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Comedian Earthquake joins Sway’s Universe to share how marriage truly saved his life and made him a better man. In this exclusive interview, Earthquake opens up about his journey to finding love, his commitment to Black women, and the life-changing lessons he’s learned since tying the knot. From hilarious stories about his past to dropping deep gems on relationships, masculinity, and personal growth, Earthquake keeps it real and unapologetic.
He even shares his thoughts on today’s comedians, calling out the lack of joke-telling in the industry and dropping a bold take on what comedians need to stay relevant. Plus, don’t miss his insight on loyalty, team building, and the secret to his 30+ year career as a comedy legend. And yes, he’s got a brand-new Netflix special, "Joke Telling Business," that you need to check out!
Hit play now to laugh, learn, and get inspired by Earthquake’s raw and real wisdom. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews with legends like Earthquake only on Sway In The Morning! #Earthquake #MarriageSavedHisLife #SwaysUniverse #JokeTellingBusiness #NetflixSpecial #ComedyLegends #SwayInTheMorning #ExclusiveInterviews
#joketelling #stand-upcomedy #joketelling #marriageadvice #comedyindustry
#personalgrowth #loveandhumor #lifeadvice #joketelling #funnystories
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Earthquake Got Married
03:20 - Marriage Impact on Earthquake
08:52 - Starting a Joke Telling Business
01:33 - Earthquake’s Early Life
03:58 - Earthquake’s First Stand-Up Experience
06:06 - Meeting Bernie Mac for the First Time
07:44 - Meeting Martin Lawrence for the First Time
08:37 - Meeting Dave Chappelle for the First Time
09:33 - Earthquake’s Thoughts on Modern Comedians
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Yeah. Came on in. Came on in. It's too dangerous in them streets,
0:05
man. My dick on the sidewalk. You got to walk your on the sidewalk.
0:11
I had to put my dick on the sidewalk. It was too dangerous in them streets. You understand? I had to get somewhere
0:16
where it was comfortable. It's safe. Hey, you can't be out there right now. You had to put First of all,
0:23
congratulations. For those who don't know, Earthquake got married. Yes. Essence.
0:28
Yes. Essence covered it. Yes, they did. So did yo to get Essence to cover your
0:34
holy matrimony, man, that says a lot about your status in the community, how the industry looks at you so and so. Did
0:41
you ever think that when growing up as a little earthquake, you was just a trimmer?
0:46
Growing up a trimmer. Growing up as a trimmer. Did you ever think cuz growing up you see Ebony and
0:53
Essence and Jet if they covered your event that mean you were that was big.
0:59
Yeah. I mean I thought I was only going to make a the news for crime. You understand? We're looking for them.
1:05
But no, it was so humbling and it was a mass text to all my exes to let you know
1:10
I'm out. You ain't got to send it. I ain't got to send it. You see it.
1:16
You see it. You can say what you want, but you want this. But you know what I mean. You want this. Might not want it
1:22
with me, but you want this. You want this. Oh, Lord have mercy. You know you want that.
1:27
Yo. Oh, you know you want that. I'm looking cuz Earthquake, we the same high school. So I'm like watching this
1:32
man get married. Man, gave me hope. Have it ain't too late for you. It ain't too late for me. Too late. Talk
1:38
about that, man. Man, it's never too late. Ain't no expiration date on the dream. Okay. You go ahead and live it out. You have
1:45
to find that quality woman and it makes you a better man. I I tell them that all the time. And just let her come to you.
1:51
Pray for it. Be pacific and ask God what you're looking for in it and she'll come. But I always knew I knew she exist. I
1:58
didn't know who she was, but I knew what she was. And I I never was that type of person
2:04
that believed in quality over quantity. So if you see me a lot of quantity of women, it was because I didn't have that
2:10
quality woman that I was looking for. was just a bigger interviewing stage, you know? But once I found that, it took
2:17
care it took care of everything. You know what I mean? Cuz I solidify that base and put that big piece in there and you can finish
2:24
the puzzle to complete everything else. Like I tell men all the time, if you truly honest with yourself, any woman
2:30
that you lay up with that you making love, or whatever other word you want to use to cover, if that's not the woman
2:35
you making love with, you're just getting out of it of feeling. Some of y'all feeling for your ego, some of for
2:41
the masculinity part of it, which it doesn't do because, you know, I never ever as a man equated my masculinity
2:48
based upon how I made a woman feel intimately. I I if I went in there and stayed in that [ __ ] for 30
2:54
minutes or two minutes, I still was the same person. Come on, man. My two was the strongest your 30.
