(gentle music) (upbeat music) - Hello, and welcome to this episode of "#HBCYou" where our goal is to highlight the accomplishments and achievements that HBCUs have provided to the community of color for more than 150 years.
My next guest is a household name, he's an actor, entrepreneur, entertainer, and an advocate for HBCUs.
He attended Clark Atlanta University, and received a BA in Theater Arts.
Please help me welcome Emmanuel Lewis to "#HBCYou" - Thank you.
- Emmanuel, I'm so happy to have you on the show, man, it's very exciting to have you here, especially knowing how much you have advocated for HBCUs.
Now, just to set the stage here, you graduated from Clark Atlanta- - Absolutely.
- In 1997.
- That's right.
- [Dee] Now, talk to me about your time there at Clark Atlanta.
- It was fun, it's fun, you learned a lot from the teacher, you learn a lot of life lessons.
- [Dee] Yeah.
- Literally, when we finished shooting "Webster" I enrolled in school.
My brother was already there, so he's a year in advance.
And it was very interesting for me because I had never gone school full-time ever, I always worked and went to school since I was in elementary school, you know what I mean?
- Right.
So it was a very different approach (Dee laughs) for me to have a whole semester, and being the breadwinner of my home- - [Dee] Yeah.
- And not work.
That was kinda weird.
So I would go a semester, and then I would work a semester.
- Okay.
- And then I would come back to school, and then I'd go a semester, then I come off, because that's the time of the pilot season, and we'd do different shows and movies or whatever, and then I'd come back, and then eventually I was like, "Okay, I just need to buckle down, "and finish, and make it happen."
And we had some great teachers like Ms. Carol Mitchell-Leon, Gary Yates, and so many others that was so influential in our personal lives- - [Dee] Right.
- Helping us to mature and grow into some special people because they were that special.
- [Dee] Yeah.
- And so, there's so much you get outta school than just with the books, just between the lines.
- Right, right.
- You know what I mean?
There's so much more that's inside of that.
And so I really enjoyed that.
And we've given scholarships, I'm on the board of the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, and so we do so much within that organization.
- [Dee] Right.
- For the high schools, for visiting on-campuses.
- Yeah.
- And we have the Queens competition.
- Well, tell me about the Queens competition.
- So all the Queens from all the HBCUs come to our gala, and they compete to be Miss HBCU.
And that's one of the highlights, but the other highlight that we have is that we go and honor every outstanding graduate from an HBCU.
Our board votes on them, and it is pretty stout now.
I mean, you know?
- Yeah, I can imagine, I can imagine - It's pretty stout.
You know what I mean?
And they have to win the various different categories, and we go into what they've done for their organization, or, I mean, their school, or other schools, and how they give back to the community, and their accomplishments, and what they mean to the HBCU experience.
And so we then invite them so we can give them their flowers and awards, like you.
- Oh man, look, I appreciate it, and you mentioned to me about this annual event that you have- - Yes.
and all the different programs that you all are doing around the country, and I look forward to being involved and getting engaged.
So definitely loop me in on that.
But I wanna know, on the yard, what was the yard like though?
"Cause I heard now... (Emmanuel laughs) (laughs) I heard- - You know when a story starts with, "What I heard," that's- - I heard you was a party animal.
- You know what?
- [Dee] By land and by sea (laughs) - I had a good time partying, but it was never on-campus.
- [Dee] Okay.
- It was always at our events, we'd go to (indistinct) we'd have awesome rap parties, we had all these events for all the stars in New York, all the events in LA, so we had a few things at school because I always loved our step shows and stuff like that.
- Yeah.
- Those were the fun part.
And then we'd have our homecoming.
- [Dee] Right, - Now, the homecoming parties is the best parties, (Dee laughs) okay?
That's when we get down and we break it down, okay?
- [Dee] Right, right.
- But you get a chance to see all your alumni that you haven't seen for a while, and you just remember all the good old days and where's who at?
Where they're at, where they're working, and what's going on?
And so those were the best days.
