About three weeks ago, Joseph Babineaux at Lisa Sorensen Public Relations, asked if I would be interested in interviewing Niecy Nash. Now, I can't tell a lie, so I was like, "Who da heck is Niecy Nash?" First, he said that she's the host of Clean House. Okay, I was still clueless. But when he said, "Niecy's one of the stars of RENO…," I rudely interrupted him and screamed, "Officer Raineesha Williams from RENO 911!, or Auntie Benita on The Bernie Mac Show!" "Yes, that's Niecy Nash."
Now that I had a familiar face to go with an unfamiliar name, I immediately jumped at the chance to interview this very funny lady, with a very down-home soul! I'm embarrassed to admit that if any of the public relations reps ever find out just how long my interviews really are, they'll stop sending their clients my way because these interviews turn more into a gab-fest. In fact, at one point Niecy [I can call her that because we have become fast friends] had to hide in her closet to finish our interview.
If you look up "Keepin' it real" in the dictionary, you'll see Niecy Nash's smiling face with a caption saying, "What’s cracking y’all?"
Cass:
Hi Niecy!
Niecy:
Hi Ms. Cassandra! How are you honey?
Cass:
Gurrrrrllll, first off, let me tell you I LOVE YOU! I just love your spirit and every time I see you on television, I always say, "That gurl is laugh out loud funny!" Besides, Niecy you have to be very special because I emailed Joseph earlier and told him, "You know what, I'm missing the final episode of The Apprentice to do this interview because I really love you."
Niecy:
Ahhhh, Thank you! I really appreciate that I trumped Donald Trump. That's pretty good.
Cass:
Can I call you Lola?
Niecy:
[Laughing]. It's funny that you would say that because as we speak, my grandmother from St. Louis is here at my house visiting. When I go back home, that's what they call me, Lola. So yeah, you're right on time with that.
Cass:
I was a big Lola Falana fan too, but I knew I couldn’t sing or dance so I had to change my career goals.
Niecy:
For me, it was more visual. Since I was five years old, I watched The Young and Restless with my grandmother. One day the soap operas didn't come on and Lola Falana came out and it was the first time I had ever seen a black woman look like that on television. Grant it, she wasn't the first black woman on television but she was the first one I saw. I was like, "Oh my God," and I looked at my grandmother and I told her, "That's what I want to do." She said, "What baby?" -- "Be on TV and be black and fabulous!"
Cass:
At five, did you know you were black?
Niecy:
In St. Louis, I knew. My parents sent me to an integrated school, so I found out real quick.
Cass:
So where do you call home, St. Louis or Los Angeles?
Niecy:
I double dip. I call both places home. In my formative years, from 1 to maybe age 8, I lived in St. Louis, and then back and forth to visit.
Cass:
Have you ever met Lola Falana?
Niecy:
Never. I pray before they throw dirt on my face and I go home to be with the Lord, it will happen.
Cass:
If you did meet Lola, what would be the first thing you’d tell her?
Niecy:
I think I would probably tell her that to an extremely large degree, that I am what I am because she inspired me. I guess at the end of the day if I could encapsulate it, that's exactly what Lola really did -- Inspire me.
Cass:
That's really powerful and I truly hope you get to meet her. Is Niecy short for something else, or is that your real name?
Niecy:
I never tell people this, but...
Cass:
I can keep a secret.
Niecy:
Okay, I'll tell you. I was born [confidential information]. My family members called me Niecy ever since I can remember. I married my husband, whose last name is Nash. So I had been called Niecy for so long, and when I decided to become an actor, I ran into a hiccup because they would say, "We're booking Niecy Nash for this job." But when the paperwork had to be done in order for me to get paid, I had to tell them, "Oh no, that's the wrong name. Can you make the check out to [confidential information]." What I decided to do, before I really got heavily into working, I changed everything. At the end of the day when the manifestation comes, that's the name [Niecy Nash] I want to see on the check, because I feel more comfortable with this name.
Cass:
How old are you?
Niecy:
[Laughing]. You know what? Nobody has ever asked me that.
Cass:
I was curious because I read that you have three children and you look so young. Okay, then how old are they?
Niecy:
I'm 35, and my kids are 13, 10 and 5.
Cass:
What's your sign?
Niecy:
That's a pick-up line. Are you trying to pick me up?
Cass:
[Laughing].
Niecy:
Pisces.