3:02
You listen, it was the hardest two you ever had, man. You understand? No punishing. Understand? No punishing.
3:09
I swear I go two commercials. That's what it is. Two. Hey, listen. You better
3:14
get each commercial. It was meaningful commercials. It changed your life significantly.
3:19
When do you say earthquake that um getting married has made you a better man? What are the qualities um the
3:26
rewards that you gained or were enhanced? What can you speak to specifically? Well, in this time I say
3:31
and I I believe this especially if you're a man out here trying to do anything to fulfill your purpose. The
3:38
most valuable thing you have is your time and your energy. There's no way you
3:43
can say you're productive with giving your time and energy to non-productive people in your life that you say are
3:49
nonproductive. She ain't this, she ain't that. I'm just messing with that. You can't compete with the top people giving
3:55
up all that time to nonproductive things. no matter what they are. We just use it for example now women. So you
4:02
want to consolidate that right there and get that one right there and get everything you need from there. That opens up everything else for you to do.
4:09
And this is the most dangerous time if you're a man worth anything that you want to be out there with people that
4:16
don't have your best ability because if they feel that you didn't treat them right, then they can lead you with
4:22
litigation. And in my field, the accusation of loss, the accusation of law alone can cost you everything.
4:29
So why would you take that chance of all this hustling you doing just for a feeling? Just for a
4:34
just for a feeling. I find another way to no matter how good it is. I don't care if it came from the heavens, I can
4:41
find another feeling equivalent that for me. You understand? If it's just that. So that's what I say to him. If it all
4:48
depends on what you want to be in your life, how you want to get down with it. And at that point that point I said I
4:53
have to find her and she had to be black because for our black men would if I can give any challenge anything to y'all.
5:00
Give our women some grace. Same grace you give to your football players your rappers your entertainers
5:06
your partners you overlook their shortcoming and just say that's just how he is. Give that same grace to our women
5:13
sitting holding them accountable 10 toes down that they must be perfect. Like I tell my women I give you one
5:18
crazy day a week. Damn. Does she stick to that one or No, but when she go and try to get two,
5:25
I say, "All right, man. All right, now I give you I Yeah, I give you 24 hours."
5:33
Then come back me and the baby that I mess with. But I give you that. I give you that grace. I give Yeah. Even though
5:39
I understand that, I It's a grace. It's a grace, right? It's a grace. You You marry black intentionally.
5:44
Intentionally. Yeah. Oh, I'm I'm morally obligated to him. I can't I can't No. obligated.
5:50
Yeah. Because we wouldn't be here without y'all. Yeah. Y'all loved us when nobody loved us. The country didn't love us even when we
5:56
ain't love ourselves. Do you know how to see how another man treated another man happened to be a
6:02
Caucasian and yet you still let us come into that cabin and be the man of you after you seen us be treated at the
6:08
lowest and still give us that. I can't forget it. I can't. And how you say you for black
6:14
business if you diverse with the person beside you? You know what? You sit here and tell me you in the
6:20
black business, but 50% of yours is given to somebody else if she's your significant other.
6:25
They're getting all the opportunities and everything else off of it. But you say you in the black business.
6:30
You just gave 50% to somebody else that don't look like you don't have your better interest from the nature of where
6:37
they come from. And yet you tell me you down for black business. I don't I'm against I'm against hypocrisy.
6:44
That don't add up. That don't add up. It don't. And I don't believe there's no way you going to tell
6:49
me that there is not a woman that looks like you, that looks like you, like your mother, your sister, that you could not
6:56
find that quality in that woman than that other. You just stop looking or you found an excuse why to stop
7:01
looking. What about if your dad is black and your mom is white? It doesn't matter. I still as a black
7:07
man, whatever way that you feel on, I just say I am in I am a large
7:16
contributor and belief in of black women. So whichever way I can empower
7:22
them on that and be with them, I'm for it. What men makes women makes their
7:28
decision. I understand, right? You understand? If they have to go over there, our women have to go over there and we have to look what made her go
7:34
over there. Why wasn't you there? I I mean when um when I first vice president and I seen
7:40
that she was in an interracial, I said we failed. She was at a H.B.CU. See you.
7:46
We got to get a better scouting system. Somebody got to come out the strip club and look in the debate club.
7:55
Get out. Get out. AKA. She was at the grocery
8:00
store. Who was that? I want the whole scouting team of black men to come in here.
8:05
How we lose this one? We need one Earl or one Leroy little
8:10
man. Somebody supposed to be get that one over there. You know what I mean? This is wrong.
