SmartLess - "Awkwafina"

Episode Date: March 1, 2021

We are joined this week by the wonderful Awkwafina. She happens to be an expert on the 1999 filmic masterwork: 'Love Stinks' and we're proud to explore these issues in-depth with her (amongst... other things). Listen folks, it's the first day of March and we're all super excited about it! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey everybody, this is SmartLess, it's a podcast with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and myself, Sean Hayes, and we, the, how the show works is there, there's a person that comes, like a guest that comes out. Well, one of us acts as a host. Slow down, slow down, man. I just feel, I just feel like you got a lot of like extra energy today and you just all, you're, you're all over the map. Just, okay, let me just finish then. So there's somebody comes, one of us acts as like the host and brings on somebody that the other two don't know about, like something like that. Yeah, that's great.
Starting point is 00:00:39 So it's a surprise, it's a surprise. Just, just say that, man. All right, or just listen to another episode. Hey, do you guys, you know, I'm doing my own laundry more often and a lot of times I'll forget like it's in there and it's got to be like, can you get the laundry and I'll forget it's in the dryer. So I have to fluff it up for like 20 minutes, like a half hour. So you can, so it's not so wrinkly, but then I forget to get it again. So then I have to the next day, do it again. Do you guys do that? You're becoming a fluffer is what you're saying.
Starting point is 00:01:24 I think that's basically, that's the headline right there. We got it. It's better than leaving your wash in the washer because then it smells like mold and shit. Yeah. And then you got to rewash it and that's a smell by the way, hang on, this is perfect for you, Will, you dirty hockey playing Canadian. There's a smell to hockey gear that is like clothes left in a washing machine that for some reason you guys get used to. How do you get used to that smell? I had to come in the side door with my hockey bag and it had to go straight down to the basement to the boiler room where the heater was because it couldn't be my mom's, it can't
Starting point is 00:02:00 be in a room with anything else other than the fucking, but it doesn't bother you though. It doesn't bother their hockey players. That's how do you get used to that? Cause it's a sense memory reminds you of the rink. You're rotten. It's reminds of the rink. Yeah. It does. But it also reminds me of camaraderie. It reminds me of being part of a team, being some part of something where I'm not just thinking about myself. It smells like an ass. Okay. Well, let me also just say this. I love listening to you two guys who don't do laundry on the reg, discussing how, oh
Starting point is 00:02:31 when you're out there just pinning stuff up on the line, right? Yeah, that's fair. Did I mention the magic people? Yeah, you got a team of them. All right. So let's, let's get on with the show. We've probably got an inpatient guest waiting. So this girl that we have on today is extraordinary. She kind of came on the scene like a thunderbolt and she's the first Asian-American who won a golden globe award for best actress. One of the funniest people out there today. A brilliant, brilliant actor. Yeah, we're going to see. It's Aquafina, everybody.
Starting point is 00:03:19 Oh, Aquafina. Hi, what's up? Well, listen, Aquafina, I wanted to have you on not only because I'm such a huge, huge, huge fan, but you're one of those people. And so are we, Will. Yes, so we all are. He's so rude. But you know, you know the premise of the show that each one of us, each episode acts as the host and we bring on a surprise guest. So I wanted you on, but we just all happen to be fans. But and you came on to the scene in such a huge way. I mean, your voice, your comedy, your attitude, all the stuff that you do, it's so fresh and
Starting point is 00:03:53 nobody's really kind of, you know, you just, it's just a breath of fresh air is in the, on the comedy scene. And I'm like one of the many who are like, who is this girl? Where does she come from? She's brilliant. But because from where I said, it all happened overnight, but we all know it took 12 years to become an overnight success. But is that how it feels for you? Or were you like, Jesus, God, it's about time. Yeah, that's, no, that's exactly how it feels. It felt like it happened overnight. And I think with that came a lot of other things, you know, like, it's not late, you know what I mean? Like, like it's not like, I think there's a lot of anxiety, a lot of self-doubt,
Starting point is 00:04:32 you know, been postures, like there's so much. Yeah, because you're kind of one of the, you're a quintessential example of a YouTube star. Yeah. Who got her, her fame and, and notice from YouTube and then transferred over to this massive Hollywood, brilliant actor. Is that true? So, so that was your first sort of foray was through self-generated, like stuff that you did? Yeah, yeah. I put out a video called My Vage when I was like, back in 2011. And it was an answer to my dick, right? My dick. Mickey Avalon's my dick. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:05:09 Can you give dum-dums like me a little refresher on what YouTube is? Is that, is that two words or is it one word? Oh, geez, that was so sweet. And Jason, Jason, the light's on on your phone. You keep switching the light on on your phone. He's so old. No, he is. So first of all, tell me about My Vage and then also what, what is a, what is a Vage? Is that a car? What is a Vage? Is that, is it a pet or is it, how do you spell it? It's a V-A-G. Uh-huh. So that's an acronym for?
