>>> Vanessa Williams guest
starring right there.
>> Joining us right now.
Please welcome Vanessa Williams.
>> Hi, Vanessa.
>> How are you?
>> Nice to see you.
Who do you play?
>> So fun.
>> I'm actually Don Johnson's
ex-wife, Tasha, who comes back.
Keenan is a widower in the show.
So those are actually my
grandkids.
I haven't worked with don
Johnson since we did "Harley
Davidson and the Marlboro man"
in 1991 or 2.
It's been many years.
>> I totally remember that
movie.
>> Look at this right there.
What do you mean about that,
Vanessa?
Tell me a funny story about that
time.
>> We shot it in Tucson and they
were legendary back then.
We're talking like early '90s
right after Miami vice, papa
Gren ich village, they were
gigantic.
It's nice to be part of such
legendary, you know, duo.
And it was fun.
Played a lounge singer and ended
up.
Got the girl that time.
Don reminded me of that when we
were shooting.
>> Great!
>> I bet that was a fun set,
especially with those guys in
their hay day right there.
Fun stories right there.
Today, Vanessa, is national
little pampered dog day.
You've got a pretty big dog.
I'm sure you still pamper
roscoe.
>> Yes.
I have two great Danes at home.
It's not little pamper dog today
for me.
>> Great Danes are a unique
breed and it takes a special
person to raise great Danes.
Why do you love it?
>> I've had five now.
I fell in love with the breed.
Actually, I was on the set of
"Ugly Betty."
America Ferrera adopted Lucy
from gentle giants run by Burke
ward who was robin in
"Batman & robin."
She brought Lucy to the set and
I said oh, my god, I've got to
go see one for myself and I fell
in love with willow, who was the
first one I rescued and four
dogs later I'm still addicted to
the breed.
>> It happens to anybody who
gets them.
They get addicted to them.
>> We had two great Danes in
starsky and hutch.
They like to lay around a lot.
>> They require a lot of
exercise.
Too much exercise is harmful for
them.
A little run in the morning, the
afternoon and they love to lay
on every couch.
They go from couch to bed to
couch to bed.
>> I love it.
>> Good life.
Good life.
>> You're doing something very
cool.
You just filmed "Pass the mic"
with dj Cassidy where artists
sing hit songs from their couch.
What song are you singing?
>> Well, I mean, I'm doing the
slow jams, dj Cassidy said so.
I'm finishing up with "Save the
best for last," which is his
request.
So, yes, of course.
It's fun.
I remember watching the first
one, and it just never stops.
The hits.
But it's one thing hearing a dj
set but when uh-uh get a chance
to see the people kind of sing
along with their hits, it really
is fun.
We shot it at my house.
It will be a mother's day
presentation.
>> That's going to be -- what a
good mother's day gift.
Tell us about your new song
"Stand for change."
>> "Stand for change" came about
with a new -- well, black beauty
united was the group we started.
About 18 of us started an
activism group and we've been
really successful in moving the
needle in terms of inclusion and
diversity, and "Stand for
change" is a song we did.
And it's about -- now you can
download it.
You can watch the video on
YouTube, all of us sing.
And it talks about the amazing
change we've gone through over
the past year, but where we've
come from and all the people,
the great trailblazers that have
opened the door for us and we
have to continue to fight for
change.
So it was one of my very special
projects that I'm so happy to be
part of black beauty united.
If you want to get involved or
learn more about it, hit us up
on our website.
>> There it is.
>> What do you remember working
with the legend Cicely Tyson?
>> Cicely.
I was so lucky to share the
stage with her for not only the
Broadway stage but also we did
in L.A., Boston, TV movie.
Of course I've done another
couple projects with her.
She was 96 when she passed.
I was at her funeral last month.
Strong, funny.
And strong I mean like sometimes
when she would grab your hand,
it would be like really killing
you.
I had to play kind of her bratty
daughter-in-law and I was very
sassy in that show.
And she would hit me sometimes,
like just whack me in my arm,
and it would sting.
This little lady could really
pack a punch.
You see Maya Angelou waiting to
talk to her, Sydney Portier
waiting to talk to her.
The amazing people that were her
friends that she started out
with and have continued the
legacy of black excellence in
entertainment was an honor to be
part of that and just soak it
all in.
>> Great, great story.
Vanessa, let me ask you, what do
you remember about working with
Arnold in "Eraser"?
>> Every time he walked into the
room, you knew he was -- the
presence was there.
Ah, very nice.
He taught me how to smoke cigars
properly.
I take that habit from him but
he was magnetic.
He still is magnetic and funny
and gracious, but a true leader.
I knew he had what it took to
lead.
You have to be a leader.
But my favorite memory is Maria
shriver asked me to come up for
his last holiday concert when he
was leaving his governorship.
And I said what do you want me
to sing?
I'll do a little parody.
Then she said no, his favorite
song is "Silent night."
I said okay, I'll do that.
Then I sang it in German for
him.
>> Ooh.
>> And he got so emotional that
he started to tear up.
And Maria was like, how did you
get him to cry?
But I made him cry because I
sang "Silent night" in his
native language, in German.
And that was the thing that
reminded him of growing up in
his childhood.
>> Great to see you today.
>> Thank you, Vanessa.
>> Thanks, Vanessa.
>> Premiers tonight at 8:30 on
NBC.