But while I was in school, I didn't live on-campus, I lived off-campus.
- Okay.
- And my mom was extremely protective, and (indistinct) so she had a driver, an armed driver that would take me to school, and to my classes, and make sure I brought my butt back home, or I'd go to library, or do what I need to do.
So yeah, I had fun after I graduated school (laughs) at school (laughs) - Well, you know what?
That's actually the proper order- - Yeah (laughs) - Some of us get it backwards, so you get it reversed (both laugh) which prolonged the process of getting outta school.
- Yeah.
- But I wanna know, I know you are very close to your family.
- Yes.
- What role did your family have in you selecting an HBCU to attend?
- That was my mom, my mom and my head of security.
He went to Clark, I had a scholarship to Howard University, and I was looking forward to that, you know what I mean?
- Hmm.
- But my mom says, "No, you're not going to Howard, "and I've already given your scholarship "away back to the institution.
"You don't need their money, "you gonna pay for your own way (Dee laughs) "and you're gonna go right here."
And I was like, "Okay, so what?
"Am I going to Morehouse?"
You know what I mean?
- Yeah.
- I'm like, "That was dope," I thought I'd go to Morehouse.
Like, "Well, Morehouse is a great college, but Clark Atlanta University has the Degree, where you actually go and learn about your particular Degree that you wanna go to school for."
- [Dee] Yeah.
- And that's what spike Lee did as well.
- [Dee] Right.
- He was a Morehouse man, but he took all of his school for his credits at Clark.
- Right, so let me ask you this, while you was at Clark, there's something known as the history experience.
(both laugh) Well, tell me about the history experience.
- Well, my history experience with Clark is... And we just did this with the president, and a few young people that came to Clark.
And so we jumped on the golf cart, and I literally took them on a tour of the whole campus, and I gave the tour.
- Okay.
(both laugh) - So that was... Yeah, but we also had a student, one of the SGA students, whatever, and I of course let them interject and do what they do, but yeah, my- - Yeah.
- Yeah, that's when I take over, and do the actual tour myself, and tell 'em what we did here, there, and then also what that building... Who derived from that building, and who that person was, and how they were a Dean and stuff like that, so, yeah.
- So tell me this, why are you so passionate about supporting HBCUs?
And what role do you feel like they play in our culture?
- There are a lot of brilliant people that came outta HBCUs.
- Absolutely.
- And I don't think HBCUs always get the credit- - Right.
- Of having some of the smartest minds and brains that came outta HBCUs, and what they have done in their communities.
- [Dee] Right.
- And it's very easy just to say, "I'm gonna go elsewhere," but when you start to do your homework, and you'll find out, what we've actually been able to achieve in HBCUs, more teachers come outta HBCUs from the Black community.
- Right.
- We had Morehouse School of Medicine, one of the finest medical schools- - Absolutely.
- In the whole Southeast region.
- Absolutely.
- So there's a lot of history there- - Oh, definitely, yeah.
- And they've gone on to do a lot of great things, and from our aspect of it, we're community-based and an emotional kind of person.
- [Dee] Yeah.
- And so to understand and work inside of our diaspora from an educational standpoint, it's just different.
- Right.
- You know what I mean?
We special people (Dee laughs) and we need to be handled in special way.
(both laugh) - Right.
Well, and you know what?
that's one of the things that HBCU experience actually afford us, is the opportunity to get that specialized treatment- - Right.
- And attention that some of us really need - Right.
- to be able to- - They understand where we come from.
- Right.
- And so they understand what issues that are going on in a household.
- [Dee] Right.
- And they understand how to address those, and help you go through that.
So yeah, you're gonna get help for your studies, and you're gonna get help for... Make sure you get great grades and stuff like that.
I was on the dean's list myself, and we've done very well in that aspect, but you also need people to relate to.
- [Dee] Right.
- And a lot of kids nowadays, they grow up and they're going to all-White schools, and they don't even understand the Black diaspora.
- Right, right.
- So where do you go to find out what that is?
