♪ ♪
♪ >> STEPHEN: WELCOME BACK.
MY GUEST IS AN EMMY AWARD-WINNING WRITER, PRODUCER
AND CREATOR OF SHOWS SUCH AS "INSECURE" AND "GROWN-ISH."
HE NOW HOSTS A NEW TALK SHOW ON PEACOCK CALLED "WILMORE."
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," LARRY WILMORE!
HELLO, LARRY, HOW ARE YOU?
>> HEY, STEPHEN, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, I LOVE THE WAY YOU SAID
PEACOCK!
>> Stephen: THAT'S THE NBC STREAMING THING.
>> THAT'S THE NEW STREAMING THING THAT IS FREE.
IT COSTS NO MONEY.
>> Stephen: IT COSTS NO MONEY?
THAT'S A TOUGH BUSINESS MODEL.
>> THE ENTRY LEVEL IS FREE.
>> Stephen: CBS IS NOT ALL ACCESS ANYMORE.
>> PARAMOUNT PLUS.
>> Stephen: HAD TO PUT THAT IN THERE LEGALLY.
>> I THINK IT'S CBS QUESTIONABLE ACCESS.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: YOU PREDICTED -- I
JUST WANT TO LAY SOMETHING AT YOUR FEET RIGHT HERE.
YOU PREDICTED IN 2016 TRUMP WOULD WIN.
YOU WERE ONE TO HAVE THE FEW PEOPLE THAT SAID, NOPE, THIS
DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT, HE'S GOING TO DO IT.
LAST MONTH YOU SAID THERE'S NO WHICH TRUMP IS GOING TO BEAT
BIDEN.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THAT PREDICTION, LARRY WILMORE?
>> I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
I DON'T FEEL HE CAN BEAT BIDEN.
THE ONLY WAY I FEEL IS HE CAN CHEAT BIDEN IS THE OTHER PART OF
THAT AND IT FEELS LIKE WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO IN PENNSYLVANIA WAS
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
TRYING TO STOP PEOPLE FROM ACTUALLY COUNTING THE VOTES
WHILE THEY'RE IN PROGRESS, STEPHEN, I'VE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THAT B, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> Stephen: THE ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE WE HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE,
DOESN'T SAY THE RIGHT TO COUNT.
>> UNLESS YOU ARE THE COUNT, AND HE WOULD INCEST EVERYONE WOULD
COUNT.
>> Stephen: HE USUALLY GETS TO SEVEN AND STARTS LAUGHING AND HE
CAN'T COUNT ANYMORE.
>> HE WEARS HIMSELF OUT BECAUSE HE LAUGHS AT HIS OWN JOKES.
>> Stephen: THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN, I WAS TALKING WITH
CHARLEMAGNE THA GOD AND SAID THE CAMPAIGN REACHED OUT TO BLACK
MEN AND THERE WAS SOME SUCCESS THERE.
WERE YOU SURPRISED AND DO YOU AGREE THAT THERE WAS SOME
SUCCESS THERE?
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT TRUMP HAD SUCCESS WITH BLACK MEN VOTER
IN THE SAME WAY THAT JUMPING GETS YOU CLOSER TO THE SUN, YOU
KNOW.
( LAUGHTER ) I MEAN, I GUESS.
>> Stephen: TECHNICALLY -- TECHNICALLY.
>> Stephen: BUT YOU'RE NOT IN N.A.S.A.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY ACTUALLY MEASURE IT, YOU
KNOW, YOU COME UP WITH REAL NUMBERS THAT GIVE YOU A LITTLE
MORE CONTEXT AND CLARITY.
>> Stephen: WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE, LARRY?
WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD?
>> THIS IS GOING TO SOUND CORNY, STEPHEN, BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE
IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS A WHOLE.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN RESILIENT THROUGH SO MANY
THINGS.
WE'VE HAD HORRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN THEN OUR RESILIENCY TAKES OVER.
IN THE '60s, WE HAD THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WE HAD THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT.
WE WENT TO THE MOON.
WE HAD HORRIBLE THINGS TO DEAL WITH BUT AS A GROUP WE FIND A
WAY.
STEPHEN, I'M SO INSPIRED BY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
THEY'RE INVOLVED IN WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT OF WHEN I WAS 19, 20 AND
THAT AGE, THE WAY THEY CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE GIVES ME HOPE.