8:17
This is indictment on us as black men. You understand? Somebody somebody got to come out and say, "Keep
8:23
that $10. I'm going over here to the date debate. The debate club. I don't want to see a stripper and get the table
8:30
dance." I heard this one over there with the possibility being the vice president of the United States. And I'm going to do it for the culture. And I'm going to
8:37
do it for the culture. I'm going to do it for the culture. I'm going to do good for us as black man cuz I refuse to see us lose on this. There
8:44
you go. Earthquake. We cannot afford to lose another lose another one. Earthquake. Give it up for Earthquake man.
8:50
Back man. Jokeetelling business on Netflix today. Today. It's on there today, baby.
8:56
Today. Come on. Telling. And I made it joke business cuz I feel comedians need to get back to the
9:03
job description of telling a joke. Well, where where are they right now? What is the current? Well, they doing everything else but
9:08
telling the jokes. They they flying the banner of a comic as a comedian, but all
9:13
the things that they doing on different platforms is different has nothing to do with the job description because they're
9:18
not telling a joke. Then be whatever you say you are. But if you are a comedian and you leading into this, say you uh
9:25
tell a joke and be funny and you cannot live on your past loans on it. So I
9:30
personally think it should be just like a driver's license. All comedians need to re
9:35
renew. No re renew their joke license with a special or something significant.
9:42
Every four years or something significant to be able to give yourself this pre prestigious title of being a
9:48
comedian. You can't keep on going. He was on death jam hosting Showtime at the Paulo Comic View. We need something
9:54
current for you to to carry the banner of comedian. Now if you diverse into
10:00
other different things, that's cool. But if you going to fly the banner of a comedian, we need some jokes.
10:06
So when you making skits, does that qualify as Yeah, it does. Long as it's funny.
10:13
Okay. It's funny. But if you doing other things, taking shots of people, personal
10:18
beasts, we're not that. We We're the nature of we the DNA of clowns. Women, we come around as a good time.
10:24
We're not rappers. That's the one thing we used to laugh at rapping these. They beefing with each other. We used to sit back and laugh at that. Right. If you
10:30
could if the current situation, if the comedians we got right now, we'll never have a Harlem Nights cuz all the
10:36
comedians are beefing with everybody. We'll never have that. You know, Harlem Nights, one of the greatest
10:42
comedian movies ever made to me with crazy.
10:48
We would never have our time and our time because these people are getting the right from the job description of
10:54
being funny and platforms are not holding them accountable for that. They're bringing them on their platform
11:00
for the sensationalism and the controversy on and to each his own. But if you going to book them as a comedian
11:06
at some point y'all got to say be funny. Well, what's the benefits for you? Like you're a tried and proven true comedian
11:14
who tells jokes? If it's a lack of comedians telling joke, doesn't that mean it's more money for you? More
11:19
I can't be everywhere. Okay? You understand? See what I tell comedians? People get mad at Kevin Hart.
11:25
I said, "You don't want to be the top man. You want long as you're in the top 58, cuz there's 52 weeks in a year."
11:33
So if he's in New Jersey on the first week, the second week you go there cuz
11:38
he can't be there every week. So every place he go, go to other place cuz you long as you in the top 58,
11:45
that's 52 weeks, you'll get to work every week. Take four weeks off, of course, and you sit on there. So that's
11:51
your mentality. But be funny. And I feel there's no longevity in not being funny.
11:57
You get instantaneous fame and all of this off the rest of, but eventually the way if you want to stay in this game as
12:03
long as I have for 30 years, you must get funny and stay be consistently at
12:08
the level that the people showed you appreciate at your highest note. You know if it's funny or not. Some people
12:14
just lay back there on their loans and back what they accomplished. You can go back and you ain't seen them in 10 years and he's still doing the same jokes you
12:20
did 10 years ago. You know what I mean? Because he's not he's not he's not growing. He it's hard. It's like
12:27
breaking up with a woman with a good joke. You just got to let it go. Got to let it go. You got to go and get you another one in
12:32
there. And just as strong as the rest of it. Yeah. The comedian beef was getting like the rappers beef. Yes. Which it was ignorant.
12:39
Yeah. Where's the jokes? But it was nothing funny. Uhhuh. And you got to Somebody had to call it,
12:44
man. Where's the jokes? Yeah. Cuz see when we beef, we Joan on each other. We call it bag on each other.
12:50
playing the dozens on it. You understand? Those are the thing. Now what is this? But I personally believe
12:57
that certain individual got to the point that they have already exceeded their talent limit and this is the only thing
13:04
that keep them relevant. Oh wow. Wow. Damn. That was a long thought right there. Earthquake
13:11
so far between that. Oh, I mean there's no there is no other
13:16
reason or explanation to it cuz why would you not want to stay funny and stay funny compared to controversy and
13:26
conflict? I mean um you sitting there arguing with different men and getting in conflict,
13:31
you know what I mean? Between the two, you might as well stay funny. You might funny is better. It's it's
13:36
better. It's better for your health. There you go. It's better for your your physical appearance. Earthquake is here, man.
