WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.199 All right, so we're gonna have some fun. 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:01.840 Let's jump in. 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:03.279 I was talking to God, right? 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:07.839 I know that might sound creepy for some people who just your first time at church, like you was talking to the Lord. 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:09.439 Like it wasn't like we were sitting at a table. 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:10.000 Well, we were. 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:11.359 I was at a table, actually. 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:12.240 Uh anyway. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:15.439 So I asked God, I was like, yo, what do you want me to say to the people? 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:16.160 What do you want me to? 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:20.879 And and literally he said this: he said, I want you to tell them that I love them. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:22.480 Like for real. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:23.519 So you need to receive that. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:26.239 Like God literally told me to tell you that he loves you. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:27.039 Like for real. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:28.000 So I'm excited. 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:29.519 The music today was great too. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:30.320 Y'all notice that? 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:35.280 Gateway got some of the best lip syncing you ever gonna find anywhere. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:36.799 Them casts was amazing. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:39.119 I was like, wow, just lines up perfectly. 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:40.240 It was great, man. 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:50.320 So what I'm gonna do basically is I'm gonna tell you my story, but I'm gonna I'm gonna recap a little bit of my story, and I'm gonna pick up with some things that I didn't tell you, because this story is still happening. 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:56.079 So when I was seven years old, for those who don't know, when I was seven years old, my grandmother used to force me to go to church, and it was miserable. 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:58.799 You couldn't laugh at church, it's just not the place to laugh. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:00.000 Church was just miserable. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:03.679 One time I laughed, this lady was jumping around and her wig fell off. 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:06.319 Stuff was hysterical. 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:11.680 I'm seven years old, I go to this church, dude is on stage and he is angry at everybody. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:15.439 And I figured he was angry because he had some phlegm caught in his throat. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:18.319 Because at the end of every sentence, he would always try to get it out. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:20.480 He'd be like, the Lord said, a ha. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.280 I'm like, grandma, he needs to gargle or something, grandma. 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:28.719 I don't understand what's going on. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:30.159 He had a Bible in his hand, too. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:31.760 He kept playing like he was gonna throw it at people. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:33.120 He'd be like, ha ha, a ha. 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:34.719 And everybody would get scared. 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:36.959 They'd be like, hey man, hey, man. 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:39.040 I realize now they were saying, Amen. 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:40.319 I didn't know, bro. 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:43.040 I was seven years old. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:44.640 All right, let's fast forward. 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:45.680 14 years old. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:48.959 Instead of forcing me to go to church, my grandmother did something different. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:50.480 She asked me if I wanted to go. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:51.840 Well, let me back up first. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:58.480 There's probably some people here who you don't really mess around with church too much, because the people are weird, or they're or there's a lot of hypocrites at church. 00:01:58.560 --> 00:01:58.959 It's true. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:00.959 There's also a lot of hypocrites at Walgreens. 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:02.400 They all over the place. 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:06.239 Here's what Zig Ziglar said, right? 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:07.280 Zig Ziggler was dope. 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:08.400 Dude was dope, right? 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:11.680 He said, um, let me see if I can give you a visual to go along with this. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:21.360 He said, if you allow a hypocrite to come between you and God, the hypocrite is actually closer to God than you are. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:27.360 Anyway, so I'm glad you're here. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:28.000 That's all I'm saying. 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:29.360 That's all I'm saying. 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:33.360 So 14 years old, my grandmother forced me to go to this church, right? 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:36.400 But right around 14, I should say, she gave me an option to go. 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:38.159 She was like, Would you like to go to church? 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:39.680 I was like, No. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:42.560 So I was like, I ain't going to church. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:43.599 I just hung out with my friends. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:44.879 We just hung out and did stuff. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:45.520 We had fun. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.400 I remember I wanted an action figure because we was broke as kids. 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:49.919 We ain't had no money. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:51.680 Like, we ain't had no money. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.879 Like we was, like for real, like we ain't had no money. 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:57.039 Anyway, so but when you don't got money, you get creative. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:02:58.159 I wanted an action figure. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:00.240 My dad hands me a box on my birthday. 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:01.919 I opened it up, it was empty. 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:04.000 He said, it's invisible, man. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:09.120 I played with that thing for three weeks, man. 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:12.400 Till my brother hid it from me. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:15.120 I couldn't find it nowhere, man. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:17.039 I hung up posters and everything. 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:18.319 We had some games. 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:19.759 We had the game Operation, right? 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:20.800 Remember Operation? 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:23.199 We ain't had no batteries. 