Share the Shine with Kenan Thompson

25:40Y 'all need an old man? I just threw him out there like it was nothing. But I think that confidence was like, something that was appealing to them. It was like, oh, he's kind of ready to perform. We don't have to worry about stage fright, I guess, or something like that. So, yeah, I was a little naive on that one. But it helped because I do get very nervous. I still get nervous for every show. Really? Yeah, yeah. Oh, man. And I was like trying to talk to different people about it, especially for stand-up. That's why I don't do stand-up because it stresses me out. Like, if I have a gig, that's all I'm thinking of the whole day.

26:14You can't sleep. Like, days out, you know? I can't not focus on that. And then if I travel to a town, I ain't going out in the town. I'm just in the hotel, pacing around, watching TV, writing things, just taking the time away. And it just feels so wasteful. So that's obviously not my thing. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, but you have been the longest-running cast member of SNL. That's the most terrifying thing. People have asked me to do a lot of things. You see, I've been on talk shows. I've done skits with people. I've done. But SNL, I would never do that. That's wild. Because to me, it is terrifying.

26:53Just what you described to me. I wouldn't sleep that week. I'd be worrying. I'd be worried about looking at the camera. I don't know how you all do that. Yeah. And my heart goes after that because I know that feeling, you know, but I just don't have it there because I'm very comfortable there. I mean, we did a lot of sketches growing up. And then the lie factor doesn't bother me much because it's a large group of people doing it together. You know what I mean? And there's a lot of people getting you to where you need to be and all I got to do is read the words. I can do that. I can stay focused enough and deliver my part of it.

27:30And there's so many people helping you get to that point. And you have to write yourself to that point. Yes, that's another tough part of it. But the actual show, once it's at that point, it doesn't stress me. like going to yuck yucks and having to do 17 minutes. Say it's all on you. I hate waiting in lines or, you know, what is with these air to TSA? You know, I just don't make fun of stuff. Go back to you have to write yourself. What does that mean? We write on SNL. So like the best way to like make yourself known there is to write for yourself in the beginning. You know, so you have to like write your own for better or for worse.

28:12like put yourself out there so people can kind of see what your sense of humor is or what you'd like to focus on I was lucky that I was able to balance it more with performance than writing and I would collab write with a lot of people but anytime I wrote on my own it went all over the place and I have a hard time like staying linear or whatever I'll just be writing based on like what's on my mind at the time and then when I look back at it I'm like come on this makes no sense Martin Luther King talking to Jay-Z That doesn't happen. When does that happen? It'll never happen. And where is it going?

28:46You know, and where is that hit? Where's it going to end? So when you first got on Saturday Night Live, do you have to go on as a writer? Or how did the work tell us about the process? No, there's some people that get hired as either a writer or a cast member. Okay. And when you get hired in the beginning, you are a repertory player, I think. So that's a two-year kind of staging process. And then you become a full player. Okay. If I'm getting the terms right. have your face on the opening credits and come popping out of New York and smoking a cigarette. Hey, New York. When do you get to be? As soon as you get hired as a cast member.

29:25Yeah. So if you get in the cast, you get a title in the beginning and you get to do your spin around. Was that a big deal? Was that like for you when you were? Huge deal. It was hard to comprehend And it still being the same show that I grew up watching because now I'm on it. And I'm like, I thought this was serious comedy. So strange. Yeah. And I was 25. So I was young. And like I was I was ready to do kind of whatever. But it was just very surreal. You know, it was hard to see it as the same kind of place. And then I was like worried. I'm like, have I changed it forever? Like, am I really worthy of this?

30:04You know what I mean? Because I don't write. You know what I mean? And I don't know what my sense of humor is. I don't know what my point of view is when you approach comedy or whatever. What am I trying to say with my jokes? I don't know. I'm used to playing around in chocolate. You know what I'm saying? Just doing whatever. Now I have to be serious and do college kind of educated material. And I didn't finish college. But, you know, whatever. I was a little bit busy. You were working already. Yeah. You had a job. Yeah, that's why people go to college. Yeah, exactly. To try to figure it out. But yeah, I had it figured out and it was in my way.

30:42Yeah. But yeah, it took me a while to figure out how to write sketches. Did you have a mentor on the show that's sort of like, Hey, Kenan, this is how you go about getting to the next level. Is that, is that? Yeah. I mean, I hear you do that. If they ask, I try to be there for people. Because I remember being very lost in the beginning. Yes. Because, you know, a lot of people, you know, come from improv. houses or they come from stand-up. Two big communal worlds, basically, where they're not by themselves. Not a lot of people come from already being an actor or already being a kids performer or anything and just being an actor.

