Latest / The Breakfast Club / Replay: Still Standing: Jason Weaver on Resilience, ATL, and What's Next

Transcript

Replay: Still Standing: Jason Weaver on Resilience, ATL, and What's Next · The Breakfast Club

0:00
Speaker 1: Let's get, let's get, let's get to it, time to
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Speaker 1: do it.
0:02
Speaker 2: I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything
0:04
Speaker 2: and everybody. You hear that exclusive? You don't feel alive
0:07
Speaker 2: about that, right? Lauren came in hot. Hey y'all, what's up?
0:11
Speaker 2: It's Lauren LaRosa and this is another episode of The
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Speaker 2: Latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on
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Speaker 2: all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the
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Speaker 2: conversations that shake the room, baby. Now joining me today
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Speaker 2: in a conversation that I know is going to shake
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Speaker 2: the room a bit We have Mr. Jason Weaver. Some
0:32
Speaker 2: of you guys may know him as Sean. It depends
0:34
Speaker 2: on where you're watching him at and what sentiment you're
0:37
Speaker 2: watching him, because you may know his voice as well.
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Speaker 2: From The Lion King still to this day, there's been
0:43
Speaker 2: so many iconic moments in our history of storytelling that
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Speaker 2: you've been a part of. So, you know, we are
0:49
Speaker 2: thankful to have you here at The Latest with Lauren
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Speaker 2: La Rosa. How you feeling today?
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Speaker 1: What's up, Lauren? Hey, I'm so pleased and honored to
0:55
Speaker 1: be here. Thank you for having me on as a guest.
0:58
Speaker 1: big fan of you and a big fan of the
1:00
Speaker 1: work that you do, especially on The Breakfast Club as well.
1:03
Speaker 1: So definitely happy to be here on the latest. This
1:05
Speaker 1: is dope.
1:06
Speaker 2: Oh, well, that means a lot because you've been in
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Speaker 2: the show business since you could blink ever. So.
1:11
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, but I pay attention though. I always, I
1:13
Speaker 1: always pay attention to, you know, people that I see
1:17
Speaker 1: that are, that are ascending and that are rising stars
1:19
Speaker 1: and really standing out and, you know, that matter to
1:21
Speaker 1: the culture and, and have something positive to provide and
1:26
Speaker 1: to share and, No, so I definitely respect your commentary
1:30
Speaker 1: and your perspective, especially related to current events, whether social, political.
1:35
Speaker 1: You always have a very intelligent perspective in the way
1:38
Speaker 1: that you articulate and express your thoughts, especially to that audience.
1:42
Speaker 1: I just really respect it. I think you do a
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Speaker 1: fantastic job. So salute to you.
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Speaker 2: Thank you. I appreciate it, but I'm used to everything
1:49
Speaker 2: being about you, not about me. Now, y'all know here
1:52
Speaker 2: at The Latest with Lauren LaRosa, we always check in
1:54
Speaker 2: behind the scenes of The Grind, and it is no
1:56
Speaker 2: different when we have our very special guests in the room.
2:01
Speaker 1: Back on The Grind.
2:03
Speaker 2: So, Jason, how are you feeling today? And when I
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Speaker 2: ask you that, you have to, like, really answer it. Like,
2:08
Speaker 2: think about it a little bit. Like, how are you? Because...
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Speaker 2: A lot of times when you out here hustling and
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Speaker 2: figuring it out, we don't stop to check in on
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Speaker 2: ourselves for sure, but especially not each other. So I
2:18
Speaker 2: built this in so I could daily check in with myself.