You go to an HBCU.
- Yeah, absolutely.
- You know what I mean?
So you're gonna get your education, but you're gonna understand who you are, because they're also taking a lot out of a lot of Black history out of all regular schools.
- [Dee] Right.
- It's non-existence.
- Yep, no, absolutely, correct.
- You don't learn anything about Black history in a really integral way at other schools, but when you come to an HBCU.
(board tapping) - Right.
What's up?
- It's there (laughs) - You gonna learn a whole lot more than your eyes, the veil comes off your eyes, and you get to really see what's going on, and then you go and tour other schools because that's what we do, we support our students and support where other people are coming from.
- What about that comradery, the community- - Yes.
- That you get when you're part of that, it's- - It's an automatic community.
- Yeah, I mean, it's unprecedented anywhere else.
- Automatic.
- Now I do know that you were the most popular person (Emmanuel laughs) on-campus at Clark Atlanta, (laughs) tell me- - Absolutely.
- [Dee] How?
Why?
- Literally, we did a lot of fun stuff, we actually had our own show on the CAUTVs.
- [Dee] Yeah.
- So my brother would produce shows, and he was brilliant genius when it comes to getting in there, and getting the key and going there after hours, and literally just going to work, no muss, no fuss, just really wanting to get in there, and, "Lemme see what we can do."
And you have a bunch of kids from different departments wanting to come together.
I remember where we'd have a young lady who was like, "Man, I wanna do this project, but nobody wants to work with me."
- Yeah.
- And I'm like, "What do you wanna do?"
"I wanna do like a talk show, and then I wanna do this, and I wanna do that."
I'm like, "Okay."
So we literally just put together a crew, I had music appreciation, I think that the next day, and I just went over to the... "Yeah, anybody playing any instruments around here?"
(Dee laughs) "I know jazz."
Good, put together a three-piece, four-piece unit," and they had never met each other.
- Wow.
- But they were able to do that.
You know what I mean?
- Yeah.
- Right away, and, "You know somebody from the English department, we wanna get somebody in here to write a script or something like that."
Yeah, I mean, they're creative, that's what they wanna do.
And then you already have the usual suspects that are always there (Dee laughs) inside of the studio lab to artistically direct.
And so we had a lot of fun and coming right off the show, in "Webster" and coming on there, and my mom would... Rest her soul, she would come there in the Rolls-Royce and I'm like, "Mom, can you just-" - [Dee] (laughs) Can you tone it down a little bit?
- "Can we just..." You know what I'm saying?
Like, really?
(both laugh) 'Cause that's what all the kids remember, "Yeah, you saw your mom?"
It's like "Coming to America" the royal- - Right, right.
- (both laugh) The royal family coming through, I'm like, "Ma, could you just..." (Dee laughs) You know what I mean?
"Buddy, what can I do for you?
- Right.
(both laugh) - So, yeah, so a lot of fun stuff like that.
- Now you got an early start to your career, how old were you when you got into the industry?
- Nine.
- Nine years old.
- Nine years old.
- And what was your first big break?
- Okay, so my very first commercial was "Campbell's Soup" So I mean, your first one is your first one, right?
- [Dee] Yeah.
- But I think that one of the bigger break ones that I had was "Burger King" And I think we did about four or five commercials, and I won a Clio Award.
- [Dee] Okay.
- And that's the big award for commercials, right?
- Yeah.
- So that was awesome.
And then we did stuff in Japan, I had a number one hit single in Japan.
And so I'd have to go to Japan and literally tour, I did three shows a day at three different towns inside.
So we traveled by bus, by bullet train, by everything then to go to these different shows and perform.
And when we were on our way home, they gave me the Billboard, and it was number one in Japan for... 'Cause you go through all the different countries.
- Yeah.
- It was number one when we were on our way home.
- [Dee] Wow.
- So we did a lot of fun stuff.
- Singer, actor, you did all.
So talk to me about "Webster" I mean, that was...
I grew up on the show.
- Yeah.