31:21Most people are real comics that wind up getting hired there and are always hyper-focused on it. So they know it very well. They've shared stories or they've read the books. I went into it just blind, based on what I had been watching on TV or whatever. not knowing how small the studio was not knowing much about Manhattan you know and all that kind of stuff and it was just like a tornado of learning everything on the fly and it's like college not everybody's just gonna pull you aside and teach you how to do it but Tracy Morgan was a real one from day one I love him it's my brother he was just like in his own kind of way telling us little tidbits like don't peek at dress what oh don't peek at dress That is a golden nugget.

32:08Because, yeah, the live show is what matters. You know what I'm saying? So if you peak address, it's like, yeah, you kind of just wasted it a little bit. And you don't really have that luxury to do that in your first few years. Because everybody is trying to do their very best. Because this is the life-changing job. You know what I'm saying? If you do it well, it can change your life. If you do it bad, it can change your life. You know what I mean? So, it was a lot of stress. And I see the stress on newcomers, you know what I'm saying? So I always try to be like a friendly ear or if I see things, you know, when we're rehearsing stuff, I try to suggest, you know, maybe like, this shot should be this or maybe like, what about this idea?

32:54I'm like, I'm always trying to like participate in, you know, helping others, sketches, you know, get as good as they can be, you know, just try to be helpful, basically, because When you're stressing like that, you're not thinking clearly. You're not relaxed enough to be funny. Exactly. So how do you relax to be funny? What's your tip? I will never do SNL. If I were going to do SNL, what would you tell me? I think you could do it because I think you would recognize the communal push uphill, which is the show. We're all trying to push the show to the top of the hill every single week. And everybody is hyper-focused and committed to the same goal.

33:38No matter what their politics might be or whatever, everybody is respectful of the place. It's almost like a temple. You know what I mean? And there's nobody trying to make it go left at all. Nobody wants anyone to fail. At all. And I think once you settle into that warmth, I think you start to embrace. The only thing that matters is kind of what makes you laugh. You know what I mean? And it's not really about anything else because it's your night. And it's up to us to make your night as special as possible, which is like, I love that. I grew up very ensemble minded. So like I'm all about let somebody else have the shine and I will help that shine be as bright as possible.

34:20Like I love that. You like just sitting here for the listeners, the watchers. You're just such a regular dude. Yes. You know. Taurus in the house. Yeah, Taurus. Shout out. Shout out to the Taurus Enough Whatever You're welcome Watch yourself over there Capricorn It's okay I'm going to take back my compliments This is what I have to deal with Since she was four Remember that y 'all love each other Y 'all remember y 'all siblings Taking back her compliments

35:06Hey, everybody, Craig Robinson here. And you guys have heard me talk a lot about how much I love staying in Airbnbs. Well, our family is planning a trip out to the West Coast to visit our daughter. And we were thinking, man, it's going to be hard to roll up in her two-bedroom apartment with six people. So we decided to get an Airbnb where we could all hang out comfortably. We'll have more bedrooms. We don't have to fight over bathrooms. There'll be a kitchen. We can cook out if we want. So my wife, Kelly, found the perfect place for us using Airbnb's guest favorites. We're staying close to my daughter's place, which means we can spend more time with her and easily get out into the city.

35:49We get a chance to tour LA, take her to her favorite restaurant, drop by Universal, let the kids play around for a day. Or we could go by Griffith Observatory, which is the place I've always wanted to see. If you're starting to think about your next trip, check out Airbnb's guest favorites. Guest favorites are the most loved homes on Airbnb by other guests. This episode of IMO is brought to you by Cologuard, a non-invasive colon cancer screening test. Currently, the American Cancer Society recommends that if you are at average risk, you should begin screening for colon cancer at age 45. There are an estimated 60 million adults age 45 plus in America who are not up to date with their colon cancer screening.

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40:25Any memorable favorite sketches that, like when people ask you, what are some of your favorite sketches? Mine? Yes. Absolutely. I mean, Scared Straight was my first love because it was the first idea that I had. I personally had made it on the show. And it still goes. I can't believe they picked it for the 50th. It was just a special moment. Eddie and Will Ferrell. Yeah. Crazy. So that was a very, very special moment because that was like the first thing that I loved and I had an idea about that actually was transferable to the show kind of thing. I had a lot of things before that that just made no sense or they were just a little too obvious or been done before, you know?