Cass:
That explains your kind of quirky personality.
Niecy:
[Laughing]. You think I'm quirky?
Cass:
Yeah. A couple of my good friends are Pisces. They're real talented in the sense of their sense of humor, but then they get really melancholy.
Niecy:
Ahhhhh, my husband would probably agree with you on that.
Cass:
I don't know if it's because of the highs and lows of depression, but the melancholy aspect seems to balance out their extremely funny side.
Niecy:
For the most part, I have to say for me, I'm pretty consistent. I'm the same. Who I am on my home make-over show is more of who I am.
Cass:
I figured that.
Niecy:
With my other jobs, I know it’s not the character Raineesha Williams from RENO 911! or Auntie Benita from The Bernie Mac Show that people are drawn to. It's because of what I do on Clean House that people feel like they can walk up to me off the street and hug me and don't know me from a can of paint.
Cass:
How did you get hooked up with Clean House?
Niecy:
Clean House is a hot mess, and I love it! I actually went to the network to pitch something that I created, and they were like, "Yeah, no. We don't want your idea but we want you. I was like, "To do what?" It was something they had already given the green light to start production on. So my pitching session to them ended up being them pitching this show to me. I loved the idea so I said, "Let's to it." In fact, my family was just watching it.
Cass:
Unfortunately, I don't get the Style Network, so I've never seen your show.
Niecy:
I'll have to send you a tape because gurrrrlll, when I tell you it's a hot mess, I mean it. Everybody has clutter for different reasons. We did a home makeover for a man who was one of 20 children. He was a horder and on the surface you ask, "What is all this foolishness?" But as you look a little deeper into that persons background other things are revealed. It's kind of like we deliver them not only from the literal clutter that's right there in the home, but we deliver them from out of the cycle of amassing more clutter.
Cass:
So you're also purging souls?
Niecy:
Right. We had a man on the show whose mother died and he kept everything she ever owned. He packed his stuff on top of her stuff because he felt if he threw her stuff out, he was throwing out the memories of his mother.
Cass:
Honey, my daddy is really Fred Sanford. He has garage sales [really garbage sales] every couple of months. There is so much junk in my parent's house, I really want to go over there with a truck and get rid of all that junk. My dad always says, "Somebody's junk, is somebody's income!" That's all find and dandy now, but when he dies, I'm not going to be stuck with all his money-making junk.
Niecy:
Girl, let me tell you. I just did my mother's house for my show. I had to tell her, "Moooooottttthhher, Gurl, you know I love you. But if you drop dead today, I would be better off to come over here and light a match and keep it moving. If you love me, please don't make me pick through all this stuff!"
Cass:
[Laughing]. I hear ya girl. I might have to put the fire department on notice before I torch their house. Do you have a clean house, or what has Clean House helped you to do to stay organized?
Niecy:
Oh yes, I have a clean house. I'm like everybody else who has that drawer in the kitchen with junk in it. But, for the most part though, I feel like that show has actually shown me a formula. With respect to Clean House, I don't actually do the labor.
Niecy:
I have an organizer and a designer. I do as little as possible. I show up and I try to look fabulous. In terms of being the host, I'm the Dr. Phil of Clean House. I figure if I'm going to labor and toil over anything, it's going to be at my own house and running behind my own kids. I walk people through their foolishness, but I'm not hands-on. You understand what I'm saying.
Cass:
I gotcha. Are people really that dirty, or is it filth as opposed to clutter?
Niecy:
Oh yeah! There was one woman’s house we cleaned, where she had open cans of cat food. She just put opened cans of food on the dresser and just let the cats eat out of them. There was one room in the back of her house that there was not one inch of the entire floor you could even walk on.
Cass:
That’s tragic.
Niecy:
We had to help her through it, but what are you going to do? That’s not even the tip of the iceberg. There was another man’s house we were cleaning out, and in the top of his closet and we discovered a collection of transvestite baby dolls.
Cass:
[Screaming]. Oh Lawd, noooo!
Niecy:
At that point, I had to say to the crew, “Can you turn off the camera?” I looked at him and said, “You knew we were coming, right?
Cass:
Do you think he did it on purpose for shock treatment?
Niecy:
I don’t know, but I don't think he remembered they were up there.
Cass:
What’s the show’s mission?
