Martha's Vineyard Comedy Fest: Inside the Rise with Steve Capers

Steve Capers: 00:00:00

It was a Dave Chappelle, uh, show and we were doing a focus group

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and this is when he was applying KKK

and he was throwing out the N word and

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I'm around all these white people and

it was funny, you know, but I thought, I

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didn't know it was uncomfortable for me.

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And so I did stand up and I explained

to them that, you know, Dave

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Chappelle is a genius in this comedy.

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He's funny, but I said, I think

what's happening is that you're

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missing the context of the joke.

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He's, he's telling you

that racism is taught.

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It's a learned behavior.

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We'll discuss race and how it plays

a factor, and how we didn't even talk

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about this topic because we were afraid.

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A black executive perspective.

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Welcome to a black executive perspective

podcast, a safe space where we

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discuss all matters related to race,

especially race in corporate America.

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I'm your host, Tony.

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And I'm your co host Chris Perry.

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So again, we are live at WNHU 88.

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7 on the Richter dial, the

university, new Haven podcast studio.

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We want to thank our partners for

being so gracious and allowing the

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black executive perspective podcast to.

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Promote this important topic.

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So go chargers continue to have a

good time over the summer Also, let's

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remember to check out our partners

at code m magazine whose mission is

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saving the black family by first saving

a black man That is code m magazine

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code m magazine two m's Thanks, Chris.

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Yeah, definitely check them out.

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So today we're going to have some fun.

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All right.

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Uh, in this episode, we're going

to chat with Steve capers, CEO of

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knock, knock comedy productions about

the rise of the Martha's vineyard

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comedy fest from a modest gathering

to a global cultural phenomenon.

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Steve will share insights into

the festival's beginnings.

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Its growth and its

significant cultural impact.

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We will also explore key moments, how

the festival supports emerging talent

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and the creativity and challenges behind

making the Martha's Vineyard Comedy Fest

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a pivotal event in the comedy world.

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So I wanna set the stage by

first giving a little bit about

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Steve and and his antics, right.

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So Steve Capers founded Knock

Knock Comedy Productions, uh,

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and launched his career in comedy

while at Martha's Vineyard in: 2009

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He envisioned a comedy festival

spotlighting up and coming African

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American comedians leading to the

first Martha's Vineyard Comedy

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Fest in 2010, which starred Damon

Williams, Chicago's own, and A.

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J.

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Jamal.

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This event eventually evolved into

the Black Comedy Month, that's

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trademarked by him, in 2017, a

prestigious celebration of black comedy.

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Before founding this company, Steve

worked for Comedy Central and BET,

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where he organized events with top

comedians and promoted iconic shows.

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In 2003, he began producing comedy

events for various organizations,

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significantly impacting Chicago's comedy

scene alongside comedian Damon Williams

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with their monthly show, Funny First

Saturdays, inspired from a young age

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by his Tony award winning aunt, uh,

Virginia Capers, shout out, uh, Virginia.

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Um, Steve has been pivotal in promoting

African American comics and talent,

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offering both laughter and cultural

appreciation throughout his work.

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Steve Capers, welcome to a Black

Executive Perspective Podcast, sir.

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Well, Chris and Tony, it is my pleasure.

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Thank you for the introduction.

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Uh, I want to really get at it

and just talk all about comedy

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and how African American humor is

something we need to celebrate.

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We need to continue

laughing and just have fun.

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Sometimes we've got to

make light of situations.

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Uh, just to kind of cope and,

uh, it is a good medicine.

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It's a good remedy.

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And you know, the comics I deal

with, they turn this whole comedy

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thing into a great art form.

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And for me to have a stage, a platform

for them to showcase their talent,

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their originality, their uniqueness,

uh, it's unbelievable what they do

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on Martha's Vineyard every August.

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So currently you and your family.

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Uh, where do you reside and, and, and

give me a little bit more about your

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family connections to Martha Vineyard.

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So we're actually all over the map,

you know, so we've lived in Chicago,

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New Orleans, um, currently live in DC

or really outside of DC and Maryland.

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But, uh, we've been vacationing in

Martha's Vineyard for the past 20 years.

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And so with that.

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The notion of doing comedy came up, you

know, as an activity, and we wanted to

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start it kind of small at first, but

it has grown into this, uh, awesome

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experience, this awesome comedy festival.

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And so, uh, You know, but we've been

doing the show for now, this is our

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13th year and we're excited about it.

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We got big names coming.

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We have everyone from D.

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L.

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Hughley, Sherry Shepard, Kemp Whitley.

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We have a comedy legend, Marshall

Warfield and so many others.

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And it's always hosted by my best,

one of my best friends, my dear

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friend, uh, comedian Damon Williams.

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Wow, buddy.

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I mean, I'm excited.

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Actually, I'm going to be there, Steve.

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Um, you know, we're heading out, uh, July

19th, so I'm going to be there, buddy.

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So you just got my mouth watering.

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Uh, I, I, I know I got

a ticket waiting for me.

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I, I'm pretty sure I do.

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I hope so, right?

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Oh, I tell you, boy, it's real.

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Ain't all of a sudden

nobody know you, right?

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Nobody know you right.

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. But listen buddy, we got a ticket for you.

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It sounds so exciting, my man.

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So, real quick though, tell us a

little bit of why did you want to

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come on a Black Executive perspective

podcast to talk about this topic?

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Well, one of the things, this is a

safe environment, you know, and I

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think, you know, the fellowship of, uh.

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Black men getting together, able to

talk business, able to talk shop.

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I think that's very important.

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And so, you know, we all come

from different backgrounds

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and, you know, and experiences.

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So I think what I have is really unique

and what I like to do is provide, maybe

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inspire or whatever the case may be to

other black men and women for that case.

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But, uh, you know, I've been doing

this thing for 20 something years now.

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And so, uh, I feel that

I have a lot to offer.

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Hey, this is a great

platform to showcase this.

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Well, listen, buddy, I

really appreciate that.

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So look, let's, let's, let's

get to the nuts and bolts, man.

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Are you ready to talk about it?

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Let's talk about it.

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All right, buddy.

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Let's talk about it.

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So you know what?

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One of the things that stuck with me

with you, uh, Steve was it amazed me how

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much of a historian you are, have become.

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And so when you think about the history

of African American comedy and humor, what

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are some of the unique characteristics,

some of the unique pioneering

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figures, you know, how do you see?

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How we are now and where we came from.

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Well, I mean, that's a huge title.

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You gave me a kind of a

story on black comedy.

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Uh, you know, I looked at D militant.

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He was the one that was carrying the

torch for us in terms of documenting.

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He has a book called how we

laugh or what made us laugh.

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I can't remember the title of

him, but it's a great book.

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It documents everything.

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And it goes way back to the Burt Williams.

