-I'm so happy that you're here. -Me too.
-Thank you so much for coming on the show.
I'm a big fan of "Black Lady Sketch Show."
-Thank you! -You're hilarious in it.
It's so -- It's such a great idea.
It's super fun. And we have mutual friends.
-Yes! -But this is first time
we're meeting each other. -We've never met,
and I'm so excited. It's a pleasure to meet you.
-Yeah, a pleasure to meet you, as well.
-I feel like I've been stalking you for years,
because not only watching you on TV,
but I, as you know, was in late-night television.
And more than a decade ago,
I started submitting writer packets to you.
And I was trying to get on your show
and write for you because you're so amazing!
And, actually, I don't know, you probably didn't have a chance
to read them so I brought some jokes from my 2011 packet.
[ Laughter, cheers, applause ]
You guys want to hear these, right?
[ Cheers and applause ]
-What year? What year this is from?
-This is from 2011. -Oh, my goodness.
-So, guys, let's just all take a trip to 2011 in your minds.
Remember, Obama was president. It was a whole different time.
[ Laughter ]
This is the great monologue joke, really great.
This week, the date 11/11/11, led to a surge in weddings
in Las Vegas with more than 3,400 couples
tying the knot on what's being called Once in a Lifetime Day.
Unless you're Kim Kardashian.
Then it's Once Every 72 Days Day.
She was married for a short time.
2011! [ Laughter ]
Hey, here's another one -- -Wait!
I should add that to my -- [ Laughter ]
-2011!
[ Laughter ]
Yeah! -2019!
[ Both laugh ]
-Yeah, I'm gonna add that to all my jokes.
-All right, all right, this one's better.
Okay, yeah. -It's 2011.
Two more women stepped forward this week
to make sexual harassment claims
against Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain.
-Oh, my gosh. -So far, all his accusers
have been younger blond women
who worked in the restaurant industry.
Man, this guy's like an old Tiger Woods.
[ Laughter ] 2011!
[ Cymbals crash ] 2011!
[ Laughter ]
Remember Tiger Woods got in trouble
for sleeping with a bunch of waitresses?
-2011? -2011!
[ Laughter ]
-But, dude, here you are, HBO. Big hit sketch show,
"Black Lady Sketch Show."
It just got picked up for season two.
-Yes! -So that's big.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Congratulations. -Thank you!
I am so happy to not be cancelled after one season.
[ Laughter ]
-It feels good, huh? -It feels --
-Have you had a lot of things that have only --
-Yes! -...only lasted...
-Yeah, my late-night show lasted a season.
You know, I just -- Lots of other sketch shows
I was on just lasted a few episodes.
So, this -- HBO has a lot of faith in us,
and the audiences have been so supportive.
-So funny, and you great guest stars on it --
Angela Bassett. -Oh!
-I mean, that was unbelievable. -Angela Bassett.
-I was like, "Oh, I did not think that she would --"
-You would never see her in sketch.
-No. Let alone a brand-new sketch show.
I'm like, she had faith in you guys, man.
-Yeah, she really did. -But she crushes it.
She's great. -She crushes it.
-David Alan Grier. -Oh, my God.
-I love that dude. -I love that guy.
I grew up watching "In Living Color."
He's so amazing. Actually, David Alan Grier --
It's a crazy full-circle moment for me,
because he gave me a job in 2009.
2009! -2009! Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
You have to make a character out of this.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think you have to.
[ Both laugh ]
I love that, love it.
-I had $7 to my name because it was the middle of the recession.
The recession! -Yeah.
-And -- [ Laughter ]
-[ Snorts loudly ] Oh, I just snorted.
I just snorted. All right.
-And he hired me! Anyway, he hired me
on his sketch show called "Chocolate News,"
and then I hired him on my sketch show many years later.
So that's awesome. -Isn't that cool?
Come on, I love that. -Yeah. Love that guy.
-I want to say --
This is bizarre, because I love Jackée.
-Oh, yes. -That's my --
-I do, too. Jackée Harry is amazing.
-Jackée Harry, "227." I was a big fan.
-The best. -Love her, love Barry Sobel.
-Yes, yes! Thank you for remembering that he was on it.
-Oh, that was my man. -Yeah.
-But, dude, you do a -- almost better Jackée Harry than Jackée.
-[ Laughing ] But, look.
I was looking at this -- -Look at us, yeah.
-That is Jackée. -Yeah, yeah.
-That's you. -And that's me.
-That is Jackée.
-Yeah, that's me going, "Oh, ba-by."
[ Laughter ]
-"Oh, Ma-ry." -"Oh, ba-by."
And the key is, when you're setting up,
or, you know, she does all, you know, blue jokes, right?
Everything about sex.
So when you're setting up you have to go low and then go high.
So you have to go, "Let me tell you something, Jimmy."
-Oh, yeah. -"When I was dating this man --
Oh!"
[ Laughter and applause ]
-Oh, my gosh. -It was great.
And she did not like it at first.
-Oh, no? -No, no.
She didn't like the impression, because, actually, for years,
at Second City in Los Angeles, I was doing a live show
called "227: The Lost Episodes," and I was playing her.
And we would improvise fake episodes of "227."
And we invited her and the whole cast,
and she roundly refused to come.
-She's like -- -"Absolutely not.
That's an embarrassment to me and my legacy."
-No! -And, actually, we got her
in this sketch on the show, and she came around.
And she loves it now. -Oh, it's about love.
Yeah, Jackée, we love you! -We love you!
-You were awesome. You're a legend.
-She's a legend. And I don't blame her
for making me wait years
for her to come see me do her impression.
-You kept your head down, kept doing good work.
-That's right. -And here you are now.
I want to show everyone a clip.
Here's Robin in "A Black Lady Sketch Show."
Take a look.
-I'd like to call this evidentiary hearing to order
in the civil matter of Treena's Vintage Furniture
versus Sweet Song restaurant.
First order of business.
Do you queens want to get lunch after this?
[ Laughter ]
-I would like to submit to the court that...
Your Honor is welcome to dine at Sweet Song any time.
-Objection, Your Honor!
Dining at defendant's restaurant would be prejudicial.
-You're right.
-But if you do go, plaintiff's counsel likes to eat, too.
[ Laughter ]
-Ha ha! Sustained!
-Excuse me. This isn't professional --
-Ah, you know what, Treena? Treena, let me handle this.
Okay? I got it. I got you.
-Rude. -[ Clears throat ]
Unfortunately, my clients were unable to attend this hearing,
but I'm sure they would appreciate it
if we took some time to...
find out how my girl over there got her goddess locks all right!
[ Laughter ] -I see you.
I see you. -I'm suing your clients,
and I still feel the need to tell you
that they would not appreciate that.
-Why would you say that? That doesn't help your case.
-'Cause they wouldn't.
[ Laughter, cheers, applause ]
-Robin Thede, everybody!