Re-broadcast: Episode 10 - Malcolm Jamal Warner We Appreciate you! | 28
Show Notes:
While season 1 has come to an end, that doesn't mean the fun is over! Revisit our most popular episodes while you wait for season 2.
This week, listen to our most downloaded episode - Malcolm Jamal Warner, we appreciate you! My friend Nicky stopped by and we gushed over this heart throb!
Transcript:
Julia: Hey friends. Welcome back to pop culture. Makes me jealous. I'm your host, Julia. And on this week's episode, my friend, Nikki and I are talking Malcolm, Jamal Warner.
Malcolm Jamal Warner first rose to fame as the lovable Theo Huxtable, the third child, an only son of Dr and Mrs. Huxtable, since then Warner has collected numerous screen credits, including the voice of the producer character on magic school bus. He is currently starring as Dr. Aja Austin, a cardiothoracic surgeon on the Fox series.
The resident, his role on the resident is. Representation on television with NPR recently reporting the African-Americans make up 5% of doctors. What started out as a conversation to appreciate Malcolm Jamal Warner. As an actor, turned into a conversation about the resident, the resident airs on Fox and just ended its fourth season on May 4th.
All seasons are now available on Hulu.
Are you on. Are you following us on Instagram? Find us at pop culture makes me jealous. That's where we have all of our conversations, post show drop, and we want you to be a part of it. We want to know. What do you think of the show? What'd you think of this week's episode? Did you agree? Did you disagree?
We won't know any of those things until you go over to Instagram, give us that follow and start having a conversation with us. We can't wait to talk to you there. Find us on Instagram at pop culture. Makes me jealous, looking forward to talking with you.
And now
without further ado,
here we go. To the show.
Nikki welcome to the show. I, I say that I'm excited for every guest, but like when you've known somebody, as long as we've known each other, the excitement is a little bit more.
Oh man. So originally we were going to talk about, you know, some bad-ass female voices, but then in the spirit of our memes conversation via Instagram DMS, um, we, we started talking about Malcolm, Jamal Warner. And then, and then about four days ago, I realized this should be the episode because our IG DMs is like tons of content already.
Nicky: Oh my goodness. Yes. Um, when you mentioned that, I was just like, Oh, she's right. And I was like, oh, we really talk about.
Oh,
Julia: so just a real quick of his, what I considered his notable performances, because this is where he came up in my radar. And then this is when I realized that my TV watching life is very predominantly white, which is really upsetting in some respects. So, you know, the Huxtables obviously he shows up as Theo.
So that was my first exposure. And then. When he was on Malcolm and Eddie. So he did that for a handful of years, which I wasn't super into, but I watched if it was on TV, like I didn't change the channel. Yeah. Which is probably why it only lasted four seasons. And then he shows up on Community. As Yvette brown, Joe Yvette brown Jones.
Is that her full name? Her anyway, she's a beautiful, she's amazing shows up as her ex-husband Andre on a couple episodes. So they talk about Andre for all these episodes. And then suddenly we see Andre and it's Malcolm, Jamal Warner. Hello? Hi, handsome. Like, do you want to be my baby daddy too?
And then, and then fast forward a handful of years, and I'm getting into this show called girlfriend's guide to divorce, which is okay. It was Bravo's first original scripted series, which tells you a lot, if it's on Bravo and he shows up again as an ex-husband to what is her name? And now it's escaping me.
I arrested everybody. Yes, Retta, thank you, Rita Rita. So he shows up as red as ex-husband and they have. Moments where you're just like,
and then, and then you constantly getting on me about watching the residents. I didn't know that he was on the resident. I realized after the fact when I was watching some of the episodes, it's like, oh, I've seen a couple of episodes of the show. I never made it into any of the episodes that he was in because he's not a part of the original cast.
No, he. At like the end of season one, which makes sense on why I didn't see him because after like two episodes, I was like, oh, I don't really know if I'm into this show. Matt Zhou, Cree, who is Logan on Gilmore girls, which, you know, I'm not team Logan, but I do think he's beautiful is on that show, which was kind of the appeal for me.
It was like, oh, I live, I love to look at him. He's beautiful. But it just wasn't really doing it for me. And then you and I were talking last week and he's like, you have to watch
Nicky: this show. Peer pressure, peer
pressure. I haven't stopped since you like yelled at me,
Nicky: then you want to know what else is going on in his storyline? Yes. So,
Hey, Austin is his character and he walks in as this, as he says, multiple times, triple board certified surgeon. Sorry. Can you say that on repeat? Cause that's actually kind of sexy as hell.
Nicky: That sentence alone, please. Yeah. Tell me more.
And so when he first walks on and we first meet him, I was like, welcome to the whole ward. Like Nikki is not wrong. Like Nikki's not wrong about you. What is this fine ass doctor up in
Nicky: here when I, okay, let me just pick it up. I'm already fingerling. Not developed chill when he came on, if you just like took over the entire feed.
Yes. And I said, oh, oh, oh, this is what we're doing. This is new. And like you said, I can't stop watching my eyes glued to the big hunk of delicious chocolates that just walked into the room and pretty much embodied, like almost every characteristic. And Amanda and I tried to track. And I thought, oh, this is going to be problematic.