Starting point is 00:05:45 Because it's a nickname. No, I know it a badger. So how, so is that a, was it a song? Was it a? It was a, yeah, it was a song. I, I started out as a rapper. So I, I did that one and got fired from my job because she, she had asked like what I did on my birthday and I told her I made a music video. And at that point she thought I was like this very meek assistant, which I was. And what kind of job assistant for what? It was for a, a, a, a seminary, a book club. A book club? Like a publisher. Um, yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:26 Okay. Yeah. In New York? In New York. And she fired you. Not a progressive publisher, I'm assuming. Yeah. I mean, they don't exist anymore. So like who cares? But, um, it was, I was also like a shitty assistant, you know. But I think it was the name of what it was called.
Starting point is 00:06:42 And she was like, be careful what you put on the internet. Uh-huh. You're like, no worries. I'm just putting out a video called My Vag. Yeah, I'll be fine with visuals. Yeah. Do you ever want to go back to being an assistant and just nail it? Yes and no.
Starting point is 00:06:56 I still don't have closure from being part of my job. I like it's like for real. No, but like you are, you're a very successful rapper. Like you sell albums and your YouTube rapping videos, like millions of people watch. I mean, it's crazy. Yeah. God damn it, I feel old.
Starting point is 00:07:13 Again, sorry. The YouTube, this is a, is it a TV? The YouTube, um, yeah, it's kind of like a TV. Yeah, within a computer. I gotta get, I gotta get up on the rap. Yeah, man. Damn it. You gotta download it.
Starting point is 00:07:27 You went from Nora Lum, which is your name, to Aquafina. Yes. And I know you're sick of talking about it, where the name come from, blah, blah, blah. And you hate people comparing it to bottled water, because that's a dumb joke. So we'll, we'll, we'll do that one later. He's working on it right now.
Starting point is 00:07:41 Why, wait, why have we designated me for that? I didn't even think about that old man. Again, you guys are so old. I'm way too young and hip. Wait, so Nora, Nora from Queens. What's the name of the show you're on? Grew up in Queens. Grew up in Queens.
Starting point is 00:07:57 Yeah. For reals. Okay. So Grew up in Queens. Born in Stony Brook, actually. Born in Stony Brook. Okay. Hey, hey, hey, Canada, Canada.
Starting point is 00:08:05 Try not to bond, don't bond with her over Stony Brook, okay? Hey, chill. I lived in New York for over 20 years. So I'm all right. I'm okay. So let me ask you this. So did you go to performing arts high school in New York? Yes.
Starting point is 00:08:17 You did? Yes. I thought I heard that. I thought I heard that rumor. Oh, cool. And how was that experience? It was good. I mean, I wasn't a good student.
Starting point is 00:08:25 I think, like, I played the trumpet, you know, and I think, I just didn't have the moxie for the trumpet, you know, like I was, you know, I just. Was that the track that you were on? Was it, was it a music, uh, uh. The trumpet track? Yeah. I don't even know what that track looks like.
Starting point is 00:08:41 I don't, I don't know why. I don't know what I was thinking. A lot of world beaters come out of that program. I think when you take the trumpet, I think that first year you just learned, and then second year they teach you how to be a junkie, don't they? Isn't that part of it?
Starting point is 00:08:52 Really? You have to, yeah, like Chet Baker, you just have to be coming junkie. Right, right, for sure. And it's tough. Because I think that that's, you know, it's hard to imagine, uh, where one goes with that, but, um, that's what I, that's what I loved.
Starting point is 00:09:06 Yeah, how did that, were you, were you working at the publishing house during that, or, um, or doing any other rapping yet? At that time, um, like in high school, or? That was in high school. Well, you know, you start, well, I started working at 10, I apologize. Yeah, yeah, so that's when I'm working.
Starting point is 00:09:21 Let me tell you something. Jason was supporting a family of eight by the time he was six. Okay, so he's not a good, they were like, Jason, go and act up on set, so they'll have to go into overtime, okay? You've seen Oliver Twist, yeah. Wait, so Aquafina and, and, and Nora Lum, which is, you know, it's fascinating that you created the name Aquafina.