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:26.240 So my cousin came over, right? 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.719 He figured out a way how to plug it into the wall, right? 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.599 It's a whole nother game now, bro. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:36.000 Operation Roulette. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:36.800 That's what we called it. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:38.159 It was Operation Roulette. 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:38.960 Cool. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:42.400 We also made a deal. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:45.599 Me and one of my boys made a deal that we wouldn't curse anymore. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:46.639 Let's be real. 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:48.159 You don't know nothing about Jesus. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:50.719 As soon as you leave the house, you're 14 years old, you're a boy. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:51.439 That's kind of what you do. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:52.479 Like, bye, mommy. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:52.800 I love you. 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:53.439 I'll see you later. 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:54.800 But beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:55.520 That's what we did. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:57.360 So we made a deal, we wouldn't curse anymore. 00:03:57.439 --> 00:03:58.240 Like we couldn't curse. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:03:59.280 In fact, this was a deal. 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:02.479 If he heard me curse, he could hit me in the chest hard as he wanted to. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.120 And then vice versa, had to just stand there and take it. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:06.800 Dude can hit hard. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:09.199 I stopped cursing immediately. 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:11.039 We did play other games, though. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:12.719 We play games like uh Slug Bug. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:13.840 Remember Slug Bug? 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:16.480 If you're from the East Coast, they call it Punch Bug. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:20.319 Here's how the game works: if you see a Volkswagen bug, you get to hit your friend. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:22.800 Those are all the instructions. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:27.199 In my neighborhood, they would take this game a little too far. 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:28.319 They would add to the game. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.560 You ever play Upper Cut Fire Truck? 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.199 What about Minivan Body Slam? 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:36.399 You ever play that game? 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:42.720 There was always one crazy dude in the group who'll make up games on the spot, like hit you in the throat tall building. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:45.920 You play too much, man. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:47.199 You play too much. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:50.160 Also noticed at this age, right? 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:51.279 I was struggling with my reading. 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:54.480 Now I knew this beforehand, but I ain't care, but now I'm noticing girls. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:56.800 And I want the girls to know I'm struggling with my reading. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:59.439 So I'm sitting there and uh like I would struggle. 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:01.040 Like by the way, I read fine now. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:04.639 Like the signs over the door to say excite, I could read that. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:08.800 This lady just started praying for me. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:11.199 She's like, Lord, he still don't know, he's not reading. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:14.480 I was good at math though. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:15.120 I was good at math. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:19.600 If I had a nickel for every time somebody told me my math was wrong, I'd have$2.83. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:30.480 If you didn't get that last joke, your math is wrong too. 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:34.319 So I was struggling with my reading. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:36.879 I couldn't sound words out phonetically, it just didn't work. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:39.600 Like I it I couldn't sound words out like everybody else. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:40.639 I had to look at the word differently. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:41.920 So my mind would start to scramble. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:47.600 So I'd have to look at the font size, the color, the positioning, what's in front of it, what's behind it, how people responded to it. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:51.680 I actually came up with seven different ways to look at a word to determine what that word was. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:57.759 Then I got really good at it to the point in high school, people didn't know I wasn't really reading, I was just working it out really, really fast. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:07.199 Now as an adult, I read just fine, but I still have this ability to look at words and people and situations seven different ways almost immediately. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:10.720 In fact, it's the primary place that I pulled my comedy from. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:13.600 So that very thing from my past, it looked like it was a handicap. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:15.920 It seemed as if I was dealt a bad hand. 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:20.399 God did not cause it, but he's used it in preparation for what he has me to do. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:25.360 It's almost as if I was practicing, even though I didn't know I was practicing. 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:27.680 Let me say this again so you can hear what I'm saying. 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:34.399 That thing from your past, the fact that you never met your dad before, your mom was an alcoholic, you were molested as a child. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:38.560 God did not cause that, but he'll use it in preparation for what he has you to do. 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:40.560 Chances are you've been practicing. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:42.319 Maybe you didn't know you were practicing. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:44.399 I'm here to let you know you've been practicing. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:47.519 And for a lot of you guys, it's game time. 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:51.040 But you have to be able to hear the coach's voice. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:55.680 Or you'll get in the game and not know what to do and end up just practicing some more. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:58.879 So as a result of my practice, I find funny everywhere. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:03.120 I'm at the I'm at the grocery store a couple days ago, well, two weeks ago, right? 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:04.959 And this lady, I buy my food, right? 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:10.319 About to leave, and the lady's like, hey, would you like to give some money for hungry? 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:11.759 Would you just like give money for hunger? 