Original subtitles

**

[ Ringing ]

-Nope. He not answering.

-Did he answer? -No.

-Do you expect him to answer? -Yeah.

I'm gonna try to call him one more time.

[ Ringing ]

-Don't do it. I'm, like, four minutes away.

Don't do it. -You know what?

I am gonna do it because how are you this unprofessional?

How are you not at your job on time?

-Well, I was dealing with the baby.

It's her birthday today, so...

-Don't try to pull on my heartstrings.

Don't do that. Don't do that.

You knew that girl's birthday was coming

and you knew I was coming. Don't do it.

Had me fly across the world for him to not be on time.

"It's my daughter's birthday. Wah-wah-wah."

-Oh, my goodness, she's here. [ Laughs ]

How lucky am I?

Well, shit!

Who the fuck...? No, don't you get up.

Damn. -What is wrong with --

-What they put in this chair? Butter?

-What is -- What is wrong with you?

Hi. -[ Indistinct ] happy.

-Do we have to walk in?

Do we walk in from over here? -Alright, guys. Let's do it.

-No, seriously, what do I do? -Stand over there.

God damn, Niecy.

**

Here we are again, out of our Hartbeat Studios in Atlanta.

We're out of west coast wine cellar.

I'm not mad about that one bit,

because when life gets busy,

well, you gotta take it on the road,

and no one knows that better than my next guest.

Guys, she's always breaking new ground

and redefining herself in the roles that she takes on,

and she crushes it every single time.

We're about to find out how she does and why she does it.

I'm gonna get the secret sauce,

because that's what I do here.

Guys, she's got Day and Primetime Emmys,

Image Awards, Gracie wins, too many nominations to mention.

Comedienne, author, actress, advocate, wife, mother.

I can go on and on, but what she is to me

is the person with a heart of platinum.

Oh, my God, how do I do it?

Sometimes the intros just find themselves.

Most read, I just go off the cuff.

Guys, please welcome my friend,

a multi-layered and multi-talented individual,

Ms. Niecy Nash Betts.

How did I do? Huh? Did you see that?

-I saw it. -A lot of people prep.

-[ Laughs ] You obviously don't.

-Well, I don't.

That's what it is, that's why -- Listen,

when I bring you on here, it's all raw and uncut.

-Come on, raw and uncut.

-You in a world of authenticity, okay?

Niecy, before we do anything,

I'm gonna explain to you why we do what we do here.

You know, why it's gonna be great for you.

-Okay. -First of all, we talk.

We talk for real.

We engage over a glass of wine,

and I know that that's good for you,

because I know how much you like to drink.

-[ Laughs ] -So here...

Here, we're gonna tap into that happy space.

Show the world what I've seen for so long,

which is the dope energy.

More importantly, the reason, the why behind your efforts,

and why you're just getting started, right?

Like, I hear you talk, I hear the ambition that you talk with,

and on "Hart to Heart," it's all about flowers.

It's about giving the flowers

that should be given in real-time,

and, you know, show my love and support for those

that I not only know,

but those that I am motivated by, inspired by.

You are one of those people,

although I give you a lot of shit when we talk.

-You do. -You really are.

Your energy is, like, contagious,

and it's truly, like, one-of-a-kind.

So I can't wait. -Thank you, Kevin.

I'm not used to you being sincere.

-Well, this is why you're here! Because I wanna do it--

-I'm not used to you being sincere, now.

Who are you? -I just told you.

-What is going on? -I told you what this is about.

-Okay. -This is different.

This is me actually doing what I should do on the normal,

but if I did it too much then you would take advantage of it

and expect it all the time. -Okay.

Before you do it, I just wanna say,

because you're rich, I was expecting better craft services.

You got chips and cookies and stuff.

I say where is the caviar? -Niecy. Niecy.

-Where's the -- You know what I mean?

Where's the pâté?

Where are all the beautiful things?

And you know what I was told?

"Locked up in your dressing room."

That's what I was told.

I just wanted to get that out of the way

before we start to have this "Hart to Heart" talk.

-Niecy, the show is not about craft services.

It's about conversation. -Oh.

-I don't need you back there snacking and getting sleepy.

I need you out here for a fresh, refined, and, like --

-And drunk. So when are we gonna get to this part?

-We are. You know, let me call up my somm, okay?

D, come on out, man.

This is DLynn, who does an amazing job

of positioning us with some of the best wine,

great tasting wine, great conversation wine,

and he always accommodates the guests.

-I actually played his mother in a movie that was about him.

It was called "Uncorked," Kevin. Have you read my résumé?

-Okay. I'm thinking you talking about him, okay?

But I get what you did there. -You see what I did there?

-Yes, I see what you did there.

That was very good, that was actually very good.

I was about to say, "What the fuck? You didn't tell me this?"

-That's the heart. -[ Indistinct ]

Alright, what are we drinking today?

-I've got some red for you, of course, Mr. Hart.

I'll get into that in one second.

But Mrs. Nash Betts,

and incredible Chardonnay from the Pacific Northwest.

We're talking Oregon, Willamette Valley.

But more specifically, the Chehalem mountain range AVA.

An incredible Chardonnay dual vineyard.

I mean, this exquisite 2020 vintage.

-That's where the money went.

You worried about some damn pâté, okay?

I put it in the glass. That's where it's at.

Give her a light pour. -You know what? Relax.

Am I supposed to check the legs?

-What? -Of course you can, absolutely.

Give it a good swirl, let it aerate,

and it's gonna open up in the glass and you can enjoy.

-You know what, Kevin? Don't hate.

-No, I like it. I like how --

Why did you lean in like this? [ Laughter ]

"Check the legs."

-'Cause I didn't know if he was gonna do it for me.

-What do I got? -And of course, Mr Hart,

we're leaving the Pacific Northwest,

and we're going down to the South of France, St. Tropez.

Specifically about 20 kilometers just west.

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre.

-Mourvedre. Yes. -[ Laughs ]

-Yes. Yes, yes, yes. -Both of you, please enjoy.

Cheers. -Cheers.

-Salut. -Salut.

I know where I wanna start.

I know where I wanna start talking to you.

And, you know... I gotta start off by talking

about your household, your upbringing.

