February 28, 2026 • 12 mins
Tisha Campbell aka Damn Gina is in town doing her comedy. We sat down and talked about her life, challenges, projects like the Lifetime movie and much more. And find out why her son calls her Gina and not mom.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, How are you blessed and highly favored? I appreciate
you know what. I thank you. I gotta thank you.
I was about to say, Gina, but I gotta thank you.
T shirt.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
That's all good for.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Bringing some sunshine to Metro Detroit, for bringing some warmth.
I went outside. I unzipped my hood.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I would never unzipped. It's freezing.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Girl. No, this is hot.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Oh this is hot for y'all.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I could work, I could wear shorts.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
No, I'm glad to I'm glad to oblige.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I'm glad to oblige.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
You brought it home, Gina, you brought it home.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I actually am because this is the birthplace of Martin
and Gina Payne.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Right, that's right. W z U.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
How you go?
Speaker 1 (01:04):
How are you back here? And you're doing comedy? You
got your comedy show at the mic drop tonight and Saturday.
Tell me about how funny it is this because I
hear it's like doing comedy. You're talking about personal life.
You tell your storytelling.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I'm telling all my business telling. Oh my business.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
But I think people are really gonna like it because
I often talk about this like there's no screen. This
is why I love stand up so much. There's no
screen between me and the audience. There's no character that
I'm playing. I'm actually playing myself and they get to
know me a little.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Bit better, you know what I mean. So it's very nice.
I like it. I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Oh no calling me sorry, I should have put it on.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Do not disturb my bad.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I should have did the same thing, and I did
not do it. So you know, it happened to me
on my side too, So you know, shamble everybody. Do
you ever get tired of people calling you Gina? And
that's why we had it. Embrace the damn Gina.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
No, I just embraced it because listen, my son calls
me Gina.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
He doesn't call me mommy.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
What No, he doesn't call me mommy because okay, So
for a long time, and I.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Even talk about this on stage.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
For a long time, I kept my sons as far
away from Hollyweird as possible. I didn't showed them none
of my work or anything. But when he was three
years old, one of the babysitters, Nla Wayan's Keenan's daughter.
She was babysitting him, and she showed him The Martin
Show like she streamed the whole thing for him. So
when I came home, I was like, what are y'all doing?
(02:43):
And he turned around. He was like, hey, Gina. So
he's been calling me Gina ever since, and I was like, no,
I'm gonna kill you.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
We should have known this story before because I just
talked to Marlin. I would have brought that up.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Oh, I don't think Marlon who knows that story.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Oh he would have loved it.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
He would have loved it. Though he would have loved it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
He would have loved it. So Mike drop tonight, guy
to rock.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yes, my boy, God Tori. Y'all, y'all know how guy
Tori is. He's funny, and he gave me his stamp
of approval. So I'm just saying, if y'all want to come,
have a good time, come come.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Through, come through, don't beat around the bush, get there early,
get there on time, have a drink, sit down, and
get your last listen.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
One of my favorite things about doing comedy, because again
this is all new for me, I never did stand
up before in my life. I know people assume I
did because I work with so many stand ups, But
one of my favorite things is to help people forget
their problems for a little while, you know what I mean.
And that's what we aim to do. Like just have
y'all have a good time and chuckle it up.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
That's all I want.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Oh my god, Amen, let's talk about Mary J. Bliges.
Be happy you gave up on my TV.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I was like, Gina, I know, it's something people aren't
used to seeing me do because I started out doing
theater and doing drama. If you wanted somebody to cry
at the drop of a dime, I was always the
girl that they would pick. But then I kind of
fell upon the whole comedy thing and I became known
(04:28):
for that. So I was really happy that Gabet sit
A Bay who directed it, who you guys know from
an American horror story, like you would know her work.
She's amazing actress. But this is her feature directorial debut,
and we had worked together before, and I was really
(04:50):
excited to work with her and that she gave me
the opportunity to show that I can stretch a little bit.
And so it was her and Mary of course, and
then everybody else. It was just it was an amazing project.
And then when Mackay and MacKaye Fifer and Russell B.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Horn Russell B. Hornsby.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Russell Hornsby came on and signed on to do it.
I really knew we had something special, so Lifetime was
very happy about those numbers. Thank you guys for watching.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I have to admit I was one of those guys
that watched.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Oh were you mad at me too? All the guys
are mad.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Oh yeah, we got problems like can you interview teaching that?