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Uh, and even further than that, I

mean, my role model, believe it or

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not, as a guy named Pat Chappelle.

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Pat Chappelle was in the early

: 1900

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did the whole vaudeville thing and

just taking black entertainers and,

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uh, and traveling throughout the

South, you know, segregated South.

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But yet he did such a great job where

he was able to go into mainstream.

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So he was attracting the

white audience as well.

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And so it's always impressive

when you could see someone like

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a Kevin Hart who can cross over,

but still be black, you know.

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Maintain his African American humor,

but it can be on the main stage when

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you look at a Dave Chappelle, you

know, those guys are huge, but, you

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know, it's only so many of those.

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And so what I like to do with my festival

is actually provide that platform

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to showcase the variety originality.

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And, you know, and be a Dave, be a

t Chappelle, you know, of the: 2000

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if you will, but then there's other

people like Mary Lindsay, uh, you

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know, with, with all jokes aside in

Chicago, Raymond Lambert, you know,

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these, these some guys that, you know,

basically built a road for the Bernie

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Macs of the world, um, George Wilborn.

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I mean, that list continues, you know,

everybody kind of got their start.

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And this kind of small 200 seat club.

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So now that I have a theater, you know,

I got the footprint and Martha's Vineyard

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is actually going to be the Mecca.

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That's what we're branding it as

the Mecca of black comedy, you know?

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So now this time we kind of control

the narrative, if you will, and

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don't have to wait for Hollywood.

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We're looking at different platforms, like

with shares, though, where we could put.

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Uh, content on there and,

and, and, and be worldwide.

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So there's so much we're trying to do

and so much to do and, uh, and people

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like you give them, you know, BUP give

me the opportunity to talk on this

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platform just helps us spread the word.

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So Steve, let me ask you this.

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I mean, number one, thank you for that,

my friend, you, you, I mean, you there's,

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when we think about it, you know, the

African American has been pivotal.

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In the history of comedy, right?

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And you just talked about

it, you know, Vaudeville.

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You, you named a few individuals

that I didn't, I'm not even aware of.

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But we can talk about Moms Mabley.

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We can talk about Red Fox.

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We can talk about, you know, Bill Cosby.

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We can, Richard Pryor.

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We can just keep going and on and on.

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And you just, you mentioned

today, you know, Dave Chappelle.

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Yeah, Dave Chappelle and

Kevin Hart and others, right?

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Talk to us real quickly, a little bit

about how the styles have changed from

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the times when you, from vaudeville

to where we are in: 2024

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comes to African American comedy.

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So back in the day, um, you probably

were actually more talented because

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you sang, you dance and you told jokes.

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So you know, when the era of Dick

Gregory came about, that's when you

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stood flat footed and that's when you,

you know, you had to have some delivery.

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And so there's different

styles in terms of.

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Like I could go to, um, you know,

so if you look at Dick Gregory,

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his style is very political.

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Uh, he's intentional with trying to, you

know, not only tip your funny bone, but

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actually hit your heart and hit your mind.

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So that's kind of more of

that intellectual comedy.

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But then you got more slapstick,

you know, or, um, you can have that,

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what they call that raw comedy.

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You know, it's just different styles.

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What we have at Martha's Vineyard is

something we call cultivating comedy.

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You know, we're here to uplift, you know,

uh, you know, I don't censor comics,

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but what I do tell them is that they

can't use any derogatory terms, you

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know, so you're not calling women bees

and you're not using N words and stuff

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like that, unless it's part of the joke.

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So we're not Christian comedy.

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We're not corporate comedy.

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We're just straight funny without

having to be using derogatory terms.

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But now with the internet.

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You know, you got so many

people who are doing skits.

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So it's almost like we're coming

back to the vaudeville era, you know?

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But stand up comedy is where my heart is.

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And that's where I look at it as a

true art form to make people laugh.

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Got it, buddy.

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So look, we talk in art form.

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You just went through from slapstick

to stand up, you know, to politico.

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So now let's talk about

decades, my brother.

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Uh, Eighties and nineties, right?

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Where do you stand in terms of, you

know, the best decade for comedy?

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Well, the best decade for me,

I would say it was the late

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eighties and early nineties.

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Uh, that's when I kind of came into

the comedy scene, you know, having the

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opportunity to be in Chicago at all jokes

aside, that was just something you did.

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It was kind of a cultural thing, you

know, cause you were able to see, and this

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is at the time, the height of the bull.

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So you can see Michael Jordan.

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You can see a Scottie Pippen,

a Dennis Robin at these clubs.

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Uh, so it was kind of

like, who can you see?

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While doing that I was able to

see different comedians come,

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you know The label Crawford's of

the world that Chris rocks of the

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world before they became big names.

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And so

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You know, it's just one of

those things where wait, i'm

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almost kind of blanked out.

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What your question?

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No, no, no So look at that question.

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Yeah.

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Yeah, so 80s 90.

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So look, you know, I eddie murphy,

you know, uh, um Robert Townsend,

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you know, I think of them more the

80s type, you know, stuff, right?

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And then you had 90s where you had

DL Hughley You had a bunch of those

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individuals come up and and take it

So I was just like from that time

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frame who what do you think was the

best time from a comedy standpoint?

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This is kind of say who's the best

ballplayer ever, you know, or,

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you know, or our team is at the

Boston Celtics back in the day, or

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I mean, things have changed, but

I tell you, I had an interview the

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other day with Marsha Warfield.

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Uh, and one of the things, one

of the questions that we had for

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her was, if it wasn't for you,

would there be a Tiffany Haddish?

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If it wasn't for you, would

there be a Whoopi Goldberg?

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If it wasn't for you,

would it be a Monique?

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And so, or some more, I mean, the names

continue and, and they're humbling.

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And her response was, if it wasn't

me, it was going to be somebody else.

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I was like, Whoa, that's, that's deep.

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But you know, we looking at you as

a comedy legend and you had to, you

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know, she's gay, you know, so she

had more obstacles, but yet she was

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still able to get on stage, stand

flat footed and make people laugh.

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So, um, but just hearing

her humble opinion, cause.

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It just depends on what

generation you grew up in.

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I mean, because Eddie Murphy was funny.

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No, not was, but is funny.

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Uh, Martin Lawrence, funny.

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You know, so all of these guys have

done movies, they've done sitcoms.

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So it's kind of hard, but I know I'm most

familiar with the eighties and nineties.

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That was my era.

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Had a good time.

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And then in the early 2000s, stand

up comedy for African Americans

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kind of took a drop because

there were limited comedy clubs.

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So, you know, so now what's happening is

comedians have to create their own space.

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So they were getting running out

their own rooms and trying to promote.

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And.

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You know, what comedians,

they just want to be artists.

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They don't really want to

be out there promoting.

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They don't want to be organizing.

