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00:00:03,337 --> 00:00:05,380
I'm Tracy Morgan!
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00:00:05,380 --> 00:00:06,506
I'm handsome.
3
00:00:06,506 --> 00:00:08,133
I can see why I
got so many kids.
4
00:00:08,133 --> 00:00:10,093
Tracy Morgan is one
of the most
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00:00:10,093 --> 00:00:12,679
naturally funny
people that exists.
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00:00:12,679 --> 00:00:14,389
I can't breathe,
Liz Lemon!
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00:00:14,389 --> 00:00:16,725
This is my impression
of a pregnant woman.
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00:00:16,725 --> 00:00:18,185
[narrator] The world knows
Tracy Morgan
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00:00:18,185 --> 00:00:19,561
as an off-the-wall...
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00:00:19,561 --> 00:00:20,854
He didn't have
that filter.
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I definitely want to
get somebody pregnant.
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Unpredictable...
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00:00:23,899 --> 00:00:25,317
-Man!
-[Laughing]
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[Bird] I'm Brian Fellow!
[Tracy] No, you're not!
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00:00:27,277 --> 00:00:28,612
Comedic genius.
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00:00:28,612 --> 00:00:31,782
He came in and
broke all the rules.
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-Get me a soda, bitch!
-[Laughing]
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He's just so honest.
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My name is Tracy Morgan,
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00:00:37,996 --> 00:00:39,915
or as most of you may
know me as...
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the other Black guy.
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I honestly don't think
there's any human being
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that has made me
belly laugh harder.
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Haha, woah!
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There's this belief out
there that you are
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00:00:51,009 --> 00:00:52,594
your character
on 30 Rock.
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No, I'm way
more out there.
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He was the happening.
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And when opportunity
meets the happening,
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that meteoric rise happens.
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What fans may not know
is that Tracy's
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00:01:05,023 --> 00:01:07,484
been a fighter from
the day he was born.
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His story is not funny.
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It was something he had to
basically try and survive.
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When did you know that
comedy was a way out?
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00:01:16,243 --> 00:01:19,454
Why is a man so driven
to escape trauma
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hell-bent on
self-destruction?
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[beep] set up, man!
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There was this deep pain,
and comedy was the saviour.
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Oh my god...
Oh my god.
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[Tracy] I was dancing with
the devil, mama.
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00:01:33,677 --> 00:01:35,053
[Overlapping voices]
Ladies and gentlemen!
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You are about to
be entertained!
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00:01:36,555 --> 00:01:38,807
Getting the laugh is
the greatest addiction.
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They want more of it,
they want more of it.
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He was getting death threats.
It [beep] with your head!
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He's out of his skull!
That's what took her down.
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This is a crazy story.
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I'm Hollywood royalty.
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People, a lot of people
don't know that
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I'm a descendant
of Clark Gable.
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Now this is my
second career.
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My first career was,
uh, porno.
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Yeah, they called me
'Manaconda'.
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[Laughing]
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You can talk to Tracy,
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00:02:02,998 --> 00:02:05,751
and hear five different
stories from this guy.
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00:02:05,751 --> 00:02:07,044
You said that you're a
big fan of the
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00:02:07,044 --> 00:02:08,503
show 'Khloé & Lamar',
is that right?
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Yeah, and we just
recently found out,
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our test results came back,
she's my daughter.
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-[Laughing]
-Khloé is your daughter?
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If you hang around
this man long enough,
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you're gonna hear
stories that...
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It, it, it's just
absolutely material.
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The test results just
came back from
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my biological father.
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-Who is he?
-Tony Dorsett.
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[Laughing]
What?
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You're related to
Charlton Heston?
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Chuck Heston. I used to call
him 'Uncle Chuck'.
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In reality, Tracy was a kid
from the projects of
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New York's Bed-Stuy
neighbourhood.
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00:02:39,201 --> 00:02:41,495
Inner-city Brooklyn is
set up for liquor stores,
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00:02:41,495 --> 00:02:44,122
churches,
drug dealers, and...
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00:02:44,122 --> 00:02:45,874
danger lurks
around the corner.
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[Sirens wailing]
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Tracy grew up in a very
conflicted neighbourhood,
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we'll call it.
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There was gun violence,
there was a lot of
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stuff happening out
on the streets.
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My name is Debra Wilson,
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I'm an actress
and a comedian,
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and I met Tracy originally
back in New York City
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00:03:03,850 --> 00:03:06,144
over two decades ago.
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When I was a
kid in the 80s,
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and crack was
rampant, you know,
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everybody was trying to
sell it to get money.
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I'm Anthony Bozza,
and I co-wrote
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00:03:13,735 --> 00:03:16,279
'I Am the New Black'
with Tracy Morgan.
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00:03:16,279 --> 00:03:18,198
Tracy's father
was a Vietnam vet,
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00:03:18,198 --> 00:03:21,952
and when he was over there,
he got addicted to heroin.
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Like so many other vets,
he had tremendous PTSD.
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Nightmares,
mental breakdowns of
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all kinds in the house.
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00:03:30,085 --> 00:03:33,004
So, Tracy's
parents split up.
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When Tracy's dad
starts to get clean,
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00:03:35,382 --> 00:03:36,967
Tracy leaves
his mom's house
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to move in with his father.
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My mom did the best she
could with five kids,
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but I needed my dad.
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He's the only one that could
show me how to be a man.
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I couldn't learn nothing
from my friends.
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They knew what I knew.
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But I could learn from my
father and his friends.
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And he was funny.
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Tracy's dad keeps him on
track and away from
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the influences
of the street.
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Were you an athlete
or something?
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Yeah, I was
a running back.
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What was your sport?
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00:04:01,450 --> 00:04:02,868
Football, and
track and field.
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I thought I
was Carl Lewis.
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00:04:04,744 --> 00:04:07,497
No, I ran that fast running
from the bullies, you know?
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00:04:07,497 --> 00:04:08,832
Just being bullied.
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00:04:08,832 --> 00:04:10,876
And then I learned
how to be funny,
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so that kept the
bullies off my back.
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00:04:14,296 --> 00:04:18,008
But that will all change when
his dad becomes seriously ill.
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He got HIV from
using dirty needles.
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00:04:20,844 --> 00:04:22,637
When his dad started
getting sick,
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00:04:22,637 --> 00:04:25,307
Tracy dropped out of high
school completely to
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00:04:25,307 --> 00:04:27,726
take care of him in
his final years.
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00:04:27,726 --> 00:04:31,313
My dad died in 1987
to AIDS,
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and something snapped.
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So he does what so many
others in his position,
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living in, you know,
the projects did.
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I used to sell crack.
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Back in the days,
everybody would.
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Either you was using it
or you were selling it.
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Either way, you got
swept up in it.
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00:04:46,620 --> 00:04:47,954
Most of the time
on the corner,
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Tracy would just sit there
and make fun of people
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and do a little
stand-up set.
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I would sell them the
crack and then be like,
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"You know this going
to kill you, right"?
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[Laughing]
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I just started doing comedy
all around the hood.
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I was always funny,
but I just started
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doing comedy though.
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00:05:01,551 --> 00:05:02,844
He needed a rock,
he needed someone
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00:05:02,844 --> 00:05:05,347
to point him in the
direction of success.
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00:05:05,347 --> 00:05:07,349
♪
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He met Sabina, who was
a few years older,
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00:05:09,142 --> 00:05:11,436
and she already
had two children,
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and they started living
together and raising the kids.
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I don't believe Tracy knew
how to connect the dots,
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00:05:18,944 --> 00:05:21,988
in terms of, how do
I help my family?
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00:05:21,988 --> 00:05:25,992
If you look at the odds
stacked against this kid...
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00:05:25,992 --> 00:05:29,746
Vietnam vet father with
PTSD, heroin addiction,
150
00:05:29,746 --> 00:05:31,790
dying of AIDS...
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00:05:31,790 --> 00:05:34,668
left high school,
got married young,
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and has nothing really else
but this innate comic ability.
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There are certain people in
life that have an X factor.
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They just don't know exactly
how their future and
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their X-factor will meet.
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Tracy wonders if
being funny is
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his ticket to a better life.
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My boy,
Tracy Morgan!
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[Cheering]
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00:05:56,648 --> 00:05:59,359
The Uptown Comedy Club was
a place that myself and
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00:05:59,359 --> 00:06:02,737
my brother Andre
created as a venue
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00:06:02,737 --> 00:06:05,448
for the young
Black comics to perform,
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because they were
not getting
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adequate opportunities
to succeed.
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But your ass is so Black,
if they put you
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00:06:13,415 --> 00:06:15,292
into bottles, you'd be
a damn Pepsi.
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[Laughing]
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Who is Tracy Morgan?
Is that a loaded question?
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No. [Laughing] My name
is Flex Alexander,
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00:06:22,340 --> 00:06:25,218
and I first met
Tracy Morgan at the
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00:06:25,218 --> 00:06:27,721
Uptown Comedy
Club in Harlem.
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You so fat, when you
stepped on a scale
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00:06:31,474 --> 00:06:33,310
it said,
"To be continued."
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00:06:33,310 --> 00:06:35,729
[Laughing]
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First thing I saw was this
chunky kid come in with
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00:06:38,690 --> 00:06:41,401
this hat with a
propeller on the top,
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doing jokes about the
hood and baby mamas.
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You know what?
You talk too much.
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00:06:46,156 --> 00:06:47,365
-What, what?
-What you wanna do?
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Even starting out
in the early days,
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00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:51,745
there was an
effortlessness to it,
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because Tracy was
always himself.
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Is this your best man?
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Best man?
It's my main man.
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That's what I'm sayin'!
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He was the first one I saw
that brought the upbringing
187
00:07:03,590 --> 00:07:05,467
that I knew about
to the stage.
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00:07:05,467 --> 00:07:07,177
Man, you crazy, man.
We from the hood.
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00:07:07,177 --> 00:07:09,012
We can't be
hit more times.
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00:07:09,012 --> 00:07:11,306
Even myself being
from the Bronx,
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I was kind of afraid to
go into those dark places,
192
00:07:14,392 --> 00:07:15,518
and he wasn't.
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00:07:15,518 --> 00:07:17,938
He just talked
about it straight up.
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Fast forward to,
195
00:07:19,606 --> 00:07:23,985
we are on the day
of shooting a TV show,
196
00:07:23,985 --> 00:07:28,365
and a young comic
by the name of Chris Tucker,
197
00:07:28,365 --> 00:07:30,492
he was on the come up.
198
00:07:30,492 --> 00:07:34,621
He missed his flight,
and we had an open spot.
199
00:07:34,621 --> 00:07:37,957
And I say, "Yo, Tray.
Do you think you could
200
00:07:37,957 --> 00:07:41,920
give me a hilarious
four minutes"?
201
00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:46,007
And he looked at me and
he said, with confidence,
202
00:07:46,007 --> 00:07:50,345
"Yo, Kev, you know me.
I got, I got you Kev."
203
00:07:50,345 --> 00:07:51,971
Y'all want to see my version
of Michael Jackson
204
00:07:51,971 --> 00:07:53,139
from the projects?
205
00:07:53,139 --> 00:07:54,474
[Audience]
Yes!
