Tracy Morgan 'Would Hug' Cheri Oteri and Chris Kattan if He Could

By Denise Warner Posted Oct 23rd 2009 03:38PM

'30 Rock' star Tracy Morgan released his autobiography entitled 'I Am the New Black,' which details his life growing up in the projects, his struggles with drug abuse, his father's death and his relationship with his mother, among many other personal revelations.

The actor sat down to talk to PopEater about why he wrote the book, the challenges he faced and what he really thinks of former 'Saturday Night Live' cast members Cheri Oteri and Chris Kattan, whom he wrote negatively about."If I saw Cheri and Chris I would love them. If they would, I would hug them," he told us. Watch It

Why he wrote the book: "Why not? I just think that this was the right time. I mean, you know, I was mature enough. And I wanted to tell my story. I don't know how long I'm gonna be here, and I think, you know, the changing in the world and the president, all of those things that happened in world in the last two years inspired me. Just to see Barack [Obama,] do what he did, inspired me. It just inspired me. The title was the last thing to come. 'I Am the New Black,' and what inspired that was an update I did, rebutting Tina Fey. 'I Am the New Black.' And it had nothing to do with race, it had nothing to do with color. It was based upon - it's a trend, that we need to set in America.'I Am the New Black,' stands for, we have to try. There are no more excuses for nobody, no matter what color you are, you have to try, 'cause dreams do come true."

It was hard to write so candidly about his troubles: "If it ain't rough it ain't right. If it ain't loose it got to be tight, if it ain't black it must be white. A'ight? I don't want it if it ain't right. If it ain't rough I don't want it. I don't want it if - my man Tupac said, 'I don't want it if it's that easy.' Life got to be - is a struggle. With no struggle there's no progress. From the time your dad met your mom, it was a struggle. She wasn't easy, then he had to struggle to get her in the car, then he had to struggle to get her home, then he had to struggle to get the panties off, then he had to struggle to get it in, then the sperm had to struggle to get to the egg, then once the sperm hits the egg it has to struggle to get in, so life is a struggle! Then the baby has to struggle to develop, then the baby has to struggle to come down in the tube, then it has to struggle when it's born, then the struggle really begins. It's called life. You struggle from the day you hit - the day! From the very moment of conception, from the very moment that your parents - it's all a struggle, and with out that, there's no progress. So, that's what 'I Am the New Black' stands for. With out no struggle there is no progress.

There isn't one experience that defines him: "Absolutely not. I'm forty years old, I'll be 41 next year. And 200 pages in not enough pages for me to put my life in. That's just the tip of the iceberg baby."

He wants his kids to read it: "That's what the purpose of writing that book was for. So my kids', kids', kids' can say, well this was my grandfather, this is what he went through. So if he could do it, I could do it. I wanted to leave something behind; my father never got to write a book. But he left his memory behind, so in a sense, that's what I did. When I'm gone I left my memory behind."

Explaining negative remarks in the book about Chris Kattan and Cheri Oteri -- "All I have to say about that is, where's Chris Kattan now? Where's Cheri Oteri now? That b---- can't even get arrested:" "When I wrote the book and they asked me about that, I said what it was, it wasn't like I had to think and be methodical, no I just said what it was and I didn't really - it was like with, you know, Tim Meadows, we never really spoke because, it wasn't that we hated each other, he was part of another cast, that was already there long before me. So it was like not having allies there. He was with Chris Farley and them, I came in a different cast. So we have really no times to share, and you remember that time? It's just the way it is, it's like playing on a pro baseball team. The rookie that comes is not gonna be close with the veteran that has been there for twelve years. Veteran don't wanna speak to really a rookie. I mean, it's your job to trickin' them into giving you the knowledge, of the game. And that's all it was, but people sometimes become cynical in the media, and they want to turn it into some, 'cause that's the - that's where we're livin' at now. We thrive off of just, controversy, and everybody looking for a Kanye West moment. That's not the way, normal people don't act like that. We don't act like that towards each other. No way, if I saw Cheri and Chris I would love them. If they would, I would hug them."

Come back soon for part two of our interview, where Tracy talks about who who'd like to see on '30 Rock,' performing at Carnegie Hall and what's next for him.

Tags: 30 rock, 30Rock, cheri oteri, CheriOteri, Chris Kattan, ChrisKattan, i am the new black, IAmTheNewBlack, saturday night live, SaturdayNightLive, tracy morgan, TracyMorgan

Comments

(21)

Friday 23 October

By flat top

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Once again: open mouth, insert foot. Yeah, I know he wrote it instead of saying it out loud, but he needs to check his ego.