41:12There's a lot of like lineage there, especially as far as like black culture is concerned. Like, how many times can you do a person in an afro? How many times can you do this? So figuring it out was, you know, it took me five years. Like, Scare Straight didn't come to my fifth season. Wow. It took me a while. And then what's up with that? Of course. Like, what's up with that? Family Fuse, Black Jeopardy, you know, all the good Black stuff. Yeah. What's it like having your face in the world? I mean, how do you get about? How do you, how has it? But look, we live in a bubble. We were raised just like you, me more so.

41:52I'm in a bubble, me and my husband. That's not how we were raised. We believe in the same thing. Every time we moved up somewhere, we brought our community with us. A lot of it selfishly because it's no fun being in the White House with no friends or to be there with people you didn't really know. They didn't come there with you. They didn't help you get there. You ever think about changing the name? Obama. What would you pick, Kenan? What do you think? Call it the Black House, man. Just for a little while. Just for a little while. Just for a little while. It hadn't crossed our mind. It hadn't.

42:31Yeah. That's because y 'all good. You're right. You're good. You're nice people. That's right. I haven't thought about it. Yeah. But it's, you know, it changes the way you have to live. Yeah. Whether you like it or not. And I'm just wondering what have those changes, what have been the hardest changes for you, especially given your core? I mean, it's invasive. It's invasive. And it's tougher for me when it's tough on other people that are around me that get affected kind of thing. I'm a man out here. I can handle whatever is coming my way because I feel like I'm putting myself in those positions.

43:05But when people get it by default necessarily, just for, you know, being associated, you know, that's when it starts to bother me more so than anything. Because, like, I don't want to impede on other people. You know, I don't want to be a burden or, you know, cause strife where strife wasn't necessarily there at first kind of thing. And it's terrible to be the cause of stress, you know. So that bothers me, especially, like, in public when people come up, you know, and, like, they want to take pictures and blah, blah, blah. Like, I'm usually cordial. Unless I'm with my little ones and then I feel like that's their time.

43:38That's the only time I'm a little standoffish or whatever. But even when I see it's bothering the intent of the day, like we're trying to go to a museum or whatever, then I'll just ask for people not to do that because it's bothering someone else kind of thing. But for me, New York is good for that. I can put my hat on and I can just walk and be amongst the millions. That's true. Some people recognize and they say what's up, the real ones. Shout out to all the FedEx delivery dudes. you know, but, you know, people like that, that are, you know, just feet on the ground, they'll see you and they'll say what's up, but I've never been one of those people that people need to flock towards and start, like, pulling at necessarily.

44:16Like, a lot of people just say, hey, and keep it moving, or they'll say, thank you, or like, we love you, my family loves you, you know, and they'll keep it moving. But there are other places where, you know, it gets excessive, like, you know, certain settings, like Disney World is a setting where families are in the mode to, like, do for their children. So they want to get picked. They want to do, you know, they want to introduce, you know, they're just, they don't care about boundaries of death. When you're like, you here, we meet Mickey Mouse. We here, you know, right. And my baby's gonna picture with Mickey Mouse.

44:44It's just better to just embrace it in those moments, you know, as opposed to trying to be like, let us have our space. Because then I start feeling bad. Like, I usually walk away from awkward encounters. And I think I live with it more than they do almost, you know what I mean? Because I think people just, you know, go about their daily lives. I'm always just like, man, are they going to hate me for wanting my space? Some days you're just not in the mood, you know? You're just not in the mood to be famous kind of thing. I just have too much going on to smile through it kind of stuff. And I just need to process sometimes.

45:18And if you've run into me on those days, I'm sorry. You know what I'm saying? But it happened. And if you allow yourself those days, it's not that hard to like pull the rubber band back the other direction and just like take a deep breath. Suck it up. You can do this. And just let's attack the day. And then, you know, when you are ready and people don't notice, that's when it's like, Oh, see, you know what I'm saying? Like when you like, you want somebody to say like nice outfit, ain't nobody paying attention to you. You know, so be grateful. We, we were talking about, and with some of the, the crew, we were talking about how this business just chews up and spit.

