Roy Wood Jr. might just be coolest Alabamian alive. The Birmingham product’s an accomplished comedian, actor, political satirist, writer and producer. Jones’ smart yet downhome wit makes him an essential follow on Twitter (or X, if you must). He’s probably awesome at other stuff, too.

Right now, Wood — who’s based in New York these days (the city of his birth) and prepping his highly anticipated memoir – is on his latest standup comedy tour. On a recent Tuesday evening, he checked in with AL.com for a phone interview. Edited excerpts below.

Roy, your standup performance here in Huntsville on Friday is at an event that also involves a silent auction. What’s a purchase you later had the biggest buyer’s remorse from?

Roy Wood Jr.: The sneakers that I bought for my second hour [long Comedy Central special, 2019′s “No One Loves You”]. I will never say publicly what I paid for them — it wasn’t worth it. But I loved those shoes, I still love those shoes, I still wear them every now and then, but will never say what I paid for that. Ever again.

I’m not a jewelry guy. You’re not gonna see me in a bunch of fashion stuff – the best suits I own, Comedy Central paid for. But sneakers every now and then, oh my goodness gracious. The really good thing was when Trevor Noah led “The Daily Show,” some of his suit budget went to the other correspondents. Oh, we were we were looking nice! [Laughs]

The thing I’m proudest of pending money on was Cubs-Indians World Series game-seven day-of tickets. A single ticket cost me $2,000.

You’re a Cubs fan, correct?

Yeah, I’m a diehard Cubs fan. Lifelong Cubs fan. I told myself during game five, “If it goes to game seven, I have to be there.”

You grew up in Alabama where there’s a lot of good barbecue. Living in New York now, is it possible to get good barbecue there, too?

Uh, there’s good barbecue in New York, but you have to adjust your palate. My biggest complaint about the barbecue in New York is the coleslaw’s too dry – it’s not runny enough. Like, New York coleslaw is just undressed salad.

Blue Smoke is one place I enjoy, and I’ll think of it in a second, but in Brooklyn. If you Google the Bell House [a bar and music/comedy venue] in Brooklyn, literally a block away from it is the barbecue spot that I’m talking about that I can’t think of. [Fletcher’s Brooklyn Barbecue, perhaps?]

It’s possible. The hard thing to find in New York is good catfish. There are a few places in Harlem, but it’s really hit or miss. Catfish is a very specific thing that not everyone … just because they offer it doesn’t mean they do it right.

We love your comedy that touches on politics and current events. But I’m curious, in current live show what are some other subjects you get into during your sets?

The main thing I’ve had fun exploring within my standup is just how much technology has made us detached from one another. I think there’s just this general overall lack of interaction that we have amongst one another. Like, the concept of self-checkout. The only time you talk to someone at the grocery store is when you’re doing self-checkout wrong, you know?

The fact we have to carry our own bags now at the airport – like, we’re in such a labor crisis now that pretty much everywhere you go, you’re kind of an employee. Even in New York, even with anti-terrorism, it’s like, “If you see something, say something.” Well, hang on. I’m not on salary. [Laughs]

I don’t like the fact that you know, some of the account security questions now are just forcing you to reminisce about better times in your life. The name of that dog. Remember that house you lived in? What street was that? Who was your first crush? It’s like, I don’t want to talk about my first crush. She’s pregnant by that best friend you made me guess. [Laughs]

But yeah, just the world in which we live, we’ve lost a degree of decency and politeness to one another, and I wish we could get better.

Lately, many people have been wondering about Kate Middleton’s whereabouts. Apparently, she was finally seen shopping out and about. If Kate had actually been hiding out in Alabama, where where would be the best place for her to hide out here?

Kate Middleton …. Goddamn, I shouldn’t say this because I know you’ve got to print it. [Laughs] I don’t know where the best place for Kate Middleton to hide out if she was in Alabama, but the first person she should call when she touches down in Carlee Russell. Because we still don’t know where she went. That’s perfect. If you want to stay hidden, call Carlee. Please add that I was joking or something like that – please add context to that. [Laughs]

Over the last few years, a lot of rich powerful white dudes in entertainment and elsewhere have had a reckoning and been getting taken down. Why did everybody forget to take down these two rich white dudes Joe Biden and Donald Trump? And God bless them both. But is anybody stoked about this rematch?

You know, I don’t think that people are excited about the choices for president, but if there’s one thing America loves, it’s a reboot. So if we’re gonna bring back all of the classic TV shows, and there’s literally a new “Ghostbusters coming out,” if we’re gonna do all that, we might as well go around the block one last time.

