Summary of Anthony Anderson’s Journey
The “Black-ish” star told iBestTravel that traveling with family “adds years to the relationship,” while reminiscing about his epic Eurotrip with his mom.
Mama Doris is running late, as to be expected. She is the queen of the bingo hall, after all.
Scheduled to chat Emmy Award nominee Anthony Anderson about his mother-son travel show on E!, Trippin’ with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris, ahead of its finale episode, I was informed by the Black-ish star himself that his mom, Doris Hancox, affectionately known as Mama Doris, was busy. She was in Vegas living her best life with her friends at a bingo tournament.
“This ain’t your grandma’s bingo,” Anderson shared with a laugh.
The Journey Begins
Anderson, who grew up with his mother in Compton, California, decided to take his mom along for a six-week trip of a lifetime through Europe to thank her for giving up her own Hollywood dreams to raise him. He brought cameras along to capture all the fun in eight adorable episodes as they explored France, took part in cooking classes, walked through Italy on truffle hunts, and visited England.
Show Concept and Episodes
“The trip was really to thank my mother for supporting me in everything that I’ve done,” Anderson said. “It’s my thank you to her for the sacrifices that she’s made.”
As for how the show came to be, Anderson says it all just came down to his mother’s dreams of traveling and his ability to create an engaging television show. He recalled telling his mother, “Let’s go. Let’s go live the ‘Life of Riley.’”
The show provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments for viewers, putting Anderson’s close bond with his mom on full display. Most importantly, for Anderson, it was a trip that brought him even closer to Doris.
“I learned a lot of new things about my mama,” he shared. “First off, I learned that my mama doesn’t like animals and is definitely afraid of dogs and cats in particular.” Notably, Doris shared memories of her childhood, offering insights Anderson had never learned before.
Lessons Learned Through Travel
That new knowledge and ability to connect, Anderson believes, is the reason we should all travel with our parents or parental figures throughout our lives.
“I think it adds years to the relationship. And adds years to your life and theirs,” he said. “As much time as we can spend with our loved ones—sibling, children, aunts, uncles, parents in particular—we should do that.”
However, he discovered one crucial lesson about traveling with an older parent: not to be a know-it-all.
“What I’ve learned is that we can’t only do the things that I want to do,” Anderson explained. “We can’t always carry on with our plans. Sometimes we just have to sit back and say, ‘Well mom, what is it that you want to do?’
To foster better communication, Anderson suggested being open and honest about preferences with whichever family member you’re traveling with.
“I should consult with her and ask, ‘Hey mom, what is it that you’d be interested in doing while we’re on this trip? Because these are my ideas, but I want to incorporate yours too,” he said. “That’s what I learned on this trip—listening and asking questions are essential.”
Catch the final episode of season 1 of Trippin’ with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris this Thursday on E!
Trippin’ with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris is a reality show and does not fall under the SAG-AFTRA strike.
