1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Yes, I need to speak with Wanda. Please want the 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: good morning. This is Johnny Hurston. I'm one of the 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,959 Speaker 1: academic advisors and student counsels up here community college where 4 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: your daughter goes. Your daughter, Barbara Now, I spoke with 5 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: Barbara in regards to her sister Lease Now. Her sister 6 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: just gave birth to a little baby to the name 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: of the Sierra. And I'm just trying to just want 8 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: to talk to you as two adults as to why 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: you have these two women in your house and one 10 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: of them to getting pregnant. I don't want that to 11 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: happen to barbar because you didn't already raised the Lease 12 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: wrong she married. My name is Johnny Hirston, Yes, ma'am, 13 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: and you're asking me, why is one of my daughters 14 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 1: getting pregnant? You don't want the other one to get 15 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: like Well, I'm just trying to look out for Barbara 16 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: because when them kids have them babies, it's harder to 17 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: get their education. And see, you didn't already raise one helper, 18 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: I don't want you to raise two. Well, yeah, I 19 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: don't want her to be no either. You know what, 20 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: I think you've dialed the wrong number. Hey, everybody, roy 21 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:15,639 Speaker 1: Wood Jr. Continue after the break. Every champion and carry 22 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: champions to be a champion out of Champion and carry 23 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: Champion and carry Champion the Champion and carry Champion and 24 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: carry Champion. Radis Raiders and Sports and Entertainment connectd weirder 25 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: in the world. Were vulnerable considered, we come and remove 26 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: the vail from entertainment elite. It's a difference tween with 27 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: it's real and with the public seats. So here's your 28 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: favorite celebrities behind the scenes. It's refreshing up then the 29 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: whole story specific life ought to rendevents to shake the 30 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: person that you Henry gotta champion and carry Champion the 31 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: girl you did it. It's the greatest in sports and entertainment. 32 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: Connected with every champion and carry champions to be a 33 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: Champion of Champion and carry Champion the girl Kitty kout 34 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: the Champion and carry Champion and carry Champion. Rader Fraiders 35 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: and Sports and entertain Aking naked Wier. When I was 36 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: a kid, I would often hear, hey, you act just 37 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: like your mama. Oh you got your daddy and you 38 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: that was your daddy for sure. You behave in like 39 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 1: your father. Um oh yeah, you look like your mom. 40 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: For sure, you look like your mom or your dad. 41 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: You know, we often hear we look like our parents, 42 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: but when you get to a certain age, you then 43 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 1: start to hear you're acting like them. And I have 44 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: been told over and over again that it is inevitable 45 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: you will end up like your parents or act like 46 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,959 Speaker 1: your parents in some capacity. You probably, as you're listening 47 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: to this, can think of things that you physically do 48 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: or say, or ways in which you respond or react 49 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: that are very very similar to your parents or whomever 50 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: raised you. It may not be your mother, your father, 51 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: could be your grandparents, but whomever raised you, whoever had 52 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: the most influence on your life, well you then in 53 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: fact have some of their traits. It's unavoidable. That's what 54 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: I've come to learn, and my case specifically, I talked 55 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: very honestly about the boundary that I've put in place 56 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: for me and my mother in order for us to 57 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: have a form of a healthy relationship with my family 58 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: in general, my father as well, but in order for 59 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: us to have a healthy relationship, I've put these boundaries 60 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: in place. And sometimes boundaries are respect of space, sometimes 61 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: they are a well, all the times their respective space. 62 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: There are rules that are instituted if you are in 63 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: someone's presence. Um, I give myself boundaries, I give my 64 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: family boundaries. However, you can put up a wall, you 65 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: can build a brick wall, you do whatever the hell 66 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: you want to do. There are the things that you 67 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: will pick up from these people who have influenced you 68 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: and raised you. It is inevitable or contraste, now that 69 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: I think about it. You will behave the opposite of 70 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: your parents based on how you were raised. For instance, 71 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: you know, if I'll make up something, my mom smoked cigarettes, 72 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: and I'm not making it up that's true, but I 73 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: knew I hated the smell of smoke, and so I 74 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: wasn't going to smoke cigarettes like that just was going 75 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: to be a no no, and it was unhealthy. And 76 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: I remember thinking as a kid, I'll never do that. 77 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: It could drive you the opposite way. Their behaviors can 78 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,799 Speaker 1: make you react and respond in in the complete opposite direction. 