Starting point is 00:09:43 For people who don't know, just explain where the name comes from. I've always been kind of very awkward. So it was, it's kind of a play on that, but they're really, you know, there's no story. I just thought it was, um. Aquafina. Ridiculous. Yeah. And then what's finer than being awkward.
Starting point is 00:09:59 Right, right. There you go. And what determines how you'll introduce yourself between Nora and Aquafina? Like, and when you're 95, will the nursing home call you Aquafina? I'm going to make them all call me Aquafina. Be like one of those situations. But, uh, I don't know. I think, um, you know, they're both obviously like a part of me. It's, it's a difficult situation.
Starting point is 00:10:22 I think, um, I'm not really at the point in my career where I can suddenly go by another name and people will kind of put that together. Right. What does your best friend call you? Um, I make them call me Aquafina. Uh, they, no, no, they call me Nora. They do? Yeah. They call me Nora. Yeah. Oh really? No one ever, they ever go Aqua for short?
Starting point is 00:10:43 Yeah. Or Q? Some people, yeah. Some people will just, you know, throw their own, not Q, but they'll throw their own pizzazz in there. Right. It's, uh, it's good. When you were growing up, you had a restaurant, your, your dad or your mom or your dad's Chinese, your mom's Korean.
Starting point is 00:11:03 Right. And who was it that owned the restaurant? My great grandpa. Oh, your great grandpa. Yeah. And how cool was that? Like, there was a lumps in my hometown. I can't imagine that was the same one. Where?
Starting point is 00:11:19 Glenna, Ellen, Illinois. Yeah. Did you enjoy it? No, no, we'll keep it in. Yeah, good question. Did you enjoy it, Sean? We never had the money to go. It was like a fancy restaurant. Here we go again.
Starting point is 00:11:35 Buckle up everybody. Get the violin. You play horn, I'll play violin. Uh, so, uh, Aquafina, sweet Nora. It's my daughter's middle name. I do love that name. Oh, that's good. Yeah. Not a lot of noras.
Starting point is 00:11:51 Oh, here we go. My dad left when I was about five and your mom left in a different way. She passed away when you were four. Yeah. So, a question I get a lot, which I like is how has that informed you
Starting point is 00:12:07 or your relationships or your work? Do you think that's informed you or affected you in what way? Uh, yeah. There's a softball. Yeah, yeah, it's starting to be easy. I'll give you an answer to this. Nice, Sean.
Starting point is 00:12:23 And a great transition too, Sean. Yeah, I'll give you guys a cliff-nosed version. Let's see, I'm asking these things I wouldn't, I want to know. Yeah. Because it affected me. Nah, I mean, it's a, it's a legit question. I think, um, I think it's, uh, taught me things like
Starting point is 00:12:39 humility, embarrassment, the feeling of being embarrassed for like adults, which is, is like a kind of a weird feeling, uh, to feel as a kid almost protecting adults for their own sorrow. Um, so like learning that.
Starting point is 00:12:55 But then, I think that, uh, it teaches you something about, um, just kind of like cruel realism about life. This is kind of like the cruelty of, of, and, and objectiveness of life. It's not, it just teaches you those lessons really young. And I think as a result,
Starting point is 00:13:11 you know, you can say that some develop humor out of it. Yeah, yeah. It's, uh, the ability to, you know, in those times see humor also, because I mean, how bad, how bad worse could it get? Right. And strength too, probably, right? A thicker skin. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I was going to say.
Starting point is 00:13:27 Did it give you that sort of that ability of like, fuck it. I mean, I've already been through so much I can handle anything. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, sure. I think it makes you tough, but I think for others, I think that there could be kind of not really good coping mechanisms. You know, we kind of, uh,
Starting point is 00:13:43 swallow it down so it comes up later in life, you know. But I think kids are a lot better at dealing with trauma than adults. I think they have a easier way of just shutting it off. But, you know, I also, I do believe that the best comedians do go through some
Starting point is 00:13:59 kind of, through something, you know? Yeah. I mean, how do you think it's shaped you, Sean? Almost exactly the same way. It made me, well, you know, my dad you know, left when I was about five and my mom raised all of us, but she was never around so it forced us to parent ourselves. How many siblings did you have?
Starting point is 00:14:15 Five. I have three older brothers and an older sister. And so, but it, um, yeah, it made me, it's fight or flight kind of feeling, you know, and, uh, and if, when you choose to fight, it's sometimes your best quality and sometimes your worst quality. Yeah. And, um,
Starting point is 00:14:31 and so both come out even to this day, you know, uh, Jason can attest to that. About the coming out? No, about the, uh, because that's what it sounded like you were saying. Okay, sure. I'm not ready to make an announcement on the podcast. Um, so, um,
Starting point is 00:14:47 It's not his place. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I get that. You know, one time when I was a kid, oh boy, and I haven't shared this. Oh shit. Here we go. A little bit of a music change. Get the audience ready to laugh. Yeah. One time we were supposed to go to, um, St. Bart's for spring break.