Niecy:
We go into a home and pull out all the homeowner’s clutter, then we organize it to be sold at a yard sale, which we also host. We then match the proceeds of the yard sale, up to $1,000, then we reinvest it into the homeowner’s property by redecorating two rooms and one area.
Cass:
How long is the show?
Niecy:
It’s a one-hour show.
Cass:
In terms of keeping your own house clean and organized, are there any perks? Do they come to your house and help you do things?
Niecy:
I wish they would because I would welcome it in a heartbeat. But no, they haven’t been to my house yet. Honestly, what it has really done, it has inspired my children.
Cass:
How?
Niecy:
They watch the show and they get ideas on how to keep their things together in their rooms or how to sort things out by like items. They’ll be like, “Mama look. This is a clean house!”
Cass:
That’s excellent. Parents should really get their kids to watch your show, especially if it results in kids’ rooms being clean.
Niecy:
That’s a plan!
Cass:
How long have you been married?
Niecy:
14 years.
Cass:
Honey that is fabulous.
Niecy:
Not without a hiccup, because we took a two-year hiatus. Somewhere between year 7 and 8 we were in divorce court.
Cass:
But you both found your way back to each other.
Niecy:
Right. So there you have it!
Cass:
My aunt and uncle were divorced for 8-years, but then they got back together and they’ve been married for 55 years.
Niecy:
WOW!
Cass:
How does your husband keep you grounded in terms of working in this industry?
Niecy:
I don’t think he has to. I think I would have to credit two things that keep me grounded. One is my relationship with the Lord. I don’t take it lightly because I'm living my dream every single day! And for that, I’m grateful. It’s hard to be brand new and grateful at the same time. That’s the first thing.
Cass:
Amen!
Niecy:
The second thing is when a lot of my peers were living in studio apartments and eating Top Ramen, and carrying on with this, that and the other, I was at home having babies. Taking care of other people and having to be solely responsible for them or them being completely dependent upon me, it’s just hard to be brand new with that when you’re the only one walking into an audition with all three of your kids.
Cass:
What did you tell your kids when you had to take them on auditions?
Niecy:
“Don’t move, and if the director looks at you, just smile pretty.” When I would go into the room, they would say, “Wez ‘pose ta wait for you right here?” and I would tell them, “That’s right babies.”
Cass:
[Crackin' UP].
Niecy:
In addition to that, it has been one of my biggest blessings in this business because the superficial things that people put on, I haven’t put it on. I think when I enter a room, people sense my realness.
Cass:
I agree. I got that sense just from watching you on television.
Niecy:
Certain people enter a room so phony, with their fake boobs hanging all out, “Hi everyone. How are you?” I just walk in, with my gap in my teeth saying, “What’s cracking? How y’all doing?
Cass:
I can relate to that.
Niecy:
Or, if my kids tore up the lobby, because I didn’t have a babysitter, I'll ask, “Y’all got a sitter?” You know what I’m saying?
Cass:
[Laughing]. Keeping it totally real!
Niecy:
Amen, because I could pay my rent that month.
Cass:
Along with your God-given talents as well as your love for the Lord, has anyone ever told you that you look like Vickie Winans, and can you sing?
Niecy:
You know what, I have heard that before, that we favor. In fact, my husband directed an acapella ensemble for about 6 or 7 years, and I used to sing in his ensemble. But honey, whatever I was singing, I NEVER came close to singing like Vickie Winans. I would be happy if they just let me carry her bags.
Cass:
With all of this going on in your life, two shows [Clean House, RENO 911], how do you relax?
Niecy:
[Laughing]. Relax? What's that?
Cass:
Well, do you relax?
Niecy:
Gurrrl, if I’m in between doing something, I’ll relax in my trailer. If I’m not at work, relaxing to me is like lying down on the couch with my husband watching television. We are Law & Order whores. Or we Tivo something we really like, like American Idol, that’s as close to relaxing as I get.
Cass:
Do you have any favorite reality shows?
Niecy:
Because there are four other people in my household, everybody needs something. So I watch American Idol with my husband, and then I watch America’s Next Top Model with my 10-year old.
Cass:
Since you watch those shows and if you didn’t host Clean House, would you want to have your own reality show?
Niecy:
I’m not opposed to reality shows. If fact, when I went to the network, I was pitching a reality show. I know some actors are like, “Oh my gawd reality TV is taking over everything.” But in a way, I think reality TV has helped actors because America has fallen in love with people that they don’t know from a can of paint.