206
00:07:54,474 --> 00:07:56,685
And he went on that stage,
207
00:07:56,685 --> 00:07:59,938
and did this
Michael Jackson,
208
00:07:59,938 --> 00:08:02,440
and he shook it up.
209
00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,902
He did those things that a
kid would do in the house
210
00:08:05,902 --> 00:08:08,363
when they're seven,
211
00:08:08,363 --> 00:08:10,824
and it was hilarious!
212
00:08:10,824 --> 00:08:14,077
When I first saw Tracy
start patting his stomach,
213
00:08:14,077 --> 00:08:16,538
you know, I just said,
"This boy is wild!
214
00:08:16,538 --> 00:08:18,248
I gotta put him
on the show."
215
00:08:18,248 --> 00:08:23,336
♪
216
00:08:23,336 --> 00:08:25,088
Martin was a guy
from the hood, also.
217
00:08:25,088 --> 00:08:26,965
And Martin was huge.
218
00:08:26,965 --> 00:08:29,008
Hustle Man is
in the house.
219
00:08:29,008 --> 00:08:30,343
I was like,
"This is brilliant."
220
00:08:30,343 --> 00:08:32,011
That was somebody
he talked about
221
00:08:32,011 --> 00:08:34,597
on stage from the block,
you know,
222
00:08:34,597 --> 00:08:36,307
somebody who's always
selling something.
223
00:08:36,307 --> 00:08:39,060
I got food stamps,
I got incense,
224
00:08:39,060 --> 00:08:41,771
I got a Greyhound bus
in the parking lot.
225
00:08:41,771 --> 00:08:43,898
Martin Lawrence gave me
a shot when he put me
226
00:08:43,898 --> 00:08:45,859
in front of this
national audience.
227
00:08:45,859 --> 00:08:48,319
So now he's moving
on an echelon
228
00:08:48,319 --> 00:08:50,947
that is like
an escalator.
229
00:08:50,947 --> 00:08:52,574
And in the entertainment
industry in general,
230
00:08:52,574 --> 00:08:55,702
once you're on it,
it's taking you on a ride.
231
00:08:55,702 --> 00:08:57,120
Behind the scenes,
232
00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:00,248
Tracy is using alcohol
to calm his nerves.
233
00:09:00,248 --> 00:09:03,585
It's a habit he's able to
keep under the radar
234
00:09:03,585 --> 00:09:05,754
along with some
troubling symptoms...
235
00:09:05,754 --> 00:09:08,882
pain in his legs, headaches,
and mood swings.
236
00:09:08,882 --> 00:09:10,675
What you, what you
selling Hustle Man?
237
00:09:10,675 --> 00:09:13,011
I got a special on some
free-range chicken.
238
00:09:13,011 --> 00:09:15,263
But he's too focused
on his career to
239
00:09:15,263 --> 00:09:16,848
pay attention to why.
240
00:09:16,848 --> 00:09:19,059
What the hell is
free-range chicken, man?
241
00:09:19,059 --> 00:09:20,727
It means for me
it was free.
242
00:09:20,727 --> 00:09:23,229
For you it's gonna cost
you in the range of $15.
243
00:09:23,229 --> 00:09:24,689
[Laughing]
244
00:09:24,689 --> 00:09:27,484
He didn't take any particular
steps to make it happen.
245
00:09:27,484 --> 00:09:30,653
He was the happening,
and when opportunity
246
00:09:30,653 --> 00:09:32,113
meets the happening,
247
00:09:32,113 --> 00:09:34,365
that meteoric rise happens.
248
00:09:34,365 --> 00:09:36,159
Hi, my name is
Tracy Morgan.
249
00:09:36,159 --> 00:09:38,411
I'd like to introduce you
to one of my friends.
250
00:09:38,411 --> 00:09:40,121
Soon he's auditioning
for the
251
00:09:40,121 --> 00:09:42,082
ultimate springboard
to fame...
252
00:09:42,082 --> 00:09:44,042
Saturday Night Live.
253
00:09:44,042 --> 00:09:46,503
I was like, "This guy, yo,
he must be smart, man.
254
00:09:46,503 --> 00:09:50,090
He must be a intellect."
Then the cat was like-
255
00:09:50,090 --> 00:09:52,467
[Inhaling],
"Nah, Drake, nah.
256
00:09:52,467 --> 00:09:54,135
I think he a Scorpio.
257
00:09:54,135 --> 00:09:57,430
I'm on Saturday Night Live,
and Lorne Michaels
258
00:09:57,430 --> 00:09:59,349
pulled me in his room
and he goes, "Jim,
259
00:09:59,349 --> 00:10:02,977
what do you think
about Tracy Morgan"?
260
00:10:02,977 --> 00:10:05,730
I didn't want to be
too obvious,
261
00:10:05,730 --> 00:10:08,566
but I was like,
"Oh my God!
262
00:10:08,566 --> 00:10:10,735
I didn't want to go there like,
"You gotta hire him, Jim"!
263
00:10:10,735 --> 00:10:13,655
I went, "I honestly
don't think
264
00:10:13,655 --> 00:10:16,199
there's any human
being in the world
265
00:10:16,199 --> 00:10:19,118
that has made me
belly laugh harder,
266
00:10:19,118 --> 00:10:22,080
being raw and unfiltered
267
00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,249
and completely natural."
268
00:10:24,249 --> 00:10:26,876
It's Saturday Night Live!
269
00:10:26,876 --> 00:10:29,003
With Tracy Morgan...
270
00:10:29,003 --> 00:10:30,547
Soon as they told me,
I went right back to
271
00:10:30,547 --> 00:10:32,632
the projects and told, like,
my boy Supreme.
272
00:10:32,632 --> 00:10:34,217
I was like, "Yo, I got
Saturday Night Live."
273
00:10:34,217 --> 00:10:37,428
And they was like,
"What! We made it"!
274
00:10:37,428 --> 00:10:38,721
[Laughing]
275
00:10:38,721 --> 00:10:40,723
I think it's obvious that
if anyone gets on SNL,
276
00:10:40,723 --> 00:10:41,933
it's gonna be
your big break.
277
00:10:41,933 --> 00:10:44,519
"Mom, Tracy got
Saturday Night Live!
278
00:10:44,519 --> 00:10:46,729
Tray, my mom said
pick up a couch."
279
00:10:46,729 --> 00:10:49,440
[Laughing]
280
00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,109
♪
281
00:10:51,109 --> 00:10:53,778
[Tracy] Saturday Night Live was
like a university for funny.
282
00:10:53,778 --> 00:10:56,781
But I felt like Noah,
who had built his ark,
283
00:10:56,781 --> 00:10:59,242
and the first thing I wanted
to do is get my family to
284
00:10:59,242 --> 00:11:02,036
higher grounds, 'cause I knew
the floods was gonna come.
285
00:11:02,036 --> 00:11:03,288
[Interviewer]
What were the floods?
286
00:11:03,288 --> 00:11:06,040
[Tracy] More gunfire,
more violence.
287
00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:10,211
Tracy's sudden good fortune
can't prevent what comes next.
288
00:11:10,211 --> 00:11:13,715
He wakes up one morning
completely blind.
289
00:11:13,715 --> 00:11:17,093
He discovers he's been living
with untreated diabetes.
290
00:11:17,093 --> 00:11:18,303
It was already
pretty far along,
291
00:11:18,303 --> 00:11:20,096
if it was at that level.
292
00:11:20,096 --> 00:11:21,848
♪
293
00:11:21,848 --> 00:11:24,767
But his fragile health takes
a backseat to surviving
294
00:11:24,767 --> 00:11:27,353
his scary new
reality on SNL.
295
00:11:27,353 --> 00:11:29,564
[Tracy] I was coming from
a different world.
296
00:11:29,564 --> 00:11:32,108
I was coming from a
world of Black people,
297
00:11:32,108 --> 00:11:34,152
and knowing how to
make them laugh,
298
00:11:34,152 --> 00:11:37,113
and I was out of
my comfort zone.
299
00:11:37,113 --> 00:11:40,283
-85th and Columbus.
-You got it.
300
00:11:40,283 --> 00:11:43,953
When he first arrived at SNL,
he was a very shy kid
301
00:11:43,953 --> 00:11:46,372
from the projects
of New York City.
302
00:11:46,372 --> 00:11:48,999
In the beginning, he's the
one who felt insecure,
303
00:11:48,999 --> 00:11:50,668
like, "I don't know
if I belong here."
304
00:11:50,668 --> 00:11:53,671
Hello America, my name
is Tracy Morgan.
305
00:11:53,671 --> 00:11:56,841
As most of you might know,
the other Black guy.
306
00:11:56,841 --> 00:11:59,385
Changes were
happening so rapidly,
307
00:11:59,385 --> 00:12:02,764
that he was trying to adjust
in a new cultural community,
308
00:12:02,764 --> 00:12:04,766
a new comedy
community.
309
00:12:04,766 --> 00:12:07,894
And so in a space like that,
the jokes that you tell about
310
00:12:07,894 --> 00:12:10,438
growing up in the Bronx,
growing up around
311
00:12:10,438 --> 00:12:13,399
gun violence, growing up
around drugs and
312
00:12:13,399 --> 00:12:16,778
all of these things, is not
necessarily relatable
313
00:12:16,778 --> 00:12:18,154
to other people...
314
00:12:18,154 --> 00:12:19,489
especially white people.
315
00:12:19,489 --> 00:12:21,366
I mean these people are
nice and everything, man,
316
00:12:21,366 --> 00:12:23,368
but sometimes I feel a
little culturally isolated.
317
00:12:23,368 --> 00:12:24,661
Right, right, right.
318
00:12:24,661 --> 00:12:26,245
Even when you're a
cast member at SNL,
319
00:12:26,245 --> 00:12:28,039
there's no guarantee you're
gonna see much air time.
320
00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:29,958
It's highly competitive
every week,
321
00:12:29,958 --> 00:12:32,543
and he wasn't really sure
how he could get the
322
00:12:32,543 --> 00:12:35,255
kind of skits written
where he could shine.
323
00:12:35,255 --> 00:12:38,216
-Pissing me off, man!
-[Laughing]
324
00:12:38,216 --> 00:12:40,426
I imagine at the
end of each day,
325
00:12:40,426 --> 00:12:43,846
the substances come in
to help numb some of that
326
00:12:43,846 --> 00:12:46,474
hyper-vigilance that's
going on from just
327
00:12:46,474 --> 00:12:48,518
being at work
day to day.
328
00:12:48,518 --> 00:12:50,478
So, of course because
of commitment,
329
00:12:50,478 --> 00:12:54,023
he's going to press junkets,
and events, and signings.
330
00:12:54,023 --> 00:12:55,692
They're huge!
331
00:12:55,692 --> 00:12:58,403
He's also entering a world
where bad habits
332
00:12:58,403 --> 00:13:00,279
can become a norm.
333
00:13:00,279 --> 00:13:02,615
He kept drinking, and
kept living his lifestyle.
334
00:13:02,615 --> 00:13:04,909
Every single thing that he
was putting in his body was
335
00:13:04,909 --> 00:13:08,246
what a doctor would tell you
not to do if you had diabetes.
