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Janelle James Tells Drew Barrymore That Chris Rock Announces Himself As “Christopher Rock” When He Calls You on the Phone

Before she landed her iconic role as the whacky principal on Abbott ElementaryJanelle James was touring with Chris Rock, and of course, the story of how they paired up has a funny twist. The comedian, who was a guest on today’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, revealed how she became Rock’s touring partner — and it all started with an unexpectedly formal introduction.

While sitting down with Drew Barrymore, James said that she was five years into her standup career when Rock cold-called her and invited her on tour with him.

“I had an unknown number pop up on my phone,” she recalled. “Who answers that? I answered it for whatever reason and I said, ‘Hello?’ And he said, ‘Janelle James! Christopher Rock.’ And I was like, ‘Get the hell [out].’”

Barrymore, like the rest of us, was surprised that Rock announces himself as “Christopher,” but James said she was “glad” he did. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have believed it was actually him.

“I’m a comedian, we’re all jerks. It could’ve been somebody pranking me. And if he said Chris Rock, I would’ve hung up,” she admitted. “I would’ve been like, ‘Whoever this is, leave me alone.’ But Christopher Rock — I’m like, ‘Oh, this is Chris Rock.’”

James added, “He was my first big tour, like, he took me on tour with him. And introduced me to a way broader fan base than I had at the time, which were just white dudes in the Midwest.”

Speaking of her hit ABC show Abbott Elementary, a mockumentary-style sitcom that follows the lives of teachers at an underfunded Philly school, James dished on what she called her “dream role.”

“I read it and I was like, ‘Oh, this lady is crazy,'” she said. “I remember when we were shooting, I said, ‘I’m gonna be nuts with her and do that and be zany and be hilarious,’ because she does a lot of awful things, so she has to be compelling in a lot of ways.”

The Drew Barrymore Show Abbott Elementary, which premieres Wednesdays at 9/8c on ABC.