I'm like, oh yeah, because we got problems.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Listen, most of the women was cheering me on, cheering
that character on, but the man I was getting cussed out.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Y'all got to step up.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
It's all We're all good now, No good, I'm good.
Down good. Lord her Mercy, a little bushy bird told
me that we are working on a book.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yes, I am.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
All the other things that I got on my plate.
I decide that I don't want a ghost writer. I'm
going to write my own book and I'm a stod.
HarperCollins is the publisher, and it's called The A Word,
and we just announced that it's going to be coming
out September fourteenth, but it's already ready for pre sales
(06:35):
on Amazon. And it's called the A word, and it's
about my journey with my son having autism, okay.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
And I knew that this.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Was something that people have been like, if I'm even
flying somewhere, I'm running to people and they're like, when
are you going to write a book? When are you
going to write a book? And finally I sat down
and did it. Took a whole couple of months off
from work to just concentrate on writing this book.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
And you know what I found?
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Where did you find?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Okay? I found out that if you take away the
trauma and the menopause, there's some intellect and a lot
of vocabularies stuck in this break.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I mean a lot.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I've really paid attention in English class.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
So Dad, you you there's a lot. Amen today, I'm
glad you realized that there's Yo.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
I was so proud of myself. My own mother said
that this is the best thing that you've ever produced
next to your kids. Oh yeah, and that's a very
big compliment. I really my goal, honestly was to help people,
you know, just by telling them my story, and I
hope that maybe it'll give them some guidance. It's really difficult,
(07:59):
you know, when you're dealing with different individuals on the spectrum,
because everybody gets a different mix.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
It's not all the same.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
But if my story proves anything, it's like resilience and
hope in the face of so much adversity and laughter,
Like it's just who I am and so intermingled in
some of the most horrific, heaviest things that could happen
(08:31):
to me. I still find the levity in some of
the moments. And so I think people, I mean, doing
stand up is one side of me, but this other thing,
this book, is a whole nother thing. You're gonna be
able to I completely take off the mask. So I
(08:51):
think people will really like it.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
That's good. I don't know how you found the time,
just because it doesn't seem like you're working. I mean,
we haven't even to talk talk about, you know, your
recurring role with ms Pat.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know I love Pad. I stopped her. I freaking
stopped Pat. I did every time, Like she never comes
to La. She hates La. She hates Hollywood, right, but
some kind of way, every time she was in town,
I run into her, and so I.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Will run up to her and I go, I want
to do your show. Don't worry about the money. Don't
worry about nothing. I need to do your show.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
She was like, you really want to do mos show?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
And I was like, yeah, bad, I want to do
your show. I'm not playing if I could work it
out with my schedule. And a year later we finally
worked it out schedule wise, and I ended up on
the show. And it is my honor and my pleasure
because to me, Patt is on the forefront of doing
something really different with doing an R rated sitcom.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Which is unheard of.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
She's the first of her kind, and I wanted to
be a part of her legacy, of her history, supporting
her as a sister, and so the stocking helped.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
The stocking helped.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
But I'm very glad that I got a chance to
do this show.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
You know. I'm glad to see teacher that I'm not
the only one who stalks. You know. I'm trying to
get Marlin to put me in a scary movie. Oh,
to commit to me doing scary movie seven. I just said,
I just want to be in the movie and get killed.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I don't have to have a big part. Just kill me, to.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Hit me with a car and drop something on me.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I love them I loves.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah, yeah, so that yeah, so I start to I
put it out there in the universe. You know, they
don't know it yet. Like I'm gonna be a part
of the whole Black Panther franchise.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
I don't all go ahead.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
That's because you know Wakanda Forever of course of them too.
So I'm just glad to look, you're not alone. I'm
not alone.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
If I if I get a chance to do Black
Panther or any Marble, my sons will look at me
and be like, you know what, You're finally doing something
with your career.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Yeah. Yeah, I was gonna tell you your son got that
Marvel kind of like cameo jacket. Yeah, huh, what size
is that?
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Extra large?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Ben? I'm coming by.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
You ain't still in my son's stuff.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
All right. I know you're busy, you're working Halrd. Make
sure you go to the show. Might drop Friday Saturday.
