Club Shay Shay - Humble Baddies - Part 1: Cowboy Carter Tour Recap + Soft Life vs. Struggle Love

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

Sharelle, Alexis & Ashley recap the Paris leg of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour, break down the dangers of struggling through toxic relationships over prioritizing peace, and much more!02:44 ...- Cowboy Carter Tour recap20:37 - Soft Life vs. Struggle Love(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an iHeart Podcast. Show me how good it can get today, God, and show the rest of the world what we already know. It can't get no better than being Hella Black, Hella Queer, and Hella Christian. My name is Joseph Rees. I am the creator and host of Hella Black, Hella Queer, Hella Christian, a fully Black, fully Queer, fully human, fully divine podcast from I Heart Media to hella black, hella queer, hella Christian on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. I know a lot of cops.
Starting point is 00:00:36 They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no This is absolute season one taser incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad Listen to absolute season one taser incorporated on the iHeart radio app Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Why is a soap opera Western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater podcast network.
Starting point is 00:01:15 So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Over the years of making my true crime podcast, Hell and Gone, I've learned no town is too small for murder. I'm Katherine Townsend.
Starting point is 00:01:42 I've heard from hundreds of people across the country with an unsolved murder in their community. I was calling about the murder of my husband. The murderer is still out there. Each week I investigate a new case. If there's a case we should hear about, call 678-744-6145. Listen to Hell and Gone Murderline on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yes, we are back. Ashley, Ashley, you're going to say a few things that you learned while we were in Paris. I learned Gerson.
Starting point is 00:02:39 Gerson. Gerson. Gerson. Gerson. Gerson. That was my favorite. I was like that all the time. No, say what you said.
Starting point is 00:02:51 And they was like, um, you shouldn't say it like that. That's kind of rude. I said, excuse me. Yes. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard.
Starting point is 00:03:02 I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard.
Starting point is 00:03:06 I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard.
Starting point is 00:03:10 I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard.
Starting point is 00:03:14 I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard.
Starting point is 00:03:18 I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard.
Starting point is 00:03:22 I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. I heard. the Cowboy Carter show in Paris. But it was just so amazing. I swear that show was better than Renaissance. I didn't know that was possible. To top the Renaissance show, it's like,
Starting point is 00:03:37 I wasn't expecting that. I was like, okay, it's country. I mean, it's Beyonce, San Margo, see it. But I didn't expect it to be what it was. I mean, it's Beyonce, but I didn't expect it to be what it was. I mean, she really performed. The mic was on. Honey was singing. Okay. And she gave us songs from the Renaissance and she brought out Miley Cyrus and
Starting point is 00:03:57 she played some of her old hits. I mean, she performed for three hours straight. Yeah, it was beautiful. It was beautiful. It was beautiful. Sherelle's not for real part of the DeHive, so we need to hear from Sherelle. Listen. Actually, listen.
Starting point is 00:04:14 Ashley can vouch for me. Sitting right next to me and I had the time of my life. Like, I was all into it. Like, Beyonce, when you go to her concert, it's like, it's a whole performance. It's entertainment. It's like you're mesmerized. I don't know what the hell Beyoncé be doing, but it's something that captures you into her,
Starting point is 00:04:35 where it's not a dull moment. There was not one dull moment at her concert. Like, it was so beautiful. It was well performed. Everyone did amazing. My girl, Blue, showed out with her little dance and her walking. Like, baby, Blue came back and said, y'all ain't gonna talk about me no more. I'm about to show y'all.
Starting point is 00:04:55 Who was giving an ad to? Give me ad. She's giving it. Yeah. I love it. Do you all feel like watching Beyonce overseas in a city of love, like Paris, Paris? Do you feel like it was a different energy compared to like watching her in the states? Yes, I feel it was.
Starting point is 00:05:16 He and my friends, we always make a trip of it. So we saw Renethon in Toronto. So we try to like travel to see her because I mean,. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her.
Starting point is 00:05:30 I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her.
Starting point is 00:05:38 I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I did expect a little bit more from the Parisian crowd as far as their look. I wasn't expecting to see, like, you know, just head to toe cowboy Carter down.
