Omar Gooding began making a name for himself as an actor in Hollywood since the late 80s throughout his career he’s perfected his crap in front of the camera and in recent times he’s found a way to Pivot into stand-up comedy to keep us all entertained joining me we’ve
Actually had him on the show before and it was a great time then so I’m super excited to talk with him today is none other than Omar Gooding last time you were here we had a great conversation I’m happy to have you here again to talk about some new things first and foremost
How are you oh I am blessed I’m blessed I’m good I’m uh raising these children you know we’re just coming off of summer break so I got them back in school now so I got a little more time on my hands you know what I mean but then they
Switched the schedules up my son is six my oldest is six my youngest is four so uh they switched his uh first grade class with he’s got to be at school at 8 30 in the morning so I’m blinking and drinking coffee but I’m here I’m here
We used to we like sleeping in this house we like to sleep in but ain’t no sleeping in no more so absolutely I know how it is I have God kids myself or God kids they’re not my actual children they’re just my God children but them
Getting up early trying to talk to them so yeah yeah it’s schedule and school is definitely back but speaking of having more time on your hands I want to talk a little bit about this new Venture that we’re seeing you take this year you’ve actually starting to dabble into the
Comedy space stand-up comedy to be specific how has that transition been for you from TV you know sitcoms movies and now comedy how’s that God is good man I mean it’s been a fun Journey um you know I would I always like to visualize stuff
You know as an actor growing up as an actor um and then I also do music I would visualize uh large crowds none of you give me the mic and a stage I always go off you know I’ve hosted a lot of shows and ceremonies and things like that
Um most recently I hosted a show in Detroit uh for like three hours and they told me uh well it’s just gonna be a cover show cover song contest type of thing where you just get up and you know bring the next ACT but they kept saying
Can you just feel in space can you just talk can you just keep going I was like all right well I wound up like doing three hours of stand up it was insane but it was awesome I had so I had so much fun so I had actually opened up a comedy room
Um called the uh funny AF comedy show in uh La now we were at uh yeah no we had it we had a nice venue right in Hollywood uh we did like a season’s worth of episodes you know and my thing was this okay I have a name y’all know
Before comedy so what I’ll do is I’ll just come up welcome everybody to the show you know joke around with the crowd then bring up my host as soon as the jokes start to dry out if I get to get stale they get quiet or anything I’ll be
Like all right y’all ready for your host you know you ready for the real and then I just would do more and more and more and get more and more comfortable next thing you know I’m doing like 10 minute sets 15 minute sets you know I’d get off station but that
Was a couple minutes right it was like man you left me like 20 minutes you getting over though now so most recently we did a couple of shows out in San Antonio what I’m doing now is it’s called the we out here comedy event and uh I bring in my host um
Warren D well Warren V is the guy that does it in LA and Charles Allen is the guy that when I tour we do the uh we had a comedy tour so um you know my set is just growing and growing you know the last thing I just did this is fun
Um I hosted hope floods Comedy Award Show and everybody was there it was amazing I mean we honored D.L Hughley we honored um Bentley Kyle Evans you had uh guy Tori was there uh also all of these strong comedians of you know and they were walking up to me and Chris Spencer
Slid in my ear and said yo bro you doing this man you need to be on stage more I was like damn that was dope for him to say you know what I’m saying because I really really respect stand-up comedians and uh it’s not easy it’s not easy so
We’re in San Antonio when he said well you’re just gonna host right and I was like yeah sure we did two shows so the first show I host was fun second show was like why don’t you just do a set at the end and I
Was like man and I was like nervous you know like I’ve been nervous for so long so it was fun but I had all of these jokes that I was gonna write in between like I’ll come up here I’ll try this but to just run them all together for like a
30 minute 20 something minute sack was it was really challenging but it’s really rewarding now you mentioned a couple people and I guess this answers my next question how has the response been from other comedians because I know typically like you said stand up is not and personally
For me it’s not an art that you can play with you know like it’s something very serious it takes a lot of gift if you will so how has that response been has it all been positive from comedians surprisingly enough it really has you know um so like a guy like Charles Allen
Was always fun because he was a I I hired him to be a punch-up writer on my series um family time back in the day you want to do a 91 episodes he came in about 20 episodes deep and he was saying man you got to try this stand-up thing man
Because I feel like you would succeed if you just you know committed to it you know I mean write some jokes really you know try it and I would like I said I would dabble and I would try it here there and he was like bro you got to
Just get out there and really just do it you gotta just just get out just jump on out there and see what happened and you know it worked you know and it’s funny the first time ever that I got on stage was oh my goodness had to be about
10 15 years ago God and a promoter drove me he picked me up in a limo it was about me still used to do limos he said we’re gonna drive out the Redlands and I want you to just come be a guest at this comedy show and uh halfway through the
Show it’s like hey my headliner ain’t showing up uh how much would it take to get you on stage and I was like ah depends on how much tequila I have you know I’m just joking and making jokes next thing you know I’m sitting in the
