- 2 months ago
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hi, Jessie Wu, your hostess for the day,
00:03and I am joined by the lovely DJ Red Corvette to my right.
00:07And together, we're bringing you
00:08the live-est Essence Fest stage in the building.
00:12Make some noise, y'all.
00:13It's Friday, it's the first day.
00:17Now, before we get into the next segment,
00:19can we just give it up for DJ Red Corvette,
00:21who's really doing her things on the ones and twos?
00:25DJ, how do you feel about, you know,
00:29taking us on a little journey throughout the U.S.?
00:31I mean, I live in ATL right now.
00:33Can you give me a little bit of ATL?
00:35But also, I'm originally from Miami-Dade County.
00:39So can you give me a little ATL,
00:41then take me over to Miami?
00:43Then take me over to New Orleans?
00:47I feel like that would be a vibe.
00:48What y'all think?
00:54Let's get it.
00:57Oh.
00:59Oh, so y'all going to let me dance by myself?
01:04Come on, stand to your feet.
01:05Come on, now, we at Essence Fest.
01:13Hey.
01:14Three, six, nine, damn it's fine.
01:16I just like it took me one more time and go.
01:19Get low, get low, get low, get low, get low, get low.
01:23You're going to go into a window.
01:24Two, four, get low.
01:25Go to the wall.
01:26Go to the wall.
01:26Get low, let's play.
01:27Too wet.
01:28Drop that.
01:29I didn't fall.
01:29Drop it.
01:30Drop it.
01:31I didn't fall.
01:32Drop it.
01:33All these females.
01:34Hey.
01:341,2, 3, 3, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10.
01:36Jeremiah.
01:36Who's bad?
01:37That's what we want.
01:38qua the way.
01:38General rules.
01:39Black rules.
01:41That's what I did.
01:42Oh.
01:47Fire rules.
01:47Make some noise if you love Trina.
01:49oh oh oh everybody should be on their feet right now come on now come on now
02:19i see y'all
02:49We're about to do this getting ready.
03:17Oh, oh, oh, you was going to give me another one?
03:20Okay.
03:21You know what, I think we got some folks from New York.
03:27Oh, oh, it's a whole lot of folks from New York.
03:29Okay, can you give me a little bit of, you know,
03:32a little Brooklyn, a little Bronx, you know?
03:37A little, what else?
03:39I mean, Brooklyn and the Bronx, who else?
03:41I mean, where y'all from, where y'all from?
03:44Upstate?
03:45Okay, I mean, okay.
03:47Still, still, New York, New York.
03:50Give me a little bit of New York.
03:53Oh, oh, oh.
04:01I'm a hustler, baby.
04:06I get what I get.
04:07Now, I just want to love y'all.
04:15That's right.
04:16And with all this cash, what?
04:20What?
04:21Now, give me that, that, that, that.
04:26But don't.
04:27What?
04:28Give me that.
04:28Come on now, I'm trying to, I'm trying to stay professional.
04:37I'm trying to stay professional.
04:39What?
04:40What?
04:42Don't play with it, don't play with it, don't play with it.
04:44Come on.
04:48Let's do the verse.
04:49I just want to.
04:52Oh, so see, y'all ain't ready.
04:56Y'all ain't ready.
04:56Hey, hey, give me another one.
05:08It's a classic right here.
05:15Do I have anybody from Philly in the house?
05:20Philly.
05:22Texas.
05:25Chicago.
05:26Oh, okay, so you got to take me to Chi-Town.
05:33Okay, they scream in their hood.
05:35They scream in their hood now.
05:36We got to take the folks over to Chi-Town.
05:38What you got for me, DJ Corvette?
05:46Also, do I have anybody from the West Coast?
05:49Okay, okay, all three of y'all, all right.
05:54Let me check.
05:58Who else?
06:02ATL, of course, of course.
06:05We started out with ATL.
06:07Do I have more folks from ATL?
06:08Okay, one.
06:09Okay, one.
06:11Okay.
06:16Oh, come on, Philly.
06:18Philly.
06:20Is this what they've been waiting for?
06:24Quick joke.
06:25I'm the only black person who doesn't know this verse word for word.
06:28I know, I'm sorry.
06:29Does that take my black card away?
06:31I can still keep my black card?
06:32Oh, okay, cool.
06:33I went wrong.
06:39I went wrong.
06:41Yeah.
06:42And also, right after that, can you take us a little bit over to the West Coast for a little
07:04bit, and then we're going to go into the next one.
07:12Hey.
07:21Oh, oh, oh.
07:25Oh, oh.
07:26Make some noise if you know this one.
07:29I go on and on.
07:32Hey.
07:33It must be my.
07:34Oh, you want to rap it for me?
07:44Hey, hey, who uncle?
07:47I know that's right.
07:49Hi.
07:50I like to introduce you to the fizzle dance.
07:53Fizzle dance?
07:54The fizzle dance, I said.
07:57All right.
07:58We're going to come back later.
