From The Comic's Comic

Keeping it real, for the audience, and for the podcast interview

Tone Bell is an actor, writer, and comedian from Atlanta who began his comedy career in Dallas before going Hollywood. Since winning the NBC Stand Up For Diversity competition in 2011, he has co-starred or starred in multiple sitcoms, starting with Whitney on NBC and including  Bad Judge, Truth Be Told, Disjointed, and Fam. His film credits include Sylvie’s Love, Little, Dog Days, and The Weekend. Bell also has gotten to portray the legendary comedian Richard Pryor in the BET series, American Soul, and recently co-starred in the award-winning movie, The United States vs. Billie Holiday. which he jokes about on his second comedy album, One Night in Austin. Bell caught up with me over Zoom to talk about all of this and more.

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Here’s a slightly condensed and edited transcript from our podcast chat!

Sean L. McCarthy: So Tone Bell, congratulations on the new album, “One Night in Austin.”

Tone Bell: Thank you, man.

Me: What I especially like about it is that you didn’t let people know that it was happening. One of my one of my complaints, especially about like, film specials, like I know you did one for Showtime in 2019, Can’t Cancel This. But whenever you go to a to a special taping, there’s all this hoopla and the warm-up comic comes out and they say, ‘Alright, now you need to clap extra hard.’ And it really feels more organic when you do it the way you did it.

Bell: You get like some of that artificial love up front, you know what I mean, unless you’ve got like all of your fans there. To me, it wasn’t even planned like that. It was kinda like, do we tell them or not? And I was like, man, don’t tell them. Let’s let this be a slow burn. And then hopefully it’ll crescendo, and I think it did. I think about halfway through people just really get on board. So I think it’s a slow burn up front, just kind of like unloading some stuff off that I really wanted to get off my chest. To me, it’s a little darker for me just because I don’t get into conflict much with the crowd, and I think it’s a transition album for me. So I think it was kind of cool just to put it out there and let them know at the end that you weren’t a part of a recorded show versus this is just a night at the club, which I wanted it to feel like. This just was just a night out in Austin.

Me: Where a couple of relatives happen to be sitting up front.

Bell: Man, that shit was crazy. I don’t know anybody else from that part of the world except for my family. So, a cousin of mine told me I had cousins coming but I didn’t know who they were. That was cool. Like, I mean, yeah, it abruptly stopped because I was like, ‘Wait, are we family?’ And luckily, luckily I was right.

Me: Now you talk about One Night in Austin being a transition album for you. Austin itself is in a lot of transition right now. So recording your album there and getting to witness what’s happening on the ground in Austin in terms of comedy, what’s your sense of what’s going on there?

Bell: Uh, I will say had I know what Austin felt like now, I don’t know if I would’ve recorded there.

Me: Would you say that on The Joe Rogan Experience?

Bell (laughing): It’s just so much different than I remember, because I started in Dallas. I used to go to Austin all the time. Austin’s definitely one of my favorite cities to play even you know, the 14 years I’ve been doing this, so it definitely was different. It definitely was different. It was a lot of comics. There are a lot more venues there now, the city feels different. Not in a bad way, just different than what I was used to. So I can’t even say even though I love the venue I was at, I don’t know if recording an album there was smart or not? I really don’t know. I had a good time, but I don’t even know if it was conducive to audio. I mean, you know, we recorded two (shows). I think I used 99% of the second show on Saturday. Friday, the city was just a little too live, you know what I mean? Like there were a lot a lot of ambulances and fire trucks and you know, I think at one point in the first recording on Friday, suddenly somebody opens a door and something is happening, so like all kinds of stuff going on in Austin but it was organic. It feels how supposed to feel, I guess. But yeah, man, the city’s definitely transitioning to something that I didn’t expect.

Me: I mean, my first experience with Austin was South by Southwest in 2011, 10 years ago. And every time I went back, it seemed bigger and different. Does it almost feel like it’s South by Southwest all the time now?

Bell: Yeah. It feels like the appetizer to SXSW. That’s what it feels like. It feels like it’s the artichoke dip. I don’t know, Sixth Street is just different now. Sixth Street, it’s a little more chaotic, and not in the safest way.

Me: OK! Pandemic, notwithstanding, or even particularly in a pandemic…

Bell: It’s so many, like different pockets of Austin now, I mean, you know, just like as far as the social aspect of it. I mean, Fifth and Sixth Street and Seventh Street were already popping and then you know, like 36th and then you’ve got Rainey Street down and you got The Domain where certain clubs have moved. So I mean, like, it’s definitely spread out a little more. It doesn’t feel as central as it used to be.

