( APPLAUSE )
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW."
FOLKS, MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING COMEDIAN
YOU KNOW FROM HER STANDUP SPECIALS, "CURB YOUR
ENTHUSIASM," AND "BLACK-ISH."
HER NEW SHOW IS "THE UPSHAWS."
>> ARE YOU TRIPPING?
YOU TRIPPING?
THIS IS MY HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY!
>> HM.
A BUCK, 50?
THAT'S A BARGAIN!
3
>> I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BROKEN INTO MORE PIECES THAN
THAT.
( LAUGHTER )
SYKES!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
♪ I WONDER WHY SHE'S THE GREATEST DANCER ♪
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> OH, MY GOD!
OH, MY GOD!
>> Stephen: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
IT IS A BLESSING, ISN'T IT?
YOU AND I BOTH LIVE PERFORMANCES ARE HOW WE CAME UP.
WE'VE BEEN AWAY-- WE'VE BEEN AWAY FROM THE OXYGEN FOR 15
MONTHS.
HAVE YOU-- HAVE YOU PERFORMED IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE SINCE
THE PANDEMIC ENDED?
>> LIKE, 10 DAYS AGO I DID STAND-UP OUT IN NEW JERSEY.
AND IT WAS RIDICULOUS.
IT WAS KNOW-- YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AT FIRST I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THOSE PEOPLE.
( LAUGHTER )
AND...
>> Stephen: YOU'RE NORMALLY-- YOU'RE NORMALLY FAMILIAR WITH
THE CROWD?
( LAUGHTER ).
>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
IT'S, LIKE, I'VE ONLY BEEN AROUND, YOU KNOW, MASKLESS WITH
THE PEOPLE I KNOW IN MY BACKYARD AND STUFF.
BUT NOW, IT'S LIKE THE AUDIENCE-- YOUR AUDIENCE.
YOU KNOW THEY'RE ALL-- THEY'RE ALL GOOD.
THEY'RE ALL GOOD, RIGHT?
>> Stephen: THEY'RE ALL GOOD.
( LAUGHTER )
I ASKED.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
THEY'RE ALL COOL.
THEY'RE ALL SUPER COOL.
>> MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> BUT I DIDN'T KNOW.
SO THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WITH MASKS.
AND I WAS LIKE, "LOOK, YOU KNOW, KEEP YOUR MASK ON IF YOU FEEL
LIKE YOU NEED YOUR MASK, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN."
YOU KNOW.
( LAUGHTER )
WAS A LITTLE TASTE OF JUST-- OF GETTING BACK TO, YOU KNOW,
NORMAL.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, WE FEED OFF OF THIS.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEEDED IT, MAN.
>> Stephen: NOW, WHAT ABOUT-- PEOPLE HERE WHO WATCH THE SHOW
KNOW THAT MY ONLY AUDIENCE FOR 15 MONTHS WAS MY WIFE.
AND SHE WASN'T ALWAYS THERE.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: SHE WAS THERE, LIKE, EVERY FEW DAYS.
SHE WOULD COME IN BECAUSE SHE HAD PITY ON ME.
( LAUGHTER )
PHYSICALLY DECAYING WITH NO ONE AROUND.
WAS YOUR FAMILY-- DID YOUR FAMILY END UP BEING YOUR
AUDIENCE?
>> NO, THEY'RE FRENCH AND THAT'S A TOUGH CROWD.
>> Stephen: YOUR WIFE IS FRENCH AND YOUR KIDS ARE VERY
FRENCH, TOO?
>> YES, THEY'RE FRENCH, VERY FRENCH.
>> Stephen: FRENCH POOM DON'T LAUGH?
>> THEY LAUGH BUT AT DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THE WRONG REASON.
( LAUGHTER )
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MY HEAD, AND THEY KNOW--
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: I DID THE SAME THING.
>> THEY LOVE ME.
I'M KILLING UP THERE!
THE THEY-- OH, MY GOD!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: GOD BLESS THEM.
