Tonya Mosley

I want to talk a bit about just how purpose-driven you were as a young person from a very young age, even in the single digits.

You hosted your first talk show in your apartment building basement when you were 12.

And your musical guest was a kid from down the street singing along to a Temptations record.

Yeah, Junior Brown.

Yeah.

And seven kids showed up as your audience.

Your father, as you mentioned, was a preacher, and he thought that show business was the devil's business.

But you write about watching him preach.

I mean, and if we know preachers, they're prowling the pulpit.

They're whispering and shouting and women jumping up and down and dancing in the aisles.

That's like a real sanctified type church.

So in many ways, we're watching a performer and your dad.

Do you think he ever saw himself that way?

You're right.

That's all I wanted then and now.

I wanted my dad to be proud of me.

Do you think that the Arsenio show was in some way for him?

Thank you, Arsenio.

It's been a pleasure.

Talk show host and author Arsenio Hall.