Me: Do you yourself feel bigger and more chaotic in 2021 than you did in 2011? When you are just competing in the NBC Stand Up For Diversity contest?

Bell: I’m gonna ask you to ask that again.

Me: Yeah, let that sink in. Ten years ago, it’s 2021. Ten years ago, in 2011, you competed in and won the NBC Stand Up For Diversity competition. So has this been a bigger, bolder, more chaotic decade for you personally?

Bell: Yeah, man. Yeah. And I think that’s what I kind of wanted to get off with this album. Like, I kind of wanted to just get this out of my system. I had some stuff that I think I was getting ready for a new special. And then there were just some ideas that, you know, you do them so much, you want to burn em, like I’m ready to move on. But I think these are good. And I don’t want to just let them die in a notebook. So it was hopefully, especially if you’re a fan of me, then the visual, you know, you can imagine the act outs and even though you can’t see it, hopefully it comes alive for you. But yeah, man, I just think I’m becoming a different dude. So like, where I was, and kind of the light-hearted. I always prided myself on, no matter if you’re 18 or 80, you can enjoy this and I think now I’m just I’m like fucking I’ve got to ruffle some feathers now, you know, mean, just age-wise. And I mean, it started getting to me, where like, when Can’t Cancel This came out, people were telling me how much they liked it because it was clean. And I was like, shit ain’t clean. It’s not clean, what are you talking about. Like, you don’t curse? Like I say, fuck, like 97 times. Does this feel clean? So I just I just think transitioning for, yeah, who I am and growing up and now having to talk about my personal life and lack of relationships and why it didn’t work out. And the fact that I don’t have a family yet. So I scratched the surface on that a little bit in Can’t Cancel This. On One Night in Austin, I get little darker and a little more graphic, especially towards the end. And I think I’m just kind of burying that guy, being safe. And, I kind of wanted some pushback. I haven’t had any yet. But I mean, I think I’m tiptoeing into having some people not agree with me. I think that was a part of it. For a while there, I was like, how do I get everybody on board with this? Like, how do I say this and get everybody on board with a true story. You can’t say I’m wrong, because this is my experience. But now I kind of have an opinion about some stuff versus just a perspective.

Me: You mentioned about like, you’re trying to grow up in relationships. How similar is that to the pitch that you made to CBS in 2019? The deal that you had with Cedric?

Bell: Yeah, that uh, that uh, where do you getting this stuff from?

Me: I’m The Comics Comic! I’ve been following you for a decade. Come on now.

Bell: Life kind of happened quick. Yeah, life kind of happened. And it was, we were in a pitch meeting. I was sitting with Ced the Entertainer, and another director, Richard Keen, and CBS was a fan and they wanted to do a deal. And right, when we left a meeting, I just was like, some bitch told me she was pregnant. You know, it was. And they were like, ‘Go on. We’re listening.’ Like no script. They’re like, SOLD! And, yeah, it was just it, I think it was I was being trapped, but it didn’t make me feel any different of like, oh, fuck, alright, if I look at how old I am now, and where my friends from college are… And I mean, we all have that. think every comic has that thing where you spend so much time career-wise trying to figure this out, so you kind of let life pass you by when you’re just trying to get your career right a lot of times. And then you look up and go, oh, fuck man, I kind of do want this. Not this way. But I do want this. So it’s like, how do I talk about that now? And just how do I transition? I’ve always grown up with the idea of each special or each project stand up was growth in you and so people grow up with you. And if I don’t start doing that, I’m going to blindside some people without having a transition album. So I think that’s kind of what what’s happening now.

Me: So but for that CBS pitch. I know that was just starting to get developed right before the pandemic is that still in the pipeline?

Bell: No. I still own that. So no, I mean, it’s almost a reimagining of the project I sold to FX. The year they said no. Because apparently you can have only one black show on FX so they picked Atlanta. So which I mean, who doesn’t love Atlanta?

Me: I mean, Donald Glover is pretty talented.