Starting point is 00:05:54 And I wasn't given that. But I feel like it was more tourists there than the actual locals. Yes. I feel like it was so many tourists that came to the show in Paris. It was crazy. You had to. They was like, oh, my gosh. Oh, my God. OK, because I found this water. And y'all look. Right. But you know what? But low key, I think that
Starting point is 00:06:31 Beyonce has made the cowboy look glamorous and iconic, and you can make it to what you want it to be. And it's very much giving Americana a very much like, this is America, you know what I mean? We're prideful. We are cowboy chic, and that's where she's deriving it from. So maybe that's what it is, you know? Paris is known for fashion and high fashion and very much, like, you know, style, grace in their own way.
Starting point is 00:06:55 But the cowboy Carter vibe and the movement that y'all brought, what y'all fit, you know, y'all represented for the States, even though we're going through it right now, you know. You know, but y'all were represented, you know? And y'all fit, y'all were beautiful. The messaging of her music, like, of course, I've listened to the album a million times, but it was something about watching her perform the songs
Starting point is 00:07:17 and hearing the lyrics, like, there's a message in her music. And it's so just on par for what's going on right now. Like, it really is. So everybody, y'all need to go listen to the lyrics. I mean, it's just very... She's making a statement, and I love that. So, you feel like she's evolved through her music? Because I feel like that's what some naysayers say is like,
Starting point is 00:07:41 you know, she hasn't evolved. She's the same Beyoncé. You feel she definitely evolved. Sure, she's feels different. Like, sure. She's like, I love that. She's like basically saying like she belongs to me in country music. This black people started it like this is where we belong. Oh, yes. She gave she gave you a lesson. She gave you a it was so much from the right all the way to the present. She had a new Cyrus on the. Like, it was just...
Starting point is 00:08:07 It was kind of... It was beautiful. Thanks, so y'all miss Jay-Z. I know! Why Jay-Z couldn't come out on June 10th? He came on the third night. He went on the first night. Oh, so she was there for three nights. So y'all warmed up, y'all warmed it up for everybody.
Starting point is 00:08:27 I love that. It was beautiful though. It was. I love Paris. Paris is a beautiful city. We ate there behind of Ashley. Yes. All the restaurants Ashley picked, they were perfect.
Starting point is 00:08:40 Amazing. The food was amazing. I think I had lots of pasta every day. It was on me. Yes, I ate it. It was good. I had lots of pasta. You know, what's is what is dope about French cuisine? Like, that's what I'm graduating in is in French culinary,
Starting point is 00:08:58 which they set the standard of precision. So, you know what I mean? Like, they just the epitome of precision. You know what I mean? They just the epitome of grace. Where do you think we get the word from valet? The opulence and the royalty that comes from France, cafes and croissants and all these different things, just the elevated culinary experience. So I know exactly what you guys are talking about, because they're just the way that, you know,
Starting point is 00:09:29 from learning in the culinary space, the type of cuts, the brunoise and the julienne, all these things are derived from French culinary and French opulence. So I know y'all were eating good over there. I love it. I want to give a shout out to Swélo Paris. Sulo. Sulo Paris. They actually got in a day late, but they hosted us for dinner.
Starting point is 00:09:56 And when I took, they laid it out for us, the drinks, the food, it was beautiful. The food was so good. So shout out to Sulo Paris for hosting us when we got there. It was beautiful. And his wife's a Cajun. I love that. Yeah. Yes, ladies.
Starting point is 00:10:10 Yeah. It was incredible. We turned places into like karaoke spots. We had a little, we went to a Shisha Lounge. We turned it out. We had the owners out partying with us. Ashley missed it. What's the other spot we went to start with them?
Starting point is 00:10:28 Monoc? Monoc? I think it was Monoc. They hosted us, shout out to them. Um, they gave us, uh, you know, bottles. They laid out the carpet for us when we got there too. So, they, Karen showed us some love while we was out there. That's beautiful. Did you all get to do any sightseeing? Like go to the Chandeliers? It's not bad, just take pictures.
Starting point is 00:10:51 But we've been to Paris like a few times, but I didn't really need to do all that again. But, um, but yeah, I mean, and we were in, like, in and out. We were only there for a couple days. So I was there for the food and Beyonce. Mostly I was there for the food and Beyonce. I was there for the food, Beyonce, and a little shopping. I love it. I love it. Yes, ladies. But apparently we were staying next to,
Starting point is 00:11:15 I never heard Emily, I kept getting all these Instagram messages about, oh, Emily in Paris or something. Is it a show or something? The ASA Class of 2014, that's where Emily in Paris was at. So wherever we were staying at was one of the places that she was at as well. We was like, why are you coming here taking pictures? But that was when I was working, I was like, OK, let me look and see Emily in Paris.
