Tracee Ellis Ross has been calling in to several interviews promoting her hair care line, Pattern, and her film The High Note. Anytime we get a Tracee interview it’s a gift, but she was recently a guest of her on-screen husband Anthony Anderson when he filled in for Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live. They have such a fun rapport, listening to them together feels like tapping into a friendly phone call. During their chat, Anthony asked Tracee how she’d been whiling away the hours at home and Tracee said she’s been super busy, because everything is the same priority level – whether its promoting, cooking or calling her mom. The first quote below is taken from an interview Tracee did with Dion Deezy for The Heat on Sirius about embracing success as a POC, the other two are from her interview with Anthony.
On success as a Black person
If you think back, there used to be a place for one black person to be a success in a thing. Bull crap, there’s tons of us. There’s enough sun for everybody. You don’t have to try and grab it all and think there’s going to be none left for anybody else.
On how she’s doing in lockdown
I have been really busy. Pattern had a launch recently for phase two. It’s been a lot of zooming, a lot of cooking. Cleaning, laundry, cooking, calling your mom all of these things are at the same level of importance.
On her parents
My mom is actually great. She will pop up on a Zoom, I’m like ‘why do you look so gorgeous?’
‘What? I’m just in my sweats.’
My mom is really technically savvy, we’ve got group threads. My dad, on the other hand, this is doing a facetime with my dad [shows neck on camera] ‘Can you see me sweetheart?’
[From The Heat on Sirius and Jimmy Kimmel Live]
I love how Tracee talks about her mom, Diana Ross. I’ve always like Diana but she was such a legend in my mind, she took on almost mythical quality. Tracee presents a more approachable side to her mom, it just makes me like Diana even more. I can absolutely see Diana showing up in Zoom looking effortlessly fabulous. Speaking of icons, Tracee talked about Jenifer Lewis during her interview with Anthony and said Jenifer puts her fingers in her ears every time Tracee tries to sing. Considering how much it Tracee had to overcome to sing publicly, this should make me feel bad for her. Because Tracee told it so playfully – and it’s Jenifer Lewis – the image made me giggle.
I understand exactly what Tracee’s talking about as far as how our lockdown days are spent. Every phone call, every meal, each work obligation, appointments whether remote or in person – they all seem to have the same weight. I feel busier now than I did before lockdown and I can’t figure out why. And yet, I still feel trapped inside.
Also, I love her use of the phrase, “There’s enough sun for everybody.” That should to be said and embraced by everyone.
Here’s Tracee’s full interview with Anthony:
Photo credit: YouTube, Instagram and WENN/Avalon
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