336
00:13:08,246 --> 00:13:10,581
And, ah...
he just ignored it.
337
00:13:10,581 --> 00:13:12,834
♪
338
00:13:17,755 --> 00:13:19,757
It's Saturday Night Live!
339
00:13:19,757 --> 00:13:22,010
For Tracy Morgan,
entering the world of
340
00:13:22,010 --> 00:13:25,305
Saturday Night Live is a
massive culture shock.
341
00:13:25,305 --> 00:13:28,725
You have come to
the right place. Behold!
342
00:13:28,725 --> 00:13:31,853
And he's working amongst
Harvard Lampoon
343
00:13:31,853 --> 00:13:35,857
graduates and comedians,
almost all white.
344
00:13:35,857 --> 00:13:37,525
I don't think there
was a Black writer
345
00:13:37,525 --> 00:13:38,735
on the show
at the time.
346
00:13:38,735 --> 00:13:40,069
They didn't know
how to write for him.
347
00:13:40,069 --> 00:13:41,487
And I don't blame them
for that. You know,
348
00:13:41,487 --> 00:13:43,448
someone who came
from Harvard and Yale,
349
00:13:43,448 --> 00:13:45,825
what do they know about
drive-by shootings?
350
00:13:45,825 --> 00:13:48,995
I also feel Tracy
didn't want to
351
00:13:48,995 --> 00:13:51,497
exploit that side of him.
352
00:13:51,497 --> 00:13:53,624
Oh hey, hi Tracy.
353
00:13:53,624 --> 00:13:55,918
Tracy always was
his authentic self.
354
00:13:55,918 --> 00:13:58,504
It was a matter of how
they're gonna write for me,
355
00:13:58,504 --> 00:14:02,717
or are they gonna just
see me as a stereotype?
356
00:14:02,717 --> 00:14:04,677
And if the writing that's
gonna come back from
357
00:14:04,677 --> 00:14:09,098
white writers is all so
stereotypical that it is
358
00:14:09,098 --> 00:14:12,769
askewed view of
the way I grew up,
359
00:14:12,769 --> 00:14:15,646
and a skewed view
of what I can do.
360
00:14:15,646 --> 00:14:18,191
-What's up, baby?
-What's happening, homie?
361
00:14:18,191 --> 00:14:20,401
Like imagine, you feel
like you gotta carry
362
00:14:20,401 --> 00:14:23,654
the whole load
for, for Blacks.
363
00:14:23,654 --> 00:14:27,075
It's not, you know, gonna
be all that comfortable.
364
00:14:27,075 --> 00:14:29,494
[Tracy] When I first got to
Saturday Night Live,
365
00:14:29,494 --> 00:14:31,287
I thought people was like,
366
00:14:31,287 --> 00:14:32,997
isolating me and
all of that stuff.
367
00:14:32,997 --> 00:14:34,582
Stop laughing at me!
368
00:14:34,582 --> 00:14:36,125
When other Black people
come up to me and say,
369
00:14:36,125 --> 00:14:37,794
"So you work at
Saturday Night Live"?
370
00:14:37,794 --> 00:14:39,212
And I go, "Yeah"!
371
00:14:39,212 --> 00:14:41,881
And then they say, "So,
what you do there"?
372
00:14:41,881 --> 00:14:43,758
And I say,
"I'm Tracy Morgan.
373
00:14:43,758 --> 00:14:46,928
I'm the guy who smiles real
big at the Goodnights."
374
00:14:46,928 --> 00:14:49,806
Here's me and my big scene
with Sylvester Stallone.
375
00:14:49,806 --> 00:14:50,890
Oh, oh, oh!
376
00:14:50,890 --> 00:14:53,101
Me with Tom Hanks,
that's my man.
377
00:14:53,101 --> 00:14:55,103
-[Laughing]
-Oh, man!
378
00:14:55,103 --> 00:14:58,731
He was so
under-utilized.
379
00:14:58,731 --> 00:15:00,316
And he was falling
down the ranks.
380
00:15:00,316 --> 00:15:02,735
And he wasn't really sure
how he could get the
381
00:15:02,735 --> 00:15:05,404
kind of skits written
where he could shine.
382
00:15:05,404 --> 00:15:07,407
Man I'm sorry,
the pimp chat got cut.
383
00:15:07,407 --> 00:15:09,325
Oh don't sweat it, man,
I'll do it next week, man.
384
00:15:09,325 --> 00:15:10,493
I'm just gonna say
Goodnights tonight.
385
00:15:10,493 --> 00:15:11,494
Oh, cool.
386
00:15:11,494 --> 00:15:13,079
I think he struggled
for a while,
387
00:15:13,079 --> 00:15:15,456
thinking that maybe he
had turned his back on the
388
00:15:15,456 --> 00:15:17,625
community that bred him,
and kind of who he
389
00:15:17,625 --> 00:15:20,002
really is as a comic
and as a person.
390
00:15:20,002 --> 00:15:21,796
♪
391
00:15:21,796 --> 00:15:24,132
Tracy comes in,
"Jim, I bought a
392
00:15:24,132 --> 00:15:25,800
big, expensive truck."
393
00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,177
He's like, "Man,
I went through the hood,
394
00:15:28,177 --> 00:15:29,971
and they popped my tires"!
395
00:15:29,971 --> 00:15:31,889
And he was really
bothered by that.
396
00:15:31,889 --> 00:15:33,391
He was really
hurt by that.
397
00:15:33,391 --> 00:15:37,019
He goes, "I was showing
them that you can make it."
398
00:15:37,019 --> 00:15:39,021
We think we
leave somewhere,
399
00:15:39,021 --> 00:15:41,107
we're gonna come back
and jump right back in.
400
00:15:41,107 --> 00:15:42,900
But life went
on without you.
401
00:15:42,900 --> 00:15:45,444
So, coming back and seeing,
"Maybe I wasn't
402
00:15:45,444 --> 00:15:47,738
as important to people
as I thought"?
403
00:15:47,738 --> 00:15:51,284
It's a crushing
feeling of grief.
404
00:15:51,284 --> 00:15:54,412
It's not knowing who I am,
405
00:15:54,412 --> 00:15:57,331
because my old community
doesn't embrace me,
406
00:15:57,331 --> 00:16:00,001
and the new community
doesn't embrace me.
407
00:16:00,001 --> 00:16:01,419
These are strange times.
408
00:16:01,419 --> 00:16:03,421
One point, he was so low
that he kind of broke down.
409
00:16:03,421 --> 00:16:04,839
[Interviewer] Did you feel
like you were failing?
410
00:16:04,839 --> 00:16:06,799
[Tracy] Yeah. There were times
where you weren't in.
411
00:16:06,799 --> 00:16:08,551
But I thought it was
'cause I was Black,
412
00:16:08,551 --> 00:16:10,595
they wasn't putting me
in the sketches.
413
00:16:10,595 --> 00:16:12,680
Then, an exchange with
Lorne Michaels
414
00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,348
changes everything.
415
00:16:14,348 --> 00:16:15,808
Lorne told him directly,
416
00:16:15,808 --> 00:16:17,894
"I didn't choose you
because you're Black.
417
00:16:17,894 --> 00:16:19,604
I chose you because
you're funny."
418
00:16:19,604 --> 00:16:21,689
[Tracy] He let me know that I
was here with Will Ferrell
419
00:16:21,689 --> 00:16:23,357
'cause I'm just
as funny as him.
420
00:16:23,357 --> 00:16:25,359
[Anthony] That was a
turning point for him.
421
00:16:25,359 --> 00:16:26,485
He certainly wasn't
gonna let this
422
00:16:26,485 --> 00:16:28,571
wonderful opportunity
pass him by.
423
00:16:28,571 --> 00:16:32,074
[Singing]
Dum, dum, dum...
424
00:16:32,074 --> 00:16:34,911
The second year we asked
to be in a room together,
425
00:16:34,911 --> 00:16:36,495
so we shared an office.
426
00:16:36,495 --> 00:16:40,499
Me and Tracy would bounce
off each other nonstop.
427
00:16:40,499 --> 00:16:42,168
-Yikes!
-Woah!
428
00:16:42,168 --> 00:16:43,711
Hey, hey, hey, hey!
429
00:16:43,711 --> 00:16:45,755
There was nothing more
beautiful than
430
00:16:45,755 --> 00:16:48,507
watching him in his
element, crushing.
431
00:16:48,507 --> 00:16:50,510
What the hell is
going on here?
432
00:16:50,510 --> 00:16:52,845
I'm sorry! Don't be
scared, I'm sorry.
433
00:16:52,845 --> 00:16:54,222
-We're sorry!
-We're sorry!
434
00:16:54,222 --> 00:16:56,891
[Tracy] I realized that I had
to put my guards down,
435
00:16:56,891 --> 00:17:00,019
and let the writers
see my flaws...
436
00:17:00,019 --> 00:17:01,812
to make fun of them.
437
00:17:01,812 --> 00:17:03,773
And that became
my process.
438
00:17:03,773 --> 00:17:05,650
Tracy what'd you
do last night?
439
00:17:05,650 --> 00:17:07,401
I just chilled out
with the homeboys,
440
00:17:07,401 --> 00:17:08,653
you know
what I'm saying?
441
00:17:08,653 --> 00:17:09,987
Busted down a couple of
bottles of Cristal at
442
00:17:09,987 --> 00:17:12,782
the club, drove around in
my baby blue Jaguar.
443
00:17:12,782 --> 00:17:15,743
-Typical bad boy stuff.
-Cool, cool.
444
00:17:15,743 --> 00:17:18,955
What about you, Dratch?
What you did last night?
445
00:17:18,955 --> 00:17:21,249
Um, I went to this Brazilian
restaurant on the
446
00:17:21,249 --> 00:17:23,334
Upper West Side with a
couple Dartmouth friends.
447
00:17:23,334 --> 00:17:26,128
Um... you should go,
they have really good flan.
448
00:17:26,128 --> 00:17:28,297
Yeah, I don't
know what that is.
449
00:17:28,297 --> 00:17:29,548
[Laughing]
450
00:17:29,548 --> 00:17:31,717
He sort of found ways to
talk to some of the....
451
00:17:31,717 --> 00:17:33,219
the, the writers.
452
00:17:33,219 --> 00:17:36,514
Thanks, Tina. You are
looking good as always.
453
00:17:36,514 --> 00:17:38,849
[Tracy] Tina Fey was basically
the first one to go,
454
00:17:38,849 --> 00:17:40,184
"Wait a minute,
this dude is funny,
455
00:17:40,184 --> 00:17:42,019
but you gotta
let him be him."
456
00:17:42,019 --> 00:17:44,480
I got this character,
one is called
457
00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,400
'Sugarfoot Jones',
and 'Lay Lady Lay'.
458
00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:48,651
[Laughing]
459
00:17:48,651 --> 00:17:50,403
You can't be afraid.
Yeah, he's edgy.
460
00:17:50,403 --> 00:17:53,573
He's from the ghetto!
But let's let him be him.
461
00:17:53,573 --> 00:17:54,699
And it worked.
462
00:17:54,699 --> 00:17:56,784
Nah!