Bell: Yeah, amazing. He’ll be alright, I think. Every project I’ve sold, I’ve done probably at least four projects now. And all of them have been chipping away at… Alright, now. I’m two years older, and I’m three years older. It’s where I am now versus where I was five years ago. And I went back and read that the one I wrote for FX, and it was like, oh, man, this is kind of related to where I was. But just a more mature version of it. So yeah, I mean, the project is dead at CBS. Yeah. And then, of course, they came back and they’re like, ‘Hey, we got another show for you.’ And then I decided not to go with that. And I took a took a job with ABC instead, which they kept us around during the entire pandemic, but, or for the entire lockdown, I guess. But I decided not to go, not to put it on air. So, I mean, at CBS that’s dead.

Me: Okay. So, you know, getting back to 2011. When you win that NBC contest, you get as part of winning the contest, you get like a holding talent deal, right? And so, you know, now, here you are a decade later, how is your perspective on the business changed? As you’ve gotten to see like, how it’s tried to prop you up, and then spit you out and prop you up and spit you out?

Bell: Yeah, man, I mean, like, the last 10 years have been unbelievable. And, you know, somewhat disappointing. I mean, even early on. Yeah, I won that gig in 2011. But I’ve been trying for that since ‘08. So I was like, I’m chipping away at the business of it. And I think in 2010, is when I get to the semifinals, and the formula finally clicks in for me what they’re looking for. And so then I go, alright, let me look at past winners. Let me break down what that is, and who’s done what and what they want or acquire what jobs they get afterwards. And I realized, like, nobody had really worked with NBC after winning the NBC competition, and it was alright, what aren’t they doing? And I tried to come in second. I wanted to Clay Aiken that shit. I did not want to be Ruben (Studdard). I didn’t want the contract. But it ended up working out. I mean, like, I almost gave the money back at one point, cuz I had another another deal offered. And I mean, the money wasn’t great. And also, I wasn’t a comic that was like struggling. I came from a corporate gig. So I had cash. And I’m not patting myself on the back with this, but I’ve never had to work in LA. Like, I’ve never had to be a valet or a waiter or go get a day job. I came with the money stacked up. And I mean, not a lot, but enough to like live on for probably a year and a half, if I do it, right. Two years, maybe, if I do it right. So I could put 100% into trying to figure out the business. Even when I got that deal with NBC, they’d call me for a general meeting. And I brought managers with me, and they’re like, ‘Tone. People don’t usually bring in managers.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not used to meetings like this.’ They’re going to talk for me so I don’t say some dumb shit and lose it. So yeah, I’ve definitely grown up, always with the business sense in Hollywood. And I mean, having a deal can be great. But it also can be hindering. Because I mean, as soon as I got, I think I re-upped my deal with NBC. And then as soon as I got that, I got a call for another show with another network that was like, fuck, I want to do that. You just, they own you at that point.

Me: And you’re like, but I really want to do Disjointed.

Bell: I mean, it was like, it was two jobs in about five years. And I was like, had I not been trapped, I can do that. And it just didn’t go that way.

Me: OK, so now having been through like that gauntlet, does it change what you want out of your career? I mean, you made a stand-up album, instead of trying to film a special. But then in terms of like focusing on stand-up versus sitcom development versus these film roles that you’ve gotten. What’s the balance that you’re looking for now?

Bell: I guess putting it out and leaving it out here on my terms. I think we all know man stand-up is like a selfish team sport. Like I think a lot of us support each other and want to grow without being left behind at the same time. So, what do you want the outcome to be, right? So I mean, my outcome has always been like man, I want to I want to put stuff out for my fans and my supporters, and people that like what I do, but at the same time, it’s like, I want to be able to go to the grocery store and not…I mean like it’s funny like in LA nobody gives a fuck about who I am. But in New York, you know, I cross the street and people tell me like, man, I love you from that thing, and people is dope, pictures here and there. And it’s cool. But there’s a, I think there’s a line that I’m riding of how much fame I want. I think the best thing about the last two movies is I look different enough to where people have to go, ‘Oh, shit, that’s Tone.’ Because I’ve looked the same for 90% of my career, then I get these two and then I don’t get recognized at all because I look completely different. The hair is different. I got shaved and all this kind of stuff. So people almost forget it’s me. So it’s like I get a pat on the back without having to be hindered with the stop in the street all the time. So I mean, I don’t know that there’s a there’s a balance there. I like remember that moment when you fell in love with Don Cheadle? But you didn’t really know Don Cheadle’s name? Where you’re just like I like that dude. I mean, whatever he’s in, I like watching them. And that’s kind of kind of where I’m floating now. I enjoy that. Like you can look me up and go, oh, shoot, I didn’t know he did comedy. I didn’t know he was in this movie. And so it’s kind of like people would discover me on different platforms. And I think it’s kind of cool.

