk about this stuff that has like
I did wrong, and then and then the like the
people that I'm like, yeah, this is where it went
wrong and.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
This is why we're no loment together.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
So but in a funny way, like I've always I'm always,
I would say protective of people, but I'm never going
to be that comment that will say something crazy because
I can't fight you.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I make you disappear because I know the people in
the villa. I can't fight.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
But it's it's the truth because like I said before,
like so much of what you've done, you've really literally
and figuratively have opened the doors of your home, like
you brought all of us into what it looks like
between the whiplash of where you were born and coming
here and experiencing this wild ass culture. But do you
(33:28):
feel because of that openness and you are very open
in everything you do, how how do you handle the
public scrutiny? Like how do you protect your peace as
a comedian who has to live life through story telling
and vulnerability? Like that is the through line because they'll
(33:53):
sniff out the fakeness really quick.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
I think I think a couple of things happen.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
One before even so comedy was my like my gateway
into acting, and before I even like got on the
main stage, right me, Me and God had our conversations privately,
like in those very I called them the pride Land years,
the scar like I was like, moas gone, this is
(34:22):
Simba has taken over the Pride Lands and.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
We are arged.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
So in those in that season, God really was like,
I got to prepare you. Uh, And I heard I
heard a pastor say this way, So I'll just this
is the only thing that makes the most sense. She said,
if the spotlight shining on you is greater than the
light shining in you, then the light shining on you
will kill you.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
And yeah, I'm gonna let them murn it.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
Wow, Yeah, because I think a lot of people are
like looking for the spotlight. A lot of people are like, yeah,
it's trying to but if like the light in here
is hella dim, then that light is gonna be so
bright it's gonna burn.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
It's gonna burn you. And I think when I was hidden,
God and I we were like, all right, so who
you gonna be? Like, what does integrity look like for you?
Speaker 2 (35:12):
What is being a person of high character look like
for you?
Speaker 3 (35:15):
You know, what does excellence look like? Like?
Speaker 2 (35:17):
All those conversations that I think people don't think are
important because you're like, I'm just trying to make it.
I'm trying to get this money. I'm just trying to
be famous. And as somebody who's in the public eye,
whenever anyone says they want to be famous, I exit
stage left like I can't be because that means you
will do anything to be famous, and I you need people.
Someone said you always gotta hang around with people who
(35:39):
got something to lose, Like, like, don't don't hang around
nobody that's like you gotta hang around people who got
something to lose, like they children, you know, they fall
on kay like sign like like they you can't just
be out here willy nilly. And so for me, I
(35:59):
was never chasing fame. I was always chasing purpose and
so yeah, I love that because this is a god dream.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Like.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
There was no version of me that was like I
want to be a coman and not even when I
was watching my dad, I was like, oh, I want
to hold court, but I don't know what that means,
like I just want to I want to be able
to have a good group of friends like my dad
had that like would laugh with him. That didn't translate
to I want to be in the public eye as
a comedian. So anyway, by the time Insecure happened, it
(36:29):
wasn't about like I was in service to Lisa. Like
for me, like I like, I know, I booked it.
I did, there was five auditions. I believe I'm talented,
but I really do believe it was because I was
willing to be in service to Lisa and her vision.
It was never like the by Norgy Show. It wasn't
like pick me, pick me, pick me. It was like, oh,
I have a front row seat, and how I serve
(36:51):
this woman is how one day someone will serve me.
So if I trick off this experience, trust and believe
when it's my turn, it's not gonna end well. And
So I feel like when you talk about being in
the public eye and the scrutiny, no one loves being scrutinized,
because scrutiny something a lot of times means you were misunderstood,
(37:14):
you know. And we've talked about this a little bit.
People don't like nuanced like Instagram, Twitter, social media is
not a place where you can have nuanced dialogue. No,
because people at all. People don't even read headlines. We're
not even talking about the whole article. We're not even
talking about like the like people read comments and like
(37:35):
docs and and emoji. They don't read headlines. So you
think that somebody who's not even taking the time to
care about what you meant, what you what you're trying
to say, is going to give you grace. So I
think whenever I have been scrutinized, I'm like two things.
