Trevor Noah opens the conversation by sharing the lessons he learned from his father: a strong work ethic and strict discipline. But he also feels a lack of the nurturing, loving embraces that he now wants to give to his daughters. The generational contrast, as Trevor describes it, is a key part of the story that he and Dwayne Johnson – aka “The Rock” – explore together.
Dwayne shares about his father, whom he deeply respects and who has had a profound influence on him both professionally and personally. His father always emphasized discipline and taught him to be courageous, even through difficult situations. One particular story Dwayne recounted was when his father drew a line in the ground and told a drunk man that if he crossed it, his father would “take care of it” immediately. The other man still went ahead, and his father did not hesitate to punish him, a memory The Rock will never forget.
The conversation continued with the question of The Rock running for president of the United States, which according to some polls, 43% of Americans support. For many, the idea is appealing because they see him as a symbol of strength and kindness, but it is also a manifestation of the current state of society where many people have lost faith in traditional leaders and are looking for someone to “fix” things.
Trevor and Dwayne also emphasized the power of frank conversations, where both expressed concern that people are increasingly afraid to express their true opinions. Trevor says he’s noticed that many people often preface their comments with, “I’m not going to say that publicly…” This shows a fear of confronting differences and judgment. Trevor compares the difficulty of having these conversations to walking through a minefield – every step could cause an explosion if you take the wrong step. But he believes that without dialogue, we can’t hope to resolve difficult issues. For Trevor, conversation isn’t just about discussing issues, it’s about how we handle differences in ideas and accepting that just because we disagree doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. Dwayne also emphasizes that he’s proud of who he is, from his Polynesian Samoan culture to his African-American heritage. He shares that from a young age, his parents taught him to be proud of who he was, even though professional wrestling was a small and less recognized industry than it is now. This has built a solid foundation that has made Dwayne a positive and proud icon, not only for the Polynesian community but for millions of fans around the world.
The conversation ends with humorous stories from both of them about how honesty can ease tensions in communication. Dwayne and Trevor agree that embracing differences, overcoming disagreements, and creating honest dialogues will help us connect more deeply in an increasingly polarized world.
