I'm Neal Brennan, comedian/director/writer. Co-creator of Chappelle's Show, co-writer of Half Baked and director of episodes of Inside Amy Schumer, New Girl, All That, and The Mindy Project. AMA.

One week after my 18th Bday I got cast to show my boobs on the Rick James ep (as the token white chick) and it has given me street cred ever since. So, thanks.

Also- you were super nice and said that I could come back for a bit part the next season. Still waiting for that call. My question, are you still upset that I never came back for another episode?

EDIT- One of my pasties fell off during filming.

I've been looking for you for 10 years. Come back.

What was it like working with Patrice O'Neal?

Only worked with him that one day on Chappelle. I really loved Patrice. But he had complicated energy. I sort of diffused on chappelle by whispering to him, "I know you don't listening to people, but..." And he was like, "Nahh...Where'd you hear that?" Meanwhile, he hated listening to people. One things about Patrice: He's the only person in my entire life who ever called me on the phone out of the blue just to tell me he thought I was funny. Another thing: I wanted to act in a pilot I co-wrote and was directing with Dov Davidoff. This is in 2009. I call Patrice. I go, "Dude, I want you to be in this pilot. But are you gonna be a pain in the ass?" He's like, "Neal, how the fuck you gonna call me and come at me with some shit like that?" We argue about his personality for an hour and a half (wish I'd recorded it). Finally, at the end, he goes, "You know what? I can't promise you I'm not gonna be a pain in the ass." Then he called me a month later and goes, "Yo, I owe you an apology. I just did a pilot I was in charge of and there was a dude on set who was being a fucking pain in the ass and I wanted to choke that motherfucker. I get it now. Making shit is hard enough without somebody you hired giving you shitty energy." Great dude. Incredible comic.

Fuck you
Fuck you
Fuck you
You're cool
Fuck you I'm out

I rarely take credit for lines...but I may have written that.

Hey Neal. Did your explanation of the Chappelle's Show situation on the Joe Rogan Experience create any backlash from Dave or anybody on his side of the issue?

Not really. Dave said he listened to it but didn't really have massive beef with it.

Did anything surprisingly adult or racy ever happen on the set of All That?

I'm afraid not. One time, the head writer made me and the other writers go to a gun range in the middle of the day. Also, ME AND KEENAN USED TO DO TONS OF COCAINE.

Tell us everything there is to know about your episode of WTF. There was hella tension.

The one that aired was great. Very rarely does my brain come through for me at just the right time. In that case, it did. Marc is very smart, but sometimes he can use his intelligence to be reductive and disrespectful. That's what I felt he did on the WTF episode that I asked him not to air. One of the things about my career is, I used to work the door at a comedy club in the early 90's. Some of the guys from that era (Marc, Attell, Jeff Ross) had to adjust to me becoming a comedian/writer. They still see me as a doorman at times.

What happened to your contract when Dave left and didn't finish season three? Did you get paid out? And could you tell leading up to him leaving that something was wrong or did it seem like he just snapped one day?

I still got a bunch of money, just not as much as I would have gotten. I sort of knew a foul wind was a-blowing. We hadn't really been getting along.

Two questions:

1. Who would you take a cup of coffee to the face for?

2. You run track?

You know I run track. And you know who I'd take a cup of coffee to the face for: Mike.

Hey Neal,

What the fuck was interviewing Riff Raff on The Champs like?

I think he might have been on grugs.

You wrote one of my favorite tweets of all time then turned it into a sketch.

How has twitter influenced/affected your writing and its process? Who is your favorite person to follow on twitter?

I love that sketch. But nobody has watched it. maybe when Jerrod becomes a big star. Twitter hasn't effected much beyond expanding my audience. Favorite people are @robdelaney and @bazecraze

Were you the real-life white guy "Chip" from Dave's "Killing Them Softly" stand up?

Nope. But he is sort of the impetus for my bit about black people relaxing.