08:00We're going to give you some more tunes.
08:01But listen, y'all, they do not call Essence Fest the largest African-American festival
08:07for nothing, okay?
08:09We're really out here putting on for our cities.
08:11So give yourselves a round of applause.
08:13Whether you're from Atlanta, Chi-Town, L.A., Miami, make yourself some noise.
08:21All right, so now we're halfway through the day at day one of Essence Fest.
08:27And I must say, they ain't live when they said the time flies when you're having fun.
08:31I feel like I just got in here.
08:33So whether you're in the building or you're tuning in on Essence.com or EssenceFestival.com,
08:38we want to see how you're enjoying 2023 Essence Festival of culture from where you are.
08:43So share your photos and reactions by using the hashtag EssenceFest, all right?
08:49Hashtag EssenceFest.
08:52All right, so we're going to keep the party going with this next segment.
08:56Please help me welcome to the stage radio personality, Ms. Deja Vu.
09:05Oh, honey, honey, honey, come on my way.
09:12Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
09:18What's going on Essence?
09:19Make some noise.
09:22Listen, I know y'all are standing around, but I'm going to need you to come on in.
09:26Come on in.
09:27We have some amazing things that are about to start happening today.
09:30Have you been enjoying yourselves?
09:33Well, my name, let me introduce you.
09:34My name is Deja Vu.
09:36I'm a national syndicated personality through ABC Audio.
09:39You might also hear and see me on Live with Kelly and Mark in the mornings on ABC
09:44and also in New York City on WBLS.
09:48New York in a building?
09:50Brooklyn!
09:51Okay, sorry.
09:53Now, we have an amazing time for you today, so we're going to turn up a little bit.
09:57If you're walking by, bring your friends on in.
10:00Believe me.
10:01Somebody say, believe her.
10:03You're going to want to stick around.
10:05So, now that I've done my thing, we're going to bring our Walt Disney World ambassador to the stage.
10:11He is like the face of Disney.
10:13Give it up right side for Rayvon Redding!
10:19Oh, my gosh.
10:20Look at him.
10:22Come on, brother.
10:24Oh, my gosh.
10:26Give it up for Rayvon.
10:31Yes, yes, yes.
10:33Have a seat.
10:34Have a seat.
10:36Rayvon, it is so amazing to be here hanging out with you.
10:38Wait, let me get situated.
10:40And first, I know you guys have cameras, and I love cameras, but please, please, take it all in.
10:46Absorb it all down to the socks that match the suit.
10:52You are truly the face of Disney as our Walt Disney World ambassador.
10:56Tell us about that.
10:57Yeah, I'm honored.
10:58Well, myself and my partner, Allie, represent all 75,000 cast members that work at Walt Disney World Resort, and we do a plethora of things.
11:05I mean, we're representing the cast, recognizing them for all of the magic that they create, but most importantly, we do things within the community, and we're out and about, and we're spreading that joy and that magic that we create in the back.
11:16Absolutely, absolutely.
11:17Absolutely, absolutely.
11:18So let's talk a little bit about Disney theatrical productions.
11:22Are you a Broadway fan?
11:24A huge Broadway fan.
11:25Come on, come on.
11:26I absolutely love live theater.
11:28Yes.
11:28There's nothing like it, and I mean, I think my favorite part about it is you don't have to go to New York to receive that Broadway caliber entertainment.
11:35All throughout the world.
11:36All throughout the world.
11:37I mean, right now, we have our very own Broadway shows, touring North America, Frozen, Aladdin, The Lion King.
11:44The Lion King!
11:44I know, so incredible.
11:45That Lion King show is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and you know what?
11:50Let's give them a little bit of a taste right now.
11:52Let's do it.
11:52All right.
11:53Let's do it.
12:23Wow.
12:29Awesome.
12:30Wow.
12:30I feel like I should be dancing.
12:32I should be doing it.
12:32Every time.
12:33It's a circle.
12:34What?
12:35Come on.
12:36You guys know you do it.
12:37They know it.
12:37Anybody know the words of hakuna matata?
12:39Come on now.
12:40Hakuna matata.
12:40You know that you love it.
12:42Yes.
12:42Well, right now, I think we should do something.
12:45Yes.
12:45I need a couple, a couple of volunteers.
12:48Don't be afraid to raise your hand.
12:50Oh, I love this.
12:51I think it's going to be so fun.
12:52Right, right, right.
12:53Okay, so we're gonna select them.
12:54The Broadway production of Aladdin
12:56opened March 20th of 2014.
12:59The animated classic, on the other hand,
13:01released November 11th.
13:02So right now, we've got some friends in the audience
13:05who are gonna check for people who have birthdays
13:08close to November 11th.
13:10Anybody with a birthday close to November 11th,
13:13there's someone in the audience
13:14that should be a big giant Mickey hand
13:16that's gonna help seek you out.
13:20There's a Mickey hand right back there.
13:21Exactly November 11th?
13:23Close to, is there an exact?