You know, I've heard you, a couple of times now, you know,

speaking from the stage

after receiving said mentioned awards in the beginning.

One thing you've always referred back to is how you were raised,

how you were brought up,

and there's a high sense of spirituality, right?

There's a high sense of just being in touch

with a higher power.

Were you raised in, like, a real, real,

like, firm church upbringing, or...?

-No. I found my way to church on my own, you know what I mean?

But my parents had me in their early 20s,

and you know how you do when you play "break up to make up."

So my daddy kept chasing my mama wherever she went

until she finally came back to California.

I was born in California,

but she went back to St. Louis

'cause my daddy was getting on her nerves.

He came back and got her,

brought us all back to California.

And this is where -- I mean, that is where I was raised,

but it was a neighbor of mine

that used to go to church every Sunday.

And I said, "Can I go?"

And the lady said yes,

and I started going to church with my older neighbor.

But, unfortunately, I couldn't go to the 11:00 AM service

because that's where the youth went.

I had to go to old folks church at 8:00 in the morning.

So I was the youngest one singing in the choir,

and, you know, I walked down the church,

and dedicated my life while I was at church by myself,

none of my family were there.

So that's where the spiritual part of me

began to develop.

-Why entertainment?

Why, you know, the entry of comedy, et cetera?

-Well, okay.

How it started was,

I was watching television with my grandmother,

and I was five years old.

I saw the most gorgeous Black woman

I had ever seen in my little five years of living.

She had on a long, red dress,

and her eyelashes looked like butterflies.

I said, "Grandmama, who is that?"

Now, Grandmama smoked a cigarette on a filter, you know,

so it was way out here. -That's one of the fancy ones.

-Yeah. -That's the long stick.

-Yeah, a gold filter and then the cigarette is at the end.

She said, "Baby, that's Lola Falana."

And in that moment,

I feel like my destiny was stamped on the canvas

of my imagination.

I look at my grandmother and I go,

"That's what I wanna be.

Black, fabulous, and on TV."

And so I stopped answering to my name.

If you didn't call me "Lola," you were not talking to me.

And my first talent was to take two phone books

and stack them together,

and then I would turn around in the circle,

and finish, ah, with my hand on my hip.

And my grandfather would go, "Oh, look at her."

That's all I needed. "Oh, look at that."

And so, I knew this is the call of my life.

But comedy,

I did not know because I did not know it was a gift.

I got pinched in church for cutting up.

"Talks too much" on a report card.

"Well, what were you talking about?"

"I was telling jokes."

"Get the belt. I got a joke for you." You know?

So it was never -- I didn't know it was a thing

until my brother was murdered in '93,

and my mother went into this depression.

She said, "I'm getting into bed and I'm never getting back up."

And I didn't know what to do,

but I knew I could make my mama laugh.

-How old were you at the time?

-My brother was murdered the day before my 23rd birthday.

-Wow.

-And I stood at the foot of that bed and did my bit,

and I did it everyday.

Then one day I come in to do my bit and my mama not in the bed.

"We're in here!" I'm like, "Who is we?"

"Well, I went across the street and got Ms. Brown and Ms. Sadie

and I told 'em you was funny.

Get up there and tell these people some jokes."

And I was like, "Wait, what?"

And then, that was when,

'cause I couldn't pay anybody to get me a job.

I wanted to do "Roots" Part 6

and play the lead slave, you know?

I thought it was gonna all be the drama of it all.

And when I was standing up there

performing for the neighbors and my mom,

I heard a voice as audible as my own say,

"Niecy, don't be a selfish heffa."

I don't know if that's how the Lord talk to other folk,

but that what He said to me. -That's how He talked to you.

"Don't be a selfish heffa.

Go outside and spread this around."

So I went outside and I was like,

"My name's Niecy Nash and I'm funny."

And people were like, "Yes, you are, little girl.

Come on over here and get this job."

So because that's where the industry met me,

it took a long time for them to see me

as anything other than that.

-It was a discovery for you.

You feel like the comedy was a discovery?

-As a gift. -Okay.

-I knew I was funny, but I didn't think it was a job.

-Niecy, an amazing conversation we're having,

but I gotta stop you because we gotta go pay some bills.

Guys, don't go anywhere.

We'll be back with more "Hart to Heart" after this.

We're talking to Niecy Nash Betts.

-You know, I have to say...

I would've thought, you know, Kevin is so rich, like,

where's the caviar?

Where's the pâté? Where is the...?

-That's all in his dressing room.

That's locked. -And that's terrible.

-I know. -That's terrible.

And look, look what we got.

Cookies.

Mm-mm-mm-mm.

**

**

-So, I don't have to tell you that,

but just you to be [indistinct] while you're here.

[Indistinct] fucking flowers, so don't be an asshole.

-I just came to pick up my money.

-'Cause I'll take it back. -I just came to --

-I don't fucking care. Come on, let's go.

Let's go. Welcome back to "Hart to Heart."

We're talking to Niecy Nash Betts.

So where were we?

I've heard you talk about your brother before,

so I'm not gonna act as if I'm a stranger to that information.

What I've always been most intrigued by is

how openly you discussed it,

talked about how it was a motivation factor,

how you used it,

how, you know, you were able to find strength in that moment,

and, you know, others around you.

Hearing you now talk about your mom,

your mom being in that moment and you pulling her out of it.

As you make these decisions,

you know, the one thing that I think we always want,

or one thing that we always look for,

is support, especially from our loved ones.

How fast did that support come, or did it not come,

in the early stages for you when making the choice?

-No, it didn't come. It didn't come early at all, because,

you know, my mother came from a time

where... "pick something practical,"

you know what I mean?

"You're kind-hearted. You should go into nursing."

I said no. -I love how fast you go into --

I love, like, there's not a moment

of, like -- you don't count.

There's not, like, a "one, two."

It's just a little tilt and you're in it.

-I've known her my whole life, yes.

-See, right there, you just did it again that fast.

One of the quickest segues I've ever seen in my life.

Go ahead. -So she just was like,

you know, "You gotta finish school.

You gotta, you know what I mean, maybe pick something,

have a backup plan," you know?