2:20
Speaker 1: You know what? I love this segment and I love
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Speaker 1: that question. I'll be honest with you. You know, I
2:28
Speaker 1: feel good. I recognize that I'm very blessed and that
2:33
Speaker 1: my family is very blessed. I would be lying to
2:37
Speaker 1: you if I said I didn't feel a little uneasy
2:41
Speaker 1: at times, especially with the current climate, everything is going
2:46
Speaker 1: on in the country, you know, the state of the economy. And,
2:51
Speaker 1: you know, I'm a father and I'm the head of
2:53
Speaker 1: my household and I take care of my mother and,
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Speaker 1: you know, as a provider and the things that are
2:59
Speaker 1: going on right now and even just the tone, the
3:04
Speaker 1: tension that currently exists in the country right now, I
3:06
Speaker 1: do feel a little uneasy sometimes. But I also, in
3:10
Speaker 1: a weird way, feel hopeful because I'm seeing so many
3:14
Speaker 1: people day in and day out use their voice and
3:18
Speaker 1: their platforms to speak out in resistance of all of
3:21
Speaker 1: that stuff. And I see people even, you know, dealing
3:25
Speaker 1: with financial aspects and the uncertainty surrounding the economy. I'm
3:29
Speaker 1: seeing more people come to others aid and be willing
3:33
Speaker 1: to help one another and come together. So it's weird.
3:37
Speaker 1: It's weird. But overall, I feel good though. The show's out.
3:40
Speaker 2: I know what you mean.
3:42
Speaker 1: Yeah.
3:42
Speaker 2: The show's out. You working. You got some things moving.
3:45
Speaker 2: It's like you never want to complain because you always
3:47
Speaker 2: want to be grateful because of the climate. Things could
3:49
Speaker 2: be so much different. But like there's always this like,
3:54
Speaker 2: it's so weird that you have that. Do you have
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Speaker 2: that like, what if I wake up tomorrow and like
3:57
Speaker 2: this is a complete 360?
3:59
Speaker 1: Yeah.
3:59
Speaker 2: You still have that feeling sometimes?
4:01
Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. No, listen.
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Speaker 2: I feel like that now. And I feel like it's
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Speaker 2: like a trauma of like, because I'm the oldest kid
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Speaker 2: in my house, oldest girl. So I'm always figuring things
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Speaker 2: out for everybody in myself. And right now things are
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Speaker 2: moving and moving so fast. I literally get so nervous
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Speaker 2: sometimes because I'm like, yo, what if I wake up
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Speaker 2: tomorrow and everything's over? Or I make a decision that
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Speaker 2: like messes up everything and I'm providing for mad people
4:26
Speaker 2: right now.
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Speaker 1: You know what? That's a very normal feeling, especially those
4:30
Speaker 1: of us who, you know, are in this business and
4:33
Speaker 1: so to speak, blazing our own trail. You know, there
4:39
Speaker 1: are times where you may not have steady or gainful
4:41
Speaker 1: employment in this industry. And there are a lot of
4:43
Speaker 1: times where what you generate as far as revenue is
4:48
Speaker 1: literally based on your hustle.
4:49
Speaker 2: Yes.
4:50
Speaker 1: And depending upon where you can be at any given time.
4:53
Speaker 1: And then with the landscape of our business constantly changing
4:56
Speaker 1: through the advancement of modern technology and then finding, having
5:00
Speaker 1: to always navigate and find different ways to reach and
5:03
Speaker 1: stay tapped in with your audience. Yeah. The, the feelings
5:07
Speaker 1: that you have are very normal. Even those of us
5:09
Speaker 1: who people view as like veteran players in the game or,
5:13
Speaker 1: you know, seasoned members of the industry, you know, all
5:17
Speaker 1: of us feel that way. It's just, it's just a,
5:20
Speaker 1: it's uncertain times, but also I think during uncertain times
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Speaker 1: is when, you know, some of the greatest ideas and
5:26
Speaker 1: some of the greatest occurrences can happen where innovation, you know,
5:30
Speaker 1: takes place and creativity. So, you know, again, as uneasy
5:35
Speaker 1: as I think so many of us feel right now,
5:37
Speaker 1: I think there are a lot of us who still
5:41
Speaker 1: realize that we have to keep going and we have
5:44
Speaker 1: to keep pressing forward. And in that willingness to keep going,
5:49
Speaker 1: it shows the universe or it shows God, Hey, I'm
5:52
Speaker 1: ready for it. And then before you know it, opportunities
5:55
Speaker 1: and new things enter into your life and, you know,
5:57
Speaker 1: and new ways are being made where you didn't see
6:01
Speaker 1: one at first. You dig what I'm saying?