>> Stephen: MY CHILDREN ARE FAR MORE SOCIALLY AND
POLITICALLY CONSCIOUS THAN I EVER WAS, AND I WAS A PERFECT
CHILD.
>> YES, STEPHEN, WE COULD HAVE GONE TO JAIL FOR WHAT WE JUST
INNOCENTLY DID BACK THEN FOR WHAT YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THESE
DAYS.
>> Stephen: RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE A RECORD OF IT
BECAUSE SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE RECORDED ME JUMPING OVER THAT
THING WHILE I WAS DOING THE OTHER THING AND HOLDING THAT
OTHER HINGE IN MY HAND.
>> THIS THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF THE THING.
>> Stephen: NEW SHOW ON PEACOCK CALLED "WILMORE," NOT
YOUR FIRST FORE INTO LATE NIGHT.
HOW'S THAT DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE YOU'VE DONE.
>> IT'S ON AIR.
>> Stephen: IT CAN BE WATCHED.
I THINK I WAS PURGED FROM COMEDY CENTRAL.
I CAN'T EVEN FIND THE EPISODES.
THE SHOW CAME ABOUT IN THE WAKE OF THE GEORGE FLOYD MOMENT, I
WAS TALKING TO THE PEOPLE AT PEACOCK, I'M WORKING AT
UNIVERSAL, AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET ON THE AIR
AND RESPOND TO THIS, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH AMERICA THAT
IT SAYS IT WANTS TO HAVE AND KIND OF BUILD THE SHOW AROUND
THAT.
SO THAT'S THE SPACE WE'RE IN.
KEEP IN MIND, WE'RE DOING IT AS A SPECIAL.
WE'RE ONLY DOING 11 EPISODES AND WE'RE USING THE ELECTIONS A WAY
TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND THEN AFTER WE'RE DONE I THINK WE
HAVE THREE OR MORE EPISODES.
WE WANT TO SEE IF WE WANT TO DO IT AS A SERIES GOING FORWARD.
>> Stephen: AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE CHRISTMAS EPISODE.
>> YES, OF COURSE.
>> Stephen: FROM HAWAII.
WELL, YOU SAY THAT BUT YOURS ARE LEGENDARY.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: THAT'S FUN.
EHEY, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION
THING.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: IS THAT THIS SPRING AND THIS SUMMER I HAD A
LOT OF BLACK GUESTS ON THE SHOW AND WE HAD UNCOMFORTABLE
CONVERSATIONS AND THERE'S SORT OF THE PROVERBIAL SUGGESTION
FROM BLACK AMERICA TO WHITEMARK TO SAY YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT
UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION, YOU NEED TO WANT THAT UNCOMFORTABLE
CONVERSATION, AND IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO BE READY FOR THAT
UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE TERM UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION.
I UNDERSTAND IN WAYS THAT'S UNCOMFORTABLE FOR WHITE PEOPLE.
IS THAT A TWO-WAY UNCOMFORTABILITY?
ARE BLACK PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE IN THEIR OWN WAY OR
UNCOMFORTABLE AT HOW UNCOMFORTABLE WE ARE DURING THAT
CONVERSATION.
>> THAT'S IT, EWE ONLY WANT YOU TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE.
IT GIVES US SO MUCH JOY.
>> Stephen: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, LARRY!
>> STEPHEN, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT JUNETEENTH, WE WANT YOU TO FEEL
UNCOMFORTABLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT'S HAPPENING.
>> Stephen: WHY IS THERE A PICNIC HAPPENING OVER THERE?
>> YES, WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER.
THERE'S JULYTEENTH, TOO, GUYS.
WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?
>> Stephen: TALKING ABOUT RACE, I ALREADY ASKED THAT ONE,
THAT'S THE BLACK PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE, AND SORRY ABOUT
THAT, I APOLOGIZE.
THIS PART WILL BE EDIT OUT, LARRY.
EXACTLY, OR LEAVE IT IN.
HONESTY.
THIS IS THE UNCOMFORTABLE PART.
>> I'LL USE IT ON MY SHOW, I'LL PUT IT ON PEACOCK.
>> Stephen: FANTASTIC.
NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS, I HAPPEN TO KNOW THIS, BUT YOU
HAVE A LIFELONG HOBBY WHICH IS MAGIC.
>> I DO.
>> Stephen: WHO IS THAT OVER YOUR SHOULDER?