Starting point is 00:15:03 And, uh, there was no more room in first class. You guys had to fly in class. Oh man. Yeah, that's tough. How did that affect you? And, uh, and I've always been able to look back on that and reach for that. Sure. Yeah. You know, every time that's so beautiful. Every time I'm booking a flight.
Starting point is 00:15:19 No, no, not in my career. I'm just saying every time I book a flight, I always think about that book an extra seat. So in case what did you think I was? This is insane. Sorry. No, I'm with you now. But I will say, so Akofi, I don't know about your experience, but Sean, you do
Starting point is 00:15:35 you do talk a lot about your family and your origin and all of that and your upbringing. It is such a huge part of obviously of who you've become and all of us do. Jason, you talk about it too. We laugh about you being a child and we all do have
Starting point is 00:15:51 our own experiences and you're younger than we are. Can you feel like you're in it right now and can you feel yourself drawing on those experiences like as it's happening? Because I feel like I reflect now more, I guess because I'm getting older. Well, you also got
Starting point is 00:16:07 those two boys, three boys wait, four. Four total. Four boys running. Three boys in a step son. So that's a mirror in front of you all the time and Sean and Akofi, do you guys having sort of a challenging
Starting point is 00:16:23 upbringing or an atypical upbringing, does it make you more or less want to be a parent? I was going to ask the same thing especially with the loss of your mom at such a young age, does it make you want to be a mom? I mean it gives me more
Starting point is 00:16:39 trepidation about what that experience might be like, I think. That's fair. I think the funny thing about success and doing what you're able to do that seems like a gift because what we do is
Starting point is 00:16:55 we're so lucky to be able to do what we do and I think when you enter that you forget a lot about your childhood and the things that you grew up kind of missing or being resentful over and then I think you convince yourself it's all good I'm successful, this is great
Starting point is 00:17:11 but then it will come back and it'll be, for me it's like now at a point where I don't want it to be crippling, you know what I mean? So it's like things come back for sure. This is going to sound like a crazy question
Starting point is 00:17:27 but because I don't want to have kids and from the answer you just gave it kind of sounds like you're more leaning towards that so then are you an animal person? Like do you dog's cats and all that? Or no? Yeah, I have a cat in that house, yeah. Okay, take care.
Starting point is 00:17:43 You don't like cats? No, I like cats. I'm a huge, huge, huge dog. Oh. But I like cats. Do you get to travel with them? No, they don't want to come with me. Yeah. But you'll travel with your cat, I'm hearing, yeah?
Starting point is 00:17:59 Once, yeah. We had given him like cat Xanax but he's like 35 pounds so... Do you have any leftover? No, it's a long gone. You've got a mountain lion at 35 pounds. He's a big boy. He's very, very large
Starting point is 00:18:15 and so we, he gave him the cat Xanax and on the flight his eyes were wide open and then he like, I was like, oh, is he sleeping now? Wide open and then he had shat and it was
Starting point is 00:18:31 it was miserable. It was miserable. Wait a minute. He shat in his cage. He had shat in his carrier because we didn't give him food so the Xanax would hit harder but then we gave it the Xanax to him in a treat and when we did
Starting point is 00:18:47 all of his treats came out so he basically ate all of his treats and then pooped on the plane. When they come out, they're not treats. I will say that. It's just normal. I had a next girlfriend once we traveled with the cat, same thing happened and I just
Starting point is 00:19:03 I'd swap seats with somebody else. You just give up at some point. It's terrible. All right, so then Aquafina between music and acting and comedy stand up and all that. Would you ideally like to continue
Starting point is 00:19:19 sort of a blend of all those things or would you like to transition to kind of have one dominate your career? I never really had a plan. Music is something that I do all the time. What's what I like doing is making beats, making music and stuff so that'll never leave
Starting point is 00:19:35 but I think I don't really know about the other stuff. I feel like you were about to say music's my passion. You backed off it and said it's what I like to do. Is that true? Yeah, it is true because then I heard myself that and I thought about the tattoo that I have.
Starting point is 00:19:51 Passion is a tough word coming out, yeah. Believe me, I know that feeling. I'd say it all the time because Jason always describes himself as an artist and I was like gross, dude. Gross. Guys, I just like to tell stories, you know, just a storyteller. He has a big comedy tragedy masks on his back tattoo.