Crowd and they’re like so coming to the stage very funny comedian you guys are gonna love him you’ve seen him in hang with Mr Cooper the smart guy baby boy I started looking around like I must know this dude because he been in everything I’ve been in I’m like who is he talking
About they were like oh my good thing and I was like what you know so I jumped on stage and the light was bright and I was like damn this light is bright I’m out of this sweating already if you just started giggling everything I said they
Were laughing at now you just right it was great and then I thought of something I was like man we’re in the middle of nowhere all these picks I didn’t think anybody would laugh then it got quiet I was like whoa uh anybody see the movie baby
Dude it was great you should have kept going I was like no I was supposed to be up there so so it was fun man it’s been it’s been a great journey from there to now and I’m gonna I mean I’m super excited because you’re gonna be coming
To the Atlanta comedy theater for four shows between October 6th and 7th so I’m super excited to see you in person because every time we have conversation I will say I do laugh as well so I’m excited to see you on stage also now I want to transition a little bit because
The thing I know about being an artist right like creating multiple streams of income is important and I think one of the things that we’re seeing in the reasons why is the writer strike so you know I think it’s it’s perfect timing to have this conversation for you how have
You been handling or how has it been during this Rider strike now that you’re taking on a new Venture in comedy yeah so for me I’ve always had my hands in a bunch of different pots I’ve always had something else going on like I mentioned
A little bit I do music as well you know I have an album dropping uh October 19th which is my birthday um so what I would do is as an actor and a writer and a father and a director I do so many things anyway I’m always
Juggling you know and I have to that’s kind of how I focus if that makes sense like if I’m on set I’m reading lines and I take a break from mad then I get an idea and then I’ll start writing lyrics for a song or um you know I’ll think of
Some jokes now and then I’ll start writing them around so I already had a bunch of different things going you know um you know I just finished a series called Saturdays for Disney I signed a contract with Disney right we finished uh 15 episodes that filmed out in
Chicago it was six months of work plus we had to learn how to roller skate because it’s about the roller skating culture in Chicago right so um and it’s funny I keep rubbing my legs we just went skating the other day with my kids first time in like a year and I
Was just like man I got you got to stay on it anyway uh so um we were warned you know they were like a writer strike is coming so there’s gonna be you know probably we probably won’t start season two until you know maybe six months seven months
As opposed to you know we’d already been off for about six or seven months and I already knew you know what I mean so I had other Ventures going um you know this comedy show that I’m doing we also film it right so we have six or seven episodes already in the
Tank we were gonna either put it on 2B like straight away or shop it so right now once we saw the finished edit we said wow this thing came out pretty good so we’re shopping it now to see where it goes you know what I’m saying so you
Just gotta stay busy which is easy for me because I have so many things that that I do you know so um again when it hit you know as an actor also it’s funny I always laugh about this when you’re on a show when you’re on a movie when you’re on a project
When it gets near its completion the question someone always says is so what do you got next you know what I mean and I’m always like what’s wrong with this I’m doing this like why are you always worried about what’s next but that’s what I have to do it’s like the culture
Of Hollywood what’s next yeah what you got going on after this man you know a lot of times I feel like I don’t know it depends you know we’ll see what what pops up but for the past few years even since the pandemic hit it’s things have been lined up you know what
I mean you gotta look you got to be booked six months ahead you know what I mean whether it’s a meeting about developing something or starring in something or producing or writing or directing or whatever it is you got to have all those you know right right now
My schedule I’m probably more busy now than I was last year even though I was coming off the heels of filming a series absolutely and let me make sure I correct myself because it’s actually an actors and a writer strike so thank you for bringing in both of those because it
Is important to note that both of those are happening right now and what we’re seeing and now of course A lot of people are speaking out about this a lot of people are out you know marching and being very active um two people in particular that have
Been speaking out before the strike and now during is Monique and Countess Vaughn regarding The Parkers um you know they’re talking about their residual income being minimum if not at all what are your thoughts on that being that I know you’ve been a part of multiple black sitcoms we’ve talked
About sitcoms on UPN and how those sitcoms are treated now we’re talking about when they’re streamed I know you have baby boy streaming and things like that what are your thoughts on you know Monique and council’s Vaughn saying hey pay us what we’re owed not more than
That but just what we’re old for for residual income well it’s all about uh standing with your brothers and sisters now what I mean by that is you know a lot of actors well not a lot of actors but some actors are successful some actors say business some actors are on
TV shows and movies consistently they have the next project already lined up right but there are the majority of actors and you know entertainers who aren’t as fortunate so that’s what’s so important about all of this because it’s for them you know when I do stand up