Me: Yeah, I just had a vision of Don Cheadle selling hi-fi stereo equipment in Boogie Nights. But then he’s also in the Avengers movies and crazy stuff.

Bell: Yeah, man. I mean, Devil in a Blue Dress, and he played Earl “The Goat” Manigault. I mean, he just he had some iconic stuff that you go back and go fuck, man. That was Don Cheadle. I forgot he did that. And now he’s great in everything. He’s funny. Dramatic. I mean, you know, there’s a couple of dudes out there that can just do it all. And you go, man, I respect that. And now, you know, now everybody knows his name. But I’m talking about like, late 90s, early 2000s, where you really enjoyed his work, and he kinda was a little bit everywhere. But it was just before you kind of knew everybody knew he was.

Me: Is that what you’re going for, with with roles like The United States versus Billie Holiday?

Bell: I think so. I think those are the kind of the pieces that I like to do. I think it’s a surprise, you know, that I turn around and play a stripper on A Black Lady Sketch Show. If I can have fun doing it, I mean, there’s a lot of stuff that you know, come across in emails, that would be cool to do, but in my mind, is that gonna be fun? I’m not kidding. I call other people I’ve worked with, who have worked with bigger stars and I’ll go, what is it like to work with this person? And somebody would go ‘oh, you definitely want to do that.’ Like, that’s gonna be fine. Do that. And I’ll call Kathy (Bates) and I’ll ask her a question. Like, what if I were to do this project? And she’ll go, I know you and I don’t know if you’d want to work with that person. That’s a little different for you, you like to have fun. And you’re a good dude. I don’t know if you want this stress of how this might be. And I’m like, aight cool. I like to have fun with it, man. I mean, just a lot of times being where you from you go, man, I didn’t think I was gonna get this far sometimes. So it’s like if I can keep enjoying it, and have the lifestyle I want. I’m very low key. But I’m not a flashy dude. I just I like to have a good time and work with good people. I mean, I mean, for like, the last 10 years, I’ve been able to do that.

Me: Yeah, it certainly looked like you and everybody were enjoying yourselves in that little indie film The Weekend.

Bell: Oh, man, that was that was a ball.

Me: I, I just stumbled upon that. I was in like, one of those pandemic rabbit holes, where I decided, ok, this week or this month, I’m gonna try to watch every film that is about or mentioned stand-up comedy.I saw this on a list. I was like, OK, and it starts out with Sasheer Zamata onstage doing stand up, but then the rest of the movie is not about standup comedy at all. It’s you and her and a couple other people, in a nice little like bed-and-breakfast in the hills walking around.

Bell: In a persimmon field.

Me: But it’s thoroughly enjoyable.

Bell: Yeah, man. That was a fun one. Small cast. a bunch of people I respect. Yeah, that was fun.

Me: How did you feel about how that film portrayed stand-up comedy because it’s just got Sasheer doing it, but then it’s not completely relevant to the rest of the plot.

Bell: I think it was like a self-expression thing. She didn’t have to be, her character didn’t have to be super successful with it. It didn’t have to be somebody who’s like just at an open mic trying some shit. I think it was a good point at which to to plug in stand-up with someone, like this is something a person does, doesn’t have to be a career, didn’t have to be a lifestyle, don’t have to be super successful. They don’t have to be a nobody. But she has a voice and she has a crowd. So it’s like the essence of somebody writing in their journal. And I think that came off of Stella’s because it for her that for Stella (Meghie), the director, this was kind of based on a true story of her life. So instead of a journal entry, it was let me pull it out on stage and the people who are supposed to catch the jokes catch them. So I think it was good.

Me: When you see other films or shows that depict stand up comedy, what do you hope that it gets right? And what do you usually see?

