What do ultrasound gel and Cast Away–era Tom Hanks have in common? They’ve been fervently discussed by Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, cohosts of WNYC Studios’ wisecracking podcast 2 Dope Queens. With their third season launching April 4, the goofball iconoclasts talked to us about their pioneering program.

O: You launched 2 Dope Queens in April 2016, and already people like Kevin Bacon and Jon Stewart are big fans. How did the show come about?

Phoebe Robinson: We met in July 2014 when I was a background actor for a Daily Show piece Jessica was doing on black women’s hair in the military. During downtime, I asked her if she’d come to my home and tape a podcast I was doing at the time. I said, “I promise it’s not lame, and I have seltzer and fruit—does that entice you?”

Jessica Williams: It did.

PR: And during our hangout session, we made a plan for her to cohost a stand-up show I used to run—which ended up being magical! We set up each other’s jokes perfectly, and we hit all our punch lines. There aren’t many comedy podcasts hosted by two women of color, so we asked ourselves, Why don’t we do it?

JW: That’s also why in each of our shows, which are taped live, we try to make sure women of color, as well as people from the LGBT community, are represented.

O: You’re able to find the humor in any subject: the beauty of Matthew McConaughey, sneaking rosé into a Billy Joel concert, Halle Berry’s Instagram, and why white women begin complaints with “Never in my life.” What makes you such a compatible duo?

JW: We share the same Rolodex of references. I’m always trying to make Phoebe laugh and vice versa, which leads to us discussing the difference between Showgirls and Black Swan, or Mekhi Phifer’s wig in 8 Mile.

PR: But we’re not the same. Jessica is super into Harry Potter, and I’ve never read the books. I love U2, and Jessica doesn’t listen to them.

O: You also discuss topics like sexism and microaggressions. How do you mix education with entertainment?

JW: That’s just the experience of women, people of color, and folks in the LGBT community; our lives weave between joking with friends and more serious stakes.

O: You’ve discussed your love of Oprah and Gayle on the show. Which one of you is which?

JW: I think it fluctuates.

PR: Right, it depends on the day. I feel like Oprah when I wear athleisure.

O: And Gayle?

PR: When I want to hang out with Charlie Rose.

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