I probably shouldn’t say this but when I did it like this last stand-up gig that I did I was laughing I was making jokes saying I didn’t ask for the strike I’m working I’m fine I’m like I got my checks it’s coming in you know what I mean I already knew the position
But that’s why my lawyers negotiated this strong uh deal for you know so forth and so on you know and I signed to Disney we stream on Disney plus and we’re shown on Disney Channel and I had asked after a while I said man this show
Comes on Fridays uh but it also comes on Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday was gonna be crazy and they’re like well I actually know the contract the way it’s structured and so forth and so on and no you probably won’t see a residual for a long time I was like damn that’s
Interesting uh well it’s a good thing that you guys negotiated what you get because you know this first paycheck is pretty house anyway so but I you know I do understand the frustrations and it’s really more important for the actors even though again try to get the censor myself here
Because you know that it rubbed a lot of people the wrong way but when you do stand up sometimes you just and as I’m transitioning to it I’m sometimes you just gotta take the risk you got to say it and the truth of it is when you look
At the people out there striking I was just like who these These are um it’s not a lot of English actors out there on point is what I’m saying you know what I’m saying is there’s a lot of actors out there who are you know they’re striking at Disney but they’ve
Probably been on a lot four times in their whole life so it’s like you’re standing out in front of you um uh but I I get it I get what you’re doing you need things to change so that even if you uh you don’t work as much as
These other actors you should be able to make enough money to still make a living right so there’s a lot of money that they should be getting we all could be getting um that would make life a lot easier you know what I mean so the the I think the
Studio heads in the executive saying with all this money we’re paying you like calm down it’s like well you’re paying some of us this money the rest of them are getting just enough you know what I mean but they still have to have other jobs they still have to have side
Gigs and so forth and so on so um I totally understand it you know uh right when it started again I was just like with you you know we knew what it was that we were signing on for and now when you realize how much money they’re
Making you’re like oh damn we should get a piece of that too so I kind of see both sides of It kind of you know what I mean but you know whatever comes of this uh it it should have it’ll be something to where we’re happy that we did it at
The end of the day you know as long as you um you stand on on your beliefs and your principles in the sense of like you know we gotta hold fast here don’t just settle for nothing don’t compromise for nothing that’s why I’ve kind of lived my
Whole life in my career anyway you know you don’t see me in certain projects when you should just be on that why don’t you just do this do that I’m like no so I’m going to make sure that I don’t compromise for the sake of my fans and fandom you know
What I mean so it’s it’s really the same thing with the strike right so let me ask you because I’ve been seeing a lot of people to be very open about what those residual checks look like I’ve seen as low as 30 cents which to me you know for me from outside
Perspective right I’m not an active actor or actress so it’s not something I would know like okay hey that’s what you signed up for so on and so forth so let me ask you I know baby boy is you know a show or excuse me a movie that’s
Streaming are you able to share what your residual checks look like or is it something that affects you I know you say you know you you kind of know what you sign up for you have lawyers that kind of stand in those places are you still receiving residual compensation
Four-year sitcoms and movies like baby boy and what do those look like if you’re able to share yeah no I totally do but for me um it’s never been a thing where I had to live off of the residuals do you understand what I’m saying like I’ve
Done so many shows and movies when I get a check in the mail and it says sag I open it up and be like nice and then I just deposit it you know I don’t go who finally it’s here what the hell all right okay we can pay that light bill
Like you know what I mean so I get the struggle that they have but for me um you know I’ve been working for over 30 years in this business so I get checks dated back to you know corporations that I formed in the 90s you know I mean it’s it’s more gravy for
Me than anything else you know when you get a residue oh and there’s a residual oh great but like you know the initial payday was nice too you know if you handle your money and manage your money or if you’re consistently working then it’s not as big a deal you know what I
Mean but I do know people that live Check to Check and and some of those most of those checks are residuals you know what I’m saying so even residual you think about you do the job and you know today if you’re filming right now you won’t see the residual for at least
Six seven months eight months you know what I mean so what are you doing in between anyway if you’re in the meantime you know means so so it’s just it’s really like that right yeah the baby boy it’s funny one came the other day I was just like wow okay that’s still coming
In nice you know as you deposit it but you’re you know it has decreased and I have seen some like why would they even write this like I’ve I’ve seen a check that came in for like eight cents now just like it would cost more to get it
In the paper like this to send it then it does zero cents um it’s like let me just group them all together and then send it when it’s at least a thousand dollars or something but yeah so so help us understand this for for someone that’s not in the business right
Because and I’m gonna just paint the picture of what some people may perceive things to be people may perceive things baby boy is showing on a BT for example because we bring a baby boy are you seeing those roll in every time baby boys played or is it as you said you