I can't wait to keep watching. So,
so he's like super sexy on the show. Hmm, you know, he's on Malcolm and Eddie and he's just this guy. And then the Huxtables he's, you know, a teenage kid. And when he gets into college, that's when he kind of gets a little sexy, but like, he's like
Nicky: have like hit the levels of grown man, sexy that every man drives for his style.
The way he wears his hat. Like sometimes when guys wear hats like that, you're just like, okay. Douche. Yeah. But the way he it's like on it, man,
Nicky: is that Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, if Dr. Alone, I said, oh my
God, the way he wears his scarfs, they're just like draped beautifully.
Nicky: With all the Manliness and testosterone to ever question anything.
I am a man, but yet I'm wearing a scarf and don't ask me about it. First of all,
let's talk about why we love Malcolm Jamal Warner. And I'm going to let you go first.
Nicky: Ooh. Okay. Let's be, um, in, in true Nikki fashion, I think in bullet point. So bullet point number one, flag levels on a thousand. Yes, he has.
He's arrogant, but he has. The reason to back it up,
his arrogance is totally
Nicky: warranted. It's justified, absolutely justified, um, bullet number two, which is pretty much like a sub point of the first one. He has a soft side that you eventually see with his character, but it is covered in arrogant first because you're never going to question what he knows or how he knows.
He knows what he's doing, and there's never a question. Then underneath that you actually realize that he does have a factory side, that one, two combo character on TV or in real life. It gets me 100% of the time. I can't help myself. It's just what it is. It's like,
I like, I'm pretty in stupid. Yeah,
Nicky: you said it out loud. I love it. Listen, this is what it means to be your true self. You can be your chief self with your friend and then who the hell can you be? Um, I like, I like men who are slightly arrogant. I want you to come in with all of the arrogance, but again, it has to always be.
Yeah. And with this character on the resident, the thing is, is if he doesn't present with that level of confidence, is he even going to be taken seriously?
Because he is a black man
Nicky: in medical. So talk about it. Yeah. He's the black man in medicine at the top of his game,
turn a board certified
Nicky: Alice's game. Right. So you were absent, right? My thing, like you're saying is would he have even gotten to that level? If he hadn't consistently portrayed the man of arrogance, um, 1000% confidence and making sure he could back it up because, you know, we can talk, we can say things all day, right off the top, walk the walk.
He is making sure that his walk is speaking for itself. Yes. Time as a black man in the world as a black man in medicine. And specifically, what did the, uh, oh shoot. I always forget the real word. Cardio,
cardio. Thoracic. Yeah,
Nicky: absolutely. And, well, something, yeah, something regarding the heart. Have you gotten to his nickname
yet in the show?
Nicky: I said, you know what? I'm not even mad. I'm
go ahead.
They call him that with such affection, which I love. First of all, the resident. Thank you for putting that many people of color in positions of medical power, the
Nicky: diversity that they have made on purpose. Yes. Show alone makes me want to continue to watch and support, but then you have this, um, Chocolate God that walks in the room and just own everything, turn it off anyway.
So, you know, um, but yeah, no, they, they specifically made sure that everything was going to be real and represented. And I
deal with the job at bringing issues to like, like, so
Nicky: Mina.
And I feel like I knew that she like had the hots for him. Like the minute she saw him, like, I don't think that they wanted you to know. I think that they wanted it to be like a simmering sort of fizzling sort of will, they won't they situation, but they didn't like portray that, like that in the beginning.
Yeah. But the way he recognized that she is a bad-ass doctor herself. And then elevated her to be on his team. So that way she'd always have opportunity. But then when you get into season, like later, a little bit later, cause I think they're in season four. So I'm on season three right now they do sort of have a little bit of a conflict because she's like, he's like, she's mine, she's mine.
And she's a, first of all, I don't
Nicky: belong to no one, let them know, let them know don't ever question it.
Don't ever question. But then, like, they can't do anything because he's her mentor. Yeah. Which is really hard because they work so well together. Not like just professionally. He sees into her soul in a way that you're just.
Where's that man for listen y'all can I get a man like that? Like, I feel like, I feel like you and I both do this. We both have these very like rough exteriors in the sense of like, people are like, I don't know if she liked me. I'm a little nervous. And then like, here comes the Raptor and he's like, She bought us.
She got this, like, we're good. And he's just like, here for it. I'm like, can we clone you? Because we got, we got some girls up in here. We got some women up in here who need that kind of attention and recognition please.
Nicky: So, um, I consider myself an alpha female. Yeah. Just I'm I'm here. This is what you're going to get.
And if you'd like, I can give you a laundry list of what you're not going to get. Um, I, I'm just thinking 100 with you. I'm not going to lie about nothing. If you know, all the way the hustler always, you know, just basically trying to work on myself. But I also know that I, I tend to dominate situations and using that.
Sometimes with the best of my ability, but also learning like when to turn that off, you know what I'm saying? I think those moments are also important, but I know that because I was talking about the arrogance and the softer side in, um, For me, I look for that because as an alpha female, you tend to be a little bit arrogant, you know exactly who you are, you know exactly what you want.
