Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wake that ass up in the morning. Breakfast Club. Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Everybody is the j Envy Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne the guy.
We are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest
in the building, the legendary and Kim Fields.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Ladies and gentlemen, Morning, good morning, So glad to be here.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Ho are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
I feel amazing? I feel amazing. How about you, guys?
Speaker 5 (00:19):
That's Black and Holly famous, right, all right, that's what
another hit TV show, Kim season five with the Upshaws
on Netflix.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
My god, how does it feel?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Really very surreal but awesome and you know, just loving
how everybody loves the Upshaws. It's it's really incredible. We're
in the middle of filming new episodes now while new
episodes just dropped, and it's just, you know, just the
party turn keeps on going.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Does it get weird?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Ever?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Because people know you for so many different things, like
this new generation probably knows you from the Upshaws, but
don't know you from any of your previous things.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Well, a lot of people, I mean they still do
you know, the whole living single vibe. And I think
my favorite way to get recognized now is yo, ain't
you that from the mic Ap show. That's my favorite.
Like there's no there's no other career highlight.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
But that do you stay with this one more?
Speaker 5 (01:09):
Just because you know, like you're you're an old g
and when you were young, when you had a lot
of those other really hit show, Well.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Thank you. I think this one hits different because of
the timing. There's so many shows, there's so much content
out there, there's so much noise out there, there's so
many platforms. And for us to keep finding our lane
and blazing new trails, breaking new ground, finding the audience
finding us and loving us and being so loyal. I
(01:39):
think that's you know, honestly what feels different about this one.
Speaker 6 (01:43):
And you're producing and directing it too, so being on
both sides, how's that?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
It's it's fun. I love being able to have a
voice for the whole thing. You know, sometimes when you're acting,
you just have your voice for that one piece and
then go home. And and so to be able to
really care about and have a voice that's regarded when
you're crafting the entire brand of the show, you know,
(02:10):
the storylines, the casting, this that all the Nixon cranny's
of it.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
Is there a science that a successful sitcom or is
it just lucky to draw well.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think it's a little bit of both, But there
is a science in terms of and especially again timing.
You got to be authentic. Everybody wants to see stories
and characters that really reflect the sign of the times,
that reflect who they are, that they can relate to.
I think relatability is the biggest thing right now, and
in comedy you have to be extraordinarily funny. And with
(02:42):
Mike and Wanda, when Mike started with the idea, he
brought it to Wanda and then it unfolded from there.
They said kind of the three tenants of the show
would be it had to be really funny, and really
messy and really real. And I feel like that's kind
of that formula that gets you that life in a bottle.
And then when I look back at my other series
(03:04):
or even other successful shows, I think that's really what
it comes down to. You know, are these characters engaging
and what are they into and what are the stories
and how do I relate to it? And if it's
not something that's either funny or relatable like sci fi
or period piece things like that, again, you've got to
be so grounded in whatever the truth is and then
(03:27):
let all of the you know, shenanigans or fantasy or
whatever kind of stem from that.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I think it doesn't get difficult to stay consistent because
I don't see that many black shows on ARA anymore
like I used to, and as actresses do so many gigs,
Is it easier to get gigs.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Or is it more difficult? Is it less work out there?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah? I was just talking with Holly Robinson Pete about this,
and it just seems like it's harder now and post
strike bounce back and things like that. One would think
that because again, like I said, there's much content, there's
so many platforms that there'd just be this plethora of
of of jobs and things. But at the same time,
you've got less episodes in a season now, so I
(04:11):
think that gets factored in as well. But overall, it
is an effort that you have got to put in
to keep it fresh, to keep it popping, because people
can recognize game and if you're trying to phone it in,
that's not gonna fly, you know, So, so you do
have to be committed and at the end of or
(04:33):
at the beginning of every season of the upshows. I'm
always you know, kind of giving our our war cry
of level up, let's level up. And I think that's
what we do.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Do they have to do?
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You have to go out and try out for these
parts anymore as one of those things. But like now
they'll call me for a part I'm not I'm not
I'm not at there. I'm too iconic, I'm not doing that.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
There is a shift. So I don't know necessarily audition
and I haven't for quite some time. Amen, But you know,
you get considered. But my thing is, don't just tell me, well,
you know your name is out there or your name
is on the list, because I don't know what people
think when they think Kim Fields, especially the industry, And
(05:18):
so my thing is I'm usually having to erase some ghosts,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
So that meaning I.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Don't I don't want you to just go, oh yeah,
well Kim Field's and then your mind thinks of anything
from facts of life to and with the internet everything.
I mean, I just posted Miss Butterworth commercial, you know,
as a throwback living single. You just never know what
people's perception is, not just in terms of you, but
(05:51):
then your ability to do that character to be a chameleon,
and to me, that's one of the greatest gifts of
acting is to be a chameleon. I don't don't want
to play Kim Fields and something because then what is
that I'm not acting, which is why Regime was one
of my favorites to play because she was so not
like me. But but I'm not in that space of
(06:11):
where I go in and audition and things like that.
There are times that I'll go in and meet like
a chemistry read go in and meet casting or producer's
director just so that they they see what's up. I can't.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
I guess the best way to describe it most of
the times in Hollywood is not even about what you
do on camera.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
That was how you are off camera.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
But you I don't know, but you've never had that
reputation to be in like difficult to work when you
never flipped the table in the.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
I don't know, no, no, because I feel like number one,
I just love our industry. And then in terms of
somebody who is into wellness, you treat people with respect
and and you you know, should get that reciprocity. There
are times when you do difficult moments, sure, and working
(07:02):
on a project after a while working like with family,
and we all know that family can you know, be
you know, interesting to to navigate and so. But but
there's a certain level of professionalism, there's a certain level
of respect. Home training you.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Don't hear that no more.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
You got from home Trainers, right exactly.
Speaker 6 (07:26):
Regime was my girl, though, like that was my I'm
glad that you said that that was your favorite to
play because that was my girl.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
I grew up watching that show.
Speaker 6 (07:33):
And speaking of those shows like Facts of Life and
Living Single, how are you with the cast of those shows?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
So close? So close? Yes, Kim Coles and I just
had a text and tc uh the Living Single cast
along with the show's creator. Event we are on a
text thread that is that should really be the reboot
just this text or just just take snaps a screenshot
to that. But we are super close basically Again, like
(08:02):
I said, when you work with people for a stretch
of time, even on a movie, you know that's a
month or six weeks, eight weeks sometimes you know, six months,
you really do become like a family. And when I
grew up, I started out as a crew baby. So
I always love you know that that kind of famiale concept.