Know six seven months later exactly what does that look like go ahead it’ll be quarterly so you know as many times as they show baby boy um that’s probably between that and smart guy those are probably my heaviest residuals that I get um and they will come quarterly
Quarterly is like you know uh four times a year you know what I mean so every like four or five months you’ll see a checkbook oh okay you know I usually let them Stack Up anywhere in deposit like I said but um yeah they’ll they come again fairly
Regularly but it’s not like a thing where I’m checking with sag to be like man where’s that baby boy check yeah I mean times the top yeah it’s a pandemic can I get that little you know but uh but yeah but no they they come like for
It okay well I appreciate you know I just felt like having you here especially what we’re seeing with the actors in writer strike I think it was important to have that conversation now of course I can’t have you on without talking about some of your iconic roles
Um that you’ve played in but before getting into some of those because I don’t think I’ve asked you this before what are some roles that you’ve turned down that we didn’t get to see you in because you know we know all the ones that we’ve seen you in but are there any
That you’ve turned down that we didn’t well see the funny thing is um you know I’ve always been a TV actor right so when I transitioned into movies and I did baby boy um we knew or at least hope or suspected it would be a hit and it would change my
Career we being you know my team um and and put it on a different trajectory like oh man now you’re going to be considered for dramatic roles right so the industry had seen it and I was getting calls but before those calls came in
Me being a TV actor I had to book my next job so after baby boy I booked a a series right um the series was called The Amazing Life of Fiona Plum or something I paid a warlock because my head was bald Stills because it’s fresh off a baby boy so I booked
This you know supposed to be a wizard some and uh it never what happened was we booked it they held which mean I couldn’t go out on anything it’s crazy and uh then they wound up not filming it and then they paid me for it anyway
First time only time ever happened in my career that was I got a super you know nice check for a whole series where the work with that I never did but they held me all year long during that year I got calls from uh they’re well they were doing this
Movie about a rapper a white rapper called Eight Mile and they and they wanted me to read for uh uh yeah for coming and and read for the what Makai got and you know the fact that I’m a rapper too that one’s stopped that one stopped so it would have been it would
Have been it’s not that I turned it down I just couldn’t go in and another one was uh Antoine Fisher’s story came in yeah that was man my man Denzel that’s that’s yeah that’s that was that was rough can we do we have any other questions
I know let’s I’m I feel you I some marks as you mentioned baby boy was a hit is a classic that people still talk about today and I know actually had an impact on you because I’ve seen you talk about that experience and how it’s changed the way that you interact with
Your cast members today can you pinpoint for our audience what exactly led to that decision to say you know hey because of my experience on baby boy I’m gonna interact with my cast members on other sets a little bit differently absolutely I mean I think it’s very
Important when uh you know I me personally I had so many things going on right the fact that I was a comedic actor uh in the 90s black sitcom era where it was a lot tougher to book dramatic roles in the transition into movies because of that fact you know I
Would you know have a pretty good audition be very impressive in the room but then they would look at my credits and my name and say no let’s go with someone else you know there was even an area where they were hiring rappers over actors for a long period of time seen
Them out like really DMX damn it okay but anyway so uh what I had to do when on baby boy was I had to really prove myself like even fellow actors are saying oh man we hear you got that role of sweepy man good luck and I was just
Another chip comes another chip and it just all kind of boiled up which led to the um performance being what it was a lot of it a lot of it was that a lot of it was me growing up out here in LA and and being able to relate to it and knowing
Characters like that which you know I kind of was kind of a hybrid it was some experience that I went through plus with you know friends that I grew up with and then the coach that they had there it was an actual live uh member of the 60s Crips and um
All of that combined made me very standoffish towards the rest of my past if you weren’t someone that I was supposed to develop a close relationship with intimately then I didn’t want to spend any time with you on set I was on set playing this role who was just like
A sheltered close-off guy who had a woman he loved you know what I mean so her and I developed a relationship off camera but that was it it was kind of like you know and it was funny too the way the both of our lives were she was a
Young girl attractive girl who wasn’t um just to put a little bit of her business out there um as out there as she appeared to be if you know what I mean I mean she’s a young girl who was over developed um I think she was around 20 years old
At the time so you know she wasn’t as fast and as is out there um as some of the people around her wanted her to be you understand what I’m saying so like when they were like and she was like let’s get out of here and
I’m like I’m with you let’s go and then they say oh yeah we’re all here to go do this and we’re like man please don’t go to my house you know it caused the rift between Tyrese and I because he wanted to hang to become best friends and
Really have this chemistry people see the movie and thought to be thickest things they’re like man y’all look y’all you know what I mean we actually acts out loud because you know the the actual incident was he said yo I want you to come to my house and hang out with me
And you know and stay the night eating this and I was just like no you come to my house and hang out with me and he’s like cool and he shows up at my house and I got a room full of pets you know the whole living room’s full of people