Maybe they could get a hologram of Gerald Ford to run [for president] or something?

Yeah, I really think that this election, it’s hard to get people excited about either of these choices. And so I think that’s part of the problem, why fear has become the leveraging point for activating the voter base, for really both sides. It used to be vote so your voice could be heard. And now it’s vote so that the zombies in the goons don’t come and destroy us all. And that’s the platform for both sides, really.

It just boils down to, if you don’t vote like this it’s going to be bad. And it used to be if you vote, please vote, so things can be good.

Because the first signs of that was in 2018 midterms, where, you know, we had a women’s march. But to be fair, if you look at the time and the law that had been proposed, from the women’s march until now, the women definitely were justified in marching.

So it’s not like the fear isn’t justified. It’s not like this fear is just pulled out of nowhere. There really are laws and regulations that are very scary, that are going to have a very good chance of becoming real law.

And it just sucks that is the place from which we have to motivate people. Because when you use fear as a motivator some people are going to be activated by that, but some people are gonna be on some flight — we’re talking fight or flight. So, just think we use fear as a leverage as a as a leveraging point, you end up with a less interested voter base.

Speaking of both sides of American politics, a lot of us loved your work on “The Daily Show” for eight years, and you left I think in October …

Yeah, October.

The thing I love about “The Daily Show” is how it makes fun of both sides. Because a thing that’s crept into culture now even outside of politics is, like say, you can’t make fun of Taylor Swift or Jay-Z [or Beyonce, or other people with huge followings particularly on social media, or risk getting piled on by that artist’s stans]. What was one of your favorite things about the behind the scenes of working on “The Daily Show?”

The thing I will always appreciate about my time at “The Daily Show” is that best idea wins. So, any and everyone were allowed to contribute, in the germination process have an idea. You know, of course, once an idea starts to grow and gain roots, it’s all on the producers and the writers to really cultivate that plant, and really get it to a place where it’s worth a crop harvesting and really growing it along.

Whereas, in the early beginnings of it, you could have an idea that could come from an associate producer. Or someone who’s not necessarily in the creative or the talent part of the show. But it’s an interesting discussion. But it’s an interesting discussion.

And “The Daily Show” is a diverse place along where a lot of the discussions we’re having in the building, I think, are reflective of discussions that people are having out in the real world. It could be an intern talking to a producer. It could be producer talking to a writer – like, the ideas come from any and everywhere in the building.

That’s the thing that I always appreciated about it. It’s just about having strong opinions and interesting ways to deliver those opinions. A creative democracy, you know?

I really enjoyed your work in the 2022 movie “Confess, Fletch” with Jon Hamm. You were really good in it, and I’ve always loved things that mixed mystery and comedy, going back to the TV show “Moonlighting” with Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd, and more recently the Hulu series “Only Murders In The Building,” which you’ve also appeared in. What’s compelling for you as an actor about comedy/mystery thing? Because it seems like people are starting to come back to that.

It’s a good time. In the sense of, we like mystery, we like intrigue, we like good story. And I think mystery in and of itself is good story, so that’s part of why I like. Of course, number one to be opposite Jon Hamm. But number two, something “Only Murders In The Building,” it’s funny because it’s still a show about a murder. [Laughs]

Like, it shouldn’t be this lighthearted, you know, but here we are. I think no matter what the content is, if you have a way of thinking a little lighter, you’re gonna have something that people resonate towards.

It doesn’t have to be all dark and grim, like the early 2000s where everything was “The Sopranos” and “The Shield.” Gritty, dark and our lead suffers and the only way he can find happiness is to do the one thing he’s good at. Well now it’s like, no, these guys have fun – and they also solve murders.

When you have famous or cool out of town friends visit you in Birmingham, what are some of the places you take them?

I take them to Yo’ Mamas for food, sometimes Niki’s West. I came to town for Major League Baseball Network a couple weeks ago…

For Rickwood Field.

Yeah, we interviewed a lot of retired Negro Leaguers in and around the state for MLB Network for a bunch of segments that will be coming up ahead of their Rickwood game, and so I know I’ll be here the week of celebrity game, so I’ve definitely got to come up with some places.

But the interesting thing about celebrities is that I can have one celebrity friend that just wants to know what a good barbecue is. And I can have another one wants to know where the good strip club is, and then another one who wants to know where there’s a good church so they can get in some prayer — and I’m like, well let me make sure I don’t mix up those two recommendations.

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