Starting point is 00:11:47 Yeah. Yeah. One of my favorite hotels in Paris is the La Marise. It's one of my favorite, favorite places. I have memories there. So what kind of memories you got there, Lex? I got engaged there. My first engagement was there. I mean, I'm going to have my first and my last.
Starting point is 00:12:16 My first engagement was at the Limerie's, so I like it there. I like their lounge that they have there. It's one of my favorite places. It was just beautiful. We had a- Yeah, Paris is gorgeous. Yes. We're gonna have to plan us a humble baddie strip.
Starting point is 00:12:30 We still haven't planned the humble baddie. How about the retreat? Let's go. Yes, the retreat. We still have the retreat we need to plan. We haven't forgot about y'all. The retreat is coming. We gotta get on it.
Starting point is 00:12:42 Lex, enough about us. What you been doing, girl? I have been cheffing it up in the restaurant as Smith and Webster's. Just really in my bag, literally. Just really just in my elements. Every day has been nonstop as far as just going and being creative and just being a presence in the kitchen. I found a new passion into it now to the point of where I'm just like,
Starting point is 00:13:08 okay, now I see why I'm here, I see my purpose. And I'm just really gravitating to that space. And I've just been elated. Like, people have been coming through and coming, like, coming through and having the food and chopping it up with me. And it's just been really, really, like, purposeful. and coming through and having the food and chopping it up with me. And it's just been really, really purposeful.
Starting point is 00:13:28 And I'm just proud of myself with this progress because this is my first time in a basically a commercial kitchen. And to be in this restaurant, like high volume space and to really know that I did so much work to like learn and to really improve my know, improve my craft. This externship has been right on time for just the growth of Alexis. So I'm just like more than ecstatic of this, like really being in this space and really
Starting point is 00:13:57 understanding now and having more respect for every the ladies and the gentlemen that are in the white coats now that are behind the scenes navigating because people depend on us for food, nourishment, excitement, and all the ambiance and really just the curated experience. And it's just ignited the spirit in me of just like wanting to like now take off creatively and in the culinary space of what's needed.
Starting point is 00:14:23 So stay tuned for more, because it's just going down. I'm just... It's been great to be in my element, you know? Like my lane, I have time now to like really focus on my dreams and my goals and it's happening in real time. So it's been dope. It's been good. I'm proud of you. I can't wait, because I'm ready to eat some chef-less food. I'm ready to... It's going down. It's been good. I'm proud of you. I can't wait, because I'm ready to eat some chef-less food. I'm ready to.
Starting point is 00:14:47 It's going down. It's going down, baby. We gotta plan that. I'm excited. When we can come in. Sure. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:14:55 Yeah. So here we are. I'm excited. Hi. Well, we do have some stuff coming up this weekend. Y'all ready? I hope y'all know the lyrics. Ah! What's going on? up this weekend. Y'all ready? I hope y'all know the lyrics.
Starting point is 00:15:07 What's what's going on? Last time I checked out was the man on the street. That's right. So I get to chop it up with y'all. We're gonna turn up, have some fun, have our, you know, Y'all gowns ready. It's black tie. Oh, I'm ready. All right. Me too. You ready? Not yet. Not yet. Okay. But we'll be.
Starting point is 00:15:41 I have a dress. It's a little simple, but I'm gonna make it work. Yeah, it's black tie, you know, like show up and show out. You know, it's time to like really have that black excellence and that black, the culture, you know, I love it. It's beautiful. When he did his first, you told me about this. Yeah. When he did his first one in Atlanta, I this. When he did his first one in Atlanta,
Starting point is 00:16:05 I was like, he need to go on tour. And when I seen the tour, I was like, oh, I got to get my tickets. I got to get my tickets. Tackle. Atlanta to Miami, Lord Jesus. I be raving Atlanta like old Atlanta. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:22 Really? Why is that? Why is that? Why is that? I have a lot of friends that are born and raised in Miami. We have a battle at least once a year at a cookout at somebody's house and we just do Atlanta music versus Miami music. And I really be having to hold it down for Atlanta.
Starting point is 00:16:43 It's a difference. It's a big difference. It's a big difference. It's a difference for sure. It's gonna beat y'all every time. So this for me is everything. Like I can't wait. I cannot.