So we always keep in touch. I'm always, you know,
(08:24):
making sure that I'm doing my part, you know, to
stay in touch with people and see what's up.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
I've been hearing Queen Erica Alexander talk talk about a reboot.
I don't know how serious it is because she jokes
a lot, but she'll put up She'll be like, you'll say,
money to the GoFundMe.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Don't you know what I mean? Are there really some
serious talks happening.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
We've been on and off in serious talks. And I
think the thing that is the great disruptor, and it's
a good problem to have, is nobody's available. I mean,
that's that's a great problem to have. Nobody is sitting
around like, yeah, y'all remember me, we could do this.
It's not the case at all. And so I think
that that's that's really like I said, it's a good
problem to have. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And you know, to me,
(09:08):
the thing about reboots, you gotta be careful with them,
I think because there the idea is always intriguing and
and you want more of of something that's familiar to you.
But if you get it wrong, you can't just throw
these characters back together and be like, what would y'all
be doing now? And and so I really applaud people
who do it really well because they're taking the time
(09:31):
to not just think about what these characters would be
doing now, but how to not like Cobra Kai, they
did the damn thing. You know, they really that was
a reboot slash reimagining. And so I feel like when
you when you really fine tuned it and you're strategic
about it, it can be great. But again the timing,
do you.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Feel like you have to remind people I said, you said?
You reposted an old Waterworth commercial. Sometimes you feel like
you got to remind people what you've done because they
forget so fast.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Oh No, the Internet is marvelous.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Maybe I should, as you get embarrassed with some of
the older stuff.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
No, because I know the place that it comes from.
I recognize that the characters that I've been able to
breathe life into the shows that I've been a part of,
they mean something to people, and not just people of color,
not just black women, but they mean something. And so
I understand again the place that it that it comes from. So,
(10:26):
you know, I don't get that that don't get mad
or upset or embarrassed. It's actually still very surreal, you know,
the way that you can do something and it has impact.
What you guys do here, and it has impact, you know,
and people hold on to some of these gems and
and won't let them go.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
You know, I wanted to ask you, what do you
think Black people are more impactful nowadays behind the camera
are in front of the camera.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Well, I think it's finally, you know, kind of evened
itself out in terms of the amount of storytellers and
creatives behind the scenes, so that there are more stories.
But we're not just telling black stories either, and so
I feel like that's been really significant, you know. But
I think that we're evening out in terms of where
(11:17):
our impact is. We have more cinematographers, we have more editors,
we have more showrunners, more makeup and hair teams. I mean,
you know, you have people that are just in all
the spaces more now than ever, and so I feel
like that's helping to level the playing fields so that
we're now more of a collective as opposed to just
(11:40):
the select actors and actresses that were the chosen ones.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
I know, the representation always matters. Where does it?
Speaker 5 (11:49):
What do you think it matters more? Hm, Well, to
be seen or creating this story.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
So to speak, Well, if you well, I think you
know it's it's one of those which comes first, chicken
of the egg, because you have to have the story
to be seen in. Yeah, but then you have to
have the lights to be seen. You have to have
you know, the cameras to CEOs. So so I feel
like it's it's all it's all one. It's it's it's
(12:19):
a movement, you know, I feel like it's all one movement.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Lighting is important for black people, say, we don't talk
about that enough. Lighting is important.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
There is a celebrated director of photography who started out
as a lighting director. Well he didn't start out like
they probably started as you know well below that named
Don Morgan. And Don Morgan was just I think last
year inducted into the Hall of Fame. He has one
countless multiple emmys. Uh. And he started I learned from
(12:49):
him on Facts of Life and then he was the
original lighting director and set in DP and set the
show for the upshows. So coming full circle, the woman
who does my makeup on the Upshaws did my makeup
on facts of Life.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, yeah, our first A d started out as a
runner on Facts of Life and now he's you know,
so it's just it's some of our camera people, you know,
people that I've known since I was a little girl
and I learned from. But but everybody is important. I
think that's that's the main thing about crew. And you know,
(13:25):
they used to call it above the line, below the line,
and at this point there's no line anymore. You know,
some people will be like, well, there is for paying,
but we're talking about it from a creative aspect and
right now, you know, it's it's all the collective effort, effort.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Now, you started out so young acting, right, yes, And.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
We hear all these stories about childhood actors and actresses.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Did you have to go.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Through any of that where you know, how did your
parents or family make sure that you were safe from
all the stuff that we're hearing about exactly?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
And you know, the thing that still gets me to
this day, bro, is that she was a single teen mom.
She ain't know nothing about raising a kid, let alone
raising a kid in the industry, but she had the
good sense to know, hey, we need to make sure
you're kind. She was an actress and always knew to
(14:17):
be professional, so she imparted that to me, but she
never stopped parenting me. You know, So a lot of
the stuff now, just growing up, that's you know, whether
you're in Hollywood or you know, anywhere else in the
Hollywood of Harlem, you're still going to have to grow
up and deal with all the shit that comes from
(14:38):
just growing up, growing pains. But when you're doing it,
you know, in a fish bowl, of course it's different.
There's more pressure. But but again, I'm chips Kid, so
you know, it's one of that I got home training.
I knew better.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
You had directed a bunch of episodes of the keen
and Kenan and Cal Show as well, And I don't
know if you saw the Quiet on the Set documentary.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
But I did not see it, but I'm aware of it,
and I was actually not there during that time. I
was after that time. But I don't know if that
was your question.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Yea, how closely did you work with Dan Schneider?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
And yeah, like Keenan said, you know, we kind of
came after all of that, so we were in a
different time frames.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Miss Chipsfield, right when you saw that episode, on Good
Times when she played Janet Jackson Mama, yeah, right with
that eye in and everything else. Do you have an
Askcret where did that come from? And I know she
wasn't doing that.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
No, No, she wasn't doing uh. And the thing for
me with that episode is and that storyline is I
saw them practice. I saw them rehearse. LaToya would bring
jan over to our apartment and studio city and they
would work on that material. So to me, it wasn't terrifying,
(15:58):
like you know, everybody's like this woman scared me and
still does and I'm shook and all that. I'm like,
they just they were working hard in the kitchen, and
you know, so I have a very different perspective on it.
But I'd always known my mother to be a tremendous actor.