Yada, dah, dah, dah. I am also looking for that in a partner. They also come with an orphanage. They know who they are. They know who they're not not saying they're not striving to be better or anything to that extent. Um, but they know exactly who they are. And. For me, if I have the right kind of alpha, I won't always be so much of an offer.
Yes, yes. Willingly. And I've, I've watched myself in those moments where I'm just like, oh, okay.
Because you fit well with you'll fit well enough that the certain things sort of even out, right. Like I was talking earlier today with somebody about how, when somebody, I don't want to say underperforms, but when you have somebody who is.
Isn't meeting a certain expectation. Then I go into overdrive in that expectation. So even though it's not an area that I necessarily want to Excel in, or want to be a part of, if there's a need and it's not getting met and I have the skill set to meet it, I'm going to elevate and then run the risk of being called domineering, being called aggressive, being called all of these things, but it's like, well, no one else was going to fucking do.
So like, yeah, I don't want to be that person, but you just kind of forced me to be in that position
Nicky: if you're not going to that, I feel like
I have to. Yeah. And so, so you, you're kind of like Mina because in the sense, like, she is like that too. And then the Raptor kind of helps balance her in that way and like forces her to like, recognize that she has a lot of potential, but also needs.
Except the help and trust the team that she's a part of. You really see that in the episode where the there's an episode where these two children bring in their dad, who's like frozen. Did you
Nicky: see that it didn't season
like season two? I think the dads frozen, these little girls bring their data in and they're trying to like warm up the body or whatever.
And the Raptor isn't there he's car is snowed in because there's this huge blizzard happening, working so hard to get there. He was working so hard to get there. And then she kept calling like, where are you? Where are you? Where are you? So now she's like, she's reliant on him, but he's like, Got this. Like, why are you questioning your skills and talent right now?
Like, you've done this a million times. You've got this and then she crushes
Nicky: it. Yes, she did. Yes, she did.
We all need a man to stand in our corner like that cheerleader and be like, no, you
Nicky: got this 4, 4, 2 out by personality. To be able on both sides of that. Right. So for Mina, she that off the female, but still say, I need you right.
Huge. That's huge and way outside of her comfort zone and any shape of imagination, because she's always been solo dolo and relying upon herself and no one else. So for her as an alpha, who's still being alpha to feel comfortable enough with someone to allow herself, to rely on them. And for her to communicate, that is super huge.
And for him being the alpha that he is to say, you don't need me. You've got there. It was just, it was a moment on level. Yes. A moment.
And it's such a great representation too, because I think strong women get a bad rap and rap bad representation sometimes in TV and movies, because there's this whole, like, there's this negative arrogance about them where they're like, I can do it, I can do it.
I can do it. And then they fail in something. And so it reinforces that they need to ask for help. But in this situation, she is. She knows she can do it, but she's, she feels reliant on him and she asks for help and he says, you don't need help. So it's the flip of that. Right? So instead of it being like, I got this I'm I can do it.
Nicky: I Hmm, this is, this is big.
This is a big deal because these daughters are, will be child like parentless. If I don't do this and he's like, girl, you got this and then she crushes it. So you have the strong, independent, very, very, um, alpha female character demonstrating vulnerability in a way where it's positively reinforced.
Beautiful.
Nicky: A whole dissertation could be written on that, especially, I mean, in real life, but also just in Hollywood, there could be absolutely, absolutely, you know, to the resident for, um, having such incredible writer to bring that to
the. Yeah. They're not afraid to talk about issues that happen in the medical field that are very like racial discrepancies, economic
Nicky: discrepancies.
Yeah. Um, I won't say too much because I know you're on in three, but they dive deeper into. Um, especially being black in the field of medicine, it gets deeper, deeper, deeper into that. And so I look forward to you watching it and anyone else listening, I look forward to you watching and learning as well.
Yeah. But like I said, they're, they're very open and they pretty much lay it all on the table. Yeah. They were real about what the world of medicine looks like from a TV perspective, from a TV lens, but they talk about it and they're not afraid to not talk about. Which I really full characters. I really
appreciate that.
So I did watch the first episode just to like refresh myself. And so Devin preven, he walks in and I was like, who is this Hottie?
Nicky: I said, oh,
hi, I'm Julia. Yeah.
Yes, he, he is cool and he's fine. And he's also like a little bit shy and a little bit nerdy that I just really respect and also be as 100% objective. I don't like, you know what, first of all, I mean his nuance to talk about his facial features. Um,
and then when he does this like thing where he like, looks up at people when he's like on someone, like checking their heart or whatever, with the stethoscope.
And he just like looks when they say something that he thinks is like fast. Yeah. And he just like.
Nicky: Can you do that again? Rewind five seconds please. Yeah. Right here.
Oh yeah. He has character. Uh, they're really dig into his storyline
later on too. Oh, that's exciting. Because I know in the first season they really got into like, he's getting married to this woman named Priya and all these things, and then Jenna Dwan shows up and that shit gets messed up real quick. Um, It does kind of dial back, um, a little bit, but the other thing that I love, this is supposed to be a Malcolm, Jamal Warner appreciation episode.
Now we're talking about the resident. Yeah. That's okay. But the other thing that I really appreciate about the resident who is that there's like all ages are represented, right? So like the CEO guy is like older, but like you still sort of see him trying to navigate love and he's
Nicky: dating age, appropriate women.