13:26She's exactly November 11th.
13:27Oh, there's an exact, I think there's an exact
13:29right back there, exactly November 11th.
13:30Okay, we have an exact.
13:31And then we, I think we might need another, let's see.
13:35All right, let's see.
13:37Okay, November 11th, where's our Mickey hand?
13:40All right, November 11th, keep your hand up, love.
13:42Yep, keep your hand up.
13:43Okay.
13:43Our friend's gonna find you right over here in the center.
13:48There we are.
13:49Right in the middle, so it's behind you.
13:50She's right there.
13:53And we're gonna find out about what
13:55you might have gotten hooked up with, okay?
14:01Okay, so we're gonna keep going on.
14:04And you know what?
14:05We have another pair of Mickey hands
14:07that is out in the audience.
14:08I think we should look for another date.
14:10Okay, we should look for another one?
14:11Yeah, maybe March 20th.
14:12March 20th, let's do that one.
14:14Is there a March 20th? Anyone's birthday,
14:16March 20th, they're close to?
14:17March 20th.
14:18She's March 22nd, okay.
14:2026th, okay.
14:2127th, 26th.
14:23Anybody else closer?
14:24Anyone closer?
14:24Okay, there's another March birthday.
14:26What's your birthday?
14:2729th?
14:2829th?
14:28We have a 26th over here, though, that's closer.
14:30We have a 26th that's a little bit closer.
14:32We have a little one over here.
14:36And then a little one, too?
14:37When is her birthday?
14:41March 12th, we have a March 12th.
14:43March 12th, I think it has to be closer to the 20th.
14:45Yeah, a little closer to the 20th.
14:47I think we might have our friend in the hat,
14:48in the fedora right there.
14:49Yes!
14:50We'll confirm, our friend will confirm with you.
14:52All right, we're gonna do that right now.
14:54And while they're at the audience, wait.
14:57Hand up?
14:58Yep.
14:59There you are, when is the birthday?
15:00Okay, we're gonna confirm.
15:09All right.
15:13Incredible.
15:14It's incredible.
15:15See, this is what happens when you come out here with us,
15:17right?
15:18We're so excited about everything that's happening here
15:21at Essence Festival.
15:22We're celebrating, of course, on Broadway.
15:25And we have a special guest.
15:27We have a very special guest joining us,
15:29a dear friend of mine.
15:30I'm so excited to bring to the stage,
15:32someone that you all might know,
15:34a friend like no one else,
15:36Michael James Scott, who plays Genie on Aladdin.
15:39Oh my God!
15:40Can I make a wish?
15:41He is here, yes.
15:42Oh, Michael James Scott, come on down.
15:45Woo!
15:46Woo!
15:47Hey!
15:47There it is!
15:48Come on down, friends.
15:49Essence Fest!
15:50Yes!
15:53Yes!
15:54Hi!
15:54Hey, how are you, Michael James Scott?
15:56I'm good.
15:57Hi, Ray-Vive!
15:59Come on, Essence Fest!
16:00The energy, the energy.
16:02We are so excited.
16:03Michael and I go way back.
16:04Michael used to be a cast member at Walt Disney World Resort,
16:07similar to myself.
16:08Are you serious?
16:09Yes, I did.
16:10I'm from Orlando.
16:10Wait, so wait, you were in Orlando?
16:13I'm Duval.
16:14Duval!
16:15Duval!
16:16Come on, now!
16:17Come on!
16:18Okay, sorry.
16:19I'm going back to my Florida moment for just a hot second.
16:22But, so you got your start up there.
16:25Oh, yes.
16:26And now you've made it to Broadway.
16:27That is actually a magical dream come true.
16:29It is.
16:30I mean, truly, next year will be my 20th year celebration on Broadway.
16:3420 years on Broadway.
16:35Are you kidding me?
16:36Give him a round of applause.
16:37Incredible.
16:38Yes.
16:39I am, I am the product of a community that really cares and really, you know, gave me
16:44opportunities and especially, I mean, it goes back to my Disney days where I was, I was
16:49a cast member doing the, well, down the main street, doing all the things, all of that.
16:54But when you're practicing, were you envisioning, because I'm a big person about visualizing
16:57success.
16:58Absolutely.
16:59Were you envisioning yourself on that Broadway stage even as you were on the thing right
17:02there at Walt Disney World?
17:04On Main Street, yeah.
17:05I mean, my Broadway stage was in my living room, so it didn't matter.
17:08It didn't matter where I was, but yes, I always, I only envisioned for me to be on Broadway.
17:14That was the only thing I ever wanted to do.
17:15Really.
17:16So then I have a question.
17:17I want to know, because I mean, we have incredible individuals out in the audience of all shapes,
17:20sizes, colors, backgrounds.
17:22What does representation mean to you?
17:24And how do you see the role, Jeannie, impact those that see you on stage?
17:28I mean, representation is everything, obviously.