Am I getting grace in this moment? Have I given
(37:56):
grace in this moment for other people? And also, do
any of these people pay my bills.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Ooh that part right?
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I have part like not you know, like because it's
just like I can't even what's your what is your
screen name? You you have zero followers and your private
and get like stuff.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You have two poles like this is a bot. I'm
not arguing with you, like god bless like I'm not to.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Touch your energy, yeah, yeah, your energy?
Speaker 3 (38:28):
And then it's just like a piece.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Do any of these people want to understand my point
of view? And if the answer is no, then it's
just like then what you're arguing for? They don't want to,
Like you only engage in conversation with people who are
who are designed the desiring dialogue when people don't desire dialogue,
but they just want like your downfall.
Speaker 3 (38:50):
They don't desire dialogue, they desire your downfall.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Well that's that's like the current landscape right now. Yeah,
that's what people want. People are fueling just hatred and
like you nailed it. Stay tuned. I'll be back in
just a moment after this brief message from our sponsors though,
But what you often like people often talk about making it,
(39:17):
but few actually talk about what comes after it and
what I can only imagine after Insecure, I know you
were you say you were like you are meant for
that moment. Thank you, Like I do, I thought your character.
I thought you did such a fucking insane job you
added so like everyone could sit down and be like,
(39:40):
oh I fuck with that as like I want that
to be my type of friendship. I want to have
that kind of fun. I want to have that lightness.
I want to have that kind of connection in a
world right now that is so fragmented. Like that was
a beautiful storyline. And I imagine it has been quite
(40:00):
a hard shift for you because I like that fucking
show took off, which means your life probably changed very quickly.
Speaker 2 (40:10):
It was a role of a lifetime. And when I
tell you, we were in the Pride Lands for a
long time. So I remember being like, oh, I don't
want to pay my my student loans, uh incrementally, I
want to write one check for them. Now this is
when you're poor. So like me, when you talking about
dream big, I am the epitome of like, so, what's
the biggest desire you have?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Like and I just like I just I want.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
To write one check when you can't even put gas
in your car for twenty dollars, but you're like, you're
gonna write a check for fifty thousand dollars in one
like I love this for you.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
And that's say I deferred the firs. I know. GW
was like, oh where is your where is all maney,
You're not even us this degree, no more pay us back.
And there was there was one woman, Miss Ruth. I
want to tell you there are some people that got
really put in your life as angels. I think miss
Ruth stuck around.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
This Ruth to retire until after I paid my dance
it alone because she was the one who who who
processed our deferments, and so I was the fern.
Speaker 3 (41:13):
The fern.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
She was like, it's okay, I just need to know
you was looking for a job. I said, Miss Ruth,
I'm doing my best. She's like, it's okay, baby, we
believe in you. And then I said, miss Ruth.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
I called her. I said, Miss Ruth, I'm paid it.
She's like all of it.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
I said, I paid it all and she was so
like she took that call, she took that check and
like the next week she was like, I'm retired. I said,
so yes, my life changed in the in the in
the best way. But then also here's the crazy thing.
Remember how I told you like I didn't think I
(41:47):
was pretty. So now when people see Molly, I'm confused
because they're like, yo, Evannas, like you know, women crushed
Wednesday goals And I'm like, because I got somebody else's
hair in my head, like because I got a new
clothes like I didn't because when I was bullied, I
(42:08):
was like, look at me because I'm smart, because you're
not gonna look at me because I'm pretty. And so
now I have this role where I get to play
this smart and beautiful woman and now guys are like
and I'm like, this is that was more of a
Jedi mind trick for me, Like I was like, I
don't know how to process this, and then it's you're
just like, well, what's real? And I'm so grateful that
(42:32):
I had that season of not just poverty but just preparation. Yeah,
because when I did make it, I got the same friends.
Like I remember I got one friend, Shamikaika Shamika Shamika.
I used to talk with the ninety nine cents store
heavy I like because I could get groceries and I
could get good.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
You know what I'm saying. You can get arugula and
you can get some scotch tape for a dollar.