13:43
Let's get this man around. It's true, though. You harvesting all that negative vibration is hanging out in your body.
13:50
It's tearing you down. It It is. And nothing positive comes from negative. Yeah. So then, how does a comedian
13:57
get funny? Because, and I say that because maybe they going through a rough spot. Maybe, you know, writers have
14:03
writers block. True. Of athletes get injured. How do they get back in the game, coach? Like, do you go to other
14:09
spots and watch who's funnier? Do you How do they get back in it? No. What you do, you go back to the foundation that got you funny and
14:16
person. Keep writing it. You write that joke. It don't work. Flip it again. Hit
14:21
another club. Try it again. Just try try till you get it right. You understand? It's a process. Why you
14:26
think you're Eddie Murphy's or Steve Harvey stop? Because they respected the jer of being a comedian and they knew
14:33
what the process was for them to stay relevant in it. instead in achieving they could stand on stage and take
14:40
everybody money but the the respect they have for the genre and know what it takes to be back to that level to get
14:46
the respect that they already attained from being at they they just tap out cuz I don't have this time now to hit the
14:52
comedy club work these jokes up when I when I have to host Family Feud or I'm sitting over here doing movies for
14:59
Netflix. You see what I'm saying? So they give it up and you have to give respect for them because they have more
15:04
respect for it than just robbing the people and you have other people that just sit there and just rob you like
15:10
come on man you know that ain't where you at. You know what I mean? Get some writers they get on it and then they get
15:16
angry and then they take shots at other people cuz they ain't got no jokes. They don't have no jokes. Oh, I see what you're saying.
15:22
You understand? I see how you walk that around. Earthquake is here, man. Give this man a round of applause. We got a lecture
15:27
hall. Jokeetelling business. joke telling and I'm in there. You in there, man. 88874233345.
15:34
We got Kinetta from on the line from Tampa, Florida. I love that name. What up, Kinetta? Ketta.
15:39
Ketta. Ketta. Hey, Sway. Hey. How you doing? Excellent. How do you pronounce your name?
15:44
Ketta. It's Ketta. Ketta. Heather had to whisper it on the mic so
15:50
you can hear that. She said it right. Shut up. Yeah, it's Kennet. Take off the H and
15:55
put a a and it's Ketta. Ketta. We got Earthquake the legend up in here. What up,
16:01
man? I am so honored to speak to both of y'all. First of all, Mr. Earthquake, you
16:06
tell your jokes, but yet and still you educate us. When you came here to Tampa,
16:11
I was chewing on some food and you was educating the men about prostate. And then you went into, hey, go to the
16:19
dentist because I know one of y'all chewing on one side of your mouth. That was me.
16:26
And I was like I I was so embarrassed and I was like this man just called me
16:31
out and he don't even know I'm chewing on my left side. I'm done. But I went to the dentist and I got it
16:37
fixed. I just didn't want to pay 3,000 for one tooth. I wouldn't either. But but I did. And thank you. Thank you
16:46
Mr. Earthquake for putting Omaha Nebraska on the map. I am from Omaha
16:51
Nebraska. retired at McDill Air Force Base. But thank y'all both cuz when
16:57
Spence and Crawford was fighting, Mr. Earthquake was betting on Crawford. And
17:03
I was so proud because we finally on the map. Omaha, Nebraska, we got something
17:09
to say. And keep putting us on the map. Keep doing your thing, Mr. Earthquake, and educating us because our health is
17:16
important. And you were telling jokes, but you were still educating us. Well, thank you. I'm glad to see you got
17:23
the full uh exercise in motion of your mouth now.
17:29
I can I can chew on both sides. Look at God. Look at God.
17:35
Do it. Okay. Ain't nothing like that digestive tract there, Ketta. I'm glad you could
17:40
break that food down. Okay. Uh you watching a special today? I sure am. I sure am.
17:47
Okay. Jokeet telling business. Earthquake. Man, if y'all got Netflix, make sure you support it. Let's make this thing number one.
17:53
Please thumbs up and everything on here. Give them a couple of thumbs. Don't just
17:58
like one thumb. You got to like two thumbs. I'm telling everybody.
18:03
Okay. I'm telling everybody, especially from Omaha, Nebraska. We going to represent him. You a super citizen, man. Morning.