And then she saw me in an acting competition,

and after she saw that, she said,

"Now, that girl is good."

And then she was like, "I'm with it.

I see what you're trying to do, and how can I help you?"

-What acted as your first big break?

-My first big break? -Yes.

-My first big break was a movie called "Boys on the Side,"

with Whoopi Goldberg and Drew Barrymore,

and a very undiscovered, at the time, Matthew McConaughey.

And I did not know enough to know

that you can't just pick up the phone and call somebody

and tell them to get you a job.

So I met this guy at a workshop,

and I called him up and I was like,

"Hey, you said I was funny," you know?

"Why won't you be responsible for my introduction to Hollywood

and hook a sister up?"

I said, "I'm broke, I got a baby, and I need a job."

'Cause I was doing what my mother and father were doing,

break up to make up, with my then-husband.

So the guy said, "Be down here at 3:00."

I went down to CBS. -That's so you in being forward

in what you wanna do, why you wanna do it.

That's very much on-brand.

-So I just called him and he said,

"Come down here at 3:00."

-Like a bully? -Kind of.

-Yeah. Just to put context and a word on it.

-Self-assured, Kevin. -Or bully.

-Okay. Or self-assured.

-What I receive... what I receive...

-Then I'm not speaking until you're listening.

-Okay. Go ahead. -I shall continue.

-Okay. Go ahead. -So I get down

to the CBS Radford Studios, don't know enough to know.

I have no agent, no manager, I just have a head shot.

And I had done background work on the back of it,

and I had "won Miss Grand Talent in a beauty pageant."

That's all I had on the back. -You put 'em all on there?

-Yeah, it was all on there. -[ Indistinct ]

Yes. Absolutely.

-So I get there, I have makeup out to here on my face,

I got a weave down to my address,

it's just a lot going on.

The man looked at me and he was like, the casting director say,

"Hey, so what is this?" -[ Laughs ]

-I said, and look at me, not picking up on it,

I said, "I know, right?"

He said, "No, no, no, no.

Go wash your face and pull your hair and come back," you know?

And I was like, "Okay, that's weird, but okay."

So I come in and I'm under five lines, right?

But it's a producer session,

'cause when I called, he was like, "Come today."

I'm like, "Okay."

Director's there, there's about 15 people in the room,

I read the under five lines, the director goes,

"Hm, give her this and this."

Still little, bitty parts. "Have her read this."

He says, "Okay, we want you to go out in the hall,

take a look at this."

I said, "This all I gotta say?" He said, "Yeah, but just --"

I said, "I could say it right here."

He was like, "Well, no, you should..."

And I was like, "Man, why you pushing me? I got it."

And then, "If she wants to do it, just let her do it."

I was like, "Yeah, come on." -You went and did it.

-So I said it. And you know what the man said to me, Kevin?

He said, "Thank you." And I said, "You welcome."

He said, "Thank you."

I said, "Don't mention it." -Yeah.

-He said, "Thank you, you may go."

I said, "Oh! Y'all are dismissing me.

Well, did you pick me?

Because I talked -- Did you tell him that I told you

I'm broke and I got a baby and I need a job?"

That man turned bright red, the casting director.

The director was like, "Dear, you need to leave here."

I said, "Not before I say my piece.

And I'm gonna tell you something, this is rude.

Who asks you to come in and audition for something

without telling you if they got the job?"

It's my first professional audition,

I did not have any -- -Nobody told you?

-No! -You didn't have tact.

You didn't understand any of it. -I didn't know any of it.

-And that acted as your advantage?

-"And why would you do that? And you know what?

My mama told me everybody got a boss.

I'm telling on you, I'm telling on you, and I'm telling on you."

The guy is now shaking, the director goes like this,

the casting director bends down, and he goes, "She's adorable.

Where did you find her?"

I don't know when to quit, Kevin, 'cause I said,

"Uh-uh, don't try to get on my good side now! It's too late."

-But now you're getting -- it's energy, it's energized.

Absolutely. -I leave,

and they called me and said,

"Would you like to be in this film as 'Woman in the Diner'?"

-By the way, I'm gonna slow-mo that.

When you do that, I'mma slow-mo the fuck down,

so you can just see how fast you do it.

-Stop! -And by the way,

for everybody watching here,

this is the amazing story of Niecy Nash.

I want you guys to understand that Niecy Nash Betts

is completely different.

Don't you walk into these rooms...

-Don't do it. Oh, please, don't do it.

-Don't you follow this suit, don't applaud this energy.

She's giving you a moment in time

where great things happened because she was not aware.

You are aware now, after these stories, so act as if you are.

Don't apply this. -Don't do it.

-Okay. So, this moment hits. Oh, my God.

-I do the movie. -You did a movie.

-My scene is with Whoopi Goldberg.

[ Sighs ]

I almost got --

I'm not even gonna say I almost got fired off the movie, Kevin,

because that would be aggressive.

-Well, I don't think there's an in between.

I don't think you can -- It's either --

-Well, I did the movie, so I didn't get fired,

but I came close. -Okay.

-I come out the bathroom. -Oh, no.

-And I'm supposed to say to Whoopi Goldberg,

"Hey, there's a sick lady in there.

She said her friend was out here and she needs help,"

or something.

Whoopi starts to laugh.

The director goes, "Cut. Do it again."

I come back out and do it again, Whoopi laughs again.

I come back out and I do it again.

Now I'm on the fourth time.

She keeps laughing, which I don't know why.

So I go in the bathroom and I pray to the Most High,

and I say, "Lookie here,"

'cause of how we talk to each other, I said,

"This woman gonna have to have a glass of act-right,

'cause if she don't, I'm gonna say something."

-What do you mean? This is Whoopi Goldberg!

-I don't care! She was ruining my chance, Kevin,

and the man was getting frustrated.

So I walk back out there and I commit a cardinal sin.

I say the line, she laughs again, and I go, "Time out!

Stop! Hold up. Can we stop? Can we cut?"

-You cut yourself?! -I cut the whole thing.

-You can't do that! -I know now, Kevin!

-Oh, God. -I cut myself!

-And what did they say after you cut yourself?

-"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa." -Yeah, "What the f--"

[ Indistinct ] "What the fuck was that?