45:56out people in general, but particularly young people who start young and you've been able to sort of dodge those minefields. But now we're sitting here talking to you. It makes perfect sense. Like you have a way about you that you were raised right and continue to live right. So you just stay out of trouble. Yeah. I mean, you know, trouble going to find you if you stay out, if you stay looking for it. Trouble gonna come your way. Yeah. No, I mean, I'm relaxed. You know, I'm 47 at this point. So I ain't really like out there just running around wild looking for chaos like I was when I was in my proving years of being 19 and 20 and feeling invincible kind of thing.

46:41I would much rather Netflix and chill than, you know, turn all the way up. But turning up is fun as well, you know. But I have a good balance now. You know what I'm saying? Like, I understand, you know, what I got to do the next day. You know, I got to check my calendars before I go out now. You know, I usually just go running out the door whenever it was time kind of thing. But now it's like, oh, man, I got that Zoom. And that Zoom at 1030 is going to be tough. Yeah, but it's always a Zoom. It's like, you better have some sleep, some water, hydrate. At least I can just be in my shirt for the Zoom.

47:13But I got to be in my shirt. I got to actually show up. What is Turn Up Keenan like? Like anybody that grew up in Atlanta. I don't know. We're standing on top of the table. I'm trying to figure it out. I'm from Chicago, you know? Just trying to figure it out. We're talking, you know, there's sparkles everywhere. We're popping bottles. It's shiny. You know, we're standing on top of, and there's thousands of us. You know what I mean? Like, that's just how it is. Like, I grew up in the hip-hop, so it's hip-hop culture, basically. And just, in Atlanta, there was a whole lot of standing around, I guess, because it was probably dangerous to just be one of those people that gets, like, noticed, necessarily.

47:48You become a target or whatever. So mostly holding the wall, which means just standing on the wall and kind of like, you know, people watching, basically kind of stuff. I'm not a big dancer necessarily. You're not? I dance in place. You got like one move? I got a few. Okay. But it's in place. It's not like I need to clear the dance floor and show everybody. It's just, you know, got more in the shoulders. And like, there's one hip dip. Okay. There's a hip dip. You got one hip dip in there. There's a hip dip in there. Well, when you come to the venue, we're going to have to see your hip dip. I mean, I'll show it.

48:18Like, it's just special occasions. But like, in the club, you know, it's different. Yeah, usually it's not enough space to even do all that. Everybody's like, what are you doing? Have you gotten to the point where, like, I don't want to stand. Like, I can't. You don't stand no more? You just sit down at the club? You sit down at the club? I don't go to the club. Because if I have to stand, and the notion of watching a concert, standing up. Oh, you sit down at the concerts. I have to. I'm 61. I need a seat. Let her sit down at the rest. That's what I feel like. I still, I have less enjoyment. Here's an IMO.

48:56Less enjoyment. Less enjoyment. Here's an IMO. Yep. No one should stand up through an entire concert. In my opinion, everyone should sit down. There are moments. Sit down. And then get up for the moment. But then people don't get up for the moment. And now it's like, oh, no, I got to stand up too. And I was about to say, what do you do when people stand up in front of you? Do you just continue to sit? Or do you ask them to sit? You have to stand up. You have to stand up. You can't ask them to sit down. You can't ask them to sit down. You have to stand up and then I want to see. So now I got it.

49:30But I will have a period of trying to sit. There will be a period where I'm going to try and sit. I'm going to see if I can just encourage everyone. If you notice how I'm sitting, can we all just go back to doing this? Does it work? No, it doesn't. And then I have to get up. Come on. Are you at that stage yet? I do enjoy sitting through most of it. But I think things should have levels, you know? So, like, I'm not just going to stand the whole time. And I'm also worried that people can see. Like, I'm very conscious of that. A lot of people ain't... You're so considerate. I try to be. He's a Taurus.

50:05Which is what bothers me so much about, like, traffic. I'd be going crazy in traffic because people can be so inconsiderate. They can. You know? Yeah. And, like, when people are standing around, like, I get it. It's a sporting thing. But, like, you know, come on. Come on. So does it take you forever to get everywhere or is it pretty quick? In New York? Yeah. I mean, it doesn't make sense to have a motorcade in New York. I know it sounds, that's a crazy statement. It's almost impossible. Never thought I'd make it. But no, it's really, that's what makes New York not so much fun. Because, you know, you're watching people walk faster than you.