Bell: I’ll give you an example. There was a movie that, uh, let me be careful with this, because I don’t wanna give too much away cuz I didn’t book this movie. They did come back to me. But there’s a movie early this year. All right, how do I say this without killing anybody? This movie, my agent sent to me earlier in the year with a lot of stand up in it. And I loved it. I read it. And I was like, Yo, I’m doing this. I’m fighting for this when I was like, I want to meet with the director, I want to talk to the producers like what do I need to do? And then they set it up. It’s based on a true story. So you know, pretty biopic, and it was so much stand-up in the movie. And the players that they had to set around our main character, that I was like, oh, they gotta get this shit right. So I was like, you know, I was going in for the lead, who isn’t crazy well-known, but the people that were around him were, so I was like, oh, this is gonna be fun to do. I can’t wait to see who they bring in, because I’m bringing this home. And the very first scene was this guy’s first television appearance on a late-night show. And they wanted the actors to do it on a tape, you know, I guess from home or wherever, and I was like, fuck that. I’m gonna go do a road date. And I’m gonna shoot this shit in front of an audience. So the audition piece, the first scene, I do my hour. And then I go change clothes. And I give myself a box like a 90s box. And then the 200 people that are there at the show, I just tell them I’m about to audition in front of them. And then I shoot this audition tape, doing my hour of stand-up and then coming back and doing a four and a half minute set. His material from the 30-year old material. And then I’m like, ain’t no way. Ain’t no way I don’t book this bitch. Who’s doing this? Nobody’s doing this right? So then we go to audition and they fuck with it. They call me we readjust a couple times for the other two scenes. And they go I think we’re going in different directions. It’s great. We’ll call you back if anything, and I was like, Alright, OK. I think maybe it’s a look thing. Maybe. Performance wise, I don’t see it. But OK. I mean, you can’t have everything, maybe they haven’t, you know, people go a different direction all the time. And I sat back and it kind of bothered me for a couple days because I was like, it’s very hard to teach an actor how to do stand-up. And I can understand it can be very hard for a true stand-up to take a role on like this, to like to be an actor this deep, if all you’ve been doing is stand up. And I know it’s a lot. I’m hear that a lot. You hear producers, writers talk about, what’s the balance you need. Months went by, and I kept hearing about this project. And they couldn’t find anybody cuz they’re going up to actors to try to teach me how to do stand up. I mean, because in the script, it’s like fucking 50% stand up. There’s a lot of stage time in here. And I’m like, I don’t know if you’re gonna find anybody. Honestly, that’s not me. It really fucked me up because I was like, I got both of them. And I reached out to the dude who it was about, like, I dug deep and found him. And then I talked to him and he was like, yo, break a fucking leg. I want you to be me. It blew my mind. So now I was like, now I’m already petty and better. So I was like, when they call back I was like, Nah, I’m good. You gotta find who else the fuck you want.

Me: You did joke about that on the on the new album. You are petty.

Bell: I’m Petty man, Petty LaBelle.

Me: But I mean, I think Jean Smart did good in Hacks. That was the part, right? And they decided to go with an older white lady. (JOKES!)

Bell (laughing): I mean, it does do well, if you can find it. I guess it’s just hard because I wanted it, you know. I know people that turned it down being like, I don’t want even want to fuck with this. I know people that were going after it, too and I go, good luck, man, go for it. Look, I mean if somebody that I know gets it, and they’re good people, I’m always gonna be like man, go kill that shit. But it was something that I felt like, I don’t know how I didn’t get it. But then I saw the stuff and I’m like maybe this whole thing isn’t well organized. I’m talking shit now, my bad.

Me: Maybe the suits in show business don’t know what they’re doing.

Bell: Maybe. You know it’s crazy to be working in a fake world and nobody has an imagination but, you know, whatever?

Me: Well you have gotten to play Richard Pryor, though.

Bell: I almost turned down. Because I didn’t know how deep they were going into Richard. I think I had like three or four weeks before we shot that, and I wasn’t going to do it depending on how much of his life was being portrayed, because I was like, you’ve got to give me time. But they’re like oh no, he’s just hosting. You’re Richard at the studio. This is not the life of Richard Pryor, so it took me a minute to say yes to that. Because I was like, I know some other people turned this shit down. Why? I was like, let me read the script first and I was like OK, this is not about his life because I would want time to get in that place. Versus the likeness of Richard, versus of who he is the essence of him, who he is because this is fun Richard at Soul Train. This wasn’t home life, digging deep on who he is, but I was like, you’ve got to give me a couple months, man, because like that’s no easy task. You want to get that right.

Me: Maybe that’s got to be part of the reason why the actual Richard Pryor biopic is like on-again, off-again for years. You keep thinking like it’s gonna be Mike Epps, it’s gonna be Marlon Wayans…

Bell: I’m excited to see either one of them! What are we waiting on? Everybody’s getting older?