What did she just do?" Niecy standing there with a --

By the way, this is not "cut," for the people don't know,

this means "time out" in basketball.

-That's what I did. -She called a NCAA time out.

This is not how you cut. -I said, "Halt."

-It's still not. No. None of that's "cut."

No. That's not how you do it. You just say "cut!"

-Okay. Well, I didn't know that either.

-Okay. Alright.

-And the guy comes over and he goes, "What is the problem?"

I said, "The line is dumb and she keep laughing."

And she said, "No, you didn't." I said, "Yes, I did.

They ain't gonna fire you!" -Oh, no.

-He said, "Well, what's wrong with it?"

And I said, "It's hokey. People don't talk like that."

I don't even know if this man wrote the script,

but I'm telling him the words are dumb.

-Niecy, we gotta stop putting this out there.

This is worse than me saying you ain't got to take the SATs.

I said that one time and it backfired on me.

-[ Laughs ] -It backfired, Niecy.

They said, "Kevin, what?

You gotta take this shit." It backfired.

It came and got me, alright?

So, I just wanna make sure that we preface it.

-I don't know if mine is worse than that, Kevin.

-No, it's not. Go ahead. -But he said,

"What would you like to say?"

I said, "If it were me, I would be like,

'Is that your friend in the bathroom?

Girl, you better get in there 'cause she throwing up.'"

And he said, "Edith, we're changing the line!"

-Again. -And Whoopi Goldberg said,

"You go, girl," and that was it. And that's how I --

-It's another example of first-class bullying.

-Oh, my God, Kevin.

-I just wanted to make it very clear.

-Please don't put that on me. I'm not a bully.

-We're talking about then.

I'm not saying you're the same person now.

People change. -Oh, I have evolved.

-See that, right there? -I have evolved.

-Yeah. That person is not -- She wasn't on that set.

[ Laughter ]

-She -- That girl, that woman right there, no, she wasn't.

-Not at all, not at all.

-I wanna go to "Reno 911" for a second,

'cause I wanna talk about -- Here's why.

No, not big -- Now, remember, I'm heavy comedy.

What you guys were able to discover with "Reno 911!"

at the time, I wanna say, like, [indistinct]

of Hollywood included of things coming after.

The idea of satire attached to the real show,

the reality show, "Reno 911!"

was at the table very early, and I wanna say for --

I hope I'm not speaking incorrectly by saying

if not first, very close to the first table.

-'Cause that was unscripted. -It was unscripted.

-Yep. -Unscripted spoof.

-Of "Cops." -Wait a minute. Wait.

Before you get into that,

'cause the world should know why "Reno 911!"

is one of the best things to ever hit television.

But more importantly, they should know,

like, how it started.

Guys, don't go anywhere.

We'll be back with more of this story

when we come back after this.

Where did you first meet him?

-Kevin? Ooh, I've known Kevin for a long time.

Stand-up days?

Um...

I knew him back when he was ugly.

You know what I'm saying?

He's a little more fetching now, you know what I mean?

But I knew him back when he -- You know?

Old Kevin. You know what I mean?

He looks a couple of inches taller now,

a little more buff, a little more filled out.

But I knew him when he was ugly and simple.

That's how long I known him. How about that?

I love it.

**

**

-Welcome back to "Hart to Heart."

We're talking to Niecy Nash Betts,

and we're still talking about "Reno 911!"

At the time in doing that, where did the decision come?

Was it just a great opportunity?

Was it, like, another audition?

Did you see this in the early times?

'Cause everybody was fairly new on that project.

-No. Because you know what happened was,

it was supposed to be a sketch show at first.

So when they called and said, "Hey, there's an audition.

Do you know how to do sketch?" and I was like, "Yes."

And I hung up and called my friend, Big George, I was like,

"What the hell is sketch?"

'Cause I'm from LA. -Niecy, you gotta stop.

-But I had never heard of Groundlings,

Second City, I didn't know any of that.

-Well, why'd you have to lie to the people?

-Because I needed to get in the door!

I'm a live person, figure it out on the way.

Come on! -Alright. That's aggressive.

She doesn't mean that she lies.

-Oh, no, she did. She lied. [ Laughter ]

-"Oh, no. Yes, I did." -Yeah, I did.

-Okay. Go ahead. -So when I got down there,

there were two other girls, who I now know are improv,

you know, sketch greats, these other two girls.

But...the audition was running late

and one girl was doing vocal warm-ups,

the other girl was stretching,

and I was reading a magazine.

I said, "Well, I'mma give them my lunch.

You want this lunch?" -Chilling.

-But it was taking so long, and I went and knocked on the door,

another -- -God damn it, Niecy.

-I know.

-During somebody else's audition?

-No, nobody was in there yet, we were all just waiting.

And I was like, "Yo, excuse me.

When is this dog-and-pony show gonna get started?"

And somebody had an attitude in the room, and was like,

"Why, are you in a hurry?" and I said, "Ma'am, I am.

I gotta get my kids to Chuck-E-Cheese by 7:00.

The last time I got there late, they jumped on the mouse,

the head came off, the man went in the back

and never came back out.

I gotta go."

-You can't tell them people that, Niecy.

-But I told them. -Okay, alright.

-And they said, "Come on in and do your bit."

I said, "Thank you, 'cause I gotta get going."

I did my bit and I left. Guess what?

I get a callback. -Was your bit --

This is the real, like --

This is a for-real me question right now.

-Okay.

-Did you go in there and just improv the whole thing?

-No, I knew what I wanted to do

and I had a little paper bag that had, like,

a men's jacket in it, 'cause I played a pastor.

I had some of the little things in there.

-It was all sketch. So you wanted little characters?

Got it. Okay. Okay. -Yeah, characters.

Get the callback,

did not have the presence of mind enough to know

that you might wanna practice some of this stuff

before you do it.

So when I go into the callback, first of all,

the first thing they said was,

"What happened at Chuck-E-Cheese?"

-You done forgot... -So I did five minutes

on Chuck-E-Cheese. -No, Niecy.

-Just to talk about it. I mean, they asked.

-Yeah, but... -Then I said,

"I could do the same, you know, 'she-I-T' that I did last time."