18:10
See that? They tried to pull Terren Crawford over that night, man. Shout out to Shout out to the champ. I talked to him two weeks before he fought
18:17
Canelo and I knew he was going to beat him. Oh, yeah. I knew he was going to be I just I
18:22
I just knew it. They tried to rob him. They tried to pull him aside and ruin his day and it just ain't it ain't
18:28
enough, y'all. You can't ruin this man's day. And not only that, who don't know
18:33
Terence Crawford in Omaha. Yeah, man. I Omaha is as big as this studio.
18:40
You know what? You understand what I'm saying? Ain't nothing happening on Omaha. You
18:47
understand? Y'all ain't getting nobody. Ain't nobody going on vacation to Omaha. Everything in You ain't hearing nobody
18:54
talking about You know something, man. I'm going to go ahead and take this weekend off. Go ahead up to Omaha.
18:59
And you know what I mean? The only reason we knew Omaha because my man, he said it when he was doing the audit for
19:05
Omaha. Omaha. Omaha. You know what I'm saying? Payton when he went to Omaha. Omaha.
19:12
Man Omaha. Omaha. Yeah, man. That's crazy. Your stakes in in Omaha. And now
19:18
Terrence, please. Come on. Come on. Gunpoint where you in a state that y'all
19:24
allowing to carry guns. So you see guns all the time. Yeah. Point your gun at the most popular person in your cities
19:30
and get away with it. I hope they got an investigation going. Well, it all depends on who's doing the investigation.
19:37
You know what I'm saying? All right. Um Okay. All right. We got Juenta. Jenta.
19:43
Is that how you say it? Hello. Juenta. Um it's Juventa.
19:48
But you know that's that's all good. That's all good. Good morning everybody. Good morning. Good morning. Hey say hello to
19:54
earthquake. Excuse me. I know you'll have to excuse me. I'm so nervous. Um this is a
19:59
pleasure. This is this is insane. Um so I just had a quick question. Earthquake.
20:05
In like 2010 2011 I went to Rock the Bells in San Bernardino with my uh late
20:12
best friend and we hung out the whole time. I was just curious. I've been curious for like 15 years if you
20:18
remember that. No.
20:24
No. Like one of the best days of my life. That's Let's walk it back. Let's walk it back.
20:29
Right. Okay. San Bernardino. Rock the bells. Right. San Bernardino. Was that Wuang Clan headlining?
20:36
Yeah. Okay. I was there. Oh, you were great. Yep. Okay. Yep. You were there. I was there. You
20:42
Yep. Well, this was the time that Wuang Clan was delayed cuz we had to go get old dirty bastards. So, the show was
20:49
delayed a lot. You don't remember that? I ain't ringing a bell. No, that ain't ringing no bell. Okay.
20:54
Some new name you not rocking the bell for you. No. Okay.
21:00
That's not rocking the rocking the bell. That's not rocking the bell for you, Earthquake. That was It's okay. I
21:07
No, but that was during my cocaine days. So you know what around 2011 I already put you up
21:14
that was a different he was rocking the bells different right you were rocking a couple
21:20
yeah there was a lot of bells rocking during that time but boy did you meet him there was a lot of bells in the air
21:26
did we have a good time did you meet him oh we had a freaking blast look at God again I was blessed
21:32
throughout the whole day we did what baby I said you didn't have any weeds so we smoked throughout the whole day and you
21:39
couldn't get like the they they were making folks get like a card for the food. So, I went and got you lunch. You
21:45
said, "If you buy me lunch, I'll hang out with you all day." And I was like, "Well, we got weed, too." And you were like, "Screw the lunch. I'll hang out
21:51
with you all day." So, you said it wasn't you. That wasn't you. I I never s for weed. I mean,
22:00
but if she say so. No, I promise. We had such a good time. Yeah, we had a good time. That's great.
22:06
You didn't have no kids, did you? You were great. Why you had to go on the sidewalk?
22:13
Like she about to hit you with hit you with a test real quick
22:20
about $14. What is this? My bad.
22:25
What is this? Sway Bory in this mother. This a subpoena call
22:31
right here, man. My bad. Trying to get me served up here. Yeah. Travita got to go cuz nobody know.
22:38
I remember Java. I know you. Then it was Sway. That was me, Java.
22:43
I swear I I had the picture, but when he passed away, all that stuff went away,
22:49
too. But Oh, your friend. Okay. Anyways, okay. Yeah. Please watch the special. Your
22:55
your past baby daddy allegedly. Okay. Good. Watch it twice yesterday.
23:00
There you go. Good. I got hit them thumbs. You're a super citizen. Okay.
