( APPLAUSE )
HEY, EVERYTHING.
LOOKIE HERE.
LOOK WHAT WE GOT RIGHT THERE.
IT'S CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD.
HOST OF "HELL OF A WEEK" OVER ON COMEDY CENTRAL.
YOU AND I ARE BOTH FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND I KNOW YOU GET BACK THERE BECAUSE I JUST SAW YOU-- SAW YOU
AT THE DENMARK V.C.
BICENTENNIAL.
WHEN YOU'RE BACK THERE-- WHEN I'M BACK THERE THERE ARE THINGS
I HAVE TO HAVE TO EAT.
JOHN'S ISLAND TOMATOES.
I HAVE TO HAVE BOILED PEANUTS.
PEACHES FROM UPSTATE, FIGS FROM MY GARDEN.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO EAT?
>> I LOVE BOILED PEANUTS, BUT REALLY FRIED FOOD.
THERE'S NO REASON TO EAT ANYTHING FRIED IF IT'S NOT FROM
SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE FISH, THE SHRIMP.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
MY FATHER HAD A SEAFOOD STORE BACK IN THE DAY.
AND, LIKE, MY FATHER KNOWS HOW TO FRY REALLY GOOD FISH.
MY AUNTS KNOW HOW TO FRY REALLY GOOD FISH.
MY FATHER-IN-LAW KNOWS HOW TO FRY REALLY GOOD FRISH.
>> Stephen: THEY'LL FRY ANYTHING IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
DIP IT IN CONCRETE AND DEEP-FAT FRY IT.
>> THAT'S WHERE CRACK CAME FROM.
THEY FRIED COCAINE.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: THAT'S ALL CRACK IS, THE BEARPT FRIED?
>> BATTER FRIED COCAINE.
>> Stephen: IS THAT ORIGINAL RECIPE OR EXTRA CRISPY?
>> EXTRA CRISPY.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE ON THE BOARD OF THE INTERNATIONAL
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: WHICH IS OPENING THIS FEBRUARY-- OR JANUARY.
>> JANUARY, LUTE JR. WEEKEND.
>> Stephen: IN 2023.
FOR THE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, TELL THEM
THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS MUSEUM IS BECAUSE MY WIFE, EVIE, IS
INVOLVED IN THIS MUSEUM AS WELL.
IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY-- NOT ONLY ORGANIZATION BUT AN
EXTRAORDINARY LOCATION, TOO.
>> YEAH, MAN.
IT'S DR. TANYA MATTHEWS, THE C.E.O. OF THE INTERNATIONAL
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
AND SHE ALWAYS SAID THIS MUSEUM IS NOT GOING TO BE A STORY OF
THE ENSLAVED.
IT'S GOING TO BE A STORY OF SURVIVAL, YOU KNOW,.
AND THAT'S THE STORY THAT SHE WANTS TO TELL.
AND IT'S BUILT ON THE WHARF.
THE NUMBER RANGES FROM 50% TO 60%.
THEY SAY BETWEEN 50% AND 60% OF ALL ENSLAVED AFRICANS CAME
THROUGH THE WHARF.
>> Stephen: AND STOOD ON THAT SPOT IN CHAINS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, STOOD ON THAT SPOT IN CHAINS.
FOR A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA THAT WAS OUR BEGINNINGS,
YOU KNOW.
I CANNOT WAIT TO BRING PEOPLE BACK TO CHARLESTON, SOUTH
CAROLINA.
YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE FROM THERE, WHEN
YOU GO BACK TO SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU FEEL REALLY CONNECTED TO
SOMETHING.
AND ME BEING, YOU KNOW, BLACK AND KNOWING THAT SO MANY OF MY
ANCESTORS CAME THROUGH THERE, I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY FEEL
CONNECTED THERE UP AND FEEL IT WHEN YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH THAT
PLOT OF LAND.
I REALLY CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE GET TO SHOW PEOPLE THE HOLY CITY OF
SOUTH CAROLINA.
>> Stephen: FOR ME, THE WAY THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE LOVE OF
SOUTH CAROLINA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA ITSELF, YOU CANNOT LOVE
SOMETHING UNLESS YOU LOOK AT IT IN ITS ENTIRETY.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF NOT JUST SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT
THAT IS IN A BIG WAY THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, LEADING UP
TO THE CIVIL WAR, AND THE TIME AFTER THAT.
BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THE FAULTS OF AMERICA AND UNDERSTAND HOW WE
GOT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Stephen: 95% OF AFRICAN AMERICAN, IF THEIR FAMILIES CAME
TO THE UNITED STATES AS PART OF THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE AND
ANCESTORS STOOD ON THAT SPOT IN CHAINS.
>> LISTEN TO, YOUR POINT, YOU CAN'T HEAL WHAT YOU DON'T
REVEAL.
AND WE'RE NOT DOING OURSELVESES ANY FAVORS BY NOT SPEAKING TRUTH
TO POWER ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS
COUNTRY.
AND WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE WE CAME FROM SO WE DON'T MAKE THOSE
SAME MISTAKES AND POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, GO BACK.
AND THAT'S I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT A PLACE RIGHT NOW, IF WE DON'T LEARN
FROM OUR PAST, MAN, AMERICA'S FUTURE IS NOT GOING-- NOT GOING
TO BE TOO BRIGHT.
>> Stephen: CHARLEMAGNE, IT'S ALWAYS WONDERFUL TO YOU HAVE
HERE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
GOOD LUCK ON THURSDAY.
>> YES, SIR.
>> Stephen: I'LL BE THERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Stephen: "HELL OF A WEEK" PREMIERES THIS THURSDAY ON
COMEDY CENTRAL.
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THE STAR OF "STRANGER THINGS," BRETT
GELMAN.
♪ ♪ ♪