I mean tremendous actor back in that New York early seventies,
(16:21):
mid seventies when they were doing all the movies out
here and and just it was a different type of acting,
you know that was so hardcore and so real, Clauding
taking a pelm one, two three, Come Back, Charleston Blue,
you know, those those movies where they weren't the blaxploitation is,
and she she was, I mean she was, you know,
(16:42):
twenty twenty one, twenty two coming up in that and
she would bring the thunder all the time. And so
when she migrated to La they you know, it was
almost like that hadn't seen that kind of that style
of acting, which is why she really stood out.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Did she did she like, I don't want to say force,
that's nothing, right Rod, But did she pushed you to Hollywood?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Not at all? Not at all. So when mom was
doing Pearl Bailey's Hello Dolly, I would go to either
to the theater here on Broadway, or I would go
to see her on tour. And I loved being behind
the scenes. Like I'm a really shy person, and I
was a very shy kid. I was an only child
for the longest time, so I wasn't like watch me
(17:23):
and not at all. I was one of them, you know,
sit back in the cut and watch. But I loved
seeing what I would come to know as the artisans, right,
the people, the crew babies. Well, I mean I was
the crew baby, but the crew still working and seeing
them create the wigs and the makeup and the sets
and this and the costumes and everything, and so That's
what I loved about it, and I knew that I
(17:45):
wanted to be a part of that. And she would
always once I got started in it, she would always say, well,
do you want to do this? Like every time we
would get the call that facts life had been picked up,
she said, do you still want to do it? Do
you still want to act? You still want to do
this again? And wow, because like, how do you know
to do that?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
So did you ever get out of line?
Speaker 5 (18:05):
And she grabbed an iron and just playing, but she did.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
She did backhand me, and I was like, okay, mama,
backhand and one just a note. Well, I had warning too,
because my mom, from the time she was a little girl,
she had a temper and and so if she bit
her knuckle, that means you get the hell out the way. Yeah. Yeah,
And so I saw it and I was like, but
(18:32):
that don't mean me right now, I'm not doing it
it exactly now.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I wanted to you know, you pick what you want
to do. Is it's something that you've been thinking about
that you want to do?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Oh? Boy, absolutely, I want to do some And I've
been developing with a really great team some projects in
the sci fi genre. I have an inner mermaid in
me that is just dying to come out. I also
have an inner explorer in me. So I'm just now
(19:06):
starting to have conversations with National Geographic, which nice man.
Wait to y'all see me at the top of some
glacier and you know, listen, that is me all day,
every day. Yes, So I just love that kind of
like we're not going on that.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Glacier.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
So you want to play like a mermaid like.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Yeah, absolutely, but but but like you mean like like
mermaids water swimming. Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Well.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
I love water. I love water, and so I've always
been fascinated with what is beneath the surface and I
really love like Netflix had this documentary I'll call people
Sean listen that thing right there. I started following all
of them and they were like, oh my god. And
so I just think it's really just so fascinat And
(20:00):
my son asked me once, you know, if you had
a superpower, well, and I was like, I'd want to
breathe underwater, Like that's the superpower that I what is?
People people are the mermaid culture. So they are it's
a subculture, but it's like a whole thing. Like they
got like festivals and co. But they they they embraced
(20:32):
the mermaid concept for the mermaid concept, and then they
have cruisers, they have competitions and things. And there's this guy,
Merr Taylor. He makes these incredible I promised before God
that he makes these incredible fins tails. But they are
so gorgeous and elaborate. And he started as a kid
(20:53):
by watching in Florida this hole in the sixties. They
had like this whole swim show with these with these
women who would wear these beautiful costumes and things, and
I was fascinating. So I've always loved that. So then
I'm like, what if there's like a c I A
but for the whole mirror culture.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
They aliens for the aliens they have for the Mermaids.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Right exactly exactly, but but it's it's it's their version
of the CIA. Like why do y'all keep coming in
the water looking for stuff? Get out of here? That
could be it could be c Like come on, now, yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
I got a book I'm going to recommend you called
Shallow Waters. It's about uh we got them. Oh yes,
it's by It's good. It's a fictional.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Book to read.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
I love to.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
That don't even read.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I love, I love to read. I'm actually reading this
beautiful story. It's actually the true story of Elizabeth Taylor
and Montgomery Cliff and their friendship and they're working together
and it's it's beautiful. But going back to the book, yes.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
I'm gonna give you if you leave, But like I
love the underwater exploration because I feel like the Earth
is not seventy five percent water for no reason. You
hear those stories about how it probably was a huge flood,
and like there's so much under there, like a whole
other civilizations.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
I truly believe that.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Okay, so this weekend I'm dropping my first in person
conversation with refreshed by KF that's my series of conversations
in my wellness space, and my first in person conversation
is with an explorer engineer named Albert Lynn. Albert was
on the show Welcome to Earth that Will Smith did
for National Geographic and then he hosts these shows Cities
(22:41):
Revealed Lost Cities, the under what is it not underwater
but the lost civilizations of the Mayans, And we were
talking about, you know, these civilizations and how when they
discover what really was there, who was there? How empowering
it is for the people who were there. So I'm
(23:02):
really as you can hear and see, I'm just I'm fascinated.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Can you better not get on one of them submarines
to go down there?
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You better not to go down there? You better not.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
I will do my very best. I will do my best,
but I mean, you know, there's there's certain dramas that
that for me. In twenty sixteen, I told my team
it's all about uncharted waters. We only say yes to
things we haven't done before, to spaces we have not
been in before. And not only saying yes, but go
out and go out into the uncharted waters and find
(23:39):
the new storytellers, find the new characters and things like that,
the new styles of storytelling. So that's where I am
with that, because I still love after all this time,
I still love what I do. And that's why when
I put the Miss Butterworth picture up as like, Wow,
that's me and we're still going. You know, we're still going?
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Is what has changed in Hollywood?
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Well, I think obviously the biggest thing is just technology
that then informs things like how people watch, where people watch,
how much people can watch. So I think tech has
really made such an impact. But I remember when we
were doing Living Single and it was like, oh, we
got to renegotiate because DVDs is a thing and nobody
(24:26):
knew what that was going to be, like you know,
and so now there's streaming and now there's all these
different ways that you can watch. But everything is cyclical,
you know, everything comes back. But I think tech that
you know, you can shoot anything on your phone and
upload it to your own YouTube channel and now you're
a network executive. Well then that's the thing. That's why
(24:50):
when people ask man, I'm like, always make sure the
quality is there because everybody has a microphone now and
everybody has a camera now, But it's how you're using it.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
How does that effect when you're renegotiating and you're doing
all these things. Because you know, we were growing up,
we would set out we were Thursday at eight, we
have to watch this, you know, Sunday at this we'd
have to watch this. But now it's kind of like,
you know, well I'll I'll catch it tomorrow. Yeah, I mean,
and how does that.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Because can you actually register who's watching what shows?
