>> Stephen: HEY, GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK.
>> GOOD TO BE BARK MAN, GOOD TO BE BACK.
>> Stephen: EVERYBODY ADMIRES YOU AS AN ACTOR.
BUT I JUST FOUND OUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY-- YOU'RE AN AMATEUR
CHEF.
YOU REALLY ENJOY COOKING.
>> OH, MAN.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S IT DO FOR YOU?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT?
COOKING GIVES ME A CHANCE TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE I LOVE, MY
FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND I GET TO STUFF THEM WITH GOOD FOOD, WHICH
I LOVE AND SEE THEM-- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I LOVE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
>> Stephen: IS IT COMPLICATED FOOD?
IS IT FANCY OR IS IT COMFORT FOOD?
>> IT'S SIMPLE-- COMFORT FOOD, DEFINITELY.
I LOVE TO PREP.
MY GO-TO MULTICARIBBEAN DISHES.
CURRY CHICKEN.
I I GOT A REALLY SPECIAL SPA GETY AND MATTE BALL S.
>> Stephen: MY COMFORT, WHEN MY FAMILY NEEDS IT, WE SHRIMP
AND GRITS.
>> MY FATHER IS AMERICAN FROM THE SOUTH.
>> Stephen: WHERE IN THE SOUTH?
>> COWGHT CAROLINA.
>> Stephen: GREENVILLE.
>> GREELEYVILLE.
>> Stephen: SURE, SURE, I KNOW THAT AREA.
>> BUT MY MOTHER'S SIDE, WE DO SOME AMAZING THINGS WITH GRITS.
THERE'S A DISH CALLED GRITS BELOW.
PEAS AND RICE.
BUT YOU REPLACE THE RICE FOR GRITS, AND PIGEON PEAS FOR LIMA
BEANS, AND IT'S CALLED GRITS BELOW.
IT'S A DINNER SIDE DISH.
IT'S REALLY AMAZING.
>> Stephen: YOU ACTUALLY-- YOU DID SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE
TO HAVE DONE.
I WAS ABLE TO-- I HAD THE PLEASURE OF INTERVIEWING ANTHONY
BOURDAIN A FEW TIMES, BUT DID YOU "NO RESERVATIONS."
AND YOU TOOK HIM AROUND BROOKLYN.
WHAT WAS THAT DAY LIKE?
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO SHOOT A SHOW WITH HIM?
>> IT WAS REALLY AWESOME.
I WAS NERVOUS.
I GOT A CALL FROM ANTHONY BOURDAIN.
I WAS LIKE WHAT IS THIS?
AND THEY WERE LIKE, "HE WANTS YOU TO SHOW HIM BROOKLYN."
AND I WAS LIKE, "I'M FROM THE 'HOOD.
IS HE OKAY WITH THAT?
I'M NOT TAKING HIM TO BOUGIE WILLIAMSBURG WHERE I LIVE NOW.
WE WERE WALKING IN THE PROJECTS ON THE BLOCK WHERE I LITERALLY
WAS RAISED ON.
YOU KNOW, THE KIDS START RUNNING UP BEHIND US.
AND I'M LIKE, "EXCUSE ME, ANTHONY.
YES, KIDS."
AND THEY WERE LIKE... THEY WANTED ANTHONY!
AND I WAS LIKE, WAIT.
>> Stephen: THE KIDS FROM YOUR OLD NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> I SWEAR TO YOU.
THEY RAN UP.
AND I THOUGHT THEY WANTED TO SPEAK TO ME AND THEY WANTED
ANTHONY.
THEY WERE HITTING ME AND I WAS LIKE YOU LITTLE... YOU LITTLE.
I SQUEAKS.
YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO WATCH "THE WIRE."
HE TURNED AROUND, MAN, AND HE JUST WAS SO GRACIOUS.
HE SPOKE TO ALL OF THEM, TOOK PICTURES AND EVERYTHING.
AND I TOOK HIM TO A RESTAURANT IN CROWN HEIGHTS CALLED
GLORIA'S, A CARIBBEAN SPOT.
I SAID, "HOW GOOD YOU KNOW FOOD.
IF YOU KNOW HOW TO EAT OX TAILS YOU'RE MY KIND OF GUY."
HE KNEW HOW TO EAT OX TAILS MEAN EAT IT WITH YOUR HANDS.
GO YOU GO AROUND AND GET IN THE CREVICE S.
>> Stephen: SO FORK AND KNIFE.
>> NO FORK AND KNIFE FOR WTHE OX TAILS.
THAT'S AS BAD AS EATING FRIED CHICKEN WITH A FORK AND KNIFE.
THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
>> Stephen: OR PIZZA WITH A FORK AND KNIFE,.
>> NOTHING HAPPENING.
>> Stephen: SPEAK OF "THE WIRE."
THE NEW MOVIE IS CALLED "SUPERFLY," WHICH IS BASED ON A
1972 BLAXPLOITATION FILM THAT HAD THE MOVEMENT OF CURTIS
MAYFIELD IN IT.
YOU SAID YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC BEFORE GETTING INTO CHARACTER.
WHAT MUSIC DID YOU LISTEN TO FOR OMAR?
>> I LISTENED TO LAURYN HILL, A BEAUTIFUL RECORD.
>> Stephen: HOW ABOUT CHALKY WHITE FOR "BOARDWALK EMPIRE."
>> CHALKY WHITE WAS A LOT OF NAUS.
>> Stephen: FREDDIE KNIGHT.
>> MARY J. BLIGE AND BIGGIE?
>> >> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE POOERNS ON THIS SHOW?
WHAT DID YOU LISTEN TO BEFORE?
( LAUGHTER ).
>> LEON BRIDGE S.
>> Stephen: OH, YEAH, SURE.
>> I LIKE THAT KID.
A LITTLE JANELLE MONAE.
>> Stephen: WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO BEFORE I COME OUT
HERE?
>> THE GO-TO, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET YOUR SWAG UP, ARETHA
FRANKLIN.
"ROCK STEADY."
CAN'T GO WRONG.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: MICHAEL THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
"SUPERFLY" IS IN THEATERS TOMORROW.
MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH TOM PAPA.