Yeah. So I'm like, thank you for having, you know, the 40 plus crowd. I'm not 40 yet, but thank you for having women with some experience under their belt on the show, having love scenes and having romances, like thank you. We need to see that love doesn't die at 35.
Nicky: No, the only other show that I feel like does not well is, uh, the one with Jane Fonda.
Oh yeah. Grayson Frankie. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, they do that where, you know, it's just two ladies and they're older and they're still out there enjoying love, seeking love and experiencing it. And I'm like, yeah, because just because I get older does not mean I'm not going to want on love, sex and romance. I'm going to want that at any age until I no longer here on this earth.
So whatever.
Sorry mom, but amen.
She listens. It's
Nicky: fine.
Oh my God.
Oh, you're not wrong. Go ahead. Oh, I was just
Nicky: thinking in, I have something to send you and we'll see how long this takes. I forgot to finish your earlier.
Oh my God. Is it another Malcolm, Jamal Warner post,
Nicky: except it's more like a screen shot. And, um, all I can say is. Um, I loved, and
I was rewatching Malcolm's interview that he did two years ago with Wendy Williams. And I, I go back and forth when it comes to Wendy. Um,
but she had lock them on there, on there, and I was listening and she played this clip of him dancing with his daughter. Oh, and it's super cute and super innocent, except he's writing really, really short, short, but I think an all up to this is what I was thinking about during the interview with Wendy is of all like we were talking about earlier of all of these.
Years that I've seen Malcolm, which of course started with the Huxtables. Yeah. Looks for people. They always change. You know what I mean? It's an ever going thing. People have different lugs for different times, whatever the case is. Right. I don't think I've ever really liked little. Until I saw him on the resident.
See, and that's so interesting to me because I just, I love to miss the skinny Theo, the little skinny kid. Yeah.
Nicky: Yeah. But then
when I was, when, you know, he gets into college and you're like, yeah, you're a man. That's pretty good too.
Nicky: I'm not mad at
that at all. But, so what do you think it is about his appearance on the resident that sort of clicked it into like, oh, okay. Hi.
Nicky: The word is thick with two feet. Um, Like you said he was skinny Theo, right?
He was such a skinny little Ray. I mean, he was for 13 or 14 years old when he started that show.
So obviously he hasn't like, he's still a child.
Nicky: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't talk about that for sure. But I, the type of men that I find attractive, I'd never skinny men. So if there, and I mean, you know, men come in all shapes and sizes and physical attractive. Ooh, shout out to that moment. Yes, they do. But for my physical attraction for initial attraction, it's never been slender men.
I've always liked men who got a little more meat on their bones, bit more given strength. And, um, Malcolm never had that when you played skinny Eddie. So for me, he was always super
cool. Just. Like a brother. I never really
Nicky: found that like attractive people were cool, but that was never like, there was never physical attraction there.
So in all, all of the different, you know, moments you've had on TV, he's always just kind of been met. And then all of a sudden here he comes to broad shoulders. It could be, want to be filmed in his face, just like a grown man. And then the fearless and sexy natural hair. The judge is and the, the line. Yeah,
he's got a good face.
Whoever does his hair is not getting paid, like pay that person a lot.
Nicky: Cause his hair is not good. That man paired. The lines are always Chris, never an issue. Natural hair is on point, not quite the fade, but it's like the latest version the top, but it's not right. Right. The beard game is strong that everyone could do a beard.
I need, I need people to hear me. So I'm just going to clear my throat. I would like to make a public service announcement. A beard is not for everyone.
Just louder for the people
Nicky: in the back. A
beard is not for everyone. Yeah. Yeah. It's like Matt, Matt Zachry who plays Dr. Conrad Hawkins. But for those of us who've been around for awhile.
We know him as Logan. Hunsberger, he's got the same hairstyle, his entire career because he knows what works for him. You know, it's not like, and because I'm going to tie everything back to Gilmore girls cause apparent. That's my life. It not everyone's adjust Mariano or Milo Ventimiglia who can pull off different hairstyles.
You know what I want to
Nicky: see?
I would love it. And Malcolm, Jamal Warner and Milo Ventimiglia did like a buddy cop show. I think
Nicky: that would be hilarious. You know what, um, I'm not mad at that. Here's, here's what I need out of it. Um, I've realized that I liked both of the characters when they play more serious roles.
Yeah. So like when he's Jack Pearson on, this is us and you're just like, why are you the best husband and dad in the world? Yes. You're dealing with alcoholism and that's really sad. And we're rooting for you, but also, oh my God. I want a husband like jock.
Nicky: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I realized that the other thing with Malcolm is that over the years you've played a lot of roles and have been more comedic or nice guy.
You know, friendly next door neighbor, kind of guy. Turns out. That's not the Malcolm I
need. Yeah. And I wonder if that's because of his start, you know, with being Theo on the Huxtables, he's this lovable kid who does dumb shit as teenagers do. And then he grows up to be this lovable guy who just wants to help kids that have less opportunity to have opportunity.
And you're just like, you're such a do good or I love it. But then he shows up is Dr. Aja Austin, and he's got a commanding presence.