By nome

I was under the impression that Tracy Morgan was just putting on an act, but he may be just as bad as his act is. How someone can say something so hurtful and then just blow it off like it was nothing is beyond me. His character is good and is funny. however, they could try it with a log and see how it goes...

By Trizone

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He is a total and utter idiot! Can anyone explain how someone like him would be on such a popular show? Cheri Oteri was one of my favorite reasons for watching SNL and Chris Kattan is a genius. The truth is that he has no grace or class. Remember your words well, you may have to eat them!

By Mikey

Morgan is the very definition of old saying, "It's best to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt." This idiot can do no right. The more he talks on a subject, the more ignorant he reveals himself to be. And just to be clear, Tracy Morgan is NOT the new black: he's a dumbass, playing a dumbass on "30 Rock," who hired a ghostwriter to write his poison pen ramblings. He'd give Chris Kattan and Cheri Oteri a "big hug?", hmm, I wonder they would give him?

Morgan, your 15 minutes can't end fast enough for most of America. Exit, stage left...

Saturday 24 October

By gennie

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AMEN

By E-Dude

Not if I'm hugging Cheri Oteri FIRST! Hands off my woman!

By Coco

What has this guy Morgan done since SNL? I couldn't stand him on SNL, he seemed like he was always reading his lines. What a loser, no wonder he was ignored on the set.

He is on 30 Rock, one of the most popular Tina Fey project. Where have you been?

Under that Rock, I guess..lol. I don't watch that show.

By jimbo

This no-talent is about as obnoxious and irritating as jamie foxx.

I second that!

By Jamie

Cheri Oteri is CRAZY-FUNNY!!!! Tracy Morgan isn't!

By redhookrican13

Maybe he had good reason to slam Oteri and Kattan, how would you guys like it if people acted conceited towards you at your workplace?

....sort of like He is?

By boot

He needs to learn how to speak English or somebody WILL ship him back to the projects.

By Deadeye

Some of you people have no sense of humor at all. Tracy Morgan is very funny. Whats funny to you? watching ice melt. This guy has a great stand up act, for those who have any sense of what funny is.

... and of course, Deadeye, you are the judge of what's humorous, right? He is just very lucky that there are those people such as yourself who find his imbecile humor funny. Keep up the good work!

Tuesday 27 October

By NATHAN

This is the frist time I've seen Tracy Morgan talk seriously about life and his new book.He had me fool just like all his fans out there that he was totally crazy,well he semi crazy when he wants to be..He can talk articulate with street slang mix in with it.This guy is no dummy he con man.A man with a thousands faces.For who think you got Tracy Morgan figure out.Well you just been played sucker.

By Laura

This man seriously needs to lay off the coke and Wild Turkey...

I just heard him in an interview on NPR about his book. He was non-sensical, random, crying (yes, crying), and barely coherent. The person interviewing him did a great job of trying to keep it together, but it was the equivalent of listening to a train wreck and not being able to do anything to stop it. It was totally clear that he was on something, or is severely disturbed - mentally, emotionally, and cerebrally.

What a mess.

Wednesday 11 November

By etienne

itz amazing how much negativity floats around on these comments. be it aol or anywhere...what all of you fail to realize is that he is in the "entertainment" business, and frankly, he does a good job at entertaining people. most people find him entertaining/funny, which enables him to keep makin his money. alot of research and analysis from feedback goes into these shows. u can have a smash hit for 2 seasons straight and get canned if season 3 isn't up to par. that happens all the time in the t.v. industry. if t morgan was so bad, he'd get the boot.
perhaps ya'll don't relate to t. morgan. maybe u don't understand the humor. he reminds me of a nipsey russell/red fox hybrid. and his pouty commentary is kind of original. u ever see him on talk shows? hilarioid!
look...if i'm ever in the public eye, judge me on my effectiveness to make u laugh/cry/be entertained. not my personality or how i live my life. u think ur personality(ies) is(are) any more pleasant than t.morgan's??? perhaps u regard urselves as "stand-up" citizens but maybe the bank tellers dread u when u walk up to their station...maybe the people at the cleaners smile in ur face and cuss u out behind ur back. u never know who's out there hating...
give ur opinions freely...i think a spectrum of feedback is much more welcomed than monolithic praise or criticism. but don't hate on t. morgan just because u don't think he's funny.

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