-You can cuss, Niecy. -Or I said I found

a handkerchief in the backseat of my car,

and I came up with this character called

"Carol the Slave."

"Y'all wanna see that,

or do you want me to do what I did last time?"

-So you're off the cuff. Everything's off the cuff.

-They said, "Please do Carol the Slave."

-God damn it. God damn it, Niecy!

-[ Laughs ] -God damn it!

-And that's what I did.

I did Carol the Slave, and who I now know is Kerrie Kenney

fell out of the chair.

'Cause my mother said, "How did it go?"

I said, "A white lady fell off the chair

and was beating her fist on the ground."

And I said, "I guess she liked it."

And they called me. -Here's the crazy thing.

Like, when you think about "In Living Color,"

you think about what it meant, right?

-Yeah. -So big, so huge.

And the door that it opened for other, like, you know,

sketch comedy shows to come after it,

and such a variety, so many.

Between "SNL" and "In Living Color,"

you're looking at the two conglomerates

that sit on the pedestal,

but there were a lot of them that came out after, right?

Some that probably feels

like they deserve a little more attention and notoriety,

some that feel like they got their shots,

opportunities, whatever.

"Reno 911!" for the world of sketch,

once again, in this particular unscripted,

like, comedic world that has now been created,

I wanna truly say, man,

it was groundbreaking because the cast

that you guys put together,

this show was able to go on for how many seasons?

-We're still doing. We've been doing "Reno" for 20 years.

We just made our 20-year anniversary.

And the funny thing was that we were doing

an untitled sketch show, and at the last minute,

they said -- I think Cedric was doing a sketch show, too,

and they were like, "You got something else?

But we was out of time and money.

And somebody was like, "Let's just do 'Cops,'"

because it was the biggest show on Fox at the time,

"and everybody make up what cop you wanna be."

-Biggest response. Holy shit. -And I had never done improv.

Like I told you, never heard of it.

Now, I'm fine if you give me words to say,

I know how to make 'em funny.

But now what do I have to do?

You have to make it up.

"You come in the 'Hart to Heart' studios

and somebody is going to jail. Action."

I don't know what you gonna say,

you don't know what I'm gonna say.

I said, "Well, let me think about this."

I said, "Okay, Niecy. You alright."

I have been arguing with my first husband for years,

and I could think on my feet

'cause I was going, you know what I mean?

I fancy myself a bit of a wordsmith,

so I'm like, "Alright." -As you say a sentence

that is, like, pure example of word fucking...

I mean, "I fancy myself a wordsmith."

-Yeah! -Well, I don't.

-Okay. -I don't fancy myself as one,

So you talk regular to me.

Fancy yourself as nothing. You confuse the fuck out of me.

[ Indistinct ]

"I fancy myself a wordsmith." What?

-Shut up, Kevin. -Okay, go ahead.

-So we went and we did "Reno," and there you have it.

-Niecy, an amazing conversation we're having,

but I gotta stop you, like I always do,

because we gotta go pay some bills.

Guys, don't go anywhere.

We'll be back with more "Hart to Heart" after this.

We're talking to Niecy Nash Betts.

I'll take it after we done. Let's go. It's time to go, Juan.

Yeah, you'll get it. Lemme see.

-Get together. -[ Indistinct ]

-Okay. Smile. Good.

**

**

-How much of the story was true?

-40%. -40% of it? Okay.

-Of course, you gotta do all the other, you know,

stuff that makes you good.

But, yeah, about 40% of it, yeah.

-Nice. -Absolutely.

-Oh, let me take our picture

so I can say, "Look who I'm hanging out with."

**

Hey!

Hey, I'll send it to you.

-Welcome back to "Hart to Heart."

We're talking to Niecy Nash Betts.

Watch this segue train, here. -Mm!

-Segue train meaning, you know,

how I effortlessly move from here

to the next version of our conversation

but keep it connected. -Mm.

-Word play. Did you see what I did?

-I did. I saw it. -I looked in there.

-I saw it, yeah. -[ Indistinct ] Okay.

Here's what I wanna know.

Did it become a mind-set,

did it become a conscious thought to say,

"Okay, well, let me make sure

that I make myself available to do more.

How do I make sure that I'm not just seen as this,

but I get out there and I get seen as more"?

Like, when did that light bulb go off,

and was there extra energy or effort

into going out and auditioning for more things,

have more conversations, more meetings, whatever?

Because you did a great job, while doing this,

still expanding and doing so much more.

-Yeah. Well, what happened was, right before "Reno,"

I had to beg my ex-husband for time to audition,

and I said -- I already had three babies, I said,

"If you give me the nine months

that I have given my body over to bear children,

give me nine months for me.

If I don't make it nine months, I'll go back to work."

'Cause he was like, "Everybody up in here going to work."

-That's strong. -So I was like,

"Give me nine months and I'mma handle my handle."

And it took about seven-and-a-half months,

and I booked my home makeover show,

which ran for nine seasons, "Clean House,"

"Reno 911!" maybe about a week later.

And then, maybe about a week or two after that,

I book a recurring on "Bernie Mac Show"

as his sister, Aunt Benita.

So I entered into the business with three jobs,

and I've always felt like,

"Oh, I like working in triplicate."

So that was the mandate for my team,

"I always want three job.

I don't care if it's a cartoon voice over,

if it's a this, if it's a that."

But what kept falling under the radar was drama.

Everything was either co-- you know, hosting, you're yourself.

-Personality. -Yeah.

But it still wasn't the dream.

-Just to --

Because I want the audience watching to

not just sweep that under the rug,

when you're like, "Yeah, three jobs and something consistent,"

we're talking about a significant time span

of consistency in work, right? -Yeah.

-And that running comedy, for you, before, like, "Okay,

well, I got to go find my drama, I got to get my drama nugget.

I gotta make people understand that

there's more in this machine." -Yeah.

-When and where did that happen?

-I had done all the things, you know?

I played Cedric the Entertainer's wife on a sitcom,

I still was doing "Reno."

I had done all of these sitcoms

in all of these spaces and places.

I had hosted the things, and I called my team

and went down to Beverley Hills, and everybody was like,

"Well, why are we here?"