And there’s a party and he’s just like look man you know I’m trying to get there you know we actually almost butted heads and we’re just really you know kind of went at each other and I was like I see you on set for the job you know and um
I had to take some responsibility for that because you know again I was real standoffish with everybody you know John Singleton I’m trying to get to know you you know you invited me out to drink sure or you know have a dinner and discuss the role or something fun but
Let’s go hang out and chill no I got my people to hang out and chill I need to focus on this role and I need to stay locked in right but there is a middle ground you know what I mean I I often preach this to young women um who worry about
Um how did they get um not just a role but be accepted in these certain circles without having to do too much without having to put out sometimes I say it’s okay to lead somebody on just you know you you can meet them in the lobby just don’t go
Upstairs like you know you know what I’m saying you’re gonna go yeah let’s have a drink have one drink and then go to Uber like there’s you got to set boundaries but you can also be you know like the woman that I was in the movie with was
The same thing she was just completely closed off and it would rub people the long way she would look a certain way and be like yeah no thank you bye and I’m like now we can show up hang out for a little bit and then leave like there
Was you gradually learned that the reason for it is this and this is the important part when you get cast in a role it may it might not even just be my industry I’m pretty sure this this works across the board here if you’re trying to be hired for a job
The main reason other than being qualified is a lot of people qualify is are you likable are you somebody that people want to be around so a lot of people um actors included you know you’ll see these movies and you’ll see projects and I think the actor actress wasn’t that good
But they seem really likable yeah they want to hang around them I got to do this movie for months I gotta do this show for years it’s got to be somebody I want to be around a good hygiene they smile they wear you know what I mean
They Club they wash their bodies and use mouthwash and you know and they they always crack a good joke and you know what I mean like I like that’s who I want to hang out with you know what I’m saying and they’ll get the role or
They’ll get the job or they’ll get the part and that’s why because they’re likable they know how to work a room they know how to sell themselves you walk in and they’re smiling they talk about your shoes making them feel good oh man you look good love your hair all
Right I like her I’ll see you know she’s got the job and then they get to read my lines like oh my God why did we hurt her okay or him you know what I mean then later on you have to pay I’ve been on many uh jobs where the actor on Monday
Is not the same actor on Wednesday because they got the role but they fumbled the bag somewhere along the lines absolutely yes I’m definitely more personable I’m more um like but they’re not and it’s like no matter what the role you just have to you know do your
Preparation on your own and then be prepared when you get there you know even when you do auditions it’s funny now I don’t audition as much anymore now you know it’ll be a like a zoom call or something like that you’ll meet the producers or whatever you’ll read to
Make sure that you can still read and so for the song but back in the day in these audition rooms they used to be it was really a fight because you would walk in you know a couple people and they want to talk to you hey man what’s
Going on I’d be like leave me alone I’m trying to get these lines I’m trying to stay in this world trying to stay focused so you had to know how to you know make sure you’re doing your job while still avoiding everybody else I’d walk in I’d see everybody I’d sign in
And I’d leave and then I try to time about when I’m about to go on and go into the room and then in the room that’s another challenge how do you work the room and get to talking to everybody get comfortable with you cracking jokes and now you’re likable and they’re like
All right let’s read the scene you’re like okay wait a minute let me start a lot right man it seems like just a lot of layers and a lot of things to think about when you’re going in and out and also too even like the way that you did it kind
Of felt like method acting when you just like really immerse yourself in your character but I do understand also just taking that accountability of how it can also impact others now um I know there was something between you and Tyrese and maybe others but have you and Tyrese
Talk since then or since that movie it was just kind of that’s where it ended no no no no we cool now I mean um okay I think you know initially it was something but it was you know I don’t hold grudges like that you know I mean
I’ll tell a story about it this and that the third but even them his career flourished my mind Fleur everybody did great you know what I mean it wasn’t like uh oh man this guy you know but uh yeah he gave me a call and it’s funny
Man you know and I and I I keep him in my prayers because I know he’s battling a lot um but he had called me right before the pandemic hit and we went I went to his house and we sat down and he had this really good idea this really great
Concept on how to do not so much a sequel because John single did it already passed but it was an idea of combining all of the movies in the South Central world into one script idea you know what I mean and I think the only
Problem with it it was just all of the movies you know they were directed and produced by different companies and how you know he but he got all of the actors to sign off on so it was great idea that he happened I don’t I I need to have another conversation
With you because I have an idea on how to fix it um I may just be spilling the beans on it but it’s it’s what it is um it was great to see him and and again you know every time I see him I’ve seen