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They don't want to do any of that.

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So someone like me,

that's where I come in.

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And so, my relationship with

Damon Williams is that he's

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the face of my festival.

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I'm behind the scenes.

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You know, so we're not

stepping on anybody's toes.

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You know, they come to see him.

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They're not necessarily coming to see me.

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So, you know, from an

operational standpoint, you

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know, I do an excellent job.

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And as a comedian, artist, Damon,

you know, has that front row.

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So, you know, I do have favorite comics.

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But I just don't have one, you know, so

again, it's who, what's the best era.

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I mean, It's just hard to tell, but

Dick Gregory back in the 60s was tough.

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Then you got Flip Wilson.

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You had Moms Mabley back then.

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Pig Meet Martin.

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Uh, I mean, it's just, it's hard.

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And then, and then I'm kind of giving

you my political answer, basically.

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You know, I'm not trying to, you know,

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Let me ask you a different

perspective on the same question.

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So, obviously, when I was young,

young, you know, you had stand up

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specials, you know, you had Damon

Williams and, and, uh, or Damon Wayans,

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excuse me, Damon Wayans and, and,

uh, Eddie Murphy and folks like that.

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And they would do the hour

long joints and you see it on

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HBO and everything like that.

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And then there was the evolution of

deaf comedy jam and comedy, right?

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And now you have more comics top to bottom

that you were able to see per capita.

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And that, you know, they went

through the crucible and made

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their way onto the mainstream.

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And then that kind of dropped off was,

in my opinion, or in my history, that

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: 00:15:36

seemed to be The heyday because you

just every night you turned on Miss

303

: 00:15:40

Laura was cooking in the kitchen and you

had all these people whether it be D.

304

: 00:15:45

O.

305

: 00:15:45

Hughley, you had so many

different people that hosted it.

306

: 00:15:48

Uh, uh, even my man, Gary Owens, you

know, you have folks that could get up

307

: 00:15:51

there and you could see them on TV and you

didn't have to go into the back rooms or

308

: 00:15:56

the clubs and, and all this other stuff.

309

: 00:15:58

Um, was that good for comedy

or did that turn out to be

310

: 00:16:01

bad for the black comedians?

311

: 00:16:02

Because for whatever reason,

you know, That didn't maintain

312

: 00:16:05

itself like I thought it would.

313

: 00:16:08

So when we started getting TV exposure

like that, that kind of eliminated

314

: 00:16:14

the black comedy club because what's

happening now is that these, these

315

: 00:16:17

guys got their visibility and so

now they can sell out theaters, you

316

: 00:16:22

know, now they can sell out arenas.

317

: 00:16:24

So the small guy kind of got pushed

aside, but now you have the internet.

318

: 00:16:31

So, Now you got so many different

platforms, digital platforms for

319

: 00:16:35

people to showcase, I mean, whether

it's YouTube and then if you look at

320

: 00:16:38

someone like Netflix, they've done a

great job of, uh, doing a lot of standup

321

: 00:16:43

comedy, you know, special, um, then

you got Peacock, I mean, there's Hulu.

322

: 00:16:48

I mean, it's just so

many different avenues.

323

: 00:16:51

But now, again, you know,

what's the pinnacle?

324

: 00:16:53

Is Netflix the pinnacle

with streaming services?

325

: 00:16:57

You know, everybody

wants a Netflix special.

326

: 00:17:00

So, you know, when I came in, or when I

started thinking about being cognizant

327

: 00:17:05

of Black comics, we talk about the Eddie

Murphy delirious, we talk about the Damon

328

: 00:17:08

Wayans, uh, The Last Stand, and, and

these type of specials that were hour

329

: 00:17:12

long specials, even the Chris Rock, From

a long time ago to me, and I know you

330

: 00:17:18

had your own perspective of the heyday.

331

: 00:17:20

It was when Def Comedy Jam and comic

view, when you had the Gary Owens and,

332

: 00:17:25

and, uh, DL Hughley roasting people

on the stage and that kind of stuff.

333

: 00:17:29

That seemed to be when it really

picked up and started to move

334

: 00:17:33

where every day I could turn in

and see somebody beyond the Apollo.

335

: 00:17:36

Um, what did you think that translated to?

336

: 00:17:39

What you guys do and how that affected

the ecosystem of black comics.

337

: 00:17:44

Yeah.

338

: 00:17:45

So when you look at the comic views of

the world, the deaf comedy jams, you

339

: 00:17:49

know, they were getting all this exposure.

340

: 00:17:52

Uh, it was almost kind of like a

marketing tool for these comics.

341

: 00:17:55

So then what happened, they kind of

got too big for the small comedy club,

342

: 00:17:59

you know, cause they could sell out

the aiders, they could sell out arenas.

343

: 00:18:03

And so It was a good thing,

but it was also a bad thing.

344

: 00:18:08

But now you have the Internet, so

now you have different platforms.

345

: 00:18:11

So that's the beauty of it.

346

: 00:18:12

So you do have the Netflix.

347

: 00:18:13

You do have the Hulu.

348

: 00:18:14

You do have something like Scherzo,

which is a black owned streaming

349

: 00:18:17

service, which is everything comedy.

350

: 00:18:20

So, Uh, it's just interesting how things

change, but they kind of stay the same,

351

: 00:18:26

but the thing you're, you're, you're,

you're pretty much your materials is

352

: 00:18:30

exploited because once you put it out

there, somebody can look at it and

353

: 00:18:35

try to do a variation of your joke.

354

: 00:18:38

And so now it's tougher

on stand up comedian.

355

: 00:18:40

They have to be original.

356

: 00:18:42

They have to be the first to

come out with something so they

357

: 00:18:44

can claim it as their joke.

358

: 00:18:46

But I mean, there's, Everybody pretty

much kind of tells the same joke.

359

: 00:18:50

It's just your delivery.

360

: 00:18:51

It's your style and you know,

it's your, your comfort level.

361

: 00:18:55

So, um, but yeah, but.

362

: 00:18:59

You know, it's still amazing.

363

: 00:19:01

It's still exciting.

364

: 00:19:02

And so I look forward to

whatever comes, you know, our way

365

: 00:19:06

through the digital technology.

366

: 00:19:08

And you know, my friend, you, you

know, you'd spoke about it earlier.

367

: 00:19:11

You have, uh, you've built up the Martha's

Vineyard comedy fest from nothing, right.

368

: 00:19:18

Uh, a place where, you know, the upper

class go and vacation and, and play

369

: 00:19:24

golf and, and, and the whole nine yards.

370

: 00:19:26

And now it's a cultural phenomenon.

371

: 00:19:29

Yeah.