- As you know, a lot of people - Thank you.
- in my age category did.
So talk to me about that show, how you got the gig and what it was like being on there.
- Well, that's why when you asked which one was the big thing, because the Lew Erlicht kids saw that, one of those "Burger King" commercial, and they're like, "Well, we've gotta get him and we gotta do a show," and then he found us, and we were not lost, but we were in here (Dee laughs) and invited us to come to LA, and they decided they wanted to do a TV show.
It was first called "Another Ballgame" and then they changed it to "Then Came You" and that was then the theme song.
- I remember that one, yeah.
- But right before it was to air, they changed it from "Then Came You" to "Webster" - Right.
- And they told me that right before...
Right as I was about to do Johnny Carson they told me that the show... Matter of fact, he's the one that told me that they had changed the show- - Johnny Carson?
- From "Then Came You" to "Webster" And I just believed him 'cause- - (laughs) It was Johnny Carson?
- Sure, it's Johnny Carson, you know what I mean?
(both laugh) - So how many seasons did the show run?
- We did six years.
Yeah, we did for a syndication - Okay, that's a good run.
and whatnot, so- - Yeah.
- Yeah - So who has been the most influential person, I guess in the industry for you?
- In the industry?
Well- - Well lemme rephrase that, in and out the industry, you can cover both.
- Okay, out, of course my mom, you know what I mean?
She's your ride or die?
You know what I mean?
She was not like a stage mom, she was, "I'm your mama."
- (laughs) Right.
- You know what I mean?
- "All of this stuff right here don't mean," you know?
(both laugh) - "When the lights go out, I'm still your mama."
- Right, right, you know what I'm saying?
- Yeah.
- So she was like, "Look," and I'm the baby boy, so none of that, like I'm, "That's, you know..." So mom, obviously, she inspired everything and it always blows my mind, okay?
Because here she is, she's got four kids, she works for the government of Manhattan, okay?
A good job, she's on that 40-40 plan, if you remember that, right?
And we were doing very well in commercials, we did very well.
We did over 60 commercials in about three or four years.
- Wow, that's right.
- Which was, you know?
- Which pretty damn good (laughs) and for her to quit her job, to work with me full-time, and support wherever I was going, because no one knew where that was, you know what I mean?
To support what I was doing, I'm still baffled right now.
You know what I mean?
The older I get, the more I'm like, "Wow," 'cause that's something huge, you know what I'm saying?
- Yeah.
- You got other mouths to feed, and you just need to be... Show business is the least stable thing there is, right?
- Right.
- So that to me was...
I still think about, then I'm thinking, wow, she just, she took a chance, you know what I mean?
And she was like, "Okay, I got your back "in the realest sense that it could be."
In show business, my first inspiration in show business was Sammy Davis Jr. That's kind of the impetus of me even wanting to be in show business, and meeting him and being around him was great.
But Michael, MJ.
- Yeah.
- Michael Jackson, that's my bro.
- Yeah.
- We did everything, you know what I mean?
And he's showed me so much of business aspect, and the good and the bad of the industry.
And just really made sure that, I was aware of what's really going on, 'cause he was one of the most savviest business person in the entertainment industry, ever, you know what I mean, bar none.
And obviously, he was a very important aspect.
- Yeah, so how did you and MJ become friends?
- I met him while he was taping "Thriller."
And yeah, so that was pretty dope.
So what happened basically was, it was a work night and a school night.
And so the fact that I was leaving my house was amazing, I'm like, "We leaving the house on a work night and a school night?"
Like they was like, "Yeah, we have a surprise for you."
And I'm like, "Okay."
And I look at my mom and I'm like, "What are they talking about?"
(both laugh) You know what I mean?
Like I'm not trying to get sucked in because this is... We don't do anything on a work night.
I mean, like I'm the star of the show, I got over 60 pages to memorize, you know what I mean?
And then I've got homework, and so it's a serious commitment, right?
- Right.
- And I understood how they're looking for me to be on point when I get there.