79 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: But it's all related to the fact that they have 80 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: an influence on you. So today's guest Rory would Jr. 81 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: Obviously named after his father. Um, this wasn't a therapy session, 82 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 1: but as I'm talking to Roy, I'm really curious about 83 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: why he decides as a comedian to to deliver the 84 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,559 Speaker 1: type of humor that he delivers. He joined The Daily 85 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: Show in as a correspondent when Trevor Noah became the 86 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: new host, taking over for John Stewart. There is a 87 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: reason why he is a Daily Show correspondent. Yes he's funny, 88 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: but there is something else there. How does he see 89 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: humor um political humor? And then how is he able 90 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: to translate and digest that? Where's his interest? I'm just 91 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: so curious about people who become correspondence right, that are funny. 92 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: You have to understand life and see life in a 93 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: certain way, and I know it has a lot to 94 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: do with how you're raised. So as you can guess, 95 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: I asked all of these questions. Uh, and Roy was 96 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: very naked. This episode, um is for those who really 97 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: truly want to understand how their parents influence their life 98 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: for better or for worse. No judgment here, because when 99 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: someone says, oh, yeah, I like your parents, some of 100 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: us may feel as if that's not a compliment. It is. 101 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: In fact, it is a compliment because there are always 102 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: redeeming qualities about any human you can find. I mean, 103 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 1: I can name a handful that or not. But perhaps 104 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: the most redeeming quality is they gave birth to you. 105 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: They gave you life. How about that? I want you 106 00:05:54,880 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 1: to sit back, relax, um and listen to my friend comedian, 107 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 1: the actor, the producer, also DJ back in the day. 108 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: I don't know if you still do that, writer, Uh, 109 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: Roy would Jr. My name is Roy Wood Jr. I 110 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:19,239 Speaker 1: was born in New York City December eleventh, ninetev Uh. 111 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: Not too long after that, Um, my parents separated for 112 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: a minute, and my mom and I hit it down south. 113 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 1: We were in Memphis for a few years, and somewhere 114 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: around second or third grade, my parents worked it out 115 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: and uh we moved to Birmingham and that's pretty much 116 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: where I stayed until I left for Los Angeles into 117 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: two thousand and seven. My parents ambitions in education, or 118 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: their thirst for education, it didn't strike me as abnormal 119 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: until I got older, because like, you only know what 120 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: you know, you know, and all I knew was my 121 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: house and you were never around any other friend long 122 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: enough to know what was going on in their house. 123 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: But you know, we're talking about my mom. My mom 124 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: was one of the first nine black people to integrate 125 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: Delta State University in Mississippi, leading protests, sitting in front 126 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: of the president's office, getting arrested, going to jail, all that, 127 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: you know. So she was one of those people that 128 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: was around, that was out here in the streets, kicking 129 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: down doors for education. So what you're not gonna do. 130 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: A little boy is not gonna get an education. Uh. 131 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: My father was the same way. You know my mom. 132 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: You know, my father is a graduate of more House, 133 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: and my mother went on to get her graduate education 134 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: at Florida and m University and then started working at 135 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: Miles College in Birmingham, which was also a private um 136 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: historically black college. So there was a sense of blackness 137 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: or being aware of where people have come and what 138 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: it would take to get over that hump. Like I 139 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: always felt like from an education standpoint, my parents were 140 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: preparing me. They weren't preparing me on some rewrite no 141 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: your numbers type ship. They were preparing me for dealing 142 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: with the world as a black person. When Roy describes 143 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: how he grew up in his family, more specifically his parents, 144 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: the words that continue to come to mind and also 145 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:37,319 Speaker 1: what he said was teachers, activists, educators, revolutionary, the first 146 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: all of these labels are very interesting, especially for a 147 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: black couple in Birmingham, Alabama. Being the first, as I 148 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: often say, comes with its cuts and bruises. So I 149 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: could only imagine his mom and his dad working in 150 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: a way in which not only were they raising their 151 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: on as a black person in America, but an educated 152 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: black person in America. Roy talks about his father as 153 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: a journalist, and he describes a man who was very 154 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: dedicated to the craft, and it's a beautiful thing to hear. 155 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: My father was a journalist. My father, UM, I don't 156 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: like the term civil rights journalists, but that's kind of 157 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: what you would consider him now, if there's a word 158 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: to put to it. You know, my father covered the 159 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: Civil War and Rhodesia back in the day. He covered 160 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 1: the riots in soil Waito. Um. He was embedded with 161 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 1: black platoons in Vietnam on the front lines, capturing the 162 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: racism and all the wild stuff that was happening to 163 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: you know, Vietnam veterans came back to Chicago and started working. 