372

: 00:19:29

Okay, where now people go and while

they're on vacation, they can laugh,

373

: 00:19:34

they can have fun, but they can also meet

new comics or they can meet some of the

374

: 00:19:39

people that been around for a long time

that they may have had a hard time being

375

: 00:19:43

able to go to a club to see now they

can see him here in Martha's Vineyard.

376

: 00:19:48

So tell us a little bit, you know,

we're going to, we're going to

377

: 00:19:51

play a clip of one of your, your

comedians, but tell us a little bit

378

: 00:19:54

how you got this off the ground.

379

: 00:19:55

And what was the vision in terms of

where it started to where it is today?

380

: 00:20:01

Well, the thing is, I wanted to be,

this festival to be embedded into

381

: 00:20:05

the culture of Martha's Vineyard.

382

: 00:20:07

I mean, I wasn't there to make

any kind of transaction to

383

: 00:20:09

get rich fast kind of thing.

384

: 00:20:11

I, I had a purpose.

385

: 00:20:12

And so, uh, When I was at Comedy Central,

I'll tell you this quick little story.

386

: 00:20:18

Uh, it was a Dave Chappelle, uh,

show, and we were doing a focus group.

387

: 00:20:23

And this is when he was a blind KKK,

and he was throwing out the N word,

388

: 00:20:26

and I'm around all these white people.

389

: 00:20:28

And it was funny, you know,

but I thought, I didn't know,

390

: 00:20:31

it was uncomfortable for me.

391

: 00:20:35

And so I did stand up and I explained to

them that You know, Dave Chappelle is a

392

: 00:20:39

genius in his comedy, he's funny, but I

said, I think what's happening is that

393

: 00:20:44

you're missing the context of the joke.

394

: 00:20:47

He's telling you that racism is taught,

it's a learned behavior, but you guys are

395

: 00:20:53

laughing at his throwing, you know, the

N word, and why does he have to do that?

396

: 00:20:57

So if he was doing a skit where he's

using derogatory terms about your

397

: 00:21:01

race, your sexuality, or something

like that, how would you feel?

398

: 00:21:05

And so You know, weeks later, we all

got laid off from Comedy Central.

399

: 00:21:09

And so I hope that story, I

hope that, that, that it's a

400

: 00:21:13

little quick, you got somebody.

401

: 00:21:14

So you got everybody got laid off.

402

: 00:21:20

No, we, we had done our job

and we exceeded our goals.

403

: 00:21:24

Uh, it was no more growth

for us for Comedy Central.

404

: 00:21:27

But so one of the things I did was like,

well, shoot, I mean, I know all these

405

: 00:21:32

comedians, let me start my own company.

406

: 00:21:35

And.

407

: 00:21:36

I wanted to make sure that

I wasn't being a hypocrite.

408

: 00:21:38

So that's why I came up with

this cultivating comedy.

409

: 00:21:42

Again, just no derogatory terms, but

you know, we're not, we could be edgy.

410

: 00:21:45

We could be.

411

: 00:21:47

a little corporate here and there,

but it's all about the culture.

412

: 00:21:49

And so that's where we are.

413

: 00:21:51

And so when you show clips of, uh,

Alonzo Bolden, whoever, uh, you'll

414

: 00:21:56

see that he gets into the culture.

415

: 00:21:58

So we're embedded in the culture

of Martha's Vineyard, and we're not

416

: 00:22:02

there for any kind of transactional

type of scenery, and right now we

417

: 00:22:07

celebrate 13 years and I look forward

to another 20, 30, 40 years of this.

418

: 00:22:12

Well, yeah, well, let's play that clip.

419

: 00:22:14

Let's play that clip that we have.

420

: 00:22:16

And then we'll explore kind of,

uh, how you are able to incorporate

421

: 00:22:19

that into the next evolution of

where black comics are going.

422

: 00:22:23

We did, we've come up with a vaccine.

423

: 00:22:25

We are going to open up the world.

424

: 00:22:27

And they're like, no,

what the hell do you mean?

425

: 00:22:30

No.

426

: 00:22:32

They're not taking the vaccine.

427

: 00:22:33

What?

428

: 00:22:34

Why aren't they taking the vaccine?

429

: 00:22:36

Well, they said it'll make them magnetic.

430

: 00:22:40

What the?

431

: 00:22:44

How do you argue with someone who

says, I ain't taking the vaccine,

432

: 00:22:46

you know it'll make me magnetic?

433

: 00:22:47

What do you say to that?

434

: 00:22:50

I tell you what I say,

I say, you're right.

435

: 00:22:52

You shouldn't take the

vaccine for the rest of us.

436

: 00:22:56

We tried to thin the herd and we can

get rid of the anti magnetic first

437

: 00:23:04

world to be a better place.

438

: 00:23:07

You know, so it's interesting because,

uh, you know, obviously we, we a little

439

: 00:23:11

bit of ways from the pandemic, but hot

button topics, you know, the whole.

440

: 00:23:17

Essence of some of the greatest

comedic, uh, was, uh, comedians.

441

: 00:23:22

Was, uh, taking the pain and reshaping

it to find a bit of, you know,

442

: 00:23:28

light in it at some point, right.

443

: 00:23:29

Because it's always gonna be

struggle, it's always gonna be pain,

444

: 00:23:32

and we gotta find ways to kind of

forge through it in that regard.

445

: 00:23:36

Do you feel like that is still as, uh,

prevalent on the internet and some of

446

: 00:23:41

these services and platforms and things?

447

: 00:23:43

Because, uh, a lot of it is more,

in my opinion, not as much of that

448

: 00:23:48

social commentary, but it's just.

449

: 00:23:51

a bit of buffoonery at times.

450

: 00:23:55

So you need variety.

451

: 00:23:58

Uh, so because, because

comedy is very subjective.

452

: 00:24:02

So you like people who

like it raw and dirty.

453

: 00:24:04

You got someone like a Christian,

somebody like it clean.

454

: 00:24:07

So, you know, we embrace everything.

455

: 00:24:10

And that's when the reason why I trade

black comedy month, because, you know,

456

: 00:24:14

we celebrating African American humor

and pain can come in any kind of any way.

457

: 00:24:19

And so how an artist Projects

it, you know, you got to give

458

: 00:24:23

them the creativity to do so.

459

: 00:24:25

Uh, but you know, Alonzo Bolden, the

clip we just heard, I mean, he's more

460

: 00:24:28

intellectual, you know, he talks about

politics, he talked about something that

461

: 00:24:33

happened worldwide, nationwide, you know,

and everybody can identify with what,

462

: 00:24:39

you know, whether you're on this side

of the vaccine or that side, you know,

463

: 00:24:42

he was, he's still able to throw it out

there and make, uh, Someone who wasn't

464

: 00:24:46

back vaccinated, laugh at themselves,

you know, but whatever their reason is.

465

: 00:24:50

So sometimes you throw it in their face,

their faces and see how they react.