You know what I mean?
Time is money, money is time.
- That's right.
- You know what I mean?
And so I understood the...
I don't know how, but I understood the seriousness of it, right?
But they was like, "Yes."
And she was like, "Yeah, we're gonna go."
And I'm like, "Okay."
(both laugh) So I'm just looking at her, I'm taking my cue 100% from her.
And it was in the Jeep, one of my friend's Jeep, and they tied my eyes, and as we were... And they put me on the back of their shoulders, so I'm riding on somebody's shoulders 'cause I can't see.
And I heard the music start, and I already really knew who that was when I heard the music.
- Right.
- I mean, his music is unique to him.
- Right.
- So, and I'm like, "That's Michael Jackson's music.
"So why are we listening to Michael Jackson music?
"What's going on?"
And it's like, "Look, look, see, look what's going on."
And I'm looking at them and they have the whole squad out there doing the most...
Doing the dance.
Everybody now knows, and all this.
- Right (laughs) - You know what I mean?
And, ah, ah, ah, right?
And he's in the "Thriller" mode out, make up and whatever.
And I just, well I was like, "Wow, I mean, this is pretty different."
You know what I mean?
I've never seen a music video like this.
Of course he calls it a short film, and I just thought that was amazing.
And he called us over to speak with him, and me and my mom and the gentleman that was with us too, and we said, "Hey, what's up?"
And after that, we came to his house, met Ms. Katherine Jackson, and I was walking through the kitchen, which is hilarious to me, there's some music going in the kitchen over there, and I'm coming there, just kind of popping and dancing, and then Janet comes in, and she gets to popping and dancing and starts mirroring it, and we start doing (indistinct) like that.
And so that's how I meet Janet (laughs) - Wow, man, what a story?
(both laugh) - Come to the kitchen, doing this thing, said, "Can you go backwards?"
I said, "Okay, I think we go backwards."
(Dee laughs) And that was like, that was that, after that with big hug, and it was like automatically family.
- Yeah, man, that's special.
- Went on a lot of tours that he's did all over with the brothers and by himself, and I watched him give away a lot of money, millions of dollars.
- Yeah.
- Into different organizations.
And I think, yeah, I think he's probably one of the biggest donors that has given to various different organizations, and worked with all these different things, and that's just brilliant to see how big his heart was.
- Wow, yeah, man.
What a story, man.
(Emmanuel laughs) He definitely left his mark on the world.
- 1000% - To say the least, man.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Give me a one plug as to why someone, some young person that's considering going to college, why should they select Clark Atlanta?
- I think one of the first things you gotta do is you gotta get a tour, you gotta get a tour of the campus, and you gotta meet some of the kids on the campus because you and I can talk our faces off, but when they get the chance to speak to other kids, not too far from their age, and they get a chance to talk to them while they're there and while they're going to school, and they get that adjustment as to why they went there, and why it was awesome, because the things that we enjoyed, you know what I mean?
They- - [Dee] We old school now.
- It's old school now, right?
You know what I mean?
We OG now.
- Right (laughs) - But you speak to the kids that are on-campus, and some of the things that is meaningful to them, I think that's the big thing, there's a lot of different... One of my friends, Kai, she's out of Brooklyn, and every year she would take the kids on an HBCU tour, and they would get on the bus, and they would come all the way to Atlanta, see Spelman and Morehouse and Clark and Morris Brown, and the Theological Center, and you know what I mean?
They'd get all of that rich history.
- Yeah, man that's great.
Emmanuel, let me tell you this, it's been my pleasure having you on the show, and as a token of our our respect and admiration for all you have achieved and all that you have done for HBCUs, it is my privilege and my honor to present you with the HBCU Lifetime Achievement Award for recognition of your outstanding dedication to historically Black colleges and universities, it couldn't go to better and more deserving person.
- [Both] Thank you so much.
- Oh my goodness.
- Thank you so much - For being on the show.
And to my viewers, thank you for watching, and remember, without you, there's no me.
(bright upbeat music)
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