Him a few times after that yeah no and I was gonna say what I love of how you when you brought him up was just like you know sending him well wishes because you understand what he’s going through because right now and I don’t know if you’ve been saying that Tyrese has been
In these headlines um obviously you know from his marriage and those things but also what we see with him and DJ Envy and you know that whole back and forth and we talked about it on the show and honestly it was just one of those things
Where for me seeing two black men go ahead and head in that type of light it was just like I wish you could handle it you know behind closed doors y’all you know you take care of that and not in the Limelight especially given what Tyrese has experienced but I love from
Your perspective do you think the criticism that he’s receiving do you think it’s fair being that you’ve and not specifically just DJ Envy just in general the the general public you know criticizing Tyrese do you think it’s fair the critic um yeah the criticism that Tyrese is getting the backlash that
He’s getting what are your thoughts there I’m not sure how people deal with um well how do I phrase this like I have a very close friend of mine too if he has anything wrong with him if something happens if he has if he’s not feeling
Well so forth he’ll go to Facebook and make a post about it you know not everyone’s in his business and now they’re calling him and saying hey man I wish you well and I’m sorry you’re feeling down and people will call me and
Be like yo man you need to go see him I think he’s like you know trying to think it’s like what why would he post it then you know so it’s it’s one of those things where if you’re worried about the criticism don’t post this like let’s let’s
Keep it to yourself you know so I I some of it a lot of it for me is a cry for attention but it’s a cry for help the only way you know how you might not have the right people around you you don’t have a team you obviously don’t have a
Support system you know what I mean if I’m going through something that deep I’m on my knees you know I mean I’m praying to God I’m taking my time with him and saying Lord let me quiet myself and hear the right solution the right answer to this you know what I mean as
Opposed to help me y’all somebody reach out to me I need this or why is this guy doing this or so forth and so on if it’s not a publicity thing if you’re not a rapper selling an album then I don’t think you should be airing your business
Out there anyhow you know and a lot of people fall fall victim to that you know I’ve worked with some other um entertainers and celebrities that do that I’m just like why are you making a post about this because in all the comments and they just gonna rip you
Apart and now it’s out there you know what I mean now if it’s something that gets caught on tape that you have to defend sure but if you’re putting it out there then you’re gonna have to accept what comes back yeah and a lot of people felt like
Tyrese was kind of in the Limelight because he’s you know just trying to promote his album and things like that but do you think it’s more so that do you think he’s genuinely crying out for for help in the way that he knows yeah I think it’s a combination of the
Two you know I don’t know them well enough uh to know exactly you know what I mean um I know whenever I see him because a lot of times you know you’ll see somebody even come man I gotta get I gotta get around them and look them in
The eye and see what’s what and what I see face to face is like oh you’re fine you you’ve got this under control you know what I mean so maybe you’re putting on a bit you know so a lot of people like I said some people just like
Attention in that way you know I’ve never I’ve been more of a a private person as far as my you know personal life and myself so it’s like when it gets out you have to defend it you have to talk about like I have no problem people talk about the questions
You want me to ask president whatever because I don’t know how to censor myself I’ll figure it out something you see me looking this way and I go should I say that yeah I would say that uh you know we’ll just be on the plot you’re a great interviewer I’m like yeah you’re
Right because I wouldn’t maybe I shouldn’t have said that but um but yeah but I think for the most part he’s a grown man yeah now let’s get into um royal family because that I think that’s an anonymous I think that is an iconic um sitcom in which you were on
For and correct me if I’m wrong for three episodes I think you play art if I’m corrected to come on yeah yeah I told you I wanna I wanna talk about your roles we you know I love having you on so being able to get some
Of your your thoughts on these were you originally cast to be on for for three episodes or exactly how did that role come about for on Royal Family yeah royal family man that was one of the first um shows that I was a part of you
Know and then Mike the way my career started too I would get cast for a smaller role and then it would expand I would always seize opportunities they would give me a line that wasn’t meant to be funny or entertaining sometimes it’s just like a filler line like hear
The joke the punch line is here you just have to set it up but I will say it in a way to make it funny and they’ll be like oh damn now there’s two jokes you know we need to give them more now we need to do this we need to do that
Um and it’s blowing my mind out because Jermaine Hopkins reached out to me on a uh uh uh earlier today I was like oh man he’s looking just royal family um but uh yeah so I’m pretty sure that’s how that went you know it might have
Been just a one guest roll the minute they said now we want to offer reoccurring you know because usually with a recurring role it’s like an option they don’t want to say you’re you’re you’ve got it they just we may write you into an episode so if you’re
There you’re there that’s kind of kind of how that went yeah now what I love about being on common head because obviously I’m not a comedian by no means necessary but I learned a lot of the backstories of these shows that maybe I’ve watched or someone from my family
Has introduced to me and one of those was royal family which is why I was like oh hey we’re gonna have Omar I would love to talk to him about this because you would come in after the unfortunate passing of red fox um and of course not everybody knows
