THE UNSTOPPABLE VENUS WILLIAMS IS HERE TONIGHT.
THERE SHE IS.
HOW ARE YOU, VENUS?
>> SO GOOD.
IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> James: IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WHERE ARE YOU WROINING US FROM AND HOW IS THE ANGEL-- ANKLE.
HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP.
>> I'M IN JUPITER, FLORIDA, BEST PLACE ON EARTH.
AND ANKLE IS BETTER SINCE GIVING IT THAT CRAZY TWIST LAST MONTH,
LAST MONTH NOW YEAH.
>> James: I MEAN YOU WERE IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, AND
OBVIOUSLY AUSTRALIA, DEALT SO BRILLIANTLY WITH COVID.
HOW DID IT FEEL TO BE OUT PLAYING IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF
FANS AGAIN?
>> I THINK, I MEAN I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
IT WAS JUST SURREAL.
AND ALSO JUST THAT MOMENT WHERE YOU APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE BEFORE
YOU TOOK IT FOR GRANTED.
I DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED ANY MORE.
IT WAS JUST NICE TO BE HUMAN AND ALSO IT FELT GOOD TO JUST FEEL
SAFE WALKING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
YOU WEREN'T AS NERVOUS ABOUT GETTING COVID.
ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN, OBVIOUSLY BUT IT WAS JUST LIKE I FEEL
SAFE, SO LEAVING AUSTRALIA WAS ACTUALLY HARD BECAUSE WERE YOU
KIND OF GOING BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE WORLD OF COVID.
>> James: SURE.
NOW VENUS, THE OLYMPICS ARE THIS SUMMER IN JAPAN.
YOU HOLD THE JOINT RECORD FOR THE MOST NUMBER OF MEDALS IN
TENNIS.
YOU HAVE WON FIVE MEDALS AT THE OLYMPICS, FOUR OF THEM GOLD.
ARE YOU HOPEFUL THAT YOU WILL GET TO COMPETE IN ANOTHER
OLYMPICS?
>> HONESTLY, OF COURSE THE FIRST PRIVILEGE OF BEING AN OLYMPIAN
IS SOMETHING NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM YOU.
WHEN I PLAYED MY FIRST OLYMPICS IT WAS JUST THIS MOMENT OF PURE
JOY.
I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.
I'M SURE YOU HAVE GONE TO ONE AND THAT MOMENT OF TOGETHERNESS
AND PEACE AND JOY AND PURENESS OF THE COMPETITION IS BEAUTIFUL.
SO BEING HONORED TO COMPETE AGAIN, GOD WILLING.
>> James: ARE YOU HOPEFUL YOU WILL DO IT THIS SUMMER?
>> YEAH, I MEAN 2021 IS HERE, IT WAS SHOW SO SHOCKING WHEN
EVERYTHING WAS CANCELLED AND THE OLYMPICS WERE CANCELLED.
I THINK THAT IS WHEN IT REALLY SETS IN, LIKE, THIS IS NOT GOING
AWAY, RIGHT.
>> James: SURE, WILL YOU AND CERTIFICATEENA DO THE DOUBLES.
>> WE WOULD LOVE TO I HAVE STO ASK HER IF SHE WILL STILL DANCE
WITH ME AND BE MY PARTNER.
>> James: CERTIFICATEENA WILL YOU HAVE THIS DANCE.
>> James: SHE HAS TO.
WHEN ARE YOU AT THE OLYMPICS AND IT IS YOU AND SERENA DOING
DOUBLES, AND YOU SORTED OF SEE THE PEOPLE, WHO ARE YOU PLAYING
AGAINST, DO YOU IN ANYWAY FEEL SORRY FOR THEM?
JUST BE LIKE DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE U.S.A.
IN BOLT LOOKING AT ME SAYING THIS IS WHO ARE YOU RUNNING
AGAINST, IT WOULD BE LIKE OH, BUDDY, BECAUSE YOU AND
CERTIFICATEENA ARE SO IN-- SERENA ARE SOIN CREDIBLE
TOGETHER, YOU ARE JUST FOR MIDDABLE.
>> YOU KNOW, SHE IS THE BEST PORT PARTNER YOU COULD BE BORN
WITH, I HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH HER SINCE WE WERE LITTLE, SINCE
YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY.
