Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Interview With Aisha Tyler

Aired February 11, 2004 - 11:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have a special guest I know you'll enjoy. We've seen her on TV shows like "Talk Soup" and "Friends." Now Aisha Tyler wants to explain how you can get your swerve on. The actress and comedian wants to be the next queens of comedy, is now the author of "Swerve." It's a new lifestyles book that looks at everything from casual sex to karaoke. Now that is a range.
And Aisha Tyler is here now to tell us most about that. So good to meet you in person.

AISHA TYLER, AUTHOR, "SWERVE": You too. Thank you.

KAGAN: Looking through the book here, it makes me feel that you're just a woman who's not...

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Yes. I wanted the book to be very kind of honest and funny and edgy. I didn't want to hold back. But in the beginning of the book, I was like, you know, I may contradict myself, I may offend you, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking.

But I wanted the book to be fun a real kind of -- this is what it's like to be a girl right now.

KAGAN: Right. And it's a woman's right.

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Exactly. This is how I feel about it and I have a right to change my mind.

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: So I want to go over the topics -- I kind of get the feeling you were talking girlfriend to girlfriend. I was reading it going, this is me and Aisha, who I don't know, hanging out at Starbucks.

TYLER: That's awesome.

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: That's how I wanted it to be.

KAGAN: First, you talk honestly to us women. Get over the whole body image thing. TYLER: Totally.

KAGAN: Tell me one woman who is happy with their body.

TYLER: Yes. It doesn't matter what you look like. You always look at a girl and think, she must be so happy. And the woman is like, I look like crap. If only I had her body.

Then you have women like Beyonce and Missy, and they have these curvy bodies and everybody thinks they still look amazing. And we all still want to like 10-year-old male gymnasts. It's like what are we thinking?

KAGAN: Totally not natural, dining on air. Don't do that.

TYLER: We want a life-sized Barbie doll. Like a top-heavy, kind of wiggle wobble. It's so silly.

KAGAN: If women aren't obsessed with their body aim knowledge, they're obsessed with having a man and getting married, no matter what you've accomplished. But are you married do you have kids?

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Yes. And it's so silly. Again it's like, you know, you can feel fulfilled in every way, you're having like this great life, you're working, you're accomplishing...

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: ... for some -- you don't have a boyfriend. Meanwhile, your girlfriend has a guy who sleeps 14 hours a day, lives in his sweatpants smells a little bit like cheese. And everybody envies her.

KAGAN: But she has a guy, right?

TYLER: Yes. And meanwhile you feel bad about yourself. It's like, come on.

KAGAN: You could go down the whole list (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But are you seeing anyone?

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: And how can you be a great girlfriend or a great wife when you're not like your own person? That's the whole point. It's like, live your life. Don't apologize. Have a good time.

KAGAN: And then the rest will come.

TYLER: Totally.

KAGAN: So you've come up with different phrases for how to do that. I'm quoting here. You're telling women it is OK to be a bad ass. That's a quote...

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: ... I couldn't figure out how to describe it. I wanted it to be a cool, funny book about how I see things, the world, how girls should think about themselves in the world.

This guy was like, you're writing a book for chicks about how to be a bad ass. And I was like, that's not how I would put it, but yes.

You know, it's about getting out there and having a good time. Not about worrying -- all these young books for women are like I'm 29 with a closet full of Prada shoes and I can't get a date. Come on.

KAGAN: Get over yourself already.

TYLER: Exactly.

KAGAN: Makes me wonder how this goes over in Hollywood. How is it to be an outspoken strong woman in Hollywood where (UNINTELLIGIBLE) more of the bimbo side. Keep your mouth shut.

TYLER: Being kind of hot, the hot, demure, silent girl.

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Well I'm lucky that I started out in comedy. I'm known for having a little bit of a big mouth. "Talk Soup" was all about saying the wrong thing at the right time.

I have a chapter in the book -- has a bad word in it -- but it's called "The Uppity B. paradox."

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: But it was about like how girls aren't taught to be outspoken. You know what I mean? It's like a guy doesn't have to learn how to be outspoken. That's not way they're raised. We're like, excuse me, sir. Meanwhile, somebody's rolling over your foot with their car. Yes, sir, sorry to bother you, lost a toe.

It's all about we need to be more outspoken. And you don't know who you are, what you want if you've never had to tell anybody who you are and what you want. You have to learn how to do that.

KAGAN: What I want to know, because people recognize you from "Friends," do you know how it ends?

TYLER: I do know how it ends.

KAGAN: Since you were part of that whole Ross/Rachel triangle, does it end in a good way?

TYLER: It was so great. All I can say is I'm a huge fan and I loved it. I think people are so happy and satisfied. That show is so great. It will live on for another ten years, I'm sure in reruns.