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Because if you look at social media, the shows are hits,
but the shows that.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
Are hits that we love sometimes don't get renewed.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah, well, they talk about and they use words like
analytics and you know, algorithms and all of that to
really measure who's watching what, how much you how much
time you're watching something and all that, which is again
a testament to everyone who loves the Upshaws because we
stay in the top ten for so long even though
(25:47):
we're a half hour show and we only have you know,
like five episodes or four episodes or six episodes, and
so the idea that we are holding our own with
these brands and these titles that have you know, ten
episodes of one hour, that's you know, a lot more time,
and yet we're still you know, in the running with them.
(26:09):
So yes, they do have ways to monetize it and
monitor it. That's as far as I as I as
I know. In terms of the contracts though, yes, when
you see like people getting monetizing from like YouTube or
Google ads and things like that, so there are certain
(26:29):
contracts where they say okay, after a certain number of
minutes that are engaged or hours that are engaged, then
you know, you get a check or you get more
checks and things like that so they say that there's
you know, there there's a science to all of it.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
They never going to show you the real numbers though,
They're never going to show you all the analytics.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Well, you know, don't don't. Don't look behind the curtain
too hard.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
May is mental Health Awareness month.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
It's also my birthday month. But yes it is. Thank
you so very much, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
But yes it is a refreshed by KF. What is
that exactly? I heard you mentioned it earlier.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Yes, so refreshed by KF. Thank you for asking. That's
my wellness platform. It's my wellness brand. We do events,
we have retreats, we have one coming up in June,
and it's a space where for me, I needed to
be able to have wellness presented in a way that
for me, was accessible, that was attainable, sustainable. You know,
(27:31):
that didn't mean I had to eat just only green
foods and have no fun and you know, if I
didn't have my ankle and my you know neck and
wrapped up and all this stuff, that I'm not going
to be well. And I just felt like, well, that
can't be And I wanted to hear from people who
were either on wellness journeys or healing from different things,
(27:54):
or had different products and brands that weren't getting featured
in some of the more mainstream you know, wink wink,
mainstream area.
Speaker 6 (28:08):
You can't drop no hints in here.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Okay, but but but it's not a black brand. Refreshed
by KF is for literally every body. And so my job,
I feel like in the wellness space is I'm not
an expert. I don't have answers, but I'm standing next
to the man or next to the woman who does.
I'm able to set a table and provide meals. What
(28:36):
you choose to come and eat, that's on you. And
that's how I feel about the wellness space. So without retreats,
I do the same kind of thing where I curate it.
I personally cultivated the location, the spaces, the activities, activations,
all of that, the refreshing friends who are coming, and
just making sure the schedule, you know, because I just
(28:58):
start with what is it that I need? Because I
keep finding out that when I put out there, here's
what I need, Here's what I'm feeling, Here's what I'm thinking,
Here's what's on me. The masses are like yo, shit,
me do and it ends up becoming that type of
unique share, you know, and an environment in a safe space.
(29:18):
So that's refreshed by KF. We have live conversations now,
we have the IG conversations that started back in twenty twenty.
We have the retreats. We have of course social media,
the YouTube channel where we help you know, people find
their inner explorer. We shine light on different subcultures, not
(29:39):
just the murror people, but like mixologists, you know, and
just different places and spaces where you go, oh my gosh,
that's really interesting stories and people and experiences that maybe
inspire you to go you know what, I will. I
will get up ten minutes earlier and go walking, or
I will learn how to swim, or I will decide
(30:03):
to kayak for five minutes or whatever it may be.
That just helps people come out of their comfort zones
but deal with their well being. Our tagline is give
yourself permission to be well. As an actor, I'm always
finding how powerful it is when you give your self
permission to go there right, to be even funnier, to
be even more emotional, and you give yourself permission. And
(30:26):
that's always the catchphrase in acting. And I thought, well,
what if we open that up more in terms of
your well being, you know, and we also make sure
I truly am am the champion for making sure that
men and men's wellness is a big part of our platform.
So we have refreshments and the emmy n is you know,
(30:49):
more prominent, and it's to make sure that the fellas
know you are welcomed here and we will help you
cultivate your wellness journey as well.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Incredible where did they go to?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
The Yes So Refresh Retreat by KF dot com. That's
the website for the retreat and that also gives you
things like our store. We just dropped our first playlist
that I curated on Spotify and we again have Channel
Refresh on YouTube of course, refreshed by KF is the
(31:21):
ig and TikTok and social media, but basically using your
microphone and your platform to really impact in a different way.
And that's that's what I feel. People ask me about
legacy quite a bit, and I feel like, at some
point I want legacy for me not just to be
(31:42):
these great characters, but also these great experiences and this
great space that people feel like she helped me take
care of myself and not just with the gift of
laughter or the gift of being seen on television seeing
somebody that looked like me, but my literal wellness as well.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
You know, want to ask, because you brought up the
characters that you play, you played some iconic characters, like
that's rare for anybody.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
I don't get black, white.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Whatever, it's real you to have that type of success,
you know three different times. Was there ever a role
that you auditioned for or even turned down that that
became iconic with somebody else and you was like, damn,
I should have did that.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
No, okay, but but I do have a story in reverse.
So I got a call to h I got a
call to go in for storm for the X Men. Wow,
don't get happy, don't do it family. And so when
I got the call, I thought.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
What is helly?
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Don't what is she tripping?
Speaker 5 (32:46):
What?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Don't do that?
Speaker 4 (32:47):
Girl?
Speaker 3 (32:47):
But okay, one man's trash is another man's track. So
I'm like, okay. So I got my boots out and
my outfit and I was on white hair Listen. I
was ready to show them, only to find out that
the damn thing was for the animated series.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
It was like, oh, they probably like the way you
showed up.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
No I didn't. I didn't show up for that like that,
and yeah, so but yeah, no, that's that's all.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
Yeah, five of the up shows out on that season.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
Five.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
No, no, no, he's right. So they did this thing,
they did like a little test to see, you know,
calling it parts rather than seasons because they would drop
half and half and so, so they called it parts.
So it's part. I just say new episodes, new episodes,
and just you know, leave it at that.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Parts are usually for films.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
Listen, yes, volume six, Well check it out.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It's on Netflix right now. And we appreciate you for joining.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Us so much. Thank you for having me. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
All right, it's ken Fields, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning,
Wake that ass.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Up in the morning Club. Breakfast Club.