[Laughing]
463
00:17:56,784 --> 00:17:59,203
Tina Fey recognized
my funny.
464
00:17:59,203 --> 00:18:01,289
That's when you started
seeing Judge Judy and
465
00:18:01,289 --> 00:18:02,415
all those things.
466
00:18:02,415 --> 00:18:04,375
-Yes, I am a lawyer.
-[Laughing]
467
00:18:04,375 --> 00:18:06,085
I think the character
everyone remembers best
468
00:18:06,085 --> 00:18:08,629
from Tracy on SNL is
'Brian Fellows'.
469
00:18:08,629 --> 00:18:12,091
-I'm Brian Fellows.
-[Laughing]
470
00:18:12,091 --> 00:18:15,052
Hello Brian. I want you to
meet my porcupine friend,
471
00:18:15,052 --> 00:18:16,470
his name is Willie.
472
00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:19,181
-That rat needs a haircut.
-[Laughing]
473
00:18:19,181 --> 00:18:22,518
I think Brian Fellows became
a hit because it was what I
474
00:18:22,518 --> 00:18:26,689
talk about with Tracy being
authoritarian and crazy.
475
00:18:26,689 --> 00:18:28,691
That's the biggest dog
I've ever seen.
476
00:18:28,691 --> 00:18:30,026
[Laughing]
477
00:18:30,026 --> 00:18:32,028
What's wrong
with that dog?
478
00:18:32,028 --> 00:18:35,114
-I'm Brian Fellow!
-That bird is a liar.
479
00:18:35,114 --> 00:18:36,574
[Laughing]
480
00:18:36,574 --> 00:18:38,701
-I'm Brian Fellow!
-No, you're not!
481
00:18:38,701 --> 00:18:39,785
Hey! I...
482
00:18:39,785 --> 00:18:40,911
When the cameras
aren't rolling,
483
00:18:40,911 --> 00:18:43,456
Tracy decides to
blow off steam.
484
00:18:43,456 --> 00:18:47,043
You like drinking?
Yeah, you like drinking.
485
00:18:47,043 --> 00:18:48,627
Who the hell don't?
486
00:18:48,627 --> 00:18:50,630
Usually during the week,
and we'd be like,
487
00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:52,173
"Hey, you know what,
we're having writer's block.
488
00:18:52,173 --> 00:18:55,217
Let's go take a walk.
Let's go have a beer."
489
00:18:55,217 --> 00:18:56,552
I'll never forget this.
490
00:18:56,552 --> 00:18:58,346
I don't know what
bar we were in.
491
00:18:58,346 --> 00:19:00,264
There was nobody
in there, like...
492
00:19:00,264 --> 00:19:02,099
five people,
tops.
493
00:19:02,099 --> 00:19:04,852
And next thing you know,
"I'm starting to feel,
494
00:19:04,852 --> 00:19:06,729
I'm starting to feel it"!
495
00:19:06,729 --> 00:19:09,065
And then his
shirt comes off,
496
00:19:09,065 --> 00:19:11,150
and he's slapping
his belly.
497
00:19:11,150 --> 00:19:13,694
"Somebody gonna get
pregnant up in here.
498
00:19:13,694 --> 00:19:15,905
Somebody gonna
get pregnant"!
499
00:19:15,905 --> 00:19:18,282
I was mortified,
500
00:19:18,282 --> 00:19:22,244
but yet it was,
it was hilarious.
501
00:19:22,244 --> 00:19:23,746
Once he unleashed it,
502
00:19:23,746 --> 00:19:25,122
he would walk around
the hallways.
503
00:19:25,122 --> 00:19:27,041
I definitely want get
somebody pregnant.
504
00:19:27,041 --> 00:19:29,293
I want her to get pregnant,
have my daughter.
505
00:19:29,293 --> 00:19:30,795
Alright.
506
00:19:30,795 --> 00:19:33,589
That became a battle cry:
"Somebody gonna get pregnant!"
507
00:19:33,589 --> 00:19:34,924
Everyone would say that.
508
00:19:34,924 --> 00:19:36,258
Somebody gonna
get pregnant.
509
00:19:36,258 --> 00:19:37,718
Somebody gonna get
pregnant while I'm in town.
510
00:19:37,718 --> 00:19:39,136
Two days, watch.
511
00:19:39,136 --> 00:19:41,931
Tracy's catchphrase, it's said
with such confidence,
512
00:19:41,931 --> 00:19:43,432
but it's also like...
513
00:19:43,432 --> 00:19:45,184
you're talking
about Betty White.
514
00:19:45,184 --> 00:19:46,894
She can't have kids.
515
00:19:46,894 --> 00:19:49,438
I whipped out my belly
and went like this.
516
00:19:49,438 --> 00:19:50,523
[Laughing]
517
00:19:50,523 --> 00:19:53,275
That right there is
a mating call.
518
00:19:53,275 --> 00:19:55,736
It was never not funny.
519
00:19:55,736 --> 00:19:58,781
Tinga-linga-linga-ling!
Dinner's ready!
520
00:19:58,781 --> 00:20:00,241
[Laughing]
521
00:20:00,241 --> 00:20:03,327
Tracy liked to party,
and when he maybe
522
00:20:03,327 --> 00:20:05,121
over served himself,
he would turn into
523
00:20:05,121 --> 00:20:07,039
someone called
'Chico Divine'.
524
00:20:07,039 --> 00:20:08,791
You don't want him
to come out.
525
00:20:08,791 --> 00:20:12,753
-Who's 'Chico Divine'?
-[Cheering]
526
00:20:12,753 --> 00:20:17,299
♪
527
00:20:17,299 --> 00:20:19,135
If you're looking at
paparazzi shots and
528
00:20:19,135 --> 00:20:20,678
the shirt's off,
that's Chico.
529
00:20:20,678 --> 00:20:22,096
It's Chico.
530
00:20:22,096 --> 00:20:23,973
You're always in the paper
for taking your shirt off.
531
00:20:23,973 --> 00:20:26,559
-What is that all about?
-[Cheering]
532
00:20:26,559 --> 00:20:28,811
I'm a sex symbol, baby!
533
00:20:28,811 --> 00:20:32,273
Tracy's rise was
really, really huge,
534
00:20:32,273 --> 00:20:34,733
that it would be obvious
that he would be a
535
00:20:34,733 --> 00:20:36,360
part of the party scene.
536
00:20:36,360 --> 00:20:40,156
And I think to navigate that,
bringing out a character that
537
00:20:40,156 --> 00:20:43,200
is an alter ego that can
push envelopes beyond
538
00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,786
the Tracy Morgan,
makes sense.
539
00:20:45,786 --> 00:20:49,165
It was almost like having a
bodyguard to protect yourself.
540
00:20:49,165 --> 00:20:51,125
Oh, Im'a get you
pregnant, word up.
541
00:20:51,125 --> 00:20:53,377
Tracy ignores that
drinking is
542
00:20:53,377 --> 00:20:55,838
catastrophic
for his health.
543
00:20:55,838 --> 00:20:57,965
I think his attitude was
that he is a survivor,
544
00:20:57,965 --> 00:20:59,842
and he is tough,
and he's made it this far.
545
00:20:59,842 --> 00:21:02,219
He even treated the
diabetes that way.
546
00:21:02,219 --> 00:21:04,722
He was like, "The bad
sugar's not gonna take me."
547
00:21:04,722 --> 00:21:07,975
Tracy had some
legendarily
548
00:21:07,975 --> 00:21:11,604
notorious drinking stories.
549
00:21:11,604 --> 00:21:14,148
Too much partying, burning
the candle on both ends,
550
00:21:14,148 --> 00:21:16,108
passing out in the club,
551
00:21:16,108 --> 00:21:20,196
funding strippers' entire
college careers.
552
00:21:20,196 --> 00:21:22,323
So, nothing was
gonna slow him down.
553
00:21:22,323 --> 00:21:24,241
[Tracy] Love!
It's all love!
554
00:21:30,748 --> 00:21:32,917
Hey Lou, what's the dealio
on that weather, son?
555
00:21:32,917 --> 00:21:35,294
It's that... it's cold.
556
00:21:35,294 --> 00:21:39,089
It is "vetty" cold.
You can see for Tuesday.
557
00:21:39,089 --> 00:21:42,009
After a rocky start on
Saturday Night Live,
558
00:21:42,009 --> 00:21:44,345
Tracy has become
a fan favourite.
559
00:21:44,345 --> 00:21:46,263
People adapt to Tracy.
560
00:21:46,263 --> 00:21:47,473
-I'm saying.
-Alright, come on, let's go.
561
00:21:47,473 --> 00:21:48,807
We're in the
middle of a show.
562
00:21:48,807 --> 00:21:51,810
Sometimes Black comedians,
I've been guilty of it,
563
00:21:51,810 --> 00:21:55,856
go into a White room and then
trying to adapt to the room.
564
00:21:55,856 --> 00:21:57,858
Get me a soda, bitch!
565
00:21:57,858 --> 00:22:00,110
[Laughing &
applauding]
566
00:22:00,110 --> 00:22:02,488
But people adapted to him,
'cause he was
567
00:22:02,488 --> 00:22:04,615
gonna be himself,
no matter what.
568
00:22:04,615 --> 00:22:06,492
-Okay.
-Alright.
569
00:22:06,492 --> 00:22:08,202
As somebody who grew
up with nothing,
570
00:22:08,202 --> 00:22:09,828
once he had the
ability to get things,
571
00:22:09,828 --> 00:22:12,373
he was spendin' dollars.
572
00:22:12,373 --> 00:22:16,502
He went out and bought a
Jaguar in New York City,
573
00:22:16,502 --> 00:22:18,420
and got into a fender bender
574
00:22:18,420 --> 00:22:20,923
his first day driving
it in Manhattan.
575
00:22:20,923 --> 00:22:22,299
Two questions.
576
00:22:22,299 --> 00:22:24,885
Why would anyone buy
a Jaguar in Manhattan?
577
00:22:24,885 --> 00:22:27,596
And secondly, the money he
spent on that fender bender
578
00:22:27,596 --> 00:22:29,640
was probably my
yearly salary.
579
00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:31,642
There wasn't like,
a diva effect.
580
00:22:31,642 --> 00:22:33,310
That didn't happen
to Tracy at all.
581
00:22:33,310 --> 00:22:37,231
He just let his natural
ridiculousness run wild.
582
00:22:37,231 --> 00:22:38,524
I'm checking this out,
this is...
583
00:22:38,524 --> 00:22:39,817
This is great.
Look at this.
584
00:22:39,817 --> 00:22:41,318
-You got some bling here.
-Yeah this is bling.
585
00:22:41,318 --> 00:22:43,737
Yeah, my family bought this
for me for Father's Day.
586
00:22:43,737 --> 00:22:47,074
-They used my money.
-[Laughing]
587
00:22:47,074 --> 00:22:49,326
He likes to live a life
of excess, and likes
588
00:22:49,326 --> 00:22:51,537
nice things, and fast cars,
and gold chains.
589
00:22:51,537 --> 00:22:55,249
But he seems to just
be enjoying the ride.
590
00:22:55,249 --> 00:22:58,627
But Tracy feels he
has more to offer.