Cass:
But it’s also the type of television programs you’re almost embarrassed telling folks you watch.
Niecy:
Exactly. But when you do start watching it, you start falling in love with the people in the house on Big Brother, or you fall in love with the people who you are rooting for on America’s Next Top Model. What ends up happening is that it opens the door for people who may not be as famous or recognizable.
Cass:
What was your goal and point in pitching a reality show?
Niecy:
My point wasn’t so much that reality TV is hot, it was that I’m really a girls, girl. I love hair and make-up, lashes and push-up bras. My motto is, “A little bit of make-up and a little bit of hair ain’t never hurt nobody!”
Cass:
[Laughing]. I’m the total opposite end of that spectrum, because I can really do without hair and makeup.
Niecy:
Well, we’ll have to change that. I wanted to bring more of that to people who didn’t have it. My premise was to move around in reality TV from a cosmetic standpoint. But it just ended up not working out that way.
Cass:
In a way, Clean House, is cosmetically changing people’s lives but for their homes.
Niecy:
That’s a good point. But you know reality TV wasn’t a way for me to make some real money quick because for me, at the end of the day, my decisions are really God-led. So when I pray about something, I always ask, “Is this something that I’m supposed to do?” I can tell you there are 10 things that I would love to do right now, but I don’t know if I’m supposed to do. I have to have a strong sense of discernment about how I move around and everybody doesn’t do it that way. Which means, when you enter into a relationship with agents, managers and lawyers, once they feel how you roll, it’s like, “Are y’all feelin’ it?”
Cass:
That goes back to that “phony” people syndrome you mentioned earlier.
Niecy:
Right. Because some people really get me and they’re like, “Yes, do you!” But then there are some people who don't get me and they are like, “What's up with her?”
Cass:
Well that brings me to my next question then. How did you get into stand-up comedy?
Niecy:
Stand-up happened when I left my husband. I had always wanted to try it, but I was fearful. But then I said to myself, “Ain’t nothing harder than being on your own with some kids.” I was like, “Hand me the microphone, and let me tell y’all what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.” So that’s the birth of stand-up comedy for me. My act was the bitter ex-wife.
Cass:
I bet that was rough and funny all at the same time?
Niecy:
I was disgruntled and angry and I kept that act even after I got back with my husband until the first time he came with me to a club and I performed it. He was sitting in the audience, and I said, “You know what, this is the last time I'll perform this routine.”
Cass:
Because you weren’t that bitter ex-wife anymore?
Niecy:
Yep. That was the last time I performed that act and I never did it again.
Cass:
When was the last time you performed stand-up comedy?
Niecy:
Probably about 5 years ago. What happened was, when I had my last baby, I was too tired to do anything, especially standing up to do stand-up. All I wanted to do was sit my butt sit down. Here I am in the club at 11:00 o’clock at night and my milk is coming down and I’m standing on stage saying, “Hey, how’s everybody doing tonite.” That just wasn’t going to cut it.
Cass:
[Laughing]. Do you find humor in everything or are there certain subjects you just don’t touch?
Niecy:
At a very young age, I had so much tragedy in my life I had to figure out that I needed to laugh to keep from crying. It did kind of hurt me in the beginning especially with my husband because I didn’t want to go to that place where that hurt resided so I just made a joke out of everything. But, I had to stop that because it was doing nothing for the fabric of our relationship.
Cass:
Wow, that’s pretty powerful. Instead, you had to touch upon the things that were real as opposed to finding humor in everything.
Niecy:
Right, and that was certainly another lesson I learned.
Cass:
Have you ever been Punk’d?
Niecy:
I haven’t.
Cass:
Would you like to be Punk’d?
Niecy:
[Laughing]. You know what, I’m such a good sport, I would probably be up for anything. It’s not like I would want to be Punk’d, but I think if it did happened to me I would be aiiright. I actually worked with Ashton Kutcher on Guess Who. He was so cool. If he got me, I wouldn’t be mad.
Cass:
If you had an opportunity to punk somebody, who would it be?
Niecy:
If I could punk anybody, if it were a non-actor, probably my mother. If it were someone in entertainment, I would probably pick
Terri J. Vaughn. I think she might be a good sport. I think if it was something that really made her mad, she might be really vocal. But after she found out that she got Punk’d, she might be aiiright with it.