GOD BLESS THESE PEOPLE.
>> I HAD A WHOLE AUDIENCE UP THERE I CREATED, AND THEY-- THEY
WERE FAIR, TOO.
THEY WERE GOOD.
IT WAS A GOOD AUDIENCE.
>> Stephen: THEY DIDN'T LAUGH AT EVERYTHING, BUT YOU KNEW IF
YOU GOT A LAUGH FROM THEM IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
>> EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
>> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT-- A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT DOGS OVER--
BECAUSE THAT'S-- WE STILL HAD A PRETTY YOUNG DOG WHEN THIS ALL
STARTED.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH MY DOG BENNIE.
DID YOU GUYS GET ANY PETS?
>> WELL, MY SON, HE REALLY WANTED A SNAKE FOR CHRISTMAS.
AND I WAS LIKE, "HELL NO!" >> Stephen: THAT'S NOT EXACTLY
CUDDLY.
>> YES.
AND I TOLD HIM, "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THAT KIND OF KID.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE WEIRD KID WITH THE REPTILES."
>> Stephen: I KNOW THAT KID.
>> I MEAN-- I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE-- THEY'RE WHITE, AND I'M
KNOW-- I'M LIKE-- I CAN'T LET YOU BE THAT WHITE.
( LAUGHTER )
>> Stephen: I DIDN'T-- I'M LEARNING SOMETHING HERE NOW.
SO REPTILES AS A PET IS A WHITE THING.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT.
>> IF YOU'RE BLACK AND YOU GOT A SNAKE, YOU GOTTA BE LIKE JANET
JACKSON LEVEL, OR YOU GOT TO BE-- YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A
SIX-PACK AND A LEATHER VEST AND YOU WALK AROUND WITH A SNAKE
AROUND YOUR NECK.
THAT'S A BLACK DUDE-- LIKE, IN NEW ORLEANS YOU CAN DO THAT IF
YOU'RE BLACK.
>> Stephen: AARON NEVILLE.
>> YEAH!
A CREEPY LITTLE WHITE KID WITH THE SNAKE?
YOU CAN'T DO IT.
>> Stephen: SO WHAT DID YOU GET?
>> HE GOT GEKOS.
I LET HIM GET-- HE GOT TWO GEKOS.
>> Stephen: I'M SORRY, A GEKO IS A SNAKE WITH FEET.
>> EXACTLY IS IT!
THEY HAVE FEET.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE FEET.
IF THE THING HAS FEET, THEN IT'S GOOD.
I STILL THINK IT'S WEIRD.
>> Stephen: DO THEY CUDDLE?
>> THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING!
THEY'RE USELESS!
IT'S USELESS.
AND THEY-- AND HERE'S THE THING I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT, THAT YOU'VE
GOT TO FEED THEM CRICKETS TO KNOW-- YOU'VE GOT TO FEED THEM
CRICKENTS OR WORMSES AND STUFF, RIGHT.
NOW, I'M STANDING IN LINE IN THE PET STORE WITH CRICKETS,s AND
I CAN FEEL MY ANCESTORS JUST LOOKING AT ME LIKE...
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
( CHEERING )
"IS THIS PROGRESS?"
SO-- BUT IT'S A GOOD DISGUISE, THOUGH, BECAUSE WITH THE MASK,
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN THE PET STORE A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND
PEOPLE ARE LIKE, "I THINK THAT'S WANDA SYKES.
THAT'S WANDA SYKES."
AND I SAID, "GIRL, SHE'S BUYING CRICKETS.
THAT AIN'T WANDA."
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: I THINK YOUR LAST SPECIAL--
>> MY GOD, I'M-- I'M HAVING A FLASH.
GO AHEAD.
( LAUGHTER )
GO AHEAD, GO IF AHEAD.
>> Stephen: THE LAST SPECIAL-- THE LAST SPECIAL WE HAD THAT YOU
ACTUALLY PERFORMED WAS CALLED "NOT NORMAL."
RIGHT.
