Questlove Supreme Podcast | Robert Townsend

[TMC]

For 2024 Black History Month, QLS has some special programming. "This is the greatest episode ever," Questlove says during this two-part discussion with Hollywood revolutionary Robert Townsend. This two-hour conversation includes Robert's Chicago upbringing, his gift for impersonations, and his pursuit of becoming a working actor in New York. Robert touches on his ascent from minor roles in Cooley High and The Warriors to nearly becoming an SNL cast member. A focal point is Robert detailing how Townsend financed Hollywood Shuffle with a credit card and his word. In the second hour, Robert speaks about the madness that was his love letter to music, The Five Heartbeats. He touches on Meteor Man, directing Eddie Murphy Raw, and coaching a young Beyoncé in Carmen: A Hip Hop Opera. This conversation with a true visionary is funny, impactful, and filled with love and wisdom.

• 0:00 - Roll call and a Robert Townsend introduction
• 6:15 - Robert Townsend’s early days, including being an extra in Mahogany, and Chicago as a comedy epicenter
• 13:00 - Robert Townsend was gifted at an early age at doing an array of impersonations
• 20:30 - How Robert Townsend started his career. He studied acting in college with John Malkovich and Laurie Metcalf, under a professor who tried to crush Robert’s dream, and ultimately led him to moving to New York in 1976
• 25:10 - Studying with Marlon Brando’s teacher, Stella Adler, by design and strategy, and how Robert Townsend made a living doing dog food commercials
• 33:00 - Working on Soldier’s Story, and Phonte recalls his childhood experience appearing in The Color Purple
• 35:20 - Meeting Keenen Ivory Wayans
• 37:10 - Appearing in Mahogany, The Wiz and The Warriors — while Robert does impersonations of Jimmy Stewart, James Earl Jones, and more in between
• 43:00 - A breakthrough moment alongside Cyress while shooting The Warriors
• 46:30 - Robert Townsend auditioned for SNL and lost out to a very important friend and collaborator…
• 49:30 - Robert Townsend’s inspiration for Hollywood Shuffle comes from a very real place
• 52:30 - Hollywood Shuffle was covertly made in 12 days, using cheap food, leftover film, and involving porn editors
• 1:01:00 - Robert Townsend could not pay Hollywood Shuffle actors up front, but he promised that they would get paid before he did
• 1:03:20 - Remembering John Witherspoon in Hollywood Shuffle
• 1:05:00 - Patrice Rushen was involved in the music composition of Hollywood Shuffle
• 1:08:00 - Life and success after Hollywood Shuffle, and moving into The Five Heartbeats, a film that was originally supposed to have The Temptations as technical advisors
• 1:11:50s - Robert Townsend used The Dells as advisors instead. However, they had a rocky start
• 1:15:30 - Some additional questions about The Five Heartbeats
• 1:21:00 - Some people wish to remake B.A.P.S., but Robert Townsend wants it to be right
• 1:21:30 - Robert Townsend created a Black superhero at an important moment with Meteor Man, which involved Luther Vandross
• 1:25:50 - Robert Townsend has a special tie to Questlove, Common, and Bilal — and it involves Beyoncé and Carmen: A Hip Hop Opera
• 1:31:00 - Robert Townsend remembers a nervous Beyoncé auditioning, especially involving a kiss with Mehki Phifer
• 1:35:50 - Robert Townsend speaks about Ving Rates and making a film based on Sonny Liston
• 1:37:20 - The process of directing Eddie Murphy Raw’s opening segment involving Samuel L. Jackson, Deon Richmond, and Tatyana Ali, and an anecdote about B.A.P.S.
• 1:43:10 - Robert Townsend on how to direct actors, and a film that he is very proud of that you may not have seen
• 1:48:30 - Robert Townsend remembers a powerful collaboration with Natalie Cole honoring her father
• 1:50:50 - Eddie Murphy Raw was originally supposed to be rated X
• 1:53:20 - Did a clean version of Eddie Murphy Raw ever exist? Or a director's cut?
• 1:54:50 - Robert Townsend on working on The Bear
• 1:56:10 - Robert Townsend is a tenured professor at the University of Southern California. How does he approach that?
• 1:57:40 - Robert speaks about his talented daughter, Skye Townsend
• 2:01:00 - A discussion about creativity and sense of obligation, with some powerful reflections from Questlove and Phonte
• 2:08:00 - Closing reflections on the impact of Robert Townsend and the episode we all needed