Starting point is 00:20:07 He can't tell the difference between them apparently. I had a director tell me one time and he'll probably listen to this and know it's him and then he'll but he's never hired me anyway, so what the hell do I care? And he said, you know, and I decided somebody said to me, you're a storyteller.
Starting point is 00:20:23 You need to be telling stories and I'm like, excuse me, one second, I've got to barf everything I've ever eaten in my life. There's always a friend that tells you that when they've given up on advice to give you and that's like how they'll end it.
Starting point is 00:20:39 So if you're a storyteller, you just tell stories. Okay, I got it. But it's fair to say that music is, you are passionate about your music. That's okay. I am because I had to like really learn like music and spend a lot of hours like
Starting point is 00:20:55 getting better at it and I guess it should be the same for acting but you know, that it just with comedy stuff, it's like I didn't have to, you know, study that. It just kind of is what it is. And so acting is obviously
Starting point is 00:21:11 what I'm getting is you kind of just fell into acting. You didn't really pursue it, kind of pursued you. I mean, is that I mean, it was a mutual I think, you know, but I mean, did you actively wake up ambitiously pursuing an acting career? No, no, not at all. I think
Starting point is 00:21:27 I woke up ambitiously pursuing anything that would like pay rent. Right. Where are you finding most of your opportunities now? Is it acting or is it music? I mean, I haven't I haven't made music in a minute. I think I'm still kind of I have to find out like
Starting point is 00:21:43 who I am now as an artist. I think that's been put on hold because I've been doing a lot. A lot of it is in movies and stuff right now. And are you happy with that? Is that where you want to keep it pointed? You said that you didn't really have a plan. Do you have a plan now or do you kind of like not
Starting point is 00:21:59 having a plan and things seem to be working out great, not having a plan or being overly strategic or anything like that. There's something to be said for that. For sure. I think it's a little bit of both. I really enjoy that. I enjoy making movies. It's
Starting point is 00:22:15 what I love doing and it's cool because it affords me time to do music and to have that also. And so do you feel like being what politicians like to call a minority
Starting point is 00:22:31 and a woman and all of those things that you do feel like you have to approach everything from a place of I'll show you or are you like fuck it and I'm just going to enjoy it and that fight doesn't run that deep for you. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:22:47 There's not a lot of people like me that I grew up with and that's not even to say that to idolize but literally to see what happened with them. And I think in that way whatever we're doing right now
Starting point is 00:23:03 in the beginning you meet a person like me and you don't understand what kind of person that is and I think or what to do with that person or what to do with that person and as that person
Starting point is 00:23:19 if you don't have a roadmap of what has happened with other people you don't know and so in a lot of ways a lot of this generation of Asian-American and other minorities that are coming out right now they're pioneering something
Starting point is 00:23:35 and they're going to get all of that to make it easier for the next generations. And so do you feel like you have to be self-generating then? You have to create your own projects because they're not coming to you or? Well I think that's always every person should have a self-generating aspect to their work.
Starting point is 00:23:51 You don't want to be the person that's like sitting around waiting for a call you want to be able to do that and you don't want to lose that but yeah I think as a minority it's that you just don't know what box you would fit into either. Right, right. So then what tell us about
Starting point is 00:24:07 your to the extent you're comfortable or interested about your experience being a minority in a place like New York City did you find it, did you feel fortunate that you were in a city that is as much of a melting pot as New York is I mean I imagine you didn't have anything to compare it to
Starting point is 00:24:23 but I would imagine it would be easier there than some other sort of you know less progressive place in the United States. The thing about New York City is you don't feel like the minority there because like I had trouble
Starting point is 00:24:39 grasping xenophobia and certain kinds of things like that when I was a kid because how is that possible when the world looks like the way that it does and I also think that there is something about New York that forces you to grow up a little quicker
Starting point is 00:24:55 you know. So do you then feel that you were exposed to sort of that prejudice and that racism there that did you feel that xenophobia was present there or not present? Was that what you were saying? Xenophobia was definitely present through my childhood in terms of
Starting point is 00:25:11 like I mean I think there was this Asian American writer that said Asian Americans are kind of united by the discrimination that they went through going up like a lot of Asian Americans are the Qing Zhang and like the thighs things and I grew up with that but
Starting point is 00:25:27 I also know that I would also like prove people wrong in the sense that I am not going to be the Asian girl that you think I am when I open my mouth when I start talking and so like you know when I have road rage for instance and they think they just you know I roll down
Starting point is 00:25:43 my window and like start screaming and they're just like a look of horror and I think in that moment they're changed. I love that. It's just always a yeah. Do you feel pressure from the Asian American community then to be like a spokesperson for them and you know is that
Starting point is 00:25:59 something you embrace or do you feel more like that it's an obligation or none of those things? I think when artists first start out they want to be themselves you know they want to be the artist, the storyteller you know but you owe something to your community regardless because you are representing them.