6:03
Speaker 2: Oh, I get you. I get you. Cause then when
6:04
Speaker 2: you get to the other side, you like, Oh, I
6:07
Speaker 2: see why I had the boom, boom, boom. Like you
6:11
Speaker 2: understand the sticking move. You understand.
6:13
Speaker 1: Absolutely. And I've been there a couple of times in
6:15
Speaker 1: my life, you know, whether it, You know, I know
6:17
Speaker 1: people have this perception of me. It's like, oh yeah,
6:20
Speaker 1: he's been on TV since he's a kid and he's
6:22
Speaker 1: done the Lion King. And yeah, and all that's true
6:24
Speaker 1: and all that's good. And I have been very blessed,
6:26
Speaker 1: but that doesn't mean that I haven't encountered my fair
6:29
Speaker 1: share of obstacles and ups and downs. You know, I've
6:32
Speaker 1: had lulls in my career as well where I've had to,
6:35
Speaker 1: you know, restart, re-kickstart and find different ways to keep
6:39
Speaker 1: myself out there while at the same time maintaining my
6:41
Speaker 1: integrity and staying within the moral boundaries that, you know,
6:45
Speaker 1: I've set for myself. So no, I mean, we're, we're
6:48
Speaker 1: all challenged with that on the day to day. So
6:50
Speaker 1: anybody out there as well, that's feeling the same things
6:53
Speaker 1: that we're feeling like, just know that you're not alone
6:57
Speaker 1: and don't be too hard on yourself and, you know,
6:59
Speaker 1: take each day, you know, one day at a time
7:02
Speaker 1: and one foot before the other. And, you know, just
7:05
Speaker 1: keep pressing forward because everybody's feeling it.
7:08
Speaker 2: You know what I mean? One happy hour at a time.
7:10
Speaker 2: That's how we get through.
7:11
Speaker 1: You know what I mean? You know, get you a
7:13
Speaker 1: glass of, I'm a bourbon drinker. So, you know, if
7:16
Speaker 1: you have one of those days where you just need
7:18
Speaker 1: a light sip and you need to look at sports center,
7:20
Speaker 1: you know, to clear your mind, that's what I do.
7:22
Speaker 1: You know, do whatever it is, even if you meditate,
7:25
Speaker 1: do what works for you, you know, but, but find
7:28
Speaker 1: that inner peace because, you know, all of this is
7:31
Speaker 1: temporary anyhow, not to sound so morbid, but it's true.
7:34
Speaker 1: It's life. You know, this is, this is an opportunity
7:38
Speaker 1: just for you to experience life and to learn from
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Speaker 1: it and to grow and evolve. And it's not based
7:43
Speaker 1: all around how much money you have, what new bag
7:47
Speaker 1: you have, you know what I'm saying? What new house,
7:49
Speaker 1: a new car, like all the material stuff, especially in
7:53
Speaker 1: America that people place so, so much importance on the
7:58
Speaker 1: surface level and superficial aspects of life and the material stuff. Man,
8:02
Speaker 1: it ain't about that, man. You know, you can feel
8:05
Speaker 1: down one minute and maybe sit down next to somebody
8:07
Speaker 1: at a barbershop or sit next to somebody at a
8:10
Speaker 1: bar and have a conversation that'll lift your spirit. So
8:13
Speaker 1: just be open to all good things and positive things
8:17
Speaker 1: and even confronted with the negative. Understand that that's just
8:19
Speaker 1: part of the experience, but you will get through it
8:22
Speaker 1: and come back out on the other side of it
8:24
Speaker 1: a different and stronger person. That's what I just try
8:27
Speaker 1: to do. But we all deal with it. You know
8:29
Speaker 1: what I mean?
