Reggie Watts

I got to have a conversation over the phone with comedian, musician, and band leader of The Late Late Show with James Corden, @ReggieWatts. Naturally, he was very funny and intriguing. Among many other things, I learned that one of his very favorite artists is Pablo Picasso (and that he has no interest in listening to TLOP.)

What's your name and what do you go by?

My name is Reggie Watts, I go by Reggie Watts.

Where are you from and what brought you out here to LA?

I'm from Montana. My mom is from Northern France and my dad is from Ohio. I had to move out here for [The Late Late Show with James Corden]. Before that, I was in New York doing comedy and touring.

At what age did you begin doing comedy?

I guess, formally, around 15/16.

And how old are you now, if you don't mind my asking?

God, that's so offensive. No, I'm forty-three.

When did your music-making begin?

I studied music when I was five years old, private lessons—private piano lessons—until about sixteen. I also took eight years of classical violin in school. I was in a band in high a school called 'Autumn Asylum.' Then, after that, I moved to Seattle and played in a shit ton of bands.

How did you attain your position as Band Leader on the James Corden show?

James was asked if he wanted the gig and while he was considering it, someone sent him a link of me performing and he really liked it. When he was in LA, he asked for a meeting. We had some dinner together and kind of talked about what it would it be like to be on the show. He was basically very charming and a good sweet-talker, 'cause I wasn't really into doing [the show]. Then I thought about it, and asked tons of people about it, and that was kind of it.

Does doing the show interfere with the times you want to go on tour, for music or comedy?

It does interfere, because generally, I can't really take off time. But we do get these hiatuses, so we'll get, like, a couple weeks off here and there, or a week off here and there. In the summer, sometimes, I think we get, like, three weeks off or something like that. So in those moments, I can travel.

Who are your inspirations, comically?

Rory Scovel, John Doerr, Richard Pryor, Gilda Radner, Chelsea Peretti, a few others.

Musically?

Siouxsie and the Banshees, Depeche Mode, Miles Davis, Al Green, Marvin Gaye; Earth, Wind & Fire, The Sundays, the Cocteau Twins, The Internet, and I really like Ghost.

After watching this video, a prime example of you merging comedy with music, I have to ask: what are your opinions on these current issues that seem to be appearing more and more frequently?

Like, racism? Well, you know, I'm half-white and half-black so I consider myself neither and both. I think racism is completely absurd and doesn't really exist. The effects of people deciding that it exists  definitely are true, but conceptually it doesn't really exist. So I'm kind of being sarcastic, but sarcastic in a way that means it's kind of common knowledge. We shouldn't be having these problems based on differences.

In about five years, where do you see yourself?

Probably in Montana making weird films.

Reggie is currently working on a VR (Virtual Reality) Film called Particles—for Wever Studios—directed by Ben Dickinson, a solo record on the label Secretly Canadian, an improvised feature film, and a comedy special that will most likely be with Netflix. You can stay updated on Reggie Watts by following his Instagram, Twitter, or checking his website. Watch The Late Late Show with James Corden nightly on CBS!