Speaker 2 (42:58):
And I remember remember when we booked and Secure, Jay
Ellison was like, you know, you can't shop at the
ninety nine cents store no more.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
And I was like, man, you don't know.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
My life, like you know, cause you're like, watch me.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
Bro because after season one, I was back to being
broke because I paid off all my debts like a lanister.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Okay, I was gave with thrones. The lanister pays.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Their n juice. But I was let it fly, baby,
let it fly.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
And my friend Shamika was like, what you need. I
was like, I really need to go shopping in a
ninety nine cents store because that's all I can afford.
But Jay told me I can't be seen there, and
she said, wait in the parking lot, give me your money,
and she went in and got me and like came
out with my bags.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
And I said, that's a real one. That's a yes,
that's a friend.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
And so with the life changingness of Insecure, it's like, yes,
my life changed, but my circle, my core was what
held me down. Because again, when you become a public figure.
You don't know why people want to be your friend.
You don't know why people want to be around you,
because I'm like, hi, y'all met.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
We have known each other for a very very long time.
So I mean she was straight, so I was like,
she's a homie. I used to call her sis, and
you know, when I would go out to play in La,
her and her friends would show up, like it was
very sweet until it was like she touched my arm
a little differently. Here.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
Well, I'm telling you, I can't look you in your eye.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
I just not know that for a fact. I can't
look you directly because you you put up quick to
retrieve it. You are a start mix a lot, that's
what you are. You got that star mix a lot.
Speaker 3 (44:33):
Of spirit on you. I can't look you all bo
nah ah.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Well we're about to hang out. We're going to LA
soon and we're doing friends giving, and you know you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Be I'm we're in my saves. I'm gonna be looking
just like this, and I'm like, I can't look I'm like,
but here, here's what I will say.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
Me and all my.
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Girlfriends we made this joke. We were like yo' said
right now, we said the bar so high in each
of this life. But any dude trying to pett trait
like this circle, they not, Like, you can't just be
sending me any kind of bouquet, Like look at the
bouquet that my homegirl set me, Like, eh, you can't
(45:11):
just you can't just want rows?
Speaker 3 (45:13):
What is this the best line?
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Nah?
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Like you know what I'm saying, Like, yeah, so I'm
not surprised that you got the best birth of your
life because.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
We may just know, Hey, we just be knowing. You
know what I tell you?
Speaker 1 (45:27):
What it really is something like she is an insane human,
like a fucking magical unicorn. I don't get it. And
I'm like, also, there's no way you've been straight for
this long? She she was fitting in two Well, she
knew those streets, you know what I'm saying. Not she
(45:47):
wasn't new to it.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
She was not new to it. But she was true.
Speaker 1 (45:51):
She was true.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
She was probably like you know, I've been diling, I've been,
I was, I was. She was ready for the right moment.
She was ready for the right you know, opportune tea.
Speaker 3 (46:01):
I guess. So that's why.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
I love us. I cannot wait to hang out in La.
I also, just to be clear, I don't have my
badgeh on right now, but I should. I actually wear
it on my forehead. I'm a great wing woman. I
do find straight men like aliens. But I could get
past it for you and listen.
Speaker 3 (46:26):
Well, I'm sure you got I know, I know you
know people. I have a tennis crush right now and like,
oh he is, Oh you better.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
That's all you're gonna give us.
Speaker 3 (46:36):
All if you guess it. If you guess it, then
I will confirm it. Bait.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
What country.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
You're you're it's a European country.
Speaker 4 (46:47):
Well that's too big. No no, no, no stop no,
no Italy No. I gotta do my research.
Speaker 1 (46:59):
I'm going need to see Rene Renee tonight for dinner,
so you know I'm gonna be okay.
Speaker 3 (47:04):
So I'll say it's France.
Speaker 2 (47:05):
It's France, okay, yeah, and he fine, but he's fine.
I mean, like I see him and I'm like, m hmm,
not that it's beautiful. God did his did his big
one with that one took his thigh.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
But again, so you.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Need to stop spending all your time at the women's
tennis tournament.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
So we need to start both of them. Oh I'm
a I'm a fan. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I'd be
both of them.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Like I just hosted the Women's the fat series of
the Women's but trust and believe I was at the Australian.