Starting point is 00:26:15 Like I've said this I'll be on my deathbed and my dying breath will be I didn't want to represent Asians and I would still be representing them in that moment you know so it's like it's a responsibility that I take seriously. And they're like what's that Nora?
Starting point is 00:26:31 And you're like call me Aquafina. I'm like it's Aquafina bitch. By the way go back to the rap thing because I think people who don't know you from that but know you from your movies and by the way I think I've seen every movie you've ever been in.
Starting point is 00:26:47 Yeah I just think and the farewell you were just no wonder you won that Golden Globes. That was unbelievable incredible performance yeah just amazing. But going back to the rapping thing because a lot of people who you know you from movies like wait she was a rapper
Starting point is 00:27:03 and what were your influences what made you want to get into rap like what was the person or the situation or the thing that you're like yeah that's really cool I'm really drawn to that. I mean I grew up in Queens listening to that and you know I had a love affair with it
Starting point is 00:27:19 when I was growing up I worshiped DJ Herc Cool Herc you know DJ Rashad I loved producers J Dilla I was really into like the old MPCs the Akai's into that and when I was in high school
Starting point is 00:27:35 and I think you know I was mentally depressed hip hop was a music that I loved and that spoke to me I listened to people under the stairs Tribe Called Quest and it was a genre that I loved and I think when it
Starting point is 00:27:51 in terms of when it became like my vag and stuff I she said with a straight face I was making beats and you know I wanted to do a response to my dick I mean I you know to this day I still make beats
Starting point is 00:28:07 it's what I love. I love that I love that. What a sentence Yeah When it's read back in court it's going to be incredible What did she say? The stenographer is like my badge my dick
Starting point is 00:28:25 so the fact that you are an Asian American raised by your grandmother who you've called your best friend which I love because I love my grandmother so much and taking the journey from America to China and then you get
Starting point is 00:28:41 a script handed to you about that exact same thing called the farewell and you were amazing do you ever feel like do you ever feel like oh shit well that relationship between a girl and a grandmother is just a slice of who I am but I wonder if Hollywood is like
Starting point is 00:28:57 done with me now because that's the thing they see as my life offering you know do you feel like you now have to create your own things going forward And not just that when you read that were you prepped did you know what you were getting into or did you read it and go
Starting point is 00:29:13 were you like holy shit holy shit holy shit as you went Yeah Sean you just brought up a really interesting point I didn't I never thought of it like that for me it felt like really auspicious that I couldn't believe that
Starting point is 00:29:29 this even exists and I definitely felt unprepared for it I knew that like this I've never done this before I just started acting right but I felt a connection to it and like this this kind of preconceived notion that I
Starting point is 00:29:45 could do this even though I don't think I have the skills right now I could because I feel I feel it right you know and it was one of those really rare things that's like you know the two connections it's like right because the thing that Hollywood loves to do is the second they find
Starting point is 00:30:01 especially if you're a minority Asian Latin African-American whatever it is and you find that thing they go oh they did that great let's find somebody else now because they check that box for life for them you know
Starting point is 00:30:17 a lot of people who do their like you know their film of their life story okay well you can't top that so then and then the artist is left going like oh well how do I figure this out again in Hollywood like how do I figure out my new now to move forward with other
Starting point is 00:30:33 roles because a lot of those people will just see me as that one thing yeah yeah well do you like that part about acting the whole sort of concept of pretending to be different people does is that what excites you about about acting kind of morphing into different kinds of
Starting point is 00:30:49 characters yeah yeah I like that about it all of it and I think for this stuff that the farewell the kind of the heavier stuff it's it's a different it really is a trend I'm not going to sound like one of those assholes
Starting point is 00:31:05 but it is a transformative experience like it's like deeply emotional it does have to do with like your past a lot of those things are present in something that normally what I was doing was just you know straight comedy so there's an aspect of fun but there's not
Starting point is 00:31:21 kind of like that you know your insights are involved in it and so that was an interesting thing and there is something that's like holy shit is this am I going to is this really bad like is this horrible you know and all of those doubts and those fears which I
Starting point is 00:31:37 think you need you know yeah yeah for sure it helps it yeah and you know you just have accomplished so much so fast it seems like you're just a massively successful talented