50:42It's like I saw him. Yeah. Like he left two hours before and he beat us there. Forget about us people on the bikes. That's right. We go everywhere. Oh, you ride in New York? You ride your bike in New York. You, Kenan, are on a bike in New York. That sounds a little dangerous. One of those electric bikes? Are you pedaling like a human being? We can't send a bike sometimes, but I have my own bike, yes. And we cycle, but there's the bike path, which is on the outside. I did the thing through the streets and actually hit somebody and broke my arm years ago. You did? Yeah. You hit a car? Tell us about this.

51:16So, it was like, I had a lunch that was like a few blocks away from the studio. So, I was like, all right, I just grabbed a bike. Oh, so you were a grown person. Yeah, yeah, yeah. With a job. Not too long. This was when the Orange Man hosted last, I think. Oh, yeah. So, it was that week. It was like a Tuesday. So, I was like, you know, we got to make our own schedule kind of on Tuesday. Because my writing deadline is Wednesday morning. So, I got all day. So, I go to lunch and then I go to work. and the lunch was like nine blocks, four out of five avenues. I was like, I'll grab a bike, take a bike, ride in on one of the streets.

51:53So, in New York, you know there's not a lot of space when you're on the streets. On the avenues is different, but on the streets, it's like parking, parking, traffic. So there really ain't no space to just be doing anything. Yeah. I watched that from my motorcade and think, this looks dangerous. So I'm just like riding down in between, you know, traffic and parked cars or whatever. And of course, First, this guy just came flapping up out of nowhere. And then I hit him with, you know, one of the handlebars. Like, I didn't, like, crash and flip over necessarily. But I hit him enough to make me fall down.

52:22And then, like, I was like, ah, man, you know, it hurt, whatever. But I could still move my arm. So I was like, all right, I'll just ride to work. Get back on my bike. It was a little numb. But, you know, at the time, you know, as the blood started filling, like, that pain started setting in. And, like, 15-ish, 20-ish minutes later, I was at my desk, kind of. So I made it to work. but like then I started like not being able to move my arm and like I remember that feeling because I broke this arm when I was a kid I broke my wrist but this was like my elbow and I was like and you're older and I'm older it's an old elbow and we got a show to do oh you know like it's a Tuesday

53:06this episode of IMO is brought to you in part by Acorns you know one of the most valuable pieces of money advice I've ever gotten is that financial wellness isn't about how much you make. It's about making the most of what you have. That's something I've carried with me from my time on Wall Street to today. And that's why I love Acorns. Acorns is a financial wellness app that makes it easy to start saving and investing for your future. You don't need to be rich. Acorns lets you get started with the spare money you've got right now, even if all you've got is spare change. You don't need to be an expert, Acorns recommends a diversified portfolio that can help you weather all the market's ups and downs.

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54:29Acorns makes it easy to invest for your future, plan for tomorrow, and spend smarter today. Paid non-client endorsement, compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns. Investing involves risk. Acorns Advisor slash LLC and SCC Registered Investment Advisor. View important disclosures at acorns.com slash IMO. Hey gang, Craig Robinson here. Talking about Amazon today has absolutely everything for everyone on your list. and with their early holiday deals, you can get a head start no matter who you're shopping for. And let me tell you, I am going to be completely honest with you. I'm the guy who waits until the last minute.

55:15But it's because I've been shopping for these people my whole lives. But with Amazon's early holiday deals, that means I can shop for everybody right now. I mean, my kids, they seem to be growing out of their clothes. They want the latest video games. I can get it on Amazon. My older kids could use stuff for their respective homes. I can get it on Amazon. My wife, my sister, the hardest people for me to shop for. But hey, don't worry. I don't have to guess. Amazon's got deals on everything. Electronics, toys, fashions, home goods, you name it. So whether it's your mom you're shopping for or your coworker or that neighbor down the street who always shows up with a nice gift for you, you're covered.

56:07And listen, shopping early means I'm done before all of the holiday chaos even starts, which if you ask me is the best gift of all to myself. So everything for everyone on your list, Amazon's got it. Shop Amazon early holiday deals now. You'll save big. This episode of IMO is brought to you in part by understood.org. If you're a parent of a child with ADHD, dyslexia, or any learning difference, and especially if you're navigating special education as a parent of color, you know it can feel like a maze. There's a podcast from understood.org called Opportunity Gap that's here to help. It's hosted by Julian Saavedra.