164 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: Um at well. He was the first news director of 165 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: this black news station called w v o N, which 166 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: is still there today, Voice of the Negro He did 167 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: a he did a talk show with Ernie Banks back 168 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 1: in the day. Uh, my father, you know, pretty much 169 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,319 Speaker 1: throughout the civil rights movement. You know, he was there 170 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: if it was happening. He had a tape recorder right 171 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: there on the front lines. Um, so you know, to 172 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: answer your question, I believe that was his passion, was 173 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: journalism and doing stuff for the people. I think family 174 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: was always kind of a I don't want to say 175 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: a second tier, not a non priority, but second tier 176 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,959 Speaker 1: to serve in the people. I used to get sent 177 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 1: to my dad's house from Memphis. My mom will put 178 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: me on the plane unaccompanied minor, like back in those days. 179 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: And my dad got up every morning at five am, 180 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: and by five thirty he was in front of the printer. 181 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: By nine he was in front of the printer at 182 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,319 Speaker 1: W E. N N, ripping the ap wire stories off 183 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: the printer. By five thirty he was in the chair 184 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 1: reading the news. And I sat there with whatever magazine, toy, 185 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 1: whatever I needed to entertain myself. But it's six in 186 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: the morning, I'm wide awake. I got a Hearty's biscuit 187 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: in my hand because you know, you know, black dude 188 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: living a lohine cooking no breakfast at five in the morning. 189 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: And I know I ain't getting up at five, and 190 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: I have a son and I love him, and I'm 191 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: still not getting up at five. You better getting there 192 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: and pull you some cheerios. So I would sit there 193 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: with my father until seven am. And then at seven am, uh, 194 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: Freddie Palmer, Frankie Palmer, one of my father's co workers, UM, 195 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: she would pick me up and she would take me 196 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: to Kingston Elementary School and she was friends with one 197 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: of the teachers and they would stash me in the 198 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: back of the classroom until three thirty. And that was 199 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: my father's idea of like daycare. Was my first month 200 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: of summer vacation was going back to school, and my 201 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: dad would deliberately put me in the class that was 202 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: the year ahead so that I could get a sneak 203 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: peek of what I was gonna be learning next year. 204 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: This concept of man he worked a lot that never 205 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 1: really registered at the only time. The only time it 206 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: registered was when I played Little League baseball. We moved 207 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: to Birmingham and I started playing Little League at a 208 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 1: central park and they would always have like one game 209 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: out of the season over the course of the summer. 210 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: One game, and then you know, over the course of 211 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: the summer would be the parents game where the parents 212 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: come and they would do the parents will play a 213 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: softball game before the main game or whatever. And he 214 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: never came to that. He never came to that, And 215 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: it probably wasn't if I'm being honest with you, It 216 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: probably didn't truly register until I got through high school 217 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: and I was like, you know what, do motherfucker's an? 218 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: Then the shipped it out and done, they've even the 219 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: ship take it. But then when I look back and 220 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: I take account of where were they. My mother was 221 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: in law school, my mother was working two jobs to 222 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: supplement the income because marriage started tripping again. Pops was 223 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:42,599 Speaker 1: always somewhere on the air, so it didn't feel neglectful. 224 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: It was just like, oh, well, this isn't like everyone 225 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: else's upbringing. Well, my relationship with my dad is different. 226 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: So Roy's being very naked about his parents relationship, not 227 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: so much how it affected him at this moment, but 228 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: more so about what the relationship was. Education was a 229 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: priority being a black person, and educated was a priority. 