17:30It is, to me, the dream that we are all still trying to fight for, right, in terms of just
17:35figuring out what it is that we need to do to be represented.
17:38But I have the blessing and the gift to get to play a role that is an iconic role that literally represents
17:45love, light, and laughter.
17:47Right.
17:48And for a black man to be leading a show with that kind of representation, to me, is beyond important.
17:54And I do not take that lightly to be able to present that out to the world.
17:58It's like, it's nice to see a black man smile on a stage.
18:01Right.
18:02Come by now.
18:03What is it, hashtag blackboyjoy?
18:04Yes.
18:05Absolutely.
18:06Because so many times we've gone through where everybody's wanting to meet, Mog.
18:08There's excitement.
18:09There's enthusiasm in life.
18:10Yes.
18:11So that to me is the most incredible thing about what I get to do and what I get to sort
18:16of, you know, be able to be a representation for people who look and they're like, I would
18:21love to do that, you know?
18:22Absolutely.
18:23So then I want to know, because I love live theater, I love Broadway.
18:27Was it easy to find a space for you?
18:30Did you have to create your own space in that world of Broadway?
18:33And how did you feel about inclusion in that space as you were making your way up?
18:37I mean, I think it's both.
18:38I think I was raised with parents who just said yes, and they gave me the empowerment
18:44to believe that I could do whatever I wanted to do.
18:46Wow.
18:47Now, whether or not I, you know, whether or not that was really what you could, you know,
18:52that was what I believed.
18:53And so I think to be able to have that little bit of magic, you know, Disney magic, if you
18:58will.
18:59Disney magic.
19:00It's real.
19:01To bring into that is something that I think has really been, and not waiting on anyone
19:06else.
19:07Right.
19:08That to me has been the thing.
19:09Exactly.
19:10Like, okay, I'm going to make my own space.
19:11Exactly.
19:12If we, you know, I'm going to make my chair and slide it right here so that we can, you
19:16know.
19:17Now, you know, grandma growing up used to say a closed mouth don't get fed.
19:19Right.
19:20And you had to open up your mouth and ask those questions to really figure out where
19:24you belonged.
19:25And then if you didn't feel like you belonged, you made it happen.
19:27And I love that.
19:28Absolutely.
19:29I absolutely love that.
19:30So, you know, as a current cast member, and there are cast members that are in the audience
19:34right now that are watching, how has Disney impacted you in terms of seeing yourself in
19:38the arts?
19:39Well, Disney has been doing, Disney has been a part of the diversity game, the inclusion
19:45game since I can remember.
19:48And I will never forget, in eighth grade, I was the first Walt Disney dreamer and doer.
19:53I won that award.
19:54I won that award too.
19:55Go to the middle school.
19:56In middle school too.
19:57I won that award.
19:58Yes.
19:59This was like your destiny.
20:01Yes.
20:02So, and it was Disney that gave me that little spark that it was possible.
20:05I mean, that is truly the magic of what I feel like.
20:08Yes.
20:09That's why I say it always comes back to Disney.
20:10You know?
20:11It's full circle.
20:12It's a full circle moment.
20:13It's the circle.
20:14Okay.
20:15And it moves the soul.
20:16Oh.
20:17He's going to take us to church.
20:18But I know we had our participants get verified, Deja.
20:20Yes.
20:21We want to check on them to see, because I think we have a very special announcement.
20:24We do.
20:25Where are the participants?
20:26We want to make sure our participants, are they here verified?
20:28Where are they at?
20:29Where are they?
20:30Where are they?
20:31Where are they?
20:32Where are they?
20:33They're confirming.
20:34They're confirming.
20:35I know we have something very, very exciting.
20:38There's some really cool things.
20:39We like making Disney magic.
20:40You, Genie on Aladdin, make dreams and wishes come true, don't you?
20:43Uh-huh.
20:44And I think we can do that right here at the Essence stage.
20:46Just because we're not on Broadway, or not in the parks, we can still make Disney magic.
20:49Exactly.
20:50We're making that magic happen.
20:51I think we can do that.
20:52So, so, so, so we tell them what's happening?
20:54I think we do.
20:55I think they're verifying and confirming, because I want to see their reactions.
20:58I want to know what we're doing.
20:59Okay.
21:00Okay.
21:01Wait.
21:02We see everybody waving.
21:03Where are our friends?
21:04The anticipation.
21:05Where did our friends go?
21:07Okay.
21:08All right.
21:09Our friends.
21:10Come on, Genie.
21:11All right.
21:12So you have been gifted four tickets each to see Aladdin live on Broadway in New York City.
21:21Woo!
21:22Oh my gosh.
21:23Oh my gosh.
21:24Four tickets each.
21:25Yes!
21:26Four tickets each.
21:27Four tickets each.
21:28To come to Broadway and sit in a Broadway house and see the amazingness that is Aladdin
21:34and maybe, you know, some of me.
21:37Oh my gosh.
21:38I love it.
21:39Incredible.
21:40Thank you so much for making that magic.
21:41How exciting.