AND I ALWAYS PLAY THE BACK HAND, SHE ALWAYS PLAYS THE FORE HAND,
THAT IS HOW WE ARE BORN ON THOSE SIDES SO WE JUST HAVE THIS
CLOSENESS AS SISTERS BUT THEN SHE HAS A SICK SERVE THAT IS 130
MILES AN HOUR AND THAT HELPS TOO.
SO NO, WE DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR THEM.
AND IF ANYTHING, IT'S UPSETTING WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T BEAT
SOMEONE HARDER, DOES THAT SOUND BAD?
>> James: NO, NOT AT ALL.
I GET IT NOW YOU SAID THAT ONE OF YOUR PRIORITIES THIS YEAR IS
TO QUOTE GET A LIFE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT, WHAT DO YOU PLEEN?
>> I HAVE DONE TENNIS AND MORE TENNIS AND THEN I HAVE A COUPLE
OF COMPANIES.
AND THEN THAT'S PRETTY MUCH MY LIFE.
SO JUST TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GETTING A
LIFE.
SO THAT TAKES TIME AND I'M WORKING ON IT AND THEN COVID
HAPPENED AND THEN IT IS LIKE OKAY, SO EVENTUALLY I WILL DO
SOMETHING OTHER THAN TENNIS I THINK ONE DAY.
>> James: HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
DO YOU THINK ABOUT, WHEN YOU SAY GET A LIFE WHAT SORT OF STUF ARE
YOU EXCITED TO DO OUTSIDE OF TENNIS?
>> TAKE A VACATION, GO TO IBIZA.
>> James: OH.
>> KIDDING.
LIKE IN THE SUMMER HAVE I TO SHALL-- THE TENNIS SEASON IS
FROM JANUARY TO OCTOBER AND THEN I TAKE FOUR WEEKS OFF AND THEN I
HAVE TO TRAIN SIX WEEKS TO GET READY FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO THERE, THAT IS EF LEE YEAR.
AND SO THEN I LOOK IN LIKE "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE OR WHATEVER
AND I SEE PEOPLE IN THE SUMMER ON A VACATION.
AND THEY GO TO IBIZA AND I'M LIKE I WISH I COULD DO THAT.
SO I DON'T EVER GO.
>> James: YOU ARE LIKE OLAF ON FROZEEN, JUST WONDERING JUST
DREAM OF WHAT YOU WILL DO IN SUMMER.
>> THAT IS MY FAVORITE SONG IN FROZEEN.
>> James: THERE YOU GO.
>> EXACTLY.
>> James: YOU DO KEEP YOURSELF INCREDIBLY BUSY, LAST YEAR WITH
ALL OF YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU, YOUR BUSINESSES AND YOU INTERIOR
DESIGNED SERENA'S HOUSE.
NOW WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
THAT IS A LOT OF PRESSURE, DID SHE AGREE ON ALL OF THE CHOICES
THAT YOU MADE?
>> NO.
SHE DIDN'T.
AND THAT'S FINE, BECAUSE IT IS HER HOME.
WHAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT SHE GOT A PLACE THAT SHE LIKED
SO THAT WAY SHE COULD LIVE IN A HOME THAT MATTERED TO HER AND
ALSO TO HER HUSBAND.
BECAUSE SHE GOT MARRIED.
SHE HAS A LIFE, ACTUALLY.
SPEAKING OF LIVES.
SO I WANTED HER TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND IF SHE SAID NO,
THEN I RESPECTED THAT.
BUT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND MY INTERIOR DESIGN COMPANY
STAR-- MY MIDST MIDDLE NAME IS STAR WITH A DOUBLE R, SHE WAS
ONE OF OUR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
WE USUALLY DON'T ALWAYS DO RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
WE DO LIKE HOTELS OR CONDOMINIUMS OR SPORT CENTERS.
SO IT WAS COOL TO KIND OF GO BACK TO A HOME.
>> James: WHAT STUFF DID SERENA ASK FOR, WHAT DID SHE
WANT.
>> SHE WOULD SHOW ME A FLOOR PLAN EVERY WEEK AND SHE MADE A
LOT OF CHANGES, I WILL BE HONEST.
BUT THEY WERE-- AND THEN SHE WOULD START TO DRAFT THE CHANGES
AND THEN SHE HAD LIKE AN INCREDIBLE UNDERSTANDING OF
SPACE.
AND SHE COULD VISUALIZE IT SO SHE WOULD TAKE THE FLOOR PLAN
AND START THE DRAFTING AND THEN IT WOULD BE ALL TO SCALE AND I
WAS IMPRESSED.
I WAS LIKE YOU'RE HIRED.