591
00:22:58,627 --> 00:23:00,880
♪ I GREW UP ON THE
WRONG SIDE OF TOWN. ♪
592
00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:02,423
After 7 seasons,
593
00:23:02,423 --> 00:23:04,925
he leaves SNL for
his own sitcom,
594
00:23:04,925 --> 00:23:07,011
a mainstream show
inspired by
595
00:23:07,011 --> 00:23:08,804
Tracy's life growing up.
596
00:23:08,804 --> 00:23:10,347
-Hey baby!
-What's up?
597
00:23:10,347 --> 00:23:12,808
-You want some coffee?
-Yes, I'd like some coffee.
598
00:23:12,808 --> 00:23:14,894
Also, some pancakes,
scrambled eggs,
599
00:23:14,894 --> 00:23:17,896
sausage, and a little
glass of juice.
600
00:23:17,896 --> 00:23:19,440
[Laughing]
601
00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,567
I could see that
being a relief of,
602
00:23:21,567 --> 00:23:24,194
[Sighing] "Now I can take
the mask off and
603
00:23:24,194 --> 00:23:26,280
be true to who I am."
604
00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:28,616
But the show becomes
a wholesome dad role,
605
00:23:28,616 --> 00:23:31,410
miles from Tracy's
original concept.
606
00:23:31,410 --> 00:23:32,870
-You a funny little man.
-Yeah, uh huh.
607
00:23:32,870 --> 00:23:34,872
Now eat your
Froot Loops.
608
00:23:34,872 --> 00:23:36,957
This is a
Hollywood wheel.
609
00:23:36,957 --> 00:23:40,002
They take a Tracy Morgan
who's extremely authentic,
610
00:23:40,002 --> 00:23:42,171
and White writers go,
"We have to appease
611
00:23:42,171 --> 00:23:45,883
an audience that's
not all Black."
612
00:23:45,883 --> 00:23:47,509
Oh, time out.
613
00:23:47,509 --> 00:23:49,845
You know I don't like
her up in my spiz-ace.
614
00:23:49,845 --> 00:23:51,096
[Laughing]
615
00:23:51,096 --> 00:23:52,556
"Oh no, no no!
This is gonna be great.
616
00:23:52,556 --> 00:23:54,058
This is gonna be great."
We're gonna convince you this
617
00:23:54,058 --> 00:23:58,437
is gonna be great, and then
we're gonna flip the script.
618
00:23:58,437 --> 00:24:01,106
By that time,
you've been hoodwinked,
619
00:24:01,106 --> 00:24:03,859
bamboozled,
led astray.
620
00:24:03,859 --> 00:24:07,154
The Tracy Morgan Show
is canceled mid-season.
621
00:24:07,154 --> 00:24:08,906
Because the most genuine
thing about Tracy
622
00:24:08,906 --> 00:24:11,283
is where he comes from,
623
00:24:11,283 --> 00:24:15,412
and when you exclude
that, as writers,
624
00:24:15,412 --> 00:24:18,666
so that you can
appease the network,
625
00:24:18,666 --> 00:24:20,292
you're in for a failure.
626
00:24:20,292 --> 00:24:22,086
And you deserve to fail.
627
00:24:22,086 --> 00:24:25,005
Tracy decides to hit the
road with a stand-up tour
628
00:24:25,005 --> 00:24:27,424
aimed at reconnecting
with his roots.
629
00:24:27,424 --> 00:24:29,051
I'm telling you, fellas,
don't never let no female
630
00:24:29,051 --> 00:24:30,386
up in your
----ing head, man.
631
00:24:30,386 --> 00:24:32,680
It's checkmate,
mother----er.
632
00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:34,139
There might've been
some sense of him that
633
00:24:34,139 --> 00:24:35,391
felt like a failure.
634
00:24:35,391 --> 00:24:37,309
There might've been some
sense of him that said,
635
00:24:37,309 --> 00:24:39,144
"I want to return home."
636
00:24:39,144 --> 00:24:41,814
Hurt and embarrassed by
the loss of his show,
637
00:24:41,814 --> 00:24:44,692
Tracy indulges in the
circuit's party scene.
638
00:24:44,692 --> 00:24:46,610
♪
639
00:24:46,610 --> 00:24:49,113
Grizz was a bouncer
640
00:24:49,113 --> 00:24:51,323
at this pretty
famous strip club,
641
00:24:51,323 --> 00:24:54,201
witnessing Tracy drinking
too much and passing out.
642
00:24:54,201 --> 00:24:56,495
And Grizz would make
sure he got home safely,
643
00:24:56,495 --> 00:24:59,790
or make sure nobody robbed
him and nobody killed him.
644
00:24:59,790 --> 00:25:04,253
So, Grizz had a relationship
with Tracy as a bouncer
645
00:25:04,253 --> 00:25:09,174
protecting the celebrity
who didn't know how to stop.
646
00:25:09,174 --> 00:25:11,468
I remember after Saturday
Night Live he had a low,
647
00:25:11,468 --> 00:25:15,514
because I don't think he
hit his true potential.
648
00:25:15,514 --> 00:25:17,683
Then he lands a role
where his faults are
649
00:25:17,683 --> 00:25:19,685
celebrated like
never before.
650
00:25:19,685 --> 00:25:21,103
My acting style?
651
00:25:21,103 --> 00:25:23,272
It's like jazz, jazz
that you laugh at.
652
00:25:23,272 --> 00:25:26,567
[Vocalizing]
653
00:25:26,567 --> 00:25:28,861
30 Rock is what...
[Snapping]
654
00:25:28,861 --> 00:25:30,070
...that put him
on the map.
655
00:25:30,070 --> 00:25:31,739
I want to know how
that conversation went.
656
00:25:31,739 --> 00:25:32,990
Tina Fey comes up
to you and says,
657
00:25:32,990 --> 00:25:35,784
"I've got this conceited,
obnoxious guy that
658
00:25:35,784 --> 00:25:37,119
I think you're
perfect for."
659
00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:38,620
-Flies over the cuckoo's nest.
-Yeah!
660
00:25:38,620 --> 00:25:41,582
I said, "That's right up my
alley, suited just for me."
661
00:25:41,582 --> 00:25:43,250
The difference between
Tracy Jordan and
662
00:25:43,250 --> 00:25:47,004
Tracy Morgan is...
nothing.
663
00:25:47,004 --> 00:25:48,422
They're the same person.
664
00:25:48,422 --> 00:25:50,716
Tracy's onscreen
character borrows from
665
00:25:50,716 --> 00:25:52,593
his real life experiences.
666
00:25:52,593 --> 00:25:55,387
[Applauding]
667
00:25:55,387 --> 00:25:57,598
There's this belief out
there that you are
668
00:25:57,598 --> 00:25:59,349
your character
on 30 Rock.
669
00:25:59,349 --> 00:26:02,770
-No, I'm way more out there.
-[Laughing]
670
00:26:02,770 --> 00:26:07,399
He was fearless
and hilarious.
671
00:26:07,399 --> 00:26:09,193
I can't read,
Liz Lemon!
672
00:26:09,193 --> 00:26:11,487
And unpredictable.
673
00:26:11,487 --> 00:26:15,866
This is who I am. You can't
ask a bird not to fly.
674
00:26:15,866 --> 00:26:18,118
You can't ask a fish
not to swim.
675
00:26:18,118 --> 00:26:20,078
You can't ask a
tiger not to turn back
676
00:26:20,078 --> 00:26:22,331
into a Chinese dude
at midnight.
677
00:26:22,331 --> 00:26:23,457
I mean just...
you didn't know
678
00:26:23,457 --> 00:26:25,042
what was going to
come from Tracy.
679
00:26:25,042 --> 00:26:27,920
Tracy really kept on his,
let's just call it the
680
00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:29,755
'Chico Divine Party Train.'
681
00:26:29,755 --> 00:26:31,965
As one does when
you go into like
682
00:26:31,965 --> 00:26:35,302
paths of excess like that,
things begin to unravel.
683
00:26:35,302 --> 00:26:37,638
♪
684
00:26:37,638 --> 00:26:40,974
There is a legend out there
about Tracy Morgan's career
685
00:26:40,974 --> 00:26:43,268
beginning and ending
in a bottle of liquor.
686
00:26:43,268 --> 00:26:45,604
I would be like,
"Yo, Tray...
687
00:26:45,604 --> 00:26:47,147
come on, man."
688
00:26:47,147 --> 00:26:49,983
Tracy's life of excess
leads to an arrest
689
00:26:49,983 --> 00:26:51,652
for impaired driving.
690
00:26:51,652 --> 00:26:53,153
You know we just want
to get it resolved.
691
00:26:53,153 --> 00:26:54,905
-And get back to work.
-And that's it.
692
00:26:54,905 --> 00:26:57,324
♪
693
00:27:02,204 --> 00:27:03,372
Did you know in the
morning they have
694
00:27:03,372 --> 00:27:05,666
food, TV,
almost everything.
695
00:27:05,666 --> 00:27:08,460
Tracy Morgan has little
time to celebrate
696
00:27:08,460 --> 00:27:10,796
his runaway success
on 30 Rock before
697
00:27:10,796 --> 00:27:13,131
he's hit with drunk
driving charges.
698
00:27:13,131 --> 00:27:14,925
Yeah, we're just resolving
some matters in court.
699
00:27:14,925 --> 00:27:15,801
That's all.
700
00:27:15,801 --> 00:27:17,594
Fancy suits.
How was court?
701
00:27:17,594 --> 00:27:18,887
Not great, Beth.
702
00:27:18,887 --> 00:27:20,639
Oh, you really
were in court?
703
00:27:20,639 --> 00:27:23,058
He is required to wear an
ankle bracelet that
704
00:27:23,058 --> 00:27:25,394
monitors his
alcohol intake.
705
00:27:25,394 --> 00:27:27,020
Now I have to wear
this for 30 days.
706
00:27:27,020 --> 00:27:28,438
Oh my goodness.
707
00:27:28,438 --> 00:27:31,650
The anklet causes unexpected
health complications.
708
00:27:31,650 --> 00:27:34,278
With the ankle bracelet
and the diabetes,
709
00:27:34,278 --> 00:27:37,322
he had such a bad wound
that just wouldn't heal.
710
00:27:37,322 --> 00:27:39,950
Morning, Mr. Jordan.
What's that on your foot, sir?
711
00:27:39,950 --> 00:27:41,159
It's a practice
wheel for
712
00:27:41,159 --> 00:27:43,495
when I lose my
foot to diabetes.
713
00:27:43,495 --> 00:27:46,123
You can't eat candy
if you have diabetes!
714
00:27:46,123 --> 00:27:48,834
There's no link between
diabetes and diet.
715
00:27:48,834 --> 00:27:50,919
That's a White myth,
Ken.
716
00:27:50,919 --> 00:27:54,172
[Tracy] That bracelet was
hurting me and my family.
717
00:27:54,172 --> 00:27:57,092
It was painful for me,
wearing that thing.
718
00:27:57,092 --> 00:27:58,886
The thing I liked about
Tina was that
719
00:27:58,886 --> 00:28:00,304
she didn't just
make fun of it.
720
00:28:00,304 --> 00:28:02,723
No, the ankle bracelet had
been off for like, a year.
