Dope Queen

Actor, writer, performer and comedian Jessica Williams is best remembered as a senior correspondent from The Daily Show. But since she signed off from the series last summer, she’s been busy starring in a movie The Incredible Jessica James and creating a popular podcast with fellow comedian Phoebe Robinson called 2 Dope Queens. We spoke with Williams before her hosting duties at The One Show about her observations about advertising and America in general.

Thank you for hosting The One Show. What message, if any, do you have for advertisers everywhere?
I think my message would be first of all, thank you for letting me host the "Oscars of Advertising," I am honored. My general message would be that advertising is a super-serious business. “With great power comes great responsibility” and all that jazz. Can I get free stuff?

Do you have an all-time favorite ad or commercial?
My all-time favorite commercial has to be the old 1990s advertisement for a subscription to Nickelodeon magazine. I love the formality of it all. The commercial is basically trying to get kids jazzed about asking their parents for permission while still begging the children to mind their manners and be polite about it. The advertisement says the phrase, “Nickelodeon Magazine- PLEASE” about one million times. I love it.

Have you ever been in an ad? What’s your dream gig?
I've been in an ad or two in my heyday. I was in a McDonald’s commercial once where I GOT to eat a bunch of breakfast biscuits, which ruled. I guess my dream gig would be to get to eat a bunch of breakfast biscuits again somehow.

Tell us what you’re up to these days.
These days I have a movie, The Incredible Jessica James coming out on Netflix this summer. I'm also in the middle of Season 3 of my awesome podcast 2 Dope Queens.

I think you would agree that these are some strange times in America. What have we learned about the American consumer these past few months?
We have learned that the American Consumer wants all flavors of La Croix available to them at every moment of their lives. Morning, Noon and Night. When the American Consumer walks into a grocery store and sees that La Croix wall? That's literally American Consumer heaven. When I say "American Consumer " I am talking about me. Mostly me. Just me.