Wake that ass up in the morning. Breakfast Club. Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Everybody is the j Envy Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne the guy.
We are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest
in the building, the legendary and Kim Fields.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Ladies and gentlemen, Morning, good morning, So glad to be here.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Ho are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
I feel amazing? I feel amazing. How about you, guys?
Speaker 5 (00:19):
That's Black and Holly famous, right, all right, that's what
another hit TV show, Kim season five with the Upshaws
on Netflix.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
My god, how does it feel?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Really very surreal but awesome and you know, just loving
how everybody loves the Upshaws. It's it's really incredible. We're
in the middle of filming new episodes now while new
episodes just dropped, and it's just, you know, just the
party turn keeps on going.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Does it get weird?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Ever?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Because people know you for so many different things, like
this new generation probably knows you from the Upshaws, but
don't know you from any of your previous things.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Well, a lot of people, I mean they still do
you know, the whole living single vibe. And I think
my favorite way to get recognized now is yo, ain't
you that from the mic Ap show. That's my favorite.
Like there's no there's no other career highlight.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
But that do you stay with this one more?
Speaker 5 (01:09):
Just because you know, like you're you're an old g
and when you were young, when you had a lot
of those other really hit show, Well.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Thank you. I think this one hits different because of
the timing. There's so many shows, there's so much content
out there, there's so much noise out there, there's so
many platforms. And for us to keep finding our lane
and blazing new trails, breaking new ground, finding the audience
finding us and loving us and being so loyal. I
(01:39):
think that's you know, honestly what feels different about this one.
Speaker 6 (01:43):
And you're producing and directing it too, so being on
both sides, how's that?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
It's it's fun. I love being able to have a
voice for the whole thing. You know, sometimes when you're acting,
you just have your voice for that one piece and
then go home. And and so to be able to
really care about and have a voice that's regarded when
you're crafting the entire brand of the show, you know,
(02:10):
the storylines, the casting, this that all the Nixon cranny's
of it.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
Is there a science that a successful sitcom or is
it just lucky to draw well.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think it's a little bit of both, But there
is a science in terms of and especially again timing.
You got to be authentic. Everybody wants to see stories
and characters that really reflect the sign of the times,
that reflect who they are, that they can relate to.
I think relatability is the biggest thing right now, and
in comedy you have to be extraordinarily funny. And with
(02:42):
Mike and Wanda, when Mike started with the idea, he
brought it to Wanda and then it unfolded from there.
They said kind of the three tenants of the show
would be it had to be really funny, and really
messy and really real. And I feel like that's kind
of that formula that gets you that life in a bottle.
And then when I look back at my other series
(03:04):
or even other successful shows, I think that's really what
it comes down to. You know, are these characters engaging
and what are they into and what are the stories
and how do I relate to it? And if it's
not something that's either funny or relatable like sci fi
or period piece things like that, again, you've got to
be so grounded in whatever the truth is and then
(03:27):
let all of the you know, shenanigans or fantasy or
whatever kind of stem from that.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I think it doesn't get difficult to stay consistent because
I don't see that many black shows on ARA anymore
like I used to, and as actresses do so many gigs,
Is it easier to get gigs.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Or is it more difficult? Is it less work out there?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah? I was just talking with Holly Robinson Pete about this,
and it just seems like it's harder now and post
strike bounce back and things like that. One would think
that because again, like I said, there's much content, there's
so many platforms that there'd just be this plethora of
of of jobs and things. But at the same time,
you've got less episodes in a season now, so I
(04:11):
think that gets factored in as well. But overall, it
is an effort that you have got to put in
to keep it fresh, to keep it popping, because people
can recognize game and if you're trying to phone it in,
that's not gonna fly, you know, So, so you do
have to be committed and at the end of or
(04:33):
at the beginning of every season of the upshows. I'm
always you know, kind of giving our our war cry
of level up, let's level up. And I think that's
what we do.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Do they have to do?
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You have to go out and try out for these
parts anymore as one of those things. But like now
they'll call me for a part I'm not I'm not
I'm not at there. I'm too iconic, I'm not doing that.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
There is a shift. So I don't know necessarily audition
and I haven't for quite some time. Amen, But you know,
you get considered. But my thing is, don't just tell me, well,
you know your name is out there or your name
is on the list, because I don't know what people
think when they think Kim Fields, especially the industry, And
(05:18):
so my thing is I'm usually having to erase some ghosts,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
So that meaning I.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Don't I don't want you to just go, oh yeah,
well Kim Field's and then your mind thinks of anything
from facts of life to and with the internet everything.
I mean, I just posted Miss Butterworth commercial, you know,
as a throwback living single. You just never know what
people's perception is, not just in terms of you, but
(05:51):
then your ability to do that character to be a chameleon,
and to me, that's one of the greatest gifts of
acting is to be a chameleon. I don't don't want
to play Kim Fields and something because then what is
that I'm not acting, which is why Regime was one
of my favorites to play because she was so not
like me. But but I'm not in that space of
(06:11):
where I go in and audition and things like that.
There are times that I'll go in and meet like
a chemistry read go in and meet casting or producer's
director just so that they they see what's up. I can't.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
I guess the best way to describe it most of
the times in Hollywood is not even about what you
do on camera.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
That was how you are off camera.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
But you I don't know, but you've never had that
reputation to be in like difficult to work when you
never flipped the table in the.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
I don't know, no, no, because I feel like number one,
I just love our industry. And then in terms of
somebody who is into wellness, you treat people with respect
and and you you know, should get that reciprocity. There
are times when you do difficult moments, sure, and working
(07:02):
on a project after a while working like with family,
and we all know that family can you know, be
you know, interesting to to navigate and so. But but
there's a certain level of professionalism, there's a certain level
of respect. Home training you.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Don't hear that no more.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
You got from home Trainers, right exactly.
Speaker 6 (07:26):
Regime was my girl, though, like that was my I'm
glad that you said that that was your favorite to
play because that was my girl.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
I grew up watching that show.
Speaker 6 (07:33):
And speaking of those shows like Facts of Life and
Living Single, how are you with the cast of those shows?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
So close? So close? Yes, Kim Coles and I just
had a text and tc uh the Living Single cast
along with the show's creator. Event we are on a
text thread that is that should really be the reboot
just this text or just just take snaps a screenshot
to that. But we are super close basically Again, like
(08:02):
I said, when you work with people for a stretch
of time, even on a movie, you know that's a
month or six weeks, eight weeks sometimes you know, six months,
you really do become like a family. And when I
grew up, I started out as a crew baby. So
I always love you know that that kind of famiale concept.