Nicky: Yes. He's a man who knows
exactly what he was. And he will, he will let you in when he needs to. And there's something about it where you're just
Nicky: like, yeah. Okay. You're all good.
Yes, yes. I will just follow that. Absolutely. Yes, yes, absolutely. But I think, I think that's what it is with what Milo and Malcolm shout out to the, um, the theory of roles is where they feed to do their best or the most impact for me when they're more light and comedic, it's just like, You know, they're doing their thing and I'm not mad at it.
Right. But it doesn't, it doesn't impact me. And so from Malcolm and this serious role, it's, it's more impactful. He's able to really push this character out. And because I'm a fan of Malcolm, I've listened to a few of his interviews. Um, they're just one that hour long one he did with a flu shot waiting universe, but he did this great interview with him and he was even talking about things like when he was doing Malcolm and Eddie, he and Eddie didn't get along.
Oh, I didn't realize that. That was the thing. Cause we was like, yo, that show was my jam. You know, I loved
it. Mystery on screen too.
Nicky: And Malcolm was like, yeah, the real deal is we weren't. Close at all is all. But we got to a point where we had mutual respect for each other and would come together at the beginning of every show and be like, all right, we're going to do this and toss on the professionalism and just handle business.
But I think this also speaks to Malcolm's character as a human, and also going back to clearly the traits that 11 men, a sidebar, but mountain group. Uh, the Huxtable who grew up under the shadow of Mr. Cosby. And so with that became some expectation, right? You're supposed to be clean. Cut. You're supposed to be, um, helping your fellow neighbor.
You supposed to be a good representation of. Um, I black person in America for other black people in America. Right. But when you start on a show, like the Cosby show where the, there are the high level of expectations where the level of joke are at a particular degree, right. And then you move forward and now all of that is done.
That's how you grew up. That is what, you know, that's what you've been doing daily for, you know, at least a decade of your life. Right. And now you move on to other jobs and you realize that. It's not like that ever
realize
Nicky: how unique that situation was because I was hearing him speak. He said, I didn't like to joke.
He said, I didn't like the caliber of jokes. I thought there were low ball jokes on Malcolm and Eddie on Malcolm Manetti. Like he said, I hate to go and back into the cause of the time. He's like, because I'm trying to show people that I'm more than just that character. He's like the reality. He said, I grew up.
With that understanding of what that foundation. And he said, so doing Malcolm, Eddie, he said it was really hard for me because I was trying to have the show be at a particular level of caliber that I'm accustomed to as an app. He said, but what they wanted wasn't that he said he knew, even though it wasn't working, he said it just wasn't working for me.
Yeah. That's a really good point. He's making though, because my son and I talk about this all the time, you know, what's timeless versus what's timely for now. And what's timely for now is what fades away. There's a reason why I love Lucy, Mary Tyler Moore, Dick van Dyke show. Um, the Brady bunch have all sort of survived generations and there are TV enthusiastic to still know those shows.
There's a reason why fresh prince is still really prevalent and isn't just black, famous, but also white famous. There's a reason why that the Huxtables have lasted. Through all the shit that the patriarch has put them through. The reason is, is because they have this level of universal themes. There's universal comedy.
That is that higher standard, that higher expectation. And then the shows that we forget about that we loved at the time. Kind of hit, you know, only current topics or don't know how to address current topics in a timeless way. One of the biggest episodes that I remember the most from, from the Huxtables that Malcolm Jamal Warner was in was the episode where somebody stashes a joint in his history book or his geography book, and his parents find it even.
On state levels, marijuana is legal. It's not legal for everybody. It's not legal on a federal level. And you know, that, that narrative of a high school kid bringing home a joint to a certain type of parent, not that the Huxtables were bad parents or conservative parents, but they had expectations for their children and their child just brought home a joint like that.
Still. It's a storyline that works now 37 years later. Yeah. And that's the difference I think with when you do start on something that has that expectation in there, and that's the benefit of having worked with somebody who's been in the business for 25 years prior to the children's showing up, being on the show with them per
Nicky: Malcolm, not.
And if the character with the resident, here we go with the, if I can flip it, he doesn't, it. If I feel like not until he develops a relationship with MENA on a more personal level, did he get to show that side of it? He doesn't say or show the side of, I want to be heard or want to be validated. He, as a black man in America just feels like he has to forget all of that and push all of that to the.
To show that he can be who he is in the surgical room. Cause they tell you, um, you know, as a black kid, you always have to be three times better than the white room, because that's the only time you're going to be seen. Right. Right. The only time they might think of you as at least maybe 50% of the white men in the room, whereas are the typical 15%, that is the default.
Right. Um, I like that with the character development with him on the show, he starts out as every other black men that you would see who was strong and in their game,
I
Nicky: have to be arrogant. You have to see my work and know my work is real and I have to be arrogant in order for you to actually hear me and understand that I know that I can do what I need to do.
Right. And then he's
the best in the business and time and time again, proves that he's the best and then event, not eventually, you know, shortly thereafter, his character arrives, people started acknowledging, like we're going to call Dr. Austin. He's literally, you're literally in the best hands and that.
That feels great to hear because you're, you're, you're valid. You've basically said like, I mean, he shouldn't have had, you shouldn't have to prove yourself when you're good at something like you, your work should speak for itself, but because he proved himself in his work speaks for himself, like then it's, he's respected by his colleagues.