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Speaker 2: That's the way you do it. See, that's why we
8:31
Speaker 2: check in. That's literally why we check. Cause you, sometimes
8:34
Speaker 2: you need that reminder for yourself. Somebody listening may need it. We,
8:37
Speaker 2: our community here is called the low riders and it's
8:39
Speaker 2: over 8 million plus of them. So I try to
8:42
Speaker 2: make sure that like, I know, right. It is so crazy.
8:45
Speaker 2: Podcast is a little over a year old. The black
8:47
Speaker 2: effect podcast network is they're very powerful. They, they, and
8:50
Speaker 2: they're really, they're really good at understanding what they have
8:54
Speaker 2: talent wise, because to be honest with you, all I
8:56
Speaker 2: do is press record sometimes from my car to, from
8:59
Speaker 2: my bed. I might be, I mean, I'd be over
9:01
Speaker 2: wherever I'm at. I'm taking the podcast with me and
9:03
Speaker 2: I pride myself on that. And it's just been working out.
9:06
Speaker 2: But a lot of it is ups and downs, whatever.
9:08
Speaker 2: I'm very honest about what I'm going through, especially during
9:10
Speaker 2: this segment right here. It's like my, almost like my
9:13
Speaker 2: ministry or my testimony because people are watching me grow
9:16
Speaker 2: and watching the podcast grow in real time. So we
9:18
Speaker 2: appreciate you for checking in with us today.
9:20
Speaker 1: No, and thank you for asking that. I appreciate it
9:23
Speaker 1: because those questions are important and you presenting those questions
9:27
Speaker 1: and normalizing that to where even your guests, probably when
9:31
Speaker 1: they do that with their friends, I respect you and
9:33
Speaker 1: appreciate you for doing that. That's dope.
9:35
Speaker 2: Of course. Now let's get on into the latest because
9:38
Speaker 2: we got Jason here, y'all, and y'all know we got
9:39
Speaker 2: to get into the questions. Let's do it. I saw
9:43
Speaker 2: you guys link up for that ATL reunion.
9:46
Speaker 1: Yeah. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it for that.
9:50
Speaker 1: I was actually in New York.
9:53
Speaker 2: Listen, when you was in New York, you didn't come
9:55
Speaker 2: by and see us at the Breakfast Club. And then
9:57
Speaker 2: when the.
10:00
Speaker 2: Nostalgic, it was seeing that photo and vote videos of
10:02
Speaker 2: them together. It wasn't, that's another thing where I'm like,
10:06
Speaker 2: we need, we need more. Why?
10:08
Speaker 1: What happened? And this is what happened. Cause I was
10:11
Speaker 1: trying to make it to the ATL premiere. I mean,
10:14
Speaker 1: to the ATL, um, reunion. Cause tip, And Hannah, shout
10:17
Speaker 1: out to Tip and Hannah. They had planned that like
10:20
Speaker 1: a month and a half, maybe two months prior to
10:22
Speaker 1: the actual event. So I was locked in to come.
10:26
Speaker 1: But right as we were wrapping The Chi, Paramount had
10:29
Speaker 1: made us aware that we were immediately going to start
10:33
Speaker 1: premiering the new season. And so we had to go
10:36
Speaker 1: on the press junket to do that. So I had
10:38
Speaker 1: to go to New York. And I'll be honest with you,
10:41
Speaker 1: Breakfast Club was definitely one of my destinations that that
10:44
Speaker 1: I wanted to hit, but I had to take orders
10:46
Speaker 1: from the network. Like, you know, they, they put things
10:49
Speaker 1: with like the age groups and the generations. And so
10:52
Speaker 1: I think they wanted the, the younger class to be
10:54
Speaker 1: able to come on and hang with y'all. But when
10:57
Speaker 1: I'm back in the city, I'm coming up there for sure.
11:00
Speaker 2: Well, maybe you can come when you guys are telling
11:02
Speaker 2: us when we're going to get the next ATL, because
11:04
Speaker 2: I know that it was, it was green lit. Like
11:06
Speaker 2: a studio has said yes to you guys, right? Like
11:08
Speaker 2: for a second, Um, there.