So we always keep in touch. I'm always, you know,
(08:24):
making sure that I'm doing my part, you know, to
stay in touch with people and see what's up.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
I've been hearing Queen Erica Alexander talk talk about a reboot.
I don't know how serious it is because she jokes
a lot, but she'll put up She'll be like, you'll say,
money to the GoFundMe.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Don't you know what I mean? Are there really some
serious talks happening.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
We've been on and off in serious talks. And I
think the thing that is the great disruptor, and it's
a good problem to have, is nobody's available. I mean,
that's that's a great problem to have. Nobody is sitting
around like, yeah, y'all remember me, we could do this.
It's not the case at all. And so I think
that that's that's really like I said, it's a good
problem to have. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And you know, to me,
(09:08):
the thing about reboots, you gotta be careful with them,
I think because there the idea is always intriguing and
and you want more of of something that's familiar to you.
But if you get it wrong, you can't just throw
these characters back together and be like, what would y'all
be doing now? And and so I really applaud people
who do it really well because they're taking the time
(09:31):
to not just think about what these characters would be
doing now, but how to not like Cobra Kai, they
did the damn thing. You know, they really that was
a reboot slash reimagining. And so I feel like when
you when you really fine tuned it and you're strategic
about it, it can be great. But again the timing,
do you.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Feel like you have to remind people I said, you said?
You reposted an old Waterworth commercial. Sometimes you feel like
you got to remind people what you've done because they
forget so fast.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Oh No, the Internet is marvelous.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Maybe I should, as you get embarrassed with some of
the older stuff.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
No, because I know the place that it comes from.
I recognize that the characters that I've been able to
breathe life into the shows that I've been a part of,
they mean something to people, and not just people of color,
not just black women, but they mean something. And so
I understand again the place that it that it comes from. So,
(10:26):
you know, I don't get that that don't get mad
or upset or embarrassed. It's actually still very surreal, you know,
the way that you can do something and it has impact.
What you guys do here, and it has impact, you know,
and people hold on to some of these gems and
and won't let them go.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
You know, I wanted to ask you, what do you
think Black people are more impactful nowadays behind the camera
are in front of the camera.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Well, I think it's finally, you know, kind of evened
itself out in terms of the amount of storytellers and
creatives behind the scenes, so that there are more stories.
But we're not just telling black stories either, and so
I feel like that's been really significant, you know. But
I think that we're evening out in terms of where
(11:17):
our impact is. We have more cinematographers, we have more editors,
we have more showrunners, more makeup and hair teams. I mean,
you know, you have people that are just in all
the spaces more now than ever, and so I feel
like that's helping to level the playing fields so that
we're now more of a collective as opposed to just
(11:40):
the select actors and actresses that were the chosen ones.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
I know, the representation always matters. Where does it?
Speaker 5 (11:49):
What do you think it matters more? Hm, Well, to
be seen or creating this story.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
So to speak, Well, if you well, I think you
know it's it's one of those which comes first, chicken
of the egg, because you have to have the story
to be seen in. Yeah, but then you have to
have the lights to be seen. You have to have
you know, the cameras to CEOs. So so I feel
like it's it's all it's all one. It's it's it's
(12:19):
a movement, you know, I feel like it's all one movement.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Lighting is important for black people, say, we don't talk
about that enough. Lighting is important.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
There is a celebrated director of photography who started out
as a lighting director. Well he didn't start out like
they probably started as you know well below that named
Don Morgan. And Don Morgan was just I think last
year inducted into the Hall of Fame. He has one
countless multiple emmys. Uh. And he started I learned from
(12:49):
him on Facts of Life and then he was the
original lighting director and set in DP and set the
show for the upshows. So coming full circle, the woman
who does my makeup on the Upshaws did my makeup
on facts of Life.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, yeah, our first A d started out as a
runner on Facts of Life and now he's you know,
so it's just it's some of our camera people, you know,
people that I've known since I was a little girl
and I learned from. But but everybody is important. I
think that's that's the main thing about crew. And you know,
(13:25):
they used to call it above the line, below the line,
and at this point there's no line anymore. You know,
some people will be like, well, there is for paying,
but we're talking about it from a creative aspect and
right now, you know, it's it's all the collective effort, effort.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Now, you started out so young acting, right, yes, And.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
We hear all these stories about childhood actors and actresses.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Did you have to go.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Through any of that where you know, how did your
parents or family make sure that you were safe from
all the stuff that we're hearing about exactly?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
And you know, the thing that still gets me to
this day, bro, is that she was a single teen mom.
She ain't know nothing about raising a kid, let alone
raising a kid in the industry, but she had the
good sense to know, hey, we need to make sure
you're kind. She was an actress and always knew to
(14:17):
be professional, so she imparted that to me, but she
never stopped parenting me. You know, So a lot of
the stuff now, just growing up, that's you know, whether
you're in Hollywood or you know, anywhere else in the
Hollywood of Harlem, you're still going to have to grow
up and deal with all the shit that comes from
(14:38):
just growing up, growing pains. But when you're doing it,
you know, in a fish bowl, of course it's different.
There's more pressure. But but again, I'm chips Kid, so
you know, it's one of that I got home training.
I knew better.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
You had directed a bunch of episodes of the keen
and Kenan and Cal Show as well, And I don't
know if you saw the Quiet on the Set documentary.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
But I did not see it, but I'm aware of it,
and I was actually not there during that time. I
was after that time. But I don't know if that
was your question.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Yea, how closely did you work with Dan Schneider?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
And yeah, like Keenan said, you know, we kind of
came after all of that, so we were in a
different time frames.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Miss Chipsfield, right when you saw that episode, on Good
Times when she played Janet Jackson Mama, yeah, right with
that eye in and everything else. Do you have an
Askcret where did that come from? And I know she
wasn't doing that.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
No, No, she wasn't doing uh. And the thing for
me with that episode is and that storyline is I
saw them practice. I saw them rehearse. LaToya would bring
jan over to our apartment and studio city and they
would work on that material. So to me, it wasn't terrifying,
(15:58):
like you know, everybody's like this woman scared me and
still does and I'm shook and all that. I'm like,
they just they were working hard in the kitchen, and
you know, so I have a very different perspective on it.
But I'd always known my mother to be a tremendous actor.