Exactly what happened I’m gonna actually play a clip um of Della Reese who actually goes into it and things of that nature but first just from your perspective you know you coming in were you briefed on you know what happened did you hear about rip this passing of exactly what happened
What from your perspective what was that like coming into royal family after that passing yeah I mean I wasn’t a character to where I was privy to all of that or on a need to know type of thing again I think it was a it was a day player because I
Was around him with uh uh Lorenz and everybody so we were really just focused on our stuff um and plus you know then you you know you had the onset moms you know they they did all that the talking and the gossip and whatnot my mom was very good at
Being like focus on your lines do your jobs you can get more episodes don’t worry about that outside noise yeah I mean uh so so yeah so me I was really I was really really focused back then as far as just like I can concentrate on one thing and do
That well and that was just that was the job um but yeah with Della Reese and everybody it was such a great cast man and I got to work with her uh Touched by an Angel too so you know it’s it’s it’s it’s been a long career you just you
Didn’t put that back boy play the clip I can’t wait to watch this thing but okay okay well let’s take a look at this Dela Reese uh clip and we’ll be right back let’s take a look now we are all sitting in the lobby of the hospital the doctor comes out and
Says uh Mrs Fox we’ve done all that we can do your husband is gone and standing this close were two of The Producers and they said what are we going to do with this script this script was written for red and Ella what who’s going to replay she’s sitting right here they
Just told her that her husband was dead and I went crazy I went absolutely insane on everybody got in my car and left and I made up my mind in that car on the way home that I wasn’t ever going to do television that way again should have
Had he should have had a a right out of the show but instead they said Jack a in there and she’s a wonderful comedian but that was not the time nor the place they just reached out and got her and sat her in there and he never got the treatment
He needed he was not phased out of it like he didn’t get an accident or didn’t get sick or something and so he was no longer in it just one day he was there and one day he wasn’t now of course you being a part of that
Show not only you being an active actor but also a father and you have a family after seeing that how does that make you feel uh yeah man I mean you know it unfortunately you have to have thick skin being uh African-American being black being a male uh being in this
Business being in this industry it doesn’t surprise me um in the least to find out that that’s how he was treated uh obviously if something like that happened today it would be a grand Uprising there would be protests shirts hats social media protest like it would just go on and on and on
Um unfortunately the era that they lived through that was the norm you know these these execs these producers these directors that’s how they were brought up to treat blacks to treat African-American to treat actors whether they were the star where they were guest casts where they would it doesn’t matter
Um uh fortunately we’ve come a long way um maybe not far enough but we’ll we’ll get there as as as long as it takes and eventually but um that’s you know it definitely was shocking to find out who died on set like that I mean I didn’t I didn’t know
About that that didn’t you know that they especially as a close to a child as I could have been at the time actor they would have shielded us from that information anyway they would say it is red fox died like you know there was never any discussion of that on set so
Um yeah that’s that’s that’s definitely heavy man I mean it’s it’s I’m happy to hear that Della Reese uh told that story and how she stood up because that’s the another major point that I try to make to young actors um is that you have to stand up for
Yourself because there’s a lot of people here that will take advantage I mean people in general will take advantage of you if you allow them to treat you a certain way you know I mean as actors too they figure well you get paid good money you can stand there in the Sun or
Uh in in front of these hot lights and just sweat while we adjust these camera marks we’re like no that’s what second team is there for you know I had did a movie with a young actor um about a year ago and he was the lead
And he was asking me for advice and stuff and but it was kind of a funny story because I was making sure to stand up for myself being a veteran and knowing sex and what they need and what they don’t need um crew members and you know and 80s and
There are people that are it’s their job to look after the actors and then on some sets some Productions uh they don’t you have to kind of look out for yourself you know if you’re standing somewhere and you know you could be sitting if you need to
Take a break if you need some water if you need to use the restroom sometimes you’ll just hold all that in because you don’t know if you can go or no one’s told you anything or they’re ignoring you you know what 10-1 I’m out of here
You know what can I get a water please oh yeah right away uh where’s makeup at I’m sweating I’m dripping a little bit where are they you know you know every time they said cut I would walk off and get into the shade where the young actor was just still sitting
There sweating after a few two or three takes and me talking to him I would notice every time I walk off I turn around he’s right behind me walking with me and I was like all right man you gotta you kind of got to pace yourself
Up and you can’t just kind of do what I do because I’ve kind of earned this uh but you do need to be cognizant of that that you have rights that you you know they need you as much as you need them so don’t let people just treat you a certain way
Um and that’s it’s just extremely unfortunate um uh that that’s uh how uh his career ended and then also how he was treated from Human to human and then the people are like that but yeah I mean you know it’s it’s it’s something that I wish