Starting point is 00:16:56 Yeah, I'm super excited for it. You need to dress up. Yeah, I hope everyone like shows up. You know what I mean? Like, dress up. We don't ever get to, like, really dress up. And since there's the orchestra and since there is just us, we gotta, we gotta... Yeah. Because y'all know so fast.
Starting point is 00:17:16 I love my, I love... us. But they can do everything. Well, I already know what you got to say, Sherelle. Go ahead and say it. We're gonna do right this time. We're gonna show up. We're gonna have on our gowns the guys that are gonna have on their tuxes. That's a beautiful date night or girls night out or whatever.
Starting point is 00:17:38 For us. So, this will be good. We're gonna show up, we're gonna be cute, you know, we're gonna look real sophisticated, and we're gonna be rapping them lyrics to the symphony. When is it gonna be? Yeah. You know, it's concert season. I feel like, you know, y'all just coming back from Beyoncé, and it's just like every couple weeks,
Starting point is 00:17:59 it's like concert after concert after concert. Chris Brown's coming at the end of July. My tribe wants to go to that. I'm like, y'all want me to shout her out? Because I need to get my voice ready. She has a small baby tour. I was trying to... Mayyomi Sheeran. Y'all know I've been listening to her.
Starting point is 00:18:16 That's Brown. No. No. But she got a concert. It's gonna be in New York at the end of July. I'm trying to make it. So. Well, we are. I'm going to Morgan Wallen.
Starting point is 00:18:32 I think that's what a ray. Oh, I don't know. I'm going with a ray. So we shall see. This is, oh, she turned 20. Oh'all, I have a 20-year-old. Happy birthday. Happy birthday, Ray. I just can't believe I have a 20-year-old.
Starting point is 00:18:52 Like, this is happening. At this point, she ain't your daughter no more. That's your sister. Let me tell you something. She gonna forever be my sister, my daughter. My daughter, okay? My baby, because you didn't been through the most together. You know, there's something about the old.
Starting point is 00:19:05 No, that's a that's a joke. But I know what you're saying. Like I ain't getting I'm not getting older. You're getting older. So at this point, we sisters now. Yeah, she gets a little upset when, you know, we go out somewhere like, oh, that's your sister. She's like, now that's my mom. I'm like, you're my biggest hater.
Starting point is 00:19:24 Be your own kid. That's what I be telling my daughter. Girl, you getting older. I'm still staying my same age. You must. Okay. I know that. Just like great shoes, great books take you places through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget. I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies. I'm Danielle Robay, and this is Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts. Every week I sit down with your favorite book lovers, authors, celebrities, book talkers, and more to explore the stories that shape us on the page and off. I've been reading every Reese's Book Club pick, deep diving book talk theories, and obsessing over book to screen casts for years.
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Starting point is 00:23:52 Yeah, we had so much going on. Now we got to talk about what's going on. What we've been seeing in the media about people bragging about the soft life, soft love versus struggle love, the rebrand of suffering in silence. Everywhere you scroll, someone is pushing the soft life agenda, luxury, leisure, and men who pay bills without asking questions. But behind the filters, there's another side. Women still playing ride or die for men with excuses, not execution.
Starting point is 00:24:25 We've romanticized survival so much that anything less than suffering playing ride or die for men with excuses, not execution. We've romanticized survival so much that anything less than suffering feels selfish, but let's be real. Some of us have been mistaken chaos for chemistry and calling it loyalty. The internet says we want peace, but our DMs say otherwise. Why do y'all think women still tolerate potential in men when it really pays off? But before we go into that question, what do y'all think about that?
Starting point is 00:24:53 Like the whole, the soft life agenda and behind filters, there's another side. What do y'all feel about that? Well, I think that soft life is definitely, hold on where y'all feel about that? Well, I think that, well, soft life is definitely, hold on where y'all come from? Can y'all see me still? Okay. I think soft life is like, just like one of those things that social media like made up and blew up. And it's like, it can be real, but it's, I feel like at this point though, it's just something that social media has put on this pedestal and it's something that you should work to try to get to.
Starting point is 00:25:33 And if you don't have it, then you ain't shit. And I really hate that about it. There's always something that's trendy. And right now it's the soft life thing, right? But there is a real side to it. The real side to it is these girls aren't really living this life. They are doing all kinds of things behind the scenes to make it look like, to have this illusion of a soft life. You know, they might be, I don't know, you know, doing things for money that, you
Starting point is 00:26:10 know, they're a little bit exactly. So it's like, you just never know what these women are doing. And I hate that because young ladies don't know the difference. Some people just don't know the difference between what's real and what's not, especially on social media. Some people just don't know the difference between what's real and what's not, especially on social media. But I mean, I think we all should want to live a true soft life. We all deserve to live a soft life.