21:42That's amazing.
21:43Okay, wait.
21:44So you know I can't let you just give us these tickets and gift us without gifting us your vocals
21:48and a taste of Aladdin.
21:50Give us a little something.
21:51A little something.
21:52Y'all want a little something.
21:53We want a little something something.
21:54Come on now.
21:55Yes.
21:56Well, come on.
21:57Let's do this now.
21:58Let's do it.
22:00Everybody put your hands together.
22:02Michael James Scott.
22:03Michael James Scott.
22:04Thank you so much.
22:08Well, all right, Essence Fest.
22:10We're here.
22:11Come on.
22:12Disney on Broadway here, Essence Fest.
22:15Ooh.
22:16Ha.
22:17Why, why, why.
22:19Well, now leave out the half and forty thieves.
22:22She gave us all to have a thousand tails.
22:24But master, you're in luck.
22:25Cause up your sleeve, you got a friend of magical fails.
22:29You got some power in your corner.
22:31Now, some heavy ambition in your camp.
22:34You got some punch pizazz.
22:36You got going out.
22:37See, all you gotta do is rub that lamp.
22:39And I'll sing.
22:40Mr. Palatty, sir.
22:42What will your pleasure be?
22:44Let me take your order, Johnny.
22:46Now, you ain't never had a friend like me.
22:49No, no, no.
22:50Light is your restaurant.
22:52And I'm your maitre dee.
22:54Come on, whisper.
22:56What is you on?
22:57You ain't never had a friend like me.
22:59Yes, sir.
23:00We pride ourselves on service.
23:02You're the boss.
23:03The king.
23:04The king.
23:05The king.
23:06Say what you wish.
23:07It's yours to this.
23:08I've got a little more.
23:09Ba, ba, ba, ba.
23:11I assume no column A.
23:13Tire of column B.
23:15I'm in the mood to help you, dude.
23:18You ain't never had a friend like me.
23:20Ha, ha.
23:21Why, why, why.
23:22Oh, my.
23:23Why, why, why.
23:25No, no.
23:26Why, why, why.
23:28Hey, hey, hey, hey.
23:30Come on, y'all.
23:31Hey.
23:33Y'all feeling good?
23:35Listen, we ain't ever just about it.
23:37We gotta feel real good in here.
23:38Hey.
23:39Hey.
23:40Hey.
23:41Hey.
23:42So don't you sit this like your buggy.
23:45I'm here to enjoy your big day.
23:47Hey.
23:48You got me fully beatin' certified.
23:50You got a genie for your charts the best.
23:53I got a power to help you out.
23:55So what you wish, I really wanna know.
23:57You got a list that's three miles long.
23:59No doubt.
24:00See, all you gotta do is run like me.
24:02So.
24:04Mr. Collapser.
24:06I'm a witch or two or three.
24:08I'm on the job.
24:10You big name out.
24:11You ain't never had a friend.
24:13Never had a friend.
24:14You ain't never had a friend like me.
24:24Yeah!
24:25Okay.
24:39Thank you so much Essence Fest.
24:40Chessons Fest.
24:52Give it up once again for Michael James Scott.
24:56Wasn't he amazing?
24:57Giving you a little taste of Broadway.
25:00How many have seen Aladdin on Broadway?
25:03Great show, great show.
25:05Speaking of great shows,
25:06we're gonna have a great show tonight.
25:08So we're gonna hope that you're making it out
25:10to the Superdome.
25:11Anybody ready?
25:12The experience extends all the way out to the Superdome.
25:15But if you can't make it there in person,
25:17this is a reminder that Hulu, somebody say Hulu.
25:21Hulu will once again service our official streaming
25:25destination for Essence Fest prime time.
25:28And all Hulu subscribers will have the opportunity
25:32to join the celebration and catch exclusive
25:35virtual only content.
25:36Stuff that we won't even see here, it's gonna be virtual.
25:39So you can get all of the highlights from daytime experiences
25:42as well as epic live performances.
25:44Does that sound good?
25:46Yeah.
25:47Ms. Lauren Hill's gonna be at the Superdome.
25:50Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion,
25:53many, many more at that Superdome.
25:56Essence Fest prime time will stream Hulu Friday.
25:59That's today, June 30th through Sunday, July 2nd,
26:027 p.m. to 11 p.m. Central.
26:05This year's Essence Fest prime time is sponsored by Target.
26:09Now, we're gonna be back soon, but in the meantime,
26:11we're gonna throw in some music up on the screen,
26:13courtesy of Disney Music Group.
26:15Are y'all ready?
26:16Let's dance.
26:17Yeah, you know, I just want to dedicate this to, you know,
26:33anybody out there that's trying to figure out what is this thing
26:36we call life, you know?
26:39Uh, from a bird's eye view.
26:43Oh, my God.
26:44That's why I think I do better.
26:49That's why I think I do better.
26:52That's why I think I do better.
26:55Uh-huh.
26:56What's life without love?