Occasionally, my friend and I will drunkenly sing the theme to "Good Times" loudly in public. It started after you reveled the correct lyrics to us on the "I Know Black People" skit. A lot of the time, this involves a lot of black men looking as though they are going to beat us. So my question is, is what we're doing racist? I didn't think it was, but it seems to only upset black people. Also, did you actually know those lyrics prior to the show or was the game fixed all along?

Couple things. That's not actually me in the I Know Black People sketch. That's Bryan Tucker. He's a great comedy writer. Dave and I wrote the show ourselves, but we did take outside pitches. Tucker pitched The Racial Draft (an awesome sketch) and The Player Haters Ball (stupid/great sketch). But people do get us confused sometimes because of our giant bulging eyes. Is singing Good Times around black people racist? I kind of think it is. Can't explain why. I suggest you stop immediately. Try "Facts of Life." (written by my buddy, the great Alan Thicke). Thirdly, we actually got the lyrics wrong on the show. (thanks for nothing, 2004 internet) Questlove met the writers of the Good Times theme and they let him know in no uncertain terms that the lyrics are not "Hanging in a chow line." They are indeed, "Hangin' and a jivin." Also, sidenote, the painting at the end of Good Times now hangs in...Eddie Murphy's basement bowling alley! I seent it.

Who's your favorite artist in Hip-Hop right now?

Huge fan of the podcast btw.

Right now? Kanye West. Been my favorite for the last decade. Probably the greatest all around artist in the history of hip-hop. writes his own rhymes, largely makes his own beats. Triple double no assist. And he's 7 for 7 in terms of albums as far as I'm concerned. Dark Beautiful Fantasy is a fucking masterpiece. Blame Game makes me tear up. Never been anyone like him in hip-hop. Come to think of it, he's one of the greatest musicians of all times. Now I'm talking like him. YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, JKLAP.

Remember when you went to Guitar Center and the guy helping you out said you looked like Neal Brennan? That was me. You said, "that'd be sad if there was another guy who looked like me."

I asked you what you were working on and you told me about The Goods. I watched it as soon as it came out. Thanks for being cool.

Thanks for your help, young man. It takes two to tango.

Can you explain what "looks like she got dickholes in her underwear" is supposed to mean? FWIW I laughed regardless and it's still my favorite Chappelle Show sketch

That's a Chappelle line from outerspace. I believe it means Rosie O'Donnell has a penis? Chappelle just blurted it out. Half the time, working with Dave was just figuring out a way to edit together all the hilarious shit he said. That sketch especially. me and Bijan the editor needed like a day and half to figure that sketch out.

Hi Neal,

When working on Chappelle’s Show – apparently you and Dave thought killing the white slave master and Anthony Berry’s “Holla Holla” was hysterical and made you both crack up. What other bits or sketches had you and Dave on the editing room floor cracking up?

Because of the episode where we used all of the outtakes, you pretty much got to see all of the stuff that cracked us up. People always talk about Chappelle's Show being quotable. Dave and I will quote it ourselves, but it's more obscure stuff. Like Rick James saying, "People think I do things just to do them. I got a little more sense than that. Yes I remember putting my feet on Eddie's couch." Dave and I will meet for coffee and say shit like, "People think I do things just to do them. I got a little more sense than that. Yes I remember going to get coffee with Neal." It's pretty stupid.

My favorite is "THE MILKS GONE BAD!" it works in so many situations

Also a good one. Four thumbs down, etc.

Why and the hell aren't you more well known? You have to get some penises in your mouth my man..... In all seriousness. I'm familiar with you because of Chappelle's Show. Finding out you are affliated with the others you've listed, you should be on everyone's radar. Big fan man.

Tell me more about these penises you speak of.

Is Moshe the hairest person you've ever met?

His mother is actually. his deaf hairy mother.

Neal, big fan of the Champs. Anyways, when will you be publishing all of your research about how growing up around white people affects black youth?

New England journal of medicine next month.

What's your favorite Ja Rule song?