I said, "Because I wanted to reintroduce myself."

-I love this. -"I think you think

you know me." -I love this.

-I said, "But I done changed." -This is where you --

It's also a, "You work for me

and let me tell you what I need" moment,

which is -- I've said it on this show several times,

there's a lot of talent that doesn't --

they don't grasp that correctly.

-No, you're so grateful that you feel like,

"they chose me," and you don't wanna make them upset,

you don't wanna rock the boat.

And I just said, "I wanna tell you about me,

who I am right now, and invite you to think differently.

And if you don't, I'm okay with that.

It just means that we can't go forward together,"

you know what I mean?

Because I gotta be with people

that see me the way I see myself.

They understood it, took the directive.

I auditioned right after that for "Getting On,"

which was -- I was a two-time Emmy nominee.

It was an industry darling, that show on HBO.

-I want you to stop doing what you're doing,

which is rubbing your little fucking nominations in my face.

And I told you off--

I get that you got all these awards and shit,

but you don't have to keep saying it to me.

-Don't you have a few, Kevin?

-People's Choice and Kids' Choice.

-Aww, of course you're the Kids' Choice. You're their size.

-That's great for you. -That's good. That's real good.

Somebody has to do it. -Is that making you feel good?

-[ Laughs ] -So the little darling...

That's enough. -Okay. Geez.

-You ain't laughed that goddamn hard since you been here.

Say something to hurt my feelings all the time.

[ Laughs mockingly ] Some time to show teeth.

She ain't shown that much goddamn teeth

since we been here.

One thing about my height. [ Laughs mockingly ]

-Okay, Kevin. Well, at least you're rich.

-Shut up, Niecy. -What?

-Now, that's enough. -Okay.

-[ Laughs ] Tell me --

Tell me, so you get the --

you get an opportunity to do this industry darling.

-Industry darling. And have you ever seen it?

If you haven't, you would love it.

-I will not lie to you, I have not seen it.

-Kevin, I'm trying to tell you something.

-Tell me to watch it, I'm gonna watch it.

-No, I'm gonna tell you. I'm gonna ask you as my friend.

-Well, later, you'll text me and go,

"Did you watch it, motherfucker?"

And then I'll be like... -Okay.

-Yeah. So I'm saying, I'm telling my bully...

that I'm gonna follow the rules and do what you ask me to do.

-Thank you. -Okay.

-So I did that, and...

that was when everything turned on a dime.

That's where Ava DuVernay saw me,

and she invited me to come be a part of the movie "Selma,"

and then that turned into "When They See Us,"

and that turned into "Origin."

-You really did just go. -So that one thing...

And I feel like -- Let me ask you something else as a friend,

and I think I've said this to you before,

but there's been no manifestation of it.

I haven't been on camera with you in 1,000 years,

not since --

-We're evading a fire in the fire suit.

-No. No, no, no. I'm talking about in a movie.

-We have not been a movie since...

-Since the one with... -Wait a second.

-...Taraji and Morris Chestnut.

-That's -- You're talking about "Not Easily Broken."

-"Not Easily Broken."

-And then we did, like -- -No, but that --

-I know, I'm saying what we've done together, Niecy.

I'm trying to get it in my head.

God, I'm not correcting nothing.

I'm trying to think. Give me a second.

God damn it. One, two... [ Laughter ]

No, that's it. -You finished?

-Yes, I am. I just wanted to make sure.

-Okay. Because now, here's what's happening.

It's either feast or famine.

So then once they found out people that can make you laugh

can make you cry, there's tons of dramas.

You know, Jeffrey Dahmer and all of these things.

And I'm like, I think people forgot I'm funny.

Oh, Lord! You know what I mean?

I'm like, I gotta go find a comedy to do,

just to remind people.

-Well, I told you, I felt like "Claws,"

to me, it's personally one of my favorites,

but I wanted to know how you feel about it.

But before you do, let's take a quick break, guys.

We're gonna go pay some bills.

We'll be back with Niecy Nash Betts after this,

and we're talking "Claws."

-So many people for such a small man.

Jesus. And them over there, too, look over there.

There's people over there, too.

**

[ Laughs ]

So many people for such a small man.

**

For such a tiny fellow.

**

-Guys, this is "Hart to Heart,"

and I'm about to get some of my personal questions answered.

I really wanted to know about "Claws."

I personally feel like "Claws,"

it just put a different Niecy Nash Betts on bird's-eye view,

you know what I mean? -Yeah.

-Like, and I know other things started coming, once again,

after the Ava calls, and the movies just started to come in,

and they get bigger and bigger,

and the choices, they're dramatic.

'Cause we now know you can operate in that space.

Now there's a feeling of, "Well, damn. I can do both.

I hope that you don't forget that I can do both."

I feel like this is where -- this is the moment of, now,

having the understanding that you're also in the position to,

really, create for yourself. -Yeah.

-The creative engine now, is that exciting for you?

-I love it.

I mean, I have something that I'm working on right now.

You know, I ended up with a first-look deal somewhere,

you know, bringing other projects

that I'm not in to life.

-Uplifting, amplifying other talent.

-Other talent. Yes, yes, yeah.

I've never gotten a job, by the way,

and not gotten somebody else a job.

I always feel like you don't hoard a blessing.

-Is that a priority to you?

Is that, like, something that's in the line for you?

Like, "In my opportunity, let me find an opportunity for someone,

or others in general"?

-It's just what it is. It's just how I move.

-Got it. -And I don't care what you do.

You a grip, you sell music,

maybe you know how to press hair, whatever it is.

-Why? Where does that come from?

-I just feel like, for me, it just feels like breathing.

Like, I don't even -- It's not like,

"Let me think about why I would want to."

It's like, "Oh, this is for me?

Oh, who else can be blessed because of this thing?"

-The reason why I said, like, "Why?,"

is there something in that that reverts back to home?

Is that Mom, Dad?

Was that, rest in peace, brother?

Where do you think the energy attached to,

"I wanna make sure that if I have,

someone else can, too" comes from?

-I feel like that's probably a Mama thing.

-Okay.

-You know, watching how she cared for people

and just made sure everybody had something.

