Arsenio Hall Says People Assume He Had a Tough Childhood Since He's a Comedian

Reporter: Have you found that some people just assume that you come from an awful background? Hall: Yeah. People tell me, “You were raised by your mom. Did your dad get her pregnant and split?” And I say, “No, he’s a Baptist preacher and he’s deceased.” “Oh. Uh, did your mother do coke?” “No man, she didn’t do no coke. She liked Pepsi, but…” And people expect, you know, they expect these kinds of things, and it’s like, “No! I’m sorry I’m happy, but I wish you’d let me have some of this money anyway.” I don’t know. Reporter: It’s kind of a subtle form of prejudice they don’t even realize. They mean well, but… Hall: They mean well but they think that comics have – Because, you know, you always hear “There’s a thin line between comedy and tragedy.” It’s like – I don’t know. I hope I’m funny to people in spite of it. Because, I mean, I’ve had my breakups with women, I’ve had my problems with the shopping cart with the bad wheel, you know, and one sock missing from the dryer. It’s not tragic, but… Reporter: Could ruin a day, though. Hall: Yeah, it could destroy your day! “Where is that other white sock? How does it get out of there?”