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Interview: Tracy Morgan talks about hitting the big screen

Tracy Morgan talks about his new projects, his private life and his critics

Recent Emmy nominee Tracy Morgan returns to theaters with the Disney Digital 3-D film “G-Force.” The animated flick is about a team of specially trained guinea pigs that are trying to save the world. Morgan is the voice of Blaster, and other voices include Oscar winners Penelope Cruz and Nicolas Cage.

Here, Morgan talks "G-Force," laughter and takes on criticism that he has received from some in the African-American community.

What attracted you to “G-Force”?

Tracy: I wanted to do a nice kids movie this summer. I got a lot of nieces and nephews and they always ask, "When are you going to do an animated movie?” So, I did an animated movie basically to see the little kids smile.

This character is a lot more G-rated than some of your more edgy work. Is it harder to transition to the family route?

Tracy: No, absolutely not. I do a lot of TV so I’m not R-rated on TV. I do movies -- they're not totally R-rated. So, you know, it wasn’t a harder transition just not to curse. I have a filter; I can filter it.

Are you an animated person in your daily life?

Tracy: I’m very animated. I talk loud, I project, body movements, hands -- all of that stuff. You know how Black people are -- we are very expressive! We express ourselves.

Do you feel like you have to always be on for people? I've heard comedians say that.

Tracy: Absolutely not, I’m 40 years old. My switch works perfect. I’m from off the corner, I know when to be quiet and I know when to make people laugh. I’m funny constantly, I don’t live for people. If I feel like being funny I’ll be funny, if I don’t, I don’t. I keep it regular. Marvin Gaye made music when he felt like it. That's why it came from the heart, that's why he felt it.

When you did your speech at the Golden Globes, some of the African-American Web sites had some critiques of you -- that Tracy Morgan is shucking and jiving.

Tracy: I don’t care about that. They saying the same about Obama -- Black people act like they ain't never satisfied! First they say you can make it when you little, "You can make it! You can be anything!" When you make it and be anything you got to criticize. Now that I'm doing what I love to do -- they got something to say! But, they won’t say nothing about the dude that's selling crack in front of the schoolyard! That's why I don't listen to nobody! I don’t listen to none of the crap, man; I just keep on doing me. Where's these people that's criticizing me now when my mother was raising five of us in the projects by herself -- where were they then? Now that Black people make it, it's Black people that turn on you first! It's Black people that want to criticize you the most. But you were the one that told me I could make it when I was a little! You rather me be in jail? You can't win for losing! You want to criticize, criticize them people that's child abusing, that's not taking care of their kids and not taking care of their families. When Obama won we were the first ones to criticize him! He's just trying to fix things; I'm just trying to heal. But being at the Golden Globes -- I mean, Tyler Perry, he perfect? [Laughs] He's perfect. What he's doing is perfect? You know what I'm saying?

I'm not making a comment about Tyler Perry. [Laughs]

Tracy: I don't care! He don't pay my bills! I don’t got nothing against the man. If you gonna criticize, criticize everything, everybody. I don’t care if I’m at the barber shop, I’m funny. I don’t care if I’m at the Golden Globes, I’m funny. They said the same thing about Martin Lawrence. They said the same thing about Eddie Murphy. They had something to say about Michael Jackson when he was alive, "Look at his skin color, look what he did." Then when he died, everybody wants to memorialize him. I just try not to get into that man.

I hear you. Well, what do you think people are going to be most surprised about when they go see “G-Force”?

Tracy: The action. It's action, but it's not too intense, it's toned down. It's for the children. You know what man, people that criticize and do all those things. They've just been adults too long. I think that child in them is just dead. A lot of people, as they get older, lose their sense of humor. Then they become old grumpy people. I never underestimate no man's jealousy, envy and greed. Trust me, Dick Cheney ain't the only one that's mad that I'm making it.

You’ve been vocal about some of your problems in the past. How has sobriety been for you?

Tracy: It's been wonderful. It's the most important thing to me in my life; it's been a year and a half. I love it; I don’t focus on what I don’t want. I focus on what I want.

Do you see yourself transitioning to dramatic roles?

Tracy: We have that dramatic side but people think doing comedy is a step down from doing drama -- when comedy is actually a privilege. It's harder now to make people laugh because then they say you shucking and jiving and all of that. That's because they don't want to laugh. We need comedy. What they saying about me they said about Richard Pryor. Richard just wanted to touch people with his sense of humor, that's something God gave all of us. If we don't laugh we gonna cry. I can’t control who’s in the audience -- I can’t control who laughs. I can’t do that. I don’t have the luxury of picking my fans. I can’t pick my audience. I just do what I do. God gave me a gift to make people laugh. Now that I’m doing it, just not only Black people laugh, those are the ones that's saying that I’m doing this and that. I’m not, I’m just doing what I been doing. When there's no more laughter in the world, that's when the world is going to end. When there's no more laughter in the world, there's no more love to give and that's when it's Armageddon. I know I got a lot of love for everybody. I’m loving those who love me back. Like Mary J. Blige told me, "Be good to those who are good to you." What you see is what you get -- if you think I’m “bamboozled,” hey, I’m sorry you feel that way.

Do you think Black folks are too critical of each other?

Tracy: Sometimes I think we can be. Sometimes I think we just need to be a little more supportive. Instead of Al Sharpton going after Lil' Wayne -- why don't he show him the way? Why don’t you just show him the way instead of criticizing him? You the adult, you the elder. Most of us, because of that generation, we grew up without fathers and stuff like that because of the choices they made.

Any last shout out you want to give to the BET audience?

Tracy: Shout out to BET! Hopefully one day they'll invite me to be there.

You've never been to the BET Awards?

Tracy: I've never been invited, dude. Never. I've been in show business 17 years. My own kind must think I'm "bamboozled" or something, I don’t know. I’ve never been invited to the BET Awards or nothing. But, I got love for BET anyway. I stay watching it.

Well, I’m a fan so thank you for this interview.

Tracy: Dude, thank you for just documenting how I feel. You know, I don’t judge anybody. I try not to and if I do have to judge, I'm going to judge them righteously.