Nicky: Absolutely. And even if you had a moment of self doubt, you'll never know. Right. They'll never know. He'll never show it because as a black person in America, you don't have time for dumped out. Right.
Which is so unfortunate because that self-doubt can really eat you alive. If you don't have somebody
Nicky: to talk to about it. Very true. Is that like tiny voice in the back of your head that suddenly become loud. To give you a headache. If you don't manage it properly and they really take over and change everything that's going on in their world, to
your point about his relationship with MENA, I do love how, like, they kind of both force each other to be vulnerable.
Yeah. I just really want them to get together so bad. Well, they won't be
Nicky: is just like,
yeah. She's so beautiful. Like it's stupid. How pretty
Nicky: she is. She is also someone who walks in the room and just take, pick over. Here's what
I love about the actress that plays her Shaun at Renee Wilson. I love that they cast a tall woman to be a doctor in this role, in what I can recall from all of the entertainment I've consumed in the last 37 years.
There is very specific type of black women that get cast, not the third bad. Not that there's anything wrong with it. Not that I'm criticizing it, but it's, it's a, it's a S it's a safe look. There's a safe look that gets, it has been getting cast. Decades. Yeah. And then more recently we're starting to see more diversity within what black people look like being cast in roles.
So to see this
Nicky: beautiful tall woman
who is a bad-ass doctor and she she's Nigerian, right? Like they're her characters from Nigeria. And just being all of who she is. I was just like, listen, the resident, I w I walked into this ready to not like you.
Nicky: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I was like, oh, this is going to be like, kind of another grave anatomy.
Like what's the deal with his, um, okay. Something that I wanted to bring up today regarding Malcolm is that he is very much into spoken word. I found that I found a thought like way late in the game. Um, he also is a musician and he plays the electric bass and the guitar. And then now he
plays the upright bass.
Oh, that's sexy.
Nicky: And I said, holy crap. And then, um, um, I was looking up looking him up on YouTube because. I heard something that reminded me that he did a song with Robert Glasper really. So I guess technically he got a Grammy because he did spoken word on a song with, uh, uh, one of Robert Glasper songs with someone I forget there was a lady singing on it.
Um, they, maybe I forget, but. Yeah, he was doing spoken word and he got a Grammy for that. So technically, um, Grammy
winner, Malcolm, Jamal Warner
Nicky: go good for him. Sexy. Good for
him. That's like the upright bass. Could you point like that's a sexy instrument, like, oh,
Nicky: good for you. Good for you. That
is a sexy ass.
Nicky: From one player to another, I respect your game.
He was nominated for an Emmy in 1986 for his portrayal of Theo men. I support that because he did such a great job of being like, you know, this kid who just won, it's gotta be hard to have four sisters. That's gonna be hard.
Nicky: Yeah. There are definitely a lot of female dominant in that home.
Yes. And then two, like I think that. Oftentimes overlooked, just how hard it is for kids who have very successful parents, but then they themselves have hurdles and struggles because there's this expectation. Well, I'm successful, so you should be successful. And so with Theo, you know, he struggles through school and his parents just don't get it.
And then it gets into college and it turns out he has dyslexia and. Help us understand that it was very timely because we were just starting conversations about dyslexia at the time, but it's still, you know, versatile because people still don't, we don't fully, still understand dyslexia and just how much it can really get in the way of people being successful without the right interventions.
But I think that he did a really good job of like, like when he was vulnerable, he was vulnerable.
Nicky: Yeah. I don't know if he understands it, but he really set a standard for a lot of actors after him, especially childhood actors, but actors in general, he, that show has set a standard of precedent, but he, as an individual has done the same when you start that high up, you know, and that show ends.
I'm sure it's difficult to. To stay that high up on like that. You know what I mean? Yeah.
He has done well, and I feel like I can see so much of a Theo in my brother. The Huxtables debuted the year we were born. Sorry. So we grew as a family. We sat around watching it. And my, so my brother was seven at the time.
So he's watching this big brother. Who's also a little brother, but so he's watching this kid be a brother. And so I feel like a lot of the positive qualities of my brother resembled. Theo. And I wonder how much of that was influenced because we did do the weekly family sit down and watch the Cosby show.
And I, and I appreciate that because it's not always a great relationship because siblings don't always have a great relationship, but at the end of the day, he still is ride or die for his sister.
Nicky: Absolutely. Even though he makes fun of them, what they're wearing, you know, what their makeup looks like, what they did with their hair, they find is cute.
How they're doing in school. He clowns them on everything, but like at the end of the day, Hey, that's my. And when people were calling, um, which sister was it?
There's four. They
Nicky: know one of the filters. I can't remember, but there was one of them, one of the girls went on a date with
someone, went on the date with one of his friends.
Nicky: Yeah. And the guy within the locker room, just saying, you know how he and Vanessa. Yeah. And he was like, oh, that's my sister fool, like back up. So I, I appreciate that. Cause at the end of the day, like you said, it it's family. I feel like the Cosby show did a really good job with a lot of different things.
