Paul Mooney
by Daniel Robert Epstein for SuicideGirls (http://suicidegirls.com/)

Paul Mooney is one of the funniest comedians ever. He has never been as acclaimed as some of his peers like Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy. Not only is he is raw, real and sometimes even scary but he never lets up. He pushes the limits of the audience, sometimes to the point where even though they know the joke is funny they aren’t sure if they should laugh. His new DVD Analyzing White America is a long standup gig interspersed with Mooney as a psychiatrist analyzing white people. This is truly essential for anyone who likes to laugh and enjoys having their anger button pushed.

Buy Paul Mooney's Analyzing White America

Daniel Robert Epstein: What are you up to today besides doing this interview?

Paul Mooney: This is it. I’m not telling you my business. Knowledge is power. You know all about me, I don’t know a damn thing about you. So, what do you want to know?

DRE: I watched Dave Chappelle recently on The Actor’s Studio. He says that he has a voice that he uses when he talks to the white executives and then there’s a voice he uses on stage. Just recently, I saw you on CNN talking about Richard Pryor and your voice sounded a lot different than on your special.

PM: Oh, you tripping. You must be a drug addict. My voice is always the same. I’m always live, I don’t use voices. I’m Paul Mooney. I always use my own voice. You got a problem. I’ve got a hell of an ego, brother; it’s hard for me to be someone else. That’s why I can’t do impressions. I can do intent and situations, but Eddie Murphy can do impressions. He’s brilliant at that. My ego’s so strong, I can’t be somebody else.

DRE: I think you’re trying to analyze me now.

PM: I’m not analyzing you. It’s reality. Seriously, it’s hard for me to be someone else. I can’t give me up.

DRE: Is that why you were never big on acting?

PM: I’m about the best actor you know. I act like I like white people.

DRE: See, that’s what I’m saying. On CNN, you go on and you act like you like white people.

PM: No, I’m saying that to you because you’re trying to be cute. So, it just reminded me of something my daughter said when I told her she wasn’t a very good actress. She said, “Yes, I am. I’m brilliant. I acted like I’ve liked you all this time.” That’s a joke, that’s what it is. When I have to explain something, I worry about the person. I’m too clever; they don’t even know when I’m pulling their leg. I do a lot of acting jobs, brother. If you put me in something, I’d steal it. I’d get all the reviews. I did it with Busting Loose, I did it with The Buddy Holly Story. I did it with every movie I’ve ever done, I steal it.

DRE: Was this special always meant to come out on DVD?

PM: Of course it is. It’s hilarious.

DRE: It’s nice that you didn’t do it in the traditional way like the way HBO shoots standup.

PM: No, HBO hates me.

DRE: Why do they hate you?

PM: They just do. They can’t stand me. I’m a hard pill to swallow, but it’s okay. They want everyone that’s like me, but not me.

DRE: Are you too scary for them?

PM: I don’t know what it is. I think I’m too American.

DRE: Which means what?

PM: I’m too real. When it comes to Mooney and standup, they make excuses. I’ve been on HBO a lot of times. When they have specials and they want to talk about comedy. When you deal with intellectuals like Time and people that have a brain, they always call me in to ask questions. CNN or anyone that has a brain or is intellectual at all will come talk to me. They don’t do that with comedians.

DRE: It seems like sometimes they don’t know who they’re getting then you’ll come on there and say some real shit. Then they’ll be like, “Whoa! This guy is a smart guy.”

PM: Yeah, it’s the truth. But Bush has helped me a lot because he’s told so many lies. They want to hear the truth. It really helped my career, seriously.

DRE: Are you liberal in your views or you just don’t like Bush?

PM: I just don’t like Bush. Bush is the devil. Let’s be real. A woman asked me in an interview once, how come more whites don’t participate in Black History Month. I told her that it was because it is what it is. Schindler’s List didn’t have any Mexicans in it. Sometimes things are what they are. No matter what your taste is. It doesn’t change it.

DRE: Do you think this DVD will change how people look at you?

PM: Humor changes everybody, always. Without humor, we’re dead.

DRE: Maybe people will freak out less when you say something on CNN.

PM: A lot of times they do because TV is controlled by the government. You know that. There was a show on called Oz, did you see that?

DRE: I loved Oz.