23:05
Pop one up in the air for Earthquake like 2011. All right.
23:11
Look at this. Let's going to go to song. We'll come back with some more celebrity start
23:18
for five. That's a lot of grams right there. Come on. Earthquake is in here. That's an
23:24
excerpt from joke telling business. No, that's from my last That's from my first one.
23:30
That's from the first. Yeah. The new one. You'll hear all of it. The joke tellers dropped at midnight. Okay.
23:36
I went out there on Time Square. I got a big board up there.
23:41
Huge. I mean, congratulations, man. And also, um, me and Bill Burr is developing my TV show for Fox
23:49
on sitcom next season. You'll see me on TV. Of course, I'm coming home. When I come back home, you know I'm
23:56
coming here soon as you know I'm coming. That's why I say I'm coming home. This is home. That's how people just move in.
24:02
Come on, man. Coming home. That's how they do it. This is great, though, bro. Like, you you're you're just really We talked
24:09
about we joked about being in the business 30 plus years. Yeah. But some of the best things are
24:16
happening now. Well, because I it was prophecy. I said, people always came to me say, "Quake,
24:22
why you haven't made it?" I say, "I'm one good black woman from making it." I knew God wasn't going to give me all of
24:28
this until I put that piece of the puzzle in there. Wow. Yeah, I just knew it and I used to
24:33
say it all the time. I didn't, you know, and once I got her, then all the things came because it centralize your
24:40
thoughts, your progress, and everything. I didn't have all the distraction that comes along with it. You got to add a black woman to the
24:46
formula to the recipe. It's a must. You got to add that to the recipe. It's a must. Your one, not Miss Almost
24:53
Right. Miss right. Miss right. It got to be right. And you know, right because it makes you a better man. you'll see yourself make that change and
25:00
more or less everybody around you could see the change in you reflection of being pre I mean perfectly loved
25:07
when you being so busy and on the road and everything on time. How did y'all meet? Well, I met her early and I tried to do
25:12
a suede try to get her at night and she turned me down like alone. So
25:18
tried to do a me. Yeah. Try to do a sway with that smooth on it. You know what I'm saying? Smooth.
25:24
We call sway a closer. You understand? Certain men can close. I'm a good
25:29
starting pitcher, but I need a reliever. On me, dog. I done blew I done blew so many women by
25:35
opening my mouth the wrong way. Oh, I had her right there. She like, nah, Janet Jackson, I'll wait a while.
25:44
Yeah. No, real talk. I Let's wait a while. Hug, you know, watch the movie. I
25:51
was never good at the closer part. So, um, I tried it. She turned me down and um
25:58
8 years later, eight years later, eight years later, bro, just going through my phone and seeing her picture,
26:04
you know, man, like whatever happened to her? I hit her up and said, "Hey, big head."
26:09
You know what? That's why you wasn't closing. You understand? Hey, big I I talked
26:15
myself out of it. Okay. But I feel if you be honest with it, you can't go back and flip it. Then you know what you're dealing with. So when she
26:21
came in, we start hanging out and co hit. right at that time.
26:26
Oh wow. So we spit while the rest of the world was distant in itself, we was coming
26:32
closer. And what made us perfect for me is we could coexist without doing nothing at
26:37
all. Didn't need to be nowhere, no nothing. And she never was in, you know how it
26:43
is, man. Uh you're not in my space. You know what I mean? She enhanced this space and
26:48
that's what I knew. Dope. Earthquake, man. That's what I knew. Come on, man. You need a black woman, you got to add that ingredient.
26:54
Got to. Yeah. get that success, right? You got to put some seasoning in them greens. You looking for greens. You can't color
27:00
green with no seasoning, right? Ain't too late, slay. One black woman away. Yeah.
27:06
Stop eating them bean salads. Bean casserole.
27:12
You need a salad in your life. No more rye bread for me. Yeah. No more
27:18
woring about your gluten. All right, man. Earthquake is here, man.
27:23
He got the new comedy special on Netflix, Jokeetelling Business. Yes. You've done really well with the
27:29
business of telling jokes. Yes. You've had some ups and downs. Yes. If you could give a comedian who is
27:36
starting to experience a lot of success telling jokes now, any advice or any
27:42
foresight into the future when it comes to finances? What would you suggest they finances?
27:48
Yes. Don't live beyond your means. You know what I mean? Um, remember you
27:54
have the best job in the business. I mean, you you really are standing on stage and putting medicine in people cuz
28:01
laughter in my humble opinion is the best medicine in the world. And be consistent.
28:07
You know what's funny? You what got you there, you must at least maintain that.