466

: 00:24:54

But he's such a pro that he's

been doing it for 20, 30 years.

467

: 00:24:58

So he's nothing but, but, but laughs.

468

: 00:25:01

You know, it was, uh, I was dying

laughing when I saw it, um, because

469

: 00:25:06

it was realistic too, right?

470

: 00:25:07

To your point, there was people that

was like, it was gonna make me magnetic.

471

: 00:25:12

Okay.

472

: 00:25:13

So, so he was just

speaking the truth, right?

473

: 00:25:16

But you just got to be saying

something about, you know,

474

: 00:25:18

national, you know, You know, August

being black comedy month, right?

475

: 00:25:22

And it's a campaign

that you're pushing out.

476

: 00:25:24

Talk to us a little bit about that.

477

: 00:25:26

What, what's the essence of

pushing or making August black

478

: 00:25:30

national black comedy month.

479

: 00:25:33

And then also what are some of

the key events and, and, and.

480

: 00:25:37

Things that's going on in

Martha's vineyard that highlight.

481

: 00:25:40

You know, August is black comedy month.

482

: 00:25:43

So basically how we came about it is,

uh, we were sitting in the kitchen, a

483

: 00:25:47

bunch of comedians that were performing,

uh, at our festival and we just happened

484

: 00:25:52

to talk and we just, I said, what

a black comedy month, you know, you

485

: 00:25:56

got pride month, you have a Hispanic

month, you got this, you got that.

486

: 00:26:01

So let's do, you have black music month.

487

: 00:26:03

And I was surprised no one had

trademark black comedy month.

488

: 00:26:06

So basically I did my little search and

what have you and saw it was available and

489

: 00:26:11

went through the process and here we are.

490

: 00:26:13

But the thing was, I needed some

fuel for the festival and you

491

: 00:26:18

know, some sort of marketing tactic

that can help push and drive.

492

: 00:26:21

But I wanted to be

inclusive with the festival.

493

: 00:26:24

Promoters, you know, black comedy

clubs, you know, comedians,

494

: 00:26:28

you know, the whole nine.

495

: 00:26:29

So it wasn't just for me.

496

: 00:26:30

Mm.

497

: 00:26:30

I wanted to extend it and open it up,

you know, worldwide and, and black

498

: 00:26:34

comedy month can extend to shoot Africa.

499

: 00:26:36

I mean, it could extend to Europe.

500

: 00:26:38

Right.

501

: 00:26:39

So basically what I was trying to do

is like, you know, let's take this

502

: 00:26:42

whole month of August, which is when

the festival is, and really celebrate

503

: 00:26:47

African, African American humor.

504

: 00:26:49

And just promote the, the, the, the

variety of talent that's out there and,

505

: 00:26:56

and make a little bit of change off of it.

506

: 00:26:57

You know, I just did

some research recently.

507

: 00:27:00

Uh, what was it?

508

: 00:27:00

Uh, Hispanic month, you know,

they generated like 20 million.

509

: 00:27:06

So, you know, we could spread that across

United States with black comedy month,

510

: 00:27:10

you know, so, uh, you know, so that's,

so that's, that's, that was my effort.

511

: 00:27:16

And, and, and any, so talk a little

bit about some of the key programs and

512

: 00:27:20

events that happened that you're going

to put together for black comedy month.

513

: 00:27:25

Well, basically it's the, the Marjory

Comedy Fest, you know, that's the fuel

514

: 00:27:29

that we use black comedy month for,

but we're also using it to share with

515

: 00:27:33

a streaming service called Sharezo.

516

: 00:27:35

Which is considered everything comedy.

517

: 00:27:37

So we're helping them promote and,

you know, get comedians and content

518

: 00:27:41

creators to put on their platform.

519

: 00:27:44

Um, but you know, it was, uh, Kevin

Hart and Heartbeat, they were actually

520

: 00:27:49

interested in using the campaign too,

to launch a particular movie they're

521

: 00:27:54

trying to, trying to, uh, push, uh, in

late August, so it's just, it's just.

522

: 00:27:59

You know, everyone can use it basically,

you know, but they gotta come through

523

: 00:28:03

through me to make sure everything's cool.

524

: 00:28:05

you got the train brother, right?

525

: 00:28:07

Man?

526

: 00:28:07

Absolutely.

527

: 00:28:08

You the switchboard operator.

528

: 00:28:10

Right, right, right.

529

: 00:28:12

Just switching it off.

530

: 00:28:12

That's right.

531

: 00:28:14

Lemme ask you a question.

532

: 00:28:15

'cause we, we, we both,

we all met Midwest boys.

533

: 00:28:17

I'm sorry.

534

: 00:28:17

I was gonna say we both, but I forgot

about Tony Detroit all day, every day.

535

: 00:28:20

So.

536

: 00:28:21

How did, how did man listen

when I hear Martha's Vineyard,

537

: 00:28:27

I, you know, I have a

different thought in my head.

538

: 00:28:29

I think of orchards and whatnot, but

or grapes or something different than

539

: 00:28:33

what y'all, uh, you know, I'm not to do.

540

: 00:28:36

I'm not to do.

541

: 00:28:37

So how did the Martha's Vineyard become

so embedded from a cultural perspective?

542

: 00:28:42

Give me a little game, a little

history of people like myself.

543

: 00:28:45

They just don't know no better.

544

: 00:28:46

Educate us a little bit on Martha's

Vineyard, how it attracted you, why,

545

: 00:28:50

and what made you put your stake in

the ground there and say this is where

546

: 00:28:52

black folks will come and get you.

547

: 00:28:55

Well, I was sort of like you, Chris.

548

: 00:28:57

I was kind of familiar with Martha's

Vineyard, but I really wasn't.

549

: 00:29:01

And so it was my brother and my

sister in law who were vacationing.

550

: 00:29:04

One year out there, they liked it

so much, they purchased a house.

551

: 00:29:08

So then what they did, they invited

us, and then we invited friends,

552

: 00:29:10

and our friends invited friends,

and the friends friends invited

553

: 00:29:13

friends, so it just kind of grew.

554

: 00:29:16

So I already had a built in

audience before I really started

555

: 00:29:19

this whole comedy festival.

556

: 00:29:20

And so, you know, as I continued to

vacation there, you know, the family

557

: 00:29:26

would go there every year, I started

learning a little bit more about

558

: 00:29:28

the history of Martha's Vineyard

in terms of African Americans.

559

: 00:29:31

And there was, there's so many African

American, um, homeowners there, and then

560

: 00:29:38

there was African American businesses.

561

: 00:29:40

So, uh, then you got the whole

Inkwell Beach where that was the

562

: 00:29:44

beach that was, you know, segmented

to us, you know, back in the day.

563

: 00:29:48

So it has a lot of

historical significance.