It's gonna be hilarious. Damn. Gina is come.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
We're gonna have a good time. I promise you.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
She brought a sunshine and warm temperatures. I am loving it.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Okay, you're gonna be there, Yes, let's go.
Hi, How are you blessed and highly favored? I appreciate
you know what. I thank you. I gotta thank you.
I was about to say, Gina, but I gotta thank you.
T shirt.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
That's all good for.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Bringing some sunshine to Metro Detroit, for bringing some warmth.
I went outside. I unzipped my hood.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I would never unzipped. It's freezing.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Girl. No, this is hot.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Oh this is hot for y'all.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I could work, I could wear shorts.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
No, I'm glad to I'm glad to oblige.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I'm glad to oblige.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
You brought it home, Gina, you brought it home.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I actually am because this is the birthplace of Martin
and Gina Payne.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Right, that's right. W z U.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
How you go?
Speaker 1 (01:04):
How are you back here? And you're doing comedy? You
got your comedy show at the mic drop tonight and Saturday.
Tell me about how funny it is this because I
hear it's like doing comedy. You're talking about personal life.
You tell your storytelling.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I'm telling all my business telling. Oh my business.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
But I think people are really gonna like it because
I often talk about this like there's no screen. This
is why I love stand up so much. There's no
screen between me and the audience. There's no character that
I'm playing. I'm actually playing myself and they get to
know me a little.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Bit better, you know what I mean. So it's very nice.
I like it. I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Oh no calling me sorry, I should have put it on.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Do not disturb my bad.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I should have did the same thing, and I did
not do it. So you know, it happened to me
on my side too, So you know, shamble everybody. Do
you ever get tired of people calling you Gina? And
that's why we had it. Embrace the damn Gina.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
No, I just embraced it because listen, my son calls
me Gina.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
He doesn't call me mommy.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
What No, he doesn't call me mommy because okay, So
for a long time, and I.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Even talk about this on stage.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
For a long time, I kept my sons as far
away from Hollyweird as possible. I didn't showed them none
of my work or anything. But when he was three
years old, one of the babysitters, Nla Wayan's Keenan's daughter.
She was babysitting him, and she showed him The Martin
Show like she streamed the whole thing for him. So
when I came home, I was like, what are y'all doing?
(02:43):
And he turned around. He was like, hey, Gina. So
he's been calling me Gina ever since, and I was like, no,
I'm gonna kill you.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
We should have known this story before because I just
talked to Marlin. I would have brought that up.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Oh, I don't think Marlon who knows that story.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Oh he would have loved it.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
He would have loved it. Though he would have loved it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
He would have loved it. So Mike drop tonight, guy
to rock.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yes, my boy, God Tori. Y'all, y'all know how guy
Tori is. He's funny, and he gave me his stamp
of approval. So I'm just saying, if y'all want to come,
have a good time, come come.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Through, come through, don't beat around the bush, get there early,
get there on time, have a drink, sit down, and
get your last listen.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
One of my favorite things about doing comedy, because again
this is all new for me, I never did stand
up before in my life. I know people assume I
did because I work with so many stand ups, But
one of my favorite things is to help people forget
their problems for a little while, you know what I mean.
And that's what we aim to do. Like just have
y'all have a good time and chuckle it up.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
That's all I want.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Oh my god, Amen, let's talk about Mary J. Bliges.
Be happy you gave up on my TV.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I was like, Gina, I know, it's something people aren't
used to seeing me do because I started out doing
theater and doing drama. If you wanted somebody to cry
at the drop of a dime, I was always the
girl that they would pick. But then I kind of
fell upon the whole comedy thing and I became known
(04:28):
for that. So I was really happy that Gabet sit
A Bay who directed it, who you guys know from
an American horror story, like you would know her work.
She's amazing actress. But this is her feature directorial debut,
and we had worked together before, and I was really
(04:50):
excited to work with her and that she gave me
the opportunity to show that I can stretch a little bit.
And so it was her and Mary of course, and
then everybody else. It was just it was an amazing project.
And then when Mackay and MacKaye Fifer and Russell B.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Horn Russell B. Hornsby.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Russell Hornsby came on and signed on to do it.
I really knew we had something special, so Lifetime was
very happy about those numbers. Thank you guys for watching.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I have to admit I was one of those guys
that watched.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Oh were you mad at me too? All the guys
are mad.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Oh yeah, we got problems like can you interview teaching that?
