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Its hard to pinpoint where any good ideas come from.
Now five years later, Waters is seeing thefifth season ofDrunk Historypremiere tonight.
More than a decade after the night with Johnson, the idea lives on.
Truly a good, unique idea.
How is that different for you in season 5?
I still know that.
I think in this season itll show more that everyone we had as a storyteller makes it their own.
Ive become better at letting the show be what it is and not trying to force it.
What was that feeling like this time around?
Aw, thats so nice of you to go down that route.
I have learned from doing this show that I really enjoy directing.
I always thought Id be acting and writing, but I love directing.
Youve heard so many stories over five seasons.
Have any ever inspired you to think This story would make a great movie, I should write that?
The easy pitch is: Id love making a movie about Harriet Tubman who would I want?
Well, Octavia Spencer.
Its like Holy shit, she said yes?
Its like a fun little comedy show.
The premise will never change, were just finding new and fun ways to tell stories.
This season we did something that Im very excited about, by letting the show evolve.
And I feel like if the show is going to continue you just gotta find new stuff.
Well why would I want to watch that again?
If Ive seen one, Ive seen em all.
Yeah: How didyouknow the show?
Its just evolved into a fun thing to do.
Do people ever comment that it makes them a better comedic actor?
Because that would be my first assumption.
That part of your brain is gone.
Maybe the closest thing is a music video.
Im not gonna open any acting schools, but its a good, fun tool.
The people that are best at it are people that are very good at ADR.
They understand the looping of getting it exactly the way that it was said prior.
Busy Philipps is phenomenal.
We dont have anyone thats bad.
Evan Rachel Wood blew my mind, it was the first time that I ever worked with her.
It seems like a behind-the-scenes reel would be in high demand for fans of the show.
You know, whats crazy is that I always kinda wanted it to be a secret thing.
Weve done behind-the-scenes of reenactments but people never know how hard it is to to get the narration down.
Thats the foundation, how hard it is to make that.
Because when else am I ever gonna have the opportunity onNightline?
But then people forget theyre lip-syncing, its on a loop, playing over and over again.
Theres so much that goes into it.
Its hard for me to sound humble about it but it is hard, but also so fun.
Theres no one in this show thats higher than the other one.
Every job has to be at the top of their game.
The editing is flawless.
How do those interactions go for you usually?
Well, its always a good joke.
Well, pretend youre a fan and you say that to me, Ill tell you how I respond.
Hey I loveDrunk History!
Can I buy you a shot?
No, I really appreciate it but I dont drink.
I dont do shots.
Then they say, Let me get you a beer.
No, let me shake your hand, thank you very much.
I never wanted to be like Yeah, lets get fucked up!
I want it to be like Oh theyre so passionate and excited.
They got intoxicated but it was fun, it wasnt a place where you feel bad for the person.
No, its not.
Its nice when anyone says they like the show.
Some may say How will you top the Hamilton episode?!
Do you feel the need to top yourself withDrunk History?
That youre not like Yeah I get it.
How can I do that?
I kinda feel like the blessing with the show is that these are history stories.
I didnt come up with them.
Let me continue to do my best at finding the best stories and having the best people tell them.
That would be me going, I wanna fucking see that.
Once the episode is over its over so I wonder what the next ones about.
Thats where you have to top yourself is my next project, not my next season.
If we do the show again, the next season will be better than the last.
I refuse to do the show if its not like that.
Youve been doing comedy for almost half of your life and enjoyed success on various levels with numerous projects.
What advice would you have for people just starting out as you once were?
I would say it goes beyond comedy.
My advice is dont listen to anyone except yourself or your instinct, without being arrogant.
Do what you enjoy.
If youre doing something that isnt hurting anyone and youre enjoying it, others will enjoy it too.
Any moments from this season you are really excited about or want to preview?
Theres an episode called Game Changers and a segment about Nichelle Nichols; shes African-American and was onStar Trek.
The creator said Why dont you take the weekend to think about it?
and over the weekend she went to an NAACP meeting and they were like Somebody wants to meet you.
And she says, Im sorry, but are you Martin Luther King?
And he said Yes, and Im a huge Trekkie.
And he says You cant leave, youre the first black woman on TV thats not playing a servant.
Youre inspiring the community you better do this.
I thought that was cool.
And the end of that is afterStar Trekshe started recruiting people for space like Mae Jemison and Sally Ride.
A lot of people.
Those are the stories that I just get so excited about.
Like, How did I get so lucky to get to tell these stories on a comedy show?