Cass:
Because the camera supposedly puts an extra 10 pounds, do you exercise?
Niecy:
Yes and no, but not in the traditional way. Because so many people need so much of my time and I still have to go home and do what I have to do, I have to be kind of creative. I’ll hula-hoop with my children while we watch TV or we’ll go skating, or we’ll do a challenge on the treadmill of who could stay on the longest.
Cass:
Honey chile, I find can every excuse in the world not to exercise and my body shows every excuse.
Niecy:
Trust me, I can relate.
Cass:
Tell me, how did you get involved with RENO 911!?
Niecy:
When I went in to audition for RENO 911! it was originally a sketch show, so it wasn’t called RENO 911! They booked me to do this sketch show and halfway down the line, we were doing it at Fox, and they said, “We don’t want another sketch show, so come up with something else.” We didn’t have a lot of time and we had gone through a lot of the money. The only thing they thought of was, “What if we do a parody of Cops?” and they went around asking us who we wanted our cop to be. We got to create these characters, and did the pilot, but Fox said, “We don’t want it.” So it sat on the self for 2 years. When Comedy Central came along and bought the rights, we re-shot it and they picked it up, and now we’re going right into our fourth season.
Cass:
I love your character, Deputy Raineesha Williams. Whose idea was it to give her a mole and why?
Niecy:
Mine. When I created Raineesha, they told me to think about this and come back and let us know what you want to do. Initially, I wondered, “Who could she be?” So I started with her look. I wanted her body to look like my auntie Cynthia. My auntie Cynthia’s booty is sooooo big, people would ask, “Is that really your booty?”
Cass:
Talk about baby having back.
Niecy:
[Laughing]. They made Raineesha’s hips and butt and I had to go to a whole lot of booty fittings to make sure they got the booty right.
Cass:
So that’s not your real booty?
Niecy:
Nope, it’s not my booty or my hips.
Cass:
They really made it look real boo.
Niecy:
I know. That’s because of all those booty fittings.
Cass:
Do you know they could have taken a mole of my butt to create Raineesha’s booty?
Niecy:
Well see, I didn’t know you at the time. If I did, I would have said, “Make my booty like Cass’ booty!” Which is also unusual too because most people in Hollywood want to look thinner, and they don’t want to do stuff that’s going to make them look worse. But I didn’t care, just do it. I love doing ugly stuff, like when I play this character Tee Tee, with the buckteeth and the boobs down to my knees. I love the glamour also, but I like going to another place.
Cass:
So Raineesha’s look was from your own creation?
Niecy:
Yeah. With her makeup, I felt Raineesha needed to be hot, with that hard burgundy line around her lips and with those little side curls around her face. She is the very picture that I had in my head.
Cass:
You actually visualized your character like that and they created her from that?
Niecy:
Right. They asked me what did I need to make this happen and I said, “I need a booty, and I wanted some hips too because I wanted it to look real and not like I stuff a pillow in the back of my pants. I wanted over the top makeup, real hard, nothing blended, and just a little mole to kick it up.
Cass:
But why the mole?
Niecy:
Because I saw my grandmother and my aunt doing that in the 70’s. I don’t know why they did it, but in St. Louis, that’s what they did. They don’t do it now, but when they were younger, that was cute.
Cass:
How unscripted is RENO 911!?
Niecy:
Very unscripted. All we have is a concept or a premise of an idea. For example, “Officer Raineesha is going to Disneyland and somebody is going to jail. Action!”
Cass:
I’m assuming your background in stand-up comedy prepared you this off-da-cuff acting?
Niecy:
No, I would have to say arguing with my husband for years has prepared me for this role. You know you have to get one up in arguing. You have to think on your feet. You know where you’re headed in the argument. You gotta bob when they weave.
Cass:
How long is each season?
Niecy:
The filming is really short. We probably shot 13 episodes in about 2½ months.
Cass:
I happened upon RENO 911! totally by accident. I was channel surfing and the first that I heard was yours.
Niecy:
Was it now?
Cass:
I’m serious. It was your familiar voice that sought of forced me to sit down and watch the show. RENO 911! is sooooo over-the-top all anyone can do is laugh when they watch it. Let me change is subject a little. Do you have any pet peeves?
Niecy:
I like people who do what they say they’re going to do. If you say you’re going to do something, just do it. And, don’t double-talk because if you’re wrong, own it.