26:58What's life without dreams?
26:59What's life without goals?
27:00Everything ain't what it seems.
27:02What's life without friends who remain genuine?
27:05Don't care about the money or what type of crib you in?
27:08Who can withstand the test of time?
27:10Is this a guess of mine?
27:11Here in real life, homie, this is not a set design.
27:14Not on TV screens are the magazine covers.
27:17Sitting and observing as the travesty flutters.
27:20While we got a big dog, I'd rather be brothers.
27:23Thinking bad like why we even mad at each other.
27:26Lost boy in this world full of hatred and greed.
27:29See a young homie making what they hating to see.
27:31Never complacent, I'd be on the chase for the cream.
27:35Cash rules everything, but you facing a king.
27:37Let's step up to this parliament, every single apology.
27:41I know you in denial like an alcoholic father is.
27:44Hold on, let me pause a bit.
27:45Nobody is as raw as this.
27:47Word to Jesus Christ, I hope nobody ever cross the kid.
27:49Yes, men are the main Judas, but I will remain true.
27:53It's my problems.
27:54I ain't through it.
27:55It's that thought-provoking.
27:56It leave you lost and hoping.
27:57Voices in my head be lying, so my heart has spoken.
28:00Rap, far from potent.
28:02They just out here singing random.
28:03Had to drop a classic, cause I heard they was demanding it.
28:06Anxiety is damaging, but what's the pressure?
28:09Make that stuff in front of soul, but with a touch of effort.
28:12Nothing lesser.
28:13Real love, there ain't nothing better.
28:15That's why I need that real love, cause it ain't nothing better.
28:18See, what's life without purpose?
28:20What's life without verses?
28:21Lost boy in this thing.
28:23What's life without churches?
28:24What's life without beliefs?
28:26What's life without goals?
28:27What's life without me, man?
28:29What's me without soul?
28:30My God!
28:31Yeah.
28:37Yeah.
28:38You know what?
28:39Yeah.
28:41That's why I think I do better.
28:45Hey.
28:46Uh.
28:47That's why I think I do better.
28:50I'm a bird's eye view, on the way.
29:16Oh, my feet touch the ground.
29:19Here I am, bro.
29:19Can I chop a sound?
29:20Yeah, I have arrived.
29:22And me and my girl's about to dip the slide.
29:24Swerve.
29:25Better make way, skrr, skrr.
29:27I got rules to break.
29:28Workin' on top.
29:29Now it's time to drive.
29:30Ooh, honey, boom, cute, smart and clap vibe.
29:32If you didn't know it, then now you know.
29:34Oh, girl, magic.
29:36Yeah, I'm magic.
29:37Thought you knew.
29:38Thought you knew, baby.
29:40Give me your inspiration on the flow.
29:42Oh, girl, magic.
29:44Oh, girl, magic.
29:45Thought you knew.
29:46Thought you knew, baby.
29:48I'm magic.
29:50I'm magic.
29:52All right, Essence.
30:00Are you ready for more?
30:02We are back for more.
30:04Those of you who are walking on by, come on in.
30:06You're going to want to be here for this.
30:08We have a great, great special for you.
30:09We're going to meet and greet.
30:10This is the cool thing about Essence Festival of Culture.
30:14You have so many folks who are here to hang out with you,
30:16to party with you, to entertain you,
30:18and even give you an inside scoop of what goes on behind the scenes.
30:22So today we are fortunate to have with us the members
30:25and the cast of Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
30:29Please come on.
30:30We are fortunate to have with us the members and the cast of Marvel's
30:32Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
30:47Please help me welcome them as they come on out.
30:52The voice of Lunella Lafayette, a.k.a. Moon Girl.
30:56Diamond White, voice of Pops.
31:00Lunella's grandpa, Gary Anthony Williams.
31:04Co-executive producers, Rodney Clowden and Pilar Flynn.
31:09And co-producer and story editor, Halima Lucas.
31:13Hi, hi.
31:15How are you?
31:18It's all love, it's all family at the Essence Festival of Culture.
31:23Hi, Alina.
31:27She says she has short legs.
31:29Look, you and I both.
31:30Okay, these are the heels.
31:32All right, thank you.
31:33Here we go, here we go.
31:34Great to have you all.
31:36Are you enjoying the Big Easy so far?
31:37Yes.
31:38Oh, my gosh.
31:39I'm learning to sweat.
31:40I'm learning to sweat again.
31:42He said he's learning to sweat again.
31:43It kind of lays on your shoulders like a blanket, right?
31:46The humidity just calms in.
31:49Well, today we have you all here.
31:51Rodney, tell us about Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
31:55Okay, well, Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is based on the comic book.
32:00It's a show about a 13-year-old super genius named Lunella Lafayette
32:05and her 10-ton T-Rex named Devil Dinosaur.
32:08Now, Lunella is one of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe,
32:12so she made a portal which accidentally brings Devil Dinosaur into her world.
32:17So she made a portal that's bringing this dinosaur to her?