We understand that Cosby individually is problematic, but the show itself brought for a true vision that was portrayed. Yeah. And that. People were trying to aspire to portray, but it hadn't gotten there yet. People weren't willing to see black families like that. Right. Wasn't he wasn't new to Hollywood at that time of the show.
He wasn't, you know, just try to get into Hollywood would by creating this show, he already had pull a legend in his own. Right. So he was able to make the picture, come to life. In a way that at the time, no one else would write other black shows that were on, but nothing like that. And because of the contribution, we got some things like, um, family matters.
I love family
matters
Nicky: because of the Cosby show.
I wanted to be a mom like Claire Huxtable. I really truly did like. Right. So like, you know, she was already a professional by the time she started having children, her career was already established. So I was thinking about this more recent. 'cause I'm kind of getting back into like more of an edgy look like, you know, how you remember me from high school.
Um, but I remember having a conversation with my son's dad, just like, I think when would've changed my luck and be like more preppy because in my mind, you know, Claire Huxtable is. She's beautiful. She's polished. Even in her Saturday jeans and a sweatshirt, she's like stunningly. Beautiful. So for me, that was like the epitome of the appearance for being a mom like this idea of like sticking with my punk rock girl ways and look was a no go.
I had to look like. I need to look like Claire. And that served me well for a handful of years, until about 2016. When I got off the rat race, I wonder how hard it is. And you kind of touched on that too already with, um, MTW but how hard it is to go from being in a very little. Well-oiled TB producing machine.
And then walking into that expectation every time. I wonder if he brings that level of expectation with him when he goes into the resident, I'm new to the show. So I don't know all of their offscreen relationships, but from watching the show, it feels
Nicky: like they might
all be friends. Because of how well they act
Nicky: together.
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I have no idea about their offspring chemistry either to be honest, but that is definitely the vibe that I'm getting in my head. They all hang out together outside of work or grab a beer on the weekends kind of a thing. Um, but. Their portrayal of their character and their chemistry in the show is just, it's fantastic.
And I know. Um, Malcolm himself has found a new comfort of home on TV. I think he's always loved to act. I don't think it, this resident role has he found one, a sustaining role. If I'm going to be honest to a role, he can be proud of three, a role that just brings everything forward that he has probably been looking for.
To
having. Right. Right. Because it does feel like for, you know, and I've told, I texted you this multiple times, this is like a fantasy medical trauma. Some of the shit that happens, you're just like, Hmm.
In terms of like them getting from start to finish it, it feels well done. I mean, some people probably really enjoy it. I'm not one of those people, but I could probably live without all of the surgery scenes being. So in-depth
Nicky: in there. Yeah. I, I wanna, I want to see them like, If you pull up, I want people to see, I get theme stapled together.
I won't give too much away, but there's a moment where someone, a doctor, um, is injured on their arm and they are turning around to help someone else. And someone says, Hey, you're bleeding. And the person says, oh, okay. And they turn around and see themselves like eight or nine times. No big deal and then turn around and go back to helping and obviously a crisis moment.
Right? Like that's crazy wild, but I love that kind of stuff. I'm like, yeah, bring it,
bring it through. I think one of the things that's so great about his character being on the resident is that he's giving permission. To be triple board certified. Um, but not even just that he's giving permission to be, how do I say this?
He's giving permission to be this kind of black excellence. We don't have we're, it's, we're very underrepresented in the medical field, unless you look at it in terms of like, there's a lot of like lower wage positions that are held by black women, you know, home health nurses and such, and they do amazing work and we couldn't function in that system without them.
However Dr. AIG, Austin, Dr. O are giving us permission to be seen and presented as the best in our field, in the,
Nicky: in their field. Yes. So now
little kids everywhere. I don't know if I want little children watching this show, but high school kids everywhere could be. I want to be like Dr. AIG, like he just did this bad-ass operation and that's like, he's saving lives.
He's doing all these things. So one of the things that made me really happy about the resident, talk about it, talking about Dr. Morris Chestnut
Nicky: girl, you talk about, okay, let me okay. There's phases of men that I've liked over years and I realized. Looking back at my trajectory, the men that I've been attracted to, hasn't always been the men that I've dated, which is a different story for another
time. Um, I have, I feel like I have a similar situation, right?
Yeah. But the men that
Nicky: I've been attracted to them. There's a few different kinds. And one of them is, um, dark chocolate men with bald heads. They're just, there's just another level of, of extra goodness of sex appeal that comes from that, that I don't understand. And when Morris, I said, oh, they just want to kill.
I thought, oh, okay. That's what it is. Clearly. They're trying to kill me with a show. Um, cause it's working and he's playing such a terrible
dude. There should be a rule about having this many hot men on the show. Thank you.
Nicky: Thank you. How, how are you allowing this? But could also them. All of the women are real women.
Yes. And all of the managers look extra sexy. You know what I'm saying? And I'm like, I like this.
I liked the valid. Thank you. Because I, we grew up having to watch like the unattainable beauty of women on TV, our entire lives, and then like dopey looking ass, men being their love interests.
Nicky: How does the no, none
of that, like, no, this isn't okay.
And so now this shows like here's these fine ass men, and then here's women who look normal and are beautiful. They're beautiful, but they are not an unattainable type of
Nicky: beauty. Yeah. Yes, all of that. And I appreciate it. And to be honest, um, it wasn't until like there's real conversation between us right now.