11:11
Speaker 1: Was some interest. I know that there was some conversations
11:13
Speaker 1: that were happening. I know that tip and Chris Robinson, um,
11:18
Speaker 1: had gone to Warner brothers and there were some discussions
11:21
Speaker 1: that were being had, but I don't know if anything
11:24
Speaker 1: ever really materialized.
11:26
Speaker 2: I thought I saw something that said you guys were
11:28
Speaker 2: in development, but I don't know at what stage of
11:30
Speaker 2: development that, cause that could just simply be conversations, right?
11:33
Speaker 1: Yeah. The development pretty much means that is that there's
11:36
Speaker 1: conversations revolving around it, but until you get a script,
11:39
Speaker 1: And until there's a budget set in place and, you know,
11:43
Speaker 1: and you've brought the actors back and contracts are signed,
11:46
Speaker 1: you know, it's not real until then. But, but what
11:48
Speaker 1: I will say is, is that if there ever is
11:50
Speaker 1: a time where we can get an opportunity to do
11:54
Speaker 1: a sequel to carry on that story, you know, I
11:57
Speaker 1: would love to be a part of it. I don't
11:58
Speaker 1: know how that story would be constructed. Maybe it would
12:02
Speaker 1: even be a new generation, like our children or whatever
12:04
Speaker 1: that are, that are into it now. But, um, either
12:08
Speaker 1: which way I would just jump at the chance of
12:10
Speaker 1: being a part of it because I love all my
12:12
Speaker 1: cast members, you know, tip Lauren, I'll be Jackie, Evan,
12:17
Speaker 1: the twins, man, everybody. I mean, we, we literally grew
12:22
Speaker 1: into our own little family. And even prior to the,
12:25
Speaker 1: to the reunion, you know, we correspond with each other
12:28
Speaker 1: on a family group text. Like we'll tap in with
12:30
Speaker 1: each other, like every three months, just checking in with
12:33
Speaker 1: one another. So there are real friendships there. There is
12:37
Speaker 1: a real, ATL family bond that's there.
12:40
Speaker 2: Y'all do stuff like, I remember there was that video
12:42
Speaker 2: that y'all posted and y'all were like, it was a
12:45
Speaker 2: video y'all was like walking down the street. It was you,
12:48
Speaker 2: Lauren London, T.I.
12:50
Speaker 1: Yep.
12:51
Speaker 2: That was during a BET weekend. Yes, but we thought
12:54
Speaker 2: that that was like, okay, filming's about to start. Like,
12:57
Speaker 2: y'all be playing with our heartstrings a little bit.
12:59
Speaker 1: Nah, here's what it was. I'm going to keep it real.
13:01
Speaker 1: And I hope Tip doesn't mind me sharing this and
13:04
Speaker 1: divulging this, but That was used as a strategy for
13:09
Speaker 1: the longest. Tip and Chris Robinson and all of us
13:14
Speaker 1: have been encouraging Warner Brothers to do a sequel for
13:18
Speaker 1: the film, right? Okay, here's the problem. And here's how
13:21
Speaker 1: Hollywood sees this. Just so everybody knows. Now, we as
13:26
Speaker 1: a culture, we look at ATL as an iconic or
13:30
Speaker 1: classic film. that we all enjoy with our families and
13:34
Speaker 1: that resonates with us and it sits in our hearts.
13:37
Speaker 1: To the average Hollywood executive, they're like, okay, it performed
13:41
Speaker 1: well domestically in a theater. It performed slightly, it performed
13:47
Speaker 1: moderately well in a foreign market, but did it perform
13:50
Speaker 1: that well overall globally to where it's worthy of me
13:56
Speaker 1: investing 30 or $ 40 million to getting this film done
13:59
Speaker 1: And I may possibly make anywhere from 80 to maybe
14:04
Speaker 1: 90 of it back, or maybe not. If that, that's
14:07
Speaker 1: how these executives look at it. That's how they tabulate it.
14:10
Speaker 2: That's crazy to me though, because even if they culturally
14:12
Speaker 2: don't understand, you guys made what, like $ 21 million by
14:15
Speaker 2: the end of the movie's run? From what I'm seeing reported, right?
