Speaker 1: Imagine the Whitehead sounded so good. I can let that
thing ride. I love the long version.
Speaker 2: It goes like twelve minutes. I just let it ride
and to ride, they sound so good. As you know
around here, when we have a guest in studio, we
let them choose their walk on song, and this is
the song chosen by mister Ernest Harden Junior.
Speaker 1: And when he walked in the studio, we gave each
other the biggest and longest hug.
Speaker 2: I have not seen this brother in years, but we
used to hang out many, many years ago. And when
I saw the news that he'd been Emmy nominated for
his role on the Pit, I'll tell you more about
it in just a second, I just smiled ear to
ear and I am so grateful. I told my staff.
They get surprised. I've been at this for so long.
My staff gets tickled. All the folk I know, all
the places I've done, all the things I have been
exposed to. But I've been at this for thirty five years, right,
and so I've just met so many people, and sometimes
I run into people. We just just grinted each other
at the ways that we've been blessed over the decade.
Speaker 1: And Ernest Harden Jr.
Speaker 2: Has stayed with this acting thing for all these years,
and I am so just thrilled that he is now
an Emmy nominee. He is Immy nominated for his Outstanding
guest appearance on the HBO Max hit medical drama The Pit.
And before I get into the conversation with him, let
me give you a little taste of this role for
which he's Immy nominated.
Speaker 3: What's up with you, tooth lily?
Speaker 4: That's been going on for a while, but it got
bad last night, layd left side.
Speaker 5: Ah h ah.
Speaker 3: It could be an infection at the room. We can
drain it, but then you're your breathing kind of fast.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I've been well. I've been h walking more, trying
to get in shape. Sometimes like I get a little
short of breath.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you need to walk past the liquor store, not
into it. Well shape your getting it's for liver transplant.
Speaker 5: I don't need a new liver. Just get rid of
this Tuesday deep.
Speaker 2: First of all, The Pit is one of the hottest
shows on television. I'm a brag for a second. I
have a barber. My barber in LA's got naim d.
We call him d the barber. D the barber is
the hair guy on the TV show The Pit, So
shout out to my barber d Uh for his amazing
work on that particular show. But everybody's watching this show,
everybody's talking about it.
Speaker 1: Ernest Harden Jr.
Speaker 2: You are no an Emmy nominee for your outstanding guest
appearance on the show. So first of all, congratulations, man,
I'm so.
Speaker 1: Happy for you.
Speaker 5: Oh, thank you so much. Man. You know it's myove
to be here. Man.
Speaker 4: We just man, I've been watching you and doing your
thing for years, and I'm just so proud of you
every time.
Speaker 5: You know, I'm just your biggest fan.
Speaker 2: Man. That's it's a mutual admiration society. Then tell me
about this particular role. How it came to be.
Speaker 4: Well, I tell you, you know, I auditioned for it,
like so many actitudes nowadays since COVID they have to
send in your audition tape. They seem to like me,
and they called me in to read and I read
for another role and I thought.
Speaker 5: It was a nice role.
Speaker 4: It was the role of a black man talking to
a young white doctor and giving him an encouragement and
telling him because he's the first doctor in their family.
How proud he was of him, and how proud this
parent parents should be. Well, I thought that role was great,
and they they When I got home, my manager called
me and said, they love you. I said, oh, fantastic. Yeah,
they want you to play a different role than they
want you to be the drunk. I said, oh, man,
another drunk black man, here we go. But then they
said that, but this guy is going to be like
a semi regular. I said, so give me something to drink,
you know. But the thing is the way I approached though.
I'm a member of the Actress Studio and they're renowned.
Albertino runs it in New York. Martin Landau before it died,
was ahead of it out here, and we go deep.
We some of us feel that, I mean a lot
of us feel that we're the best actors.
Speaker 1: In the world.
Speaker 4: We go beyond what everybody else does. And I mean
some of the members I start with Martin Landau, Sally Fields,
Robert de Niro, Albatino, these are people, remember, and I'm
a lifetime member. So I said, let me make this
role as real as possible.
Speaker 5: Let me just.
Speaker 4: Try to be because alcoholism is serious. A lot of
people are addicted to it, and so I came with
that approach and they allowed me to do it. It
wasn't just the yeah, you got a good smile or something.
Let's just be the comic relief. No, I want you.
I wanted to be real, and that's what happened, and
it took off that way. I appreciate them for like,
just give me that space to work and do what
I wanted.
Speaker 5: And I don't know you want to.
Speaker 1: No, no, no no.
Speaker 2: I wanted to ask you right quick here when you
mentioned and I've heard the story from many other actors
that you know certainly in the COVID era you had
to send in your audition tapes, right, that's when it
starts exactly. So let me just tell you this. This
won't surprise you. I'm in this studio every day for
three hours doing my national radio show, and I always
always prefer that you come in studio if you can.
It just makes a difference when you in my face
and you and I are friends from way back, wins.