721
00:28:02,723 --> 00:28:05,350
She didn't do it while
I was still hurtin'.
722
00:28:05,350 --> 00:28:07,769
I was with him when the
doctors were saying,
723
00:28:07,769 --> 00:28:10,731
"We are gonna have to
amputate your foot
724
00:28:10,731 --> 00:28:12,691
because of
the diabetes."
725
00:28:12,691 --> 00:28:15,944
Tracy finally makes the
choice to stop drinking,
726
00:28:15,944 --> 00:28:19,197
but the damage has
already been done.
727
00:28:19,197 --> 00:28:22,034
He was so sick.
728
00:28:22,034 --> 00:28:24,328
He was wheelchair-bound.
729
00:28:24,328 --> 00:28:27,581
He'd get up out the
wheelchair, shoot the scene,
730
00:28:27,581 --> 00:28:30,751
they say cut, and
he almost fell out.
731
00:28:30,751 --> 00:28:35,422
And we rolled him back to
the dressing room.
732
00:28:35,422 --> 00:28:38,216
Between scenes he's
laying on the couch,
733
00:28:38,216 --> 00:28:43,013
with the IV running from
the ceiling to his arm,
734
00:28:43,013 --> 00:28:45,891
just to give him
enough fluids
735
00:28:45,891 --> 00:28:48,226
so he can go shoot
the next scene.
736
00:28:48,226 --> 00:28:52,105
It got so bad that he was
probably going to go blind.
737
00:28:52,105 --> 00:28:54,858
He had to have an eye
surgery where they actually
738
00:28:54,858 --> 00:28:57,152
remove the retina,
and then have to, like,
739
00:28:57,152 --> 00:28:59,863
vacuum seal the
eyeball back on.
740
00:28:59,863 --> 00:29:01,365
It was rough.
741
00:29:01,365 --> 00:29:02,991
While Tracy's health
is falling apart,
742
00:29:02,991 --> 00:29:05,410
so is his personal life.
743
00:29:05,410 --> 00:29:07,955
After a long separation,
Tracy and his wife
744
00:29:07,955 --> 00:29:11,083
officially split for good,
bringing more than
745
00:29:11,083 --> 00:29:13,669
20 years of marriage
to an end.
746
00:29:13,669 --> 00:29:17,714
The decadence of fame
has broken up his family.
747
00:29:17,714 --> 00:29:20,425
He was really in
this downward spiral.
748
00:29:20,425 --> 00:29:21,551
Yo, let me tell you
something about
749
00:29:21,551 --> 00:29:22,844
Sarah Palin, man.
750
00:29:22,844 --> 00:29:25,472
She's good
masturbation material.
751
00:29:25,472 --> 00:29:27,391
-Oh!
-[Laughing]
752
00:29:27,391 --> 00:29:30,227
Complications from diabetes
force Tracy to take a
753
00:29:30,227 --> 00:29:32,354
two-month hiatus
from 30 Rock
754
00:29:32,354 --> 00:29:34,690
for a kidney transplant.
755
00:29:34,690 --> 00:29:36,108
You take your
medicine every day?
756
00:29:36,108 --> 00:29:39,152
Every day at 9:30, I take
my Prograf, you know,
757
00:29:39,152 --> 00:29:41,613
my Mycelex and all this stuff
to keep us alive, you know?
758
00:29:41,613 --> 00:29:43,657
It was just one
thing after another.
759
00:29:43,657 --> 00:29:46,576
Tracy Morgan once again
apologizing this morning
760
00:29:46,576 --> 00:29:49,579
for his recent
anti-gay rant.
761
00:29:49,579 --> 00:29:52,958
From the bottom of my heart,
I apologize to everybody
762
00:29:52,958 --> 00:29:55,544
who are offended
with my words.
763
00:29:55,544 --> 00:29:59,339
It was just really sliding
into a non-hireable territory.
764
00:29:59,339 --> 00:30:02,009
♪
765
00:30:02,009 --> 00:30:05,470
Tracy Morgan has been
quoted as saying
766
00:30:05,470 --> 00:30:07,639
the more famous
he became,
767
00:30:07,639 --> 00:30:09,641
the more he
needed to act crazy.
768
00:30:09,641 --> 00:30:11,184
Get crazy a little bit!
769
00:30:11,184 --> 00:30:13,729
Is that the best you
could ----in' do?
770
00:30:13,729 --> 00:30:15,522
This is a [beep]
set-up, man!
771
00:30:15,522 --> 00:30:17,190
Showbiz was hard on him.
772
00:30:17,190 --> 00:30:19,526
He said that showbiz
was his Vietnam,
773
00:30:19,526 --> 00:30:22,779
and his life was the greater
war that he was fighting.
774
00:30:22,779 --> 00:30:26,116
And I didn't understand until
later years when I matured,
775
00:30:26,116 --> 00:30:29,411
and I really reflected
on Tracy's life,
776
00:30:29,411 --> 00:30:31,663
of how much
he's endured.
777
00:30:31,663 --> 00:30:33,498
He'd even always say,
he's like, "Man,
778
00:30:33,498 --> 00:30:36,501
I come from a place people
don't understand."
779
00:30:36,501 --> 00:30:39,337
I can't imagine what
he saw as a kid.
780
00:30:39,337 --> 00:30:42,632
I remember reading where
you said that comedy was
781
00:30:42,632 --> 00:30:45,552
not just a turning point
for you, but that it was
782
00:30:45,552 --> 00:30:48,889
your way of asking
forgiveness. Was it?
783
00:30:48,889 --> 00:30:50,599
I always believe
in that, you know,
784
00:30:50,599 --> 00:30:53,101
the things that I've done
that I never wanted to do,
785
00:30:53,101 --> 00:30:54,144
like selling drugs.
786
00:30:54,144 --> 00:30:55,645
Mm-hm.
787
00:30:55,645 --> 00:30:58,315
I never wanted to cross that
boundary, but I had to eat.
788
00:30:58,315 --> 00:31:01,026
But nonetheless,
I always felt like
789
00:31:01,026 --> 00:31:04,905
if I- [Voice breaking] if I
make enough people laugh,
790
00:31:04,905 --> 00:31:06,615
maybe he will
forgive me.
791
00:31:06,615 --> 00:31:07,991
Ah.
792
00:31:07,991 --> 00:31:09,242
When we were doing
writing sessions,
793
00:31:09,242 --> 00:31:11,286
Tracy really went into
all the things that
794
00:31:11,286 --> 00:31:13,789
people didn't
know about him.
795
00:31:13,789 --> 00:31:16,875
So, when Tracy enters
this brief crack
796
00:31:16,875 --> 00:31:20,170
selling career, he does so
with his best friend Alan,
797
00:31:20,170 --> 00:31:21,588
who said he
was funny,
798
00:31:21,588 --> 00:31:23,173
and he should
pursue comedy.
799
00:31:23,173 --> 00:31:25,133
He was killed and
shot because of
800
00:31:25,133 --> 00:31:26,718
being in the crack game.
801
00:31:26,718 --> 00:31:29,054
So, he'd wanted to dedicate
the rest of his life to
802
00:31:29,054 --> 00:31:32,307
succeeding to honour
Alan's memory.
803
00:31:32,307 --> 00:31:35,268
But Tracy had survivor's
guilt that he didn't
804
00:31:35,268 --> 00:31:38,063
get killed, and so many
other guys, like Alan,
805
00:31:38,063 --> 00:31:40,148
did get killed.
806
00:31:40,148 --> 00:31:42,484
I think it's almost
like an imprint.
807
00:31:42,484 --> 00:31:44,903
Just like when a bullet is
shot and you still have the
808
00:31:44,903 --> 00:31:46,947
gun powder around you,
it's still there,
809
00:31:46,947 --> 00:31:49,157
so you can have remnants
of what happened.
810
00:31:49,157 --> 00:31:52,035
I think he will never
forget what happened.
811
00:31:52,035 --> 00:31:53,870
Showbiz and everything that
came with it, you know,
812
00:31:53,870 --> 00:31:55,914
the success,
the pressure, the money,
813
00:31:55,914 --> 00:31:58,416
the access to
anything you want...
814
00:31:58,416 --> 00:32:00,585
that was his struggle.
815
00:32:00,585 --> 00:32:02,129
And it was something
he had to just
816
00:32:02,129 --> 00:32:03,755
basically try
and survive.
817
00:32:03,755 --> 00:32:05,966
♪
818
00:32:05,966 --> 00:32:08,635
The Golden Globe goes to...
819
00:32:08,635 --> 00:32:11,096
-30 Rock.
-[Applauding]
820
00:32:11,096 --> 00:32:12,639
When 30 Rock comes
to an end after
821
00:32:12,639 --> 00:32:14,641
seven acclaimed
seasons...
822
00:32:14,641 --> 00:32:16,852
We love you,
thank you very much!
823
00:32:16,852 --> 00:32:20,147
Tracy Morgan is in a
very different place.
824
00:32:20,147 --> 00:32:22,649
Congratulations are in order
for Tracy Morgan and his
825
00:32:22,649 --> 00:32:25,193
fiancé Megan Wollover,
who celebrated the
826
00:32:25,193 --> 00:32:26,945
birth of their first
child together.
827
00:32:26,945 --> 00:32:29,447
When he took ownership
of his health,
828
00:32:29,447 --> 00:32:31,783
I'm thinking he took
ownership of that
829
00:32:31,783 --> 00:32:33,285
addiction as well.
830
00:32:33,285 --> 00:32:36,163
In the time he took
his, his life back,
831
00:32:36,163 --> 00:32:38,999
it was literally taking
his life back, of,
832
00:32:38,999 --> 00:32:42,502
"I want to be alive."
833
00:32:42,502 --> 00:32:44,462
Oh my God.
834
00:32:44,462 --> 00:32:46,006
Actor-comedian
Tracy Morgan
835
00:32:46,006 --> 00:32:48,258
is in critical condition
after a deadly car crash-
836
00:32:48,258 --> 00:32:50,760
But then, in 2014,
837
00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:53,680
Tracy is involved in a
terrible accident.
838
00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,558
He is left fighting
for his life.
839
00:32:56,558 --> 00:32:58,685
The chauffeured limo bus
Tracy Morgan was
840
00:32:58,685 --> 00:33:01,438
riding in is barely
recognizable.
841
00:33:01,438 --> 00:33:04,065
I did not want him
to be gone, man.
842
00:33:04,065 --> 00:33:06,860
And, and it sounded
really, really bad.
843
00:33:06,860 --> 00:33:08,612
♪
844
00:33:13,033 --> 00:33:14,826
Thanksgiving different
in the suburbs.
845
00:33:14,826 --> 00:33:16,953
The white people be
having nice Thanksgivings,
846
00:33:16,953 --> 00:33:18,705
and they end on
time and everything.
847
00:33:18,705 --> 00:33:20,081
[Laughing]
848
00:33:20,081 --> 00:33:21,249
In the hood,
our Thanksgivings
849
00:33:21,249 --> 00:33:23,335
didn't start until like,
one o'clock.
850
00:33:23,335 --> 00:33:25,879
After 30 Rock,
Tracy Morgan embarks on
851
00:33:25,879 --> 00:33:27,547
a new life chapter.