56:57And in every episode, he talks with special ed teachers, child psychologists, and other experts. They break down things like how to navigate the IEP process, what accommodations your child is entitled to, and how to build a strong relationship with your child's teachers. You know, I checked out the Opportunity Gap myself, and what stood out to me was how practical and empowering it is. It's a resource that really meets families where they are. It also provides tools to help families build confidence in navigating the challenges of children who learn differently. To listen, just search Opportunity Gap in your podcast app.

57:40That's Opportunity Gap.

57:49You're perfect for our listener question. Oh, yeah? Yeah. What is it? It's about parenting. Okay. And are you ready for our listener question? All right. So Julia, our producer, is going to read the question. Okay, Julia. It comes from Sandy from New Jersey. I'm Michelle and Craig. I have a 12-year-old daughter who's obsessed with YouTube. We try to limit her screen time, especially as she's reaching those vulnerable preteen years and teen years. But one thing she will not let go of is her desire to be an influencer. It's weird for me because it feels like she wants to be famous for famous's sake.

58:28I'm hopeful that this is a childhood thing, like me wanting to be an astronaut or a TV star as a kid. But still, I'd want her to follow her own intellectual interests or think about how she wants to be an impactful person. How do I talk to my daughter about this? Why do you think so many people want to be famous? And what would you tell a kid about what it's really like? Sandy in New Jersey. Wow. Thank you, Sandy in New Jersey. Yes. See what I mean? Absolutely. Yeah, I'm very familiar with fame, wanted or unwanted. Because I didn't get into this for fame. I got into it because I enjoyed performing.

59:07And I definitely wanted to be successful. But I didn't really understand. what being famous really meant, you know, and it took a while for me to like navigate, you know, what that is based on, you know, being a person, you know, growing, you know, going through people, whatever you're going through, you also have to be, you know, somewhat, you know, courteous to your fans, you know what I mean? Regardless of whether you're embracing that, that they are not kind of thing. And it would have been nice to have had someone like instruct me in those kinds of ways. It was kind of something I had to figure out on my own, like how to deal with the fact that I can't go to Chuck E.

59:46Cheese like that anymore kind of thing without, you know, being prepared to do this, you know, I mean, or whatever. It would have been nice to have had a fame manual or something like that. But it does have its upsides, you know, like fame can launch you into your profession early. It can be financially beneficial, you know. So if you use it, you know, for the betterment of things, then, yeah, it has its perks. But it's also very fleeing. You know what I mean? So if you're attached to being famous, then that's the most heartbreaking thing when you go to a mall and nobody notices or cares, you know, because at some point you're going to get aged out.

1:00:22You're just going to not be like, you're not going to treat Leave it to Beaver like the classic it was because it's not your time. And I would say she's right for being concerned about her daughter just wanting to be famous. Yeah. Because if that's the goal, then it probably won't last long. And a lot of these influencer people or whatever usually come and go pretty quickly from what I've been noticing. So I would focus on what's the passion behind all that pursuit. If the passion is something that's good for the world, I can get behind that. Because TikTok has given us a lot of information. You know what I mean?

1:01:03So it can be a good tool. You know, it's really interesting that the term fame for fame's sake, like we didn't grow up with that phrasing, right? Those words were around, but that phrasing, fame for fame's sake. And it feels more like to me that these young folks are willing to be famous at any cost or at any expense. It just, and that feels very unhealthy. It's like, it's so important to be famous that they're willing to, you know, how they used to say in the old days, sell their souls to the devil. Right. And I want to make sure that we let Sandy know that there's a discussion that should be had with your daughter about, you know, being famous is okay.

1:02:01And being not famous is okay. but you shouldn't be at a cost that's detrimental. It's burdensome. I don't think people realize what a burden it can really be. Yes, it's nice to go to a restaurant without a reservation or whatever. But at the same time, if you look at most of the famous people in this world, a lot of them haven't done well with that side of it. You know what I mean? A lot of people just want to be able to go to the gas station You know what I mean? Or go to the grocery store without having to like put on brand new Nikes or whatever just because they're a rapper. You know? So it's not anything to necessarily play with and I feel like they play with it a lot on social media.

1:02:44You know what I mean? Like how much cash can I show? Or how much, you know, this challenge or that challenge? You know what I'm saying? Is that going to like get my likes up for this? You know? Let me take a selfie in a dangerous position. You know? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But I think artists and creativity you know what I mean? is a good thing. Yeah, yeah. I always say there's no way for a young people, a young person to understand the value of anonymity. You know, I think the thing that I miss most in life is just the ability to be in the world unobserved. You know, there's just a beauty to be able to sit on a sidewalk cafe with a cup of coffee.