SO SHE IS GOOD, SHE IS REALLY LIKE, SHE IS A VISIONARY SWRZ
LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.
ONE OF YOUR PROJECTS THAT TAKES YOU AWAY FROM THE COURT, YOU
FOUGHT FOR AND WON BRILLIANTLY THE RIGHT FOR EQUAL PAY FOR
FEMALE PLAYERS IN GRAND SLAMS.
HOW DID YOU DO THIS?
HOW DID YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN?
>> WELL, IT WASN'T EASY.
IT WAS NOT EASY AND SINCE PROFESSIONAL TENNIS STARTED IN
1968, WOMEN HAD NOT HAD EQUAL PRIZE MONEY AT THE FOUR MAJORS
SO WE WITH GO INTO THE GRAND SLAM MEETING EVERY YEAR, ALL THE
FOUR MAJORS WERE THERE.
U.S. OPEN, FRENCH OPEN, WIMBLEDON AND HAVE A MEETING,
ASK FOR EQUAL PRIZE MONEY AND THEY WOULD SAY NO.
THIS WAS GOING ON FROM 1968, FAST FORWARD 30 PLUS YEARS.
AND REALLY WE STARTED TO HAVE A REALLY STRATEGIC CAMPAIGN OF NOT
JUST ASKING IN JULY, YOU KNOW, IN BETWEEN THE FINALS AND
SEMIFINALS OF THE TOURNAMENT AND SAID WE WENT AND HAD A CAMPAIGN
OF LET'S REALLY DO THIS, LET'S VE LET'S HAVE EQUAL PRIZE MONEY,
AND THAT HAS BEEN A REALLY CAT LIST FOR WOMEN IN OTHER SPORTS
BUT THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER.
THERE IS STILL INEQUALITY ON ALL LEVELINGS FOR WOMEN.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT IS VERY SOBERING, WOMEN EARN 81
CENTS TO THE DOLLAR THAN MEN EARN.
AND SO MEN MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THAT.
SO MEN ARE BROTHERS, OUR SISTERS, THEY ARE DADS, TO
DAUGHTERS, THEY HAVE MOTHERS, AND SO I'M SURE THAT THEY DON'T
WANT THEIR FAMILY AND THE ONES THEY LOVE TO BE TREATED IN THIS
WAY.
SO IT'S ABOUT OPENING THAT CONVERSATION AND LETTING PEOPLE
KNOW THEY CAN BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
>> James: YOU HAVE TAKEN EQUAL PAY BEYOND THE TENNIS ARENA AND
CREATED, IT IS A COMPLETELY BRILLIANT THING YOU HAVE DONE.
THE PRIVILEGE TAX INITIATIVE.
>> YES.
>> James: TELL US WHAT IT IS AND HOW CAN WE GET INVOLVED.
>> SO THE PRIVILEGE TAX INITIATIVE REALLY ACKNOWLEDGES
ESPECIALLY DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH THAT WOMEN, WHILE
WE HAVE HAD GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE HAVE JOINED THE WORKFORCE IF DROVES ESPECIALLY SINCE THE
'80S, THERE IS STILL SO MUCH WORK TO DO.
AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE ONLY EARNING 81 CENTS TO THE DOLLAR,
SO THE PRIVILEGE TAX IS SOMETHING THAT STARTED BY ACTIVE
PA WEAR COMPANY AND WE HAVE AMAZING PARTNERS, NORDSTROM,
TP12, SO MANY GREAT PARTNERS THAT ARE HELPING US TO RAISE
MONEY.
SO ON OUR WEBSITE YOU CAN GO ON AND CLICK THAT CHECK BOX TO
DONATE THAT 19 CENTS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AND THAT MONEY IS ALL
DONATED TO GIRLS INC. LOS ANGELES.
AND IT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS GIRLS TO BE STRONG, BOLD,
AND POWERFUL.
AND WE'RE STARTING TO HELP WOMEN AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL TO GO
AHEAD AND RISE UP.
SO ST AN AWESOME INITIATIVE, NEAR AND DEAR TO ME HAVING
EXPERIENCED INEQUALITY AND BEING A GIRL WANTING TO WIN WIMBLEDON
AND GETTING THERE AND REALIZING I'M NOT PAID EQUALLY, I'M
CONSIDERED LESS.
>> James: ST COMPLETELY BRILLIANT, YOU CAN SIGN UP AT
ELEVEN OOPT VENUS WILLIAMS.COM.