32:20Yes.
32:21Wow.
32:21Yes.
32:22So what do you do when you have a big red dinosaur at your disposal?
32:26You form a partnership and become a superhero team.
32:29So that's what she does.
32:31She fights crime in the Lower East Side with her partner Devil Dinosaur.
32:35And the show's got a lot of heart.
32:37It's got all the things that you love from Marvel.
32:39Hard humor and action.
32:40And great music, executive music producer Rafael Sadiq.
32:45He's all over it.
32:46Yes.
32:47It's amazing.
32:48All right, so, Diamond, tell us about Lunella Lafayette,
32:51AKA Moon Girl, and what do you enjoy about voicing her?
32:55Ooh.
32:56Well, Lunella Lafayette is a 13-year-old super genius.
32:59She's one of the smartest characters in the MCU.
33:01She builds all of her gadgets.
33:03Her superpower is how big her brain is.
33:05Right.
33:06My favorite thing about voicing her, honestly,
33:08I get to have a lot of fun.
33:10I get to pretend that I'm 13 again.
33:12And it's teaching me a lot about STEM and all of these, like,
33:16cool science things that I never knew about.
33:18And the representation is amazing.
33:19If I had a Lunella back when I was a kid.
33:22Yeah, if I had it too.
33:23So I'm glad that the representation is finally here.
33:26Yeah.
33:26And, you know, it's cool to see someone that looks like me,
33:28has hair like mine, and who is smart, you know?
33:32I love her.
33:32It's amazing.
33:33And the thing about our show, right now,
33:35season one is on Disney Channel.
33:38It's streaming, the whole first season is streaming on Disney+.
33:41So you check it out.
33:42We also have a trailer that we want to teach you,
33:44and so that people who haven't seen it,
33:46to get a taste of what you are missing out on.
33:49Okay.
33:50Are we going to do that right now?
33:51Watch the screen.
33:52Working on that thing that's going to fix all our problems.
33:55Time to get genius!
33:58It's working!
34:00Yes!
34:01Oh, no, no!
34:02Woo!
34:03Woo!
34:04Woo!
34:05Woo!
34:06Woo!
34:07Woo!
34:08Woo!
34:09Woo!
34:10Woo!
34:11Woo!
34:12Woo!
34:14MILL-E GORDON-A-LON-A-L-A-LON-A-LON-A-LON-A-LON!
34:17ayrsy!
34:18OMG!
34:19Where are you keeping Clifford?
34:21We gotta do this on the DL, or my family will freeze.
34:24Now we've got a super villain.
34:29Somebody call the Avengers.
34:31You even go below 14th Street.
34:33I've got to fix this.
34:35I am the smartest 13-year-old.
34:37And now I have a dinosaur.
34:40My brain, your brawn.
34:41We can be superheroes.
34:44What do you think?
34:44No.
34:45What?
34:46Not in that outfit.
34:50Zang, we did the thing, then.
34:52Yeah, yeah, we did.
34:54There's no one else to stick up for the Lower East Side.
34:59You're just a kid?
35:03Are we in over our heads?
35:04You're going to inspire people, just like you inspired me.
35:08Moon Girl magic!
35:11Our world needs saving right now.
35:14Words, Team Monday!
35:19This one's a fighter!
35:21It's like you always say,
35:23Moon Girl can make a difference, right?
35:25Especially when that girl is you.
35:29Let's do this, D!
35:32You go, Moon Girl!
35:33Do your thing!
35:36Moon Girl magic!
35:39What are you doing?
35:40You can't eat that without some of my pie!
35:43Okay!
35:44Wow!
35:50All right!
35:51Round of applause for Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
35:55Now, Gary, you play Pops.
35:57I do, yep.
35:58Lunella's roller skating grandpa.
36:00Right, I'm very, very young.
36:02I'm probably 19, 20-year-old in real life.
36:05Uh-huh.
36:05But I play Pops, I play her granddad on the show.
36:08Gotcha, gotcha, I understand, I understand, because I'm only 21, I just started, you know,
36:12I just started-
36:12I'm lead to C-O-I-D.
36:15So, how fun has it been to play this role?
36:17It's been a dream.
36:19We started actually recording during COVID, so we've been working on it for a few years now.
36:24And I love Pops because he's kind of like heart in the family, and he grew up like I did, like, with all the family around.
36:32My grandmother was always around, so that's the kind of family that's in here.
36:35It's been absolutely fantastic.
36:38And I know, Kamala, I know you're out there in disguise, Kamala Harris, wherever you are in disguise, watching this panel today.
36:44So, just make sure you check out Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur on Disney and Disney Plus, Kamala.
36:49Absolutely, and can you roller skate in real life?
36:51That's the question!
36:52I, look, hi, my name is Gary, I'm 57 years old, I lied about my earlier age.
36:58They sent me a brand new pair of roller skates.
37:00Did they really?
37:01They are by my front door right now.
37:04This may be the last interview I do, because when I get home, I'm going to teach myself how to roller skate.