1:03:30But as a tall person, when was the last time you were able to just go anywhere? Thank you. Thank you, Tina. Thank you, because that is... Go ahead. Finish your point. True, but the point is that it's uncomfortable to whether it's because you're famous or tall or distinguishable to miss out on blending in in the world and just being able to watch it. Right. I mean, that's a pretty complex concept to try to articulate to a young person, right? That there's value in that. Anyone, because it's such a dichotomy. Ooh, we're getting deep with the word. Yeah, yeah. It's such a, like, double-edged sword because the grass is always greener.

1:04:15Like, the people that are blending in are figuring out how to stand out. Oh, that's right. So it's like, what do you do with what? You play the hand you're dealt. But I think the point you make about what I would say to Sandy, I would echo what you said. Keep your child focused on the passion. And if there's a real passion there, you know, then encourage it. I mean, there's some people who look at some child stars that are getting famous or their parents are encouraging it. And they're like, oh, what's going on? What are they trying to do? Well, you know, you don't know that child. Right. You know, they may have, and there are kids out there who have such a deep, deep yearning to make music or to perform that it's really not the parent.

1:05:02It is the child's passion that's speaking. And that can show up at four and five and seven and 12. And so it's hard to judge a parent that says, I'm just trying to let my kid explore the thing, the gift that they were given. Right. That's a different thing. And now parenting with that gift, that's an art form. Because you've got to help them learn how to protect themselves as they invest in the gift. Which means that mom and dad and everybody around them can't want it more than they do. And that would be something I would want to make sure that Sandy is clear on. is like when it's your kid, you have to be even more clear-headed about their wants when they're, especially when they're entering into dicey territory of fame or social media exposure.

1:06:01Because is it you that wants it? Are you really looking for their passion or have you as a parent fallen prey to the fame and the money? And we grow. You know, we grow, especially kids. Like kids might like soccer today and hate it the next day, you know? So we as adults know you got to give yourself space to grow and like continue to grow and become your best version of yourself. But if you don't allow that for a child and then you add fame on top of it, it's a pretty toxic mix more than likely. And I think that common denominator of the ones that have been able to navigate it is family. It is parents that are like behind you and focused, not necessarily pushing you past your boundaries necessarily, but encouraging.

1:06:49Yes. And like you said, it can't just be for them. It can't be like, you know, the crazy momagers and popagers or whatever that's out there that just want to be living vicariously kind of thing. You know, so. What if your kid said that? I want to be like you. I want to be in it. That little. Can we bring my daughter in here? That little one, she wants to be on. She's going to be mad if she doesn't get a chance to come in here. She can come in here. Can we get my two little girls? Where is she? Bring them in. They'll take a minute to walk down the hallway. She's a ham and her sister's a ham too.

1:07:26They get silly and they have their moments. And they want to be on stuff. We did a Nintendo commercial together. Oh, really? It was the greatest day of my life. Because they had their own trailer. you know what I mean? And like, they just had their own little world and we worked together for hours and hours and hours. They were so focused and my big girl was like, she focuses hard on things. She wants to get everything right. You know, firstborn kids, I think, have a lot of mental responsibility on their minds. So, watching her, you know what I mean? Like, take direction and like, take it really serious.

1:08:02I could have cried all day. You know, it was so sweet. And yeah, that little one, she just, you know, she wants to be a star. She sings, you know, and like she likes attention so we are watching her. Right. You know what I mean? Because yeah, we want her to like understand the difference. You know, there's a difference between enjoying attention and just wanting to be famous kind of thing. You know what I mean? And like I think enjoying attention can be easily massaged into performance and becoming an artist and stuff like that. When it's like you just want fame it's like they feel like you're leaving the arts out a little bit, you know, which is sadder.

1:08:39You know, it's a little sadder. And there they go. Hi, guys. You say hi. Hi, sweetie. Hi, nice to meet you all. You got to go say hi. How are you? I'm Craig. Oh, what a young lady. Hi, Georgia. I'm Michelle. How are you, sweetie? Good, how are you? Good. Come on over here. Here, you can, I know you're big, but you can sit here so that we can see you in the camera. Sitting in the big seat. Yes. What grade are you in? Fifth. Fifth. That's a serious grade. Are you going into fifth or did you finish fifth grade? Finish. So you're a sixth grader. Yeah. All right. Big girl. All right. Sweetheart. And Gianna, how about you?