230 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: His mother was an extraordinary worker at work. Ethic is 231 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: out of control. His father's as well. However, Roy realized 232 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 1: early on that you know, his words are not mine, 233 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: that the situation, the relationship was shaky together sometimes not 234 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: together sometimes And as a result, as a young black kid, 235 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: he really did not want to be a problem to 236 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: his mother because his mother was doing it all as 237 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: we do as black women. We do it all. Go 238 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: to school, have kids, raise kids, be smart, be smart, 239 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: go to school, be smart, get a good job, you 240 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: name it, we do it all. Um, And he describes 241 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: his relationship with his mother. Now, you know, I didn't 242 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: want to be and um, I never wanted to be 243 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: a burden on my mom. And that was the thing 244 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: that I always try to avoid. So by the time 245 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: I was thirteen fourteen, I was hustling around town, you 246 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: know I and I figured out real fast that if 247 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 1: you're willing to rake leaves in the Alabama summer or 248 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 1: cut grass and at Alabama summer, you're gonna make some money. 249 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: Ten yards fifteen front and back, rake one house, get 250 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: all the leaves up in October, knock on the door. 251 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: If they say no, cool, I'm gonna wait till you 252 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: go to sleep, and I'm gonna ride my bike back 253 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: over there, and I'm gonna sprinkle leaves in your front 254 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: yard and then next week I'm gonna come ask you again. 255 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: Mobshit be ashamed if somebody put a beg of leaves 256 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: all over your yard and you have to pick ten 257 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: dollars to give him, get him raked up. I definitely 258 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: respect Roy's hustle when it comes to making money as 259 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: a kid, like rake up some leaves in my yard 260 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: right now. I ain't got no money to give you though. Meanwhile, Um, 261 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: back to his relationship with his mother, I appreciate the 262 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: way in which he's been so naked and describing what 263 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: they have gone through. And she was the type of 264 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: woman she was, the type of life she lived. Um. 265 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: He says that his family, more specifically his mom, she 266 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 1: was truly a local celebrity. What he does now doesn't 267 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: really matter. People may see him on TV, that may 268 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: sound great, but he grew up in a community where 269 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: he is quote unquote known and successful in Hollywood. But 270 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: none of that matters because the real value is what 271 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: have you done for the people around you. Birmingham is 272 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: a weird city in that Birmingham doesn't respect celebrity in 273 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: that sense. The respect what you do. They respect that 274 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: you've poured into In Birmingham, you are measured by what 275 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: you have done or what you're trying to do for 276 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: the community there in the two oh five. You can 277 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: go prance around cable and beat a man all over Hollywood, 278 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: but if you're not trying to do something that pours 279 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: back into the crib, it's fuck you. And so there's 280 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 1: you know, in my time moving around Birmingham, you get 281 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: recognized here and there, but it's not on some oh 282 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: my god, it's it's just oh yeah, that's would what's up. 283 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: But the real, the real conversations, the real connected moments 284 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: that I've had with people in Birmingham, it's with the 285 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: people who wouldn't have graduated if it weren't from my mama. 286 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: And those are the people that have pulled me to 287 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: the side in the grocery store and talked to me 288 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: for twenty minutes about something she did. And you know, 289 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: she's always only one at the best, you know, for me, 290 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: same as everybody else. But in a lot of ways, 291 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,360 Speaker 1: she's no different than my dad. She loves what she does. 292 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 1: She's never gonna retire. You know, my father worked up 293 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: until three weeks before the cancer made him two weeks 294 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: to go to the radio station. Otherwise he'd have died 295 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: on the air. We have to pay the bills on 296 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: time when we come back. More of Roy Wood Jr. 297 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 1: Every champion and every champion is to be a Champiana 298 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 1: Champion and carry Chappion and carry Chapiana. Champion and carry 299 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: Chappion and carry Chappion and sports and then the tame 300 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 1: a CONNECTD. Parker, Every champion and carry Chappion. Is to 301 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:19,640 Speaker 1: be a champion, a champion, they carry Chappi and they champion, 302 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: they carry Chappion and carry Chappion. Sportson and the tame 303 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: a CONNECTT. Warman. Hey, everyone, thank you for listening. Roy 304 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: Wood Jr. Continues. Admittedly, Roy says his parents were both alike, 305 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,919 Speaker 1: which leaves me to thank god. Roy, I see and 306 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 1: hear your parents and you your father more specifically, and 307 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 1: Roy think gets very candid and talks about his father's death, 308 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 