Holly Robinson Peete on 21 Jump Street, Howard the Duck and The Talk
From Reza Rifts · 43:01
Show by Keith Reza
Holly Robinson Peete on 21 Jump Street, Howard the Duck and The Talk Actress, author, and philanthropist Holly Robinson Peete joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts for a funny, warm, and refreshingly honest conversation that spans four decades in Hollywood and the advocacy work that has become her life's mission. Holly looks back on her breakout role as Officer Judy Hoffs on 21 Jump Street with Johnny Depp, the crush she had on John Cusack during those years, and how Howard the Duck went from a 1986 flop so bad she took it off her resume to a beloved cult classic that earned her a reunion with George Lucas at the opening of his new museum. She also opens up about the worst moment of her career, getting fired from CBS's The Talk, and how that setback turned into a dream job on Mike & Molly working with legendary sitcom director Jimmy Burrows. Plus, the story of her Hallmark Channel era and more than a dozen Christmas movies. The heart of the episode is family. Holly shares how her father's young onset Parkinson's diagnosis and her son RJ's autism diagnosis at age three led her and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, to build the HollyRod Foundation, now celebrating 27 years of supporting families. She tells the incredible story of RJ landing a job as a Dodgers clubhouse attendant and earning three World Series rings with his name on them, and she breaks down the 27th annual DesignCare Gala on November 7 honoring Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Tanner Smith of Love on the Spectrum, Maureen McCormick, Ahman Green, Teoscar Hernandez, and more. Keith and Holly also bond over being on the spectrum, swapping stories about sensory overload, light sensitivity, and airport meltdowns. Keith promises to get Browns legend Jamal Lewis on the phone for RJ, plays a game of Killers in the House, floats a time machine theory about the pyramids, and Holly delivers the only advice her younger self needed in four words. GUEST INFO Holly Robinson Peete is an actress, author, producer, and autism and Parkinson's advocate, born on September 18, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She rose to fame as Officer Judy Hoffs on the Fox series 21 Jump Street, starred as Vanessa Russell on ABC's Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and played Dr. Malena Ellis on For Your Love. On the big screen she appeared as a member of the fictional rock band Cherry Bomb in Howard the Duck (1986) and later had a cameo in the 21 Jump Street movie. On television she was an original co-host of CBS's The Talk, played Christina on Mike & Molly, and starred with her family in the reality series Meet the Peetes. Over the past decade she has become one of the most familiar faces on the Hallmark Channel with more than a dozen Christmas movies to her name. In the late 1990s she co-founded the HollyRod Foundation with her husband Rodney Peete, which provides support and resources to families living with autism and Parkinson's disease. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Follow Holly Robinson Peete: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrpeete/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/hollyrpeete Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollyRPeete/ IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005372/ HollyRod Foundation: https://hollyrod.org/ HollyRod Foundation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrodfdn/ EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 Word of Mouth, It Helps: Intro and Top Host Vote 03:55 Pre-Show with Publicist Leilani 09:22 Meet Holly Robinson Peete: Gala Stress and Dodger Fandom 10:58 Keith's Autism Story: Diagnosed at Twelve 17:45 The HollyRod Foundation Story: From Parkinson's to Autism Advocacy 19:45 DesignCare Gala 2026: Samuel L. Jackson, Tanner Smith, Maureen McCormick and More 27:56 Light Sensitivity and the Ball Boy Story 29:38 VIP Tickets and Diet Coke: Keith's Stand-Up Invite 30:42 Howard the Duck: From Flop to Cult Classic 39:47 Working with Jimmy Burrows: The Best Sitcom Director Ever 41:00 Hallmark Christmas Movie Royalty 45:36 Crazy Mama Peete Butterscotch Swirl 46:47 Four Words to My Younger Self: It's Not That Deep CALL TO ACTION If you enjoyed this conversation with Holly Robinson Peete, make sure to like this video, leave a comment with your favorite moment, share it with a friend, subscribe to Reza Rifts, and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. And keep an eye on Keith's Instagram to vote for him in the Top Host competition, where the prize is Reza Rifts joining iHeartRadio for six episodes produced by Ryan Seacrest. To support the HollyRod Foundation and learn more about the DesignCare Gala, head to hollyrod.org. HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61 Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/ Subscribe - Rate & Review on…
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