14:19
Speaker 1: Yeah.
14:20
Speaker 2: But think about it. That was at the time where
14:22
Speaker 2: there was social media, but not for real. Y'all are
14:26
Speaker 2: way more seasoned in your career now. You know what
14:28
Speaker 2: to do. T.I. is even bigger, bigger, bigger king of
14:31
Speaker 2: the South, even though he say he hanging up king.
14:34
Speaker 2: All of y'all are huge now. It's different.
14:36
Speaker 1: No, let me point this out, too, as well, based
14:39
Speaker 1: on the performance. That was on a limited amount of screens.
14:42
Speaker 1: We weren't released on a full amount of screens. So
14:47
Speaker 1: to give you an example, and people can probably look
14:50
Speaker 1: this up as well in the analytics and the data.
14:53
Speaker 1: I think every theater, because Ice Age, it was either
14:56
Speaker 1: Ice Age or Ice Age 2 came out the same weekend, right?
15:00
Speaker 1: Every theater that we performed in along with that Ice Age,
15:04
Speaker 1: we surpassed or we had numbers that were equal to
15:08
Speaker 1: theirs as far as revenue that was generated at the
15:10
Speaker 1: box office. But the theaters that Ice Age was at
15:14
Speaker 1: that we weren't at because we had limited amount of
15:17
Speaker 1: screens that we were on, of course, that's how they
15:20
Speaker 1: were able to get the numbers to where they won
15:23
Speaker 1: the weekend. But we came in, I think initially at
15:26
Speaker 1: either a strong second Or possibly a third, but we came.
15:30
Speaker 2: In- It was third. You guys came in at third, but-
15:31
Speaker 2: We came in at third. To be fair, I just
15:33
Speaker 2: want to make this clear for people who don't understand
15:35
Speaker 2: what you're saying. So when Ice Age came out, Ice
15:38
Speaker 2: Age grossed about $ 660 million worldwide. You guys came in
15:44
Speaker 2: at number three. You're telling me you were up against,
15:47
Speaker 2: you were limited in theaters, right?
15:49
Speaker 1: Yes.
15:49
Speaker 2: And if I'm hearing you correctly, if you're limited in theaters,
15:52
Speaker 2: that means the marketing behind you guys wasn't the same
15:54
Speaker 2: as like an Ice Age. So that's what I mean.
15:56
Speaker 2: So I don't understand why Hollywood Studio wouldn't understand the
15:59
Speaker 2: easy genius math there. Like the fact that y'all had
16:02
Speaker 2: to put out that video to basically say, hey, look,
16:04
Speaker 2: the people want it, right?
16:05
Speaker 1: The people want it. Yeah, basically. And I mean, still,
16:08
Speaker 1: it was met with a little bit of like, not skepticism,
16:12
Speaker 1: because they know that it can be successful. I mean,
16:14
Speaker 1: Tip is a successful brand, right? They would just add
16:17
Speaker 1: it like, well, is it just worth the investment at
16:20
Speaker 1: the end of the day just to make a little
16:21
Speaker 1: bit of coin back? And that's how these executives, unfortunately,
16:25
Speaker 1: look at it, particularly when it comes to telling our stories.
16:28
Speaker 1: You know, we always get hit with that. I mean,
16:31
Speaker 1: even when Sinners first came out, and I remember there
16:34
Speaker 1: was an article in Variety where they were more or
16:38
Speaker 1: less downplaying the performance that Sinners had at the box office,
16:43
Speaker 1: although it performed well, performed better. I think the most
16:46
Speaker 1: things it was competing against in the marketplace at that time,
16:50
Speaker 1: but they still tried to put a little bit of
16:52
Speaker 1: shade on the initial results of the numbers that came back.
16:57
Speaker 1: And unfortunately, that's just how it was, how to some
17:02
Speaker 1: degree it still is. But again, that goes back to
17:04
Speaker 1: my initial point of, I feel optimistic about the future.