852
00:33:27,547 --> 00:33:29,799
My first show with
Tracy Morgan,
853
00:33:29,799 --> 00:33:32,844
I believe, was
September of 2012.
854
00:33:32,844 --> 00:33:35,222
There was dudes outside
our apartment talk about,
855
00:33:35,222 --> 00:33:36,890
"Yo, is bitches in there"?
856
00:33:36,890 --> 00:33:38,058
People come to me and
they would say, "Hey,
857
00:33:38,058 --> 00:33:39,935
you have any funny
Tracy Morgan stories"?
858
00:33:39,935 --> 00:33:42,312
I said, "No.
Tracy doesn't go out."
859
00:33:42,312 --> 00:33:43,897
When people would
send alcohol,
860
00:33:43,897 --> 00:33:45,106
he would say,
"No, thank you.
861
00:33:45,106 --> 00:33:46,399
I don't drink."
862
00:33:46,399 --> 00:33:47,734
Cold chicken wings?
863
00:33:47,734 --> 00:33:50,195
In 2014, after finishing
a night of stand-up,
864
00:33:50,195 --> 00:33:52,822
Tracy and his crew load
into their mini bus
865
00:33:52,822 --> 00:33:55,408
to get home to
their families.
866
00:33:55,408 --> 00:33:57,494
I'm sure they're driving,
they're laughing,
867
00:33:57,494 --> 00:33:59,412
having a great time
talking about the show,
868
00:33:59,412 --> 00:34:02,165
because that's what we
would do after a show.
869
00:34:02,165 --> 00:34:03,792
Let's get straight to the
breaking news this morning,
870
00:34:03,792 --> 00:34:06,586
involving comedian Tracy
Morgan in critical condition
871
00:34:06,586 --> 00:34:09,172
right now after a crash on
the New Jersey Turnpike.
872
00:34:09,172 --> 00:34:11,341
Morgan was reportedly
involved in a six-car
873
00:34:11,341 --> 00:34:14,261
pile up near
Cranbury, New Jersey.
874
00:34:14,261 --> 00:34:18,139
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
875
00:34:18,139 --> 00:34:20,267
I was sitting in the
back of the Sprinter,
876
00:34:20,267 --> 00:34:23,853
and Tracy called me
to come talk to him.
877
00:34:23,853 --> 00:34:25,897
So I got up.
878
00:34:25,897 --> 00:34:28,149
We were laughing,
we were joking.
879
00:34:28,149 --> 00:34:30,277
And from what I was told,
880
00:34:30,277 --> 00:34:33,738
a truck crashed into us at
65 miles an hour.
881
00:34:33,738 --> 00:34:36,074
And we were flipped
over other cars.
882
00:34:36,074 --> 00:34:39,244
♪
883
00:34:39,244 --> 00:34:41,121
My heart sank.
884
00:34:41,121 --> 00:34:43,498
♪
885
00:34:43,498 --> 00:34:45,959
People looking at me like,
"Hey, man, you all right"?
886
00:34:45,959 --> 00:34:47,544
I'm like, "I, I..."
They just didn't know-
887
00:34:47,544 --> 00:34:50,547
I was just sobbing.
I was watching the news.
888
00:34:50,547 --> 00:34:53,758
Morgan and three others are
still in critical condition.
889
00:34:53,758 --> 00:34:56,386
The comedian recovering
from a broken leg,
890
00:34:56,386 --> 00:34:58,805
femur, nose,
and several ribs.
891
00:34:58,805 --> 00:35:00,849
Tracy's injuries were so bad
from the crash that
892
00:35:00,849 --> 00:35:02,517
he was put into a
medically-induced coma
893
00:35:02,517 --> 00:35:04,602
in the hospital
for some time.
894
00:35:04,602 --> 00:35:08,606
I climbed around and heard
Tracy screaming for help,
895
00:35:08,606 --> 00:35:10,900
but I couldn't reach
him and pull him.
896
00:35:10,900 --> 00:35:12,610
I'm not gonna lie,
I didn't know if he was
897
00:35:12,610 --> 00:35:13,862
gonna make it.
You know?
898
00:35:13,862 --> 00:35:17,032
I didn't know if Tracy
was going to make it.
899
00:35:17,032 --> 00:35:20,744
Comedian James McNair,
also known as Jimmy Mack,
900
00:35:20,744 --> 00:35:22,495
died at the scene.
901
00:35:22,495 --> 00:35:25,040
Devastated.
We're devastated.
902
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:26,875
James, I love you.
903
00:35:26,875 --> 00:35:30,920
James McNair, affectionately
known as Uncle Jimmy Mack,
904
00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:33,298
rest in peace,
Uncle Jimmy Mack.
905
00:35:33,298 --> 00:35:36,968
He was always funny,
always personable,
906
00:35:36,968 --> 00:35:39,929
and he was one of Tracy
Morgan's best friends.
907
00:35:39,929 --> 00:35:42,682
Any time I talk to him,
he go, "Ha-ha!"
908
00:35:42,682 --> 00:35:45,185
I met him the same time
I met Tracy at the
909
00:35:45,185 --> 00:35:47,729
Uptown Comedy Club,
and we were all friends.
910
00:35:47,729 --> 00:35:50,065
We all knew each other
for, for three decades.
911
00:35:50,065 --> 00:35:53,109
I could have just as easily
been in the Sprinter
912
00:35:53,109 --> 00:35:56,237
as anybody else in there.
913
00:35:56,237 --> 00:35:58,406
Nothing is more important
to Tracy than
914
00:35:58,406 --> 00:36:00,658
honouring where
he came from.
915
00:36:00,658 --> 00:36:01,868
That's the kind
of guy he is.
916
00:36:01,868 --> 00:36:03,203
You know, he's kept
those people around him,
917
00:36:03,203 --> 00:36:04,913
he's taken care
of a lot of 'em,
918
00:36:04,913 --> 00:36:07,374
and he hasn't turned
his back on anybody.
919
00:36:07,374 --> 00:36:09,167
When you struggle
with poverty,
920
00:36:09,167 --> 00:36:10,919
and there are other
opportunities that are
921
00:36:10,919 --> 00:36:14,047
given to you, you want to
pursue those opportunities,
922
00:36:14,047 --> 00:36:16,716
but you can't bring
people with you.
923
00:36:16,716 --> 00:36:18,676
The guilt is,
924
00:36:18,676 --> 00:36:22,305
"I can't go back,
but why me?
925
00:36:22,305 --> 00:36:24,974
Am I deserving of this"?
926
00:36:24,974 --> 00:36:26,643
[Tracy]
I am the new Black.
927
00:36:26,643 --> 00:36:29,062
Why is there garbage on the
streets where I come from,
928
00:36:29,062 --> 00:36:31,773
and where I'm living now,
there's no garbage?
929
00:36:31,773 --> 00:36:34,150
So you have to take
care of your own.
930
00:36:34,150 --> 00:36:36,903
Period.
931
00:36:36,903 --> 00:36:41,574
Tracy would work real hard to
stay connected to the people.
932
00:36:41,574 --> 00:36:43,326
One guy,
a guy named Sharky...
933
00:36:43,326 --> 00:36:45,662
Sharky is Tracy's barber,
934
00:36:45,662 --> 00:36:48,957
and Tracy brought
him in to 30 Rock.
935
00:36:48,957 --> 00:36:51,167
He had a special connection
with the young lady that
936
00:36:51,167 --> 00:36:55,088
dressed him, because they
were still real people.
937
00:36:55,088 --> 00:36:58,383
I was invited to his house
to watch the Super Bowl.
938
00:36:58,383 --> 00:37:02,470
I kind of showed up
expecting a celebrity party,
939
00:37:02,470 --> 00:37:04,931
and it was basically me and
his friends from high school,
940
00:37:04,931 --> 00:37:07,058
a few that were
convicted felons,
941
00:37:07,058 --> 00:37:10,562
eating Popeyes that was
brought down from the Bronx.
942
00:37:10,562 --> 00:37:12,272
We just hung out and
watched the game,
943
00:37:12,272 --> 00:37:14,607
which was real as hell.
944
00:37:14,607 --> 00:37:18,862
He brought the Bronx
to, to the stage.
945
00:37:18,862 --> 00:37:21,239
He painted a
beautiful picture,
946
00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:23,324
'cause he gave us
so much colour.
947
00:37:23,324 --> 00:37:26,661
And for me what stuck was
948
00:37:26,661 --> 00:37:30,707
I could see that there
was this deep pain,
949
00:37:30,707 --> 00:37:34,794
and comedy
was the saviour.
950
00:37:34,794 --> 00:37:37,881
I'm taking all my pain and
struggles and all of that
951
00:37:37,881 --> 00:37:39,299
that I've been
through in my life,
952
00:37:39,299 --> 00:37:40,633
and I'm turning
it funny now, man,
953
00:37:40,633 --> 00:37:42,510
'cause I'm tired of crying.
954
00:37:42,510 --> 00:37:45,430
If you don't laugh,
you gonna cry, man.
955
00:37:45,430 --> 00:37:47,640
To make a joke out of
something and to make
956
00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:50,393
other people laugh, you are
healing other people,
957
00:37:50,393 --> 00:37:52,937
but you're really healing
yourself first and foremost,
958
00:37:52,937 --> 00:37:57,066
because you have to be
vulnerable and let people in,
959
00:37:57,066 --> 00:38:00,403
let them see that you
hurt just like they hurt,
960
00:38:00,403 --> 00:38:03,406
you live just like they live,
you are no superhuman.
961
00:38:03,406 --> 00:38:07,452
If I can do it,
you can do it too.
962
00:38:07,452 --> 00:38:10,497
After the accident,
Tracy faces a whole new
963
00:38:10,497 --> 00:38:13,333
journey of physical and
emotional recovery.
964
00:38:13,333 --> 00:38:15,502
-I'm okay.
-You look great, man.
965
00:38:15,502 --> 00:38:16,753
I love you,
thank you very much.
966
00:38:16,753 --> 00:38:17,921
Thank you.
967
00:38:17,921 --> 00:38:20,173
The accident, obviously,
was gonna require
968
00:38:20,173 --> 00:38:22,884
months of rehabilitation,
and Tracy's health
969
00:38:22,884 --> 00:38:24,344
isn't that
great anyway.
970
00:38:24,344 --> 00:38:27,096
So, if you have diabetes,
what needs to happen for the
971
00:38:27,096 --> 00:38:30,517
body to heal yourself doesn't
happen as easily for him.
972
00:38:30,517 --> 00:38:32,936
I was always looking,
and reading,
973
00:38:32,936 --> 00:38:34,687
and finding out, is he
gonna walk again?
974
00:38:34,687 --> 00:38:35,813
Is he gonna live again?
Is he gonna breathe
975
00:38:35,813 --> 00:38:37,815
on his own again?
All of these things.
976
00:38:37,815 --> 00:38:42,987
He started passing these
milestones and getting better.
977
00:38:42,987 --> 00:38:46,366
We laid Jimmy to rest.
978
00:38:46,366 --> 00:38:48,117
Now, I live with
that to this day
979
00:38:48,117 --> 00:38:49,953
'cause I asked him
to be there.