37:09Uh-oh, we gotta see that.
37:10You better, don't let them go to waste.
37:11Good luck.
37:12How hard could it hurt?
37:14I mean, just get your helmet, your pads, and you'll be okay.
37:17Uh-uh, I'm going out all natural.
37:19You'll be okay.
37:20Now, Pilar, this series was recently picked up for a second season.
37:23Woo!
37:24Yes, we're so excited about that.
37:25So, what's going to be happening, and what do you hope audiences take away from Moon Girl?
37:29Well, what I hope they mostly take away is our core message, which is that one person can make a difference, and what we mean by that is no matter who you are, no matter where you live, if you're really passionate about something, if you see something you want to change, you can step up and be your own superhero.
37:45Absolutely.
37:46And you don't need superpowers.
37:47All you need to do is be a powerful advocate for either yourself or for your community.
37:51So, that's kind of the core of the show and what we believe in, you know, in our team, and so hopefully the audience sees that as well.
37:57We're excited.
37:58And, Halima, this one is for you.
37:59Why is Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur special?
38:03Is there an episode that you really enjoyed watching?
38:07Yeah.
38:08Well, I would say the show is special to me because, you know, riffing off some of the things that Diamond talked about, it's a show where, you know, I'm a lover of the genre, I love sci-fi, I love fantasy, I love super and action and comedy, and what's wonderful about this is I get to actually see myself in this genre.
38:30Yeah.
38:31And so we know black women, young black girls, we're marvelous, but now we get to see that to marvel proportions in this show in a way that I didn't grow up getting to see and I've never gotten to see, so I think that's what is so special to me and that goes into every episode, I've loved every episode that we've done, but if I had to shout one out, there's an episode called Like Mother, Like Moon Girl, and it's an episode where it explores Lunella's relationship with her community.
39:00What it means to be a leader and taking after her mother who is a staple in the community and an activist and so when questions around gentrification and changes in the neighborhood come up, we get to see Lunella as Moon Girl level up in a way that we've never seen before.
39:16Love it, love it.
39:17Love it, love it.
39:18All right, one last question before you go because we've got to wrap up, this will be our speed round.
39:22For those who have not checked out the show, and you need to, what's one word you'd use to describe it?
39:29Vibrant.
39:30Vibrant.
39:31One hyphenated word, black family love power excellence.
39:37That's a hyphenated word.
39:38That's a hyphenated word.
39:39Okay, we got you.
39:40All right.
39:41One phrase that we've been using, one girl can make a difference.
39:44Which could you change to be one person can make a difference.
39:46Love it.
39:47Yeah.
39:48My phrase would be, you guys, it is a treat for the eyes, but it's also a feast for the soul.
39:53One word, exceptional.
39:56Okay, exceptional.
39:57And thank you all so much for stopping by.
39:59But wait, wait, what is this box here?
40:02Oh, you mean that big red box?
40:03A little red box there?
40:04A little red box on this Essence stage.
40:06Yeah, yeah.
40:07What is this big red box?
40:08Well, this is in relation to, later on, we're going to have, we're just inviting you guys
40:14to come to our theater, film festival panel.
40:17It's Theater 2 at 2 p.m.
40:20It's 2 to 3, Theater 2.
40:22And we'll be talking about, more about Moon Girl.
40:24We'll be screening an episode, one of our favorite episodes.
40:27And then there's some little swag that we'll be giving out to the people who come to the panel.
40:32Wait, are you saying that people who come to the panel will get gifts?
40:35Yeah, they will get things.
40:36Free swag.
40:37And that, this is for you, Deja.
40:39Is this just a little freaker?
40:40A little bit of swag.
40:41Hold on, hold on.
40:42We're going to take it off.
40:43Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun.
40:44Oh my gosh!
40:45You get a little, you get a little plushy devil.
40:48Come on, you know you want one.
40:49You know you want one.
40:50And you get this book, which is not even out.
40:52It's on pre-order on Amazon.
40:53I want the book.
40:54So you get the exclusive book.
40:56I need the book.
40:57Yeah.
40:58So, show up.
40:59She said she needs the book.
41:00I was like, I need the book.
41:01And also, if you look under your chairs right now.
41:04Don't do that.
41:05Don't do that.
41:06You were looking.
41:07You were looking.
41:08Don't do that.
41:09Don't do that.
41:10Don't look under there.
41:11Don't forget now.
41:12Come to Theater 2, 2 p.m.
41:142 p.m.
41:15Check out Moon Girl.
41:16Absolutely.
41:17We got it for you.
41:18Thank you all so much for stopping by.
41:19Thank you guys.
41:21Don't forget, remember guests to Disneyland Resort can meet Moon Girl at the California Adventure
41:24and you may be able to catch her upstairs at our Disney Character Zone.
41:28And we'll be back with our next panel.
41:30But thank you guys in the meantime for stopping by.
41:33Thank you so much.
41:34Thank you everybody.
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