564

: 00:29:50

And then, you know, just good people,

man, you know, just started popping there.

565

: 00:29:54

And you start to see this like upper

middle class, upper class African

566

: 00:29:59

Americans who are proud, everyone from

entertainers, to doctors, to lawyers,

567

: 00:30:04

and you know, and whoever else.

568

: 00:30:06

And You know, they come

to have a good time.

569

: 00:30:08

So we're there to provide

entertainment for them.

570

: 00:30:11

And there it is.

571

: 00:30:16

And like you, my friend

and Chris, no different.

572

: 00:30:19

Um, I've been going for 20 years.

573

: 00:30:21

I was, what is Martha's Vineyard?

574

: 00:30:23

So a friend of mine dragged me out.

575

: 00:30:25

I stayed on his, uh, they had

a house in Chappaquiddick.

576

: 00:30:28

I slept on the couch for the weekend.

577

: 00:30:30

And I remember taking the ferry back.

578

: 00:30:33

And I text my girlfriend,

who's now my wife.

579

: 00:30:36

And I said, she said, how was it?

580

: 00:30:37

I said, from now on, we're going

to come to Martha's Vineyard.

581

: 00:30:40

And we've been coming to

Martha's Vineyard for 20 years.

582

: 00:30:42

The kids grew up there

as the vacation spot.

583

: 00:30:44

We go there for two weeks.

584

: 00:30:46

And I think one of the things that

Steve and Steve, you can tell Steve,

585

: 00:30:49

um, definitely knows his history.

586

: 00:30:51

When you go there, you learn

the African American history.

587

: 00:30:54

There's an African American heritage

trail that you can take, and it'll show

588

: 00:30:59

you how African Americans came there.

589

: 00:31:01

It was, it started off more of

as a religious retreat, right?

590

: 00:31:06

Where people would come to be able.

591

: 00:31:08

To, to, to, you know, uh, celebrate

Christ and they would have these

592

: 00:31:11

different religious retreats and then

black people started buying up houses

593

: 00:31:15

and buddy, you know, next thing, you

know, that's one of the old fears.

594

: 00:31:18

Like we let one come in and they going to

bring everybody in reverse gentrification.

595

: 00:31:30

And it just, but Martin

Luther King was there.

596

: 00:31:32

I mean, you, you know, You get

a sense of the history, um, at

597

: 00:31:36

Mart in Martha's Vineyard, right?

598

: 00:31:38

And it's, it's, uh, and it's upper

middle class, but it doesn't even matter.

599

: 00:31:41

People come from all over the

country and people also come from

600

: 00:31:45

England and stuff to that nature.

601

: 00:31:47

They have a map in one of these stores.

602

: 00:31:49

I Steve, I'm pretty sure you saw it.

603

: 00:31:51

I don't know if it's in the, uh, I forget

what store it is, but they have a map.

604

: 00:31:54

And they put these little dots in the map

of where people come to Martha's Vineyard.

605

: 00:31:58

And obviously it's a lot of people

come from the East coast, but you'll

606

: 00:32:01

see all throughout the 50 States

people come, um, for the summertime.

607

: 00:32:06

Yeah.

608

: 00:32:07

If you look at our database, you know,

from people who come to our show, UCLA,

609

: 00:32:11

San Francisco, uh, I've had Toronto, I've

had, uh, France and England, South Africa.

610

: 00:32:18

So, you know, we, we, we attract people.

611

: 00:32:21

We're, we're, I consider

ourselves a global comic festival.

612

: 00:32:24

Yeah.

613

: 00:32:25

Yeah, absolutely.

614

: 00:32:26

It's, it's, it seems to be based on

just the energy that y'all brothers

615

: 00:32:29

has giving off and you could just tell

by the smiles and things like that.

616

: 00:32:33

In my mind, in the recess of

my mind, it's a hoity toity.

617

: 00:32:35

Freaknik, right.

618

: 00:32:36

So, uh, I appreciate just getting

this game from y'all and I'm

619

: 00:32:40

gonna have to make my way out.

620

: 00:32:41

I'm gonna have to make it happen now.

621

: 00:32:42

So y'all done got me excited.

622

: 00:32:43

Hey, Steve, I brother.

623

: 00:32:46

I invited them.

624

: 00:32:46

I even, you know, look,

you, I'm gonna pay homage.

625

: 00:32:49

Just like how I came on.

626

: 00:32:50

I said, you can come sleep on the couch.

627

: 00:32:51

You got to break them in slow.

628

: 00:32:57

Let them taste it a little bit.

629

: 00:32:59

Want to stay.

630

: 00:33:00

Then you kick them out and say, bro,

next year you get your own house.

631

: 00:33:02

All right.

632

: 00:33:03

That's right.

633

: 00:33:04

That's right.

634

: 00:33:05

Each one teach one.

635

: 00:33:06

Each one teach one.

636

: 00:33:07

I'll tell you an interesting story too.

637

: 00:33:09

I remember one, one year, my festival,

I think it was year three or four.

638

: 00:33:13

And, you know, there's the ferry issue.

639

: 00:33:14

You gotta have, bring your car

on, you know, if you're gonna

640

: 00:33:16

bring your car, you got You got

to make your reservation early.

641

: 00:33:19

So I may find a little later than normal.

642

: 00:33:21

So I couldn't get in.

643

: 00:33:22

I had to come in the day before

just so I can, you know, have my car

644

: 00:33:28

and I didn't have a place to stay.

645

: 00:33:29

I was just going to sleep in my car,

but the good, you know, you start

646

: 00:33:31

talking to people and before you know

it, they said, man, where are you going?

647

: 00:33:35

I was like, well, I'm just

going to chill for a little bit.

648

: 00:33:38

They're like, man, come

on, stay at our house.

649

: 00:33:40

I mean, that's how good the people are.

650

: 00:33:42

So friendly people are.

651

: 00:33:43

You meet people from around the country.

652

: 00:33:46

Everybody, and it's one of my pet

peeves, you know, the easiest thing

653

: 00:33:49

to say to somebody first thing in

the morning is good morning, right?

654

: 00:33:53

And when you walk around Martha's

Vineyard, there's not a person

655

: 00:33:56

that doesn't say good morning.

656

: 00:33:58

I mean, but it's just very relaxed

and very friendly, but more

657

: 00:34:01

importantly, you can have a lot

of fun and you can laugh too.

658

: 00:34:04

So Steve, we're going to wrap up my man.

659

: 00:34:06

So look, I mean, buddy, you sharing

your story here telling us, you

660

: 00:34:11

know, the epiphany you got when you

use that comedy central, you know.

661

: 00:34:15

You wanted to create something you

wanted to, you know, live by your code

662

: 00:34:20

and making it clean and making it fun,

but also letting people, uh, be be

663

: 00:34:24

themselves and be let them do whatever

type of comedy they want to do as long

664

: 00:34:28

as it felt within your expectations

and you built a powerhouse, my brother.