1:09:26What grade are you going in? I'm going to second grade. Wow. Wow. Nice. Nice. Well, it has been really fun to have your dad. on our podcast. He's kind of a cool guy. What do you think of your dad? He's a cool guy. Okay.

1:09:50I think cool guy. Cool guy. And this is my brother. So one of the things your dad told us that he wants to make sure you guys always know is that you guys have each other forever. And sometimes you may fight. And as the big sister, Sometimes she may get on your nerves and your big sister may act like she knows everything. And that's annoying. But in the end, you guys really do just have each other. I have two girls too. And they used to fight when they were your age. But guess what? They're best friends now. See? They live together. And so that can happen one day. That's the coolest. May not be something you can even envision right now.

1:10:36But staying close and taking care of each other as sisters, that's important. Yes, it is. Because then you can be like me and my brother, that we love each other so much, we can do a whole show together. We can work together. See? How about that? Yeah. How many episodes now? 20 episodes. You see that? They've done 20 shows already. And you're the first kids we've had on. We've had on. All right. Go find your mommy. All right. All right, you guys. I love you both. Bye. It was great to meet you. Nice to meet you. All right. See you, bye. But we'll see you out there. All right. Wow, they're gorgeous.

1:11:09Thank you for indulging me. Oh, my gosh. They're my babies. They're the first kids. Our kids haven't even been on the show. See, that's what happens. Our kids won't. No, they won't. They'll be like, well, good. Maybe you'll get rid of us. You'll stop talking about us. I love it. Well, yeah, no wonder you're putty. Yeah. You don't have a chance. Nope. You're done. I'm shining up these knuckles. Yeah. Yeah, you're going to have to get the uncles ready. Yeah, 100%. They on deck. They've been like, yeah, maybe when you let me know. You do.

1:11:43Well, Kenan, it has been just a delight to spend time with you. I'm sad that it has to come to a club. I know. Well, it doesn't. Come to the venue. Come see us. Okay. All right. But so proud of the man you are. Thank you. You know, not just your accomplishments, but you are a good man. I tried, man. Kind man. Thank you. Yes. You were clearly brought up with your manners. Yes, I was. I got my manners right in my pocket. All day long. Yeah. Well, thank you. It has been a pleasure. It's such a pleasure. We'll do part two soon. We will do part two. Oh, what am I going to wear for part two? Oh.

1:12:44Hi, Michelle and Craig. It's Nora McInerney. I'm the host of a podcast called Thanks for Asking. It's a call-in show where I just let people talk about how they're really doing. And a lot of my listeners, myself included, are burned out recovering girl bosses. I personally took some major steps back after eight to 10 years, who's counting, of just nonstop go. And as a result, my life is more manageable because I stopped doing things that were not paying me financially or emotionally. And yet, and yet, and yet, I have a sense of, oh no, am I a loser? Whenever I see peers, colleagues, friends, enemies doing things that I know I could do, it's almost like I am addicted to stress.

1:13:37And I know a lot of people probably feel the same way. Can you please give us some advice and or a pep talk? I'm begging you. Well, thanks, Nora. It's Craig Robinson here, and it's great to be on your show. And it's Michelle Obama, his little sister. She decided to join us too. I think I'll go first. And I will just say, first and foremost, you're not a loser. So pep talk number one, you're not a loser. Some of the stress relievers that I have gone to in a pinch when I'm feeling like I am burnt out or I need some time away. My first go-to would be exercise or something physical, whether that's walking or working out or taking my kids to do a workout with them.

1:14:33So sort of coaching them, that relieves my stress level. And one of the things that I do is that I try to plan the things that are stress-free for me, putting those kind of things on my schedule. Because, you know, Craig, you can talk about going for a walk or watching TV or getting a workout in. But if you're always working and you haven't planned it, you look up your day is over and you have not scheduled time for yourself. So I've learned over the years that I have to put the things that give me joy, that give me a sense of release. I have to put that stuff on my calendar before I put work on my calendar.

1:15:20So if that's going to the gym, getting a workout in, if it's spending time with my family, if it's, you know, taking time to watch the, do the Netflix and chill. It might be helpful for you, Nora, to schedule that like you schedule all the work that you're doing that keeps you so stressed. Put yourself on your calendar first. Thanks again, Nora, for your great question. You can hear Nora help her listeners with their dilemmas on her podcast, Thanks for Asking. Available now wherever you get your podcasts.