1: and I want you to hear how I believe it 309 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: was painful to talk about. But there is such a 310 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: stubbornness maybe that's not the right word, but they're such 311 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: a toughness surrounding him when he discusses it. That same 312 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: toughness that his father displayed. I think that my father 313 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: didn't want people to treat him differently, so he didn't 314 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 1: tell a lot of people. As I remember it, if 315 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:17,640 Speaker 1: I remember it correctly, I don't even think he took 316 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 1: chemo because it made him too weak. He just took 317 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: pain shots or you know, I don't know what the 318 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:29,400 Speaker 1: non chemo alternatives are for cancer. The the convenient thing 319 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:34,479 Speaker 1: about cancer is that you get to go through the 320 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: morning process. So by the time the person dies, you're 321 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: kind of, I don't know, you're ready to get off 322 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: that roller coaster, or at least I was. It didn't 323 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: make me sad, you know, which is which is a 324 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 1: weird thing to say, But I kind of processed death 325 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: as this thing that happens to people, like I'd already 326 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: understood that. Stay advantaged to growing up with pets, you 327 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: learn about death and loss and you know the whole 328 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: life cycle. You know. Very early, my mother got robbed 329 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: at a t M in Tennessee when I was in 330 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: the first grade, and I remember crying about that as 331 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: if she had died, and like that was the first 332 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: conscious idea that, Yo, your parents, they're not gonna be 333 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: here forever. So how do you you know cherish the 334 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 1: time that you have and you know, all of that 335 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: type of stuff. So it wasn't It's not like the 336 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: movies put it that way. It ain't like the movies 337 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 1: where motherfucker come home and say you got cancered. In 338 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: the family all makes a prayer circle and they hug 339 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: and like it was as simple as your daddy bought 340 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,880 Speaker 1: a new car. One morning, my brother called and he said, um, 341 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: put your mom on the phone. And I knew with 342 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: my older I have older half siblings as well. My 343 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 1: older brother called and you just put your I'm on 344 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 1: the phone. My mama came back in the room and 345 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:05,159 Speaker 1: like it's like six thirty in the morning. It's a 346 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: school it's a Monday morning, and she goes, your father passed, 347 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,640 Speaker 1: Do you still want to go to school? And I said, yeah, 348 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:16,679 Speaker 1: I still want to go to school. And for me, 349 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: like even now to this day, my default is is 350 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:29,919 Speaker 1: to adhere to a regular schedule. And you know, we 351 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: can argue whether or not that's emotionally healthy, but that's 352 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: my path. That's what works for me, is to still 353 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: have a north star in the midst of you know, 354 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: whatever secky ship is going on. But by third period. 355 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: I had to go home because at this point, my 356 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: father's death is on the news. It's the top of 357 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: the morning news on every channel. And so now it's 358 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: awkward at school because everybody knows. And when everybody knows 359 00:21:55,640 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: that your dad is dead and you're at school, people 360 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: look at you weird, you know. So I had to 361 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 1: take the rest of the week off and he died 362 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 1: on a Monday. We buried him Thursday at Street Baptist Church. 363 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: I think it's really hard to have a parent that 364 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 1: you love and sometimes don't like. I think it's difficult 365 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: to know the difference between the two loving a parent 366 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: and not liking a parent, because it's a parent. The 367 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:30,199 Speaker 1: title in itself commands respect, whether you love them or 368 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: like them, it just does. And so it's always hard 369 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: to unpack that relationship. Very candidly asked Roy, do you 370 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: like your father? And I asked him that because I'm 371 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: feeling all of the emotions that I have towards my 372 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: mother as he describes his relationship with his father, and 373 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: it's so difficult, you know, there was a lot of 374 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: confliction and and that's hard to unpack, especially when you're 375 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 1: six and your pops guys and you have to unpack 376 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 1: bad husband, good father. It's it's the it's the ideal 377 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: of what he meant to black people and what he 378 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: meant to the black community, and what he meant to 379 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: black journalism, especially black journalism in Birmingham. There are droves 380 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: of people in the city of Birmingham who would not 381 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 1: have their jobs today if not for my father at 382 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: some point mentoring them or putting them on and giving 383 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:34,959 Speaker 1: them an internship or whatever. So my father is respected. 