Me: I don’t know if we’re ever gonna see it. And I don’t know if we should. I feel like he already did JoJo Dancer.

Bell: The problem is, we can’t appreciate it where we are now. Instead we go, nope. He’s not Richard. Yeah, he’s not! We know that. Like, can we say this muhfucka did a great job though? That’s why I’ve got a real big problem with people doing documentaries now while they’re still alive? Don’t do a documentary about yourself when you’re 42. I don’t like you executive producing your own fucking bio. I can’t stand it. You got to be dead. You got to be dead for me. We need to show how we remember you. No. I can’t stand that shit. I’m over it. I’m over somebody to be like welcome to part one of my documentary, I’m 28. Get out of here.

Me: Well, at least you didn’t have to worry about that with The US versus Billie Holiday, though. On your album, you have this big closing set piece where you joke about your experience working on that film and Lee Daniels, and you joke about getting thrown into a sex scene. And I’m curious to know how that experience — not joking about it — but how the actual experience of filming that scene changed your perception on how the business treats women?

Bell: It was tough because, one I’m glad I wasn’t aware what was coming up, because then you use that time to think too much about it. I think Lee is a brilliant director for that. I mean, it was day one. You know I’ve been in Montreal 36 hours maybe, not even. I had argument with one another comic’s wife. Friend of mine’s wife a few years ago and she was talking about how nude women have to get, especially in a lot of premium cable and movies and stuff. And I agree with her 100% but we can all agree that women are sexier. Like I mean if somebody is going to be nude, nobody wants to see balls. We know balls exist. Nobody’s like man, I hope I see these balls?! I mean like nobody looks for balls. Men don’t like balls. Women don’t like balls. Like I don’t even think if it was getting hot and heavy, if somebody if a couple is about to fuck and the dude didn’t have balls she would’n’t even realize it till afterwards. You can kind of bypass balls. They’re not attractive. But even women can go, that chick is beautiful. I think we just appreciate femininity and how beautiful women are. I remember watching Any Given Sunday back in like, when, I forget when that came out, like late 90s, early 2000s, locker room scene with Cameron Diaz and then of one of the football players turns to the side, and there’s just like, I saw it in theaters. It was just, a dick fell into the screen like this. Man, that is a dick right there. I mean, so like, I just don’t think anybody’s looking for it. And I do think it should be equal. So like, even when it came up to doing that scene, it was like, yeah, man. They’d been on set two months. Her and I had already talked, she told me about some other scenes, and I was like, yo, man, take one for the team, like protect this woman and go, nah, she wears lingerie here. Alright, I’ll drop. You know, how often do women have to do this? And my comic’s friend’s wife, you know, and we get into it all the time. It’s like, we just like to jab each other with jokes. But the point is, I think women are sexy. And I think they they exude something that we don’t exude, but at the same time, it should be fair. But I think our preferences, like if I had to choose it, looking at a 90 foot screen of someone naked, I think we can all appreciate the feminine frame more so. But it’s about time, too it’s about time. So I mean, I didn’t have reservation about it. It was it was just although we get to protect her this time and how far I have to go. is we’ll do I didn’t expect it. Because I definitely didn’t read that part of the script. I definitely skipped over that description. I was like, Oh, man. Yeah, that says that is Oh man. Yeah. All right. All right. What are the options and do that fashion show that I describe is very true.

Me: As a man in stand-up comedy, it’s not something you expect, never have to deal with. Usually if a man in stand-up comedy is asked to get naked, it’s for laughs right? Whereas if you’re a woman in stand-up comedy, like, even if you’re not booking a feature film, people are yelling at you to show skin onstage or on social media. I guess the deeper question for me is like, how do we go about making not just like the feature film industry, but like, even just the comedy industry, like, more protective for women? I feel like they’ve been kind of overlooked.

Bell: I think women in comedy have a great voice now. Not that they didn’t maybe maybe it wasn’t as respected as it should have been. But I think that comes with time. We only understand things a lot of times the way we project them.

