seen our next guest most recently on the FX hit show the Bear.

But Chicago native son and actor director Robert Townsend has a long resume, including hit films like and the 5 Heartbeats and more.

You can catch a couple of those at film festival this weekend that he's throwing to raise money for his old neighborhood and he's brought in a few other Chicago heavyweights as well.

Joining us now are the man himself, Robert Townsend, director and actor and via Zoom.

We have Little Row Howery actor and comedian.

Welcome.

Thanks to you both for joining us.

Thank you for so much for having a poor.

So we'll talk a little bit about the festival first more later.

But you're partnering with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and special events alongside the entertainment company, creative site for to create this film festival.

Columbia College, of Course.

And then you're coming back to film the Bears season.

5 direct an episode of The Chi.

You've already directed an episode of force here in Chicago.

In Case You're bored, you have anything else to But how do you think Chicago's TV and film scene have grown and changed?

You know, there's so much going on here.

Like I said, I would have been shooting force and the bears here and the Chi is here.

So the industry is really growing.

>> And there's all these young creatives.

And when I meet people like Troy, it's it's really a wonderful it's growing.

So it's it's all exciting is happening.

Yeah, same question to you.

>> And do you think it's harder to break into the industry?

You know, when you're coming out of Chicago versus if you are, you know, just from LA or New York.

>> Yeah, brother.

Tell me what's going Yes, or tell that.

No, I don't think so.

I think Chicago does a good job of like getting you prepared to go to La and New York to be honest, which I think.

>> This city gives us such thick skin.

And you have to be so divers as a performer to just even come from the stand-up world.

And, you know, jump into acting and writing on it.

And we have a different type of granted to us that everybody just don't measure up to.

So like that's what a lot of those who come from Chicago and broken into the industry.

I do pretty well because it's a it's a hard working blue collar.

Steph, you get from just being from here.

That resonates when you jump into industry.

Well said.

>> Robert, you told our colleagues at the Sun-Times the east to watch for in French films on PBS.

We have growing up.

Of course, we love to hear that you also watch so much television that your family called TV guide.

why do you think you are drawn to film and television you know what?

When grow on the West side, that's a whole nother world.

And then when you watch television, I was transported to all these different worlds.

>> So I was like, oh, my God, that's what it's like in England.

That's what it's like in the south.

That's what it's like.

You know, so it was more my fascination with different lands and different voices and dialects you're able to do some of those.

Even at a at a young age.

I was doing like 35 voices.

What I was like, my my voice, a little hoarse you've been talking you know, I would I would do you know the TV shows from the Ed Sullivan Show to masterpiece Theater.

I watch everything.

Laurel, same question to you.

And specifically, you know, what was it that Drew you to comedy?

>> My Eddie Murphy is one of my heroes, which and and this is me forever have had this talk But you out my 3 heroes that actually push me to be want to be a part of his businesses.

Robyn King are so.

I mean, is we're too cause.

I mean, it's kind of going off the question.

But I was thinking about this a little bit ago lie.

It's some very cool I call somebody I guess my hero, my friend.

Now.

And so that's why I'm like, I'm so excited to be a part of he's doing this weekend as Meantime, guy.

A few hours I Rob Robert House and this is, you know, all that we celebrate on legends enough especially when it comes to people of color.

Because it does do is do something for the culture and for this business, don't think you get enough flowers for so and just being able to lie.

Have some I did is they gave you road map and inspiration.

Roadmap Udonis have to follow the same exact steps but then be a spy.

And then when I found out from the West Chicago like me, put a timeline that great.

>> Well, if you know, they say they say never meet your heroes, but that's clearly wrong, right?

Because you've you've met it's working out so Robert Townsend is So I get the sense also that you both had to sort of make your own in the industry, right?

Look, if you didn't see rolls parts films TV shows that you wanted to see that you've had to.

But you have to create them, right?

Because of course, you made Hollywood shuffle and and the 5 heartbeats is that is that kind of accurate?

Is that the case for particularly black men in Hollywood?

You have know, I think was saying was true.

You you make up half you make a path for yourself.

And so even though I saw the negative roles, I was like I'll make my own alright, direct produce.

If I have to.

>> And I do next.

don't.

You don't accept know.

And so Keenan, Ivory Wayans and I you know, we kind of took on the task of taking on Hollywood and trying different things and we succeeded and we continue and let me say this about rail.

brother reached out to me and said, you know, Rob, I heard you doing this festival in Chicago on in.

He came elevated everything.

Got us.

The comedy club.

You put the comedy lineup together.

He agreed to be in the show.

>> He's a busy man and I just applaud him in.

Appreciate him.

I get so much love.

>> It's a love fest here Chicago but I will take it.

So you mentioned Eddie Murphy because a lot of folks don't think they necessarily know this that you directed.

And, you know, this was one of the first, you know, some blockbuster comedy specials, Eddie Murphy, Raw.

And to this day, still the highest grossing comedy concert film ever.

>> Did you think that it would be as game-changing as it ended up being?

Oh, yes, oh, yeah.

I mean, look, is about any Murphy.

He is an absolute genius.

You know, I just saw the documentary on his life.

But Eddie has so much talent.

So when we were doing raw, no comedian Richard Pryor set the bar and then any took it higher.

And then as a Kamille he could do all these characters.

So when we were doing wrong, I just laughed every day watching him.

We went on the road.

I was work, too.

I watched him work.

And I just did like little adjustments within but absolutely brilliant comedian.

Still to this day.

>> Bureau euro you talked about, you know, being influenced, of course, by Eddie Murphy.

In particular.

What did that would that say to you when you are a young comedian coming up?

>> let's start with delirious, right?

okay, no, start there for strike is that that was the just take that was like, OK, I need to do stand-up comedy.

This is established and about want to do.

And then when you get too raw.

You see once again, this is I look at these guys is is the Wu Tang.

You get Kenya right now, opening skit.

Robert directing this, especially when 8 east late.

You know, let me say this real quick because it was a great question and robber if it wasn't Robert Townsend, Keenan and ad and all the cancer came before us.

By the time I get a sitcom on FOX like my show Real starting it producing and writing it.

That only happens because of what they did before us.

You know, they created these opportunities that some of those opportunities we're waiting on.

A lot of us.

I think some people complain about a lot of stuff, but you got to put the working because it was people can way before polls.

So much working.

if you're smart enough and you really want to work, all you got to do is follow 1st half.

They open the doors are e.

>> Standing on the shoulders of giants.

We've got just about 45 seconds left.

Robert, a film festival.

You're raising funds for the NAACP West side as well as the answer, which is autism awareness and advocacy group.

You've got Real here hosting a comedy show along with Roys You said the part of the reason you're doing this was, you know, you felt like Chicago was under attack.

What brought you to this idea of the film fest and what can folks expect in 30 seconds and 30 seconds, 6th expected to be inspired.

We've got great movies, the 5 Harvey's Medium, and I'm I'm teaching a master class where we've got a comedy night and we've got bid was and all kind of games on on everything.

And we need each other to work together.

And that's what the festival is about.

And we want to, you know, get more people for the NAACP and autism.

>> raise money for a good