You're listening to Comedy Central. Serena Williams, Welcome to the Daily Show. Thank you for having me. It's truly an honor to have you here, especially at a at a moment like this in life, you know, because it's not every day that I or anybody gets to talk to one of the greatest of all time in any aspect. You know, You've you've conquered the tennis court, but now it seems like Serena is going to be conquering the business world in a really meaningful way. Serena Ventures. Congratulations. The last I heard you raised a hundred and eleven million for for the venture capital firm. Yes, yes we did. And you know, I realized I've actually been investing for about nine years, and then I realized that, you know, the venture capital ecosystem really needs more inclusive people. Really. Um when I learned that less than two percent at the time of women got funding from obviously money, I just honestly I didn't believe that stat and so I thought it was necessary for me to enter in a legit way, and so I just kept building throwing adventures for years and now here we are, we're raising our first fund at a hundred eleven million. It's it's a really powerful place to begin a journey because you know a lot of people, uh, you know on the ground. I mean myself included. Many years ago, I didn't know what venture capital was. I didn't understand the importance of venture capital. I didn't understand that like that becomes the seed that essentially grows the tree that is the biggest companies that we see on every stock exchange, you know, And so if you can get people in on the ground there, you can change their lives forever. Why did you decide to jump into a world that, I mean does not play nice, isn't like the the friendliest environment, especially to women and then especially to women of color. Yes, So for me, um, it was really important just just that, like, it's on the ground floor where you want more diversity and where you want more people involved. And that's where if you're looking to create you know, wealth or however you want to look at it, that's where it starts, you know, And it's no better way to start there. Also, I love technology. I have a natural of and just thing that I just love about technology, and I've always wanted to invest in these companies and always wanted to just kind of be a part of it, which heince my journey that started so long ago, um into inter venture and then eventually when you invest in early stage. So we do early stage investing, and when you do that, you're really able to not only help um, how a company thinks and how company performs, but also the first hires of a company. Um So those first five, the first ten are so key. But if you really help a company shape how they hire, then it has a a better chance to succeed. But it also has a better chance. To think of inviting everyone to the table. One of the craziest things I saw, um, I mean everyone saw it you responded to on Twitter was the New York Times posting about you know, like they had an article about your your venture capital firm and the money and everything, but then they used your sister's picture. What you said was really powerful. But I wondered from your point of view, like what was the what was the emotion behind it? Like when you hurt, were you disappointed? Were you angry? Honestly, UM, me playing tennis and a sport that has been predominantly you know, white, especially when I first started, you can't allow yourself to get too upset about those things and emotionally take that home, especially if your mom or you have a family. It's it's definitely not something you want to be involved in. You definitely have to just you know, just understand, say something about it like I did, and let it go. For me, it was really just about letting people know that there's still that This is why I've started this fund, you know, because there's still space that needs to happen. There are things that need to happen that we need to grow upon, and so that was really important for me. I couldn't help feeling from your response that like that was a little bit of you know, your mom and dad coming through. Now. I haven't met them, but I'm one of the millions of people who've watched the movie, and I feel like I've met your family because it's true though it's it's that's how I felt. But thank you for that. Um, it's it felt like, you know, the Williams family has this tenacious attitude. The Williams family goes like, hey, we're gonna address bs when we see it, but we're not gonna let a derail us from what we do. And I actually have a clip from the movie that's one of my one of my favorite moments in the phone if we if we can just play that here there you are you okay? We know it's your age. I used to have to fight every day if it wasn't a clue klu Klan or the police or the white boys from the next time. Somebody was always beating on me for some and I ain't had no daddy to stand in their way. It's where they never had no respect for Richie Williams, but they're gonna respect, y'all. I love that scene. I love it so I love I love the portrayal. Yeah, is it weird to see Will Smith as your dad? You know it was? It definitely was. I've gotten so used to it now that now when I say, I'm like, hey dadum, But in the beginning, it was definitely weird because it just was just weird. But he did such a great job of just becoming Richard Williams to a point where it was it was actually like I was looking at my dad or really remembering those moments when um, when we were together and when we were younger, and um, it's really amazing how he everything that he did in that film. It does feel like King Richard was just the origin story for you know, a burgeoning world, like you know the sequels. Because when the movie ends, and I won't spoil a few people haven't seen it, all I want to do is see your movie now. I want to see your sister's movie. I want to see your fact. Yeah. I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, what what do you mean this is it? I want to wait. I couldn't believe it was over. I thought it was just getting started. Um, that journey is a really special one. I would love to know how your family managed to keep the love between and your sister so intense, even when there were so many moments for the two of you to have resentment towards each other because you don't you love each other, you support each other, and yet you compete against each