Speaker 6: I just want to see your face and give you
a hug. I'm glad you came here.
Speaker 2: But even if we want friends, I prefer people coming
in studio for all the obvious reasons.
Speaker 1: I can't imagine.
Speaker 2: Again, I've done TV my whole career, as you know,
so I know how to do satellite interviews.
Speaker 1: I've done more than that, more than that, more of
that than I can count.
Speaker 2: But I prefer in studio. What is it like trying
to win an audition when you got to record yourself
at home?
Speaker 1: That seems so weird. I understand why they do it,
but it just seems.
Speaker 2: Like so impersonal to me that you can't lean in,
look somebody in the eye and show them how gifted
you really are.
Speaker 4: And that is actually an advantage to have us come in.
But what happened is once they started submitting these tapes
and the people didn't really even have to get off
the space.
Speaker 5: They just set up there and looked at TV. It
was a lot cheaper for them.
Speaker 4: Sure, but you're right, that's why, Like after they looked
at my tape, the tape moved them that they brought
me in to audition in front of people, and it
was and that's when they connected.
Speaker 1: But but but now you've got to be creative on tape.
Speaker 5: You know what? The advantage there's a bit disadvantage and
an advantage.
Speaker 4: Disadvantage is right, you don't have that personal connection with them,
but the advantages you get to try it and do
it to you feel that is wrong, So it's it's
it's a two it's a twofold thing.
Speaker 1: So as many takes as you need, and it takes
you need.
Speaker 4: But you know what, I go to a studio that
does it and uh and she's charging.
Speaker 5: So like I tried to get mine right.
Speaker 1: But that's that's another discivent.
Speaker 6: Not you got you gotta pay for your auditions.
Speaker 4: Well not everybody does it. Some people do it at home.
But you know, I really want him to make sure
his quality. Yeah, yeah, so you know I am hard
and right man. He is Ernest Hart Jr.
Speaker 2: Now he's Ernest hard junior Emmy nominee that will follow
him hopefully Emmy Wimmer, Emmy winner, but Emmy nominee will
follow him. That's why I love get nominated. It follows
you the rest of your life. Emmy nominee Ernest Harden Jr.
I was watching The Jeffersons the other night and all,
and I love seeing Ernest Harden Jr. On those episodes
of the Jeffersons. We're talking about his career a bit
more than we come forward here on Tavis Smiley, Ernest
Hard and Jr. He and I just catching up on
old times again. Life just in the way sometimes, and
I've been off doing my thing and he's been doing
his thing, and I've been watching him on the screen,
big screen, in small screen for years now. He's watching
me on television, listening on the radio. So it's just
somebody said it was an easter ray. I'm rooting for
everybody black. I'm rooting for everybody black. And it's just
good when your friends get the respect and honor that
they deserve.
Speaker 5: You.
Speaker 2: You've been a long distance runner at this man. I
was just teasing you earlier saying I still watched The
Jeffersons and I love seeing you on The Jeffersons. And
when I saw again that you had received the semi
nomination for your role on the Pit, it was just
a just a feeling of joy.
Speaker 1: Man.
Speaker 4: I appreciate that, man, you know. Yeah, the Jeffersons was
I started doing The Jeffersons nineteen seventy six, so how
long does.
Speaker 5: Ago was that? And before that?
Speaker 4: I actually started when I got out of Biscus State
Misigan State University.
Speaker 5: I got out with a degree in theater the Spartans Spartans,
and we went to New York. I went to New York.
Speaker 4: I was tough in it in New York, you know,
doing just everything I could stand on people's flow words,
and I got to And then I finally got a
break in a movie called Three Days at the Condor,
which became a classic with Robert Redford and Fate Dunaway.
And that that movie gave me my sad card. And
I got to be kind of cool with Robert Redford too.
Speaker 5: After that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, legendary.
Speaker 5: I made that. It's funny.
Speaker 4: I didn't understand at the time how big that movie
was gonna get, but it became a classic. My name
is the last name on the credits teenager. So yeah,
so I've been then from there, I was in UH.
I got a screen test for to make things quick.
I got a screen test for a show, a movie
called Apocalypse Now which flew ball and and the two
guys were on the plane that were up for the roll.
Speaker 5: He got it. I didn't. And this name is Lawrence
Fishburne the rest of his history. But but I I
stayed out.
Speaker 4: I said, let me go to LA and get a
little film of myself, more film so I can do
rolls in on theater in the theater a little bit,
you know, they weren't just having me in the back
round or something.
Speaker 5: Maybe be a little bit more recognized.
Speaker 4: And I got a co commercial and then I got
a role called on The Jeffersons as Jason King, not
Marcus Henderson, Jason King and I did that and they
liked me so much because they liked the chemistry between
me and Sherman Sherman Himsley that they called me before
it even aired to say, we want to give you
a series, but we're going to give it to you
on air, and come in look at the script. I
looked at the script and I was in the producers
off and he says, wow, how you like the script?