Starting point is 00:26:32 We all like I think that is, you know, beautiful that we're tapping into this soft life. I guess trend because for so long, I feel like especially for black women, it was all about being strong and independent. And that was wearing us thin and wearing us out. So you know, while I do think, you know, we need to be careful with these trendy ideas of how we should be living and what we should be portraying on social media. I do think that it is beautiful to see black women, especially moving into this more of a soft white space and getting away from, I got to be an independent
Starting point is 00:27:12 woman and I got to do it on my own and if I don't, I ain't shit. So it's two sides to it. It's two sides to it, as always. Yeah. So your point, Ashley, I agree with you as far as, well, in general. We have been struggling, especially black women, for a long time. We've been breadwinners. We suffer. We are the nourishing ones. We are feeding. We are doing everything and always been overlooked.
Starting point is 00:27:41 I look at it as a double-edged sword. The fact that, you know, you see this soft light, you see this glamorous life on Instagram, but we have to remember it's Insta-gram. It's an instant, it's a snapshot. It can be filtered, it can be AI-generated, all these things. To me, it goes back to bringing it as self-care or, like, you know, love for yourself.
Starting point is 00:28:02 So whether it's, like, attainable to be, like, let me, love for yourself. So whether it's like attainable to be like, let me just say this, like a bath or going to the spa or even solo dining, going to eat by yourself, all these things can be considered soft life too. But what we're doing is we are gravitating to the advertisement of like a man providing, you know, X, Y, and Z, this opulent lifestyle. And we're starting to realize that, again,
Starting point is 00:28:28 like you said before, what are you doing? What are you doing for this? And it's not all that, all that glam, glamorous. Are you happy? Is it temporary satisfaction? Is it just like, you know, you are the flavor of the month? Like, what are the long-term goals? What are the long-term, like, benefits of it? Because it looks like it's just short-term satisfaction.
Starting point is 00:28:47 And some women, like, because men have, you know, portrayed the soft life, or they, women portrayed the soft life for Instagram so much, like you said, you don't know what's going on behind closed doors. Like, is it really worth it to portray this so-called soft life when really you're hurting deep down inside? But sometimes you have to reevaluate things. Is it really worth it? No.
Starting point is 00:29:15 One person who I do love looking at and I really do feel like she really is living a soft life. I don't know if y'all follow her. Shayla Rayworld on Instagram, she's married to a white guy. They're aged, she's 40 and I think he's like 72. She's a black female and her husband is white. And it's just like, they're... What are y'all talking about?
Starting point is 00:29:40 Their chemistry is so cute and she gets a lot of hate, but she eats it up on social media. I love, she portrays the soft life world very well. So if anybody I watch on the Instagram, I definitely do pay attention to them and give them some of my time because I just love their story. Well, it's like to each their own. As long as she's happy, this is what is destined for her.
Starting point is 00:30:08 This is where her situation is, her marriage, her relationship. And good for her, you know? I feel like everyone has destined to their own paths. And the goal is for someone to support whatever your path is, you know? And whatever you and your relationship, you and your partner come up with as far as what is for you and vice versa, what you need for this marriage, whatever that looks like, that relationship. That's the ultimate soft life where you can really love your partner, they can love on you, y'all can do what you, you can be yourselves within a relationship.
Starting point is 00:30:40 So to me, that's the ultimate soft life, you know what I mean? She seems like she would be happy. She's happy in her situation despite their age difference, despite being interracial, all the hate that they're getting. She's living her best life and ultimately, who wants a hard life? We only get one time at it, you know? So if she's happy, I'm happy. I think every woman wants a soft life. Shit, I want a fucking soft life.
Starting point is 00:31:07 I'm tired of it. I'm tired of showing that I'm a strong black woman. I can do this and I can do that. If that's some... Yeah, but you also not going to take crimes either. That's why I'm in the particular thing. I'm being right now a single. Well, well, I'm in the particular way. Single way. I'm sorry.