384 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: My father is one of the people gave doncannel you 385 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 1: some of the front money to shoot the first pilot 386 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: for Soul Train, then declined to be a producer on 387 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:48,679 Speaker 1: the program when it became a success. But sometimes you 388 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: kind of don't do what you were supposed to do 389 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: as a husband. Bro. But that's not for the world 390 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: to know. That's not for people to even comprehend, because 391 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: you have to allow this is something that took me 392 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: a long time to learn and understand over the years 393 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: after his passing. It's that how other people and how 394 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 1: he is remembered, you cannot change that. But our relationship, 395 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: that's just between he and I, you know, So I 396 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: cannot project on to other people what to feel and 397 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: vice versa. So at this point of the conversation, I 398 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: stopped and I asked, Roy, do you see the connection? 399 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: Because I hear it. I hope you hear it. It 400 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: goes back to that same old thing when I said, 401 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: we become our parents, whether we want to or not. 402 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: Um the connection between his father is a broadcasting journalist 403 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: and and Roy would Jr. As a not only in namesake, 404 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: but as a correspondent on The Daily Show, a comedian, 405 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: an actor and influencer. I see it so very clearly, 406 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 1: and I wonder if he does so. I wanted to 407 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,919 Speaker 1: be a firefighter growing up. That's all I wanted to be. 408 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a firefighter. And I can look 409 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: back and I was always and chuckling and making people 410 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: laugh or whatever. But if you had asked me until 411 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 1: the day my father died, it was firefighter. I had 412 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:15,640 Speaker 1: a firefighter I was gonna be. Um was a fire inspector. 413 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: I was gonna major in pyrotechnics and all. I took 414 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: all this extra chemistry in school so I could prepare 415 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: myself for the and then and then the Rise of 416 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: Stuart Scott happens on ESPN that year, and the next 417 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: year CNN s I signs on and there was a 418 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: gentleman named Fred Hickman who also did sports on a 419 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: regular basis. Then there was a woman, Jenny Moose, and 420 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: then there was another dude named vaneral Right. And if 421 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: you listen to any vaneral Right sports highlight package, I'm 422 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: not gonna say on cocaine, but it's at least a 423 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: red bull. This man's tempo and high octane. It was 424 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: just amazing and it was funny, and Stewart Scott was 425 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: using the words that I used at the lunch table, 426 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 1: and Fred Hickman had this refinedness about him that I 427 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 1: thought that I could do as well. And that's just 428 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,919 Speaker 1: sounding like my father. I am roy Wood singer, but 429 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 1: I had to find that on my own. My comedy 430 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: wasn't all opinionated real world issues. Back then, I was 431 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:30,719 Speaker 1: just I took over for Ricky Smiley. I was cracking 432 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:32,680 Speaker 1: prank phone calls like that was what I was known 433 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: for for the beginning days. And then as I started 434 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: co hosting and hosting the morning show, then we started, 435 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: you know, adding in a little more stuff. But if 436 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:47,679 Speaker 1: my father never dies, I am quite potentially the most 437 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 1: articulate firefighter in the city of Birmingham. Well, excuse me, 438 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,160 Speaker 1: fire inspector. By now my mom is listening. She would 439 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: want me to make inspector. Did you hear what he 440 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 1: just said? If his father never dies, which led me 441 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 1: obviously to the next question. We got to talk about legacy. 442 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 1: What part of his profession, what he currently does now 443 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 1: reminds him most of his father. There is a legacy, 444 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,640 Speaker 1: you know, Whether I like that or not, there's a legacy. 445 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: My father did a gang of speaking engagement. You know. 446 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,399 Speaker 1: The only difference between I'd say, Dick Gregory and my 447 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 1: dad is that Dick Gregory got laughs. But you know 448 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: we were both spitting that real ship. And you know, 449 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: he traveled and people respected his words. Um. I used 450 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: to go with him on speaking engagements, you know that 451 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 1: last year before he died, Like that was my thing. 452 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 1: When I got um, I turned fifteen and I gotta 453 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: learners permit, and so I essentially became his driver because 454 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 1: that was the only time I could drive on the 455 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: freeway was when I was taking him to Montgomery. At 456 00:27:58,280 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 1: the time he was teaching. He was doing the Sad 457 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: Saturday radio show in Montgomery, on top of his regular 458 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 1: news duties and a jazz show with fucking cancer with 459 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 1: no chemo. So Saturday's Saturdays were our day. And it 460 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:23,199 Speaker 1: wasn't really um, it wasn't a lot of talking. He 461 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: slept most of the time. But I just enjoyed it 462 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 1: because like that was that was the first time really 463 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 1: building a relationship with the road, in the freeway and 464 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 1: the truck. He had a CB radio, my pops yo, 465 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: he had a CB radio in the car that he 466 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 1: would that he had bought. Sometimes he would come to 467 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: Memphis to pick me up. It wasn't always unaccompanied, minor 468 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: or whatever, and so he had a CB radio in 469 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: his Cadillac. And I would just talk to truck drivers. 