I'm like, oh yeah, because we got problems.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Listen, most of the women was cheering me on, cheering
that character on, but the man I was getting cussed out.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Y'all got to step up.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
It's all We're all good now, No good, I'm good.
Down good. Lord her Mercy, a little bushy bird told
me that we are working on a book.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yes, I am.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
All the other things that I got on my plate.
I decide that I don't want a ghost writer. I'm
going to write my own book and I'm a stod.
HarperCollins is the publisher, and it's called The A Word,
and we just announced that it's going to be coming
out September fourteenth, but it's already ready for pre sales
(06:35):
on Amazon. And it's called the A word, and it's
about my journey with my son having autism, okay.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
And I knew that this.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Was something that people have been like, if I'm even
flying somewhere, I'm running to people and they're like, when
are you going to write a book? When are you
going to write a book? And finally I sat down
and did it. Took a whole couple of months off
from work to just concentrate on writing this book.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
And you know what I found?
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Where did you find?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Okay? I found out that if you take away the
trauma and the menopause, there's some intellect and a lot
of vocabularies stuck in this break.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I mean a lot.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I've really paid attention in English class.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
So Dad, you you there's a lot. Amen today, I'm
glad you realized that there's Yo.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
I was so proud of myself. My own mother said
that this is the best thing that you've ever produced
next to your kids. Oh yeah, and that's a very
big compliment. I really my goal, honestly was to help people,
you know, just by telling them my story, and I
hope that maybe it'll give them some guidance. It's really difficult,
(07:59):
you know, when you're dealing with different individuals on the spectrum,
because everybody gets a different mix.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
It's not all the same.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
But if my story proves anything, it's like resilience and
hope in the face of so much adversity and laughter,
Like it's just who I am and so intermingled in
some of the most horrific, heaviest things that could happen
(08:31):
to me. I still find the levity in some of
the moments. And so I think people, I mean, doing
stand up is one side of me, but this other thing,
this book, is a whole nother thing. You're gonna be
able to I completely take off the mask. So I
(08:51):
think people will really like it.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
That's good. I don't know how you found the time,
just because it doesn't seem like you're working. I mean,
we haven't even to talk talk about, you know, your
recurring role with ms Pat.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know I love Pad. I stopped her. I freaking
stopped Pat. I did every time, Like she never comes
to La. She hates La. She hates Hollywood, right, but
some kind of way, every time she was in town,
I run into her, and so I.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Will run up to her and I go, I want
to do your show. Don't worry about the money. Don't
worry about nothing. I need to do your show.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
She was like, you really want to do mos show?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
And I was like, yeah, bad, I want to do
your show. I'm not playing if I could work it
out with my schedule. And a year later we finally
worked it out schedule wise, and I ended up on
the show. And it is my honor and my pleasure
because to me, Patt is on the forefront of doing
something really different with doing an R rated sitcom.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Which is unheard of.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
She's the first of her kind, and I wanted to
be a part of her legacy, of her history, supporting
her as a sister, and so the stocking helped.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
The stocking helped.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
But I'm very glad that I got a chance to
do this show.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
You know. I'm glad to see teacher that I'm not
the only one who stalks. You know. I'm trying to
get Marlin to put me in a scary movie. Oh,
to commit to me doing scary movie seven. I just said,
I just want to be in the movie and get killed.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I don't have to have a big part. Just kill me, to.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Hit me with a car and drop something on me.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I love them I loves.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah, yeah, so that yeah, so I start to I
put it out there in the universe. You know, they
don't know it yet. Like I'm gonna be a part
of the whole Black Panther franchise.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
I don't all go ahead.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
That's because you know Wakanda Forever of course of them too.
So I'm just glad to look, you're not alone. I'm
not alone.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
If I if I get a chance to do Black
Panther or any Marble, my sons will look at me
and be like, you know what, You're finally doing something
with your career.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Yeah. Yeah, I was gonna tell you your son got that
Marvel kind of like cameo jacket. Yeah, huh, what size
is that?
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Extra large?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Ben? I'm coming by.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
You ain't still in my son's stuff.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
All right. I know you're busy, you're working Halrd. Make
sure you go to the show. Might drop Friday Saturday.
It's gonna be hilarious. Damn. Gina is come.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
We're gonna have a good time. I promise you.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
She brought a sunshine and warm temperatures. I am loving it.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Okay, you're gonna be there, Yes, let's go.
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