Starting point is 00:31:29 Thank you, Ashley. Thank you, Ashley. Listen, I love the life I'm living right now. The life I'm living right now is definitely giving self life. Ashley, look you over. Yeah, Ashley, thank you. I'm glad. I can see what's going on. I can feel it.
Starting point is 00:31:46 I'm rich now. That's funny. OK, keep going. I'm what? All right, moving forward. So why do you think women still tolerate potential in men when it rarely pays off? We're investing.
Starting point is 00:32:14 Don't you want to like, if you're taking the time, we're hopeless romantics. We're like, you know, it's, we getting frustrated with the ones that we could be with or taking the time to invest in and pour into. So, like, I feel like, you know, we're getting into the point of, like, where we're choosing and what are we tolerating and what is worth it, you know? Our time, our everything, you know what I mean? So, I just look at it like, hey, you know,
Starting point is 00:32:41 if I'm investing you, we are putting time limits. I mean, I don't want to speak for everybody, but there are certain time limits, you know, if I'm investing you, we are putting time limits. I mean, I don't want to speak for everybody, but there are certain time limits, time limits, and like these portions of like, you know, okay, is this a situationship? Is this just sexual? Is it, what is this leading to? What's the goal? Is it intentional?
Starting point is 00:33:00 Is this just another fuck boy? Like, we're starting to decipher, like, what has taken up our time, you know? Because we're balancing work and family and life and all these goals and all these other things. So, you know, is it settling? You know, I don't think so, but we're just not gonna tolerate some bullshit. I think we are set in our confidence and our independence, too, to where it's like, is it really worth it?
Starting point is 00:33:24 Our piece and everything we worked hard for. I've said this stat before, but most black women, for example, we own our homes. We have more homes than our single black men. So it's like, we have benefits and we also are put on this beautiful pedestal of like, you got to come in and try to be attainable to us. So I don't think it's really about settling it and really just like, we are not playing
Starting point is 00:33:52 around either. But this is for women who still tolerate potential in men. I feel like I don't want to still tolerate the potential in men. I feel like women who still tolerate the potential in men, it's because they're afraid to start over. Like they put in so many years or they see something in that man that they want out of them, something good. So eventually they tolerate that person so much because they think that they're going to change. Yeah, I think that some women might do that too, because we're kind of, I feel like our culture, we're taught to like give people a chance and like, you know, wait it out and
Starting point is 00:34:36 stick by your man and by his side. And like we're taught that, you know what I mean? I feel like I don't really. Yeah, good man, Savannah. You don't see that a lot. It gets in the way. The culture is like the fear to like, he's the one, he's the good one, he comes from a good family, his family got money, blah, blah, blah.
Starting point is 00:34:54 Like they have like their guidelines of what a man should be and they got to check off the marks. Where I feel like in our culture, it's more of like, well, he has the potential, he seems like he's gonna be this and you know, I mean, it's like we have this we're taught to you know Seek the potential instead of seeking somebody who's already there and you know checks off all the marks from the boxes Which I think it's just really strange
Starting point is 00:35:26 that our culture is still kind of that way. You know, I feel like we're kind of moving out of it. The women, I feel like we are, but I still feel like there's something different in our culture in that way. But I feel like even when we move out of it, it seems like we get criticized even more by moving away from it.
Starting point is 00:35:47 Like we know it's not going to pay off. We had enough. We realized that we're not going to tolerate them anymore. And then once you make the decision to actually, Denim, get out. Sorry. I'm yelling at my. Denim. Hey Denim. Come here. This my. I'm here. No, do not do that. Don't do that.
Starting point is 00:36:05 I'm not playing with you. Oh, then what I was saying, you say it's like when we start to move away from that situation or, you know, we don't want to tolerate the potential anymore. And we see, we know that we, we there's better out for us. We get criticized for it. Oh, they can't keep a man. Oh, this, that the third it's like, you know, you want better, you deserve better. But, and that's where women who stay because they don't want the public, you know, all, what everyone else, want to hear what everyone else have to say.