470 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: I would just straight up talk to strangers on the road. 471 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: I had a road handle, and it was it was 472 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: like that was that was like the that one hour 473 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 1: to Montgomery and back. That was the playground. Like that 474 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: was you know those those were you want to talk 475 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 1: about a good memory, there's there's that one that was 476 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: that was a good time. Um. But I would say 477 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: that my father and I, if you go back and 478 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: listen to a lot of his old speeches and a 479 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: lot of his news commentaries, my father and I are 480 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: angry about a lot of the same things. We speak 481 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,960 Speaker 1: to a lot of the same things. Are content is 482 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: for the same people. I just figured out a way 483 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: to put a couple of extra jokes in there. If 484 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: you're measuring myself from my father at the same mile 485 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: marker with regards to just relationships with women or marriage 486 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: and things of that nature, um, I would argue not similar. 487 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 1: But you know, some people argue that multiple marriages is 488 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: the same as not being married if it's about fear 489 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: and not being you know, being noncommittal or something like that. 490 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: And that's fair, and that's a fair argument. But then 491 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 1: there's also the side of well, how many kids do 492 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: you have and are they all okay? Are they all? 493 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: Are your present for all of them? You know, by 494 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: some accounts, I'm nine of eleven kids. I'm the only 495 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 1: one by my mother. But if we go with that 496 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: number of nine of eleven, so I ain't that, you know, 497 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: I'm never gonna be that because number one, I can't 498 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 1: afford it. I would have to host the Daily Show 499 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: instead of just being a correspondent on it to take 500 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: care of eleving kids in this economy. Um, I'm good 501 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: with the one and I'm good being there and being 502 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: present for him, and I'm good figuring out ways that 503 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: I can work my schedule out so that I can 504 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: show up to a couple of the baseball games. I 505 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:54,080 Speaker 1: ain't gonna make it to all of them. I can 506 00:30:54,160 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: already resign myself to that truth. But in that absence, 507 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: it's about your child understanding and knowing where you are 508 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 1: in that absence and why you're absent, and what it 509 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: is you're trying to accomplish, not just for yourself, but 510 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 1: for them. Dick Gregory said in a quote, they asked 511 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:17,600 Speaker 1: me why I'm always on the road, and Dick Gregory said, 512 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: I'm always on the road because they're struggling at my house. 513 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: Relationships are complicated. That's obvious. Relationships with your family members 514 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: can be very complicated. However, as Roy talks about this 515 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 1: man who has influenced him, his father, Um, and I 516 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 1: think this is, in my humble opinion, quite frankly influenced 517 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 1: his career in the man that he has become today. 518 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: It's fascinating. It's fascinating because his father was this respected, 519 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 1: loved man within the community, but then at home there 520 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: were problems. As there are problems with every home, and 521 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: from far away it looks beautiful, but if you get 522 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 1: up close with a magnifying glass, you see the wrinkles 523 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 1: and the blemishes and the areas that need to be 524 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 1: worked on. And that's understandable because as I'm talking to him, 525 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: it's therapy for me. But his father is no longer here, 526 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 1: and as he works through these unresolved emotions, or maybe 527 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 1: he doesn't, I don't know. I think for me there's 528 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: an urgency where I say, Carrie, you need to have 529 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: a better relationship with your mom, because what happens when 530 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: she's not here anymore. And that's for anybody that you 531 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: love but have a hard time liking. Always very definitive 532 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: about who he is and and and and where he's 533 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:43,520 Speaker 1: going in life and what he's been able to accomplish. 