other. Mm hmmm. And that's really important because again, like when you asked me about the New York Times piece, it was like, well, we can't allow that to affect our lives. And we grew up and we still are extremely spiritual people, and um really have a great grind, great base of faith, and we know that we have so much more to look forward to and then we also know that at the end of the day, like tennis a last you know, ten years, twenty years or whatever, but family lasts forever. And even when I'm playing my sister, I always think, Okay, this is just for this moment, this is just for this day, and even if you know, we're emotional about it for a couple of days later, like she's always going to be my flesh and bud and nothing else is going to ever come in between that. And so it was it's really important for um us to kind of feel that and just why so much just kind of roll off our shoulders and we just kind of just just go with it. UM. I have a few personal UM, I have a few personal questions just as a fan from my side. So number one, who, so, who's responsible for your backhand? We didn't really get the onswer in the movie. I mean, your mom claims the credit, your dad wants to claim the credit. Who made the serena backhand? Um, it was definitely a combination of both. But I spent a lot of time on the court with my mom growing up. Um, when I was in that age, but when I got a little older, it was just I spend more time with my dad. So it's definitely a mix, okay. And then with regards to your daughter, she has two parents who come from extremely different worlds. I mean, the world's are emerging now, funny enough, but you know, you've got the tech dad and then you've got like the superstar sports mom. What's the thing that she sort of gravitates towards more? If you put like a computer in front of her or a tennis record, what's the first thing she'd grab? Well, probably the computer because it has you know, all her little TV shows on it and you know, the movie, so definitely that. Um. But you know, I'm just I'm a fan of tennis and I definitely root for her to play, but also I'm like, you know, it could be a lot of pressure, so definitely looking at her playing different sports, and you know, we haven't quite decided, and it's so it's so interesting now how parents I could say, I think think of it because it's like, you know, my parents had a whole plan and we're just like, well, you know, we'll see if she wants to do this. So it's a completely different thing. And yeah, that's just I don't Yeah, I don't know, my dad and my mom were really amazing, and personally, I don't know if I could have done it. I think you. I think you can do it because you're a product of this. I think you're doing it already. Serena Williams, thank you for joining me on the show. Congratulations on everything you've done venture capital, conquering the court um, Congrats to your family, and thank you for being here with us. Thank you, thank you for having me. King Richard is available in select theaters, on v O, D and of course DVD. Watch The Daily Show weeknight Central on Comedy Central, and stream fool episodes anytime, all on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast

You're listening to Comedy Central. Serena Williams, Welcome to the Daily Show. Thank you for having me. It's truly an honor to have you here, especially at a at a moment like this in life, you know, because it's not every day that I or anybody gets to talk to one of the greatest of all time in any aspect. You know, You've you've conquered the tennis court, but now it seems like Serena is going to be conquering the business world in a really meaningful way. Serena Ventures. Congratulations. The last I heard you raised a hundred and eleven million for for the venture capital firm. Yes, yes we did. And you know, I realized I've actually been investing for about nine years, and then I realized that, you know, the venture capital ecosystem really needs more inclusive people. Really. Um when I learned that less than two percent at the time of women got funding from obviously money, I just honestly I didn't believe that stat and so I thought it was necessary for me to enter in a legit way, and so I just kept building throwing adventures for years and now here we are, we're raising our first fund at a hundred eleven million. It's it's a really powerful place to begin a journey because you know a lot of people, uh, you know on the ground. I mean myself included. Many years ago, I didn't know what venture capital was. I didn't understand the importance of venture capital. I didn't understand that like that becomes the seed that essentially grows the tree that is the biggest companies that we see on every stock exchange, you know, And so if you can get people in on the ground there, you can change their lives forever. Why did you decide to jump into a world that, I mean does not play nice, isn't like the the friendliest environment, especially to women and then especially to women of color. Yes, So for me, um, it was really important just just that, like, it's on the ground floor where you want more diversity and where you want more people involved. And that's where if you're looking to create you know, wealth or however you want to look at it, that's where it starts, you know, And it's no better way to start there. Also, I love technology. I have a natural of and just thing that I just love about technology, and I've always wanted to invest in these companies and always wanted to just kind of be a part of it, which heince my journey that started so long ago, um into inter venture and then eventually when you invest in early stage. So we do early stage investing, and when you do that, you're really able to not only help um, how a company thinks and how company performs, but also the first hires of a company. Um So those first five, the first ten are so key. But if you really help a company shape how they hire, then it has a a better chance to succeed. But it also has a better chance. To think of inviting everyone to the table. One of the craziest things I saw, um, I mean everyone saw it you responded to on Twitter was the New York Times posting about you know, like they had an article about your your venture capital firm and the money and everything, but then they used your sister's picture. What you said was really powerful. But I wondered from your point of view, like