Hey Reddit! This is Roy Wood Jr.
I'm performing tonight in L.A. at The Belasco as part of Netflix Is A Joke Fest so I'm taking over Netflix's account at 11:30am PT / 2:30pm ET to answer all your questions about comedy and whatever else you want to know.
Take a break from the rap battle wars and ask me anything! It's really me
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Q&A
Thoughts on Jon Stewart coming back and CC kicking the can down the road as far as finding a new permanent host? Also, any thoughts on what happened with Hassan?
I think they have a host. I think they have hosts. I think that's what they wanted and now they have just that, a plan. The ratings reflect it. The show is essential and important especially in an election like this. They have that with Jon Stewart. When I left the show the current the Jon structure wasn't there yet. I needed some time away from the show to make that decision. I just talked to Hasan he's my dude. He will surface again and continue to speak the truth. Nothing will stop Hasan from being great. If you see this Hasan cast me in something man, I'm broke.
Post up your Patreon bro you’ll never go hungry on my watch
Take me with you, I'm broke AF too.
Good on you for speaking up!
Thanks for hosting this. All the best to you.
Wasn't the problem that he wasn't?
You should check out his response to that article. It was a very clear hit piece
What looney tunes character do you identify with the most?
Daffy Duck, he wants respect and authority but he doesn't have the power and competence when it's given to him. I'm pretty antagonist, that's my guy.
What a beautiful and honest response. Thank you Sir, for your truth and inspiration.
I read this and thought it was funny but insightful. I came back to it hours later and realized it described me to a T.
What's the biggest sized animal you could take in a fight?
I'm thinking a leopard, they're pretty strong. I weigh 250 they drag heavier shit up a tree. All animals have a ball sack, if you can get ahold of it, evens the odds a little bit. Protect the neck. Squeeze the balls.
Only half of leopards have a ball sack...
They all have a big-ass set of teeth though
Gots to protect ya neck.
Whaat? I love you man, but “I can fight a leopard?!” Come on man. They got them big ass claws and teeth that will carve right through a person.
Ah, the honeybadger approach. Wise indeed.
Did you get access to a hidden second verse of Wu?
What would your version of the daily show have looked like? What’s your pitch man! It was sad to see you go.
I don't know how much I would have changed how much we were doing. I would have just expanded more into state and local stuff. The difficult thing about it is you only have 30 minutes. Every day there is an asteroid hurtling at our democracy. So you don't get to talk about the smaller things. It would have been nice to delve into state and local politics, and even sports. The truth is the moment you have a plan for what you want to cover, big news events happen to shake everything up. And more man on the street stuff.
Makes a lot of sense, given your amazing White House Correspondant's set. Just wanted to say I think about the set once in a while. It was very poignant, moving, and insightful.
You should go make that show. I’d watch.
What is your favorite cheese to put on a hoagie?
Swiss. I'm almost always a Swiss guy. And American. But mostly Swiss. The Swiss got some good cheese and good watches. That knife too. Wait is that racist? Nationalist? I talked myself into doing this, now I'm gonna get cancelled.
“Beloved comedian Roy Wood Jr. under fire after praising the Swiss for their watches, knives, and cheeses.”
They're just pissed he didn't mention the chocolate along with the others.
The Swiss won’t have any strong feelings one way or the other.
My gut says maybe.
Just say you misspoke and meant to say jarlsberg and have nothing against lorraine swiss cheese
Just say you don't have any recollection of this
Who is the most unexpectedly funny celebrity that you’ve met?
Oh shit. It's a tie between Keanu Reeves and Blake Griffin. Blake Griffin dabbles in stand up now. Keanu is deceptively hilarious. And it's not like you're expecting it. He's just over there in the cut chilling. Then he sends two jabs over and you're like "am I being roasted?" What you gonna do? It's John Wick. What you gonna do when he's roasting you? You shut the fuck up........you....shut....the....fuck....up.
You definitely leave his dog alone.
What ever happened to This is Not Happening? I thought it was a perfect show for Comedy Central to showcase new standup comedians. Really bummed that it's gone now.
Roy has some classic stories on there...
SMITTY!
Which side of the "woke'ism is destroying comedy" fence are you on?
Some say people are too sensitive and you can't make jokes "about anything" any more.
Others say, the people complaining about being "cancelled" simply aren't funny and are making excuses for their lack of empathy.
What's your take?
You got the left who are saying "you can't say this," the right saying "don't say that." Everybody is still selling motherfucking tickets. I define being cancelled as being you can no longer perform the thing you want to perform. There is no cancel culture. It's a complaint culture. As far as I can tell people on both sides have a following and are selling a lot of tickets. Shane Gillis got "cancelled" and hosted SNL. So what are we measuring cancelled by? What does cancelled look like? I'll go build my own empire without that particular thing. It's always been like this in Hollywood. I'm out here getting money. There is a complaint and critique culture, those are real things, but audience is king. If you got an audience you can't be cancelled.
If people have a fan base they can make money from it. Those who don't will bitch about being cancelled.
I wish I could be cancelled for telling bad jokes that worked in the 80's.
Hassan, you hear this? He's out getting money. Dude is good. Cast me instead! (don't cast me, cast Roy)
I agree. I don't think most people are in any meaningful way, "cancelled."
I do think, it was certainly unfair for Bill Maher's show to get literally cancelled because he didn't express the groupthink mantra over 911 at the time, but IMO, that's the exception, not the rule. (And now Bill seems to have gone a bit off the deep end) But now everybody who has an audience that doesn't laugh at their racist jokes somehow thinks it's society's fault.
I will say though, the "left" and the "right" are two entirely different constructs.
The "right" is for the most part, a very homogenous group of mostly white, patriarchal Christians who like guns and hate abortion and immigrants. Their spokespeople have less than a dozen standard talking points that 90+% of self-identifying "conservatives" will agree with.
The "left" on the other hand, is basically the huge bin that everybody else who doesn't meet the right's specific ideological requirements, falls into. It's nowhere near as cohesive and single-minded in its world view. The left has everything from Muslims to atheists, from straight to gay people, so there is not really a cohesive, "Here's what the left espouses"-kind of narrative. This is something that bugs me. Most people on the left would not approve of this notion that language is so tightly policed. That's a fringe element of the left, but not necessarily anywhere near an ideology "the left" espouses. After all, the ACLU is basically considered a leftist organization, and their job is to protect peoples' free speech.
So I think it's important to avoid falling into the false equivalence trap suggesting there are elements of both sides that have gone too far. One side's fringe group may only represent 0.01%, the other is 90%.
What were the most memorable behind the scenes moments at the Daily Show, where things maybe didn't go as planned or we didnt get to see? Big fan. Much love from South Africa.
Election Night 2016 let's start there. Everybody thought Hilary was going to win. We had balloons in the ceiling that night that were going to drop. Those balloons are still up there. Field pieces. You deal with the most surprises because of the outside elements. You have to walk away quickly from some situations. In Montana I was at a pro-gun rally and roasted the people to their faces and had to immediately get the fuck out of there. A month later I was mailed a death threat from someone at that rally. There's days when it can be weird. That one's on Youtube = Roy Montana Guns.
You gotta have some cajones to work at the Daily Show and do the field pieces. Much respect
Hadn’t seen it before. Just watched it. Fucking brilliant.
Link the video? Maybe it's because I'm in Canada but I can't find it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2v9z2S5XzQ
Got any Tom Brady roasts?
No I don't. I know that's coming up live on Netflix pretty soon. I'm a Dolphins fan, I need to be quiet before he comes back again. How do you roast someone that rich and handsome? The whole point is to be like, "look at your tooth, what's wrong with your leg?" He's rich retired and single with 6% body fat, how do you roast that?
Good point, don't want to roast lean meat. Sear that shit at a high temp n keep rare, a Lil au poirve sauce and a glass of chianti.
You don’t roast something that lean. Just a quick sear on both sides and it’s done.
Make shit up?
Talk about his divorce
What’s it like working with Jordan Klepper? I love anything you guys have done together.
He's an unhinged mad man always seeking the truth. My first ever field piece was with Klepper. He's just a fun guy. We're looking to get back out on the road together this fall.
That would be amazing!
I vote yes!
Loved you 2 in the Barbecue truck in NC. That was absolutely crazy.
How's it going?
Um, you know, it's going good. You know, I'm watching America be divided and being forced to choose a side on who they support. No matter how many facts you present to one side on who they support. Then you have the other side using AI and photoshop to disinform Americans and influence their opinions. I am of course talking about Kendrick vs Drake. Not the presidential election.
I’m down for the beef. Drake had this coming for a minute.
The old switcharoo, well played.
yeah this beef got intense last night
America will win this beef 😤
How does it feel to be everyone's Uncle Roy?
I thought I was still cousin age. I didn't know I was uncle age yet. I thought I could be cousin til 50, then I'd graduate. Most people call me uncle from a place of respect. Uncles are really wise......or drunk. I'm definitely not the drunk uncle, so I'll take it. I do be drinking tho....but not when I'm giving advise. Why would you ask a drunk uncle for advise? Wait til the morning. Dummy.
You're a cousin! That one that was in a highchair and wanted to be with us at the kids' table. You got there, though. F highchairs. Cousin Roy can handle himself at the table.
How's the Job Fair family doing? Yall helped me get through what was by far my worst job.
Everybody's good. I'm in group chat with Rod. Ralph and I talk every now and then still. And JG is my tour manager and producing partner, so I talk to her everyday. The podcast will return, when I left Comedy Central I had to quit doing the podcast for the Comedy Central Network. Now I have the podcast, and it's just a matter of me finding a new home for it.
What time you got?
12:00
Are you related to THE Roy Wood of "I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day" fame?
I am not related to him. Is he British? I am also not related to the Roy Woods with an S who is slowly getting dragged into this Drake and Kendrick beef. Please stop tagging me in Rick Ross posts. I am a 45 year old man, I can only name 6 Drake songs, I assure you he is not hitting me up for bars.
When are you going on Bomani to discuss Beef 2.0?!?!?!
That was a great episode!
I loved Roy!
What was your experience of working on the set of Better Call Saul? How did it compare with other professional experiences you've had?
A top 3 moment for me in entertainment. Especially in acting. It's not fair to rank them. But...Better Call Saul, working with Steve on Space Force, and then the upcoming thing I have with Keanu and Jonah. Better Call Saul was interesting. The producers and my scene partner were fanastic. I was sad I didn't get murdered or to shoot with Bob. You read for the character and they tell you it's a lawyer. They don't tell you the scene. Only Marvel is more airtight in how their scripts move. I had all these fantasies on being on the cartel side of the storyline. It was amazing being part of the Breaking Bad Universe.
That's so cool to hear! I was just watching your episode the other day and remain insanely impressed by how many talented people they bring into their projects for even quick parts! You truly did a great job with the character!
What did you think of Ray J on John Mulaney’s special last night?
If there's two people who could literally talk to anybody, it's them. They've both lived a million lives. One could argue Ray J as Mulaney put it "is a pioneer of realty TV." I thought it was a great combination. Mulaney is similar to Letterman and Maron. The best conversation comes when the guest doesn't have anything to promote. That's Larry King level shit. Mulaney is this generations Larry King if he was hilarious and could dance.
What are your thoughts on Tom Ricketts?
I think that the Cubs are playing competitive baseball this year. I know lots of people had opinions about 2016, it hurt to see that. The move they made to bring back Craig Counsell as manager. It shows they're committed to winning sooner rather than later, even if it meant firing a manager as beloved as David Ross. Craig can take a player that's a 7 and have them play like a 9. So far our bats have shown that, we just need to get our bullpen in order. Also Tom I'm available, I can throw 45mph.
Will we ever get the last episodes of "The Coalition?"
You know what, if there's ever been an underground cult classic it's "The Coalition." If you don't know, go to YouTube. We need to do a reboot and then do it all they way through again. I could never get it cleared by any fast food company. It was a stop motion animated crime drama involving talking chicken sandwiches that I made during Covid. I did it for a while. It slowly became a point of contention in my home. You're trying to explain "please don't throw out these sandwiches I've collected from across the country." There is only so long you can keep old chicken sandwiches out in the open. I really do need to finish that show.
Do you think Drake will clap back or bow out here? Kendrick kinda bodied him.
Drake is not bowing out of this battle. If nothing else, he has shown us he is prepared to die on his shield. This is like that scene in Independence Day when the president is talking to the alien. And the alien is like "peace no peace" and he's like "diiiie." I just hope nobody gets shot. Then we'd have to go back and delete our tweets and pretend to be sad, like we weren't part of the problem our damn self.
What's your favorite thing to do when you're not performing?
Will you guest on Kill Tony?!
How often do people confuse you for Roy Wood from the Electric Light Orchestra? I’m of the right age that I’ve always got to verify the context of what I’m reading when I see your name.
Why isn’t Ian Fidance more famous?