Rudy Rush

He is a legend of the culture.

And he has spent five decades commanding the screen with grit, grace, and purpose.

He's more than an actor.

He's a storyteller, a mentor, and a survivor in an industry that rarely makes room for either.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor and pleasure to introduce the living icon, Mr. Ernie Hudson.

Mr. Hudson, how are you doing today, sir?

I'm not I'm not going to take that.

I want to, but I know you've had some.

I know you've had some.

But but Ernie, man, like I was telling you offline, you know, 15, 20 years ago when I was trying to say if I could be like someone because, you know, this is no secret to those that know me.

Like my dad in my household wasn't the symbol of manhood that I should look to.

Right.

And so I used to find that I used to seek that and I would take pieces of people and say, this is who I'm going to be or this is how I want to model my life.

And then I got to know not just Ernie Hudson, the actor, but the man, the father, the husband, the things you were doing in community, the way you were impacting people.

And I said, that is it.

From a manhood perspective, I want to be Ernie Hudson.

So I just wanted to thank you for being that role model that you did not even know that you were, brother.

Well, again, I appreciate you, brother, so much, so much.

And Mr. Hudson, I love to start my show by asking my guests about their because, right?

Like not your why, but that thing that's deeper than your why.