665

: 00:34:33

Talk, talk, somebody right now who's

watching this or listening to this,

666

: 00:34:38

who may be in their closet practicing

to be a comedian or who may want to,

667

: 00:34:43

you know, have the aspirations of

owning a production company and being

668

: 00:34:48

able to build out something that

you've built out and invite, have

669

: 00:34:53

comedians come from all over the world.

670

: 00:34:54

What type of advice would

you give them, my brother?

671

: 00:34:58

First thing I would say is that,

you know, you got to be patient.

672

: 00:35:02

Uh, you have to build a business.

673

: 00:35:04

Um, you know, Rome wasn't built in a day.

674

: 00:35:08

You got to be patient.

675

: 00:35:09

You're going to make mistakes.

676

: 00:35:10

You got to be okay with making

mistakes, but how fast can you rebound?

677

: 00:35:14

You know, when I first started, I

mean, I was my own website designer.

678

: 00:35:18

I was my own accountant.

679

: 00:35:19

I was on my own lawyer.

680

: 00:35:20

Uh, you know, I was, I was.

681

: 00:35:22

I'm trying to do everything, you know,

where, where, yeah, where many hats,

682

: 00:35:26

you know, I was trying to do PR, you

know, so, and I still wear many hats,

683

: 00:35:30

you know, now I'm cleaning bathrooms

and I'm sweeping floors at the theater

684

: 00:35:34

and making popcorn, but, uh, you know,

but that's part of the, part of the,

685

: 00:35:40

the role, I mean, you, you gotta get

down and dirty with it, but you gotta

686

: 00:35:43

be patient, uh, associate with positive

people like, you know, with BEP, you know,

687

: 00:35:48

uh, because you need the encouragement.

688

: 00:35:51

Right.

689

: 00:35:51

And, you know, there's going to be times

where you're going to be down, but,

690

: 00:35:55

you know, as long as you're around.

691

: 00:35:57

positive people and people who

have resources, that kind of thing,

692

: 00:36:01

you know, you, you, you'll be

fine, but it is, it is a journey.

693

: 00:36:04

It's not a marathon.

694

: 00:36:05

I mean, not a, not a sprint.

695

: 00:36:07

And so that's one thing I would

say to, you got to live your dream.

696

: 00:36:12

You don't ever want to live in

regret saying, man, I wish I

697

: 00:36:14

would have done that, you know?

698

: 00:36:16

Uh, and if one door closes,

another one opens, you know,

699

: 00:36:19

like you said, the epiphany with

comedy central, we got laid off.

700

: 00:36:22

And I said, well, maybe I can do, you

know, what comedy central is doing.

701

: 00:36:25

I was.

702

: 00:36:25

Doing events, um, with them,

let me do it on my own.

703

: 00:36:30

And so it was a mind

shift that I experienced.

704

: 00:36:33

And so, um, again, associating

yourself with positive people

705

: 00:36:37

and people who are like minded.

706

: 00:36:40

Uh, you know, another

thing is just do your best.

707

: 00:36:46

And be honest with yourself.

708

: 00:36:48

Did you do your best today?

709

: 00:36:51

If the answer is no, you know, just

know that it's always room for growth.

710

: 00:36:54

Oh, and then maybe one day, you

know, you can, you can start being

711

: 00:36:57

the next uh, big thing next to

the Mars is being a comedy fest.

712

: 00:37:00

There you go.

713

: 00:37:01

Right.

714

: 00:37:01

Absolutely.

715

: 00:37:02

One of the things we pride ourselves

on is making sure we shout out the

716

: 00:37:04

misses and, and uh, their influence.

717

: 00:37:07

Can you give us something that,

that, that Joe, uh, A young lady, uh,

718

: 00:37:11

inspired you to, to keep on keeping

on with this and, you know, anything

719

: 00:37:14

that helped you get to this point?

720

: 00:37:17

Yeah.

721

: 00:37:18

So, um, at this particular time, I

thought I was the expert in comedy,

722

: 00:37:22

you know, cause I had been doing

shows across the country and it

723

: 00:37:26

was her ideal to do a show here.

724

: 00:37:29

And I was like, no,

it's not going to work.

725

: 00:37:30

It's going to be too expensive.

726

: 00:37:32

Uh, you know, you don't know comedy.

727

: 00:37:34

Like I know comedy, you know, I had the

whole male ego kind of thing going on.

728

: 00:37:38

Yeah.

729

: 00:37:38

And it just kind of clicked.

730

: 00:37:42

So let me, let me see

what this can happen.

731

: 00:37:44

And so long story short, you know, here

we are 13 years later, you know, what's

732

: 00:37:50

her idea, but it was my initiative.

733

: 00:37:52

Yeah.

734

: 00:37:53

Right.

735

: 00:37:53

Right.

736

: 00:37:54

That's make, that's makes

a great every good man.

737

: 00:37:56

Right.

738

: 00:37:56

Right.

739

: 00:37:57

That's awesome.

740

: 00:37:58

That's awesome.

741

: 00:38:00

So listen, my friend.

742

: 00:38:02

Tell us how BEP can repay you.

743

: 00:38:04

How can we help?

744

: 00:38:05

How can a Black Executive Perspective

podcast help Steve Capers?

745

: 00:38:09

Well, I can always say, you know, continue

to promote, uh, the festival and all the

746

: 00:38:14

social outlets, social media outlets.

747

: 00:38:17

Um, but, you know, more important,

you know, let's create a partnership

748

: 00:38:20

where we help each other out.

749

: 00:38:21

You know, it's not just a

single sided thing where BEP is

750

: 00:38:25

going to do everything for me.

751

: 00:38:25

I want to be able to, you

know, support you as well.

752

: 00:38:28

And so, you You know, continued with

podcasting, come to the festival,

753

: 00:38:33

you know, uh, meet some more people.

754

: 00:38:35

We, we, we, we can do it all.

755

: 00:38:37

So, but I appreciate just again,

have been on this platform, have an

756

: 00:38:41

opportunity to present and hopefully

I'm able to inspire a future promoter.

757

: 00:38:47

You know, or entrepreneur.

758

: 00:38:49

Well, buddy, you know what?

759

: 00:38:50

You inspired us.

760

: 00:38:52

I'm really happy that you came

and shared your story today.

761

: 00:38:55

It's fabulous.

762

: 00:38:56

And you epitomize, you talked about it.

763

: 00:38:59

One door closes, an idea came,

you, you ran to that idea.

764

: 00:39:04

You had to do everything, wear all

the different hats, but you built

765

: 00:39:07

something, you know, slowly, but surely.

766

: 00:39:09

So you can count on the

partnership here from BEP.