17:09
Speaker 1: When I see people like Byron Allen stepping up and
17:14
Speaker 1: stepping forward, putting their money on the line, putting their
17:17
Speaker 1: money where their mouth is, and buying up these companies
17:20
Speaker 1: or acquiring these companies that will allow us to really
17:23
Speaker 1: have skin in the game and to have ownership in
17:27
Speaker 1: what it is that we're doing and empowering us as
17:30
Speaker 1: Black creatives to where we don't have to hear those
17:33
Speaker 1: rejections anymore and those no's. You know, that's what I
17:37
Speaker 1: feel encouraged about. So, you know, maybe even ATL at
17:42
Speaker 1: some point You know, maybe Warner Brothers would be willing to,
17:46
Speaker 1: you know, merge with the stars or something on or
17:48
Speaker 1: co-produce it with the stars and maybe we'll get a
17:51
Speaker 1: sequel then. But, you know, until things like that happen
17:55
Speaker 1: where we have control, full control over these intellectual properties,
17:59
Speaker 1: you know, you're going to run into that kind of
18:02
Speaker 1: opposition from time to time, for sure.
18:04
Speaker 2: It's just insane to imagine that because it is such
18:06
Speaker 2: a cold classic to us. We put this out there.
18:10
Speaker 2: We hope that it sparks the conversation as supposed to. And,
18:12
Speaker 2: you know, that's what that's I in one of the
18:16
Speaker 2: things that I like about this job is that we
18:18
Speaker 2: can start conversations that actually like can turn into real
18:21
Speaker 2: things that matter here at the latest. And I'm hoping
18:24
Speaker 2: that this does. It's not even just for ATL because
18:26
Speaker 2: I want to see it, but also for like the
18:28
Speaker 2: shy and seeing more things that, you know, Lena Waithe
18:32
Speaker 2: is able to do. the other cast of the show,
18:34
Speaker 2: which all are about to go and do, because I
18:36
Speaker 2: know that there's only going to be more after that
18:37
Speaker 2: y'all stay working. Okay. Especially you.
18:40
Speaker 1: No, I mean, you know what? I try to keep
18:42
Speaker 1: it moving. Let me also say this too. I'm glad that,
18:44
Speaker 1: that you mentioned that. And I want to compliment you
18:46
Speaker 1: on that as well with this show, the latest, thank
18:49
Speaker 1: you for the questions that you're asking, because all they're
18:52
Speaker 1: going to do is just spark up more conversation and
18:55
Speaker 1: more ideas amongst one another. And that's what we really
18:58
Speaker 1: have to do. We have to be able to have
19:00
Speaker 1: these kinds of open forum discussions and to where we
19:02
Speaker 1: can start talking about the future and where we see
19:05
Speaker 1: ourselves in it and looking at how we can empower
19:08
Speaker 1: one another versus looking outside and asking, how can you
19:12
Speaker 1: empower us? So I commend you for having this kind
19:14
Speaker 1: of platform to where we can have those kinds of
19:17
Speaker 1: conversations because it's so, so important. And that's something, as
19:22
Speaker 1: you're saying, continuing to work, that's something that I'm looking
19:25
Speaker 1: to do as well. I'm actually, this summer, I'm launching
19:30
Speaker 1: a late night talk show with my guys at 85
19:34
Speaker 1: south called leave it to weaver.
19:35
Speaker 2: 85 south you know they're black effect as well we're
19:38
Speaker 2: on the same network oh okay yep yeah they're on
19:41
Speaker 2: the same network yeah shout out to 85 south show.