Speaker 3 (47:39):
I was that. The only one I haven't been to
is the is Roland Gattos.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
So whoever wanted to see, that's where we're going next.
You know, I'm always living through you. I like, I'm
texting you all the time. At every tournament, I'm like, hello,
did you forget the invite?
Speaker 3 (47:54):
You're like, are you? Are you there?
Speaker 1 (47:55):
Left out?
Speaker 2 (47:56):
It's okay, course we're gonna do it together. But yes,
he is friend and he is a great player. Fine, fine,
I love talent.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
I love it. I love talent and smart.
Speaker 2 (48:07):
You get me a man that can expand my world
like I never thought about it like that, or I
never knew that this world is ugh, yes, I'm sold
and then kind, considerate, passionate, chivalrous.
Speaker 1 (48:24):
Better check all the boxes, honey, because you're coming through me.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
Listen and healed. Don't tell me you've done your healing work.
Don't tell me you gotta standing appointment with your therapist.
Speaker 1 (48:33):
A what, Yeah, well you did say at the beginning.
You know, you're you're you're working working on a new comedy,
which I'm so excited about. Me.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
I'm like really excited about this one, like because you're
all gonna be like Evan, you're absolute fool, Like there's
some things that out there that you're gonna be like, ma'am,
Like I like if I'm calling myself before I know,
and also going to be like shade because I talk
about something that I did and everybody that I tell
the story is like, why would you do that?
Speaker 3 (49:08):
And I'm like, I know it was stupid and I
don't know how to fix it.
Speaker 1 (49:12):
Oh my god, I'm obsessed with you. But you you've
really checked so many boxes. You've been in so many arenas.
My question would be what, Because you are such a
risk taker and you're you know, a beautiful person at
your core and your storytelling capability, like you bring people
in and you are so warm and inviting. It's really
(49:36):
it's beautiful. It's a beautiful thing. I five minutes of
meeting you, I was like, oh, we knew each other
in a different lifetime. We were kicking it somewhere doing
something we shouldn't have been.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
We were in those woods.
Speaker 1 (49:50):
We were in those we were And what I would
say this for someone who has done so much, what
is one box you haven't checked that Maybe you haven't
had time, or you haven't had the energy, you haven't
had the opportunity. Like, what is one thing you are
(50:10):
really really excited to do you haven't done yet?
Speaker 3 (50:14):
Hmmm, that's a good question.
Speaker 1 (50:17):
Love.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
I feel like being truly wholeheartedly in love.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Like I've had relationships that I thought I was in
love or like it was getting towards there, but just
like like a love that like when people are in
love they talk about it, They're like it just takes
you by surprise or it just like you have no
idea how it happened. You just can't imagine yourself, like
your heart busts open. You're just like what like in
(50:47):
my mind, I'm like where is this magical negro?
Speaker 3 (50:50):
Like how does this happen?
Speaker 2 (50:53):
But you know, it feels like such a beautiful space
to be and not just that like I'm in a
relationship for the grand like that like oh my person,
like I found I found them. I think that I
think that'd be girl I've always known I was gonna
be a great mother. I've always known, like hands down,
(51:15):
I'm like, I'm a kid whisper, like I'll.
Speaker 3 (51:19):
Be fans and they'll have a baby. I'm like, can
I hold your child?
Speaker 1 (51:21):
And they're like you can, on teeth, come over with
my baby.
Speaker 3 (51:25):
Not easy. They love me now, I will say I
love I love the before they can talk.
Speaker 2 (51:30):
After they can talk, I'm like, hey man, take this
child like that that that like two that two to
eighteen range.
Speaker 3 (51:38):
I don't know what to do with them.
Speaker 1 (51:39):
That's a big ass range.
Speaker 3 (51:42):
I said.
Speaker 2 (51:43):
I'm a baby whisper, like the bait, like I used
to work in the nursery at my church and to
think about babies that I love.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
You already know what you're getting.
Speaker 2 (51:49):
It's like if they crying, they're teething, they're hungry, they
need to be changed, or they're.
Speaker 3 (51:54):
Tired, that's it. Like maybe that's that's it's it's one
of those four.