PM: It was a hit because black people were criminals and locked up. Then there was a show on called The Sopranos. They were all criminals, but they were all at home! They were all big gangsters: money laundering, murdering, prostitution but all at home. If you put The Black Sopranos on, and see black people at their house with their feet up on the chair, and killing, and robbing, and dealing with prostitution, white people in America would flip.

DRE: What are people so afraid?

PM: That’s because Charles is not in charge, God is. I’ve been doing this a very long time, so the parents and the grandparents know who Paul Mooney is. So, God just said, “Oh, you don’t care for him? I’m going to make your eight-year-olds like him.” The Dave Chappelle exposure got me fans from eight to eighty; I’ve done them across the board. They all know who I am. I have eight-year-old white kids come up to me.

DRE: Did you write Mooney on Movies and Negrodamus?

PM: I wrote all of it.

DRE: I know you created Homey the Clown for In Living Color, are you working on the Homey movie?

PM: That fell through but it may be back on.

DRE: Were you involved at all?

PM: No, not at all.

DRE: Did you not want to be?

PM: Let me tell you a story. There was a writer who came to Hollywood, who wrote, wrote, wrote but he couldn’t get arrested. He was going to go up on the Hollywood sign to kill himself. While he was sleeping, a little Martian flew down, typed up a script, when he woke up, it was there, Jaws. He thought, “Oh, my God. I have everything I want women, wine, money, everything I want, I have. I can’t follow this up, I didn’t write this.” The little Martian came down and typed up another one for him. Then he said, “Whoever did this, I have to share the women, the money. I got to give them whatever they want. I’m going to take No-Doze and catch him and tell him.” He took No-Doze, he caught the little Martian, he said, “My God, you did everything for me, everything. I’ve got to share this with you, the women, the money, everything. What do you want?” The little Martian says, “All I want is a writing credit.” The writer said, “Fuck you.”

Now do you get it?

DRE: Yes, they steal everything.

PM: They’ll give you everything, they’ll give you their daughter but they’re not giving you no credit.

DRE: What are you doing besides standup?

PM: I’m doing a lot of stuff. I just did a movie with Whoopie Goldberg where I played her husband. I’m always writing. I wear a lot of hats and I wear them well.

DRE: I read that BET aired Most Embarrassing Black Moments in Movies and your choice was Halle Berry and the sex scene in Monster’s Ball. Why is that?

PM: The rickety, trickety white man, they’re always into that crap. That’s an old story, white man and a black woman. They think Halle Berry’s so pretty because she’s half-white; she looks like the master. That’s why they think she’s pretty. White people tell us who is pretty. They want to make us think black is ugly. Black isn’t ugly, it’s beautiful.

DRE: I know that you’re friends with Dave Chappelle. Did you understand where Dave was coming from when he took off for Africa last year?

PM: Everything. I understand it all. He’s a very creative, intelligent young man. He’s the closest that I know to Richard Pryor in his attitude because he’s child-like. Richard was the same way.

DRE: On Oprah Dave said that when they were filming a sketch with someone in blackface and a white crew guy laughed in a way that made Dave feel uncomfortable. How much racism do you find when you’re working in the industry?

PM: I’m in America. It’s total racism. Everywhere you turn. Racism and sexism are the oil and fuel for America. A few weeks ago Hillary Clinton said “This administration was run like a plantation.” Do you know who flipped when she said that? Laura Bush. When you’re on a plantation, who does the master sleep with? Condoleeza!

DRE: Wow.

PM: How’s that grab you? All of us from the south, we knew exactly what she meant. Hillary is ballsy. She’ll be lucky if they don’t shoot her. I love her. I want her to run for president. If she wins, she will be president for third time.

DRE: [laughs] Do you want to put out more specials straight to DVD?

PM: Of course, I’m going to analyze black America. I’m going to analyze Asian America. I’m going to analyze Jew America. I’m going to analyze them all. I can go on and on with this and I’m going to do it. You haven’t seen the last of this.

DRE: Have you heard of SuicideGirls?

PM: Yes. You mean on the internet, the hairnet, whatever it is?

DRE: Do you have any tattoos?

PM: No. I’m not putting any marks on me. I’ve got one already, I’m black. Why would I want to put a tattoo on a tattoo?

by Daniel Robert Epstein

SG Username: AndersWolleck

web address: http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Paul+Mooney/