Starting point is 00:31:53 actor rapper writer producer what do you want to do what's left that you're like I still haven't conquered blank yeah where would you love to be in five years if you could if you could write it out I think photography you know really
Starting point is 00:32:09 no we were ready oh you guys are so dumb I did not for the record I did not say really my my eyebrows are really high really that's so horrible but I will say this so like you and Sean's right
Starting point is 00:32:25 I mean you have done it's incredible it almost kind of makes your head spin how much you've done in such a short amount of time in so many different areas of the arts Nora from Queens you made that a couple did you make that a couple years ago five years ago
Starting point is 00:32:41 five years ago is when we first yeah when you first did it and is that over now or are you continuing we're going into season two yeah you are we're going to make more and you like that experience making that show I do it's interesting
Starting point is 00:32:57 it's my life and it was one of my first executive producer jobs so there's a lot involved with that obviously but yeah it's my own so it feels different so you're going into season two and it's your own and it feels very personal and
Starting point is 00:33:13 is that something you would want to keep making it do you see that five years that you're doing season five of Nora from Queens I I'm not counting that out I think everything has a natural course I'm not going to force people to watch something that no one wants to watch if that's the case
Starting point is 00:33:29 I will it's so great you're so great so Aquafita what are you an introvert like me where you've got your PJs on at four o'clock in the afternoon or do you like to what do you do today do you go out a lot
Starting point is 00:33:45 or do you stay in and do a bunch of writing and a bunch of thinking and reading and what type of person are you in or out I mean well today I actually went to the Grove and I had Venice Beach went to a buffet come on no none of those
Starting point is 00:34:01 things are allowed I'm an extrovert and introvert I felt I definitely went crazy a little bit in this thing I realized I probably am not the person that I'd want to be quarantined with you don't like being inside all the time
Starting point is 00:34:17 you like to get out and socialize because that's what essentially it is yeah I like to stay at home and and watch movies and stuff oh I like that I actually just saw you remember Love Stinks Jason
Starting point is 00:34:33 oh god what are you doing here's that we do need things to cut out this is good keep going okay okay yeah where this part can go oh man this is I know a lot of weird
Starting point is 00:34:49 facts about that movie because I owned it growing up and I had the director's cut so I actually literally listened to Bridget Wilson and the director do the director's cut talking about all the little gaffes like there was like this bottle of liquor that was always there I know weird things about that movie I've seen
Starting point is 00:35:05 that movie thousands of times are you kidding me yeah french Stewart man Chris I love that movie come on a little it's a little it doesn't age well for sure and I had this big stupid long sheep hurt her hair it was lit you were awesome with a Hawaiian
Starting point is 00:35:21 shirt or something guys it's a it's a real treat to take a look at it's really I'll take it I'll check that out Jason shines it's yeah it should be known that I have Jason knows this I have a pristine copy of Teen Wolf 2 on DVD at my house
Starting point is 00:35:37 and for some reason I've showed you some reason I was I was Teen Wolf 2 but it's Teen Wolf TOO it's Teen Wolf also it's not a sequel god damn it no he's a Teen Wolf 2 and
Starting point is 00:35:53 so I have this copy as well it's on my dresser and for some reason it's on my dresser so I look at it every day why I see this I don't know why don't you change your dresser do it move stuff around for Christ's sake
Starting point is 00:36:09 Aquafina you've not seen Teen Wolf 2 she's not aware if you've seen Teen Wolf 1 she's very young Aquafina we used to play in a card game and Shawn used to play in it too the three of us used to this is we're going back a while now at least 15 years we used to play Tuesday nights
Starting point is 00:36:25 at this guy Kyle Gass's house oh well you know Tenacious oh you know Kyle it's Kyle Gass and Jack Black's yeah so Shawn actually Shawn if you remember Shawn came in the first night and did really well like one like just like oh man
Starting point is 00:36:41 he just kept going down and he won and then he never won again like the worst thing you could do he didn't really come back that often did he after that he just took his winnings he started losing he was like I'm just losing like Texas Holden is poker and so this is like 15 years ago so
Starting point is 00:36:57 so then but Kyle gave Jason the name of T-Dub T-Dub and every time the bet was to Jason or anything Kyle they knew each other Kyle would go T-Dub you win
Starting point is 00:37:13 I miss playing cards so much I know that was fun wasn't that fun let's talk about the weed so you like to smoke joints smoke bongs chew on gummies or a little combination of each sorry one second before you answer that Aquafina just know Jason nobody's smoking
Starting point is 00:37:29 bongs anymore this is 79 it's not fast times wait a second now in my youth there was a real ceremony buying a new bong about every