I mean tremendous actor back in that New York early seventies,
(16:21):
mid seventies when they were doing all the movies out
here and and just it was a different type of acting,
you know that was so hardcore and so real, Clauding
taking a pelm one, two three, Come Back, Charleston Blue,
you know, those those movies where they weren't the blaxploitation is,
and she she was, I mean she was, you know,
(16:42):
twenty twenty one, twenty two coming up in that and
she would bring the thunder all the time. And so
when she migrated to La they you know, it was
almost like that hadn't seen that kind of that style
of acting, which is why she really stood out.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Did she did she like, I don't want to say force,
that's nothing, right Rod, But did she pushed you to Hollywood?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Not at all? Not at all. So when mom was
doing Pearl Bailey's Hello Dolly, I would go to either
to the theater here on Broadway, or I would go
to see her on tour. And I loved being behind
the scenes. Like I'm a really shy person, and I
was a very shy kid. I was an only child
for the longest time, so I wasn't like watch me
(17:23):
and not at all. I was one of them, you know,
sit back in the cut and watch. But I loved
seeing what I would come to know as the artisans, right,
the people, the crew babies. Well, I mean I was
the crew baby, but the crew still working and seeing
them create the wigs and the makeup and the sets
and this and the costumes and everything, and so That's
what I loved about it, and I knew that I
(17:45):
wanted to be a part of that. And she would
always once I got started in it, she would always say, well,
do you want to do this? Like every time we
would get the call that facts life had been picked up,
she said, do you still want to do it? Do
you still want to act? You still want to do
this again? And wow, because like, how do you know
to do that?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
So did you ever get out of line?
Speaker 5 (18:05):
And she grabbed an iron and just playing, but she did.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
She did backhand me, and I was like, okay, mama,
backhand and one just a note. Well, I had warning too,
because my mom, from the time she was a little girl,
she had a temper and and so if she bit
her knuckle, that means you get the hell out the way. Yeah. Yeah,
And so I saw it and I was like, but
(18:32):
that don't mean me right now, I'm not doing it
it exactly now.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I wanted to you know, you pick what you want
to do. Is it's something that you've been thinking about
that you want to do?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Oh? Boy, absolutely, I want to do some And I've
been developing with a really great team some projects in
the sci fi genre. I have an inner mermaid in
me that is just dying to come out. I also
have an inner explorer in me. So I'm just now
(19:06):
starting to have conversations with National Geographic, which nice man.
Wait to y'all see me at the top of some
glacier and you know, listen, that is me all day,
every day. Yes, So I just love that kind of
like we're not going on that.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Glacier.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
So you want to play like a mermaid like.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Yeah, absolutely, but but but like you mean like like
mermaids water swimming. Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Well.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
I love water. I love water, and so I've always
been fascinated with what is beneath the surface and I
really love like Netflix had this documentary I'll call people
Sean listen that thing right there. I started following all
of them and they were like, oh my god. And
so I just think it's really just so fascinat And
(20:00):
my son asked me once, you know, if you had
a superpower, well, and I was like, I'd want to
breathe underwater, Like that's the superpower that I what is?
People people are the mermaid culture. So they are it's
a subculture, but it's like a whole thing. Like they
got like festivals and co. But they they they embraced
(20:32):
the mermaid concept for the mermaid concept, and then they
have cruisers, they have competitions and things. And there's this guy,
Merr Taylor. He makes these incredible I promised before God
that he makes these incredible fins tails. But they are
so gorgeous and elaborate. And he started as a kid
(20:53):
by watching in Florida this hole in the sixties. They
had like this whole swim show with these with these
women who would wear these beautiful costumes and things, and
I was fascinating. So I've always loved that. So then
I'm like, what if there's like a c I A
but for the whole mirror culture.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
They aliens for the aliens they have for the Mermaids.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Right exactly exactly, but but it's it's it's their version
of the CIA. Like why do y'all keep coming in
the water looking for stuff? Get out of here? That
could be it could be c Like come on, now, yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
I got a book I'm going to recommend you called
Shallow Waters. It's about uh we got them. Oh yes,
it's by It's good. It's a fictional.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Book to read.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
I love to.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
That don't even read.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I love, I love to read. I'm actually reading this
beautiful story. It's actually the true story of Elizabeth Taylor
and Montgomery Cliff and their friendship and they're working together
and it's it's beautiful. But going back to the book, yes.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
I'm gonna give you if you leave, But like I
love the underwater exploration because I feel like the Earth
is not seventy five percent water for no reason. You
hear those stories about how it probably was a huge flood,
and like there's so much under there, like a whole
other civilizations.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
I truly believe that.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Okay, so this weekend I'm dropping my first in person
conversation with refreshed by KF that's my series of conversations
in my wellness space, and my first in person conversation
is with an explorer engineer named Albert Lynn. Albert was
on the show Welcome to Earth that Will Smith did
for National Geographic and then he hosts these shows Cities
(22:41):
Revealed Lost Cities, the under what is it not underwater
but the lost civilizations of the Mayans, And we were
talking about, you know, these civilizations and how when they
discover what really was there, who was there? How empowering
it is for the people who were there. So I'm
(23:02):
really as you can hear and see, I'm just I'm fascinated.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Can you better not get on one of them submarines
to go down there?
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You better not to go down there? You better not.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
I will do my very best. I will do my best,
but I mean, you know, there's there's certain dramas that
that for me. In twenty sixteen, I told my team
it's all about uncharted waters. We only say yes to
things we haven't done before, to spaces we have not
been in before. And not only saying yes, but go
out and go out into the uncharted waters and find
(23:39):
the new storytellers, find the new characters and things like that,
the new styles of storytelling. So that's where I am
with that, because I still love after all this time,
I still love what I do. And that's why when
I put the Miss Butterworth picture up as like, Wow,
that's me and we're still going. You know, we're still going?
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Is what has changed in Hollywood?
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Well, I think obviously the biggest thing is just technology
that then informs things like how people watch, where people watch,
how much people can watch. So I think tech has
really made such an impact. But I remember when we
were doing Living Single and it was like, oh, we
got to renegotiate because DVDs is a thing and nobody
(24:26):
knew what that was going to be, like you know,
and so now there's streaming and now there's all these
different ways that you can watch. But everything is cyclical,
you know, everything comes back. But I think tech that
you know, you can shoot anything on your phone and
upload it to your own YouTube channel and now you're
a network executive. Well then that's the thing. That's why
(24:50):
when people ask man, I'm like, always make sure the
quality is there because everybody has a microphone now and
everybody has a camera now, But it's how you're using it.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
How does that effect when you're renegotiating and you're doing
all these things. Because you know, we were growing up,
we would set out we were Thursday at eight, we
have to watch this, you know, Sunday at this we'd
have to watch this. But now it's kind of like,
you know, well I'll I'll catch it tomorrow. Yeah, I mean,
and how does that.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Because can you actually register who's watching what shows?
