Niecy Nash – The Long Arm of the Law

Q) What are the current projects you are working on?

A) Right now I am in filming my fifth season of my home makeover program called “Clean House.” It is the number one show on The Style Network. The premise of the show is that we pull out all of your clutter, we sell it at a yard sale,  we match the proceeds up to the first $1,000 and we reinvest that into your property with organization and decoration. Also, I am the new correspondent for Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show.” So, I have been traveling for Leno and then coming back reporting to him all that I’ve found.

Q) This is the fourth season of “Reno 911!” What can viewers expect from this season?

A) You can expect to find out what is going on with Trudy [Kerri Kenney-Silver]  this fourth season and everybody plays a part in it. Trudy ends up pregnant this season and we are all involved in it to one degree or another.

Q) How has your character, Reineesha Williams, evolved?

A) I don’t know that the characters in “Reno” really evolve. I think that our mayhem and foolishness always gets a little bit worse. I don’t think we become well-rounded, wonderful citizens or productive members of society. I don’t think that’s our lot in life.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show originally?

A) Originally, when I came on board, they weren’t even doing “Reno 911!” We got hired to do sketch show like “Mad TV” and half way through preparing to do that, it completely got changed around into “Reno 911!” It wasn’t where we started. It was kind of like we were at FOX, originally, and halfway through the filming they said, “We don’t really want to do sketch show. Can you come up with something else?” That’s how “Reno 911!” was born. It sat on the shelf at FOX for two years and, finally, Comedy Central came along and bought the rights. And, here we are!

Q) What has been your most memorable moment from filming?

A) I, actually, play an alternate character named Titi and she was running around and screaming in church. One of the children that was in the church as an extra was my real daughter. I explained everything to her and told her exactly what was going to happen. We got into the scene and started fighting and carrying on and she started crying, “Let go of my mama!” So, we had to do it over a couple of times. Even though I said, “I am not your mommy now. They’re not hurting me,” every time they started to tackle me and arrest me she’d scream, “Let go of my mama!” Then they would say, “Cut,” and we’d have to start over.

Q) Why do you think that the show continues to be a fan favorite?

A) I think that a lot of our characters say things that people say in private; their thoughts, the things that they say and their beliefs or things they subscribe to, but don’t say out loud. They say it all the time, but don’t say it out loud all the time. Sometimes, having the courage to say what you know people are really thinking is refreshing.

Q) What is a day of filming like for you?

A) I show up and we have a very fabulous breakfast. Then there is the process of getting into the booty because that that’s what I put on for work. So, I put on Reineesha’s booty, I get into my outfit and figure out what scenes I have before me that day. I think about Reineesha and what she would say and in those situations and then I go to work.

Q) Does the cast have a lot of chemistry off the set as well as they seem to on the set?

A) I think that with anything we party real good together, but you always have people who you would spend more time with off of work than others. Like me, and the guy who plays Officer Jones [Cedric Yarbrough] are really close. One of my other jobs is playing Bernie Mac’s sister on “The Bernie Mac Show” and he got hired to be my husband. We are ex-lovers on “Reno 911!,” but we got married as two completely different characters on “Bernie Mac.”

Q) How do you feel being a part of The Style Network’s number one show?

A) It feels amazing! I am happy at the fact that I have been able to bring something to this show to be able to take it to that level. I am happy that I am the only African American woman they have hosting anything at that network. I am happy about all of it!

Q) You’ve done voice work and screen work. Which do you prefer and why?

A) I prefer work. Period. I have kids and they have to eat. They don’t want Ramen noodles. They want a baked potato with a steak next to it. So, I prefer to work. Comedies, drama, voice over, it doesn’t matter. It’s all good and it’s all enjoyable. The fact that I am blessed to be able to do all of these different disciplines from hosting, improv, drama and traditional comedy…I’ve been able to taste it all and have been well received. It’s just a blessing!

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) What’s that? What is spare time? I don’t have that. I don’t have spare time. If I am not at work, I am on my job as a mother. That’s my life. My life is either working at my 9am-5pm job or working on my family.

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) Thank you! Thank you for it. When people support you, it allows you to live your dream. I am grateful for that and I will forever be grateful for that.