And I don't know, it's just my way.

I just will never -- I pray it never changes,

because I love it just like that.

-What now?

Like, what else do you feel like you can give to the business,

that can, like, strongly define where you are?

You've said, multiple times in our conversation tonight,

"I'm not the same person I was. I've changed, I'm different."

So with that change, what else is there that you wanna do?

-The short answer would be create.

-Okay.

-You know, and know that, through my life experiences,

all the things that I've been through,

that there is an add value when you put pen to paper,

and, you know, my mandate for my company is

"voices unheard, stories untold."

-Nice.

-So wanting to be at a space where you unpack,

you know what I mean, someone who has been overlooked,

or you tell a story that, you know,

people may not be familiar with,

just to be able to allow people's minds to, like,

stretch and grow, like, "I didn't know that.

Wait a minute, what?!"

And then also to allow people to feel seen,

you know what I mean?

-Yeah. I do.

-So I guess that would be what's in front of me right now.

-You keep saying, you know, your story,

or tell your story, right?

I know you, so I just know how much...

how much is in your story.

-When you read it on paper, baby,

if you saw me in a straight jacket,

you wouldn't be surprised, or in jail.

-But you've done it, though.

Like, you've put in on paper. Like, the world of storytelling,

your journey as an author, you've done it.

But to be that transparent, to get to a place where it's like,

you know, "I'm choosing happiness,

I'm choosing what's best for me," right?

-Yeah, yeah. -That discovery is a real one,

and it's one that, sometimes, isn't often found.

It's one that,

you know, is never-ending for a lot of people.

For you,

I think that's a clear, defining moment of your light bulb

of happiness and your choice of you

rather than the choice of others before you.

-And, baby, you said something when you said that,

'cause that's it. That's it right there.

And I mean, even in my --

I've been to the big show three times, you know?

But now, I'm on my third marriage,

that's what I meant when I said "big show."

-I know what you meant, 'cause I'm, you know?

-The big show's a wedding!

-Alright, stop. Hold on a second.

I'm on two big shows, alright?

-Oh, I know. -Oh, shut up.

Don't do it.

-Oh, I know. -See, this what you do.

Don't start pointing at me.

Don't start your shit.

-I was gonna say something, I'm not even gonna say it.

-How can you say -- I've kept it so good!

-I know! That's why I said --

-And you was about to go there, as soon as I say something.

I know. You did this. You dirty-pointed at me.

-And I pulled it back. -Yes.

-I pulled it right back.

Just like this. Like, look, like a little mime.

I pulled it back. -Okay.

[ Laughs ]

You're on your third, fourth, fourth?

-Third. -Third.

-And even when -- I have to tell you,

so even when I got married to JB, you know,

there were people that loved me was like, you know,

"You can't -- I don't care if this makes you happy.

You can't tell other people

because you'll never eat lunch in this town again."

I said, "This town? This town?"

They were like, "Yeah."

And I chose to run after the thing

that served me with reckless abandon.

I'm like, "I'm so happy," and I'm gonna always lead with that,

because the happier I am off-camera,

the much more I enjoy my life on-camera, you know?

And it's just important to me.

Like, I'm basically a show girl.

How I can keep anything a secret, you know what I mean?

I was born in sequins and eyelashes and all the things.

Like... And who wants to be inside --

You ever been inside of a closet?

It's dark, it don't got windows,

there ain't nothing to eat in there.

-That then acts as the answer to my light-bulb question,

was that your happy moment of saying,

"I'm going to free myself from the idea of this closet and..."?

-No, because I was never inside of a closet.

I just loved who I loved until I didn't.

-Okay. -You know what I mean?

I loved boys.

I mean, they're great, you know what I mean?

-You don't have to -- I wanna make this very clear,

I'm not looking to -- -Boys are great.

-I get that, but I'm saying -- -Boys are really great.

-I know that, but I wanna make this --

I don't want you to, like... -[ Laughing ]

-That's not why I'm asking these questions, alright?

I'm not looking for any of that conversation with you, Niecy.

I get it, alright? I'm asking about the happy.

-That's what I'm trying to tell you,

is that I just -- -Don't get me in trouble with JB

come talking to me.

-Oh, yeah. She will talk to you, still.

-Don't put me in the hot seat.

-Oh, you know she talked to somebody stiff at your party?

-Okay, see what I'm saying? Here we go.

I just asked a simple question. -Sure did.

-I'm not looking for no trouble from JB.

-No, you don't. -Thank you.

-But what I'm saying is, is that I just met

the most beautiful soul I had encountered,

and I was just like, "Wow," like, you know,

because we were friends first,

that was more troubling than the fact she was a woman.

I'm like, "You're a woman and you're my friend,

but if this don't work out, I will be devastated,

because I wanna know you. I wanna know you."

-"I don't wanna lose you as a friend."

-Right. "I wanna know you

when they throw dirt on my face," you know what I mean?

"I want you standing up with me going,

"She look just like herself." You know? That's what I want.

And if I mess it up because of this,

I'll never forgive myself. -Yeah.

-But, um, I pushed through.

I was like, "I just -- I have to be in this relationship

because I feel so satiated, I feel fully seen,"

and I'm so happy, you know?

And, you know, of course,

you're always gonna have people who are haters,

and, you know, people who talk down on what you're doing,

but I don't care. -I was gonna say,

you can't have the energy of going into an audition,

and not knowing what's going on

but telling people to hurry up, and then--

-Then care about what people think.

-There you go. -Yes.

Those two things don't go hand-in-hand,

and you've never come across as a person to let that energy,

or, you know, let that space of negativity get to you.

-No. -It's one of the reasons

why you're one of my favorite.

Like, you're just -- you're the same.

Like, you've been the same, and I don't know,

I just have so much respect for the same.

Like, that's -- because that's the real energy

that I think we desperately look for,

would love to surround ourselves with whenever we can,

but sometimes comes far, few, and in between.

-And the one thing you know for sure is that fame, money,

success has nothing to do with pain, trauma, shame, guilt.

It has nothing to do with any of those things.

Those are equal opportunity things, and they gonna find you,

as the old folks say, "just keep on living."

And so in the keeping on living,

I've been through so many hard moments, you know?