KAGAN: We'll look forward to that. We'll look forward to the book. From Aisha Tyler. It's called "Swerve."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired February 11, 2004 - 11:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have a special guest I know you'll enjoy. We've seen her on TV shows like "Talk Soup" and "Friends." Now Aisha Tyler wants to explain how you can get your swerve on. The actress and comedian wants to be the next queens of comedy, is now the author of "Swerve." It's a new lifestyles book that looks at everything from casual sex to karaoke. Now that is a range.
And Aisha Tyler is here now to tell us most about that. So good to meet you in person.

AISHA TYLER, AUTHOR, "SWERVE": You too. Thank you.

KAGAN: Looking through the book here, it makes me feel that you're just a woman who's not...

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Yes. I wanted the book to be very kind of honest and funny and edgy. I didn't want to hold back. But in the beginning of the book, I was like, you know, I may contradict myself, I may offend you, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking.

But I wanted the book to be fun a real kind of -- this is what it's like to be a girl right now.

KAGAN: Right. And it's a woman's right.

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Exactly. This is how I feel about it and I have a right to change my mind.

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: So I want to go over the topics -- I kind of get the feeling you were talking girlfriend to girlfriend. I was reading it going, this is me and Aisha, who I don't know, hanging out at Starbucks.

TYLER: That's awesome.

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: That's how I wanted it to be.

KAGAN: First, you talk honestly to us women. Get over the whole body image thing. TYLER: Totally.

KAGAN: Tell me one woman who is happy with their body.

TYLER: Yes. It doesn't matter what you look like. You always look at a girl and think, she must be so happy. And the woman is like, I look like crap. If only I had her body.

Then you have women like Beyonce and Missy, and they have these curvy bodies and everybody thinks they still look amazing. And we all still want to like 10-year-old male gymnasts. It's like what are we thinking?

KAGAN: Totally not natural, dining on air. Don't do that.

TYLER: We want a life-sized Barbie doll. Like a top-heavy, kind of wiggle wobble. It's so silly.

KAGAN: If women aren't obsessed with their body aim knowledge, they're obsessed with having a man and getting married, no matter what you've accomplished. But are you married do you have kids?

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Yes. And it's so silly. Again it's like, you know, you can feel fulfilled in every way, you're having like this great life, you're working, you're accomplishing...

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: ... for some -- you don't have a boyfriend. Meanwhile, your girlfriend has a guy who sleeps 14 hours a day, lives in his sweatpants smells a little bit like cheese. And everybody envies her.

KAGAN: But she has a guy, right?

TYLER: Yes. And meanwhile you feel bad about yourself. It's like, come on.

KAGAN: You could go down the whole list (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But are you seeing anyone?

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: And how can you be a great girlfriend or a great wife when you're not like your own person? That's the whole point. It's like, live your life. Don't apologize. Have a good time.

KAGAN: And then the rest will come.

TYLER: Totally.

KAGAN: So you've come up with different phrases for how to do that. I'm quoting here. You're telling women it is OK to be a bad ass. That's a quote...

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: ... I couldn't figure out how to describe it. I wanted it to be a cool, funny book about how I see things, the world, how girls should think about themselves in the world.

This guy was like, you're writing a book for chicks about how to be a bad ass. And I was like, that's not how I would put it, but yes.

You know, it's about getting out there and having a good time. Not about worrying -- all these young books for women are like I'm 29 with a closet full of Prada shoes and I can't get a date. Come on.

KAGAN: Get over yourself already.

TYLER: Exactly.

KAGAN: Makes me wonder how this goes over in Hollywood. How is it to be an outspoken strong woman in Hollywood where (UNINTELLIGIBLE) more of the bimbo side. Keep your mouth shut.

TYLER: Being kind of hot, the hot, demure, silent girl.

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: Well I'm lucky that I started out in comedy. I'm known for having a little bit of a big mouth. "Talk Soup" was all about saying the wrong thing at the right time.

I have a chapter in the book -- has a bad word in it -- but it's called "The Uppity B. paradox."

(CROSSTALK)

TYLER: But it was about like how girls aren't taught to be outspoken. You know what I mean? It's like a guy doesn't have to learn how to be outspoken. That's not way they're raised. We're like, excuse me, sir. Meanwhile, somebody's rolling over your foot with their car. Yes, sir, sorry to bother you, lost a toe.

It's all about we need to be more outspoken. And you don't know who you are, what you want if you've never had to tell anybody who you are and what you want. You have to learn how to do that.

KAGAN: What I want to know, because people recognize you from "Friends," do you know how it ends?

TYLER: I do know how it ends.

KAGAN: Since you were part of that whole Ross/Rachel triangle, does it end in a good way?

TYLER: It was so great. All I can say is I'm a huge fan and I loved it. I think people are so happy and satisfied. That show is so great. It will live on for another ten years, I'm sure in reruns.

KAGAN: We'll look forward to that. We'll look forward to the book. From Aisha Tyler. It's called "Swerve."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com