19:43
Speaker 1: Yep so um no i reached out to those guys
19:47
Speaker 1: um because i've i've been fans of 85 for the
19:50
Speaker 1: longest and been on the show a couple times but
19:52
Speaker 1: i pitched uh this late night talk show leave it
19:55
Speaker 1: to weaver to them back in october and um now
19:58
Speaker 1: we're about to shoot it this summer and it's basically
20:00
Speaker 1: we're bringing you know late night talk show back to
20:05
Speaker 1: or to to this new generation introducing it to the
20:08
Speaker 1: new generation so you know, back in the day in
20:10
Speaker 1: the 90s, we had the Arsenio Hall show, right? And
20:14
Speaker 1: we don't really have shows like that anymore now. And
20:17
Speaker 1: when you're seeing voices being now suppressed, like, you know,
20:20
Speaker 1: the Colbert's and the Kimmel's and, you know, as far
20:27
Speaker 1: as Black people are concerned in the Black voice and
20:30
Speaker 1: the Black perspective, you just don't see it out there
20:33
Speaker 1: like that. So I want to bring that back. So
20:36
Speaker 1: Leave It to Weaver is essentially going to be a
20:37
Speaker 1: hybrid between the old Arsenio Hall show format, and 106
20:42
Speaker 1: in part where we'll have a live band, live studio audience,
20:46
Speaker 1: live performances, but we'll also have thought provoking, you know, conversations,
20:50
Speaker 1: extended conversations.
20:52
Speaker 2: Who's going to host it? The one of the guys
20:53
Speaker 2: from 85 South?
20:54
Speaker 1: No, I'm going to host it.
20:55
Speaker 2: Oh, you're going to host it too. Okay.
20:57
Speaker 1: It's leave it to me.
20:58
Speaker 2: You left that part out.
20:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm hosting it. So I'm stepping more into, you know,
21:04
Speaker 1: kind of the arena of being a personality and helping to,
21:09
Speaker 1: raise awareness around things and people in everyday topics that
21:13
Speaker 1: matter to me that I want to share with the
21:16
Speaker 1: audience and not only entertain them, but inform them and
21:19
Speaker 1: enlighten them. So you're not just going to get your
21:22
Speaker 1: standard like actor and singer. You know, I may bring on,
21:25
Speaker 1: you know, a politician who's running for office and who
21:28
Speaker 1: needs our vote and who I genuinely feel, you know,
21:32
Speaker 1: has our best interests, especially as Black people at heart,
21:35
Speaker 1: you know, and representing us in government. I may have
21:38
Speaker 1: that person on. to be able to kind of discuss
21:40
Speaker 1: or share what their agenda is and what their policies
21:43
Speaker 1: are so that younger voters are informed. So, you know,
21:47
Speaker 1: I think there's a space for it. I think in
21:50
Speaker 1: the way that we want to do it and helping
21:52
Speaker 1: to create a launch pad, if you will, for, you know,
21:57
Speaker 1: Black talent, whether they're emerging or whether they're legacy talents,
22:01
Speaker 1: for them to have a stage and a home to
22:03
Speaker 1: come to and perform and have something to say and
22:06
Speaker 1: to be able to do it right here in the
22:08
Speaker 1: black or the African-American Mecca of Atlanta. I think it's,
22:12
Speaker 1: I think it's going to be a beautiful thing. So
22:14
Speaker 1: now 85 South, the guys have gotten, gotten totally behind
22:19
Speaker 1: me pause with this. They've gotten totally behind me with
22:23
Speaker 1: this and, and, and helping me to put this out.
22:25
Speaker 1: So I'm very excited moving forward about the future.
22:29
Speaker 2: Well, congratulations. Let me know when that is coming. Definitely.
22:32
Speaker 1: You got to be a guest.
22:34
Speaker 2: I'm down. Just let me know. Just hit me up.
22:36
Speaker 2: I'm down. I'm always down for a little trip to Atlanta,
22:39
Speaker 2: you know, get some food in Samuka. That's right.
22:41
Speaker 1: Get some lamb chops in Samuka.
22:43
Speaker 2: Okay, exactly. You get that at the car wash in Atlanta.
22:46
Speaker 2: That was part one of my interview with Jason Weaver.
22:48
Speaker 2: Stay tuned for part two where we get into his
22:51
Speaker 2: role on The Chi. Y'all know y'all love Chi from
22:53
Speaker 2: The Chi. Storyline development and a bunch of other stuff because,
22:57
Speaker 2: I mean, he has a lot to talk about. There's
22:59
Speaker 2: been a lot of roles, a lot of careers, and
23:00
Speaker 2: a lot of episodes of The Chi. Stay tuned.