>> THAT IS HERMAN.
HE WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MAGICIANS GROWING UP.
THAT'S AN INTERESTING PICTURE WHERE HE HAS A YOUNG BLACK
ASSISTANT, AND I JUST ALWAYS LOVED THAT POSTER, YOU KNOW, SO
THERE YOU GO.
>> Stephen: HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO MAGIC, LARRY?
>> YOU KNOW, I SAW A MAGICIAN, IT WAS CALLED THE INDIAN WHITE
GUY.
IT WAS LIKE A CUB SCOUT THING.
IT WAS COOL, YOU LEARNED ABOUT NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE.
>> INDIAN SCOUTS WITH THE Y.
I DID THAT.
>> YOU GO WITH YOUR DAD OR YOUR MOM.
THERE WAS A MAGICIAN THERE AND MADE A ROPE WITH A KNOT AND CUT
IT OFF.
MY 7-YEAR-OLD BRAIN COULDN'T ACCEPT THAT.
I CUT UP SO MANY ROPES UNTIL I FIGURED OUT AT LEAST HOW I COULD
DO IT, AND MY PARENTS GAVE ME A MAGIC SETTLE FOR CHRISTMAS AND I
WAS HOOKED EVER SINCE.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU STILL -- OH, YEAH.
>> Stephen: EVEN DURING ZOOM.
I ALWAYS HAVE CARDS ON ME, ALWAYS PRACTICING.
YOU WANT TO SEE SOMETHING NOW?
>> Stephen: YES, I WOULD.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
IT'S KIND OF AWKWARD, SO AS I GO JUST SAY STOP SOMEWHERE.
>> Stephen: STOP.
RIGHT HERE?
>> Stephen: SURE.
TAKE A LOOK.
CAN YOU SEE THAT?
>> Stephen: I SEE THE CARD, YES.
>> KEEP IN MIND, YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANY OF THE CARDS, YOU
COULD HAVE SAID STOP ANYWHERE.
MOST TO HAVE THE TIME WHEN MAGICIANS DO TRICKS, SLIGHT OF
HAND, SHUFFLE THE CARDS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I'MT NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
IN FACT, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, STEPHEN, I'M GOING TO WRAP THIS
DECK IN A RUBBER BAND AND NOT ALLOW MY HANDS TO DO ANY SLIGHT
OF HAND AT ALL.
AND WE'LL FIND YOUR CARD IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO
SAY -- MMM, HOW ABOUT PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN?
>> Stephen: THAT MAKES ME NERVOUS BUT GO AHEAD.
>> THAT'S THE WHOLE PLAN TO HAVE THE TRICK, TO MAKE YOU NERVOUS.
>> Stephen: IS THIS PART OF THE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION?
>> THIS IS IT.
>> Stephen: THIS IS THE ONE I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE WITH BLACK
PEOPLE?
IT'S NOT THE SUBJECT I THOUGHT.
>> YOU WERE SO AFRAID OF IT.
>> Stephen: THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF FUN, OKAY.
>> YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS MONTHS AGO.
I WAS TRYING TO TELL YOU WHEN YOU WEREN'T RETURNING MY CALLS.
IF YOU WERE NERVOUS, YOU THOUGHT I WAS CALLING YOU TO HAVE THE
TALK.
> Stephen: OKAY.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW.
ON THE COUNT OF THREE I'LL SAY PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN.
REMEMBER YOUR CARD?
>> Stephen: YES.
ONE, TWO, THREE PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN!
>> Stephen: WHOA!
IS THAT THE CARD?
>> Stephen: THAT IS.
THAT IS ACTUALLY IMPRESSIVE.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE TO ME EVEN IF YOU KNEW WHAT MY CARD WAS JUST
THAT YOU COULD DO THAT IS IMPRESSIVE TO ME.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
>> Stephen: WOW.
THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE HAD TO HAVE, STEPHEN, RIGHT
THERE.
>> Stephen: I'M SORRY I PUT IT OFF FOR SO LONG, LARRY, AND FOR
ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WHITE PEOPLE ARE SORRY FOR.
FOLKS, YOU CAN CATCH A NEW EPISODE OF WILMER THIS SATURDAY
ON PEACOCK.
LARRY WILMORE, EVERYBODY.
BACK WITH A PERFORMANCE BY LAURA BENANTI.