I didn't see Jason anywhere. I said, gosh, if I
guess they started me off really small.
Speaker 5: I was happy to be there, though, you know they
changed the characters. Yeah, but they changed. I didn't realize.
Speaker 4: They said, well, Marcus, you got your work cut out
for you. And I said, Marcus and marks on every page.
I said, oh my god, be careful what you asked for, you.
Speaker 1: Might get it. And that's whe we know you as
Marcus on the gym.
Speaker 5: I did.
Speaker 4: Hey, the rest is history because I didn't go to
sleep that week. I thought the sleep was overrated. I
studied and hey, are you right? The rest is history.
Speaker 2: I'm just laughing because everybody remembers what they got their
sad card for.
Speaker 1: I don't care what after you talk to how long.
Speaker 2: Have you been in the business, everybody remembers that thing
that got them their SATs.
Speaker 5: Right, that is right, It's a great story.
Speaker 1: Ernest Harden Jr. For more minutes with him.
Speaker 2: He is Emmy nominated now for his outstanding against appearance
on the hit HBO Max medical drama The Pit, starring
Noah Wiley. The Pit has like what twenty five or
twenty six Emmy nominations this time around. It's a big deal.
And Ernest Harden Junior's one up and I ain't mad
at him. You're listening to Tavis smile and Ernest Harden Jr.
Emmy nominated for his role on The Pit. I only
got four minutes left here, but I know this story
because I read about it in advance of your coming
in you went off your maage.
Speaker 1: I'll let you tell the story right quick.
Speaker 4: Oh well, what happened was be being a member of
the Actors Studio like people like Marlon Brand, knowing everybody
we don't play Dustin Hoffman, and I knew that there
was a ten month span between the first season and
the second season, and so what would this brother be
like on the street with no medical attention for ten months.
So instead of trying to get better shape and all that,
I just let myself go and went off my meds.
And I had a doctor's name is Eugene Allen who
was kind of monitoring me throughout the process, but the
company didn't know, and so I was using all of that.
I started feeling I was having a tough time breathing
in the morning, a lot of stuff, and I used
every bit of it in this care.
Speaker 1: You take your acting really seriously.
Speaker 4: Right, Well, like I said, actor stereo, people go deep,
and I went deep, but I know it was dangerously deep,
and I don't think I ever do that again.
Speaker 5: But you used all of that to use all that.
Speaker 4: As a matter of fact, someone said that they taught
medical students and they used clips of me to show
what it would be like if they got they had
similar conditions.
Speaker 5: So I was very proud of that.
Speaker 2: You know, how, how does I got a couple minute left?
He How does it feel to be a journeyman actor?
Speaker 1: I can call you that.
Speaker 2: You've done so many things big screen, small screen, a
journeyman actor, and at this point of your career you
get an Emmy nomination.
Speaker 4: You know it's the Emmy is Like I said before,
I never thought about Emmy in the forefront of my mind.
Speaker 5: I always thought I.
Speaker 4: Would hold up something in Oscar for the mean eventually,
but just to see the the respect and the just
how people just revere having an Emmy nomination.
Speaker 6: Everybody's calling you. I'm sure your phone's from.
Speaker 5: Blowing up the head of Warner Brothers to the head
of hb Old, I.
Speaker 4: Mean, the head of the pit. Everybody's called House of
the what. Okay, But it's been phenomenal and it's spend
such a tidal wave and a jobeyush ride and hopefully
I can ride it out to a win.
Speaker 5: We're just having a ball.
Speaker 2: No, you deserve it, man, you deserve it. You have
earned it. You're part of a great cast on a
great show.
Speaker 4: They're my family, especially WI. That's I just wanted to
put it out. He's not only just a great actor,
he's a great human being.
Speaker 2: Yeah he's I've only met him once, but he's an
amazing actor in this series especially, And they are blessed
to have you. You're blessed to be a part of
this series. They're gonna get They're gonna wrack up some wins.
I can guarantee you. They got twenty six nominations. They're
gonna wrack up a few wins on the night of
the show.
Speaker 1: But one of those.
Speaker 2: Nominees is my friend and brother who I'm glad to
be reacquainted with, Ernest Harden Jr. I said at the
top in the middle, and I said it again at
the end. I am proud of him. I am happy
for him. He has earned it, he deserves it. He
is Emmy nominated for his Outstanding Guest Appearance on the
HBO Max hit.
Speaker 1: Medical drama The Pit.
Speaker 2: And we'll be watching the Emmy's areas on September the
fourteenth on NBC Streaming Live.
Speaker 1: I'm on peacock.
Speaker 6: I'm gonna be watching for show for show this year
to see how this all works out.
Speaker 1: For Ernest, but whatever happens, you a winner.
Speaker 5: Brother. Thank you so much and I love you. I
love you too.
Speaker 2: Good to see you just like that three hours ago,
and we're back here tomorrow. Little wouldn't to do it
all over again until tomorrow. Thanks for listening to Tavis
Smiley and as always, keep the faith