Holla. It's on my ipod right now.

What happened with Chris Rock and the name of the new special? What did he say and do you know why he wanted it changed?

I still don't know why Rock doesn't like the name. But here he is, trolling me on my facebook page...http://www.whosay.com/status/nealbrennan/817600?wsref=tw&code=hVr7AtI

Hey Neal, loved you on on Rogans podcast, any plans to be back on again anytime soon?

This Monday as a matter of fact.

Favorite way to respond to a heckler?

The thing I try to remember with hecklers is just to take my time and listen to them. I believe it was Chappelle who said, "A heckler's first punch is their best punch." They're generally not clever people. You don't see a lot of scientists going to comedy clubs and heckling. They're just drunk. And mostly women. So you just have to take your time and then eviscerate them.

Do you prefer black rooms over white rooms when doing shows, or do you generally find the people who come like it?

Also, any advice to someone like me trying to pursue comedy in any form possible.

I prefer mixed rooms. The most mixed room I ever played was the the Improv in Richmond, VA. Black people thought it was their show. White people thought it was their show. It was awesome.
Advice: Don't wait. Do it asap.

Neal,

Thanks for doing this AMA! Here's my few questions, feel free to answer any or all of them.

• Where is your favorite place to perform or watch stand up?

• If you could work with any comedian alive or dead who would it be and why?

• A recent BBC article claims comedians have 'high levels of psychotic traits', would you agree with this?

• I'm sure you might have some mixed emotions surrounding this, but what's your most fond memory from your time working with Dave on Chappelle's Show?

• If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring comedians, what would it be?

I love the Comedy Cellar in NY. It's a great room to perform in. And there's a table upstairs where all of the comedians hang out and eat free food. It's kind of what you think comedy will be like before you start, but rarely is.

I'm lucky to have worked with Dave and Chris Rock, my favorite living comics. I wish I could have worked with Billy Wilder, the director. And Chuck Jones and Mel Blanc - the creators of Looney Toones. Incredibly funny and interesting.

1. Do you have a "ghetto pass"

2. how often do you have to present said pass?

3. who issues said pass?

4. can you post a picture of it? I've never seen one before.

I do not have a ghetto pass. But I believe John Mayer issues them bi-yearly.

You mentioned in your Nerdist interview that you were offered Superbad and Blades of Glory, among other movies. Do you ever watch movies you turned down and think of what you would've done differently if you were directing?

I wasn't exactly offered them. I could have pursued them. They were interested. I don't get too caught up in what I could have done. I have better ways to torture myself.

Hey, Neal. You host a podcast called The Champs with Moshe Kasher wherein you only have black guests. Was your podcast always exclusive in that sense or did you formerly have a more diverse variety and then one day you just interviewed a guy who was black and, you know, never went back?

When Moshe Kasher (my co-host) and I set out to do the podcast, we needed a hook, and I figured that only black guests was one we could deliver on. I know way more black dudes than Marc Maron, Chris Hardwick, and if you can believe it, Pete Holmes. Now, having said all that, our most downloaded episode it with Aziz Ansari, so our hook clearly doesn't work.

Hi Neal,

I heard that you stabbed Nick DiPaolo in the foot. Is that true and what is the story behind what happened?

That was on Louie ck's first short film called "Caesar's Salad" I played the part of "crazy pumpkin head" where I charged a group of people with a knife. Nick was one of them. We used a real knife and I dropped it on nick's foot in the scene. Went through his shoe and everything. He had to go the hospital. But he did get a bit out of it.

Didn't Louie ck use that for inspiration for the hospital scene with Nick in his show?

Did he? Haven't seen it.

Do you still keep up with Amanda Bynes? She has kind of gone of the rails lately.

Never met her. But I was sad to see her episode last year. Seems like she's back with her parents. Hopefully she'll get better soon.

You mentioned on one of the first episodes of The Champs that you and Moshe didn’t really know each other before you started the podcast. How did you two end up getting paired up? And, since you’ve broken the tradition of only black guests, would you guys ever have DJ Douggpound on as a guest? (BTW: You and Moshe sound NOTHING alike!)