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Because if you look at social media, the shows are hits,
but the shows that.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
Are hits that we love sometimes don't get renewed.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah, well, they talk about and they use words like
analytics and you know, algorithms and all of that to
really measure who's watching what, how much you how much
time you're watching something and all that, which is again
a testament to everyone who loves the Upshaws because we
stay in the top ten for so long even though
(25:47):
we're a half hour show and we only have you know,
like five episodes or four episodes or six episodes, and
so the idea that we are holding our own with
these brands and these titles that have you know, ten
episodes of one hour, that's you know, a lot more time,
and yet we're still you know, in the running with them.
(26:09):
So yes, they do have ways to monetize it and
monitor it. That's as far as I as I as
I know. In terms of the contracts though, yes, when
you see like people getting monetizing from like YouTube or
Google ads and things like that, so there are certain
(26:29):
contracts where they say okay, after a certain number of
minutes that are engaged or hours that are engaged, then
you know, you get a check or you get more
checks and things like that so they say that there's
you know, there there's a science to all of it.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
They never going to show you the real numbers though,
They're never going to show you all the analytics.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Well, you know, don't don't. Don't look behind the curtain
too hard.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
May is mental Health Awareness month.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
It's also my birthday month. But yes it is. Thank
you so very much, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
But yes it is a refreshed by KF. What is
that exactly? I heard you mentioned it earlier.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Yes, so refreshed by KF. Thank you for asking. That's
my wellness platform. It's my wellness brand. We do events,
we have retreats, we have one coming up in June,
and it's a space where for me, I needed to
be able to have wellness presented in a way that
for me, was accessible, that was attainable, sustainable. You know,
(27:31):
that didn't mean I had to eat just only green
foods and have no fun and you know, if I
didn't have my ankle and my you know neck and
wrapped up and all this stuff, that I'm not going
to be well. And I just felt like, well, that
can't be And I wanted to hear from people who
were either on wellness journeys or healing from different things,
(27:54):
or had different products and brands that weren't getting featured
in some of the more mainstream you know, wink wink,
mainstream area.
Speaker 6 (28:08):
You can't drop no hints in here.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Okay, but but but it's not a black brand. Refreshed
by KF is for literally every body. And so my job,
I feel like in the wellness space is I'm not
an expert. I don't have answers, but I'm standing next
to the man or next to the woman who does.
I'm able to set a table and provide meals. What
(28:36):
you choose to come and eat, that's on you. And
that's how I feel about the wellness space. So without retreats,
I do the same kind of thing where I curate it.
I personally cultivated the location, the spaces, the activities, activations,
all of that, the refreshing friends who are coming, and
just making sure the schedule, you know, because I just
(28:58):
start with what is it that I need? Because I
keep finding out that when I put out there, here's
what I need, Here's what I'm feeling, Here's what I'm thinking,
Here's what's on me. The masses are like yo, shit,
me do and it ends up becoming that type of
unique share, you know, and an environment in a safe space.
(29:18):
So that's refreshed by KF. We have live conversations now,
we have the IG conversations that started back in twenty twenty.
We have the retreats. We have of course social media,
the YouTube channel where we help you know, people find
their inner explorer. We shine light on different subcultures, not
(29:39):
just the murror people, but like mixologists, you know, and
just different places and spaces where you go, oh my gosh,
that's really interesting stories and people and experiences that maybe
inspire you to go you know what, I will. I
will get up ten minutes earlier and go walking, or
I will learn how to swim, or I will decide
(30:03):
to kayak for five minutes or whatever it may be.
That just helps people come out of their comfort zones
but deal with their well being. Our tagline is give
yourself permission to be well. As an actor, I'm always
finding how powerful it is when you give your self
permission to go there right, to be even funnier, to
be even more emotional, and you give yourself permission. And
(30:26):
that's always the catchphrase in acting. And I thought, well,
what if we open that up more in terms of
your well being, you know, and we also make sure
I truly am am the champion for making sure that
men and men's wellness is a big part of our platform.
So we have refreshments and the emmy n is you know,
(30:49):
more prominent, and it's to make sure that the fellas
know you are welcomed here and we will help you
cultivate your wellness journey as well.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Incredible where did they go to?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
The Yes So Refresh Retreat by KF dot com. That's
the website for the retreat and that also gives you
things like our store. We just dropped our first playlist
that I curated on Spotify and we again have Channel
Refresh on YouTube of course, refreshed by KF is the
(31:21):
ig and TikTok and social media, but basically using your
microphone and your platform to really impact in a different way.
And that's that's what I feel. People ask me about
legacy quite a bit, and I feel like, at some
point I want legacy for me not just to be
(31:42):
these great characters, but also these great experiences and this
great space that people feel like she helped me take
care of myself and not just with the gift of
laughter or the gift of being seen on television seeing
somebody that looked like me, but my literal wellness as well.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
You know, want to ask, because you brought up the
characters that you play, you played some iconic characters, like
that's rare for anybody.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
I don't get black, white.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Whatever, it's real you to have that type of success,
you know three different times. Was there ever a role
that you auditioned for or even turned down that that
became iconic with somebody else and you was like, damn,
I should have did that.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
No, okay, but but I do have a story in reverse.
So I got a call to h I got a
call to go in for storm for the X Men. Wow,
don't get happy, don't do it family. And so when
I got the call, I thought.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
What is helly?
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Don't what is she tripping?
Speaker 5 (32:46):
What?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Don't do that?
Speaker 4 (32:47):
Girl?
Speaker 3 (32:47):
But okay, one man's trash is another man's track. So
I'm like, okay. So I got my boots out and
my outfit and I was on white hair Listen. I
was ready to show them, only to find out that
the damn thing was for the animated series.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
It was like, oh, they probably like the way you
showed up.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
No I didn't. I didn't show up for that like that,
and yeah, so but yeah, no, that's that's all.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
Yeah, five of the up shows out on that season.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
Five.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
No, no, no, he's right. So they did this thing,
they did like a little test to see, you know,
calling it parts rather than seasons because they would drop
half and half and so, so they called it parts.
So it's part. I just say new episodes, new episodes,
and just you know, leave it at that.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Parts are usually for films.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
Listen, yes, volume six, Well check it out.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It's on Netflix right now. And we appreciate you for joining.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Us so much. Thank you for having me. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
All right, it's ken Fields, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning,
Wake that ass.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Up in the morning Club. Breakfast Club.
The Breakfast Club News
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