Cass:
I totally agree. I have to admit when I was younger, I didn’t own up to anything. But now, I own up to everything. Do you keep a personal journal?
Niecy:
I used to. My schedule is so hectic now that if I sit down and write something, it’s usually paying a bill. I just don’t have the time. In fact, about two months ago, my husband and I opened a church, New Life in Christ, The Bible Fellowship. So now there’s really no time.
Cass:
What?
Niecy:
The ministry ain’t no joke and being available for people is a serious commitment. Initially, I thinking to myself with respect to my husband, “Brother, you got called. I didn’t!” But the truth of the matter is….
Cass:
When he’s was called, you were also called?
Niecy:
Yes I was, and Amen! The demands for being available for people real. I might be getting off work and then I have to run to the hospital to sit with somebody who just joined our church because they have a sick baby. Or, I have to stand in the gap for people who may be going through this, that or the other. Or, you have to run over here and put some money in somebody’s bank account because of whatever.
Cass:
Darlin’ I’m here to tell ya, you’re the “First Lady” so that’s what you’re supposed to do.
Niecy:
Is God trying to play a trick on me?
Cass:
No, that’s your other calling.
Niecy:
He picked me? Let me tell you something, I’m so scared to get up because my nature is to be funny and joke about. But when my husband is saying, “Come on my beautiful wife. And would you like to…” I’m like, “Hey, no, not me. I’m not getting up for anything. I’m gonna sit right here because I don’t want to mess nothing up.” Chile, sometimes when my husband hands me that microphone, I start saying, “Hey, how’s everybody doing. Alright!”
Cass:
You know, you can do a religious stand-up routine?
Niecy:
Nawww. I don’t want to be a stand-up comedian. I only started doing stand-up as a vehicle to open up more doors for me to show the powers that be at the network who I was. It was never my heart’s desire to go on the road and travel.
Cass:
I read something about your production company, Next in Line. Who came up with that name?
Niecy:
Somebody’s gotta be next in line, right?
Cass:
Well, there’s always a line for something.
Niecy:
With respect to this business, we always want everything in the “Now”. But everyone has to wait their turn, and in that line, everybody is going to file out that gate right when they’re supposed to. When it was Nia Long’s turn, it was her turn. When it was Gabrielle Union’s turn, there was Gabrielle. So everybody’s got a turn, and I believe that somebody has got to be next.
Cass:
That’s cool. I also read about Mothers Against Violence in Schools (M.A.V.I.S). Can you share a little bit about that?
Niecy:
That was a non-profit organization that my mother actually started after my brother was killed on a high school campus here in Los Angeles. I started going with her to speak to students at local high schools and sometimes we would provide the schools with metal detectors if they needed. We were also giving a scholarship every year in my brother’s name. We were really trying to get school-aged children to know that you could use other ways to resolve conflict as opposed to violence.
Cass:
I’m really sorry to hear about your brother.
Niecy:
Thank you. My mother is thinking about retiring from the organization but as it stands now, we’re still doing the scholarship portion.
Cass:
How do parents keep their kids safe today with such a violent climate in schools today?
Niecy:
It’s really difficult because you really have to let kids know what the alternatives are. If there’s a particular school that we adopted and we’re going to be with them for an extended period of time, we’ll have other students serve as conflict busters. For example, if you and I are having a disagreement, we can go to Pam, or whomever, and ask her, “Whose right?” before it escalates to, “Meet me after school.”
Cass:
There should be more positive programs like this in more schools.
Niecy:
Thank you.
Cass:
I know this is a strange question, but I’ve been asked this several times. If you could write your own eulogy, what would you say about yourself?
Niecy:
Wow! I would probably say that, “I was a woman who not only lived my dream but also encouraged everybody who I came in contact with to live theirs.” One thing you could probably say about me from now until they throw dirt on my face is, “I’m not a selfish heffa!” Those exact words.
Cass:
Why those exact words?
Niecy:
Because so many people don’t want you to do or get nothing. They tell you about opportunities after the fact, or if you say you’re going to do something, they’re like, “I don’t know gurl,” because they want to make you feel like the task is impossible. I think one of my strongest gifts is that I’m an encourager. Also, if I can help people, and I don’t care who it is, I will. I’ve seen people from the utter most to gutter most. If I’m there and I can service you right at that moment, I will. If I can’t and I need to refer you to someone who can, and that’s all I can do, then I’m going to do that. Regardless of the situation, if I can to help someone resolve a problem, I’m going to do whatever it takes.