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:13.199 I was like, uh, that's what I just did. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:14.079 I just did that just now. 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:14.480 Thank you. 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:15.040 I'm gonna leave. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:17.279 You don't mind if they take my food. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:19.120 I just walked off, too. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:20.480 She was like, uh-uh-uh uh. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:24.720 I did my part, I did my part. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:30.959 So I always sit back and I pay attention to people. 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:31.920 26 years old, right? 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:34.480 26 years old, I moved to uh New York City. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:35.360 I hope you're tracking. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:37.279 Went 7, 14, 26. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:42.000 The reason I moved to New York City is because at this point, I'm doing comedy in Michigan where I grew up. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:45.040 And in and I want to go to New York to find out if I'm funny. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:50.079 Because in New York, if you're not funny, the way they let you know is they'll say something like, You're not funny. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:56.800 So there's a comedy club in New York called the Comic Strip Live, and it's it's a really hard club to get into. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:07:59.680 They have an open mic on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:10.399 Well, comedians who are new in town start lining up at six o'clock in the morning so they can do 90 seconds in front of the manager in hopes that the next month they get to do three minutes. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:12.959 It's really, really, really hard to get in this club. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:14.240 I think you can do five minutes after that. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:15.680 It's really hard to get in this club, right? 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:18.160 So it's finally my turn to perform at the Comic Strip Live. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:22.639 And right before I get on stage, a comedian named George Wallace walks in, who's really established. 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:26.079 And he walks in, which means whoever's next gets bumped. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:27.120 I'm next. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:28.800 I know I'm about to get bumped. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:31.199 The manager is already walking over to me. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:32.320 I'm about to get bumped. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:33.679 I'm about to get bumped. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:37.519 But no, this is where God shows up for the first time in my life. 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:40.320 Well, this is where I noticed him. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:45.120 The manager walks over, he says, Michael, listen, George Wallace is here. 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:47.600 Would you like to go on before him or after him? 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:49.360 That never happens. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:51.600 I was like, before him, please. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:54.559 And I go on before George Wallace, and I got New Yorkers laughing. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:57.600 But not only are they laughing, he comes in and he's laughing too. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:00.879 After the show, there's a bunch of comedians are all around him, ask him questions. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:03.519 He leaves them and he walks over to me. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.279 And he says, Wow, you're really funny. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:06.639 I was like, Oh, snap. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:07.600 Thanks, man. 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:09.679 And then he said, and you're clean. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:10.960 He's like, let me ask you a question. 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:12.320 He was like, Why don't you curse? 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:15.759 I was like, I don't know if my grandmother walked in or something. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:19.759 My grandmother ain't coming to New York. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:22.000 What else was I gonna say? 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:23.360 My friend might hit me in the chest. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:24.720 I'm a grown man. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:28.799 He says, You're funny and you're clean. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:32.080 I love for you to do a show with me and my best friend in a couple nights. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:34.559 I was pumped, I was excited, I didn't know his best friend was. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:36.159 Whatever, it don't matter. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:37.600 I get to the show, right? 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:40.000 It's me, George Wallace, Jerry Seinfeld. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:42.320 Yo, yo, we do two shows. 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:43.919 I get two stand ovations. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:45.600 I rip, I'm the man. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:46.480 I'm like, yeah. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:49.440 After the show, the club manager, it's a different club. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.759 Dude walks up to me, he said, Michael, you had a great set. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:52.879 Hey, let me ask you a question. 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:55.120 Uh, you wanna go to church with me tomorrow? 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:01.759 I just got two stand ovations. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:03.840 Why are you messing this up right now, man? 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:05.519 Nobody going to church, man. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:06.480 Back up, man, please. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:07.840 I'm going to church. 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:11.039 Then 20 minutes later, his fiance asked me the same question. 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:12.799 But she was fine. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:16.320 I'm talking about beautiful, and she has some kind of accent too. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:19.679 She's like, Michael Jr., would you like to go to church with us? 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:23.120 I was like, I was just looking for a church the other day. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:29.919 So I go to this church for the wrong reasons, right? 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:31.279 And I can't even find these people. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.720 I can't even find, I'm sitting in the back and this dude comes out on stage. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:38.080 He just walks out on stage and he's talking about Jesus. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:38.799 That's it. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:39.840 He's just talking. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.399 He ain't screaming, he ain't yelling, he don't got no perm. 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:47.039 Dude was just talking about Jesus. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:49.440 Then he did this thing, right, where he did like an altar call. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:54.399 He said, if you want Jesus in your life, all you have to do is believe in your heart, confess with your mouth, stand up, come forward. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:55.679 Jesus is yours. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:58.080 Yo, and I really wanted to do it. 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:03.200 Like I really, really wanted to, but I was like, nah, I gotta read the pamphlet first. 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:08.080 Because I didn't know what all this stuff was about, because I knew a couple Christians and they was creepy. 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:11.360 There's some creepy Christians out there. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:15.120 If you don't know any creepy Christians, it's you. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:19.679 You are a creepy Christian. 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:23.519 Your friends know one, ask them. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:31.279 So I told myself I'd read the Bible before I gave my life over to Jesus. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:32.240 Now you don't have to do this. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:34.399 I just wanted to because I didn't know if it was a catch or something. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:37.360 Because some Christians, you ever talk to somebody, regular conversation? 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:38.399 See the game the other day? 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.519 It's a good game, wasn't it? 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:41.840 And then as soon as they start talking about God, they voice change. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:43.279 Can I tell you about the Lord? 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:45.759 What is wrong with your voice, dude? 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:52.159 So I told myself I'd read the Bible before I gave my life over to Jesus. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:53.039 You don't have to do this. 00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:54.080 I just wanted to. 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:55.519 I didn't even have a Bible. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:12:00.799 Then three days later, I'm at O'Hara Airport, and this lady I never met before just hands me her Bible. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:01.440 That's it. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:03.039 She just handed it to me, walked off. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:04.639 We didn't even talk. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.120 She's like the Lone Ranger or somebody. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:08.080 I don't know what she did. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:09.440 The Bible slayer? 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:11.120 I don't know who this lady was. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:13.200 So I get the Bible, I open it up. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.440 The Bible, the first thing I read was the copyrights. 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:16.799 I don't know where this thing came from. 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:19.600 The Bible was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:20.879 Me too. 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:26.639 So I'm reading the Bible, going to church, reading the Bible, going to church. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:31.600 I remember when I got to the part in Matthew where it talked about how Jesus died for me. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:32.639 I didn't even know. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.440 Until I was 27 years old that Jesus died for me. 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:36.720 Literally, I didn't know. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:38.559 Until I read it right there, I had no idea. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:40.240 Right there in Matthew, he died. 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:40.799 I didn't know. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:41.440 You know why? 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:45.200 The reason I didn't know is because I've been to church before, dude was screaming and yelling. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:48.799 I saw the cross, saw the same thing on a rapper's neck, got all these women around him. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:50.320 I don't know what this stuff means. 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:53.200 But I'm looking right there and it said Jesus died for me. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:53.759 I don't even know. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:55.120 So I read it at Matthew. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:56.960 Then I turned to Mark and he died again. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.639 I'm like, what's going on? 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:02.879 I thought Jesus died four times when I read the Bible. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:07.600 For those who don't know, there's like four different accounts, people telling their story in the Bible. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:08.320 I didn't know that. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:09.360 Nobody told me. 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:11.120 I'm sitting there reading in the next room. 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:12.960 I'm like, oh no, Jesus, they're gonna do it again. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:13.919 Get out the garden. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:14.960 Get out the garden. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:16.240 Get out the garden. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:19.360 Like I didn't know. 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:22.720 So I give my life over to Jesus. 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:23.600 Now I understand stuff. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:24.879 I used to just think I was funny. 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:26.799 Now I understand I'm funny for a reason. 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:38.960 Like there's purpose behind me having a sense of humor, and there's purpose behind you having the talent, skills, resources, and even some of the setbacks, even all of the setbacks that you have, God can use all of that. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:42.639 So I get some celebrities, some that you would know, who ask me questions about God. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:45.919 They say stuff like, How is it I can do all this stuff that I'm doing? 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:46.879 And you know what I'm doing? 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:51.840 Yo, and one dude, we were in the green room talking, this dude got women feeding him grapes while we're talking. 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:55.519 I'm like, dude, can we hold a conversation or are you just gonna eat grapes? 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:58.960 He said, How is it I can do all this stuff that I'm doing and you know what I'm doing? 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:02.559 How is it that people still say that God wants a relationship with me? 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:03.679 How is that possible? 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:05.120 And I said, And this is what I explained. 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:06.960 I said, and this isn't even close to how awesome God is. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:09.519 I'm like, God is like a navigation device when you're in your car. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:12.320 You ever been in a car with a navigation device before? 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:14.639 You ever been in a car before? 