28:12
Try to exceed. And one bigger thing to all comedians, commercial success does
28:17
not define if you successful as a comedian. God knows I wanted my TV show,
28:23
which I have now. God knows I wanted my Netflix facial and everything, but it
28:28
does not define was I funny or not. People coming to see me buying tickets
28:34
and my peers seeing that I am who I am. That's why they call me the comedian's comedian. That defines if you if you're
28:42
a successful comedian or not. You don't need no one else to It's nice but it
28:48
does not define that you are successful comedian based on commercial uh success.
28:53
There it is man. What have you learned about team building like putting together your
28:59
squad when in terms of management or publicist or anyone that works in the earthquake economy?
29:05
Well, that's very important. Um what has happened to me many a time I allow loyalty to uh fog my judgment of
29:13
business cuz these the people that you start with these are people that loves you. Yeah. But you got to understand you know and
29:20
Tyler Puri is one of them. Everybody is not meant to grow with you in the row in
29:26
that boat that you're going and you have to as hard as the it is. You have to let
29:31
people go and let them know they're not capable of taking you where you want to go. Even
29:38
though you hired them, they was capable when you hired them. So you you give them different efforts.
29:43
You show them like listen, I know you inexperienced because none of us is is experienced where I'm going.
29:49
Even myself, I've never been a network television star, but one thing they're not going to be able to do is outwork
29:55
me. I'm never going to be habitual. I'm not a habitual mistake maker. I'm I have to
30:01
and you you have to tell your your your employees the same thing. I know you don't know it, but you can't be lazy.
30:08
You can't be lazy. You understand? You cannot show effort. You understand? I'm looking around the room. Talk to my
30:14
people, man. Go ahead. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, you got you. You know, you No, you have to keep on and it's a it's a it's a constant
30:22
evaluation cuz the situation changes daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly.
30:29
You understand? Cuz you're going to a different level and they're going to have to
30:34
reconfigure their their their chain of thought, their effort to be able to go with you. And you have to look them in
30:40
the face, say, "Hey, this ain't meant for you. And I'm doing you a disservice by holding you for finding your purpose
30:45
because damn sure this ain't it. So I'mma let you go so you can find it. All right. So just letting you know. I'm
30:51
letting you go and I'm bringing this person that's coming in that has your title that can do it. Now two things you
30:58
can do. You can find something else in the company that do the value based upon the pay I'm paying you and learn from
31:04
that person right there. So that make you a better person if you ever get this opportunity again. or we could part ways
31:10
right there and wish me the best like I'mma wish you. Those are your only two choices and that's what I give them.
31:15
I give them that right quickly. I was joking about my people. I got an excellent team. But I love what you're saying right now. That is so true. You
31:22
may have been right for the part last year. Yeah. But this year is something told. We on a whole another level this year.
31:28
The defensive changes. Yeah. You know, you it's a metaphor as football. You you quarterback's down.
31:34
You got to run. You can't be back a statue right there. So you sitting back in the pocket, we need somebody can move, slide to the defense, who can call
31:41
audles. If you still playing from the playbook when it was techobo, I'm done.
31:46
It ain't working. You understand? You you got techbo mentality. I I need Come
31:52
on. Innovation. You got to go. I got to get you out of here. I'm not doing you or me any service of
31:59
making it trying to make it. So I tell my team right now, I'm only responsible for the jokes.
32:04
That's it. That's it. Everybody else responsible for everything else. And the only reason why you're around me
32:10
because you're responsible for everything else. So I'm responsible for I don't come to you
32:16
asking y to do the jokes. So you shouldn't come to me to tell me how to do your business.
32:21
And when no matter what situation I'm in, I have to tell these jokes. Just like I call this special I got right now
32:27
the flu joke, the flu game like Michael Jordan cuz I was sick when I when I uh recorded. Yeah, man. 110 respiratory
32:35
infection, sinus infection. But man, I couldn't go to um Netflix and say, "Man, I don't feel good. Let's do this next
32:42
week." Was already organized. The budget was already there. They say, "Yeah, but we going to need another
32:47
budget again for the next day." Uhhuh. And I ain't have that money. That's real. You understand? So, I had to go out
32:53
there and play. And nobody want to hear that. You have to go get it done. And that's what I try them excuse. Everybody that
32:59
failed in Los Angeles had an excuse for why they failed. They can give you explanation.
33:04
You giving me explanation, we are in a resultor oriented business. Period. At
33:09
the end of game, did you get it done? Yes or no? If you didn't get it done, why should I have to pay you?