So the chick I’m dating now, we we had a great conversation the other night about the word prefer. Like if I prefer something, to me, that means I like this a little more than I like something else, but doesn’t mean I dislike something else. And then to her prefer me means want. Alright, so now when I say this is my preference, you have to know what that means to me. And when she says prefer I know that that’s what she wants. So if we don’t take into account what I think this means, and if you only ingest it the way you want to hear it, we’re always going to have problems, so like I heard a great conversation between Little Bootsy and Flame Monroe on The Breakfast Club recently. I’m not gonna go through that, but just these two people from different sides of the spectrum can agree even though the words are different, you know, because like even the even the host of The Breakfast Club we’re kind of getting on Bootsy about his thoughts but Flame goes nah man I kind of agree with him, and I don’t think they weren’t expecting it. This is probably what Bootsy was saying, versus I’m gonna take this the way I want to take it. Two people just have to one understand each other. So I mean, I think that’s what, to me, especially with comedy when it comes to female comedy now, you know, comedy from women, and I think we are doing a better job of it after the hand was raised and people listened more, I think we are doing a better job of protecting the women around us in this industry. I think we are. I mean, at least the people I hang out with and the people that I know, I think I’ve had a lot of conversations and people like yeah, let me know if you need something you know, if you want to get this off your chest, or I need to take care of this, all the women around me in comedy. I don’t know. Maybe I just hang around good people. I guess. I don’t know. I don’t know these creeps.

Me: You’re not in tight with the the crew at The Comedy Store that includes Chris D’Elia?

Bell: I don’t know the creeps of comedy.

Me: Well, you were in Whitney with Chris D’Elia, though.

Bell: Just because we have lunch at craft services together don’t mean we hang out on a weekend.

Me: OK. To end on a lighter note, you know, at the beginning of our conversation you talked about One Night in Austin being a transition album for you. So what are you hoping to transition to?

Bell: I want to go more into dating and my daily life. And I mean, even with the mom bit and the mannequin hand and you know, all those got a little harder to do because I know people get upset with it. I just have questions now that I think you can’t ask, and I’m willing to risk cancellation on getting the shit out of it don’t work. Like I say bitch all the time. But it’s not. I mean, I’m from Atlanta, man. It’s like we say it as a pronoun a lot. I’m gonna keep saying it. When I would say hoe in the 90s, it wasn’t to hurt anybody. Why can’t I say hoe now? I’m done. I’m doing this streaming show for a friend, and she was asking about…I don’t talk sex a lot on stage. I rarely have. The last bit on the new album is probably the most graphic I’ve ever gotten, when it comes to sex, and now like, as long as I feel like I can make it tasteful for my parents that they won’t be embarrassed about, then I’m gonna do it.

But I have like a list of where I think sex lies, which is dirty, nasty, gross, filthy disgusting. And everybody falls in one. I sit between gross and filthy, right? Disgusting is like, it’s a lot of fluids involved in disgusting. So everybody starts off in high school with dirty, but wherever you find your partner, whatever you are, wherever you find your partner, you can’t be jumping levels, right? You got to graduate to different levels. And so I was telling her about this, and I’m gonna talk about this on the show, but I used to be able to just say if you’re disgusting in high school, you’re a hoe. Now it’s like, exploring sexually. And I’m like, nah, man, bitch was a hoe. I’m not talking now. I’m talking about in ‘97. Why can’t I say what I used to say in 97? Why can’t I say that? I’m sorry. I apologize. But it’s like that’s how I grew up.

Me: People weren’t saying floozy.

Bell: Yeah, harlot. I’m not pointing the finger but also if I have questions like I’ve people don’t want you to ask questions anymore, and people expect you to know everything. We keep talking about this. I like to ask questions and I like getting shit wrong, but I should be able to. We just know that. I mean, literally that moment happened with fucking mannequin head. That shit fucking happened with my co worker and I’m like, this bitch, Jesus Christ. I’ve already set myself up to have to do this. Now I got to do it. Now I’ve got to to update this bit, which is I think OK. But I’m OK getting shit wrong. I’m okay. Also, tell me about it. Tell me why I was wrong. So I won’t be wrong anymore. But I don’t want to try to keep it safe. Like I remember that moment in Pulp Fiction, we opened a briefcase, we all want to know what’s in the briefcase, but it’s just glowing. It’s like a lot of times I feel like we, like people want to look around and you kind of be like, I’m opening this and I see it, but I can’t let you have it. Because if I show you exactly what this is, you might be upset with me. I want to turn that briefcase around where I just want to show you that and a lot of comics are doing that. And there’s a lot of it’s a lot of people who just say fuck it. And I think I think I’m on that train.

Me: Well, as someone with a grandfather who had a tracheotomy, I’m strangely OK with you using the word kazoo.