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:15.679 We could start there, people. 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:17.120 Y'all ever been in a car? 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:21.200 God, it's like being in a car with a navigation device. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:27.919 If you punch in the corners as to where you want to go, and it says go 10 blocks and turn left, then you go 10 blocks and turn right. 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:36.000 It doesn't abandon what you're supposed to do, it recalculates what you need to do to get to where you're supposed to be based upon where you are. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:41.440 Only problem is if you keep making the wrong turns, the road conditions will be different. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:44.159 They may be rougher and you're running out of time. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:49.919 So you have to be sensitive to listen to that voice so you can make the right choice about where you're supposed to be. 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:56.799 And that voice sounds an awful lot like a coach because you haven't been practicing for nothing. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:58.720 It's game time. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:03.200 So um I moved to Los Angeles after that, right? 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:04.639 Because New York is expensive. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.679 $750 a month for a couch. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.559 So in Los Angeles is the number one comedy club in the country. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:13.919 It's called the Comedy Magic Club. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:17.759 It's so prestigious, I can't even physically get into the club. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:20.240 But George Wallace is in town, and he calls me up. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.240 He's like, Hey, you wanna go to the comedy magic club? 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:23.600 I'm like, Yeah, I'm leaving right now. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:24.799 What day are you talking about going? 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:26.080 Like, I'm excited. 00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:28.320 So he gets me into the comedy magic club. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:31.759 He can't get me on stage, he can only get me inside the club. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:35.440 So I find myself in a green room now with some soldiers in comedy. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:39.759 There's George Wallace, there's myself, George Wallace, Gary Shanley, Jay Leno. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:42.000 Soldiers in comedy, right? 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:43.679 And at the time they were working on a joke. 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:48.559 Some of you guys may remember a football player got hit in the eye with a flag and he was suing a league for like$400 million. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:55.519 Now, all of these guys are working on that joke subject for Jay Leno's monologue on the Tonight Show on NBC. 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:57.600 I ain't saying nothing. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:01.279 I'm just happy to be in a room sharing French fries with these dudes. 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:05.759 But the Bible actually says your gift will make room for you. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:11.919 So I'm sitting there and they're all working on a joke, and then they got quiet and they looked at me, and I was like, oh, snap. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.000 This is an opportunity. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:15.759 I was like, all right, let me see if I got this right. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:20.879 He got hit in the eye with a flag, he lost his vision in one eye, and he's suing a league for$400 million. 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:24.240 Um, he's not gonna see half of it. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:33.440 Like for real. 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:36.720 So here's the thing, here's the thing. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:40.960 How did I get that joke that fast under that much pressure? 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:44.559 The truth is, it wasn't as much pressure as you might think. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:50.000 Because I was practicing them ever since I was a child in the form of a kid who was struggling with his reading. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:52.000 Just like you've been practicing. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:56.399 That thing that happened, God will never let you go through more than you can stand. 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:03.679 It's only going to make you stronger, and now you're in a position where you can get what you need so you can help other people. 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:06.960 Because what the other people need is they need you to be stronger. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:08.960 And your strength is in God. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:10.240 You have to trust us. 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:14.880 So then now I become a Christian, right? 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:18.720 Love God, still can do comedy, love doing comedy. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:21.359 And then I had a change in mindset, right? 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:24.480 Because normally a comedian, we're all about getting laughs. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:31.200 And God said to me simply, instead of trying to get laughs from people, I want you to give people an opportunity to laugh. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:33.920 This right here changed everything. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.440 If you just get a hold of this, it will change your life for the good. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:46.799 If you just start asking the question, what can I give, as opposed to what can I get, it will change your entire life for the good. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:54.480 And please understand, if you don't articulate the answer to this question, by default, you're asking, What can I get? 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:56.559 Every time you walk into a room. 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:00.480 So if you articulate the answer, it changes everything. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:01.839 So I started asking this question. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:04.319 I'm leaving the club one night and I saw a homeless guy outside the club. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:07.599 I got people asking for autographs and pictures, and I see a homeless dude. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:09.920 And I'm like, how could I give him an opportunity to laugh? 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:11.440 So we start going to homeless shelters. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:12.400 And then I was like, you know what? 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.160 I'm gonna go to prisons too. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:17.200 I don't know exactly where that idea came from. 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:19.759 So I go to this prison for the first time. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:23.599 Been to a lot of prisons since, but the first time, yo, I was scared. 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.359 As soon as I walk in, right? 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:27.119 Um, the warden takes my belt. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.839 He's like, You can't have a belt, somebody might try to hang you. 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:34.640