Met at comedy store.

Signed up to post this question because it has driven me crazy.

I saw you at the Comedy Cellar, it was amazing. We ate and drank way more than the minimum, tipped 30% of what we ate and drank (roughly $60 tip) and the waitress was pissed because we didn't tip on the amount that included our cover charge (cover totaled close to $100 for the group if I remember right).

Am I really suppose to tip including cover charge at comedy clubs?

Oh, and you killed that night. Looking forward to watching the special online.

I'm so glad you asked me this. I have no idea dude.

What current comedians are you into?

Chris Rock Doug Stanhope Bill Burr Sebastian Chappelle Kev Hart Patrice O'Neal Brian Regan Felipe Esparza Jerrod Carmichael Chris D'elia Hannibal Burress Schumer Whitney Cummings Daniel Tosh Kathleen Madigan Wanda Sykes I'm forgetting tons of people. But if you've never seen Doug Stanhope, look him up.

Why did you delete the Ghetto Physicist episode of The Champs?

It stunk and was a lot of nonsense.

In interviews I've heard, you seem like a very direct, "tell-it-like-it-is" type of person, like calling out someone who's story is dragging or if they're just not being funny. Has this every gotten you into trouble in Hollywood? I would assume most people in the industry are the complete opposite of that.

Yeah. A lot of people think I'm kind of blunt and jerky. I'm working on letting people's stores drag. ;)

Who would win in a fight; Mindy Kaling or Amy Schumer?

I honestly don't know. That shit is an ancient riddle.

I thought it was so funny how you described your podcast to Seth Meyers as "I know a lot of black guys that Marc Maron doesn't".

What white dudes, other than Riff Raff, are black enough to appear on the podcast?

Mc Serch was on this week. He was awesome. Eminem would be good too. He's funnier than people think. And nice.

Do you happen to know if the Beastie Boys lyric from "Intergalactic" that goes "Tammy D getting biz on the crop" is a reference to Tamra Davis' involvement in Half Baked (the crop being weed of course)? Thank you.

I believe that was about the fact the mike and tamra were growing their own weed in their backyard. Which in the 90s was a big deal.

I don't have a question, I just wanted to give credit for a fantastic interview Buzzfeed intervew. You really hit the mark with your comments about race relations & looking at symptoms instead of the disease. Well done.

Thanks. ta-nehisi Coates disagrees with you. He referred to me as white America's klingon writer. 😩

Thanks for doing the AMA. Enjoy your work and your white liberal shit.

My question is when was the first time you realized you wanted to be a comedian/writer/professional funny person? Did your family tell you not to fuck with that?

I was funny from an early age. I remember saying something when I was like, 9, that was legit funny. My family was cool with it. My older brother, Kevin Brennan is a comedian, so he was massively helpful.

Hey Neal,

I love the champs podcast & I'm stoked about your special coming out. How was it working with Jeremy Piven in The Goods?

Piven was awesome. Said one of my favorite things ever. The night before the movie came out, he looked at said "something's gonna happen!" That was a big bet for both of us. Im afraid we crapped out on the goods. But it's a really funny movie.

Hey Neal, Is writing standup different or difficult compared to writing sketch comedy? What are the nuances and is the creative process the same? Thanks dude

More or less the same. The thing with standup is, you have to play all the parts yourself. And you can stop and do observations that you can't do in a sketch.

I watched the commentary for Get Him to the Greek and the whole crew went on about how funny Jake Johnson was and how they literally wrote extra lines just to keep around longer. This was about a year before he "broke" into the public eye so I'd be curious to know, what hes like now? thanks for all of the laughs man, Chappelle Show is fucking untouchable in my eyes.

Jake's really funny. Like, legit. I was trying to get him to do a movie script of mine. Long shot at this point. But he deserves all his success and more.

Neal!