ARE THINGS FEELING MORE NORMAL FOR YOU NOW?
>> DON'T TOUCH MY SWEATY NAPKIN!
WHAT IS IS WRONG WITH YOU?" >> Stephen: I WAS TRYING TO
GET-- WHAT ELSE CAN YOU GET IT?
>> IT'S COVID, MAN!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
>> Stephen: I'M NOK LAPTED, I'M N INNOC LAPTED.
I'M ALL RIGHT.
>> THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WON'T GET SICK.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: IT'S GREAT FOR YOU TO STOP BY, WANDA.
THANKS SO MUCH.
( LAUGHTER )
ARE THINGS FEELING MORE NORMAL TO YOU NOW?
>> YES, THINGS ARE FEELING MUCH MORE NORMAL TO ME.
BUT HERE'S THE THING-- JUST BECAUSE IT'S FEELING NORMAL--
LIKE, NOW, I DON'T HAVE TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND CHECK MY
TWITTER TO SEE IF THE COUNTRY IS ON FIRE OR IF, YOU KNOW, FIND
OUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT DID OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE-- I DON'T HAVE TO BABY SIT THE
PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW.
SO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
THAT'S NORMAL.
RIGHT?
>> Stephen: THAT'S NORMAL.
>> BUT-- BUT-- BUT WHAT'S NORMAL THAT I DON'T LIKE IS THAT WE'VE
GOT TO STILL HAVE ALL THIS GRIDLOCK.
THAT'S-- YOU KNOW.
>> Stephen: SURE, LIKE TONIGHT, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
WAS GRIDLOCKED.
>> EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
I'M HAPPY ON THIS HAND.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND YOU'RE LIKE, THE SAME OLD CRAP, MAN.
THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED AGE LIMITS OR SOMETHING OR TERM
LIMITS OR SOMETHING.
( APPLAUSE )
TERM LIMITS.
>> Stephen: NOW, YOU'VE GOT A NEW SHOW.
THE "THE UPSHAWS" ON NETFLIX.
YOU'RE THE CREATIVE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.
YOU'RE ONE OF THE STARS.
WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
>> IT IS ABOUT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY IN THE MIDWEST
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S-- IT'S ABOUT A WORKING CLASS FAMILY.
AND IT'S-- AND IT SOUNDS SO SIMPLE BUT YOU KNOW THERE WASN'T
A SHOW OUT THERE LIKE IT.
AND ALTHOUGH AND, YOU KNOW, MIKE EPPS, HE APPROACHED ME AND SAID
HE WANTED TO DO A SHOW LIKE THAT.
SO CREATED THIS SHOW AND IT'S-- I JUST LOVE IT BECAUSE,
ALTHOUGH-- I MEAN, IT'S A BLACK SHOW.
IT'S BLACK-BLACK.
LIKE WE DON'T HAVE NO WHITE NEIGHBORS, NOTHING LIKE THAT.
( LAUGHTER )
EVERYONE BECAUSE IT'S-- IT'S HOW THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE
LIVING TODAY.
IT'S THE SAME ISSUES AND PROBLEMS THAT EVERYONE IS GOING
THROUGH.
AND IT'S JUST-- I MEAN, IT'S HYSTERICAL, AND --
>> Stephen: HE SAYS HE'S MUCH LIKE HIS CHARACTER.
HE AND HIS CHARACTER ARE VERY SIMILAR.
ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER, LECRECKIA?
>> I'M KIND OF LIKE LEKRESHA IN ENSIBILITIES.
SHE IS A BUSY BODY.
I DON'T HAVE THAT TIME TO BE IN EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS.
NOR DO I HAVE THE TIME.
BUT SHE NEEDS A HOBBY.
SHE REALLY DOES.
>> Stephen: WANDA, IT WAS LOVELY TO SEE YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD LUCK WITH THE GEKOS.
"THE UPSHAWS" IS ON NETFLIX.
WANDA SYKES, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH NBC'S CRAIG MELVIN.
♪ ♪