Did I realize all of the different reasons why I love the resident because, um, I just watch it and I watch it with storylines just like everybody else, but there is so much that they are trying to do and achieving in this show that I will be appreciative that I have appreciative for. And
one of them is worth minutes.
So like when did they brought him on? And he was just sort of this, like, you know, Bad-ass surgeon. Yeah. She's got, you know, a private showing at an, at an art gallery. No big deal. He's a little problematic because he's definitely like, though in the first couple of episodes, the way he sort of talks about women, not okay, but he is to me.
Agent's going to have a run for his money because this guy is even more confident, even more arrogant and has higher bill has a bigger billable hours. Like that's attractive in a business sense, right? Like when did she say something like $80 million of billables or something like that? And I was like, fuck, are you doing that?
You can bill $80 million.
Nicky: Okay. Now, remember that question. Remember that question as you continue to, wants to show because of the very valid question, how the fuck are you billing that much all the time, every day for it to accumulate to that kind of a dollar amount, because you're going to see and you'll see that it is not your problematic itself.
Oh
man. Well, and Jane, what's her face, who is. Frazier. Oh yeah. She even when, and when she first finds out about him, she even calls it out. He has how much, like, you know, that's dirty money and she like calls out the CEO and blah, blah. And she's like, I'm not doing this. I'm not going to be on this. I don't condone this.
And I really appreciated her for that. Um, because she,
Nicky: yeah. Yeah.
First of all, now I'm like, I need a data doctor cause I need, I have
Nicky: questions.
I have questions about some of these procedures. I have questions about some of these diseases. I have questions about so many things like. There's one episode where they're like, we're going to do, um, what did they call it?
You know, when you, oh, chemo, we're going to give it a chemo bath. We're going to give the Oregon's a chemo bath and then put them back in. And I'm like, what?
Nicky: That's not really, I don't care if you're right, it'll be fine. We're just going to give them a chemo bath
thing. Why aren't we. Doing, I dunno, whatever.
And so like this idea gets floated that her contract won't get renewed because she only builds $2 million. And I'm thinking she literally like saves lives every time somebody comes into her operating room. And yeah. And that's not valuable, like that was not valuable. Talk about playing
Nicky: God. Yeah. Well, you feel how they're, they're showing the business side of that, right?
Where the importance, because it's a business, it's the bottom fucking line. Yeah. And it's not about helping people or, you know, they're a, what do you call it? The medical oath or whatever the. Clearly
the Hippocratic oath is that what is
Nicky: good for you? Where to pull that out of nowhere,
there they're focused.
Someone's going to type in and be like, you're wrong? It's
Nicky: this I'll be like, both of you really don't know what you're talking about. No, we don't.
And we're just here to appreciate Malcolm, Jamal Warner. Okay. All of his glory and his flag,
Nicky: Alicia. And that time when I saw him in a. Deep eggplant
food from head to toe.
Nicky: And I was just like, be still my heart to the floor. Am I a grown woman yet? Did my mouth fall to the floor? Over a man also? Yes, also. Yes. And, uh, am I proud of it? Yeah, because it was worth it.
I just feel like the older get. The more comfortable I am because, you know, I used to objectify men all the time when I was younger, because I was getting objectified all the time.
So it was like, you're going to objectify me. I'm going to objectify you. But there wasn't any weight in it because I didn't have an appreciation for what I was objectifying. Right. Which I feel like maybe that's what objectifying is. You don't really have an appreciation in it, but now.
Nicky: Grown-ass
woman. I like, I'm like, oh shit.
I think I might have the potential to be a dirty ass old lady because I'm over here. Like, look at this fine ass dude. Like I'm having to make sure when I, like, when I see people on TV, Boy like men on TV who are attractive and like let's Google their age to make sure that this isn't inappropriate. That I think that they're attractive.
I can't be like, I've said this on this show before, but like the older I'm getting, the more comfortable I am in appreciating the human form and, uh, you know, sorry, mom. I know you're listening. But not just men, but women too. And for, you know, in with, but with the, cause I'm a hetero with the male side, there is a little bit of again, sorry, mom.
You know, there is a little bit of a, like a sexual appreciation, but for women it's more like a, like, this is a beautiful human, unless they're a shitty person, then I can't really see their external beauty. So I think we've landed on. Well, basically fight to the death on who wins. forever in that position
Nicky: will be tested,
but I like, I have to say Nikki, like this has been a lot of fun. I love talking to you and I am so grateful to you for letting me put it on camera and record
Nicky: it. It wasn't, this, this was great. And I didn't realize how much I needed this conversation today. Talking to you. We always have great conversations.
Anyway, today was just another one of them to the point where we're like, We probably have other things we should be doing,
I guess we should go back to adulting and they, you know, that kind of a thing. So,
well, I hope that you, um, will come back soon because, um, I think you have a lot of value add. I think that your perspective is so valuable and I'm not just saying that because we're friends. Like I really do feel. That there was a lot of valuable nuggets that you brought today, and I think that's really important and really special.
Nicky: Thank you.
That's our show free folks. Thanks for listening. Talk
Nicky: to you next time.
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