Caught you on @midnight this past week. You were hilarious. Run Funches seems like he may be the nicest dude in comedy. Is he for real?

Also, do you dig the format of a show like @midnight, or do you find it easier to deliver on the jokes in a stand-up or sketch format?

I love @midnight. I love the format. Ron destroyed me that show. He was so funny.

Hey, huge fan!

What are your favorite books and/or podcasts?

Really looking forward to your new special! Thanks for doing the AMA

Favorite books: Portnoy's Complaint, Ten Minute Toughness, Denial of Death.

Podcasts: WTF with Marc Maron, Radiolab, the Moth, The Leonard Lopate show, Freshair.

Basically, some liberal white people shit.

What's up Neal, huge fan of the Champs and your late night sets.

I've lived my entire life in an area that's 90% Hispanic. I haven't had many relationships with people outside of my race, particularly black people.

Is there anything short of moving and making new friends I can do to to sort of de-fetishize them in my head? I've read Ralph Ellison and listen to the podcast regularly, but that's about as close as I get.

It's embarrassing to admit but it's the truth.

The biggest impediment to interracial friendship is access and/or luck.

how was your experience on the mindy project? such a great show

Mindy Project was awesome. I sort of stunk on the New Girl. I just didn't know the process of directing an episode of a sitcom. With Mindy, I was more comfortable. And I've been friends with Mindy and Ike for a long time, so it was looser. And their writers and crew were great. Tracy Wigfield wrote my episode. She's awesome. And Jack Burditt and JEremy Bronson, and Charlie Grandy are great writers too. Everybody over there is extremely talented and Mindy is very impressive.

Huge fan of your work Neal, are you working on any screenplays lately? I would love to see another movie with Chappelle.

Just wrote a movie that hopefully Kevin hart will do. And me and whitney cummings are writing something.

Are there differences in writing/directing humor for female characters than for men? What are they?

I don't really see much difference in writing for male or female characters. Other than the basic differences between men and women. But comedy-wise, not at all. The same people (Alex Baze, Mike Shoemaker, Seth himself) who write for Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon wrote for Tina and Amy at the Golden Globes last week. By the way, follow Alex Baze on twitter. he's awesome. @bazecraze He wrote that DiCaprio warm vagina intro at the Globes.

Who was your favorite special guest to work with on Chappelle's show?

Probably spike lee. He's one of my heroes and when we shit with him, my cellphone went off during the take and I had to give him $20.

Do you still talk to DJ Douggpound? Who are your dream guests for The Champs?

Haven't talked to Doug. I'd love to have Kanye on. Andre 3000, Q-tip, who I think will do it at some point. Dave, Eddie Murphy.

I loved Totally Awesome. I remember on the commentary you talked about how SNL and Hollywood didn't get Tracy Morgan's skill set as an actor/comedian. After SNL, he kind of dropped off and TA seemed to pick him up. I'm not saying you should take credit for his success from 30 Rock, but you certainly believed in him when it looked like nobody did. I guess my question is, what made you decide to stick with him and do you have any memories of him that stick out?

Tracy's rise is totally due to tina fey and 30 Rock. Tracy often says that me and Tina write for him better than anybody.

What is your favorite joke and/or skit that you didn't write?

There a mr show sketch called The audition that is prob my favorite sketch ever. White like me - SNL - Eddie Murphy.

I always wondered what the writing staff was like on Chappelle's Show. Were the a lot of people writing sketches, or was the majority of the material generated by you and Dave?

Mostly me and Dave. Bryan tucker pitched a few. Charlie and donnell. And actually the Niggar Family was pitched by Nick Kroll, Mike Birbiglia, and roger Hailes.

1) Who was the most unexpectedly interesting guest on The Champs? 2) Did The Goods sour you from directing more features? Or it soured the studios from asking you again? 3) Now that Key and Peele has become established beyond Chappelle Show comparisons, would you consider getting involved? 4) Do you think putting The Roots on Fallon is good for the commercialization of hip hop? So many acts have debuted on there and it's really putting the genre in a more accessible place for viewers. Might be looking into it a bit too far though...