Starting point is 00:37:45 three weeks me and the fellas every three weeks it was so fun those big huge like hundred dollar bongs with five chambers and let's chop up some ice and oh so are you
Starting point is 00:38:01 ripping bongs Aquafina no you have a bong in that house right now I guarantee you do there's a bong in the house stupid will now are you using that bong I've been using a volcano see that's a whole new level
Starting point is 00:38:17 what is that it's made by this German brand and it's called stores and bickle this brand and it's in a volcano and then you take this plastic bag and it vaporizes all of the things and then
Starting point is 00:38:33 you put the plastic bag over your head think about your life a little bit exactly cry bag over your head so the bag expands with smoke and then you throw your face inside the bag
Starting point is 00:38:49 or do you make a little hole there's like an actual it looks like the top of a water bottle and what they call it is it's weed on tap so so when the volcano is not available your next best stop is
Starting point is 00:39:05 you like to roll your own joints you consider yourself a good joint roller tinctures usually that's like an oil guys what is a tincture it's just like a little droplet of it's like an oil like a little dropper
Starting point is 00:39:21 put it under your tongue it's a terrible name Jason is fascinated with how people consume their weed and he always asks first of all bongs and secondly he wants to know if people are rolling does he open with the bongs? and then he wants to know who's rolling
Starting point is 00:39:37 their own joints well that's something I used to love I used to love to roll I consider myself a very good joint roller and I do enjoy a bong I think the bongs are pretty amazing they will get kicked over
Starting point is 00:39:53 by the guy who smoked a little too much so you gotta put it up on the table don't put it on the floor you're a great parent put that on the table now the benefit of a bong because I think I did one once a long time ago you just need one hit and that's
Starting point is 00:40:09 you're good, you're good to go for a long time well the water cools the smoke so it's smoother I think you can inhale a lot what's that doctor excuse us everybody quiet in the back look at the scientist
Starting point is 00:40:25 here what I need you to do you need to go and smoke weed with Sean because Sean is like a one hit wonder he takes half a hit of weed and he is calls his mom immediately
Starting point is 00:40:41 he's been dead for years great, dead mom jokes well that's awesome at the beginning of the podcast I stole his joke breathe the room that's a joke there's never been a better topic
Starting point is 00:40:57 to end on than weed let's do it I'm down, let's do it Sean you don't have to ask me twice I'm so down for that and by the way perfect way to kill quarantine time but I'm so happy and we are so happy
Starting point is 00:41:13 to finally meet you it's been so, so, so long thanks, same Sean thank you thank you for representing an underserved and overlooked minority in this country and doing it in such a beautiful, thoughtful
Starting point is 00:41:29 funny, talented way so you're just brilliant thanks Sean, really nice to meet you guys I want to get a little too high and watch Love Stinks with you and get a little paranoid and secure we can rip a bong that's nice
Starting point is 00:41:45 I love watching young people be nice to a boomer it's great to meet you Aquafina and thank you for saying yes to sitting and talking with us bye honey bye guys you guys embarrassed me
Starting point is 00:42:01 you guys embarrassed me what a nice charming and funny and kind yeah, no, she's great and by the way unless I got it wrong, we'll fact check it but I think to be the first
Starting point is 00:42:19 Asian American lead actress to ever win a Golden Globe ever? that's crazy and to have so quickly have her star rise and to watch it, I feel like I'm watching myself she's got this big show
Starting point is 00:42:35 she's got all this stuff going on and I follow her on Instagram she's constantly working and you'd think watching a film like Love Stinks would have torpedoed any sort of creative instinct she had going forward but she's so strong she can watch stuff like that and a performance by me like that
Starting point is 00:42:51 and still carry on and deliver Golden Globe quality work you know? what year was Love Stinks? I don't remember, I poured cement over the whole no I think it was maybe early 90s I gotta check
Starting point is 00:43:07 anyway, it was fun it's fun to look at like any old pictures when I say pictures, I don't mean films I mean like photos you will not refer to films as pictures if you ever hear me say I did a wonderful picture
Starting point is 00:43:23 it touched me hard in the face we were working on a picture and I'm going to ways back now what about when you say oh we did a wonderful wrote a wonderful piece we did it in a great space or the other way sometimes when you hear
Starting point is 00:43:39 there are certain affected American actors who go well of course for me the cinema is like hey man you lived in Paris for 18 months fuck off hey what kind of science classes did you guys take in high school did anybody take like
Starting point is 00:43:55 chemistry or what hang on a second I gotta put my neck in traction bye melody oh melody smart wise smart
Starting point is 00:44:13 music

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