Cass:
There should be more people like you in the world.
Niecy:
One day I was driving down my street, minding my own business and I saw this lady at the bus stop. I just happened to look to the side and I saw this Hispanic woman crying. Cass, I turned my car over so quick, and I said, “Honey, honey, what happened? She said something in Spanish, then collapsed on me and started crying. I said, “What you say?” and she couldn’t speak English and she started crying again because she couldn’t make me understand her. So I told her with my little broken 10th grade Spanish, “Hey baby, do you know Jesus Cristo?”, and she said, “Sí,” I told her come on, because I know Him too so we can work this out. So what happened?”
Cass:
What happened?
Niecy:
Somebody stole her purse and she had to get to work for this woman in Beverly Hills and her $3.00 for her ticket and bus transfer were in her purse. I wasn’t going to let $3.00 prevent her from getting to work. So I gave her the money I had. Then I went one block up, and there was a policeman and took him back to her to take care of that situation.
Cass:
She was very lucky to cross your path that day.
Niecy:
Gurl, then one time there was a girl who walked up to me in Starbucks telling me, “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God my sister loves you so much.” Her sister was at home so I told her, “Call her on the phone.” I told her sistah, “Hey gurl, woo, woo, woo.” She was screaming, “Oh my God, this is really Niecy Nash.” She was telling me that she was trying to be an actor and she had an audition for a CBS showcase. I told her that I had to work the next day, but if she met me at my job, I could give her about 30 minutes. She came to the Bernie Mac set when I was working over there. I worked with her then sent her on her way. That’s just how I move around in this world and I feel like it’s not really choice. There’s so much money to be made in this industry so why be selfish when everybody can get some.
Cass:
That’s why people are so instantly drawn to you because you’re such a beautiful soul. So what are you currently working on?
Niecy:
Right now, I’m still doing RENO 911!
Cass:
Let’s play the name game, but with the names of some actors. Tell me the first thing that pops into your head. Tina Turner.
Niecy:
Amazing and timeless.
Cass:
I know. Queen Latifah?
Niecy:
Smart. She’s been really able to capitalize on her success as well. So get it, do it and taste it all! Create a movie. Get nominated for an Oscar! Have a long-running successful series and be able to green light a movie!
Cass:
Okay, Bernie Mac?
Niecy:
Gracious. He’s the most gracious and giving man I have met to date in show business. He told me personally that I was booked on his show. Then when I went to work, he told me two things: (1) The script is not the Bible, so use it as a guideline, but you don’t have to be married to it; and (2) I got mine, so get yours. He said, “Do you, and I’ll follow.”
Cass:
I bet he was the first and only person to tell you that?
Niecy:
Right.
Cass:
What about Anthony Anderson?
Niecy:
As a matter of fact, he was with my husband when I met my husband. I’ve known Anthony since I was 18 years old. He’s gifted.
Cass:
Halle Berry?
Niecy:
I would have to say strong. To have endured the things that she’s endured on such a public level and still be able to walk with her head held high, that takes a lot.
Cass:
Who is your favorite person in the world, and it doesn’t have to be an actor? For example, if you were stranded on an island and they said you could take one person with you, who would you take?
Niecy:
One, that’s all I get?
Cass:
Okay, one person and maybe three items.
Niecy:
I would take my husband, my makeup, a thong, and a weave needle.
Cass:
A weave needle?
Niecy:
I gotta keep my hair together.
Cass:
Go head Lola. I know I have taken up waaaay too much of your time.
Niecy:
In fact, I’m sitting in my closet because they all came in my room saying, “Ain’t you off the phone yet?” My people are here from St. Louis and they want to go to Target.
Cass:
What’s at Target?
Niecy:
Who knows. We just threw all the kids in the pool with their clothes on so everybody came in and dried off. We had barbeque and now they want to go to Target.
Cass:
Honey, please take your family to Target. Niecy, I really appreciate you taking all this time to talk with me.
Niecy:
You are more than welcomed sweetie pie.
Cass:
I pray for your continued success in your career and a blessed household.
Niecy:
Thank you!
Cass:
I love you.
Niecy:
And, I love you back!
I'd like to send a special THANK YOU to Joseph Babineaux at Lisa Sorensen Public Relations, for hooking this UP!!!