980
00:38:49,953 --> 00:38:51,913
It was my tour.
981
00:38:51,913 --> 00:38:54,165
I love him and I miss him.
982
00:38:54,165 --> 00:38:56,584
I miss him a lot.
983
00:38:56,584 --> 00:38:58,711
In the face of trauma,
comedy has
984
00:38:58,711 --> 00:39:01,589
always been Tracy's
path to healing.
985
00:39:01,589 --> 00:39:03,800
The whole question is,
"Will he do stand-up again"?
986
00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:06,219
It's so crazy how
that's where we go.
987
00:39:06,219 --> 00:39:09,764
I heard that he may have
had some brain injuries,
988
00:39:09,764 --> 00:39:12,267
that it was going to affect
his ability to be funny,
989
00:39:12,267 --> 00:39:14,602
and to perform.
I remember thinking that
990
00:39:14,602 --> 00:39:17,272
it could be a career
-ending thing.
991
00:39:17,272 --> 00:39:20,024
Tracy was never anyone
other than Tracy.
992
00:39:20,024 --> 00:39:22,193
Are we ever gonna
see the Tracy Morgan
993
00:39:22,193 --> 00:39:23,528
that we know again?
994
00:39:23,528 --> 00:39:26,281
♪
995
00:39:30,201 --> 00:39:33,079
Tracy Morgan is with us now.
You're a sight for sore eyes.
996
00:39:33,079 --> 00:39:34,789
-Thank you.
-How do you feel?
997
00:39:34,789 --> 00:39:39,252
I'm, I'm...
I can't believe I'm here.
998
00:39:39,252 --> 00:39:41,713
After months of
intense rehab,
999
00:39:41,713 --> 00:39:44,549
Tracy Morgan makes an
emotional return to
1000
00:39:44,549 --> 00:39:46,426
Saturday Night Live.
1001
00:39:46,426 --> 00:39:50,722
-[Applauding]
-Thank you so much!
1002
00:39:50,722 --> 00:39:53,725
[Slurring]
Thank you so much!
1003
00:39:53,725 --> 00:39:56,394
-Nah, I'm just playing!
-[Laughing]
1004
00:39:56,394 --> 00:39:58,605
Y'all thought for a
minute that was real!
1005
00:39:58,605 --> 00:40:00,023
But I'm back.
1006
00:40:00,023 --> 00:40:01,691
It feels so good to be here.
1007
00:40:01,691 --> 00:40:03,359
[Cheering]
1008
00:40:03,359 --> 00:40:07,739
The first thing I had to do
was learn to forgive myself.
1009
00:40:07,739 --> 00:40:11,367
I couldn't do comedy
anymore if I didn't.
1010
00:40:11,367 --> 00:40:13,786
I remember when I first
went back on stage after
1011
00:40:13,786 --> 00:40:16,748
the accident, I was hosting
Saturday Night Live.
1012
00:40:16,748 --> 00:40:18,750
And then that
night I decided,
1013
00:40:18,750 --> 00:40:20,835
"Let's go to the Cellar."
And my boy was like, "What"?
1014
00:40:20,835 --> 00:40:22,503
I said, "Let's go
to the Cellar.
1015
00:40:22,503 --> 00:40:25,548
Let's go to the Cellar."
And I grabbed the mic...
1016
00:40:25,548 --> 00:40:29,844
♪
1017
00:40:29,844 --> 00:40:31,971
It felt so good just
to be welcomed back.
1018
00:40:31,971 --> 00:40:33,056
[Applauding]
1019
00:40:33,056 --> 00:40:35,391
People were wondering,
"Can he speak?
1020
00:40:35,391 --> 00:40:38,144
Does he have 100%
mental capacity"?
1021
00:40:38,144 --> 00:40:39,729
But the truth is,
I never did.
1022
00:40:39,729 --> 00:40:40,938
[Laughing]
1023
00:40:40,938 --> 00:40:43,191
The younger comics,
they need to take notes.
1024
00:40:43,191 --> 00:40:45,318
This thing is not easy.
1025
00:40:45,318 --> 00:40:47,320
It's a fight within yourself.
1026
00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:50,073
-Don't call it a comeback.
-No, no, no.
1027
00:40:50,073 --> 00:40:51,699
I've been here for years.
1028
00:40:51,699 --> 00:40:54,077
Even all the times when
you feel like, "Oh,
1029
00:40:54,077 --> 00:40:56,162
I didn't do my best." You
have to turn that around,
1030
00:40:56,162 --> 00:40:58,665
and you have to just
get back out there.
1031
00:40:58,665 --> 00:41:01,918
And for someone to
come from death's door,
1032
00:41:01,918 --> 00:41:04,170
to being able to walk again,
to be able to
1033
00:41:04,170 --> 00:41:08,174
think correctly,
and get back to it?
1034
00:41:08,174 --> 00:41:11,010
You ain't got no
excuse, homeboy.
1035
00:41:11,010 --> 00:41:13,680
[Laughing]
1036
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:15,181
A year after the accident,
1037
00:41:15,181 --> 00:41:17,767
Tracy receives a
hefty settlement.
1038
00:41:17,767 --> 00:41:19,727
"Walmart did right by me
and my family,"
1039
00:41:19,727 --> 00:41:21,312
Morgan says in
a statement.
1040
00:41:21,312 --> 00:41:24,440
"I am grateful that the case
was resolved amicably."
1041
00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:26,192
Could've been worse.
1042
00:41:26,192 --> 00:41:29,570
I could've got hit by a Bob's
Discount Furniture truck.
1043
00:41:29,570 --> 00:41:32,031
You know they ain't
got no ----ing money.
1044
00:41:32,031 --> 00:41:34,242
He came back
even stronger.
1045
00:41:34,242 --> 00:41:36,661
♪ YOU HEAR ME?
AND HERE IT COMES. ♪
1046
00:41:36,661 --> 00:41:38,621
I used to be just like y'all.
1047
00:41:38,621 --> 00:41:40,331
Check your own
potential, man.
1048
00:41:40,331 --> 00:41:42,041
Actually,
sorry to interrupt.
1049
00:41:42,041 --> 00:41:44,919
-Let's go to brunch!
-Ah!
1050
00:41:44,919 --> 00:41:47,338
What's happened
to Brooklyn?
1051
00:41:47,338 --> 00:41:50,174
This story is
based on my life.
1052
00:41:50,174 --> 00:41:52,260
The people I've lost.
1053
00:41:52,260 --> 00:41:54,929
I... nobody on that set
ever sold crack but me.
1054
00:41:54,929 --> 00:41:56,431
Mm-hm.
1055
00:41:56,431 --> 00:41:59,100
The people I've lost in the
game in the 80s and the 90s.
1056
00:41:59,100 --> 00:42:00,476
Mm-hm.
1057
00:42:00,476 --> 00:42:03,062
Before God came in my
life in the form of comedy.
1058
00:42:03,062 --> 00:42:05,440
When Tracy went
through that tragedy,
1059
00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:08,359
he became even,
even more appealing,
1060
00:42:08,359 --> 00:42:11,195
because not only did
he survive that,
1061
00:42:11,195 --> 00:42:13,573
his humility
even expanded.
1062
00:42:13,573 --> 00:42:15,616
He didn't turn the tragedy
into a commodity to
1063
00:42:15,616 --> 00:42:19,495
make it about, "Woe is me."
Tracy is just Tracy.
1064
00:42:19,495 --> 00:42:22,749
Never a victim,
always the victor.
1065
00:42:22,749 --> 00:42:25,668
That's how we want to be,
in our own lives.
1066
00:42:25,668 --> 00:42:28,379
I know my purpose in life
now is to spread love,
1067
00:42:28,379 --> 00:42:31,382
especially in the world
right now that we living in.
1068
00:42:31,382 --> 00:42:35,261
I'm glad if I'm the one to
spread that love, I love you.
1069
00:42:35,261 --> 00:42:39,599
I think he came out of that
just so grateful to be alive,
1070
00:42:39,599 --> 00:42:41,476
that now it's just,
he's exponentially
1071
00:42:41,476 --> 00:42:45,772
more grateful and
happy and present.
1072
00:42:45,772 --> 00:42:48,065
He's even more powerful.
1073
00:42:48,065 --> 00:42:50,693
We gave TBS a #1 show
and they asked me,
1074
00:42:50,693 --> 00:42:52,111
"What do you want,
Mr. Morgan"?
1075
00:42:52,111 --> 00:42:54,405
I said, "I want to fix
my neighbourhood up."
1076
00:42:54,405 --> 00:42:56,616
♪
1077
00:42:56,616 --> 00:42:57,825
These kids gonna have
some place nice
1078
00:42:57,825 --> 00:42:59,869
to play this summer.
1079
00:42:59,869 --> 00:43:03,039
No matter how big you get,
if you can't come home
1080
00:43:03,039 --> 00:43:05,416
and get love,
it ain't real.
1081
00:43:05,416 --> 00:43:07,710
I look at it as he
enjoyed himself.
1082
00:43:07,710 --> 00:43:09,128
Like, what do
you want to do?
1083
00:43:09,128 --> 00:43:12,215
You wanna live your life,
you have your career,
1084
00:43:12,215 --> 00:43:14,509
then you pass on,
and then you,
1085
00:43:14,509 --> 00:43:16,177
right before you pass on,
you're like, "Man,
1086
00:43:16,177 --> 00:43:18,054
I didn't really get to
enjoy myself."
1087
00:43:18,054 --> 00:43:20,640
Tracy enjoyed hisself.
[Laughing]
1088
00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:23,059
Hey, welcome to our home,
we're the Morgans.
1089
00:43:23,059 --> 00:43:26,395
♪
1090
00:43:26,395 --> 00:43:30,817
In 2019 Tracy purchases
a $2 million Bugatti.
1091
00:43:30,817 --> 00:43:33,861
$2 million car.
Just bought it.
1092
00:43:33,861 --> 00:43:35,905
He's struck by
another driver...
1093
00:43:35,905 --> 00:43:38,658
shortly after he
leaves the dealership.
1094
00:43:38,658 --> 00:43:42,036
That car was three minutes
and 72 seconds old.
1095
00:43:42,036 --> 00:43:44,455
Okay? I ain't even
turned the radio on.
1096
00:43:44,455 --> 00:43:45,832
Yeah.
[Laughing]
1097
00:43:45,832 --> 00:43:48,709
The dealer was still waving
goodbye when I got hit.
1098
00:43:48,709 --> 00:43:50,211
But that's why I'm out there
on the Turnpike
1099
00:43:50,211 --> 00:43:51,963
looking for an
Amazon truck, man.
1100
00:43:51,963 --> 00:43:53,005
[Laughing] Wait,
you're trying to
1101
00:43:53,005 --> 00:43:54,257
get hit by an
Amazon truck?
1102
00:43:54,257 --> 00:43:56,300
I got my beach chair and
I just wait for Amazon.
1103
00:43:56,300 --> 00:43:58,511
[Laughing]
1104
00:43:58,511 --> 00:44:00,888
If I survive it,
Im'a be in it.
1105
00:44:00,888 --> 00:44:02,306
If I survive it.