Speaker 2 (51:58):
And if they're teething, it kind of sucks, like you
can't really you just gotta give them that ice pack
and hope that it helps, but there's nothing.
Speaker 3 (52:04):
You just got to be like it's okay, it's okay.
Let them cry and I speak that language. When they
are like six, I'm like, I don't what is it
that you desired? Like what? Or actually? Four? Four? Is
that weird?
Speaker 1 (52:19):
Like four, I'm like, what, that's my that's my daughter.
She'll talk shit real quick. She'll be like she'll tell
you the truth real cool.
Speaker 2 (52:28):
And you know what, I feel like, no one breaks
your soul like a like a four year old, like
four to five year old child, And I'm like, I
have my soul broken already in life. I don't think
I want to do it with somebody that I can't
also break their soul back.
Speaker 3 (52:41):
That like I can't. I can't be over here like
what you say, that's why your breast is like I can't.
I can't do that. I can't.
Speaker 1 (52:47):
It's a four year old exactly.
Speaker 3 (52:49):
I was a snitch. I don't know where you a
snitch growing up. I was a snitch grown up.
Speaker 1 (52:53):
So oh, I blame it everything on my older brother.
I could do that. That was Chris. I don't know
where that came up.
Speaker 3 (53:00):
That was. That was Chris, well, not even Blaine. Just
like snitching like I like, it wasn't Blaine because I
didn't do it. I just knew who did it, so
I'm like it was them before anyone even asked. My
mother would like, jingle the key, the door were open, Mommy,
that's just what they did while you are gone. If
they were on stairs, check underneath the bed like I'm
i'm I'm I'm an.
Speaker 1 (53:21):
I was an op bro, like listen if it's if
it's me or youse ain't gonna be.
Speaker 3 (53:29):
I told you my mom had that backhand.
Speaker 2 (53:31):
I was not fitling to be interrogated because you know
what what she what they would do, she and my
dad before somebody would like confess. She was like all right,
like if they could be FBI agents, they would be
fantastic in it. So they would line us all up
and they'd be like, okay, I love this. Anyone bring
out your high and you were just like, why am
(53:52):
I about to get beat for somebody?
Speaker 3 (53:54):
Na man?
Speaker 2 (53:56):
So they had the ruler, they had the spatul or
whatever it was wooden uh And so I'm like, I'm
not getting bee for y'all. So I would look at
my one of my brothers like somebody please confess. So
one time they called my mother Joe Montana And here's why,
here's why.
Speaker 3 (54:12):
And it was my fault. I'm listen, I know how
to take the plane.
Speaker 2 (54:16):
So I remember my mother wanted somebody to go to
the mall to like put put her Maisie's bill in,
and the mall was like down the street, so it
felt like a right of passages, like, ma, I want
to go to I want to be able to walk
to the mall.
Speaker 3 (54:28):
And she was like okay. She had told me I
could go, but then my brother was like, ma I go,
and I'm like, no, You're not gonna take this away
from me. I'm gonna go to the wall. My mom
was like no, your brother's older and letting me go.
I'm god, no, no, no, no no. So in our house,
the dishwasher was just a drying rack.
Speaker 2 (54:46):
I still don't know how to use the dishwasher to today,
like I don't understand the dishwasher because we were the
dishwashers and we would just put the plates in the
dishwasher just to dry.
Speaker 3 (54:57):
And so we were in the kitchen. My mo was
sick and tired of telling me I wasn't on go
to the mall. She grabbed a special and.
Speaker 2 (55:04):
I'm not like she did a hoot and the pool
back was like I had I saw this slow motion. Bro,
So I don't like no when I tell you that.
Speaker 3 (55:16):
Joint clip No, no, my mother's perfect aid and that
don't clip my jaw, I said, god like fell on
the floor. Yo. My brother's called my mother Joe Montana
from like like a hole for them.
Speaker 1 (55:31):
And it never changed. Actually she still probably has that
arm jo Like, give me a break, bro.
Speaker 2 (55:36):
It was the way it the way it latched, it
was a perfect like she threw to the spot.
Speaker 3 (55:43):
Okay, she threw to the spot. She she knew I
was die. She threw to the spot and.
