"2 Dope Queens" on their HBO special series, the day they met and what makes a "zaddy"
The co-hosts of hit comedy podcast "2 Dope Queens" have the kind of chemistry that seemingly only happens among lifelong friends. But in fact, Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson only met about four years ago.
Their unique podcast, which blends conversation, stand-up comedy and storytelling, has been turned into a four-part HBO special premiering this Friday. Williams and Robinson joined "CBS This Morning" to talk about their instant connection, taking their show from podcast to TV, and how they tackle difficult topics like racism and sexism through humor.
The two first met while working on a piece for "The Daily Show" about black women's hair in the military. They hit it off and Robinson asked Williams to co-host a stand-up show she was doing in Manhattan.
"We just – really just had magic instantly," Robinson said. Williams added, "It was like a great Tinder date. I was like 'swipe right.'"
The friendship blossomed and in April of 2016 they debuted the "2 Dope Queens" podcast. It would go on to top iTunes charts, and Time recently called it "the gold standard for comedy podcasting."
Asked what was different about making the television version, the two joked: "Spanx" and a "wig budget."
"We've been working together almost four years so we've just spent so much time just hanging out prepping for the show or, like, going the concerts or talking trash about people," Robinson said of the natural rapport that helped ease the transition.
"I think we always aim to – we're always, like, texting each other and all that stuff and we always aim to make it seem like people are hanging out with us and they're like our homies," Williams said.
"CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King applauded the pair for their ability to talk about hard topics like racism. Williams went on to share an anecdote about a time she was ignored by a cab driver who then stopped for her white boyfriend half a block further up the road.
"I jumped in the cab and I was like, 'Surprise, it's me!'" Williams said.
"I think a lot of people can relate to that, just like having these tough issues, and we just find the comedy within it," Robinson said.
That anecdote is a perfect example of what they both believe makes good comedy: authenticity.
"Being truthful and sharing your point of view, because that's what the audience wants to hear. You can talk about more general things but have it be personal to you and they can be like, I've been through that or like I haven't been through that but I can still relate," Robinson said.
The two also have a penchant for making up their own words – like "zaddy."
"You didn't know what a zaddy was?" they asked Gayle King, as co-host John Dickerson chimed in: "Even though they work with one!"
"Zaddy is just like a hot guy who can be a daddy but also maybe doesn't have any kids and you're like, cool, I can date you," Robinson said.
The two assured Dickerson that even though he does have kids, he can still be a zaddy.