I got divorced on camera,

then I got married again, and I wrote a relationship book,

and then that marriage failed.

And then, you know, all of these things that would happen,

but I pressed toward the mark no matter what.

It's the "no matter what" of it all

are the three words that I have lived by,

and that's the reason why, with this picture you got right here,

when I got up there at that Emmy speech and I said,

"I wanna thank me."

Because I know what it cost me to be falling apart

in a trailer, and them be like, "They're ready for you."

"Okay," you know?

And you have to get yourself together,

and you still gotta show up,

and the show must go on, and you the show.

-Yeah. -You know what I mean?

I stay in that place of "no matter what."

You gotta cry all the way to an audition

where you gotta be funny, no matter what.

I had to take all three of my kids to callbacks

when I was just getting started,

because I didn't have a babysitter,

I couldn't afford it, I was the babysitter.

-Yeah. -No matter what, you know?

And I still stay in that place.

My no matter what's are a little bit different now,

but all still with that same mindset and energy

to stay committed to the commitment

and the call on my life.

-No, happiness is such a good conversation.

I just feel like,

you know, it's where we ultimately all wanna be,

and I told you before, I feel like you're there,

I want other people to understand that more.

Guys, we're gonna take a break.

We'll be right back.

We're gonna talk happy, we're gonna talk her happy.

You should hear it, so don't go anywhere.

-What was a moment in your career

that made you realize that you made it?

-* Baby girl, you made it, you made it *

Um, when did I know I made it? Oh.

You know what? I guess I knew I made it

when they did a spoof of me on "Saturday Night Live."

I mean, I guess that's success.

That will tell you right there, won't it?

-Can I see that, please? -Don't do this to yourself.

-Don't be ridiculous. Look.

See that?

I'm gonna move the lint so I can sit back.

-Kevin, if you were out on the red carpet, they would drag you.

-I would never. [ Laughs ] I would never.

-They would drag you.

-You know what I would never do? Go to the red carpet.

-Here, let me come down to your size.

-Stop it, don't do this. Let's go.

Let's wrap it up. -They would drag you.

-Alright. -You understand me?

-Tell the team to go. Let's go. -Now get yourself together,

and don't you come out the house like this.

I know your wife didn't see you in that

'cause she would've told you don't wear that.

-Put your shoes on and stop it.

-No, 'cause I'm trying to talk to you eye-to-eye.

-Look at me, I'm back. Look at that. Huh?

Back to a [indistinct]

-[ Laughs ]

-Welcome back to "Hart to Heart."

We're talking to Niecy Nash Betts, and, guys,

I'm getting all of the secret spices

and the sauce that she's put into her life, the business.

So where were we?

You break down your "no matter what,"

you break down what is attached to you,

you break down the trials, the tribulations.

But ultimately, you get to your moment.

When you get to your moment,

you don't know what that moment is gonna be,

but you're gonna feel it when it happens.

-Mm-hmm.

-Your moment came when you were on that grand stage,

you had an opportunity to accept an award,

you got an opportunity, like,

put some great positivity out there,

but more importantly, some matter-of-fact.

-Mm-hmm.

-Like, here's some real words

with some real life, real energy,

but something to really hold on to, and that's different.

And you start to, like, add to the value

that you already know you found. -Yeah.

-You know you discovered your value,

you know you know your value.

You know you know what you do.

You know that you feel seen.

You found a partner, you're in a great place

where your value is not something that's in --

it's just in jeopardy, right?

-Yeah, yeah. -Like, that's the win.

-That's the win. -That's the win.

But the mindset, if you get that, that's next level.

-I'm a winner, baby. -You got there.

-That's what I said, that's what I believe.

-I will say, in closing,

I'm not gonna give you too many compliments in our relationship,

like, after this, so I'll make this, like,

just my last. -Okay.

-'Cause you won't receive it. -Anymore?

-But I just wanna make it very clear.

-Okay. -So don't ever ask me

to repeat what I said after I say it.

Play this back so I know that you see it, you saw it.

-Uh-huh. Mm-hmm.

-You're one of my favorites, you're one of my favorites

because our relationship comes with a shit-talking

and joking atmosphere that we've created.

The reason why I say you're one of my favorites

is because I root for you,

and I call you and I text you when I'm supposed to.

But your happy makes me happy.

-Thank you. -And I mean that.

Like, 'cause I know where you've come from,

I know what you've done.

Everybody doesn't know that,

everybody doesn't know the background of you.

And to those that don't,

I recommend, like, you go get the book,

you get a little educated just on what Niecy Nash Betts

has really been through

and, like, how she got to the place of sitting in this seat

and having the conversation that we're having.

It's fucking dope!

And the scary thing is that,

like, you're still not done, so...

-Still not done, Kevin.

-Whatever those things are that you do next,

do 'em well and I can't wait

until we do share the screen together

in a way that we're supposed to.

And we'll figure out whatever that is,

but the one thing I'm happy about

is that I got a relationship with you.

So don't fucking change,

continue to do what you're doing,

and, you know, JB won.

-[ Laughs ]

-JB won. This version of you is fucking dope.

I love where you are, and I mean it.

-Thank you. Thank you.

-So I appreciate you doing a "Hart to Heart,"

and don't ask me to be nice to you again after this.

Don't ask for another compliment.

I have worn them all out here on this fucking platform.

We are done. -Okay, well, cheers to that.

-Let's cheers to that. -Cheers to that.

-To you not asking ever again. Ladies and gentlemen --

-Ever? -Don't. Niecy, please.

-Ever? That's, like, so harsh.

-Niecy, I'm done. Cheers.

Cheers. -Hmm.

-To an amazing "Hart to Heart" with one of the best hearts.

Ladies and gentlemen, this was Niecy Nash Betts.

Come on, give her some love.

[ Applause ]

Such a -- That was so good.

I didn't mean none of that. -Hmm?

-I didn't mean any of that.

-You didn't mean any of what, the nice stuff you said?

-Yes, I'm so good, though, that people will think I did.

Hey, Casey, lint brush, let's shoot the shit so we can go.

Fucking Niecy. Right?

Did I sell it? I read it off the prompter.

Joking.

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