Starting point is 00:36:55 So it's the society pressure that they get. So that's another reason I think why. Yeah, yeah. Then it's societal, like Ashley said, it's also generational. It's your family, it's your church, it's all these things. It's very much a lot of pressure. Yeah. Yeah. So is there a way to truly experience soft life while being in a committed relationship with someone who's still figuring life out? with someone who's still figuring life out. I think so. I think so, because you make a soft life
Starting point is 00:37:31 which you want it to be, you know? And I think there's different levels to soft life and different versions of soft life. And so if you're with somebody who, I guess, I don't know about figuring life out, because that feels a little like you shouldn't even be in a relationship if you're trying to figure life out. But I think I understand somebody you know building their life still you know still having goals and that they're reaching and y'all are doing it together so So I feel like together will reach different levels of your thought flight, you know
Starting point is 00:38:08 Okay Yeah, I think I think you I think you can I agree with ash I think you can experience a soft life with being in a committed relationship because you're teaching people boundaries You're teaching them who you are. You're teaching them what you require and vice versa. That's true Have you ever had to unlearn the belief that struggle equals love Hmm Never been in no struggle love relationship before I feel like if it didn't feel good, I was just like, yeah, I'm good.
Starting point is 00:38:47 I'm good. Struggle love. What are we defining as struggle love? Probably like one of those really chaotic, toxic relationships where it's like, maybe y'all fight all the time, but you always get back together or something like that. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:39:04 I feel like that's struggling. Right? Very struggling. Like, they're here. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know. That's in me, that struggle. Yeah. I mean, I feel like you can almost get into a space of just like, you know, is this for me?
Starting point is 00:39:25 And we get complacent a little bit because we're like, oh, he's going to change or she's going to change. We're going to improve because you, we hold on to hope and you hope that your investment is going to pay off, right? You can't expect it to be perfect the minute that, you know, that you embark with somebody. And so it becomes a disappointment if you over so much time and fluid exchange and body exchange and time exchange, financials, all these moments, I feel like you can get caught up and want to be like, okay, I'll just overlook this little thing. But then that little thing over time becomes larger, you know? So I mean, it's bittersweet.
Starting point is 00:40:09 It's just like it depends on what I think what stage you are in life. I feel like I don't want to speak for you all, but I know we're not going to tolerate so much at this level of success and independence and also just what we expect and what we expect and what we've been experienced with love, with relationships, with family, just in just these life lessons. We're not gonna lower our standards.
Starting point is 00:40:33 You know what I mean? None of us are. Just because of what we've seen, what we've been through and what we can tolerate. We are not playing around. So it's like the bar has already been set high. So we're not gonna let anyone just, you know, they got to meet us there above at this point.
Starting point is 00:40:48 It's just non-negotiable. So I don't, you know, understanding like, you know, a lot of people were taught like the struggle of, oh, he fight me because he loved me. That's nothing but love. Oh, you know, that's very toxic. So it's like, you have to, like, that's not true love. That's not what it is. Not at all.
Starting point is 00:41:12 Having peace, it's okay to have peace in a relationship. Yeah. It's okay to go through a relationship and not fight, not argue. Right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. You know, you look at it, it's like, I always say this, like, you don't realize that God is really counting your tears. So when he does remove you from, you know, a situation, it's not for nothing.
Starting point is 00:41:35 That's good. You know, it does definitely hurt because we're human, but at the same time, it's like, okay, it's for a reason. We shouldn't be feeling like this. Should not be feeling, like, okay, it's for a reason. We shouldn't be feeling like this. Should not be feeling like heavy. Should not be feeling unwanted or any of that kind of stuff. But no, we can't be living in a toxic environment. It's not conducive.
Starting point is 00:41:55 We all deserve a good old soft wine. That's what it means to you. Mm-hmm. Pilosoft. Pilosoft. Pillow soft. Pillow soft. Feather. Feather. Pillow soft. Is there a way to truly experience soft life while being in a committed relationship with
Starting point is 00:42:16 someone who still fix... We already answered that one. Yeah, we just did. I was about to say we did that. But we already know it can't get no better than being Hella Black, Hella Queer, and Hella Christian. My name is Joseph Rees. I am the creator and host of Hella Black, Hella Queer, Hella Christian, a fully black, fully queer, fully human, fully divine podcast from I Heart Media to Hella Black, Hella Queer,
Starting point is 00:42:59 Hella Christian on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why is a soap opera western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.
Starting point is 00:43:29 Listen to the American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season One, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season One, Taser Incorporated on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:44:07 I'm Jeff Perlman. And I'm Rick Jervis. We're journalists and hosts of the podcast, Finding Sexy Sweat. At an internship in 1993, we roomed with Reggie Payne, aspiring reporter and rapper who went by Sexy Sweat. A couple years ago, we set out to find him. But in 2020, Reggie fell into a coma after police pinned him down, and he never woke up. But then I see, my son's not moving.
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