Leslie Jones on Knowing Your Worth

Kamau sits down with Leslie Jones for a raw, funny, and fiercely honest journey through becoming one of Saturday Night Live’s most unforgettable forces, and why she ultimately had to walk away. She explains the emotional grind of SNL, and the insane internet reaction to the announcement of an all-female Ghostbusters.

Jones traces how Chris Rock helped propel her toward Saturday Night Live, including the controversy over SNL’s lack of Black women and her long‑gestating “slave joke,” written from a bad date in 1999 and eventually used in her audition for SNL and on Weekend Update. She describes arriving at SNL as a writer, the brutal table reads, and the psychological grind of the show’s 200‑hour weeks, breaking down the Monday-Saturday schedule in detail.

Jones explains how profound family losses—her parents dying within a year and her brother a decade later—pushed her into fearless living and fueled her pursuit of comedy. She shares behind‑the‑scenes SNL stories; from Black Trump and Weekend Update chemistry to how sketches live or die, and why “the good ones always want to leave.” Later, Jones recounts the racist abuse and hacking she endured after Ghostbusters, including leaked nudes, and uses it to talk about social media toxicity and the fragility of fandom.

To support Brown Bag Lady’s mission to feed LA’s homeless community, visit , and donate to Planned Parenthood at . Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions.

Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

See for privacy information.