33:15
How hard was that though for you to get to that point where you can let somebody go because most of the people we're letting go are people in our inner
33:21
circle. It's the hardest thing you have to do because you love them people. Some of them people's been with you day one. Some of them only been two weeks. But I
33:29
have a responsibility to not only myself, my wife and and the other people. This is our thing. Like I tell
33:36
my my team right now, if you have a better plan than I do and you have a
33:41
better way of doing something than the opportunity God has given me, show it. And I'll show you how to be a great ass
33:47
Indian. You know, I'll show you. I'mma show you. I'll show
33:52
you how I'm a great ass Indian. I'll show you. I'll be your best worker to help you, give you every day. We need to
33:58
be doing this. We need to do that. You understand? You don't come with no new ideas. You don't come with nothing. You I show you different. Hey man, you
34:05
know something? We need to do this today. Don't call here no more. You got too many ideas. I will show you what it is.
34:11
Yeah. Cuz I have no problem. Whatever it takes to be successful, for us to do this, cuz
34:17
this is a this is a once in a billion life changing thing. Yeah, I'm in my 60s and
34:22
I got a a a TV show TV show about your life about my life from with the
34:28
network from a network and not only a network from the network president who's the
34:34
mandate is we want an earthquake show and do not water it down. We want to be back to Fox when it was had living color
34:42
married with kids and everything. We want that and we want you to be the face of that part on our transition to going
34:48
back to that. You don't get those kind of. So that's a blessing from here. So why in the hell you ain't working to the
34:53
best of your ability to get this point. You you che on everybody else. You ride everybody else. Now it's your turn.
35:00
You know, you tell me how great this person is, how they team is. Now it's our team and I can't get you to work.
35:05
I can't use you. And I'm not It's not my point to motivate you. That's right. And pay you too.
35:11
Congrats. And pay you. Pay you and motivate. Yo, where they do that at? They don't do that no more. I don't know
35:18
why they ever did that. Earthquake man and it's your life story. What are people What is something people going to
35:23
learn about you from this show? You think um my humbleness and how I know there is
35:30
no other explanation for me being here than God? I can't lean. I had no support nowhere
35:37
else other than that. You understand what I'm saying? You can't. How I got to this point couldn't
35:44
have been nothing else but God. Was no epiphany was no. Just tried this one day
35:50
and nothing better came across and woke up one morning and now this is it. Here we are. Here we are. You know what I mean? You
35:57
know what I'm saying? Never never planned, never I'mma do this and never that. No, just every day.
36:03
This is what it doing and this what it turned out to be. Amen. Earthquake is here, man. What's the name of the show? Uh the show going to call
36:10
Steel Quake tonight. Right now they need everybody to turn on Netflix and see my special. It's called Joke Telling
36:16
Business cuz I am in that slicking these jokes like they came. Hey man, you legendary. You ain't just in it. You you a big part of it. You the
36:22
you you're you a big pillar in it. You know your inspiration in it, man. I'm proud of you. Congratulations on the
36:28
holy matrimony. Dude ain't never looked happier. You should have saw him. Yeah. Johnny Gil.
36:34
Yeah. Bobby Brown. And Bobby Brown dancing in there. Bobby stayed for the whole wedding, man.
36:39
Had a good time. Yes. Bobby sit down and did my prerogative for the after party for us.
36:44
Just grabbed the mic on it. Everybody was there. Johnny Gil, we had Major. I surprised my wife with Major
36:52
Sang all the way through here. And uh it was built. Shout out to my pastor Noel Jones. He's been my pastor for over 30
36:59
years. You know, City of Refuge. If you go see Noel Jones, you need a Bible and a dictionary cuz he use big words like
37:05
that. Okay. said he a scholar, you understand? And it was beautiful. And my wife looked
37:10
gorgeous. Yes, she did. Oh, she looked Oh, beautiful black woman. Just h
37:16
just Oh, she's Oh, I lay beside that every day.
37:23
Yeah. Every day and every night I roll over there like a a line to a lionist. Just jump on. She go
37:32
all day. Get out. You know what I'm saying? Okay, I'll let myself in.
37:41
He's still let myself in. Don't worry. All right, don't worry. You ain't got to
37:48
hunt back. I'm just happy to be here. Give it up for my brother Earthquake,
37:54
man. Joke telling business. Make sure you watch that on Netflix. Still Quake
38:00
coming soon. Yes. All right. Uh, brother, it's always great, man. Man, I love you to death, Oakland.
38:06
Always sisters, y'all know how I feel about y'all. All right, man. Thank you. Follow me at
38:11
the Real Earthquake for any future for my up andcoming shows. Love you there. Houston, here I come. Houston, you
38:17
there.
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