Speaker 1 (55:47):
The You are an absolute dream. I could sit here
all day with you and laugh my ass off, but
I am holding you to it. I'm coming in November.
Speaker 3 (55:58):
I will probably be celebrating a friends forty to birthday
and fly you.
Speaker 1 (56:06):
You're all over the place. Let me swap my life
with you.
Speaker 3 (56:09):
Please. I think you have a great life. I feel
I'm sorry I do. I have zero championships. I have
zero championships with my name.
Speaker 1 (56:15):
You've got more than championships, honey, you were more than championships.
Speaker 3 (56:19):
Listen, you got champion cheekbones. You got That's that should
been name. Of the podcast Championships and Cheekbones.
Speaker 1 (56:25):
Cheekbones, Okay, that's gonna be that's my new nickname so forever.
I'd love for you to call me cheekbones.
Speaker 3 (56:31):
Okay, champion, cheeks Champ, Champion, cheek Champ.
Speaker 1 (56:34):
And cheek But I adore you and keep calling in
good energy because you are electric. You are such a
beautiful human. I literally wish nothing but insane abundance for
all things you want. And I'm a great wing woman
and I will be there every step of the way.
Speaker 3 (56:53):
I have a lot of.
Speaker 1 (56:55):
Athlete male friends who hopefully are of eight. Check that,
check all the boxes.
Speaker 3 (57:04):
I want you to text me if if you think
you know who I'm talking about, Oh.
Speaker 1 (57:08):
I'm gonna start texting you a bunch of stuff because
I'm gonna be like, how about this, how about that?
How about this? How about this? I'm going to keep
you in my spirits.
Speaker 3 (57:16):
I love that. Well.
Speaker 2 (57:16):
First of all, can I just say thank you so
much for how you affirm not only me, but the
people in your life. Like, you don't get to have
the friends you do if you're also are not that friend.
Like they're a reflection and a representation of the spirit
that you possess and like the realness that you have
because it's a lot of people out here faking it,
(57:38):
but you don't phone it in.
Speaker 3 (57:39):
You're very genuine.
Speaker 2 (57:40):
You like even when the dms like, it's just like so,
it's so affirmative and I appreciate that, and that's why
I was like, Yes, we're gonna make this happen.
Speaker 1 (57:48):
Thank you. You're such a sweetheart, and I appreciate you
being on here. I can't wait till the next special
because you make me laugh my ass off and you,
I like, can't imagine what type of material you're gonna
dive into next.
Speaker 2 (58:04):
Actually, you're gonna you're gonna hit me up. Well, I'm
gonna be doing the tour, so you're gonna be there,
but you're gonna come back.
Speaker 1 (58:08):
I'm gonna be there.
Speaker 3 (58:08):
You're gonna come back and be like, woman, what the
hell did you love? Like I didn't know any better.
Speaker 1 (58:15):
I'm gonna be front row. I'm gonna be front row,
and I know you're gonna start poking some shit fun
at me too, because I'm gonna be part of the
whole skit comedy theme. I'm bringing you up and I'm
I'm a target.
Speaker 3 (58:26):
I'm breaking, I'm bringing you up. I'm like yo, she says,
she got a high five.
Speaker 1 (58:29):
Well, I appreciate that. I appreciate you taking the time.
Thanks everyone for tuning in and listening. Yvon, you are
an absolute gift. Everyone, stay tuned for this new comedy
special that hopefully do we know when it's coming out
or when you're going on tour? Like, what's going do
we have anything you can.
Speaker 2 (58:48):
We're going on tour next spring. I definitely want to
shoot it in London, so it may be right after Wimbledon.
Speaker 1 (58:55):
Well, thank you so much for coming to hang with
us for this hour, and thanks everyone for tuning into
another episode of Wide Open. I'm your host, Ashlyn Harris,
and I will see you next week. Wide Open with
Ashlan Harris is an iHeart women's sports production. You can
find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
(59:17):
you get your podcasts. Our producers are Carmen Borca Correo,
Emily Maronoff, and Lucy Jones. Production assistants from Malia Aguidello.
Our executive producers are Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder and I'm
(59:37):
your host Ashlan Harris
Host
Ashlyn Harris
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.