1)Robert Townsend was one of my favorite champs eps.

2) haven't gotten any offers once the goods

3) key and peele have an awesome director and an awesome show.

4) hip hop is way less played and culturally dominant than it was ten years ago. Chart-wise at least. But the roots are great for hip hop culture.

What is your ideal position in regards to making film or t.v.? Writing, Directing, Producing etc.

Writing and directing. But writing is the hardest and most important. Especially in comedy.

Who is the funniest guests/celebrity u have ever worked with

Dave Chappelle Chris Rock Eddie Murphy.

How often do you get mistaken for Seth Meyers? Has the beard helped?

Never mistaken for him. Just a lot, "You guys look alike." NOT GONNA APOLOGIZE FOR BEING CRAZY-HANDSOME, BRO.

How often do you get confused for Steve Buscemi?

Never. That hurts that you would ask that. Deeply. In my bulging eyes.

Did Moshe win any money betting on whether or not you would bring up your spend time with white people theory? Did you smoke newports? Thanks

At this point, my white people theory is more or less recognized by science. I smoke Kools.

I saw your stand-up in Denver and my god you were funny. keep doing stand up. That is all.

No. I quit.

hey Neal, I came to quite a few of the Sunday comedy nights at Westside Comedy Theater. I think it's a pretty special forum for comedians (established and younger) to workshop new material. Any particular nights that stand out to you?

The night Dave was there was fun. Really appreciate you coming. I live that place. Such a good vibe. Damon Wayans came by this week.

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Hands down the funniest crank caller I've ever heard in my life. And he's great at writing those shows. Has a freakish gift for it.

Quick question: Which New Girl character are you? http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicamisener/which-new-girl-character-are-you

I think I'm a Nick. Site unseen

Which was a more memorable experience from your Wikipedia page history, former roommate of Jay Mohr? or writer for The Source magazine?

They were both so formative. Jay mohr and I were a terrible combo. Smart Ball buster vs. forcefull ball buster.

Hey Neal, I saw you at the Comedy Cellar last year and your bit about how black people fall asleep faster than white people was one of the funniest bits I've ever heard. What's your favorite comedy club?

The cellar. You were there bro

What happen been the highlight and lowlight of your career in entertainment? And how can I be apart of one of your projects?

Highlight was Chappelle's Show. Lowlight was before my first jobs where nobody would hire me.

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Quentin's high on my list. With Spike. John Ridley. Michael Starrbury. Shakespeare did a good job with Othello too. And Eddie and chris rock also.

How fun was it to work with Trevor Heins on Totally Awesome?

His work on wonder showzen shall live forever.

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The only way to break into comedy is to do comedy. Just go to a comedy club or improv theater and start. Nobody likes an old anything.

I was in the audience for the Fox Com taping. Why the fuck hasn't Fox turned your mini pilot into a show yet? It was awesome.

Working on a longer version now for fox.

I was at Dave's show in Hartford over the summer where he had the alleged "meltdown" and basically just sat on stage for 20 minutes without speaking. I completely understand it must be difficult to perform in front of crowds that won't shut up, but I would think you'd expect a rowdy crowd when your the last performer at an all-day outdoor comedy festival. It seemed to me that the vast majority of people were just extremely happy to see him in person.

So basically my question is: How do you handle bad crowds, and do how do you feel about the way Dave does it?

Yeah. Not sure what I would have done in his position. Looked like a nightmare.

Pringles. Which flavor?

I don't fuck with Pringles. I try not to eat processed food if I can help it. I'm a vegan. Liberal white people shit.

I like most of the things you've been involved with.

Is there anything out there that you would recommend for entertainment that's not as well known as it should be?

Is there any hope for Chapelle's Show coming back?

That I've done? I made this silly TV movie called totally awesome. Tracy Morgan and chris Kattan are in it. It's very funny to me.