what was the what was the emotion behind it? Like when you hurt, were you disappointed? Were you angry? Honestly, UM, me playing tennis and a sport that has been predominantly you know, white, especially when I first started, you can't allow yourself to get too upset about those things and emotionally take that home, especially if your mom or you have a family. It's it's definitely not something you want to be involved in. You definitely have to just you know, just understand, say something about it like I did, and let it go. For me, it was really just about letting people know that there's still that This is why I've started this fund, you know, because there's still space that needs to happen. There are things that need to happen that we need to grow upon, and so that was really important for me. I couldn't help feeling from your response that like that was a little bit of you know, your mom and dad coming through. Now. I haven't met them, but I'm one of the millions of people who've watched the movie, and I feel like I've met your family because it's true though it's it's that's how I felt. But thank you for that. Um, it's it felt like, you know, the Williams family has this tenacious attitude. The Williams family goes like, hey, we're gonna address bs when we see it, but we're not gonna let a derail us from what we do. And I actually have a clip from the movie that's one of my one of my favorite moments in the phone if we if we can just play that here there you are you okay? We know it's your age. I used to have to fight every day if it wasn't a clue klu Klan or the police or the white boys from the next time. Somebody was always beating on me for some and I ain't had no daddy to stand in their way. It's where they never had no respect for Richie Williams, but they're gonna respect, y'all. I love that scene. I love it so I love I love the portrayal. Yeah, is it weird to see Will Smith as your dad? You know it was? It definitely was. I've gotten so used to it now that now when I say, I'm like, hey dadum, But in the beginning, it was definitely weird because it just was just weird. But he did such a great job of just becoming Richard Williams to a point where it was it was actually like I was looking at my dad or really remembering those moments when um, when we were together and when we were younger, and um, it's really amazing how he everything that he did in that film. It does feel like King Richard was just the origin story for you know, a burgeoning world, like you know the sequels. Because when the movie ends, and I won't spoil a few people haven't seen it, all I want to do is see your movie now. I want to see your sister's movie. I want to see your fact. Yeah. I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, what what do you mean this is it? I want to wait. I couldn't believe it was over. I thought it was just getting started. Um, that journey is a really special one. I would love to know how your family managed to keep the love between and your sister so intense, even when there were so many moments for the two of you to have resentment towards each other because you don't you love each other, you support each other, and yet you compete against each other. Mm hmmm. And that's really important because again, like when you asked me about the New York Times piece, it was like, well, we can't allow that to affect our lives. And we grew up and we still are extremely spiritual people, and um really have a great grind, great base of faith, and we know that we have so much more to look forward to and then we also know that at the end of the day, like tennis a last you know, ten years, twenty years or whatever, but family lasts forever. And even when I'm playing my sister, I always think, Okay, this is just for this moment, this is just for this day, and even if you know, we're emotional about it for a couple of days later, like she's always going to be my flesh and bud and nothing else is going to ever come in between that. And so it was it's really important for um us to kind of feel that and just why so much just kind of roll off our shoulders and we just kind of just just go with it. UM. I have a few personal UM, I have a few personal questions just as a fan from my side. So number one, who, so, who's responsible for your backhand? We didn't really get the onswer in the movie. I mean, your mom claims the credit, your dad wants to claim the credit. Who made the serena backhand? Um, it was definitely a combination of both. But I spent a lot of time on the court with my mom growing up. Um, when I was in that age, but when I got a little older, it was just I spend more time with my dad. So it's definitely a mix, okay. And then with regards to your daughter, she has two parents who come from extremely different worlds. I mean, the world's are emerging now, funny enough, but you know, you've got the tech dad and then you've got like the superstar sports mom. What's the thing that she sort of gravitates towards more? If you put like a computer in front of her or a tennis record, what's the first thing she'd grab? Well, probably the computer because it has you know, all her little TV shows on it and you know, the movie, so definitely that. Um. But you know, I'm just I'm a fan of tennis and I definitely root for her to play, but also I'm like, you know, it could be a lot of pressure, so definitely looking at her playing different sports, and you know, we haven't quite decided, and it's so it's so interesting now how parents I could say, I think think of it because it's like, you know, my parents had a whole plan and we're just like, well, you know, we'll see if she wants to do this. So it's a completely different thing. And yeah, that's just I don't Yeah, I don't know, my dad and my mom were really amazing, and personally, I don't know if I could have done it. I think you. I think you can do it because you're a product of this. I think you're doing it already. Serena Williams, thank you for joining me on the show. Congratulations on everything you've done venture capital, conquering the court um, Congrats to your family, and thank you for being here with us. Thank you, thank you for having me. King Richard is available in select theaters, on v O, D and of course DVD. Watch The Daily Show weeknight Central on Comedy Central, and stream fool episodes anytime, all on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast