Arsenio Hall Talks About What He Saw in His Future When We Was in High School

Reporter: Were you always funny? Hall: I always joke and say I was the second funniest guy in my high school. Because I always felt that – and I taught me something about comedy: It’s not always the funniest guy that makes it. It’s sometimes discipline, tenacity, and who wants it the most, and who’ll wear kneepads in Hollywood. No, no, I shouldn’t have said that! It’s often something else, because the guy in my high school, Derwin, he was hilarious, funny guy, and he’s dead, which may say something, too. But it was real weird. I used to think Derwin was the funniest guy. I would say, “Derwin, you’re going to be a famous comedian one day!” It’s weird. Weird. Reporter: And Derwin looked at you and said, “Yeah, you’re going to be stuck here in Cleveland.” Hall: Yeah, he says, “You’re going to work at Republic Steel here.” I always thought I’d probably end up being a sportscaster. There was a guy who used to be the announcer for the Cavaliers. I always wanted to be him. I thought he was real cool, you know? And you’d hear him and he’d say. “Basket by Austin Carr!” That’s what I wanted to do, that’s what I wanted to be. I had no idea that I’d be lifted up by James Earl Jones one day and told, “You disappointed me, Semmi.” “Cut! This guy’s so good! Cut!” I was a fan of his! I had to cut sometimes because he was so good. I’d forget my stuff and say, “Oh, stop, stop, cut! This guy is – ooh! James Earl Jones!”