534 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: And he's also very well aware of the type of 535 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 1: dad he wants to be. You heard him talk about that. 536 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: But I'm curious what would happen if his father We're 537 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: still here, If my father was still alive, there would 538 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: be some conversations that would need to be had before 539 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: we could sit down and chop it up and have 540 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: a beer and watch baseball. I'll put it that way. 541 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 1: That's privately, because I I literally don't know how to 542 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: answer that cleanly, because you know, do I love my father? 543 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 1: Of course I do, But then also purposely didn't name 544 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: my son Roy Wood the third so that he could 545 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: have his own journey free and clear of this name. 546 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: Anybody listening to this podcast can relate to having an 547 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 1: uncomfortable relationship. Now when you factor in the parentals, the parents, 548 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 1: the mother, the father of the grandmother, anyone who raised you, 549 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 1: anyone who you love but don't like, that really truly 550 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 1: is the most uncomfortable feeling to have because it's pressing, 551 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 1: and it affects how you live your everyday life. And 552 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: I'm speaking from my heart and my truth. Me not 553 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 1: having a great relationship with my mother affects how I 554 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 1: live my everyday life. It affects how I love, It 555 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,400 Speaker 1: affects how I interact with people, with women, with men 556 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:09,520 Speaker 1: um with the gardener. It really truly does. And you 557 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:12,400 Speaker 1: may not see it because you're not being mindful, But 558 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 1: if you are mindful, you do understand that there are 559 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 1: limits that you place on yourself, and the same boundaries 560 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 1: that I have placed on my mom, I place on people, 561 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:28,240 Speaker 1: and that is heavy. It immediately puts me on defense 562 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: when I meet someone for no reason. But I stay 563 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: on defense because I don't want to be hurt the 564 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 1: same way that I've been hurt by my mother. And 565 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: that's not fair to anybody in my circle and my surroundings. 566 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 1: And I'm grateful that I am now learning that's what 567 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,879 Speaker 1: I'm doing, so I can release that and I can 568 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 1: take that heaviness off my spirit. But it just happens. 569 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: And you have to unlearn so much from your childhood 570 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:57,320 Speaker 1: as you go into your adulthood. So when Roy shares 571 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,120 Speaker 1: this story and I and I kid, you're not m 572 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 1: me saying he's just like his father, just like his 573 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:07,320 Speaker 1: mother is a compliment. Hardworking people, smart people, intelligent people 574 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,319 Speaker 1: wanting to do good for others. All the things in 575 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 1: which Roy would Jr. Encompasses his platform he uses for 576 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,319 Speaker 1: good and he gives us humor in the process. I'm 577 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 1: going to educate you, but I'm also give you some candy. 578 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:23,479 Speaker 1: Thank you. I'll take it, I'll receive it. And while 579 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 1: he struggles with this relationship with his father more specifically, um, 580 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,360 Speaker 1: there's so much good in that man, and he knows that, 581 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: and he sees it. But he's also aware of the fact, 582 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 1: as I mentioned earlier, we got to end some generational 583 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:43,879 Speaker 1: curses so my son doesn't become the third my son 584 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 1: has his own journey. My son will do his own thing. 585 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 1: I don't want him to feel obligated to do any 586 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:52,439 Speaker 1: of the things that I've done or what my father 587 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: has done. And kudos to you, Roy for saying that, 588 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 1: and kudos to you for even recognizing that some things 589 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 1: have to change, that perhaps many things need to change. 590 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 1: But I appreciate you telling your story because it is 591 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 1: food for my soul. It is a reminder that I 592 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 1: have to have the relationship with my parentals that I want. 593 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:17,839 Speaker 1: That I have to go and get it. They are 594 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 1: who they are, and I need to do it before 595 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 1: they're not here, so that we can have the conversation, 596 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: the uncomfortable conversation only in a way in which they 597 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,279 Speaker 1: can receive it. But the uncomfortable conversation is for me. 598 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 1: That would be for Roy if he had it. I 599 00:36:36,719 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 1: don't have any answers, guys, I don't. All I know 600 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:43,239 Speaker 1: is that I got to do the work, that inside job. 601 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:51,280 Speaker 1: It's really hard to have an uncomfortable relationship with the parents. 602 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:54,080 Speaker 1: That's all I can say. Roy, I thank you for 603 00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 1: sharing your story. More specifically, I thank you for helping 604 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,760 Speaker 1: us understand why you are the comedian you are today 605 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 1: because you have that wonderful blood of Roy Woods, Sr. 606 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:11,760 Speaker 1: Who was a civil rights broadcast journalists saving the world, 607 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,320 Speaker 1: educating black people, doing the best I mean hack. He 608 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:18,279 Speaker 1: puts soul train on the air. Y'all heard that. I mean, 609 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:22,440 Speaker 1: you gotta come on, you gotta respect. Let's focus on 610 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 1: the good, change our perspective. That's what I'll leave you with.