767

: 00:39:13

We'll go, I'm going to be

there this, this summer.

768

: 00:39:15

You know, we definitely gonna get

Chris, you know, over eventually, right?

769

: 00:39:18

Yes.

770

: 00:39:18

We'll get him over eventually . Yeah.

771

: 00:39:20

Yeah, we'll get him over.

772

: 00:39:20

Absolutely.

773

: 00:39:21

We'll get him over.

774

: 00:39:21

Right.

775

: 00:39:22

But more importantly, my man, we are

looking to cement this partnership

776

: 00:39:26

and we wish you nothing but match.

777

: 00:39:27

It says we're gonna promote, you

know, August being Black Comedy Month,

778

: 00:39:31

we're gonna promote about the festival

that you have in Martha's Vineyard.

779

: 00:39:34

And when I come, I'm gonna

definitely bring some peeps

780

: 00:39:36

with me to come and, you know.

781

: 00:39:39

Fulfill and sit back and laugh and enjoy.

782

: 00:39:41

And at least to get to hang out

with you and see everything that

783

: 00:39:44

you put together, my brother.

784

: 00:39:45

So we want to thank you for attending or

excuse me, participating and being a guest

785

: 00:39:50

on a black executive perspective podcast.

786

: 00:39:52

Well, it's been my pleasure.

787

: 00:39:53

And just one more thing.

788

: 00:39:54

I just want to send a shout out to

code magazines, you know, but allow.

789

: 00:39:58

So he's exactly, he's, he's a

part, he's a partner of ours too.

790

: 00:40:01

And we're going to see,

he's going to be there too.

791

: 00:40:03

See, everybody's going

to be there except Chris.

792

: 00:40:05

We gotta get Chris there.

793

: 00:40:09

Blah is going to be there.

794

: 00:40:10

And, and look, Bilal is the

one that set us up, right?

795

: 00:40:13

So it just shows how all of us, you

know, work together and meet and,

796

: 00:40:18

and that's the beauty of family.

797

: 00:40:20

And that's how the African

American community started

798

: 00:40:23

in Martha's Vineyard, right?

799

: 00:40:24

It was just that same type of homage.

800

: 00:40:27

So again, my brother, we Love you a lot.

801

: 00:40:30

And I'll see you in a few weeks.

802

: 00:40:32

So, so I think it's now

it's time for Tony's tidbit.

803

: 00:40:35

So the tidbit is always, we always

have a tidbit, an inspirational quote

804

: 00:40:39

based on what we talked about today.

805

: 00:40:41

So the tidbit today is black comedy.

806

: 00:40:44

Isn't just about making people laugh.

807

: 00:40:47

It's about telling stories that resonate.

808

: 00:40:50

educate and liberate.

809

: 00:40:52

Okay.

810

: 00:40:53

And you can, my brother here, he's

built up a promotion of a business

811

: 00:40:57

of comedians that's coming in and

making people laugh, but they're also

812

: 00:41:01

doing those other things as well.

813

: 00:41:03

So again, we want to thank our brother,

Steve Capers from Knock Knock Productions.

814

: 00:41:08

So Hey, Hey, everyone, you

don't want to miss need to know

815

: 00:41:12

what Nasinga this Thursday, Dr.

816

: 00:41:14

Nasinga Burton on the Black Executive

Perspective podcast, where Dr.

817

: 00:41:18

Burton delves into timely, crucial topics

that shape our community and world.

818

: 00:41:22

You're going to tune in.

819

: 00:41:23

You're going to gain unique

insights and deepen your

820

: 00:41:25

understanding of issues that matter.

821

: 00:41:27

You don't want to miss it this Thursday.

822

: 00:41:30

Check it out.

823

: 00:41:31

Need to Know by Dr.

824

: 00:41:33

Nasinga.

825

: 00:41:35

So again, I hope you enjoyed

another episode of a Black

826

: 00:41:37

Executive Perspective podcast.

827

: 00:41:39

The Rise to Cultural Prominence.

828

: 00:41:41

Martha Vineyard's Comedy Fest Story.

829

: 00:41:44

With the CEO, Knock Knock, uh, CEO

Stephen Capers of Knock Knock Productions.

830

: 00:41:49

So I think it's now time for what, Chris?

831

: 00:41:52

It's the call to action, Tony.

832

: 00:41:53

We gotta always remember

to incorporate less.

833

: 00:41:56

Less is our call to action.

834

: 00:41:57

It means learn, empathize,

share, and stop.

835

: 00:42:01

Learn.

836

: 00:42:02

Educate yourself on racial and cultural

nuances to help others get there with you.

837

: 00:42:09

Exactly.

838

: 00:42:10

And then after you learn, you should

be at E stands for empathy, right?

839

: 00:42:14

Now you should be able to empathize

from what your fellow colleagues

840

: 00:42:19

and friends go through because

you've learned more about them.

841

: 00:42:23

And the S is for share,

share your insights.

842

: 00:42:27

Don't hide it, divide it, right?

843

: 00:42:28

Share your insights and enlighten others.

844

: 00:42:30

To what you've just become enlightened to.

845

: 00:42:33

And the other S stands for stop.

846

: 00:42:36

You, you want to stop

discrimination as it goes into

847

: 00:42:39

your, as it walks into your path.

848

: 00:42:40

So if you hear grandma at the Thanksgiving

table, say something inappropriate, you

849

: 00:42:45

say, grandma, we don't talk like that.

850

: 00:42:48

And you let grandma know not to say that.

851

: 00:42:50

So if everyone incorporates less.

852

: 00:42:53

L E S S will have a little bit

more understanding world and

853

: 00:42:59

everyone will be able to see the

change that they want to see.

854

: 00:43:03

And guess what?

855

: 00:43:04

We saw some change today, some loose

change from a man, Steve Capers here.

856

: 00:43:08

All right.

857

: 00:43:09

I'm going to pick some of that up.

858

: 00:43:11

Right?

859

: 00:43:11

So again, We really appreciate you

joining another episode of a black

860

: 00:43:15

executive perspective podcast.

861

: 00:43:17

You can watch our next episode wherever

you get your podcast and follow us on

862

: 00:43:22

our socials of LinkedIn X, YouTube,

Instagram, and Facebook at a black

863

: 00:43:28

exec for our fabulous guest, the CEO

of knock knock, uh, production, Steve

864

: 00:43:33

capers for the co host with the most.

865

: 00:43:37

Thanks for keeping it real and funny.

866

: 00:43:39

My boy, the woman behind the

glass that makes all this happen.

867

: 00:43:43

Our producer, Noel Miller.

868

: 00:43:45

I'm Tony tidbit.

869

: 00:43:46

We talked about it.

870

: 00:43:47

We laughed about it today and we love you.

871

: 00:43:50

And we're out

872

: 00:43:56

a black executive perspective.