More people would see and be aware of to know that that’s how we were treated and sometimes that’s why our responses are as such because we just take stuff like that we let it happen and go yeah well you know like even me saying oh you know
Hey I gotta have thick skin I mean I want to say oh my God but yeah uh it that I use it as fuel you know what I mean whether it is to be great whether it is to teach my sons whether it is to do comedy where it is to show emotion
And let it out you know I did a movie called AM radio not the shamelessly plug uh during the the pandemic and it was during the pandemic because you know we had negotiated the role and uh then the pandemic hit and everyone backed out of
It the investors backed out of it but me and the director stayed close and we said you know I think we can get this done after a couple months of quarantine and I said you know let’s let’s make this happen and while we were filming George Floyd was murdered and I was
Watching CNN and then the very next day I’d have my emotional scene and that was one of the easiest scenes I’ve ever had to do because I was able to just kind of pour out all of this this from the pandemic to Floyd to life to 40
Something years old and then being black and like you know what I mean it was just like boom and it was therapy for me um so I I just I I just caution uh uh you know um you know we we try to make things better for the next Generation but we
Also know that they they mustn’t forget what we all have had to endure uh as a people as entertainers um being black uh uh being young you know what I mean and then as we get greater we go okay well you know it is what it is but get more wise I’m what
What more wise the Grays are just more wise but no and I know a six-year-old boy and a three-year-old boy this ain’t nothing but stress I learned all I learned I knew he should be climbing on that but I thought maybe you’ll be all right nope
Nope nope not typically not but no I I think in addition to having thick skin I think but you also added in there you know to stand up for yourself because one of my favorite parts for Della Reese is definitely hearing her stand up but
Also too when she said and I just love the wisdom that just like you just feel when she talks kind of like Amaya Angelou and stuff like just when they talk you feel it but she said if that ever happened to my family I’m gonna
Have to come back and when I leave I don’t want to come back when she said that I was like Auntie you know what you’re right you you know so so no I do understand that I appreciate also too as we’re having this conversation you are giving advice to
Young actors because I do think that is important especially um you know us having this conversation you realizing how long your career has been coming from a veteran as yourself that’s still not only relevant but you’re you’re actually doing the work today so I appreciate you being able to
Give that advice for people that are you know coming up in this industry and and very truthful as well um now last question for you because last time you know last time we talked we talked about smart guy just a smidge and something that you told me was there
Was a pot well there was a script from JJ and Taj for a smart guy reboot and I know there were covet happened and things any updates there any reason why we still haven’t seen it did it yeah well that’s tough I mean I did I did read a
Script I did read a script uh JJ said it to me and uh you know he said Taj co-wrote it was before the pandemic so many things have changed since then so you know it’s just everyone’s had to Pivot and everyone’s saying okay you know and then now that I’ve signed with
Disney too it’d be it’d be tough for me um you know I mean if they figured out sure uh but everything has to be approved but you know I haven’t heard anything yet since the last time we talked but I did read the script I sold
Them I signed off on it like yeah you know I think it could be developed a little bit more but uh it’s definitely a good idea and uh but no people ask me all the time would you do people like oh yeah I would love to um
Yeah it’s a classic so many people have an emotional tie to it what it represented what it represents for our community absolutely we would love to see it but you know if it doesn’t you know we can also still catch you in other things but we can catch you on
Stage and specifically at Atlanta comedy theater October 6th and 7th four shows tell them tell them what to expect so they we gotta we gotta show up and show out so let them know what to expect gotta show up and show out man I’m
Working on my set so I gotta I got a lot of fun material I got a lot of things to discuss and talk about joke about give y’all a little tidbits about I have a wonderful lineup you know I have two hosts that I use when I do my shows
Um Charles Allen you can follow them Charles down 7-9 and Warren B comedian Warren V who’s uh under just funny Warren B and then I have a headliner named Charlie Mack who is an up and coming rising star that you guys are going to absolutely love he actually
Does a children’s book that he wrote he wrote for adults if you get my meaning so it’s it’s hysterical Circle right we’ve got a bunch of female comedians as well that’ll be in the house so it’ll be well-rounded well versed you guys are you guys are going to love the show we
Got four shows we’re definitely gonna cover everything cover all bases and uh and if you miss me on TV then go check out if you have Disney plus you can stream Saturdays which is produced by Norman Vance Stars myself Golden Brooks Danielle jolliday yo-yo plays The
Duchess at the skating rink we out there moving and grooving it’s got black culture black girl power with the every hairstyle you can imagine I mean it’s really strong for the culture so I’m really excited about that show and uh once this strike ends you know I mean
We’ll slide into season two and give y’all some more what we have thank you again for joining me Omar and for the audience again you can catch him at Atlanta comedy theater October 6th and 7th for four shows for comedy hype news I’m Symphony Thompson foreign
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